A Night of French Wine and Grass Fed Beef

This is the last post of the month, and Pris and I went out with a bang.  I picked up some grass fed NY strips I picked up at the Farmer's Market here in Brownsville.  To go with the mild steaks we selected Chateau Le Nuda 2006 Medoc.  The rich French wine was a great mellow selection for a pair of incredibly flavorful steaks.

The Chateau Le Nuda had a great bold nose that was loaded with cherries and oak.  While this French blend had a great bold nose, it was an exceptionally mellow wine on the palate.  This is of course thanks in large part to the aging process, but there has to be a solid wine to work with for this to happen.  On the palate this blend was all silky blackberry, raspberry, and cassis.  As expected, mild tannins facilitated a mellow finished that did not linger for long.

I know people had talked about how great grass-fed beef was, but I was skeptical about the hype.  However, after tasting the goods I am happy to say the grass-fed steak was everything we were promised.  The beef has a lower fat content, and like the Medoc we were working on, was mellow and flavorful.  The wine and the steak went well together, and I was thankful the wine was lighter and mellower than a Cab or Malbec.  Anything stronger might have been too much for the steak and overpowered the perfectly medium rare beef.

Unfortunately we don't have any information on where we picked up the 2006 Chateau Le Nuda Medoc or how much we paid for it.  It retails for about $15 online, and it appears that several sellers still offer it.

A Change of Pace with Oniro

If you're a regular follower of our blog, you know that Pris and I consume a fairly sizable quantity of beef.  Or rather we tend to pair more of our wines with beef.  We can't help it that we're from Texas, and grew up with the commercials that said "Beef, its what's for dinner."  Still, I decided to switch things up a bit the other night and grilled up some lamb chops.  To go with the change of pace Pris selected a bottle of Oniro's 2009 red.

The Oniro is a Spanish red that is a blend of Monastrell ,Cabernet, Garnacha, and Syrah; and it was a great selection to go with our dinner.  The wine is made up primarily of the Monastrell grape, and it really showed in the flavor.  The aroma was heavy with deep dark berries and herbal undertones.  The Monastrell dominated the palate with full ripe raspberry notes followed by anise and mineral on the mid-palate.  The wine finished nicely with mellow tannins and the full fruit from the Monastrell.

We paired Oniro's red blend with a pair of grilled lamb chops and an orzo salad made with feta, cucumbers, olives, mint, lemon juice and olive oil.  The wine went very well with the earthy lamb and the citrusy salad.  The full fruit was a great compliment to the well seasoned meat.  It also managed to even out the richness of all the olive oil in the salad.  This would be a great wine for barbeque on the weekends as the fulll fruit seems tailor made for a rich barbeque sauce.

I picked up the Oniro at Feldman's here in Brownsville.  It costs under $10, and last I checked it was still available.  It was a great wine for the value.  Unfortunately I was not able to find a website to offer more information on this wine.

Simply a Stunner: Cameron Hughes Lot 136 Cabernet Sauvignon

Last weekend was a good weekend for eating and wine drinking.  While the Franciscan Merlot was good, the Cameron Hughes 136 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was one of the best wines Pris and I have had in quite some time.  This was one of the last of our Cameron Hughes stock and it was a good one. 

This was a great rich Cab.  The first hint of what was in store for us was the deep dark coloration of Lot 136.  On the nose, the Napa Cab was dark berry with subtle undertones of oak.  On the palate this wine exemplified everything that is great about Napa Cabs.  Deep rich fruit, blackberries, and cassis all melded together in perfect harmony.  Understated oak provided a nice backbone to the rich fruit.  Full tannins provided a great full bodied finish.  This Cab was superbly balanced and a joy to drink.

We opened the Cameron Hughes Lot 136 on a Sunday to go with our standard Sunday beef dish.  Initially I was just grilling up a sirloin, but the wine called for something a little grander.  In order to match the wine's sophistication I roasted some prosciutto wrapped fennel and prepared a bacon/blue cheese/butter for the steak.  The resulting meal was fantastic, and the wine was a perfect match.

Unfortunately Cameron Hughes' Lot 136 is now sold out and gone forever.  If you happen to find it at a Sam's or Costco buy it quickly.  If you're offered some at a dinner party, accept and enjoy.  You can find out more about Cameron Hughes wines and even get some suggestions on similar offerings at: www.chwine.com.

A Merlot for All Occasions: Franciscan Merlot

Seeing as beef prices are currently experiencing a rather precipitous rise in price, Pris and I are trying to enjoy as much beef while we can.  A couple of weeks ago I finally got around to cooking a dish I've been I've been wanting to for some time: bacon wrapped wine braised brisket.  To go with this fine meal Pris selected a 2006 Franciscan Merlot that we've had since before moving to Brownsville.

 
In a prior post, I touted a Franciscan Cab as a great wine that was consistently good across the different vintages.  It was great to find out that this was equally true for Franciscan's Merlot.  The usual plum and cherry aromas were present and it appeared as though the wine would probably be a fairly standard Merlot, but that estimation changed once the wine hit the palate.  The cellaring definitely agreed with this Napa Merlot.  While it was as juicy and jammy as any Merlot out there, the aging mellowed this wine sublimely.  Full dark fruit slid effortlessly over the palate, grounded by mild herbal notes.  Incredibly mild tannins allowed for a mild and slightly sweet finish.

This wine paired superbly with the wine braised brisket.  The brisket was braised with a nice helping of garlic, onions, carrots, celery, and fennel.  The sweet anise in the fennel was a great compliment to the sweet fruit in the wine. The salty and savory bacon and brisket were countered very well by the same fruit. 

I'm not sure where we bought the 2006 Franciscan Merlot, or whether or not anyone will carry that particular vintage.  However, you can get Franciscan wines at H.E.B., Jones Liqour, Feldmans, and pretty much anywhere decent wine is sold.  Generally the Merlot runs a dollar or two less than its Cab counterpart, and you can find it for around $18 a bottle.  You can find out more about Franciscan and their wines at: http://www.franciscan.com

Of Flank Steak and Malbec: 2009 Lamadrid Malbec

 Last weekend we opened our final bottle of the month,  Lamadrid's 2009 Malbec from the Argelo region of Argentina.  We opened this bottle to go with a nice flank steak and a great little home-grown side dish.  Like the last Cab I reviewed, this wine was a little lighter than most that we've enjoyed, but thankfully still worked very well with dinner.

