Saturday - Back to Basics

This Saturday had us over to Mick and Amy's for dinner. Mick decided to go with the classic Saturday night dinner - Spicy Shrimp to start and NY Strips and Grilled Vegetables.

The first course was Spicy Shrimp and Mint Dipping sauce with a Robert Mondavi Fume Blanc as the wine pairing.

http://zippysauce.blogspot.com/2007/12/saturday-night-honey-pass-me-salmon.html

The link above is to the article covering both the Spicy Shrimp recipe and a picture of the Fume Blanc. This time though the Fume Blanc wasn't spoiled as it was a 2004 and not the 2002 pictured. The Fume Blanc works so well with this recipe as its crisp flavour cuts through the spice and actually helps to cool the fiery burn of the Cayenne pepper. I didn't include the LCBO information in the linked article so ...

LCBO Information

ROBERT MONDAVI FUMÉ BLANC
VINTAGES 221887
750 mL
Price: $ 24.95
12.7% Alcohol
Sugar Content : D
Made in: California, United States
By: Robert Mondavi Winery
Release Date: Oct 13, 2007

Description: In 1966, Robert Mondavi originated his lightly-oaked Sauvignon Blanc and dubbed it Fumé Blanc. The aromas on stage here include apple, sweet grass, mineral and light toast notes. It has a crisp, refreshing, fruity core and a soft, yet spicy finish, that makes it a perfect partner for baked snapper or smoked salmon.

The Fume Blanc listed is either the 2005 or 2006 as the alcohol content is listed as 12.7% where as the 2004 is a shockingly high 14.5%. Not that I'm complaining about high alcohol, just surprised to find a white wine at that percentage!

For the main course, Mick decided to break out a new Cabernet Sauvignon for us to try. The main course was Grilled NY Strips with Zippy Sauce and the sides were Roasted Potatoes and Grilled Mixed Vegetables. Cabernet Sauvignon is a great pairing with steak and with days and days of Christmas Turkey ahead, he couldn't have picked a better main dish.

Mick and Amy picked this wine up on a motorcycle trip down to Ohio. I can't remember what Mick said he paid for it but the Wine Spectator is listing the price as $50US which means this would be $80-100 a bottle after exchange, duty and LCBO price gouging.

Wine Spectator Rating - 86

Groth Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville 2000

An earthy, herbal style with moderate richness and concentration to the cedary oak, olive and dill-scented currant notes. Drink now through 2007. 14,500 cases made. –JL

The first scent I was picking up was chocolate and then a woody scent; the wine had a very welcoming aroma. Upon tasting it I was very surprised by the lack of fruit. It reminded me more of a French Bordeaux than a California Cabernet. The second thing that hit me was the high tannin. This was definitely not a drink on its own type of wine and it was looking to go with food. It worked nicely with the steak as the fat of the NY strip softened the tannins and made this a smoother drinking wine.

Where this wine fails is the price, at $25-40 a bottle Canadian this would be great wine but at $80-100 it is money poorly spent as there are much better wines at a lower price point.

We finished the evening with the leftover port and cheese from the night before and as my photo of the R.L. Buller & Son had a nasty glare in the shot, Amy took another one for me and I have included it below.


I'm really starting to think I should give up on taking pictures myself and make Amy the official Zippy Sauce Photographer!

Cheers!

Mark

All I want for X-mas is my two front teeth!

We had our friends, John and Kim coming in from British Columbia for the Christmas holidays, so we ended up doing the dinner thing on a Friday again as that was the only day open on their busy schedule. Mick and Amy joined as us well so it was a dinner for six.

The dinner menu for this evening was as follows - Poached Pear Salad, French Onion Soup and Lemon Prosciutto Pasta.

The first course was Poached Pear Salad. This recipe was one I copied from the 1010 Bistro. It is Baby Spinach in a Raspberry Vinaigrette dressing, topped with Blue Cheese, Poached Pears and Spiced Pecans. I paired this with a Robert Mondavi Riesling and a Pierre Sparr Pinot Gris.

http://zippysauce.blogspot.com/2007/11/20-favourites.html (For a full write-up on the Mondavi Riesling)

I had the Pinot Gris on the rack for awhile and was anxious to try it as I'd tried the lower end version of Pierre Sparr's Pinot Gris and really liked it. I knew the Mondavi Riesling was a good match as I'd had this combination before.

LCBO Information

PIERRE SPARR MAMBOURG RIESLING 2002
VINTAGES 686006
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 31.95
13.0% Alcohol
Sugar Content : XD
Made in: Alsace, France
By: Pierre Sparr Et Ses Fils S.A.
Release Date: Sep 1, 2007

Description: Sparr No Expense. With a combination of enviable terroir, ancestral knowledge and modern technology, the Sparr family have been at the top of the winemaking game for three centuries. Wine Spectator awarded this Grand Cru Riesling a 91 and saying it has 'rich peach, apple and mineral flavors and vibrant structure'.

The Riesling went great with the salad but the Pinot Gris was less than stellar. The sweetness of the dressing and the pears was too much for the Pinot Gris and it was giving off a very bitter like favour.

The second course was a French Onion soup. For this I paired the Pinot Gris again and a Bouchard Finlayson South African Sauvignon Blanc with it. I'd been saving this Sauvignon Blanc for a few years as I really enjoyed it the first time I had it. I think I might have kept it a tad too long as it was slightly past its prime; it wasn't off but lack the vibrant fruit I remembered from the first time I had it. The Bouchard Finlayson Sauvignon Blanc wasn't the greatest pairing with soup, not bad but nothing to write home about. The Pinot Gris was the biggest surprise, against the salt of the soup the fruit in this wine came to life. It developed an almost oily mouth-feel and the fruit became so dominant that it almost reminded me of an Ice Wine.

I couldn't find the Bouchard Finlayson Sauvignon Blanc on the LCBO's website which doesn't surprise me as I bought this a few years back. I can't remember the exact price but suspect it was around $20.




The Pierre Sparr was a much better match with the soup than the salad but still wasn't an ideal pairing. Discussing this with Mick, I thought the Louis Jadot Bourgogne Chardonnay would have been a great match or a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Next time I make this I will try it with both and see which is better.

For the main course, I made a Pasta with Lemon Cream and Prosciutto.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/107652

This recipe is an old favourite and it pairs very well with Merlot. I paired this with the Joseph Phelps "Innsfree" Merlot. I have covered this Merlot in an earlier article -

http://zippysauce.blogspot.com/2007/10/saturday-night-takeout-food.html

The Merlot paired as well as I expected it to and was a big hit with everyone.

