Wine Outlook

Readers and drinkers, I bet you forgot about those peaches from the Farmer’s Market. Well, I didn’t. I did make them into a peach cobbler as promised, with a few substitutions for missing ingredients. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the fixins for the Paula Deen version, but it was still quite tasty. Funny, I adore cobbler now but when I was little, I didn’t really like sweets and would completely ignore the blackberry cobbler my mom would make for Uncle Marion. Oh, to go back and have a bowl with him now….

Anyway, this particular night I ventured out to have dessert with my first ever TBA. The fifth (actually, sixth) level of ripeness for German wines such as Riesling, Trockenbeerenauslese, is also the least common. Conditions have to be just so for the noble rot to set in and requirements relating to potential alcoholic strength are even stricter than they are for Sauternes. Therefore, these wines are not made every year and are often quite expensive. The 1999 Anselmann Ortega Trockenbeerenauslese was about $20 at Trader Joe’s over a year ago, if I recall correctly. Perhaps the price was lower as it’s not made from Riesling…Ortega is more often used in blending. This bottle was hard to pass up, with its many stickers boasting of gold and silver medals from various international competitions. Turned out to be a good choice for the pairing–lovely notes of honey, orange rind, and apple blossoms.

Trockenbeerenauslese, 1999 Anselmann Ortega Trockenbeerenauslese, peach cobbler pairing

This meal was from over a week ago, but I’m just now getting around to posting about it. That says nothing about its merit; however, it’s actually the best thing I’ve made in a while, and the pairing was perfect. I know I sound quite pleased with myself and maybe it’s because I am. Three things to go with two wines. One was my beef and broccoli. The other two came from the cellar rat’s fresh catch from Bodega Bay. I prepared the salmon two ways, one to go with Riesling and one to go with Gewurztraminer. The first was glazed with a marinade of honey, soy sauce, and garlic. For the second I made a paste of lychees and mascarpone, thinned out with some of the lychee juice.
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The other night I opened the bottle of NV Gruet Blanc de Noirs I bought a few weeks ago (at Beltramo’s for $11 or $12). Now, I admit I’ve been a bit in the dark as to what Gruet signified for this New Mexico sparkling wine…grape? producer? style? Turns out, the family responsible for Gruet et Fils in Champagne decided to plant Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in New Mexico in 1984, after stumbling upon other Europeans who’d found wine luck in the state. These years later, Gruet makes seven sparkling wines and two each Chardonnay and Pinot.

And though New Mexico might not be your first stop for wine, this one was pretty good. It was dry, very light, and slightly bready. The fruits were pretty muted but they hinted at raspberry and lemon. I served this particular bottle with an old favorite, but changed up the preparation. This time the smoked salmon went along with citrus-vinaigrette-dressed greens, and was highlighted with a mascarpone-dill spread, finished with capers and red onions.

Happily, I’ve found a new favorite salad and a new go-to in sparkling wine.

NV Gruet Blanc de Noirs, New Mexico sparkling wine, smoked salmon salad

Farley Walker

Last week was a night for sitting outside at The Villa, having a quickly-made, long-enjoyed dinner with friends. The grill worked overtime for shish kabobs with spicy chicken, tasty tri-tip using the fancy box of salts, mushrooms, onions, and tomatoes. The cellar rat piled all the ingredients on one large platter so we could fill our plates. It’s hard to beat a meal that tastes so good and takes so little effort to make. Yum.

The wine I decanted while the boys grilled was the 2003 Martella Heart Arrow Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon. Michael had given me the bottle earlier that day–a gift I was excited to receive as that’s one of my favorite Martella wines. Though I’m not sure Micahel appreciated my first impressions of the nose. I told him the next day the first thing I got upon inhaling the heady scent of the wine was Ben and Jerry’s Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream. “Not very Cab-like,” he said. “Delicious, nonetheless,” I replied.

2003 Martella Heart Arrow Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, Ben and Jerry’s Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream

Sometimes the food you’re planning to eat doesn’t fit the wine you want to drink. So you can tweak the ingredients a bit to fit. That’s what happened when I had scallops the other night. I’d planned to have them cooked in garlic butter. But I wasn’t feeling a buttery white at the time, so I changed the sauce. Wanting to have a rustic red, I made a sauce of fresh tomatoes cooked in chicken stock and truffle oil with a splash of cream.

