Saturday Night – That’s Amore – Part 3

Click here for Part 1

 

The final course of the evening was an amazing homemade lemon tart that Jan and Chris made and they paired this with a 2008 Inniskillin Riesling Ice wine.

 

The nose was a powerful mix of lychee, pear, green apple and pineapple aromas.  Tasting the wine, lime and canned peaches were the two dominate flavours to this wine.  Structure-wise this wine was beautiful as the fresh acidity balanced out the sweetness of the wine.  The wine wasn’t cloying at all which isn’t something you can say about an Ice wine on a regular basis.  It was a stellar pairing with the lemon tart.

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 90, Mark - 90, Kathy – 90, Amy – 90, Overall – 90.

Here is the LCBO information on the wine –

INNISKILLIN RIESLING ICEWINE 2008
VINTAGES 558288
375 mL bottle
Price $ 69.95
This is a VQA wine
Made in: Ontario, Canada
By: Constellation Brands Inc.
Release Date: N/A
Wine, Icewine
9.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Varietal: Riesling
Sugar Content: 234 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: S - Sweet

At $69 a bottle this is a touch high on what I expect to find an Ice wine for (usually I find $50 for Ice wine and $20-25 for Late Harvest Vidal is the ballpark) but it was easily good enough to justify that $20 premium. 

I want to thank Jan and Chris for the lovely dishes and great wine; I’m always blown away at how much effort they put into these nights and how good all the food is. 

This will be my last Blog post for 2012 and it is nice to end on a high note (once again thank you Chris and Jan!) and I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year.

Cheers!

Mark

Saturday Night – That’s Amore – Part 2

The second Italian red for night was a 2008 Palazzo Della Torre.

 

The nose on this wine was milder in intensity than the Salcheto but was an interesting mix of peat, pine needles, vanilla bean and caramel aromas. Tasting the wine, lots of different fruit flavours were to be found such as watermelon, cherry, raspberry and over-ripe strawberry. The structure on this wine was lovely as it was incredibly smooth as the tannin and acidity were in perfect harmony with each other. The wine was very dainty and at times got lot against the richness of the food and ended up being a better wine on its own than with the food.

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 89, Mark - 87, Kathy – 89, Amy – 87, Overall – 88.

There was no LCBO information on this wine; a quick web search put this in the $20 range which is a good value for a wine this good.

Click here for Part 3

Saturday Night – That’s Amore – Part 1

Jan and Chris were kind enough to have Mick, Amy, Kathy and myself over dinner this past Saturday night.  We reviewed three new wines and were treated to three wonderful new dishes as well.

 

The first course was a Mediterranean Tart which had roasted goat cheese and a wide array of roasted vegetables in it.  This was paired with a bottle of Louis Roederer Champagne.  We have reviewed the Roederer before so I won’t go into much detail.  It did pair well with the food but was funny as with certain bites it was an amazing pairing and at other types it was OK; the tart had a very wide range of flavours so this was a tricky dish to pair with. 

The main course was Italian Meatballs with Tomato Sauce.  Jan paired this with two different Italian reds – a 2006 Salcheto Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and a 2008 Palazzo Della Torre.  I’ll review the Salcheto first in Part 1 and then cover the other wine in Part 2.

The nose on the Salcheto was easy to find with powerful aromas of leather, pine, eucalyptus with some plum and black pepper notes in the background.  Tasting the wine, you will find sour cherry and black peppers flavours that run the length of the wine.  The structure of the wine was good though it was a bit acidic at times.  The finish on the wine lingers around for quite a while.  I wasn’t too keen on this wine on its own as the acidity was very noticeable but it was quite good with the food as the acidity was neutralized and it went down very nicely with the rich food.

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 88, Mark - 86, Kathy – 88, Amy – 86, Overall – 87.

