Dining with Don Manuel Carmenere

Pris and I actually opened up two bottles of wine tonight.  This was done partly as a back-up in case the Zinfandel didn't work out, and partly in a vain attempt to get a couple more posts in before the end of the month.  As a back-up we chose the Don Manuel 2009 Carmenere from Chile.  This was one of the wines from the Wall Street Journal Wine Club.

The Carmenere didn't work as well with the meal as the Zinfandel, so I'm currently working on what's left of our glasses while I get this typed up.  While the Zin was fruity, the Carmenere was all big bold flavor.  You could tell this was a big wine from the whiff of the bouquet which was loaded with fruit and spice.  The Don Manuel was full of big dark fruit on the palate with hints of spice running underneath it all.  Big tannins create a strong full finish for this big wine. 

The Don Manuel Carmenere was a bit overpowering on the meal.  It would definitely be better served pairing up with a large chunk of beef cooked medium rare.  We got the wine from my mom's over-flow of WSJ wines.  You can find out more about this wine, and order it for $14 a bottle, at: http://www.wsjwine.com/

Zipping Along with Flying Wine Maker's Zinfandel

Several months ago, before we started this blog, Pris and I opened up a bottle of The Flying Wine Maker's 2007 Zinfandel from Cameron Hughes wines.  The Flying Winemaker label does the same thing Cameron Hughes does, just on an international scale.  Essentially, they find excess wine from various wineries, buy it cheap, label it under their own brand and sell it for less than the label price.  Its a good deal and they're usually pretty spot on.

The last time we tried the wine I wasn't overly thrilled with it.  I thought it was too sweet, and slightly gone by the wayside.  However, we decided that if this bottle was still good it might go with the Moroccan spiced chicken and pumpkin/cheddar grits.  It was a great call.

The Flying Wine Maker Zinfandel was sweet, but not so much as before.  I think it helped pouring through the aerator.  The wine had a good fruity nose with loads of very ripe dark fruit.  On the palate, the wine was smooth with a mix of sweetness and spice.  The wine finished with a great spicy bite that was a great compliment to the spicy chicken.  This wine went great with dinner, and I'd recommend it for anything spicy or savory.

We got this wine at the Cameron Hughes website over a year ago.  It doesn't appear that they're selling this vintage anymore.  One problem with Cameron Hughes is that their wines are good, and their lot sizes are small, so they tend to run out fairly quickly.  This one was about $10 a bottle and was a good wine if you're looking for a red that's not too dry.  There is a 2009 vintage out there, and if the 2007 is any guide, its definitely worth looking into.  For more information on the new vintage you can visit: http://www.chwine.com/

A Nice Evening with Nolia Catalunya

Saturday I was running around getting everything I needed to cook dinner yesterday and today.  While out I went by Feldman's Market Center to take advantage of a nice little steak lunch special they had going on.  While there I picked up a couple bottles of wine for cooking, and one for Pris and I to work on over the weekend.  It'd been a while since we had a nice Spanish red, and they had a bottle of Nolia 2009 Catalunya Granacha on sale for about $10.

The Nolia had a soft fruit nose with nice notes of ripe red berries.  One of the selling points of this wine is that its from old vine grapes, and it shows on the palate.  This wine was soft and supple with loads of raspberry and cherry.  Undercurrents of spice and leather added  balance to the otherwise fruitful wine.  The minimal tannins allow for a light and fruitful finish to this good Spanish red.

I had a little of the wine with a steak from Feldman's, and it went well.  But it didn't really have time to breathe and it was slightly sweet.  This evening we drank some with our dinner of red wine and apricot braised short ribs with mushroom and cream mashed potatoes.  Tonight the wine opened up nicely and went great with the tender braised beef.

Going to Geyser Peak

Last weekend we opened up a bottle of Geyser Peak 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon from California's Alexander Valley to go with a simple steak dinner.  Nothing fancy other than the curry pumpkin soup with some sirloin and roasted potatoes.  The Geyser Peak Cab was a great choice to go with the meal. 

The Geyser Peak Cab had a solid fruity nose with  the usual notes of cherry and dark berry.  It was lighter than most of the Cabs we've had, but still full flavored with great structure.  Solid cherry and blackberry dominate the palate while mixed in with just a touch of spice.  The finish was softer and ended more quickly than most Cabs, but it was still satisfying.

We picked up the Geyser Peak 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon at H.E.B. for $16.99.  This is a solid easy drinking Cab that is a good everyday wine.  The price is a bit on the high side for an everyday wine, but well worth it.  You can find out more about Geyser Peak wines at:  http://www.geyserpeakwinery.com//index.cfm

The French Know Their Stuff: Beef Bourguignon and Chatteau Messile-Aubert

Pris and I really like the beef bourguignon from H.E.B. Central Market, but last Sunday I decided to try my own had at making it.  After 5 hours of cooking it was finally done, and it was time for dinner and wine.  To go with a quintessential French dish you have to have a French wine.  Pris and I selected the 2006 Chatteau Messile-Aubert from the Wall Street Journal Wine Club.