The wine came from a trip to Livermore last summer: the 2002 Murrieta’s Well Zarzuela. I seem to recall that winery being my first and favorite visit of the day. Zarzuela means ‘operatta’ in Spanish, or a romantic musical. Just as a musical makes use of different voices and sounds, this wine is comprised of different grapes, each aged separately in oak for about 20 months before being blended. Listed at $30 at the winery, it’s made from 65% Tempranillo, 26% Touriga Nacional, and 9% Souzao (which I was not familiar with but just read is a “black grape variety planted in Portugal’s Douro valley, where it is regarded as a useful, if slightly rustic, ingredient in Port for its color and obvious fruit character in youth” source:Oxford Companion to Wine).

This wine smelled of nutmeg, blackberry, and earth. When I tasted it, I found red peppercorns, chocolate, and cherry. It was nice pairing for the scallops in their hearty sauce, and the slight hints at sweetness highlighted that in the roasted corn. Definitely a wine I’d buy again, though it might mean making another trip over to Livermore.

2002 Murrieta’s Well Zarzuela, Livermore, wine pairing for scallops, Murrieta’s Well

….Farley Walker

Last Sunday I composed another three-course meal for three of my favorite wine lovers. While I adore cooking and the world of possibilities for pairings that this set-up allows, it does require a bit of fancy footwork and less opportunity for chattng and relaxing. Plus, timing has never been my strong point in the kitchen. That and lively conversation made for no official tasting notes.

However, I want to share my dinner with you because I can still give you my impressions of the pairings. And because I’m proud of it….

To begin, I got to work on my mini-quiches, having made the little cups the prior night. Half were filled with red onion and mozzerella, to be topped with smoked salmon. The other half had garlic-marinated green olives and goat cheese. Both were salty and therefore went very well with the sparkling wine I poured as I popped them in the oven: the 2000 J Brut from Russian River Valley. This is a bottle I bought on my recent trip to J, without even tasting it, as it was from the library. You can read the tasting notes in the link, but just know that we were all pleased with it. You can never go wrong with J bubbly.

The second course is one of my best go-to dishes: Pasta Puttanesca. I’ve mentioned it before here and Sara had lovely things to say about it on her blog. With it, we consumed the 2005 David Noyes Tocai Friulano with fruit from the North Coast. A variety grown mostly in northeast Italy, it’s known for minerality and floral notes. I had seen the winemaker the night before at a tasting, where I gladly accepted a bottle from him. Also known as Sauvignon Vert, the wine’s crispness and hints of spice were a nice match for the acidity and heat in the pasta. (more…)

2000 J Brut, 2005 David Noyes Tocai Friulano

You may have gathered I like to cook, even if it’s just myself after a long day of work. But it’s always more fun to have people over because it gives me an excuse to go all out. That’s what happened last week when two regular dinner companions (the teacher and my Irish friend) came over to my place. In trying to decide what to serve, it struck me that I could do a Thomas Fogarty pairing dinner. With two bottles left over from work and one from my collection…the plan was set.

Up first. The girls chatted while I warmed the dressing–balsamic vinaigrette–to be drizzled over spinach, red onions, walnuts, and Harley Farms goat cheese. We ate our salads with the 2006 Thomas Fogarty Skyline Chardonnay. It’s unoaked, and so the crispness and minerality stood up to the sharpness of the dressing and cut through the creaminess of the cheese. I usually have a Sauvignon Blanc with this particular salad, but I was quite happy with this Chardonnay pairing. The girls agreed.