 

Here is the LCBO information on the wine –

 

SALCHETO VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO 2006

VINTAGES 685180
750 mL bottle
Price $ 24.95
Made in: Tuscany, Italy
By: Salcheto
Release Date: Nov 24, 2012
Wine, Red Wine
13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Varietal: Sangiovese (Chianti)
Sugar Content: 5 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: XD - Extra Dry

 

Tasting Note -  The 2006 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano shows the darker side of Vino Nobile in its wild cherries, scorched earth, grilled herbs and leather. This is a decidedly muscular, authoritative Vino Nobile endowed with considerable richness and depth. Though delicious today, it really begs for another few years in bottle. It is a fabulous effort. The estate's Vino Nobile is 100% Prugnolo Gentile (Sangiovese) fermented in large oak vats and aged in a combination of small French oak barrels and in large Slavonian oak casks for a total of 24 months. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2022. Score - 92. (Antonio Galloni, erobertparker.com, Oct. 2010)

 

Click here for Part 2

Saturday Night – Decoy for Dinner – Part 3

Click here for Part 1

 

The main course of the evening was maple chicken wings wrapped in bacon.  Mick paired this with a 2005 Decoy Napa Valley red wine by Duckhorn Vineyards.  Decoy is a California wine that is done in a Bordeaux blend.

 

The nose on this wine was powerful with solid aromas of chocolate, green pepper, cedar, blackberry and mushroom.  Tasting the wine, you will find black cherry and chocolate flavours on the start that finish with a caramel flavour.  Interestingly enough as the wine sat for a while, the black cherry flavour changed to a very raspberry one which was pretty cool.  The structure on this wine was good as it was big and chewy with lots of tannin and acidity that balanced well.  The finish lingered for a long time as well.  It paired decently with the wings but a pure Merlot would have been a better pairing.  All in all this was a very enjoyable wine.

 

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 90, Mark - 91, Kathy – 88, Amy – 88, Overall – 89.25.

 

There was no LCBO information on this wine.  Mick said it was around $42 which is a great value for such a solidly crafted wine.

 

To finish the night up Amy picked up a white chocolate raspberry cake which was a good ending to the night. 

 

Thanks to Mick and Amy for a great night of food, wine and friendship.

 

Cheers!

 

Mark

Saturday Night – Decoy for Dinner – Part 2

The second course was Mick’s Curried Mussels or as I like to call them “Heaven in a Bowl”.  Mick paired this with a 2009 Max Ferd. Richter Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett Riesling.

 

The Riesling had a very pretty nose of petrol, green apple and peach.  Tasting the wine you will find a sour green apple candy flavour that runs the length of the wine.  The structure on this wine was perfect as the sour green apple flavour and the high acidity nicely offsets the sweetness of the wine; the wine without these offsets would have been a cloying monster.  The finish on this wine lingered around for a long time.  It was a great pairing for the Curried Mussels.  I haven’t enjoyed a Kabinett Riesling this good in a long while.

 

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 88, Mark - 91, Kathy – 86, Amy – 88, Overall – 88.25.

 

Here is the LCBO information for this wine -

 

MAX FERD. RICHTER WEHLENER SONNENUHR RIESLING KABINETT 2009

VINTAGES 998120
750 mL bottle
Price $ 19.95
Made in: Mosel, Germany
By: Weingut Gunderloch
Release Date: Sep 29, 2012
Wine, White Wine
8.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Sugar Content: 50 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: M - Medium

 

Tasting Note - More perfumed than the Brauneberger Juffer, a little more exotic but also a note of ginger spice. Rich, ripe citrus verging towards apricot - so much fruit in the middle that it seems almost soft even though there is plenty of balancing, bracing acidity and an underlying minerality. Drink 2011-2015. Score - 17 (out of 20). (Julia Harding, MW, jancisrobinson.com, Aug. 18, 2010)

 

The Curried Mussels were wonderful as always.

 

Click here for Part 3

Saturday Night – Decoy for Dinner – Part 1

Mick and Amy were hosting this past Saturday night’s dinner and Mick had three new wines and two new dishes for us to try.

 

The first course was Chicken Croquettes which was a brand new recipe from Mick’s 50 Shades of Chicken cookbook.  He paired these with a 2009 La Chablisienne Chablis 1er Cru Montmains.

The nose caught me off guard as it was surprisingly tropical with aromas of pineapple, mango, peach and vanilla ice cream which is something I expect more from a California Chardonnay than a French Chablis.  Tasting the wine, it was certainly more what you’d expect from a Chablis; crisp and fresh with lime and grapefruit notes running the length of the wine.  The structure was interesting as it starts very big and bold but then disappears quickly with a clean short finish.  It was a very good pairing with the Chicken Croquettes and this is a wine I feel that would work with a lot of different foods as it was very food friendly.

 

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 90, Mark - 88, Kathy – 89, Amy – 89, Overall – 89.25.