The Lamadrid had a great full nose loaded with berries and spice.  This was an exceedingly smooth wine that had great notes of blackberry, raspberry, and cassis at the front of the palate.  As the Malbec progressed more spice made its presence known. The Lamadrid offered a languid finish with supple tannins rounding out this flavorful wine.  While not as full bodied as a most Malbecs, this was not a drawback thanks to the great flavor and easy drinkability of this wine.

We paired the Lamadrid Malbec with a flank steak, which I've really enjoyed cooking because they're so versatile and flavorful.  I paired the flanks steak with some tomatoes and basil from our garden, and topped them off with homemade mozzarella. The whole affair was then drizzled with a chimichurri sauce cobbled together from herbs from the garden.  The steak and Malbec were a perfect pairing with the richness of the flank steak working well with the ripe berry and spice of the wine.  The fruit in the wine cut through the acidic sauce nicely and offered a great counterpoint. 

I picked up the 2009 Lamadrid Malbec at H.E.B. Central Market on one of our trips north last year.  It was $14 at Central Market.  I've seen it occasionally here in Brownsville at the H.E.B. on 802 and Paredes Line.  You can find out more about Lamadrid and their wines at:  http://www.vinodelsol.com/thewineries/lamadrid.html

A Light Cabernet for June: Alambrado's Gran Seleccion Cabernet Sauvignon

June has been unseasonable hot this year, so I'm going to blame the weather for our lack of wine drinking this month.  Sadly we've only opened two bottles, and both of them were from Argentina and were enjoyed fairly recently.  The first bottle was Alambrado's Gran Seleccion 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, one of our few remaining Wall Street Journal Wine Club selections.

This was an extremely light Cab, which made it better suited to the inhospitable heat.  The wine started off like most Cabs with a nose that was lively and rich with the proper dark berry and cherry notes.  However, the lightness was immediately noticeable on the palate. The usual fullness found in most Cabs was absent, but that wasn't entirely a bad thing.  Cherry and currant strike first followed by nice undertones of smoky oak.  Light tannins rounded out this easy drinking summer wine.  The Alambrado opened up very nicely the second day.  The flavors became richer, but it was still lighter than your standard Cab.

We opened the wine to go with a couple of NY strips that H.E.B. had on sale.  While the wine did not go as well as a deeper and full Cab would have, the Alambrado still did passably well with the nicely charred beef.  If you're a fan of traditional full Cabs, this wine is not for you.  However, if you're looking for a decently priced lighter red that is more akin to some of the Spanish and Italian reds then this is a great wine for you.

This was a Wall Street Journal Wine Club wine that is no longer available on their site.  You can still find it available at a few online retailers for about $13.

Château Geneau: A Bordeaux That Won't Break the Bank

Since it was a longer weekend I was able to grill up a bit more beef than usual.  On Monday night I whipped up a quick sirloin, a deconstructed wedge salad, and savory rice.  Since the previous Malbec was quickly finished, Pris decided to open a bottle of Château Geneau 2009 Bordeaux that we picked up from the Wall Street Journal Wine Club. 

The Château Geneau was a great bold Bordeaux that paired well with the meat.  It was a prefect blend of Cabernet and Merlot that incorporated the best of both varietals.  Aromas of plum, blackberry, and dark berry hinted at what was to come in this garnet hued wine.  Plum and dark ripe fruit dominated the palate with loads of juice and flavor.  Light oak and a touch of mineral provided a nice counter point to keep the wine from becoming too fruity.  Supple tannins provided a long and savory finish.

This Bordeaux was a great wine to pair with the heavily peppered sirloin I prepared.  I'd recommend it for any rich and savory meat heavy dinner, particularly beef or lamb.  Lately some of the WSJ wines have fallen a bit short of their predecessors in the taste area, but the Château Geneau is easily one of the best wines we've tried from the wine club.  Well balanced with great full fruit flavor this is a wine to be savored with a great meal.

The Château Geneau 2009 Bordeaux is no longer available on the Wall Street Journal WIne Club's site.  But you can still pick up the 2010 vintage which also has great ratings.  The 2010 vintage retails for $15 a bottle or less depending on the number of bottles you order.  You can get more information on this Bordeaux at: http://www.wsjwine.com/jsp/product/productDetails.jsp?productId=prod740027

90+ Cellars Malbec: Big, Bold, & Delicious

First off, thank you Rhiannon Cizon for this great wine.  Pris' employee Rhiannon brought us a bottle of the 90+ Cellars 2009 Malbec for Thanksgiving dinner last year.  We already had our wine selections for the meal made so we set it aside for future consumption.  This last weekend we decided to open it up to pair it with a couple of NY Strips that I grilled up.

This Argentinean offering from the Mendoza region was one of the better wines we've had lately.  The first thing that hit was a nose full of bold dark berries.  On the palate this wine was loaded with smooth layers of blackberry, cherry, and blueberry.  Further down the palate spicy notes emerge to compliment the ripe fruit.  The Malbec had a big full finish mellowed somewhat by supple tannins. 

As stated earlier, the 90+ Cellars Malbec was opened to pair with a couple of steaks.  As usual, rich Argentine wine and beef were a perfect compliment.  This Malbec was well balanced and incredibly smooth.  This wine went great with the steak, but was exceedingly easy to drink all on its own the following night.

