When in Doubt, Go Franciscan

Franciscan's Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was probably the first really good readily available Cab Pris and I tried when we were first together.  We were first introduced to it at a roaming Christmas party sponsored by Futuro McAllen.  At the final stop of the night our bottle of Luna de Luna Sangiovese/Merlot blend had run dry and we were getting ready to leave.  One of the other party goers asked if we'd share her bottle since it was too good to drink alone.  The bottle was Franciscan's Cab of an unremembered vintage and it was really good. 

I couldn't tell you the specifics, but I  remember it being good.  I also remember being told to chew the wine.  In fact that's probably what I remember most.  Our slightly inebriated benefactor was very insistent that we "chew the wine" to really get the flavor out of it.  So we chewed the wine, and you really get the flavor out of it.  Apparently the chewing motion opens the taste buds more than if you simply sip the beverage. 

With this in mind we opened up a bottle of the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon last Sunday to go with our Father's Day meal.  This is a big bold Cab with lots of flavor.  It's loaded with heavy dark fruits (think blackberry, cherry and cassis).  There are some mineral undertones as well.  Big tannins provide a big dry finish.  In short, this is a perfect California Cab.

We picked up this particular bottle at Jones Liquor.  They run specials on Franciscan that can't be beat.  This sale price was around $17, but it normally retails around $20.  Jones always has Franciscan, but you can also find it at HEB and Feldman's.  This makes it a great go-to wine for any type of special event, or if you need to take a bottle to a function.  At $20 it used to be a rare/special occasion wine for Pris and I.  That's changed a little these days, and we always try to keep a bottle on hand.  For us this wine is perfect for when we want a great wine we know we're really going to enjoy and we can easily replace. You just can't go wrong with Franciscan's Cabernet Sauvignon.  You can get more info about Franciscan at: http://www.franciscan.com/flash/index2.cfm?month=9&day=26&year=1968&x=56&y=26

Nothing but Praise for Allegrini's Palazzo Della Torre

There was a wedding rental downstairs Saturday night (for those who don't know, Pris and I live in an apartment above a fantastic rental facility in an amazing historic  building here in Brownsville).  It was scheduled from 4 pm to 11 pm, so we needed to get food and settle in early.  I picked up a couple platters from Feldman's with cheeses, cured meats, hummus, and baba ganoush.  We like grazing anyway, and the platters kept well in the fridge without needing to be warmed.  Since we had the food, we just needed a lighter, European wine to go with it.  After a lot of debate we decided on a bottle of Allegrini's 2007 Palazzo Della Torre.  This is one of the wines that was on our wall, and Pris has been wanting to open it since we found it at Central Market in Austin.

The Palazzo is an incredibly good wine that is perfect for summer.  Its lush, fruity, and smooth.  It is made in part with partially dried grapes, and you can definitely pick out the raisin character in the nose.  The wine is smooth on the palate with loads of fruit.  Easy tannins allow for a smooth finish with just a slight mineral bite at the end.

The Italians really know how to do a great easy drinking red wine that pairs superbly with cured meats and cheese.  We worked on this wine last night and today along with prosciutto, lomo, manchego cheese, olives, and the rest listed earlier.  Incredible pairing.  We were looking for a lighter wine to go with the browsing, and this was it.  What's better is that its fairly refreshing for a red wine, which makes it perfect for our slightly warmer Valley climate.  This is a great everyday wine, and an even better summer time wine.

We picked up this bottle at H.E.B. Central Market in Austin.  Pris says they carry it at Feldman's in Brownsville now.  At Central Market it costs $23 a bottle.  For more information on the wine and the vineyard you can go to:  http://www.allegrini.it/allegrini_it/index.cfm?lingua=eng.

A Classical Chelsea Goldschmidt

Wednesday night I was supposed to stay in McAllen, but a minor car issue brought me back to Brownsville early.  To celebrate my early return Pris pulled out a 2008 Chelsea Goldschmidt Merlot to go with dinner.  Even though we'd just finished up a Merlot heavy Bordeaux, it'd been a while since we had a straight up California Merlot.

The first thing you notice about the Chelsea Merlot is that it's got a lot of ripe fruit on the nose.  There is a little spice mixed in, but raspberry dominates the nose.  The rich fruit continues on the palate, with hints of cherry and currant.  At the end you get a nice dry finish with just a hint of spiciness.  All in all this is a good Merlot that really typifies the grape used.  It has great structure, good balance, and excellent flavor.

We paired this Merlot with leftover sirloin and rice.  It was a great combination, but like many other heavy reds you just can't go wrong with Merlot and steak.  If you're looking for a good solid Merlot to go with a rich beefy dinner, this one is a great choice. 