We went with a cheese tray for dessert with crackers and shortbread cookies. Speaking of shortbread, I was trying to open the plastic wrap that the shortbread with my teeth when the wrap slipped and my top teeth came crashing down on my bottom - end result I cracked and lost half my right front tooth. I could almost hear my mother in the background going "Don't open that with your teeth." Hopefully my dentist is open this Monday or I won't be smiling for family Christmas photos this year!

To go with the cheese tray, I had two ports on hand - an old stand by and a new one I had yet to try.

The New One

"Old Faithful"

I didn't think many other ports could touch the Taylor Fladgate 20 year old port until this summer when I tried a Yalumba Tawny Port that blew me away. The R.L. Buller & Son is another Australian Port like the Yalumba and Robert Parker had rated this a 94 so I couldn't wait to try it.

I'd picked up the R.L. Buller & Son on my last trip down to NY at the Premier Group. It was $22.99US for a 375mL bottle (So about $37 CDN. after duty). This puts it in the same price range as the Taylor Fladgate 20 year port which is about $68 in the LCBO.

The R.L. Buller was more oaky and sweet then the Taylor Fladgate but I liked the Taylor Fladgate better as it seemed smoother and more complex. The R.L Buller had that classic prune aroma that most Tawny Ports have but stranglely enough its aroma reminded Mick and myself of a California Cabernet Sauvignon.

My Top 5 Tawny Ports to date are -

1. Taylor Fladgate 30 Year old Tawny Port

2. Taylor Fladgate 40 Year old Tawny Port

3. Yalumba Antique Tawny

4. Taylor Fladgate 20 Year old Tawny Port

5. R.L. Buller & Son Tawny Port

So while the R.L Buller wasn't as good as the Taylor Fladgate, it still was a very good port.

Cheers!

Mark

Friday is the new Saturday...

As Amy's Christmas Party was scheduled for this Saturday, we got together on Friday instead. We also had some extra guests as my wife's parents, sister and friend joined us. I'll summarize the first three courses as the wines with each of these courses have already been featured in the blog before.

http://zippysauce.blogspot.com/2007/11/20-favourites.html

http://zippysauce.blogspot.com/2007/11/saturday-night-4-bottles-2-drunk.html

The first course was Carrot Soup with Fire-roasted Chilies and it was paired with a Rosenblum Zinfandel. The second course was Smoked Salmon with Cream Cheese, Bagel Crisps, Capers, Onion, Cucumber and Lemon and it was paired with the Kendall Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay. The main course was Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad and it was paired with the Louis Jadot "Bourgogne" Chardonnay.

As I mentioned in the "4 Bottles = 2 Drunk" article, both Mick and myself figured that the Louis Jadot would be awesome with a Caesar Salad - I'm happy to say that was the case, it was exceptional with Caesar.

"The Dessert Wine"

I was looking forward to trying this as French Sauternes and Tokaji from Hungary seem to be the standard to which a number of dessert wines are judged. I have never tried a Tokaji before, so this would be my first.

As you can see by the picture, the wine is a rich amber colour; it could almost be mistaken for a Tawny Port. Upon uncorking of the Tokaji, I was surprised to find it had an almost medicinal smell to it and began to worry about how it would taste.

After my first sip my worries completely disappeared - it was very good. It had the sweetness of a Canadian Icewine, but enough acidity and bite to cut the sweet so it didn't seem as syrupy as an Icewine.

The two desserts we had on tap for the evening were Butterscotch Crunch Cake and Chocolate Pecan Pie. The Tokaji paired very well with the Crunch Cake, and OK with the Chocolate Pecan Pie. The Chocolate Pecan Pie was too heavy on the Chocolate side and way too light on the Pecan side and the heavy Chocolate was throwing the Tokaji pairing.

I picked this wine up on my last trip down to the Premier Group in NY but I couldn't find it listed on there website. I found my receipt and the price is listed as $79.99 US and was discounted down to $72 US (so with duty and exchange about $118 CDN).

The price is where this wine doesn't make the grade. There are Canadian dessert wines for less than half the price that are as good. Due to this I probably won't be picking up another bottle of this exact wine, but the wine was good enough to peak my curiousity enough that I will be trying another brand/type of Tokaji.

Cheers!

Mark

"K, Syrah, Syrah" Wine Club

Wine club met last week and we sampled a French Syrah from northern Rhone and an Australian Shiraz. As Syrah and Shiraz are the same grape and Australian wines are very popular right now and French wine has been the standard, I was looking forward to this tasting.

"The Competitors"

This was our sixth meeting of wine club and our last official one. When Adam and I started Wine Club we asked people to commit for 6 sessions at $25 each. For the $25, each person gets to be apart of the tasting and takes home a bottle of wine at the end of each tasting. We will be having a seventh wine club meeting as most months we didn't hit the $25 limit and have enough money left over to do a bonus tasting.

The two wines we tried at the tasting were -

“ESPRIT DE GRANIT SAINT JOSEPH” Syrah by CAVE DE TAINLCBO Information

Stock Number – 17152
Volume - 750mL
Price: $ 23.30 (+ $.20 deposit)
Made in: Rhone, France
By: Cave De Tain L'Hermitage
Release Date: Mar 3, 2007

Description - Saint Joseph is one of Northern Rhône’s undiscovered gems. Produced from 100% Syrah, Saint Joseph wines are well-regarded for their fruit-forward blackberry intensity and attractive pepper tones. They can age beautifully, however, many 2003s, such as this, are really hitting their stride now. Enjoy with rich lamb or beef dishes.

Wine Spectator – 2003 Rated 90

Dark and ripe, with blackberry and plum fruit running over toast and bittersweet cocoa notes. Long finish is a bit firm, but there's plenty of exotic fruit to offset it. Drink now through 2009. 15,000 cases made. –JM

”Y” Series Shiraz by Yalumba

LCBO Information

Stock Number – 624494
Volume - 750mL
Price: $ 14.15 (+ $.20 deposit)
Made in: South Australia, Australia
By: NEGOCIANTS INTERNATIONAL

Tasting Note - Deep violet colour; blueberry, plum and currant aromas with a hint of anise; fresh, juicy palate with chocolate notes.

Serving Suggestion - Grilled bison burgers, lamb or firm cheese

Wine Spectator – 2003 Rated 87

This well-crafted Shiraz has plenty of jazzy blackberry and currant flavor at the core, lingering nicely against a frame of spicy oak on the finish. Drink now through 2009. 23,000 cases imported. –HS

The Yalumba that we tasted in Wine Club was purchased a couple of years ago. I had bought two cases as I found it very good and at $13 it was a steal. I'd imagine that the current year at the LCBO is 2005. I used the 2003 "Y" Series so both wines we were comparing were from the same year.