From what I can tell from its website, the 90+ Cellars brand similar to the Cameron Hughes in that they take wines from all over the world and bottle them under their own label.  We didn't buy this wine, so I'm not sure what the actual price is, but its listed for under $20 on the internet, and that is a great deal for this fantastic wine.  Its my understanding that Rhi picked up this wine at Feldman's Market Center here in Brownsville, and I'll definitely be looking for it on my next trip there.  For more information on 90+ Cellars' wines you can visit: http://www.ninetypluscellars.com/

Alegría Cariñena: A Carnivore's Dream Wine

It's Saturday, and there is an event going on downstairs this afternoon.  This usually means settling in and enjoying left over brisket from Rudy's BBQ for lunch.  Since there is not much else to do, Pris and I decided to try pairing another wine with some delicious smoked beef.  For today's pairing I pulled out a bottle of Alegría's 2010 Cariñena Old Vine from Spain.  I've found that when wines are listed as old vine they usually have a more intense flavor with substantially more fruit and sweetness, traits that pair very well with BBQ.

The Alegría Cariñena was no exception to my old vine experiences, which primary involved Zinfandels.  This was interesting since the Alegría Cariñena exhibited attributes akin to some of the Zinfandels we've had.  The wine had a good nose with plum and berry on it.  The ripe fruit continued on the palate with strawberry and raspberry leading the charge.  The big fruity notes lessen as the wine progresses through the mouth.  Tannins are mostly non-players, and the wine tapers off quietly towards the end.  The Alegría Cariñena has a nice light finish which lingers with a pleasant and refreshing aftertaste.

Thankfully this wine went very well with the brisket sandwiches I threw together with the leftovers.  Pris didn't really care too much for it, but then she's always been a bit leery of the sweeter reds.  For me, the sweet fruit of the wine was a great counterpoint to the savory and spicy BBQ.  I threw in some jalapenos with my sandwich, and the spicy briny  treats took the Cariñena to a whole new level.  I definitely recommend this wine for smoked and spicy foods.  If you're looking for a big, bold, tannic red then this is not your wine.   However, if you're into sweeter wines, or looking for something different for the weekend BBQ, definitely keep this wine in your collection.

The Alegría Cariñena is a Spanish wine, albeit a fruitier one than its Tempranillo or Granache counterparts.  This was another selection from our Wall street Journal Wine Club stash.  It costs about $12 a bottle, but remember to factor in shipping.  You can get more information on it, and order it at: http://www.wsjwine.com/jsp/product/productDetails.jsp?productId=prod760004

Tapas Night with Pagos de Eguren

Normally if someone comes up to me and tries to get me to buy something because they're working through the last of their stock on it, I'm a little skeptical.  Of course if that person is Mike Jones then I simply buy what he's selling because he hasn't steered Pris and I wrong on a wine yet.  Several weeks ago I was in Jones Liquor to pick up a bottle of a Spanish wine Pris had seen advertised on Facebook (link to review).  While there I chatted with Mr. Jones who directed me to the 2007 Pagos de Eguren Tempranillo from Spain.  He had some leftover from an event and was moving through the remainder and recommended I try some before it was sold out.  Once again, it was a good call.

The Pagos de Eguren Tempranillo was a solid and versatile red that I thoroughly enjoyed.  It had good nose that was loaded up with ripe red berry and blueberry.  This Tempranillo was light on the palate with solid and well-balanced fruit.  Red berries were dominant, but a subtle hint of mineral and spice kept the wine from becoming overly fruity.  The Pagos had a silky smooth finish that was aided by its lack of tannins.  This was a incredibly easy to drink wine that went down very smoothly.

 We paired the Pagos de Eguren Tempranillo with an assortment of meats and cheeses from H.E.B. Central Market last week.  As expected from a Spanish Tempranillo, this wine excelled with the soft Spanish cheeses and cured meats.  The ripe red fruit cut through the savory and salty meats perfectly.  The following night we paired it up with a bit of flank steak and leftover cheese.  Again, the wine went exceedingly well with the grilled meat.  Thankfully, the Tempranillo is an incredibly versatile grape that is one of our favorites because you can pair it with almost anything.

I purchased the 2007 Pagos de Eguren Tempranillo at Jones Liquor here in Brownsville, and it was selling for between $12 and $14.  When I was in a couple weeks ago they still had some left, but it appeared to be moving.  If they're out, I did see it advertised at a number of sites online.  You can find out more about Bodegas Pagos de Eguren at: http://egurenugarteimports.com/

The Last Flight of the Flying Winemaker: 2007 Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon

Pris and I have been trying to work through the last of our selection of Cameron Hughes wines.  As I stated in an earlier post they seem to be deteriorating on us.  Sunday when we arrived back home, Pris opened up our last Flying Winemaker bottle.  This happened to be a 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva from Chile's Maipo Valley.

This was a great Cab.  It wasn't ready to go until it decanted in the glass for about 40 minutes, but once it did, it was very good.  The nose was a little rough with big dark fruits mixed with heavy earth and mineral undertones.  While the nose had some issues, on the palate this Cab was big bold fruit and ripe tannins. It was everything a good Cab should be.  Dark cherry and raspberry mixed with good oak undertones up front.  Big tannins provided a nice full finish that lingered well after the wine was finished.

The Flying Winemaker's Chilean Cab would have been great with a perfectly grilled NY Strip, but we didn't have that on hand.  Instead we paired it with a Cowboy Casserole from Central Market.  It wasn't the best of pairings, but the bold wine went well with the heavily spiced casserole.  The wine does appear to be sold out online, but you may find it somewhere.  It you do, pair it with a nice piece of beef, you shouldn't be disappointed.

 This particular Flying Winemaker offering was $9 a bottle.  It is sold out, but you can find similar offerings at Cameron Hughes' site: http://www.chwine.com/wine/flyingwinemaker/

Stella Solitaria Shines Brightly

Pris and I went up to Austin this past weekend for the Country Living Fair.  I wasn't big on spending Saturday looking at antiques and artisan goods and collectibles, but I'll take any excuse to head to a city with a Central Market.  When we arrived in town, I headed to Central Market to pick up some food and refreshments for dinner.  While there I decided to do a little looking at the wines they had out as recommendations.  I decided to get a bottle of Stella Solitaria, a 2010 Syrah from Sicily to work on over the weekend.  At $10 for the bottle, the price was right and it also had a screw top which worked for me since I forgot our travel opener.