We picked up the Chelsea Goldschmidt Merlot at H.E.B. and it runs about $17 a bottle.  Its a good middle of the road wine as far a price goes.  Its solid on the nose and palate with everything you'd expect from a Merlot.  If you'd like more information on this wine you can visit: http://goldschmidtsisters.com/

Mountains of Flavor in Mouton Cadet

As most of you all know, Sunday night is steak night, and this Sunday was no exception.  H.E.B. still had their tremendous deals on NY Strips so dinner was a no-brainer.  However, the wine selection required a little thought.  Both Pris and I were thinking about a bold French red to go with dinner, the question was which one.  We decided on a 2008 Mouton Cadet Bordeaux that is a mix of 65% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 15% Cabernet Franc.  This wine was recommended to us by our friend Yvonne Welther, the same one who whips up some great food at Feldman's Market Center.  Of course on the day she recommended it they were out there.  However, later we did find it at H.E.B.

This is a lovely deep dark red wine that seemed to promise loads of flavor.  The nose is complex, with a heavy alcohol concentration to start.  But it mellows as it breathes leaving behind hints of cherry and black currant.  The Mouton is smooth, rich, and laden with dark heavy fruits.  This is a well balanced wine with easy going tannins and a smooth slightly spicy finish.

We let the wine breathe for a little over an hour before we poured through the aerator.  It still needed to breathe some in the glass though.  As it opened up more the flavors mellowed nicely.  Today the wine is even more mellow and smooth, so I'd definitely leave it open for a couple hours or use a decanter on this one, you won't regret it.

This Bordeaux went tremendously well with the steak, which I'm going to brag a little, was cooked to perfection.  It was almost too easy to finish the glass while eating.  Take a juicy bite of steak, then a sip of wine, repeat. The long grain rice and salad were really just bit players in the whole affair.  If you're looking for a deep red wine that's not too dry to go with a good chunk of beef, this is it.

Mouton Cadet's Bordeaux can be found at both H.E.B. and Feldman's.  They may have it at Jones too, but I'm not 100% sure.  It sells for about $10, so not only is it a great wine, its a great priced wine.  The price tag combined with the quality definitely puts it on our list of everyday wines to keep on stock.  If you want more info on Mouton Cadet and their wines you can go to:  http://www.moutoncadet.com/

Lovin some Awesome Acanto

Even though we still have a little bit of the Sangiovese left from the other night we decided to open up a new bottle last night.  Pris has been jonesing for Acanto for a while now, so we figured why not open it up since we'll just finish up everything over the weekend.  I had picked up a bottle of Acanto back when the Feldman's Market Center opened up and we really liked it.  We had it before we started the blog, but kept the bottle for the wish list.

Like most Mourvèdre grape blends, this Spanish red has a ripe fruit nose with lots of berry.  On the palate its robust, but full of light juicy fruits which hint strongly at blueberries and blackberries.  The Acanto is smooth in the mouth with a fruity, but dry finish. Pris disagreed with me a bit on the robustness, but I think she'll come around once she delves back into the bottle today.  Its really opened up superbly since last night.

Last night I found a couple of frozen t-bone steaks in the freezer that Pris' parents had given to us sometime back.  I've always found the frozen steaks tough to season and prepare so I tried something different.  After browning them in the skillet I diced them up and threw the still rare cubes in some olive oil with garlic and onion.  Great easy little dish.  It went great with the wine, which was bold enough to stand up to the rich flavors in the meat.  We paired the meat with left over olives, baba ganoush, hummus and feta.  It was a nice little meal for a night we usually go out or get take out.

The Acanto is a fantastic wine.  Is a blend of Mourvèdre (or Montastrel), Cabernet Sauvignon, and Tintorera. Because its both bold and fruity, it can satisfy a number of different taste preferences.  this makes it a great wine for entertaining, or just for opening with a nice dinner.  We picked up this bottle at Feldman's Market Center.  It usually runs about $22, but they've got it on sale for $12 so its a good deal right now. 

Too Much Merryvale Can Make You Too Merry

On one of our first trips to Jones Liquors in Brownsville, I asked about ice wines hoping to restock some of the ones we drank through last summer before moving to Brownsville. While Mike Jones didn't have any ice wines on hand, he did recommend the Merryvale Antigua Dessert Wine from Napa Valley. The Antigua is a fortified Muscat, which I had never tried before. He suggested we have it on a special occasion. One year later, we finally decided to open the bottle to drink a bit with some baklava we picked up from Feldman's Market Center in Brownsville.

This dessert wine is not for wimps. The Antigua is made from California Muscat de Frontignan, and it is fortified with California brandy, which gives it the complex flavor and aroma. The wine is aged for 11 years in French oak, which helps give the wine its beautiful gold-amber color.

This wine looks like liquid gold. If you aren't paying attention, you might mistake the wine bottle for a mini-bottle of Johnny Walker Black Label. If the color wasn't enough of a giveaway that this wine is unique, it also comes in an eye-catching black box.

The aroma and taste of orange peel, almonds, caramel, apricot, and hazelnut complimented our baklava perfectly. The thickness and richness of the wine was something that I had not expected, and it was very similar to drinking a Port, almost like syrup. Oddly enough, despite the thicker syrupy texture, the Merryvale was also refreshing, and had great balance and a very long finish. The complexity and thickness of the wine made me want to sip it slowly. This isn't a wine that you want to drink quickly, and with its 18% alcohol content, drinking it too quickly may cause problems the next day.