 

Here is the LCBO information on the wine –

 

LA CHABLISIENNE VIEILLES VIGNES CHABLIS (V)
VINTAGES 215525
750 mL bottle
Price $ 25.95
Made in: Burgundy, France
By: La Chablisienne C/O Bcb Export
Release Date: Apr 18, 2012
Wine, White Wine
12.6% Alcohol/Vol.
Varietal: Chardonnay
Sugar Content: 2 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: XD - Extra Dry

 

Description - Old vines (vieilles vignes) produce less fruit, so the wines are more concentrated and flavourful. This classic, steely, unoaked Chablis features aromas of sweet apple, mineral and citrus. Delicious with grilled sole and other white fish, as well as oysters on the half shell.

 

* Note, pretty sure this isn’t the right one but it was the only listing I could find on the LCBO website that was La Chablisienne and in the $24-25 price point Mick said he paid for this.

 

The Chicken Croquettes were pretty good but they were a little bland.  I mentioned this to Mick and said they would be awesome with some Chipotle Mayo and Mick replied that he had some in the fridge.  We all tried them with the mayo and wow were they good with just that little bit of kick added.

Click here for Part 2

Saturday Night – I’m in the mood for bubbles – Part 2

Click here for Part 1

 

The second bottle of sparkling for the night was a 2007 Graham Beck Brut Blanc de Blanc.

 

The nose on this wine was much prettier than the first with vanilla, rose and perfume aromas.  Tasting the wine, you find a pear, beer/hoppy and nutmeg flavours running the length of the wine.  It was much creamier than the Laborie as well.  There was a lot happening with this wine with its big mouth-feel and its long lingering finish.  It was a bit too much on its own but made a great pairing with the Sushi.  Even more impressive was as it warmed up, it got even better on the taste and the nose became more powerful as well.

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 87, Mark - 88, Kathy – 85, Amy – 86, Overall – 86.50.

Here is the LCBO information on the wine –

GRAHAM BECK PREMIER CUVÉE BLANC DE BLANCS BRUT 2007
VINTAGES 907568
750 mL bottle
Price $ 24.95
Made in: Robertson, South Africa
By: Graham Beck Wines
Release Date: Mar 31, 2012
Wine, Sparkling Wine, Other Sparkling Wine
12.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Varietal: Sparkling (Methode Champenoise)
Sugar Content: 10 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: XD - Extra Dry

Tasting Note  - Impressive as ever, 2007 unfolds ripe apple and citrus fruit. Rich leesy brioche underscores class. All borne on a fine, delicate mousse. Score - 4 1/2 Stars (out of 5). (Greg de Bruyn, Platter's South African Wine Guide, 2011)

We finished the night with a Reese’s Ice Cream cake from Dairy Queen which was quite good.

Cheers!

Mark

Saturday Night – I’m in the mood for bubbles – Part 1

I bought two South African sparkling wines a few months back when I picked up a number of French Champagnes.  The Champagnes are long gone and have been reviewed here on Zippy Sauce already but since then every time I went into the fridge, these two South African sparklers were staring at me.  I decided it was time for them to go.  So this past Saturday night, Mick and Amy were by for dinner and these two wines got opened to pair with the Sushi we ordered in.

 

I will review the 2009 Laborie Brut Sparkling wine first and then will review the 2007 Graham Beck Brut Blanc de Blanc Sparkling wine in part 2.

The nose was easy to find on Laborie with aromas of Macintosh apple, yeast and wet cardboard.  Tasting the wine, the dominate flavour was lime with lime zest with hints of apple and nut in the background.  The wine was very crisp and refreshing but one dimensional.  Everyone preferred this wine on its own as it got a touch sharp/funky when paired with the Sushi.  The other flaw was the more this wine warmed up, the less appealing it got.  On the other hand, for $15 a bottle it was going down very nicely before the food arrived.

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 86, Mark - 86, Kathy – 85, Amy – 86, Overall – 85.75.