The Stella Syrah started off a little stilted, and needed to breathe quite a bit.  When it finally opened up it developed into a good Syrah.  The nose was fruitful and laden with ripe raspberry and strawberry.  After the Stella opened up it was exceptionally smooth, with loads of ripe red fruit on the palate.  Smooth tannins created a nice, mild and smooth finish.  This was a great red table wine.

The Stella Solitaria went fairly well with our meal Friday night, but it really came into its own the next day with my lunch and dinner.  The Syrah was a perfect compliment to the muffaletta sandwich I picked up at Central Market on Saturday.  The ripe fruit paired perfectly with the savory salted meats and the crisp bite of the olives and peppers.  For dinner I paired the last of the wine with spaghetti and meatballs from Mandola's Italian Market.  Again this fruitful and mild Sicilian red paired perfectly with the classic dinner.  The tomato sauce had just a touch of spice to it that worked very well with the light fruit in the wine.  The Stella also paired well with the bread and seasoned oil and caprese salad.  If you haven't tried Mandola's definitely head that way when you're in Austin.  I could probably have eaten nothing but the bread with olive oil and the homemade mozzarella; it was that good. 

You can find the Stella Solitaria 2010 Syrah at H.E.B. Central Markets, and it costs $10 a bottle.  It is hands down the best wine I've had that comes with a screw top.  I wasn't able to find a specific website for the Stella, but I did find the Italian company that bottled it.  For more information on them you can visit:  http://www.cantinesettesoli.it/?op=home

Cameron Hughes Lot 125

Last week Pris and I were looking for a mellow red to go with a nice light dinner of flank steak, brown rice, and a light salad.  Pris selected Cameron Hughes' Lot 125 a 2007 Pinot Noir from Napa and Carneros.  This was the last of our Cameron Hughes Pinots, and one of our few remaining Cameron Hughes wines.

We were looking for a lighter wine, and Pinot is usually a fairly safe bet for this, but Lot 125 was not a light wine.  The nose was full of deep rich red berry and spice.  On the palate, this wine was full of rich ripe fruit with cherry, strawberry, and raspberry all making an appearance.  The rich fruit is underlined by subtle oak, spice, and earthy notes on the mid-palate.  Soft tannins allow for a gentle and earthy finish.

Definitely let this wine breathe for a bit or decant it prior to drinking, as it needs time to breathe and open up.  On a similar note, this wine needs to be finished in two days tops.  I don't know if it was the age of the wine, or the ravages of shipping it during the summer but on the third day, it turned on us.  Alas, it went before its time.  Fortunately there was only about a glass let, but its still a shame to let perfectly good wine go to waste.

Unfortunately Lot 125 is sold out online at Cameron Hughes website (www.chwine.com), but you may still find a bottle somewhere in circulation.  If you find it and you're looking for a good richer Pinot, this is your wine. It went exceedingly well with the flank steak, and is heavy enough to pair well with richer meals.  If you do find it, enjoy it and finish it off expediently.

Kickin Back with Köster-Wolf

On Sunday I cooked one of our now favorite meals: Thai chicken with coconut rice and Asian slaw.  It is a great sweet and spicy dish, but it is always a bit tricky picking a good wine for it.  Last time we enjoyed the meal with a Reisling, but this time Pris selected a bottle of 2008 Köster-Wolf Weingut Scheurebe, which is another sweet white German wine.  Once again, it was a excellent selection for the meal.

The Scheurebe was sweet, crisp, and very refreshing.  The nose was all ripe light fruit and citrus.  On the palate this wine was light with mild citrus notes.  Mild bubbles provided a nice effervescence.  The Scheurebe ended softly and mildly with a mellow finish. 

 The crisp fruit from the wine was a great counterpoint to the spicy, savory, and slightly sweet chicken.  The dish itself was a grand combination of flavors, and the Scheurebe cut through these flavors.

This is an exceptional Spring/Summer wine that's great for the hot South Texas days that are now upon us.  I feel like I could drink this wine all afternoon on a weekend, and at 8.5% alcohol by volume I could probably do so for a while.

We've had this bottle for some time, and unfortunately neither one of us can remember where we purchased the Köster-Wolf Weingut Scheurebe.  A quick look online shows that they carried it at Feldman's, and possible H.E.B. Central Market.

Bodegas Portia's Impressive Tempranillo

Its been a long while since Pris and I had a wine so good that we just cruised through the whole bottle in one setting.  Thanks to Bodegas Portia's 200 Tempranillo, we rediscovered how easy it was to polish off a bottle in one setting.  Pris first saw the 92 point Spanish Tempranillo from the Ribero del Duero region of Spain offer by Jones Liquor on a post on their Facebook wall on Tuesday.  She asked me to swing by and pick up a bottle, and always looking for an excuse to shop for wine, I decided to drop by.  I picked up a bottle of the Portia and noted a couple other wines on hand that we've been looking for before I headed home.

We wanted to crack open the bottle earlier in the week , but decided to wait to the weekend when we could fully appreciate the wine.  Last night we opened the Portia up and let it breathe for a good couple of hours before serving.  This was a wine that was dark, hearty, and delicious.  The Portia had a great full nose loaded with spice and berry fruit.  On the palate the Tempranillo offered a solid body with good fruits and a touch of spice.  A nice toasty oak provided a subtle balance to the hearty fruit.  This Tempranillo was well balanced with a fairly substantial body to it.  The wine does tend to end rather abruptly, and does not offer much in the way of a finish.  However, this did not detract from the full set of flavors that were displayed very well. 

This was a good wine on its own, and a great wine with food.  We paired the Portia Tempranillo with beef, olive, and garlic stuffed empanadas; a cheese, chicken, and poblano stuffed crepe; and tocinetas-- all from Gazpachos.  After the food was gone and we returned from walking the dogs I cut up some manchego cheese and skillet fried a couple slices of Spanish chorizo to go with a little more wine.  Everything went perfectly with the Tempranillo.  The salty and savory of the empanadas, the salt and spice from the cheese and chorizo.  Everything worked solidly with the wine.  I even added a few pieces of a milder cheddar cheese, which generally needs a bolder wine, and it work well.  Not as well as the salty manchego, but well enough.  This a great wine to eat with, and ultimately nothing beats the combination of a great wine paired with great food.