This is an outstanding dessert wine and due to its flavors and quality, can be a dessert on its own, which is rare to say about any dessert wine I've tried so far.

Merryvale Antigua Dessert Wine can be purchased at Jones Liquors in Brownsville and costs about $35. More information can be found at http://www.merryvale.com/

Delightful Di Majo Norante Sangiovese

So I got home a little early on Thursday, but ended up having to help out with one of Pris' employees who was having a bit of car trouble.  After getting her car set to rights as best as I could our prior plans were pretty much shot due to the time.  However, so that the evening wasn't a total waste, we decided to head to Feldman's to try a one of their pizzas and grab some odds and ends.  Pris had already selected a 2009 Di Majo Norante Sangiovese as our wine for the evening, so a pizza seemed like it would be a near perfect compliment.

This Sangiovese from southern Italy is a great summer wine.  It had a sharp nose with lots of ripe berries.  Along the palate it was all mellow smoothness with loads of ripe spring berry.  Despite all the juicy fruit on the palate, the wine was still bold and not sweet.  The finish was crisp, sharp, and with a nice bite of spice.

We picked up a margherita pizza with added prosciutto, baba ganoush, and some olives for dinner.  The pizza was great, made by our friend Yvonne Welther, and as predicted fantastic with the wine.  The pizza went heavy on the garlic, which was complemented nicely by the spicy tones of the Sangiovese. 

Again, this was a great summer wine that's light, but doesn't stray into the sweet category.  We picked up this bottle at H.E.B Central Market, and it runs about $13.  You can find out more about Di Majo Norante at:  http://www.dimajonorante.com/

The Luxurious Luigi Bosca

On Sunday I had a great find at H.E.B.: $9 a pound NY Strips.  Normally they retail a lot higher, so I decided to grab a few for dinner.  Dinner wasn't anything fancy, a couple of steaks and rice with mushrooms.  We needed a big dark wine to go with the meal, so Pris pulled out a bottle of Luigi Bosca 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, which is a fine Argentinean red from the Mendoza region.  I can't remember for sure, but I want to say that this was a recommendation from our friend Trey Mendez, who really likes his bold Argentine reds.  What's more, Trey has never steered us wrong on a wine.

Unlike most of our recent wine drinking, we actually opened this bottle up a couple hours before we poured the first glass (although I did have a very small glass to go with some cheese and olives a bit before I got to cooking).  The first thing you notice is the deep purple , so dark its like looking at a liquid amethyst.  From there you take in a deep rich aroma that is a complex amalgam of dark ripe berries and spices.  The palate is as complex and bold as the aroma.  This wine really opens up in the mouth with a deep and luxurious smoothness.  Bountiful tannins allow for a long dry finish that you can savor for some time.

The Argentine's love their bold red wines and their beef, so it was not a surprise that this was a great wine to have with steak.  Most Cabs go well with steak, but this one really excelled.  The smooth dark and dry wine complemented the bold flavors of the steak perfectly.  It also paired nicely with the rich earthy flavors of the rice side dish.

We picked the Luigi Bosca up at Feldman's here in Brownsville and it runs about $21.  If you want more information on Luigi Bosca's wine's you can visit their website:  http://www.luigibosca.com.ar/2007/v8/en/index1.html

A Magnificent Meritage

Thursday night Pris wanted to open a new bottle of wine.  We had a little of the Tres Picos Granacha left, but I figured why not.  She'd already selected Estancia's 2007 Reserve Paso Robles Meritage which was another great recommendation from Mike Jones of Jones Liquor. 

This wine was a fantastic blend of  Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot.  As stated in the title, this is an exceptionally smooth wine.  I went through my first glass in nothing flat simply because it was so good.  The Meritage contained rich full berries on the nose and palate.  Dark fruit and cherries dominate the palate, through the richness of the fruit there is a subtle sweetness that provides an excellent balance to the wine.  This wine has excellent structure and the smooth tannins aid a long dry finish that lingers nicely.  Let this wine breathe for an hour or so, you won't be disappointed in the wait.

Thursday we paired the Estancia with a Serrano Jamon and Manchego sandwich, hummus, tzatziki, and olives.  Then tonight, we polished it off with Azteca soup, tocinetas, and a steak and mushroom crepe.  The Meritage went flawlessly with everything, and its probably a great accompaniment to just about any meal due to the exceptional blending.

We picked up this particular wine at Jones Liquor some time back, and to be fair I don't think he had too many bottles left.  This bottle costs about $30.  If you go to Jones Liquor and they're out, you can find it online.  However, you can always ask Mike Jones for a recommendation based on this wine and you won't be disappointed.  For more information on the Meritage and other wines by Estancia you can go to: http://www.estanciaestates.com/index.php