The picture below shows one of the best ideas for wine marketing I have seen in years. The bottle comes with a tear away tab on the label that has the wine information on it. So you are at a restaurant or a friend's house trying the wine, if you like it, tear off the tab, put it in your wallet and next time you are at the Liquor store you have the name of the wine, etc.

As we were trying a different wine region at each meeting I thought it would be appropriate to end with France. The St. Joseph's was the bottle that everyone would be taking home with them. Dorie (a co-worker) brought in some BBQ Beef and Cheese and Crackers to go with the wine. I'm grateful that she did as I was finding two heavy dry reds at noon on a Monday just a bit much. They both mellowed quite nicely with the food.

The St. Joseph's tended to be smoother and more subtle than the Yalumba, but the Yalumba had a bigger mouth feel to it. Everyone enjoyed the wines but the French Syrah wasn't the clear winner over the Australian Shiraz - the split was about 70% preferred the Syrah over the Shiraz. With the Syrah at $23 a bottle and the Shiraz at $13, I would call this match a tie.

Next month's Wine Club 'bonus tasting' will 3 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignons at 3 different price points.

Cheers!

Mark

Amy's Elite Photo Skills

This is a follow-up to the last article as Amy sent me her picture of the cork from the Stone Church Vidal Icewine. The clarity of the picture and how it clearly shows the crystalization on the cork is stunning.


Thanks Amy!

Saturday Night - Honey, pass me the Salmon!

Saturday night and it was Mick's turn to host. I asked for an old favourite - Spicy Shrimp with Mint dipping sauce.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/108272

This recipe works very well with a Sauvignon Blanc/Fume Blanc. The reason I asked Mick for Spicy Shrimp is I had a bottle of Robert Mondavi 2002 Fume Blanc that really need to be drunk, as the colour on it was a tad dark.

I don't know if the picture shows it that well but the wine was closer to an orange/amber colour than the pale greenish yellow it should be. I asked Mick to make sure that he had a backup bottle to go in case the 2002 Fume was past its prime... and it was a good thing I did. The best way I can describe it the taste of the Fume Blanc is rancid apples. I wasn't overly broken hearted about the 2002 Fume Blanc being bad as I have been drinking the Fume Blanc since its 1999 vintage and the 2002 was the only disappointing year (1999-2005). That is probably why it sat for so long on the rack instead of being drunk years ago.

Tip - Reds usually benefit from aging, most white wines don't - the exception to this rule is some French Chardonnays and most dessert wines.

Mick had a bottle of Chateau St. Jean Fume Blanc ready to go as the backup. This is a nice Fume Blanc as it is a tad softer on the acidity than the Robert Mondavi Fume Blanc. It paired very well with the shrimp.

I'd give you the LCBO information on this wine but they are only currently carrying the Cab. and the Merlot and not the Fume Blanc. They did carry the Fume Blanc at one point and the price is around $20. Prime Wines in NY does carry this on a regular basis and should have stock.

For the main course Mick did a Honey Bourbon Grilled Salmon, Roasted sweet potatoes, and steamed Broccoli in a light lemon sauce. His choice of wine to pair was the Columbia Crest 2004 Merlot. The Salmon and the sweet potatoes both had a sweetness to them that threw the pairing a bit, the pairing was still good but not great. The Broccoli in the lemon sauce rocked with the Merlot.

The Merlot was interesting as it started strong, had a really good mid-range but a poor finish. It has good fruit and a very nice smokey taste to it. It is a shame that the finish on it wasn't better or this would be an absolute to die for Merlot. For the $20 price point it is a great Merlot

LCBO Information -

COLUMBIA CREST GRAND ESTATES MERLOT 2004

VINTAGES 263418

750 mL bottle

Price: $ 19.95

13.5% Alcohol

Sugar Content : D

Made in: Washington, United States

By: Chat Ste Michelle

Release Date: Sep 1, 2007

TASTING NOTE: Bursting with blueberry and currant fruit, this zips across the palate with a racy texture and refined tannins. Lingers enticingly with a hint of mocha on the finish. Drink now through 2009. Best Value. Score - 90. (Harvey Steiman, www.winespectator.com, May 31, 2007)

I'm surprise at the 90 rating on this wine, I'd give it a solid 85 point rating. Regardless this is stil a good wine.

For dessert it was time for a Caramel Crunch cake and some 1995 Stone Church Vidal Icewine. This wine was very good, it was almost as good as the legendary Henry of Pelham 1995 Late Harvest Vidal. It was sweeter and the acidity wasn't as good as the Henry of Pelham but it certainly had that wonderful aroma and rich depth to it. It paired nicely with the Caramel Crunch cake.

Check out the 'flavour' crystals on the cork

Amy had a better picture with her camera of the crystals than this one, if she sends it to me I will post it as the shot she had was stunning in its clarity... I bow to you Amy, you are the camera master.

All in all it was a great meal with good friends... in other words, I'm fortunate to say, a 'typical Saturday night'.

Cheers!

Mark

$20 Favourites

I love to cook and wine is just another element of the meal plan. Having a wine cellar allows me to be creative about cooking without having to worry if I have a wine that will go with the food. You don't need a five hundred bottle wine cellar to make sure you have a wine that will go with any meal; the six to seven types of wines I'm going to show you will give the range you need to pair with most meals.

All of these wines are around a $20 (CDN) price point and are our usual Saturday night favourites... except recently we have been trying a number of new wines but normally these wines are our staples.

"The Whites"

"The Reds"

I'll start with the 'whites'. I generally like to start a meal with a white wine and finish with a red wine. Now white wines are harder to pair with food than red wines... you miss a pairing with a red it will generally be OK, you miss with a white and it will be awful - think toothpaste and orange juice.

Our first white on the list is Robert Mondavi's Fume Blanc, which is just another name for Sauvignon Blanc. It is a straight forward crisp and refreshing wine that goes with a number of foods. I like this wine with Spicy Shrimp, Gorgonzola Dip, and Crab Dip. This will also work with powerful salads like Caesar and Greek.

LCBO Information -

ROBERT MONDAVI FUMÉ BLANC
VINTAGES 221887
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 24.95
12.7% Alcohol
Sugar Content : D
Made in: California, United States
By: Robert Mondavi Winery
Release Date: Oct 13, 2007

Description - In 1966, Robert Mondavi originated his lightly-oaked Sauvignon Blanc and dubbed it Fumé Blanc. The aromas on stage here include apple, sweet grass, mineral and light toast notes. It has a crisp, refreshing, fruity core and a soft, yet spicy finish, that makes it a perfect partner for baked snapper or smoked salmon.