Here is the LCBO information on the wine -

LABORIE BRUT SPARKLING WINE 2009
VINTAGES 280115
750 mL bottle
Price $ 14.70
Made in: Western Cape, South Africa
By: KWV
Release Date: Jun 23, 2012
Wine, Sparkling Wine, White
13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Varietal: Sparkling White
Sugar Content: 8 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: D - Dry

Description - This is made in the time-honoured traditional method of sparkling wine, which was perfected in Champagne and is called Cap Classique in South Africa.
Tasting Note - Notes of graham cracker, orchard fruit and mineral on the nose. Quite dry with a medium body and plenty of acidity to balance the ripe fruit. The aromas replay nicely on the palate. This is a well-balanced, refreshing style of sparkling wine with a tasty, balanced finish. (VINTAGES panel, April 2012)

Click here for Part 2

Saturday Night – Salsa for 700 people

Mick and Amy were hosting this past Saturday night’s dinner.  The first course was a new recipe – crab and corn fritters with salsa.  He paired this with a 2010 Cape Point Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa.  We have reviewed this wine before so I won’t be going into too much detail on it - http://zippysauce.blogspot.ca/2012/08/saturday-night-tomato-extravaganza-part.html

 

The crab and corn fritters were very good, as was the salsa Mick made to go with it.  Mick is lucky that the salsa was so good as there was a ton leftover. He did the salsa as per recipe but it made probably 4 times more than was needed.  I’m assuming Amy will be having salsa on her cereal for the next few days and Mick with be finding other creative ways to use it up.  The wine was a decent pairing with the dish.

The main course of the evening was Mick’s chicken quesadillas and he paired them with a 2009 “The Prisoner” by winemaker Dave Phinney.  The Prisoner is a blend which contains the following - 51% Zinfandel 19% Cabernet Sauvignon 18% Syrah 7% Petite Sirah 3% Charbono 1% Grenache 1% Malbec. 

The nose on the wine was powerful with aromas of raspberry, dark chocolate, mint, cedar and nutmeg.  Tasting the wine, strawberry is the main flavour with raspberry, dark chocolate and vanilla notes in the background.  The structure was off on this wine as it came across very hot as the fruit, acidity and tannin weren’t enough to temper the high alcohol level (15.2%).  It was an OK pairing with the chicken quesadillas but the pure Zinfandels we’ve had in the past made a better pairing.

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 87, Mark - 86, Kathy – 85, Amy – 85, Overall – 85.75.

Here is the LCBO information on the wine –

11 THE PRISONER RED NAPA VLY (HUNEEUS)
VINTAGES 104299
750 mL bottle
Price $ 49.95
Made in: California/Californie, USA
By: Huneeus Vintners, Llc
Release Date: N/A
Wine, Red Wine
15.2% Alcohol/Vol.
Sugar Content: 10 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: D – Dry

* Note – this is for the 2011 and not the 2009 reviewed here.

Mick actually bought this in the US for $22.  Either the price of the wine has gone up since the 2009 was released or Mick got a really good deal on this.  When I rated this wine I thought it would be in a $30 Canadian price point based on Mick $22 US purchase price.  As $50 Canadian a bottle wine, I would probably lower my rating from 86 to 85/84 as for that money there are much better wines out there.

 

For dessert Amy picked up a Chocolate Banana cake which made a great ending to the night.

 

Thanks to Mick and Amy for hosting and to Mick for the wonderful dishes.

 

Cheers!

 

Mark

Saturday Night – Combique with so many different wines – Part 2

Click here for Part 1

 

Mick did grilled Brie on a cedar plank with a bruschetta topping or as he calls it “Briechetta”.  Mick paired this with a 2009 Chateau La Croix Chaigneau from Pomerol.

 

The nose on this wine was powerful and easy to find with aromas of green pepper, clove and black pepper.  Tasting the wine, sour cherry was the dominate flavour with some black pepper and mushroom notes.  The structure on the wine was good but it did come across slight tannic at times but this got better with the food.  It made a good pairing for the food but I think with this dish I’d lean more towards a pure Merlot vs. a blend like this one.

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 88, Mark - 88, Kathy – 86, Amy – 88, Overall – 87.5.

Here is the LCBO information on the wine –

CHÂTEAU LA CROIX CHAIGNEAU 2009
VINTAGES 173278
750 mL bottle
Price $ 23.95
Made in: Bordeaux, France
By: Vignobles Chatonnet
Release Date: Oct 27, 2012
Wine, Red Wine
13.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Varietal: Blend - Meritage
Sugar Content: 4 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: XD - Extra Dry

Tasting Note  -  A bold, complex and stately Right Bank wine showing notes of blackcurrant, plum, cherry, woodsmoke and coffee. Very nicely structured with tight fine-grained tannins surrounding a core of bright, spicy fruit en route to a dry, balanced, lingering finish. One for the cellar, this will really open up over the next 5 years or so. A fine choice for herbed beef stew. (VINTAGES panel, Aug. 2012)

The third course was Steve and Melanie’s and they did grilled flat bread with roasted corn, old cheddar and double smoked bacon.  They paired this with a Veuve Clicquot Brut Champagne.  I won’t be reviewing it here as I don’t like to do this when guests provide wine.  I will add that their course was very good and the Champagne made a very good pairing with the food.

