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