The description mentions it pairs well with smoked salmon; personally I think it is OK with smoked salmon. Go with Chardonnay instead, it is a much better pairing. At $24.99 it is the most pricey of all the wines. If $25 is out of your range, New Zealand is known for their Sauvignon Blancs and you can find a number of them for less than the $25. I prefer the Robert Mondavi as the light exposure to oak softens the acidity in the wine. South Africa does some very nice Sauvignon Blancs at very reasonable prices.

Our second white on the list is a Robert Mondavi Riesling - no I'm not getting paid to move Mondavi wines :), this is the last Mondavi on the list. Their Riesling is a semi-sweet riesling and it pairs very well with Curries, Chinese Food and spicy dishes. Riesling is a very diverse grape and this wine is very food friendly, especially for people who don't drink alot of wine. If in doubt on something that you think should pair with a white wine go Riesling.

LCBO Information -

03 RIESLING COASTAL PRIVATE SELECTION JOHANNISBERG - MONDAVI
VINTAGES 529685
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 14.95
10.5% Alcohol
Sugar Content : 3
Made in: California, United States
By: ROBERT MONDAVI WINERY
Release Date: N/A

Tasting Note - Light gold colour. Peach, bees wax & petrol aroma off- dry with peachy, citrusy flavours. Good balancing acidity

Serving Suggestion - Serve chilled with thai spring rolls, fruit-stuffed pork,etc.

This listing is funny as there is 1 bottle in stock in the whole province of Ontario and it doesn't exist, the LCBO can be very slow at times in removing dead items from inventory. The current release of the riesling is probably 2006. This is widely available in the US, if you are down there pick up a case (price is about $5.99-$7.99 US), you won't be disappointed.

Our last white is the grape that is the King of the Whites - Chardonnay. The Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay is one of my favourites - it and smoked salmon are to die for! Chardonnay will pair with most fish dishes, chicken, and and shell fish. It also goes very well with pasta and an Alfredo sauce. The only thing to watch for with fish or chicken is if there is a heavy sauce on them - if it is tomato based go with a red wine or if it is spicy lean towards the riesling.

LCBO information -

KENDALL-JACKSON VINTNER'S RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2005
VINTAGES 369686
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 19.95
12.5% Alcohol
Sugar Content : D
Made in: California, United States
By: Kendall-Jackson
Release Date: Nov 24, 2007

Tasting Note... 2005 continues their streak of top-notch wines. Loads of tropical fruit, surprisingly deep texture, medium body, and wonderful purity results in a crisp, elegant, dry Chardonnay. It is ideal for drinking over the next 1-2 years. Score - 89. (Robert Parker Jr., www.erobertparker.com, Dec. 2006)

A $20 wine and a 89 rating by Robert Parker not too bad! A smoke buddy in my building at work told me a story about his mother - every event like wedding receptions, office parties, or any other place where price is the main factor in choosing the wines, she smuggles in a bottle of KJ Chardonnay to drink with the food 'So she has something nice to drink with food'. Go Mom!



On to the Red wines - Merlot is one of the most diverse wines out there and if you are ever in doubt with what to serve with a meal go Merlot. It is a medium bodied red that is very food friendly. I really like it with most pasta and sauce (except for Alfredo as mention earlier). It is great with mixed grill and very good with BBQ'd sausage. Hearty soups and stews are also a wonderful match for this wine. The Beringer Merlot has been consistantly good year after year, though I have found that this is one wine that about 3 years of aging does make it even better.

LCBO Information -

BERINGER FOUNDER'S ESTATE MERLOT

LCBO 534255

750 mL bottle

Price: $ 19.95

13.5% Alcohol

Sugar Content : 1

Made in: California, United States

By: BERINGER VINEYARDS

Tasting Note - Ruby garnet colour; red berry aromas with light oak notes; dry, medium-bodied palate with fine tannins on the finish

Serving Suggestion -Beef stroganoff

The Beringer's Merlot is very good but if you have a few more dollars to spend the Rutherford Hill Merlot at about $29 a bottle is stunning which is how I found out about aging the Beringer's Merlot - a few years back I picked a case of the Beringer's 2000 Merlot as I thought it was really good, then a month later I found the Rutherford Hill Merlot and the Beringer's Merlot sat for a couple of years almost forgotten in the wine cellar. I re-discovered the Beringer's Merlot one night and was very surprised how good it was after sitting for that time. I almost shed a tear when we killed the last bottle of the 2000 Beringer's Merlot earlier this year!

Zinfandel is California's grape, only a few places outside of California grow Zinfandel and not in any great quantity. When most people hear Zinfandel they think of the pink Kool Aid stuff - that my friends is white Zinfandel. It's big brother Red Zindandel doesn't have much in common with it, other than lots of fruit. Red Zins are big bold ass wines that range in alcohol between 14% and 16% ... this puppy will get you drunk and shit! On a more serious note, Red Zinfandel goes great with BBQ's foods that are coated in BBQ sauce. Wings and Ribs are this wine's best friend, spicy foods are also killer with wine. When I think of Red Zinfandel to me one name comes to mind - Rosenblum. The Rosenblum Zinfandel is a giant alcoholic fruit bomb and I love it just the way it is - if I want smooth and subtle I'll call a Cab (ernet Sauvignon)!

LCBO Information -

ROSENBLUM ZINFANDEL

VINTAGES 284653

750 mL bottle

Price: $ 17.95

14.1% Alcohol/Vol.Sugar Content : D

Made in: California, United States

By: Rosenblum Cellars

Release Date: Oct 13, 2007

Description - Rosenblum is THE Zinfandel specialist serving up lively aromas of blackberry, raspberry, and mocha. Ripe berry fruit flavours are balanced by cedar tones and ripe tannin. Very nice berry spice finish. We prescribe it with roasted duck, venison, or spareribs.

I think the 14.1% alcohol is a misprint by the LCBO, Rosenblum's Zinfandel has consistantly been 15.7% alcohol for the last few years but I haven't picked up this year's vintage so I might be wrong.

For the two last ones, I'm doing them together as most things that a Cabernet Sauvignon will pair with Shiraz works as well. I prefer Cab. over Shiraz but as everyone these days seems to be having a lovefest with Austrailian wines I'll toss in a Shiraz. The Beringer's Cabernet is a replacement for a wine that started my love for wines - Robert Mondavi's Coastal Cabernet Sauvignon 1998, the 1999 was good as well and then it was like Robert Mondavi changed the style completely. We found the Beringer 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon was the closest replacement we could find, and for the last four to five years the Beringer's Cabernet Sauvignon has been the standard.

Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz are the wines you want to grab with Beef - NY Strips, Tenderloin, Prime Rib, Beef roasts all are great with either. I have found that Cabernet Sauvignon's edge over Shiraz is with dessert - more to the point chocolate-based desserts. The other edge that a California Cab has over an Austrailian Shiraz is with non-wine drinkers, it is much more fruit forward and easier to drink than a peppery Shiraz is.

LCBO Information -

BERINGER FOUNDERS ESTATE CAB SAUVIGNON

LCBO 534263

750 mL bottle

Price: $ 19.95

13.5% Alcohol

Sugar Content : 1

Made in: California, United States

By: BERINGER VINEYARDS

Tasting Note - Ruby red colour; forward cassis and spice in the nose that follows through to the palate; dry and medium-bodied with ripe fruit mid-palate and fruity, oaky vanillin notes in finish.

Serving Suggestion - Grilled or roasted red meats, spicy chicken dishes and medium cheese.

YALUMBA Y SERIES SHIRAZ

LCBO 624494

750 mL bottle

Price: $ 14.15

13.5% Alcohol

Made in: South Australia, Australia

By: NEGOCIANTS INTERNATIONAL

Tasting Note - Deep violet colour; blueberry, plum and currant aromas with a hint of anise; fresh, juicy palate with chocolate notes.Serving SuggestionGrilled bison burgers, lamb or firm cheese.

At $14 a bottle the Yalumba Shiraz is a heck of a deal so if you went Shiraz instead of Cab and saved the $6, I could agree with that. Note - the Beringer's Cab. is also better after a few years of aging.

So there are the six wines you need for a good range and a great start to a basic wine cellar. I'd suggest picking up 3 bottle of each as it is nice to have extra on hand on those nights when the wine is going down easy. This will also cover you if you are having a larger dinner party and one bottle isn't going to cut it.

Cheers!

Mark

Saturday Night - "4 Bottles" = "2 Drunk"

It was our turn to host again for the Saturday dinner for our weekly dinner with our friends Mick and Amy. This week I decided to go back to some favourites - Smoked Salmon to start, Beef Tenderloin and Grilled Veggies for dinner, and Chocolate Cake for dessert.

Tonight's Wines

First Course - Battle of the Chardonnays!

Smoked Salmon and Chardonnay is one of my absolute favourite food and wine pairings. The Smoked Salmon is served with Bagel Crisps, Cream Cheese, Capers, Thinly Sliced Red Onion and Cucumber and Lemon Wedges. Kendall Jackson Chardonnay is one of the best Chardonnays to go with Smoked Salmon.

The Challenger -

LCBO Information -

LOUIS JADOT BOURGOGNE CHARDONNAY

VINTAGES Number 933077

750 mL bottle

Price: $ 18.95

13.0% Alcohol

Sugar Content : D

Made in: Burgundy, France

By: Maison Louis Jadot

Release Date: Oct 13, 2007

Description: From the geographical headquarters of the Chardonnay grape comes this wonderfully versatile wine. Expect aromas of baked apple, citrus, cinnamon and a hint of vanilla. It's creamy, ripe and balanced. Medium-bodied with a lingering finish. Tantalizing with freshwater fish or a vegetable stir-fry.

The Reigning Champ -

LCBO Information -

KENDALL-JACKSON VINTNER'S RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2005

VINTAGES Number 369686

750 mL bottle

Price: $ 19.95

13.5% Alcohol

Sugar Content : D

Made in: California, United States

By: Kendall-Jackson

Release Date: Nov 24, 2007

Tasting Note... 2005 continues their streak of top-notch wines. Loads of tropical fruit, surprisingly deep texture, medium body, and wonderful purity results in a crisp, elegant, dry Chardonnay. It is ideal for drinking over the next 1-2 years. Score - 89. (Robert Parker Jr., www.erobertparker.com, Dec. 2006)

I was looking forward to this match up - both wines are close in price $19 vs. $20, both are from well known producers, both are similiar in alcohol and dryness and both were 2005's.

And the winner is ... Kendall Jackson Chardonnay.

Both wines were really good but also really different. The Kendall was big, buttery and with tons of fruit. The Jadot was crisp and refreshing with a much thinner and more precise mouth feel than KJ.

I usually divide Chardonnays into to two types ... ones that go with Smoked Salmon and ones that go with Caesar Salad. The Kendall Jackson is awesome with Smoked Salmon, but not so good with Caesar. The Louis Jadot was ok with the Salmon but I have no doubt that it would be stunning with a Caesar Salad. Mick was thinking the same thing as he asked if I had any more of it as it would be great with Caesar Salad.

I would happily recommend either of these two wines.

The Main Event

I'd picked this wine up on my last trip to Prime Wines in NY. Chateau Latour is one the five "First Growths" of Bordeaux. This wine is not there premier wine but their second level. The top level Latour ranges from about $499 to $2600 depending on year. This wine was $59.99 US (so after duty and exchange about $98 CDN). This was my first chance to try any wine from the five top Bordeaux producers. This was from the Pauillac region of Bordeaux and of the five "First Growths" three are located here.

On opening this bottle, the aroma was very powerful - floral, earthy and some fruit. It the smells reminded me of something I'd had before but I couldn't place it. On the initial tasting we were all surprised at how smooth this wine was. It paired nicely with the Beef Tenderloin and was OK with the grilled veggies. The wine reminded me of Robert Mondavi Napa Cabernet Sauvignon by how smooth it was.

For dessert was a simple store bought Chocolate cake and this cake goes so well with Cabernet Sauvignon that we call it "Cab Cake". Here is where the wine shined, first sip after a mouthful of cake and I was in heaven!

I'd highly recommend this wine.

Wine Spectators comments about this wine -

Les Forts de Latour Pauillac 1998

Solid second wine for Latour, although a bit elegant in style. Wonderful licorice and currant character. Medium-bodied, with ripe and fine tannins and a long, fruity finish. Tempting now. Score range: 85-89 –JS

Score: Barrel Tasting

The only downside to this wine was it has me very curious on the top Latour ...

Once we all finish our wine, we were longingly looking at the empty glasses and the remaining Cab Cake. I decided in my already very drunken state to go get another bottle...

The "What was I thinking 4th bottle of the evening"

Here is another 1998 Bordeaux from another one of the five First Growths - this time Haut-Brion. This one was also purchased from Prime Wines and was $39.99 US (about $64 CDN after duty and exchange). This one is also not the top wine but a second level wine from Haut-Brion.