The fourth course was Alex and Zdenka’s and Alex made a Beef Tenderloin with smoked paprika mayonnaise with a side baby Arugula salad.   He paired this with a 2008 Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon.  I really liked the wine as it was very fruit forward but with more than enough body to it that it didn’t come across as a ‘fruit bomb’.  Alex did an amazing job with the beef as it was cooked to exactly medium-rare and had a wonderful flavour to it.

I made the dessert course which was raspberry and white chocolate based.  Steve and Melanie were nice enough to provide the wine which was two bottles of Ice wine Riesling from Henry of Pelham.  The Ice wine was very good and worked exceptionally well with the dessert.

 

It was a fun night but judging by the way my head feels today probably too much wine.  It was great seeing everyone again and you just can’t beat a Combique for great food dishes and even better company.

 

Cheers!

 

Mark

Saturday Night – Combique with so many different wines – Part 1

This past Saturday night we got together with 3 other couples and had a Combique.  Combique is our name for a dinner get together where each couple brings a course and a wine to pair with it.  These are always great for a number of reasons – no one is doing a multi-course meal for eight people on their own, as everyone is only doing one course and can focus on that, they tend to be amazing dishes and lastly as everyone is bring their own choice for wine, there is a diverse selection of wines to try throughout the night.  This dinner had white, red, sparkling and dessert wines that made an appearance.

 

The first course was my and I did an almond encrusted goat cheese on a bed of mixed green with a raspberry and poppy seed dressing. I paired this with a Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Kabinett Riesling.

 

The nose on the Riesling was mild with aromas of musty apple, rose and caramel. Tasting the wine you will find a nice mix of smoky apple and pear with some peach notes in the background. The structure on the wine was good as there was easily enough acidity to offset the sweetness of this off-dry wine. The finish on the wine was good as it did linger around for a bit. It made a good pairing for the salad but I think it needed to be a touch sweeter to compliment the sweetness in the raspberry dressing.

 

 

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 87, Mark - 88, Kathy – 86, Amy – 89, Overall – 87.5.

 

Here is the LCBO Information on the wine –

 

REICHSGRAF VON KESSELSTATT SCHARZHOFBERGER RIESLING KABINETT 2006
VINTAGES 282343
750 mL bottle
Price $ 17.95
Made in: Mosel, Germany
By: Reichsgraf Von Kesslerstatt
Release Date: Aug 4, 2012
Wine, White Wine
12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Sugar Content: 67 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: M - Medium

 

Description -  With a history that dates back over 1300 years, the Scharzhofberg vineyard is so respected that it is one of the few in Germany that does not have to mention its village designation on the labels.

 

Tasting Note -  Round and lush on the palate, tropical-fruited and sugary in flavor, this is an unusually soft and sweet kabinett from a top vineyard. The aromas of pear, melon and guava are intriguing and exotic, and the wine is wonderfully easy to drink now in its youth. Score - 89. (Joe Czerwinski, Wine Enthusiast, June 1, 2008)

 

The next course was Mick’s and I will cover that in Part 2

 

Click here for Part 2

 

Saturday Night – We haven’t had that in a while…

This past Saturday it was my turn to host our usual Saturday night dinner and I had a couple of old favourites on tap and a new recipe to try.

 

I had a bottle of 2005 Mondavi Napa Valley Fume Blanc which I wanted to get rid of as Fume Blanc isn’t a wine you usually want to keep around that long.  As soon as I mention this to Mick, he said “Spicy Shrimp it is” as this is our favourite pairing for this wine.  He even volunteered to make the shrimp and marinade as long as I would do the mint sauce. 