Course 2: Wild mushroom risotto made with chantrelles, porcini, crimini, and shiitakes. This is my go-to for risotto, and I almost always have Pinot Noir with it. The chosen wine this time was the 2004 Rapley Trail Vineyard B Block Pinot Noir. (more…)

2006 Thomas Fogarty Skyline Chardonnay, 2004 Rapley Trail Vineyard B Block Pinot Noir

Readers and drinkers, everything seems to be just a little off these days. I was outside of the price range for Wine Blogging Wednesday, I was 2 days late with my wine column, and at a private tasting the other night, my normal banter with the crowd was constantly interrupted to be translated into Japanese. It seems appropriate, then, that the picture to the right is a little blurry and that the wine itself was not quite what I expected. BK wanted to share the NV Rymill “The Bee’s Knees” sparkling red from Coonawarra. He’d never had red bubbles before, though I may have mentioned once or twice that I adore them. This particular wine is a blend of 4 grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cab Franc, and Shiraz (in order of highest percentage to least). I have to say my first reaction was that it ‘tastes like a Cab,’ which stemmed from the fact it had more tannin and didn’t taste as rich as the red sparklers I’ve had in the past. I got coffee, as opposed to the chocolate I often find, and bing cherry, instead of the more typical raspberry. Once I got past the expectations, I could enjoy the glass(es) based on what the wine was, rather than what it wasn’t. And it was a delightfully dry sparkling red that matched the salty goodness of sauteed mushrooms over bread.

I’m just glad John Innes, the winemaker, decided to share it with all of us, instead of only with family and friends, as it seems those were his original plans for The Bee’s Knees…

NV Rymill “The Bee’s Knees”, sparkling red

Last week I had the great idea to make calamari. And by great idea, I mean I will never try it again. Without a deep fryer, it just doesn’t work. They were chewy from being in too long, and I still have burns on my face and arm…though they’re finally fading. Therefore, with the chaos of fighting oil splatters in a hot kitchen on an extra-warm evening, talking, and holding ice to my face while trying to eat, I didn’t take any notes on the Moet & Chandon White Star. I do recall, however, that it was exactly what I needed at that point, and it went down far too easily. I’ll have to get it again and pay better attention. (more…)

calamari, Moet & Chandon White Star

The other night the teacher and I continued our tradition of dinner and a movie– with wine, of course. She always tells me, “I have wine, too, you know.” But as I am trying to move some of my inventory to make more room, I usually supply it. The dinner was kabobs from Truly Mediterranean in the Mission–lamb for me, with feta added. Messy but sooo worth it. The wine was from a friend who works at a nearby SCM winery…some Pinot Noir from the bottom of the barrel, so to speak. Unnamed and unlabeled, it was a little hazy and quite spicy. Black fruits, cherry, and earthiness fought against the slight bitterness that finally subsided after being open half an hour. While the food and wine went quite well together, this time the movie didn’t fit. The Queen, despite its superb acting, was a little lacking in the spice factor. We both admitted later it was hard to keep our eyes open at the end. Our other friend (the biodegradable wine fan) had already seen it and had to tell us what we missed. She got a glass of wine for her trouble, though.

Truly Mediterranean, Pinot Noir

Last week my teacher friend kept me company while making use of a cookbook I recently received. Love Rachael Ray or hate her, but admit she knows how to make a good meal in no time. I chose to construct flank steak sandwiches, marinating one half in lemon and thyme as she suggested, and the other half in Worstershire, garlic, and dijon mustard. A nice sear before cooking in the oven, on the rack below sweet potatoes sprinkled with brown sugar and olive oil. The other side was salad dressed with a blue cheese/dijon vinaigrette and topped with pears.

I chose to serve the 2003 Ridge Independence School Zinfandel, thinking that grape would be a nice match for the blue cheese, as well as the spicy components of the mustard and garlic. It was. Turned out to also pair well with the spunky transvestite in Kinky Boots. Almost qualified as ‘a feel-good movie’ and while not quite making it (think Billy Elliot, The Full Monty), it was still a good choice. (more…)

flank steak sandwich, 2003 Ridge Independence School Zinfandel, Kinky Boots

My past few posts have been grounded in the abstract, so I’m feeling the call to be more specific. And you can’t get more specific than a wine review. Er, well, minus the subjectivity of the whole thing…. I drank the 2004 Martella Grenache the other evening. The grapes come from the Oleta Vineyard in Fiddletown, courtesy of Richard Martella, Michael’s brother. The bottle itself was given to me in exchange for writing some letters or such for Michael. (He’s a great winemaker but he doesn’t like to write, and I don’t mind getting paid in wine). On the nose, and it was a beautiful one, there was cinnamon, cedar box, and plum. More plum, pepper, and a little bit of soy sauce filled the mouth with a nice smoothness. Definitely easy to drink a glass or two.