We purchased the 2006 Bodegas Portia Tempranillo at Jones Liquor here in Brownsville.  At about $50 a bottle it is on the higher end of our buying scale, but it was worth it.  In fact I've already secured another bottle for the future.  I'd recommend this one for a special meal, or just to open up when you feel the need for a solid and delicious red.  You can find out more about Bodegas Portia at: http://www.bodegasportia.com/index_portia.asp

Silverstrike Merlot: Smooth and Satisfying

Last Saturday Pris and I decided to grill up a couple of steaks and crack open a bottle of wine.  We used to do this pretty regularly, but with the current economic issues our country is having we find that we're cutting back on a lot of what used to be "regular" habits.  That said, Saturday we decided to splurge a bit and I picked up two NY strips and some potatoes for baking at H.E.B.  While cooking everything up, Pris pulled out the 2010 Silverstrike Merlot.  To be fair, Pris was looking for a Cab for the steaks, but the bottle was in the wrong area in our wine rack so we ended up with a Merlot.  Despite the mix up, this turned out to be a good little wine that worked well with several nights worth of meals.

The Silverstrike was  a good, albeit fairly standard, Merlot.  The bouquet was full of dark fruit, blackberries, cherries, and currant.  These fruits also reigned supreme on the palate making this a juicy red.  The blackberry and cherry were the dominant flavors, but touches of oak and mineral provided a nice backbone to the wine.  A little touch of spice prefaced subtle tannins that provided a smooth and easy finish.

On the subject of smoothness, the Silverstrike is an extremely smooth and easy to drink Merlot that works well on its own.  Of course it worked nicely with the food as well.  Even though it was juicy, the steaks did not overpower the wine.  The two worked well together, but where the Silverstrike really shone was with the following nights meal.  The Merlot paired exceptionally well with a roasted pork tenderloin, steamed asparagus, and sweet potato wedges.  The milder meat was a better fit with the wine's smoother and fruitier flavors.

This is a very versatile wine since it drinks well with or without food, and it pairs nicely with a variety of foods.  We received the wine as a gift, but you can buy it at the Wall Street Journal Wines for $12 a bottle.  For more information on the 2010 Silverstrike Merlot you can visit:  http://www.wsjwine.com/jsp/product/productDetails.jsp?productId=prod590088

Of Bacon Burgers and La Madrid's Bonarda

Thursday night I didn't really feel like cooking and I felt like eating some really unhealthy food.  In order to satisfy craving I decided to pick up a couple of bacon cheeseburgers and chili-cheese fries from Spanky's here in Brownsville.  To accompany our artery clogging feast Pris selected La Madrid's 2009 Bonarda from Argentina.  It turned out to be a fantastic choice for both Thursday and Friday night's meals.

The  Bonarda was bold, big, and somewhat sweet the first go around.  It offered a tangy nose with plum and ripe dark fruit.  Initially it was lighter and somewhat sweeter on the palate, but became more robust and nuanced as it opened up.  Dark fruit dominated the palate through and through, but the wine still remained well balanced on the palate. Subtle licorice notes appeared in the back of the palate and through the finish to balance out the heavy fruit up front.  The La Madrid Bonarda finished smoothly and softly with little fanfare leaving a nice crisp hint of spice and mineral.

This is a great wine to pair with a burger, but where it really shined was with the spicier foods.  On Friday I stuffed poblano peppers with a mix of chili, onions, jalapeno, corn, avocado, and cilantro.  They were spicy, tangy, and delicious and the Bonarda was perfect with them.  The ripe fruit paired perfectly with the heavy spice and cumin in the peppers. 

If you're looking for a wine to pair with heavily spiced Mexican or Southwestern food, this is it.  Open up the bottle and go to town with your meal.  If you're looking for something well balanced and a little more subtle and nuanced the La Madrid will also work for you.  If you're looking for the latter, just let it breathe for an hour or two before serving. 

We purchased the La Madrid Bonarda at the H.E.B. Central Market in San Antonio back in October.  It sells for $12.  For more information on the La Madrid wines you can visit: http://www.vinodelsol.com/

A bit of Haute and Down Home with Barrone Charlotte

The other day I took some vacation time from work to relax and take it easy.  Since I was home I decided to prepare a more time intensive dinner of oven fried chicken and broccoli slaw.  To go with the meal Pris pulled out a bottle of 2009 Baronne Charlotte Graves from Baron Philippe de Rothschild.  This crisp French white from the BordeauxGraves region was a great choice for the meal, and a fine spring/summer white.

The Baronne Charlotte is made from a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon grapes.  It had the bold nose full of fruit and floral notes from the Sauvignon Blanc.  On the palate its light and crisp with loads of citrus and spice, reminiscent of a Pinot Grigio with a touch of bite.  The Baronne Charlotte finished dry and crisp, with nice rich fruit notes lingering in the back of the palate for several minutes.

This was a bit of a highbrow wine for our down-home dinner, but it worked exceedingly well.  The light fruit and citrus was a great compliment to the Ritz crusted chicken.  It was a good compliment to the chicken, and a better counter-point to the tangy slaw.  With the hot months already started, this is a great wine to enjoy chilled.  Full bodied and refreshing its perfect for relaxing during our balmy late afternoons.

We purchased the 2009 Barrone Charlotte Gaves from Feldman's Market Center in Brownsville for $18.  For more information on the Baron Philippe de Rothschild's wines you can visit: http://www.bpdr.com/

Rendezvous with the Rex Goliath Cabernet Sauvignon

Whenever Pris and I go to H.E.B. she often looks at the wines to see if there were any gems worth picking up.  One wine she always thought about, but never bought was Rex Goliath's Cabernet Sauvignon.  At $5 a bottle, it could be an excellent deal or a royal flop.  Since we no longer really have a decent go-to table wine we decided to give the Rex Goliath a try this week.