This wine was completely different from the Latour, much bigger and much more tannic. It was OK with the Cab Cake. We discussed this wine and decided that something with some good fat on it - Lamb, Prime Rib, etc. would be probably be a great pairing for this wine. I'd give you more detail but the night at this point is a little fuzzy :). This wine is not one that I'd probably buy again.

Here is the Wine Spectator's write-up on it...

Chateau Bahans Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan 1998

Subtle aromas of raspberry, vanilla and mineral. Full-bodied, with a solid core of ripe fruit, ultrafine tannins and a long, long finish. Amazing for a second wine. Best after 2008. 10,000 cases made. –JS

Score: 92

Funny, it got a higher rating than the Latour but I'd recommend the Latour but not the Haut-Brion.

Cheers!

Mark

Wiener Chowder

Today was a shitty, rainy and cold day that was just above the freezing mark here in Southern Ontario and tomorrow they are calling for the first snowfall of the year. I'm so not ready for winter. To try and get in the mood for snow, I decided it was time for a hearty family recipe... Wiener Chowder. Don't laugh, it tastes much better than it sounds.

Wiener Chowder was my father's creation as both my mother and sister do not like clams, yet my father and I loved New England style Clam Chowder. So Dad made Clam Chowdar with thinly sliced hot dogs instead. It is a great meal for cold rainy days as it warms and sticks to your insides... comfort food.

It was also a good time for me to try another Pomerol based wine...


Here is the LCBO information on the wine

CHÂTEAU ROUGET 2002

VINTAGES 51425
375 mL bottle
Price: $ 34.95
13.0% Alcohol
Vol.Sugar Content : XD
Made in: Bordeaux, France
By: Maison Sichel
Release Date: Oct 27, 2007

Description: Here's an attractive, very expressive Bordeaux that can be a delight tonight or enjoyed over the next 5 years. Flavours of dark plum, coffee and mocha fill out the palate in this round, lush and full-bodied Pomerol. Delicious with lamb, game or Camembert cheese

Here is the Wine Spectator's write up on the wine...

Earthy aromas with tobacco and plum character. Black licorice. But it?s round and soft on the palate with a smoky finish. I like it. Best after 2006. 2,250 cases made. –JS

Score: 87
Release Price: $35
Country: France Region: Bordeaux
Issue: Mar 31, 2005

My thoughts on the wine... as it a Pomerol based Bordeaux we are talking mainly Merlot with possibly some Cabernet Franc and or Cabernet Sauvignon blended in. It was definitely a Merlot, and this would have fooled me into thinking it was a California Merlot as it was very similar to a Rutherford Hill Merlot.

It was a OK pairing with the Chowder, and it would be an awesome match for the Lemon Cream and Prosciutto pasta recipe I mentioned in a earlier port. I enjoyed the wine, but at $35 for a half sized bottle, I wouldn't buy it again when the Rutherford Hill Merlot goes for $29 for a full sized bottle.

Keep warm and Cheers!

Mark.

Saturday Night - Pizza D'oh!

Mick was getting busy in the kitchen again this Saturday and had two new items on the menu - Lobster Chowder and Pizza Margherita. The wine pairings for the evening were a 2005 Foxglove Chardonnay which Mick had picked up down in the US on our last wine run @ $12.99 US ($21.30 CDN after duty) and a Joseph Phelps 2001 Le Mistral which he got for $15.oo US a bottle ($26.22 CDN after duty). The Foxglove Chardonnay isn't available at the LCBO and the Le Mistral is @ $58.00 but it is the 2004 not the 2001.

When we arrived Mick was struggling to roll out the Pizza dough. He'd rolled it, thrown it, tried just about everything he could to get to stay flat but it kept shrinking back to its original form. The only thing he did manage to do with the dough it to get extremely pissed off about. I tried helping but no luck, in the end we decided to hit the supermarket and picked up a store bought pre-made Pizza crust.

After our quick trip out to the market, the first course was Lobster Chowder and the Foxglove Chardonnay. The Lobster Chowder's main ingredients were Lobster, bacon, potato, cilantro, cream and fish stock. The soup had a good flavour to it but after my first couple of spoonfuls, I thought to myself 'this would be awesome with some corn in it'. Mick's wife, Amy piped up about two minutes after this and suggested that corn would be great in the Chowder.

The wine was a good pairing but not great, I have had Lobster Chowder before with a Cabernet Sauvignon and it was an amazing match. The Foxglove was kind of funny as it was buttery but not overly so and it had a bit of mineral to it as well. I'd describe it as a California Chardonnay with some Burgundy influence to it. It was a great value at $12.99 but I'd go with a Kendall Jackson Chardonnay if you are a fan of a California style Chardonnay or a Bouchard Pere & Fils 'Bourgogne' if you like French style Chardonnay. This one was trying to please both of those crowds and didn't do it.

The main course was a Pizza Margherita which was made up of Tomato, Olive Oil, Garlic, Prosciutto, Mozzarella di Bufala and Basil. Mick did a great job on the Pizza and it was enjoyed by all (even with the store bought crust!).

Mick had called me in the afternoon to discuss which wine to go with the pizza as he was torn between a Merlot and the Le Mistral by Joseph Phelps which is a Rhone style wine. The Merlot didn't surprise me as it is a nice safe choice to go with if you are not sure, but the Le Mistral did. It is a blend of mainly Syrah (Shiraz) and Grenache and a tiny percent of other grapes mixed in, it is the style that Chateauneuf-Du-Pape is made in. I was concerned it would be lost against the garlic, prosciutto and cheese flavour and suggested that maybe a big bold Zinfandel would be a better choice. Mick said he thought of a Zinfandel too but was afraid it would overpower the pizza. He decided to stick to his guns and go with the Le Mistral.

Mick was right - the wine was an excellent pairing, it was nice and smooth and didn't create a strange taste with the pizza. I'm still curious to see how a Zinfandel would go with the pizza but it would be hard pressed to be better than the Le Mistral.

For dessert I picked up a Pecan Pie and a Maple/Apple coffee cake as Mick had some 1995 Late Harvest Vidal as the dessert wine of the evening. I also grabbed some Danish Blue cheese and crackers as I still had half a bottle of the 1989 French Sauternes in the fridge from last week. The Sauternes didn't go with the baked Apple Tart I had made. We found the Sauternes closer to a port then a dessert wine, so I wanted to see how it went with a Blue Cheese which is an ideal pairing for port.