I was relieved to see the Fume was still a pale/greenish yellow colour when I poured it out as this meant it was still good; when Fume Blanc has turned, it will go a deep golden/amber yellow.  I won’t be reviewing it here in detail as we have reviewed it before.  I liked the 2005 Fume Blanc as the acidity had softened and it had an easier to drink and rounded mouth-feel to it.  Kathy on the other hand was not impressed as she likes Fume Blanc when it has that razor-sharp-kick-you-in-the-teeth type of acidity.  It was good with the spicy shrimp but I will have to agree with my wife that with the shrimp, a Fume Blanc with more acidity would have been a better pairing.

For the next course I did smoke salmon with bagel crisps, cream cheese, capers, red onion, cucumbers and slice lemon.  I paired this with a 2009 Kendall Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay. 

The colour was that typical rich golden yellow you would expect on a California Chardonnay.  The nose on the KJ was a comforting mix of toasted caramel, marshmallow, butterscotch, vanilla and mango.  The caramel aroma carried over to the taste and was the dominate flavour with hints of pineapple and vanilla.  The structure on the wine was lovely and balanced but it was over oaked.  This wine is unapologetically a California Chardonnay with its big nose and taste; if you are looking for subtle go somewhere else.  It was a very good pairing with the salmon.

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 89, Mark - 89, Kathy – 87, Amy – 87, Overall – 88.

Here is the LCBO information on the wine -

KENDALL-JACKSON GRAND RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2009
VINTAGES 59576
750 mL bottle
Price $ 27.95
Made in: California, USA
By: Jackson Wine Estates International
Release Date: Jun 23, 2012
Wine, White Wine
13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Varietal: Chardonnay
Sugar Content: 5 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: XD - Extra Dry

Tasting Note -  Readers looking for more caramelized tropical fruit and honeysuckle characteristics as well as more opulence and flesh should check out the 2009 Grand Reserve Chardonnay (a blend of equal parts Santa Barbara and Monterey fruit). This 100% Chardonnay was aged 9 months in primarily French oak, and was put through 100% barrel and malolactic fermentation with lots of lees stirring. Kendall-Jackson's Chardonnay program has always been a reference point for how to get the most out of this grape and this cuvee highlights the buttery melon, tropical fruit and peach-like characteristics of Chardonnay. It also possesses medium to full body, well-integrated wood and a long, heady, rich finish. Score - 91. (Robert Parker Jr., erobertparker.com, Feb. 2011)

For the main course I did Chile-Lime Chicken Kabobs and paired this with a 2004 Comtes d’Isenbourg Pinot Gris (once again another white wine that I kept too long) from Alsace.  This time it came back to bite me as it was past its prime; it was drinkable but it had certainly lost a step or two.  As this wine was past its prime, we decided it wouldn’t be fair to review it.

Here is the link to the recipe - http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chili-lime-chicken-kabobs/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=chili-lime&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe%20Hub

The marinade smelled terrific but tasting it, I wasn’t blown away.  I served the kabobs over rice and the flavour of the chili-lime was nice but almost too subtle; I found myself wishing for more sauce/flavour.  Mick said this would be a good ‘thru the week’ recipe but it was missing that certain something to make it a Saturday night feature dish.  I think he hit the nail on the head perfectly with that description.

We finished the night with Ice Cream cake. 

Thanks to Mick for making the spicy shrimp and being the ‘grill master’.  It was a fun night and I enjoyed getting back to a couple of favourite dishes we hadn’t had in a while.

Cheers!

Mark

Saturday Night – Mick is back in the saddle again – Part 2

Click here for Part 1

 

For the main course Mick did his Dijon and marmalade chicken wings and paired this with a 2010 Artezin Zinfandel.

 

The nose on the Artezin was a pleasant mix of peat, smoke, strawberry, white pepper and green pepper.  Tasting the wine was interesting as initially had a huge strawberry flavour but as the wine opened up it became a cherry flavour with some mocha in the background.  The structure on the wine was superb as it was very smooth, with a long lingering finish which combined with the fruit on the flavour made this a very easy drinking wine.  I really liked this wine but the Amy, Kathy and Mick while they enjoyed weren’t in love with it like I was.   I think the problem is the wine was almost too smooth and it needed a little bite to it to jazz it up a bit.

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 88, Mark - 90, Kathy – 87, Amy – 88, Overall – 88.25.