For $5 a bottle the Rex Cab isn't a bad little table wine.  That said, this is one of the fruitiest Cab's I ever had.  Ripe raspberry and plum dominated the nose, and gave a hint of what was to come.  On the palate the wine is big and fruity with more raspberry and plum.  Exceptionally soft tannins allowed for a soft and smooth finish.  This Cab was very reminiscent of a Beaujolais or a fruitier Merlot. 

If you enjoy a fruitier red, the Rex Goliath Cab is definitely a great everyday wine to have on hand.  At $5 a bottle, the price is pretty unbeatable and since its carried at H.E.B. you can acquire it at a number of locations throughout the Valley.  For more information on Rex Goliath and their wines you can visit:  http://www.rexgoliath.com/index.htm

Los Rosales Chapel Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Its been a really big slump in the wine drinking here in Brownsville.  I occasionally get comments from readers lamenting the fact that we're really not posting too much lately.  So a couple weeks ago I dove into our stash and pulled out one of our Wall Street Journal Wine Club Cabs to go with a Sunday steak dinner.

I pulled out a bottle of 2011 Los Rosales Chapel Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from the Rafael Valley in Chile.  The Cab had a big bold nose with lots of dark fruit and mineral.  Then the first sip.  Unfortunately my first impression was that the wine was awful.  It was compact, bitter, and I was even wondering if it had already turned. 

However, not being a person to let things go to waste I decided to let it breathe and give it another try.  I'm glad I did.  After resting in the glass and breathing for a good thirty minutes the Cab opened up, and the bitterness mellowed. It turned into a decent little wine.  After breathing you could make out a lot of cassis, mineral, and spice in the back of the palate. 

If you get this wine, let it breathe.  It may even be good to cellar it for a few years to see if that mellows things out.  I would recommend using a decanter and letting the wine breathe for at least an hour.  If you're not going to finish it in one setting then you can do the one glass decanting like I ended up doing.

The 2011 Los Rosales Chapel Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon costs $14 a bottle, and you can order it at the Wall Street Journal Wine Club's website: www.wsjwine.com.

A Night of Texas Wine: The 3rd Annual BHA Texas Wine Tasting

A few weeks ago, actually right around the beginning of the month, The Brownsville Historical Association had its 3rd Annual Texas wine tasting.  The crowd grew from 70 attendees last year to just over 120 this year.  The wine flowed freely, and sold rapidly after the event was over.  This was great for BHA, and I hope the event continues to grow.

There was a slight change in the format this year though, instead of trying a variety of wines from different vineyards, we had a variety of wines from just one specific vineyard: Flat Creek Estate.  Last year, Flat Creek was represented at the tasting when we sampled their Super Texan, which is modeled after Italy's Super Tuscan.  Flat Creek Estate is located in Central Texas just north west of Austin.  It features a number of Italian varietals, as they seem to take well to our Texas soil and climate.  This year we had eight excellent wines from Flat Creek Estate and the owner, Rick Naber, to guide us through the fine selection.

Our first selection was a 2010 Pinot Grigio.  This was a great light and crisp wine to get started on.  The Pinot Grigio was crisp and citrusy with loads of apple and apricot on the nose and on the palate.  The wine had a nice crisp finish that was quite refreshing.  We paired the wine with ceviche and a Greek salad.  The citrus was perfect with the ceviche, the two complimented each other nicely.  The wine was also a fine counterpoint to the salad with the crispness cutting through the savory dressing.  This is a great wine for the summer, and I plan to stock up some for what will likely be a long and hot summer.

The second selection stayed in the early dinner white wines with a 2009 Viognier.  The wine had a bold and expressive nose.  On the palate the Viognier was initially thick and sweet, but as it moved through the mouth you could pick up a more acidic bite.  This wine wound up smoothly with a slightly syrupy finish.  Rick had us pair the Viognier with spinach and cheese empanadas.  It was a good pairing, with the sweetness of the wine cutting through the salty white cheese and rich spinach. 

Our third wine moved over into the red territory with the Buckin' Horse Red Wine.  The Buckin' Horse was essentially a house red, which I'm generally not too fond up.  However, I loved this wine, as did most of the attendees.  The Buckin' Horse had a nice light nose.  This was followed with good light fruit and berries on the palate.  The wine finished smoothly with very light tannins.  The Buckin' Horse was paired with a plethora of soft and salty white cheeses and olives.  This was an excellent combination that brought out the best in the wine.  The Buckin' Horse was a great well balanced red that unfortunately is no longer going to be produced under the same name (hopefully we'll be kept appraised of what the new name will be though).  So if you see some out there, grab it and enjoy it and the bottle art.

The fourth wine was our old friend, the Super Texan.  The Super Texan was light and fruity with loads of raspberry and blackberry on the nose and palate.  Despite its lightness, the Super Texan had good structure that asserted itself and provided more fullness on the palate towards the rear of the palate.  Supple tannins allowed for a smooth light finish.

A 2008 Meritage came fifth, and was by far the richest and most robust wine of the night.  The Meritage had a full bodied nose that was loaded with dark red fruit and cassis.  On the palate you again savored the cassis and dark red berries and cherries.  Despite its heavy dark flavors, the Meritage was extremely well balance.  Bigger and bolder tannins gave this wine a much longer and drier finish that lingered nicely.  We sampled this wine with both chorizo and ham empanadas and it seemed as though the wine was tailor made for pork.  The salty and savory goodness of the empanadas paired fantastically with the rich red berries in the wine.  The spice in the chorizo was especially good. 

Our final red of the night was a 2008 Syrah that had a good nose full of light fruit.  The Syrah was slightly sweet, but that was to be expected since raspberry and boysenberry dominated the palate.  Even with all the light fruit, the Syrah still maintained a full flavor.  Easy going tannins provided an easy and smooth finish. 