Both wines when poured were a deep amber in colour and were almost impossible to distinguish by colour. The aromas on both were similar but the Late Harvest had a much more powerful aroma. The Henry of Pelham Late Harvest Vidal was great with both of the desserts. It truly is a wine that I'm proud to say is Canadian. The Sauternes was very good with the Blue Cheese, much better than it was with the Apple Tart last week, but I'd take an aged Tawny Port over it any day of the week.

The 1995 Henry of Pelham Late Harvest Vidal was the best year that they ever made and a few years back Amy managed to buy the last case of it directly from winery. This was the second to last bottle left.

I'm not sure what the current year of the Late Harvest is as the LCBO stock information doesn't list year (I'm going to guess and say 2004) but the Late Harvest is a great little dessert wine and you really should pick some up as you won't be disappointed.

LCBO Info.

HENRY OF PELHAM LATE HARVEST VIDAL V.Q.A.

LCBO 395228

375 mL bottle

Price: $ 19.95

Wine, Fortified Wine, Dessert/Fruit/Miscellaneous Wine

10.8% Alcohol/Vol.

Sugar Content : 16

Made in: Ontario, Canada By: HENRY OF PELHAM FAMILY EST. WINERY

Tasting Note: Bright yellow gold colour; aromas of honey, ripe peach, fig and apricot; sweet with ripe fruit flavour; well-balanced by crisp lemon acidity; rich and luscious without being too cloying.

Serving Suggestion: Serve chilled, a good introduction to dessert wines; fruit flan.

Cheers!

Mark.

Merlot Tuesday!

Ended up with a surprise day off from work on Tuesday and decided to do a little cooking (and drinking). For dinner I made a pasta with Lemon cream and Prosciutto -

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/107652

This recipe is a favourite of ours and it pairs very well with a Merlot. The wine for the evening was a 2000 Château La Mission from Lalande-de-Pomerol.

This was another wine I picked up from my wine run down to the US. I was looking forward to trying this as this would be my first Merlot from Bordeaux. I had read about Petrus and how good Merlots from Pomerol were but Petrus is $700-$1300 a bottle or more so I don't think I will be trying it any time soon. This would let me get a flavour for the region on a budget.

I uncorked the bottle and the first aroma I got from the bottle was prune and a woody-earthy scent that I couldn't identify.

I poured out two glasses to go with dinner and noticed the deep purplish-red colour as I poured that is common with Merlot.

The first sip caught me a little off guard as I'm used to California Merlots and was expecting much more fruit on the tongue. The second sip was was better as I cleared my expectations, very rich and deep and yet subtle.

I served up the pasta and tried the wine again - yum! The wine went great with the pasta and my wife and I manged to put a pretty good dent in the bottle.

After enojying this bottle, we will be keeping an eye out for more Pomerol based wines.

Here is the details and write up from Prime Wines -

2000 Château La Mission, Lalande-de-Pomerol 750 ml.

-->This estate’s vineyards are planted to 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 60% Merlot and 10% Malbec. This wine comes from clay-on-limestone soil and is traditionally fermented in cement vats. It then spends 18 months in oak barrels with 1/3 of the barrel renewed each year. This wine is best consumed with red or white meats and all cheeses.

Our price $19.99… Only $18.00 when you buy a solid or mixed case.

Note - I did buy a mixed case so I got it at $18.00 so with duty $29.52

Staff- Deep and plummy Merlot flavors and textures predominate in this terrific red from the satellite region at the northern edge of Pomerol. While clearly not as well known as its famous neighbor, Lalande-de-Pomerol offers the kind of solid value wines to look for if you want to taste great 2000s without refinancing your house (have you seen what 2000 Pétrus is going for?).

Cheers!

Mark

Viva La Saturday Night!

Mick and Amy were coming over for dinner as this was my Saturday cook. I was excited as I had two French wines that I wanted to try - an 1989 La Tour Blanche Sauternes and a 2005 White Burgundy. The Sauternes was one I picked up on my last trip to NY and the 2005 White Burgundy was a recommendation from Melissa of the Oakville LCBO (Dundas and Trafalgar location). I also tossed in a California Chardonnay to go head to head with the Burgundy. I'd been planning out the menu in my head since Tuesday.

The Saturday Night Line Up!

The menu for the evening was - Homemade Caesar Salad, Pine Nut and Basil Salmon and Baked Apple Tart with an Almond Custard. The Caesar and Salmon both match up with a Chardonnay and the Baked Apple Tart loves Canadian Dessert wines so I thought it would be a good match for the Sauternes.

Let's get to the main event... In this corner weighing in at 14.3% alcohol is a 2004 Grgich Hills Chardonnay (LCBO vintages number 43901, Price $60.95).
.

And in the opposite corner weighing in at a lean 13.5% alcohol is the Joseph Drouhin 'Puligny-Montrachet' from Burgundy (Chardonnay) (LCBO Vintages Number 51383, Price $64.95).

First Round - Caesar Salad

The Grgich Hills Chardonnay got off to an early lead as it paired much better than the Joseph Drouhin Burgundy. The Grgich Hills was much more buttery than the Joseph Drouhin and worked with the Caesar. Caesar salad is a funny pairing for Chardonnay - some Chardonnay's love it and others are destroyed by it.

Side note - What to make a huge difference when making a Caesar? Easy - make your own Croutons, store bought Croutons are like bricks and taste like shit, get a baguette and cut it into small 1/2 inch pieces, melt a stick of butter in the microwave and mix in two tablespoons of parmesan cheese and teaspoon of garlic powder (not garlic salt). Now mix the bread and the garlic butter in a large bowl until the the bread is coated. Pour out the bread on a cookie sheet and broil in the oven until golden brown. Now you have lovely soft Croutons and your guests will notice the difference.

Final Round - Pine Nut and Basil Salmon

After getting sucker punched in the first round, the Joseph Drouhin Burgundy lands a solid right hook on the Grgich Hills Chardonnay and evens up the match. The Burgundy really stood out against the Salmon. The Salmon is served with a lemon, butter and basil sauce and the crispness of the Burgundy really worked with it. The Burgundy had a great mouth feel and a perfect finish after each bite of Salmon. The Grgich Hills Chardonnay with its buttery taste got lost against the butter in the sauce, it seemed almost sloppy and clumsy when paired with the Salmon.

And the Winner is...

Out of the two, the Grgich Hills around the table was the winner. Everyone preferred it on its own over the Burgundy, it won the Caesar round but lost Salmon round. Since it took 2 out of 3 it was the winner.