The Chatteau Messile-Aubert was a great big red with a deep dark color.  On the nose there was plenty of cherry, currant, and dark berry.  This was a great rich wine, and the cherry, black currant continue on the palate.  Intermingled with the dark fruit is a nice undercurrent of oak and herb.  The finish was juicy and lingering.  Even though this is a big full bodied wine, it was full fruited but lacking the heavy tannins that you find in most Cabs and other big reds.

The Chatteau Messile-Aubert went great with the beef bourguignon, I mean really fantastic.  The rich wine was a perfect compliment to the wine infused beef and mushrooms.  To go with the beef and sauce I included a couple slices of French bread slathered with herb infused chevre cheese.  Again, the wine was the perfect compliment to the rich goat cheese and bread.  Basically you can't go wrong pairing the Chatteau Messile-Aubert with succulent beef dishes and tangy rich cheeses.

The wine was a gift, and it came from the Wall Street Journal Wine Club, but it seems to be out of stock now.  You can find it online at a couple different sites though.  For more information on Chatteau Messile-Aubert you can visit: http://aubert-vignobles.com/messile-aubert.php?specid=3&langid=2

Back to Basics with Alamos Malbec

Even though we loaded up on meals while in San Antonio, I finally broke down and cooked a quick meal last Wednesday.   The prepared meals from Central Market are great, but there's something nice about grilling up your own hunk of beef.  To go with the sirloin we opened up a bottle of Alamos 2009 Malbec.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, you can't go wrong pairing beef and Argentine wine.

The Alamos Malbec is your typical big bold Malbec.  The nose was all dark berry and currant.  While the wine mellowed as it breathed, the bouquet stayed nice and full and bold.  On the palate this Malbec all bold and tannic.  Dark berries and cherries with hints of leather and tobacco flow nicely with each other across the palate.  As the wine goes down the boldness asserts itself.  Towards the mid-palate you start to get a nice touch of spice.  The Malbec finishes strong and full with audacious tannins.

It pretty much goes without saying that the wine and steak went great together.  We got the 2009 Alamos Malbec from our friend Isaac Guerra as an apartment warming gift.  Pris thinks it came from Jones Liquor before that though.  We have a 2010 we picked up, but that one is going to cellar for a bit. For more information about the Alamos Malbec you can visit: http://alamoswines.com/en/

Back at Home with Baron Carl

I blame the lack of posting this week on a prolonged recovery from an obstacle run I did with some friends last Saturday in Bastrop.  Despite being worn out, Pris and I were able to pick some good food and wines from Central Market.  For dinner Sunday night we heated up a beef bourguignon from Central Market and opened up a 2006 Baron Carl Saint-Emilion to go with it.

The Baron Carl was a deep dark red wine with a great nose full of soft fruit.  As the evening wore on, the wine opened up nicely.  When we first started the Baron Carl was soft and smooth on the palate with light berry notes.  As it opened it developed more structure and a deeper flavor.  The soft berry notes were replaced by deeper, darker, and far bolder fruit.  Once the wine opened up it finished with a nice dry tannic finish.

This wine went great with the meal, but this wine seems made for rich beef and potato meals.  We had another similar meal tonight, but more on that later. I bought the Baron Carl at Feldman's Market Center here in Brownsville when I picked up lunch one day.  It runs about $20 a bottle.  Interestingly, the same folks who make Baron Carl also produce Mouton Cadet.

A Birthday Bash with Alto Moncayo

OK, it wasn't so much a bash as it was  Pris and I celebrating my birthday last night, and if your birthday isn't a good enough reason to break out a great bottle of wine, I don't know what is.  It would've been great to have a fantastic meal to go with the wine, but due to a program going on downstairs we had to settle for a NY strip from Texas Roadhouse.  Even though the meal was okay, the wine was exceptional.  Pris picked out a bottle of Alto Moncayo 2008 Granacha, and it was fantastic.

Pris actually opened the bottle about four hours before we ate so the bottle had plenty of time to decant.  This was done based on Mike Jones' recommendation when he sold us the wine.  The Alto Moncayo was so many things, big and bold, smooth and rich, and excellent. 

Alto Moncayo had an indulgent and complex nose that was a mix of ripe berry and earthiness.  When this wine hit the palate it was all pleasurable layered flavor.  Rich dark ripe berry melded with spicy and fruity notes that all develop and intensify as the wine progresses.  The finish is paradoxically soft as the wines flavor intensifies to a fruity intensity that borders on sweetness.  Despite the sweetness, this is not a sweet wine.  It is a phenomenal wine, and hopefully another special occasion will come along that warrants getting another bottle.

The granacha is heavy enough to pair well with the steak, and this wine worked well with dinner.  The Alto Moncayo was smooth enough to drink all on its own after dinner as well.  However, where this wine really shone was when it was paired with herbed goat cheese, manchego cheese, and fontina cheese.  Pris said the wine contrasted well with the spicy buffalo chicken strips I cooked up for her too. 

We picked this bottle of Alto Moncayo 2008 Granacha at Jones Liquor here in Brownsville.  It runs about $57.99 a bottle, which is to be expected for a 93 point wine.  I couldn't find a website for this wine, but there are a number of places selling and writing reviews of it online. Definitely keep this one in mind when you're looking for a big, bold, and fantastic wine for whatever the occasion may be.