Without trying too hard, I made for a rather appropriate pairing. I had a couple boneless pork chops marinating in a mixture of soy sauce, orange juice, and garlic for a few hours in the fridge before I even knew what wine I was going to have. With a little salt and brown sugar sprinkled on top, I baked them in the oven (350 degrees for about 20 minutes). The savory quality in the wine was very similar to soy sauce and the slight sweetness to the fruit went nicely with the brown sugar finish. While the sides–asparagus and smoked gouda cous cous–were not as wine friendly, they did help make a great meal.

Hmmmm, I wonder if Michael needs any more writing done.

2004 Martella Grenache, Michael Martella, pork chops

Last week was almost all about white wine for me. One that I didn’t get to writing about was the 2004 Hiedler Gruner Veltliner. I had the 2005 at The Slanted Door several months ago.) The older vintage definitely seemed rounder than what I recalled the other being, though there were still citrus and herbal notes, along with pepper and apple. I was actually scared the wine might have been cooked, as there appeared to be a bit of leakage and a quick sniff before uncorking was dangerously akin to Madeira. However, those fears were put aside once open.

With two pears (1 Anjou, 1 Bartlett) needing to be used, I decided to make a salad. Without any Gorgonzola in the fridge, I opted for a sherry dijon vinaigrette tossed with romaine lettuce, sliced pears, shaved parmasan, and crumbled walnuts. The pairing was exactly what I wanted. The pepper in the wine stood up to the dressing’s high kick, and the round, fruity flavors made eyes with the juicy pears. The only thing that would have made it better would be to have a little balcony or patio to sit outside and enjoy the weather.

2004 Hiedler Gruner Veltliner, white wine, warm weather, pear salad

The other night I was feeling rather fancy. That, coupled with the fact I’ve been craving white wine lately and needed to drink the 2005 Twisted Oak Viognier that El Jefe sent me for review ages ago, led to a damn fine meal. To make use of some of the goodies I bought on my road trip, I steamed the artichoke while preparing the rest of the meal and pouring myself a glass of wine. And what a tasty treat that was. On the nose, I picked up peaches and pears, with delicate floral notes, most notably gardenia. Taste followed through nicely. For a brief moment, I was tricked into thinking it was slightly sweet, until I realized the flavors brought me back to my grandmother’s homemade peach ice cream on a hot summer day. The finish was round and smooth, with an unexpected dash of spice–making it a perfect pairing for fish swimming in cream sauce with its own curry kick. (more…)

2005 Twisted Oak Viognier

Last night we watched the season finale of the L word, which was recheduled due to my party. (What an amazing group, huh?) We usually viewed it the night it airs–Sunday–which meant I always rushed from the tasting room into the city. This time, however, I got a turn at cooking dinner, hopefully backing up my promise of culinary skills.

Deciding to forego fancy and a chance at making a great wine pairing, I opted to go for some down-home cooking. Fried chicken. A combo of collards and mustard greens cooked in what we back home call ‘pot likker.’ Skillet cornbread, which I insisted everyone dip into the pot liquor. And my mama’s potato salad, which because I use a touch of Blue Plate (the best mayonnaise in the world, which sadly is not sold here) is a little better than hers. Oh, and of course, some sweet tea with mint.

Now, I tried to get someone to bring the champagne of beers, Miller High Life, but no one took me up on my suggestion. Although we did eat, in addition to stewed apples and yummy custard (cause there’s never too much dessert), some long-promised wine cake, and it certainly lived up to its reputation. I even correctly guessed the wine used was Chardonnay.

No need to be sad the show is over, we’ve already got plans to watch The Tudors. As usual, I’ll bring the wine.

Southern comfort food, Blue Plate Mayonnaise, Miller High Life

….Farley Walker