Unfortunately, both were losers in my mind. I had really high hopes of being blown away by one of them and ended up being mildly impressed at best. Maybe I'm too used to Cabernet Sauvignon... there is huge difference between a $20 Cab and $65 Cab, I didn't think the difference was that big. The Bouchard, Pere and Fils for $18.95 that sent me to Oakville in the first place was almost as good as the Joseph Drouhin and a bottle of Kendall Jackson Vintner's Reserve at $21.95 was close to the Grgich Hills (though there was more of difference between the KJ and Grgich then the two Burgundys). My wife wants us to grab another bottle of the Grgich Hills as she really liked it. Don't get me wrong - Both were very good, they just weren't as good as I was hoping they'd be!

Dessert!

This was a wine I was itching to try. I love Canadian made Botrytis affected dessert wines and in my reading Frence Sauternes and Hungrian made Tokai are the standard that all Botrytis affected dessert wines are judge by. Sauternes are meant to be aged and are supposed to become more complex as they age. So I can't tell you how excited I was about trying an 1989 Sauternes....

Here is the Prime Wines information on the wine -

1989 Château La Tour Blanche, Sauternes 750 ml.
-->
Compare at $99.99… Premier Card price $79.99

The Premier card was free from the last time we went, you just had to fill out a few details and then you got the card so I got it for the Premier Card price of $79.99, then was hit for 64% duty at the border so the wine ended up cost me $131.18 CDN. Not a bad price as it was 750mL where as most CDN dessert wines are 350mL and range from $35 to $100 or more.

Here are the professional reviews -

92 pts. Spectator - Intense and exotic. Ripe and rich botrytis flavors explode on the palate to a long finish. Very sweet and full in body, it packs in the spice, white pepper, cream, coffee, quince and dried apricot notes.

92 pts. Parker, From Robert Parker’s Bordeaux - The 1989 stood out in my tastings as one of the best Sauternes of the vintage. Explosive, with a fabulous bouquet of oranges, mangoes, and coconut, this decadently rich, full-bodied, monstrous-sized Sauternes has enough acidity for balance. It is one of the greatest wines of the 1989 Barsac/Sauternes vintage. Anticipated maturity: 1996–2030.

A 92 from both the Wine Spectator and Robert Parker this wine should be nothing to sneeze at.

The first thing I notice about the Sauternes upon uncorking it was the bouquet - dessert wines have some of the most amazing bouquets in terms of complexion and intensity and this one was no except. The colour of the Sauternes is a lovely amber.

I served up the dessert and then sat down and tried my first sip - Doh! Not what I was expecting... it was much stronger and heavier than I'd anticipated. I began to worry that this Apple Tart wouldn't be a great match for the Sauternes. I tried the Baked Apple Tart and then sipped the Sauternes again... as the line from the movie "Major League" says "Oh! Just a bit outside" - this is what Bob Euchre's announces as Charlie Sheen's character throws a ball about 25 feet outside the strike zone...

The Sauternes was at most OK with the Apple Tart. The best way I can describe it is half way between a Canadian Late Harvest Vidal and a 20 year old Tawny port. I have no doubt that this wine paired with a nice aged Blue Cheese would be to die for, but against a sweet dessert it didn't work.

The four of us only killed half the bottle so I'll probably pick up some Blue Cheese and try it in the next couple of days.

Even though all three wines didn't 'blow me away', it was still great to try three new wines and I can't beat the the company and at the end of the day, is it the getting together with friends that makes an evening great?

Cheers!

Mark

The "Groovy" Wine Club

This past Thursday was the fifth meeting of wine club and this time the grape of choice was Austria's national grape - Grüner Veltliner (pronounced - groo-nur felt-leen-er). It is also called "Groovy" probably because you have to be half in the bag to say Grüner Veltliner.

Here are the two wines we tried (the first one being the bottle everyone took home with them)

“FEDERSPIEL” GRÜNER VELTLINER by DOMAINE WACHAU

LCBO Information

Stock Number – 47902
Volume - 750mL
Price: $ 16.95 (+ $.20 deposit)
Made in: Austria, Austria
By: Freie Weingartner Wachau
Release Date: Sep 1, 2007

Description: Under Austrian rules, a wine labelled Federspiel must have an alcohol content between 11 and 12.5% by volume and the grapes cannot be chaptalized (that is, sweetened with sugar so the finished wine has a higher alcohol content and fuller mouth-feel). This version is classic Grüner with aromas of pear, citrus and pepper. It is fairly full-bodied with a good balance between the fruit, pepper and citrus. Enjoy with grilled duck breast or even lobster or sushi.

Wine Spectator – 2005 rated 89, 2006 Not yet rated. This is filled with loads of mineral and grapefruit flavors and some creamy notes. The finish is savory, with touches of celery and parsnip. Drink now through 2009. 1,216 cases made. –KM

“SANDGRUBE” GRÜNER VELTLINER by STADT KREMS

LCBO Information

Stock Number – 687913

Volume - 750mL

Price: $ 14.95 (+ $.20 deposit)

Made in: Austria, Austria

By: Lamotrading Laurenz Moser Keg

Release Date: Jul 21, 2007

Description: The Sandgrube vineyard is planted entirely to Grüner Veltliner and benefits from southern exposure and a sandy loess soil. The 2006 is a fresh medium-bodied wine with flavours of citrus and white pepper. A perfect pairing for Austrian food like pork schnitzel, it also works very well with Asian dishes and sushi.

Wine Spectator – 2005 Rated 86, 2006 Not yet rated. This is filled with ripe peach and ripe apple flavors, which are flanked by savory spice and mineral notes. The finish is broad and smoky. Drink now. 2,525 cases made. –KM

I was caught off-guard by the enclosure on the Stadt Krems, once I took of the covering and the metal cap this is what I was greeted by -

I looked at it puzzled for a second and then tried pulling on the clear glass part and tada -

- a Glass cork. The glass has rubber around the top of it to keep the seal. I had never seen this before and neither had anyone else at Wine Club. Once I got over my shock and confusion, I thought this type of enclosure was pretty cool.

The food for the day was a Gorgonzola Dip with crackers that I'd prepared. Tracey (a co-worker) brought in Prosciutto, Cream Cheese and fresh Baguettes.

This was my first exposure to Grüner Veltliner. I had done some reading before hand and they tended to be compared to Rieslings. On the initial tasting of the Domaine Wachau, it reminded me of a Sauvignon Blanc. The Stadt Krems did remind me of a Riesling. Both though were easy drinking and I could easily see someone sitting outside at a cafe, snacking and killing a bottle with no problem at all.

I enjoyed both of the wines with the food. Grüner Veltliner has a reputation of being a very food friendly wine and after our tasting I can see why.

At $17 and $15 price points these wines are a great deal for the money. I will be on the lookout in the future for more "Groovy" wines as both of these were very good.

Cheers!

Mark.