Here is the LCBO information on the wine –

ARTEZIN ZINFANDEL 2010
VINTAGES 302943
750 mL bottle
Price $ 21.95
Made in: California, USA
By: Hess Family Estates
Release Date: Sep 29, 2012
Wine, Red Wine
14.9% Alcohol/Vol.
Varietal: Zinfandel
Sugar Content: 8 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: D - Dry

Tasting Note  -  A zesty Zinfandel that's loaded with spice, offering aromas of dark cherry and licorice that lead to lively plum, toasty sage and anise flavors. Finishes with ripe, briary tannins. Drink now through 2017. Special Designation: Smart Buy. Score - 90. (Tim Fish, winespectator.com, June 15, 2012)

Amy had picked up a Chocolate Truffle cake for dessert but we were so stuffed from the first three courses we all decided to pass on it.

Thanks to Mick and Amy for hosting and to Mick for all his wonderful hard work in making those three great dishes.  Hopefully we’ll get back to a more regular schedule and therefore more regular blog posts but with Christmas around the corner that might make things tricky.

Cheers!

Mark

Saturday Night – Mick is back in the saddle again – Part 1

The blog has been quiet lately as our normal Saturday night dinners haven’t been quite so normal.  Thankfully that ended last night as Mick and Amy were hosting and Mick had three great dishes on tap and three very good wines to go with them.

 

The first course was Oysters “Mickafella”, which are oysters topped with cheese, green onion, jalapeno peppers and other assorted goodies than cooked in the oven.  Mick paired this with a 2009 Robert Mondavi “To Kalon” Fume Blanc.  We have reviewed this wonderful wine before (see the Top Ten Zippy Sauce Whites list for the link), so I won’t be doing that again here.  I will add it was a good pairing with the oysters but not perfect.  The oysters were very good as well.

The second course was barbequed Brie with a bruschetta topping and served with toasted sliced baguette.  Amy jokingly refers to this as Brie-chetta.  Mick paired this with a 2004 Beringer Napa Valley Merlot. 

The nose on the Merlot was big and easy to find with aromas of raspberry, pine, chocolate and cigar box.  Tasting the wine, it was a dominated with a plum flavour that was tempered by vanilla, clove and chocolate notes.  The balance on the wine was good but it was a touch tannic which made the wine seem very dry at times.  The finish on the wine was good but it didn’t linger for long.  I liked the wine with the food.  Mick and I both thought the wine was solid but not amazing.

 

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 89, Mark - 89, Kathy – 88, Amy – 88, Overall – 88.5.

 

Here is the LCBO information on the wine –

 

BERINGER MERLOT 2009

VINTAGES 919647
750 mL bottle
Price $ 29.95
Made in: California, USA
By: Treasury Wine Estates
Release Date: Apr 28, 2012
Wine, Red Wine
14.3% Alcohol/Vol.
Varietal: Merlot
Sugar Content: 5 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: XD - Extra Dry

 

Tasting Note - Deep bassline aromas of chocolate cake, black cherry, blackberry creme and a wisp of caramelized sugar. Full bodied, generous, lush and complex, with gobs of fruit and pinpoint balance. This has the structure to develop nicely over 5+ years, though it's drinking well now with beef stew or prime rib. (VINTAGES panel, March 2012)

 

Click here for Part 2

Saturday Night – Off to the Far East – Part 2

Click here for Part 1

 

The other wine for the night was a 2008 C.H. Berres Kabinett Riesling.

 

The colour on this wine was more what I would expect from a Riesling as it was a pale straw yellow. The nose on this wine was mild but with pretty aromas of lilac, peach and melon. Tasting the wine you will find canned peaches with a touch of lime as the main flavours. The structure on this was nice but as the acidity was milder than the Bollig-Lehnert it was heading towards being cloying without actually crossing the line. Everyone but me preferred this wine with the food. The Bollig-Lehnert on the other hand was the unanimous winner without food out of the two wines.

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 89, Mark - 88, Kathy – 87, Amy – 90, Overall – 88.5.

Here is the LCBO information on the wine -

C.H. BERRES ÜRZIGER WÜRZGARTEN RIESLING KABINETT 2008

VINTAGES 207274

750 mL bottle
Price: $ 19.95
Made in: Mosel, Germany
By: Stefan Ress
Release Date: May 26, 2012
Wine, White Wine
9.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Varietal: Riesling
Sugar Content: 46 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: M - Medium

Tasting Note - This white offers breadth and depth, with nectarine and apple flavors underscored by a citrus component. The wine's richness matches with the vibrant acidity, leaving a long, fruity aftertaste. Drink now through 2020. Score - 90. (Bruce Sanderson, winespectator.com, July 31, 2010)

 

I liked both Rieslings though the Bollig-Lehnert was my clear favourite here but I wouldn’t turn down a bottle of either.  It was fun doing Riesling as with the Champagne kick we have been on it made a nice change of pace.  The Indian food was very good and their lamb curry was exceptional as the lamb was tender and very flavourful and I hope we will be ordering from the Bombay Grill again soon.