Finally we hit the dessert wines with a 2008 Moscato d'Arancia Orange.  This white had a big fruity and sweet nose.  I didn't think it was possible, but the Moscato was even sweeter on the palate.  Unlike a lot of dessert wines, the Moscato was light and not syrupy, despite the high sugar content.  Thanks to its lightness the Moscato had a nice light and orangey finish.  This wine went very well with fruit and cheese cake.  The sugar rush afterwards was also quite enjoyable.

The final wine of the evening was a real surprise.  Normally I'm not the biggest fan of sparkling wines, and you can tell they aren't covered much on the blog.  However, I can say that I am now a huge fan of Flat Creek Estate's Sparkling Almond.  Smelling the wine was like being in a pastry shop.  It was sweet, light, and smelled of pastry and almonds.  You could really taste the almond on the palate as well and it mixed perfectly with the white sparkling wine.  The Sparkling Almond was refreshing, effervescent, light, and finished easily.  This wine went down very easily which could have led to some severe inebriation.  The only problem was that as soon as we ended, the attendees rushed to get more of this wine, or buy up the remaining bottles.

All in all this was en excellent event.  Great wines and food combined with a jovial atmosphere--this is what makes learning about wine fun.  A big thanks goes out to Feldman's for hooking BHA up with Flat Creek Estate for the event.  Feldman's carries the wines I reviewed here, but some can be hard to find.  Besides the Sparkling Almond, Flat creek offers a Sparkling Raspberry and other flavors.  For more information on Flat Creek and its wines you can visit: www.flatcreekestate.com

Savoring a Tolosa Syrah

Our first post on this blog was all about Tolosa's incredible 1776 Pinot Noir.  Because it was so good, Pris and I have been reticent to try the winery's standard Pinot.  However, sometime back we found a bottle of 2007 Edna Creek Syrah at Feldman's and decided to give it a tasting last Sunday.

The first thing you notice is how dark this Syrah is: deep purple and opaque.  On the nose it was all berry and plum with just a hint of pepper.  Despite its dark look, this was a relatively light wine.  Light berry and plum notes continued on the palate mixed with a touch of mineral and pepper towards the back of the mouth.  Soft tannins provide a light and smooth finish to this readily drinkable Syrah.

I paired the wine with a roasted leg of lamb seasoned with garlic and rosemary, couscous with feta, and some olives.  The well balanced wine was a perfect compliment to the mild and savory lamb.  Since Pris isn't the biggest fan of lamb, I also prepared a flank steak for her.  The Tolosa Syrah also paired surprisingly well with the steak.  It is a flavorful, but not overly beefy cut; and the lighter wine served as a nice compliment.

We purchased the Tolosa 2007 Edna Creek Syrah at Feldman's Market Center in Brownsville for $22.99.  This is a great well balanced and versatile wine.  You can pair it with a broad range of foods thanks to its lighter, but full flavored character. For more information on this good little wine you can visit:  www.tolosawinery.com

Los Vascos Revisited

Between revolving bouts of flu/colds and bad allergy attacks, February has been a very rough month for wine drinking.  I fact this is both the first and last post for the month.  However, we hope to get back into the swing of things this weekend with the BHA's Third Annual Wine Tasting.

Despite everything, I did manage to get in a good meal and nice bottle of wine last weekend.  I worked up some skirt steaks from Thomas Heller's Ad Hoc at Home and cracked open a bottle of Los Vascos' 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile's Colchagua Valley.  The previous Los Vascos review was of a different vintage of the winery's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, and you could tell the difference.  The Reserve was both more refined and bolder on the palate, but the standard Cab was still a good wine for dinner.

The 2008 Los Vascos Cab had a big nose with nice aromas of cherry, plum, and dark fruit.  On the palate it was slightly sweeter and thinner than its reserve counterpart.  Still, nice strong overtones of cherry and currant worked over the palate.  Despite being a nice Chilean Cab, the Los Vascos offered up a very mellow finish with nice soft tannins.

The Chilean Cab was tailor made for the skirt steaks, mashed potatoes, and salad with red wine/herb vinaigrette.  I know skirt steaks are fajitas, but these were cut into 6 ounce steaks; marinated in garlic, rosemary, thyme, and pepper infused olive oil; and then pan-seared and broiled to a perfect medium rare.  You could taste all the herbs in every juicy bite.  A stronger red may have overpowered the subtle flavors the marinating infused into the beef, so the mellowness of the Los Vascos was a perfect compliment.  All the flavors of a solid Cab were present, but they didn't overpower the meal.

We picked up the 2008 Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon at H.E.B. for about $12.  You can find out more about Los Vascos' wines at: http://www.lafite.com/eng/Other-Estates/Vina-Los-Vascos

Heron: A Pinot for all Occasions

Back around Thanksgiving I picked up a few Pinot Noirs to have some variety in what we selected to go with the turkey.  One of the wines I picked up from Jones Liquor was a 2010 Heron Pinot Noir from Sonoma County.  A few days ago Pris and I decided to crack it open since we were looking for a mellow wine to sip while working on some crackers and cheeses.

The Pinot was everything we've come to expect from Mike Jones' recommendations.  Mellow, fruitful, and easy to drink.  Smooth aromas of cherries and dark berries are the first thing you notice with this Pinot.  On the palate the Heron is all smooth rich berries with a touch of vanilla and oak.  This Pinot had great structure and a nice mild acidity.  The Heron finished much like it started, with a good fruitful flavor that finishes smoothly and doesn't linger too long.

This was a mellow and easy to drink wine that would pair pretty well with just about anything due to its mild flavors and drinkability.  Once more Mike Jones did not steer us wrong on a wine recommendation.

We bought the Heron Pinot Noir at Jones Liquor here in Brownsville.  It costs $19 a bottle, but is worth the slightly higher price tag.  You can find out more about Heron wines at:  http://www.heronwines.com/

Lunch with Friends and Pascual Toso

Shortly after the new year started Pris and I had a couple friends from Indianapolis down for late lunch.  I had to bribe them with food to get them to Brownsville, but they brought an excellent wine and a great cranberry dip.  Chris and Tara Wren brought a bottle of 2009 Pascual Toso Malbec from Argentina.
 