 

We finished the night with ice cream cake which made a nice ending to the night.  I’d like to thank Mick and Amy for suggestion and picking the Indian food and look forward to our next Saturday night dinner.

 

Cheers!

 

Mark

Saturday Night – Off to the Far East – Part 1

This last month or so has been a crazy time for all four of our schedules and has made our usual Saturday night dinners not so usual.  This past Saturday we decide to get together but just get take-in so if any of us had to cancel at the last minute it wouldn’t be a big deal.  The Bombay Grill is located up the street from us and Mick and Amy suggested we order in from there.

 

As we were looking at curry based and spicy dishes that meant it was Riesling time!  I was happy about this as I had picked up three different German Rieslings recently that were all 90+ rated by the Wine Spectator and all three were around a $20 price point.   I picked two of them to try with dinner – a 2009 Bollig-Lehnert Kabinett Riesling and 2008 C.H Berres Kabinett Riesling.

I will review the Bollig-Lehnert first and the do the other one in part 2.

The wine was a pale yellow with a slight greenish tint to it; it actually reminded me more of a Sauvignon Blanc in colour than a Riesling.  The nose was mild and you had to swirl the glass to find the petrol aroma with mango, green apple and gooseberry aromas lurking in the background.  Tasting the wine you are rewarded with a lovely crisp green apple flavour.  The structure to the wine was very good with fresh acidity to offset the sweetness of the wine with a long, lingering finish.  The wine wasn’t complex but there was an elegance to it due to its simplicity and it was stellar on its own and with the food.

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 89, Mark - 92, Kathy – 89, Amy – 90, Overall – 90.

Here is the LCBO information on the wine –

BOLLIG-LEHNERT TRITTENHEIMER APOTHEKE RIESLING KABINETT 2009

VINTAGES 284448
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 17.95
Made in: Mosel, Germany
By: Weingut Bollig-Lehnert
Release Date: Aug 18, 2012
Wine, White Wine
12.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Varietal: Riesling
Sugar Content: 55 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: M - Medium

Tasting Note - A fleshy kabinett, with intense slate and honey cream flavors, accented by notes of apricot and spice. Rich notes of tropical fruit, including guava and pineapple, fill the finish. Drink now through 2020. Score - 90. (Kim Marcus, winespectator.com, March 31, 2011)

Click here for Part 2

Saturday Night - Do you remember… - Part 2

Click here for Part 1

 

Now we will take a look at the Pol Roger Brut Champagne.

 

The colour on this Champagne was much more of deeper amber yellow vs. the Moët and Chandon. The nose on it caught my attention as it was a powerful mix of yeast, baked bread and stale beer. Tasting the Pol Roger, you’ll find a fresh bread/hoppy flavour to it with a lime finish. This Champagne certain had a bigger mouth-feel to it than the Moët and Chandon which I liked but it was sharp at times. Without food the Moët and Chandon was much better than the Pol Roger but with the sushi the Pol Roger was very good as it was big enough to handle all the different flavours being thrown at it.

 

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 89, Mark - 88, Kathy – 87, Amy – 87, Overall – 87.75.

Here is the LCBO information on the wine -

POL ROGER BRUT CHAMPAGNE

LCBO 217158

750 mL bottle

Price: $ 60.80

Made in: Region Not Specified, France

By: Champagne Pol Roger

Style: Rich & Complex

Wine, Champagne

12.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Varietal: Sparkling (Champagne)

Sugar Content: 11 g/L

Tasting Note - Pale straw colour with fine mousse; apple, bread/toast, yeast and citrus aromas; medium bodied and dry; ripe apple, biscuit, mineral and citrus flavours; balanced with long lively finish

Serving Suggestion - Versatile , serve with brunch, smoked salmon, or as an aperitif

We finished up the night with the DQ Ice Cream cake which was enjoyed by all. Fun night – sushi, Champagne, ice cream cake and good friends… doesn’t get much better than that.

Cheers!

Mark