The Pascual Toso was surprisingly mellow, more akin to a Pinot or a Zinfandel than the full bodied Argentinean reds.  Loads of rich plum with just a tough of oak greet you on the nose.  This was a fruity Malbec, with good amounts of blueberry and blackberry up front on the palate.  Towards the back of the palate there are hints of vanilla and oak that add a nice backbone to the wine.  The Pascual Toso ended softly with a nice lingering finish.

We paired the wine with a couple of honey-glazed cilantro and chevre coated roasted chickens, a summer vegetable gratin, and a wild mushroom polenta.  Even though the wine was a rich red, it went exceptionally well with the rich meal.  The fruity Malbec was a great compliment to the savory and cheesy polenta.  Similarly, the wine was a good counterpoint to the tangy and savory chicken.  Even though this was a rich red, it did not overpower the chicken.

I need to thank Tara and Chris again for bringing this wine. Pris and I now have another one that we'd like to stock up on when we can.  Since it was a gift I don't have any information on price or where to purchase it.  You can find out more about the Pascual Toso wines at: http://www.pascualtoso.com/welcome

A Little Bit of España in Tejas: Llano Estacado Tempranillo

Last Friday night I whipped up a meal I'd thrown together some time back.  I cooked up garlic shrimp with Spanish chorizo, prosciutto wrapped asparagus, and patatas bravas.  To go with the food, I picked out a Llano Estacado's 2009 Cellar Reserve Tempranillo. 

The Llano Tempranillo was every bit as good as most of the Spanish Tempranillos we've had over the last couple of years.  The aromas of plum and light fruit were the first thing to hit, but they are not indicative of what was to come.  This Tempranillo was slightly fruity with good structure and a touch of oak.  Like most Tempranillos it was full of fruit, but still maintained a full bodied presence.  Robust cherries and berries mingled on the palate with a touch of spice and smoky oak.  Supple tannins provided a well balance finish that was neither too bold, nor too fruity.

As the wine oxidized the sweetness became more pronounced.  Even with vacuum pumps, by the third day this wine was considerably sweeter than when it was opened.  So if you're into sweet wines, open it and wait a couple days to drink.  If you're into more robust and drier reds, finish this one off in a day or two.

We paired the wine with the afore mentioned foods, and it complemented the rich savory and salty meats that seasoned the meal.  The wine paired well with the savory garlic, light shrimp, and spicy chorizo.  What's more, the Texas Tempranillo did not overpower the jamon wrapped asparagus or the patatas bravas and sauces, even though they were a touch lighter. 

The 2009 Llano Estacado Cellar Reserve Tempranillo was a good little wine to have with the meal, and thanks to its robust flavors would work just as well with steak.  I picked this wine up at Jones Liquor here in Brownsville, and it was recommended by Mike Jones, who hasn't let us down in recommendations.  This Tempranillo runs $17 a bottle.  For more information on Llano Estacado's wines you can visit: http://www.llanoestacadowine.com/

Kicking off the New Year with Riondo Proseco

When new Year's rolls around you have to toast it in with something bubbly, and for Pris and I that usually means Proseco, Cava, or some other semi-sweet sparkling white.  The main reason for this is that I cannot drink champagne.  I like champagne well enough, and have developed a better appreciation of it over the years, but I cannot drink it safely.  For whatever reason, champagne gets right to me and causes almost instantaneous inebriation.  For this reason we've moved to the other sparkling wines that don't have quite this effect on me.

I picked up the Riondo Proseco Spago Nero at H.E.B. while grabbing a few last minute items the day before New Years Eve.  I was looking for Cava actually to go with the garlic shrimp, but as expected they didn't carry it at the supermarket.  Instead I grabbed a couple bottles of Proseco to both cook with, and ring in the New Year.

The Riondo Proseco Spago Nero boasts that its rated 90 points by Robert Parker - Wine Advocate, and its definitely a good sparkling wine.  Light, fruity, and incredibly refreshing.  Soft fruits hit the nose first followed by strong citrus on the palate.  Crisp effervescent citrus is both flavorful and refreshing.  This wine finishes quickly with a crisp refreshing finality that leaves almost no aftertaste.

This isn't just a good wine to celebrate with, but a good wine to drink .  With an alcohol content of 10.5% its far easier to imbibe more of this Proseco than your standard red wine.  Granted its citrusy and refreshing character seem better suited to warm spring or summer afternoons, but here in the Valley we can get those year round.

The Riondo Proseco Spago Nero was purchased at H.E.B. on Ruben Torres and Paredes Line here in Brownsville.  I understand they're carrying at most H.E.B.'s and Central Markets here in Texas.  At $11 a bottle this a great sparkling wine to stock up on.  For more information on Riondo's wines you can visit: http://riondousa.com/

Last Wine of the Year: Dreaming Tree Cabernet

So we finished out the year with a nice little Cab from Dreaming Tree, from wine maker Steve Reeder and Dave Matthews.  Yes, the Dave Matthews. We received the 2009 Dreaming Tree Cabernet Sauvignon for Christmas from some friends of ours and decided to opened it up to go with our New Years Eve meal.  This California Cab from the North Coast was a great accompaniment to our final meal of the year.

The Dreaming Tree Cab was exceptionally mellow and easy to drink.  The Cab's nose was ripe dark berries and cassis with a undercurrent of spice.  On the palate this wine was loaded with blackberry, cassis, and dark chocolate.  Across the mid-palate there's a nice bit of oak and spice.  Supple tannins made for a nice mellow finish.  Again, this was an exceptionally smooth and easy drinking wine.

The wine went exceptionally well with the steak, Tuscan herbed mashed potatoes with fresh mozzarella, and the green bean/chayote squash casserole.  Of course the wine went great with the steak, the dark rich fruit were perfect with the medium rare strip.  The mellowness of the Cab allowed it to go with the lighter sides.     

Since the Dreaming Tree Cab was a gift, I'm not sure how much it costs.  I know I saw it on sale at Feldman's when I was there picking up lunch a few days ago.  For more information on the Dreaming Tree wine you can visit: www.dreamingtreewines.com