Saturday Night – Getting Figgy with it – Part 2

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The main course was rack of lamb with a hazelnut and garlic crust and a Merlot reduction with sides of mashed potatoes and green beans. Mick paired this with a 2010 Gallo Family "Two Rock" vineyard Pinot Noir.

 

 

The nose on the wine was big and easy to find with aromas of overripe strawberries, tar, pepper, clove and mushroom. Unfortunately you could also smell the ‘heat’ of the wine too as the alcohol was very noticeable on the nose. Tasting the wine strawberry was the dominate flavour with some eucalyptus in the background. The wine was so overdone it was stupid as it was jammy and hot and there was nothing subtle about this wine. Mick called it "Zinot Noir" as it was more like a Zinfandel than a Pinot Noir and he was dead on with that call. Thankfully it was ok with the food as the garlic and hazelnut crust was very rich and this wine was big enough to stand up to it. I really wasn’t a fan of this wine on its own.

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 86, Mark – 83 Kathy – 85, Amy – 86, Overall – 85.

 

Here is the LCBO information on this wine –

 

GALLO FAMILY VINEYARDS TWO ROCK PINOT NOIR 2010

VINTAGES 342972

750 mL bottle

Price $ 19.95

Made in: California, USA

By: E. & J. Gallo Winery

Release Date: Dec 7, 2013

Wine, Red Wine

14.1% Alcohol/Vol.

Style: Medium-bodied & Fruity

Varietal: Pinot Noir

Sugar Content: 6 g/L

Sweetness Descriptor: D - Dry

 

Tasting Note - For those about Two Rock, we salute you with this big, fleshy Pinot that serves up ripe strawberry, beetroot, earth and vanilla. Smoothly textured and joyously easy to drink, it'll provide serious pleasure with lamb stew or mushroom burgers. (VINTAGES panel, March 2013)

 

Mick’s lamb was cooked to perfection, proving that he is not a one trick BBQ pony as both dishes tonight from the oven/stove were very good.

 

For dessert Amy picked up a salted caramel and chocolate cake which was very good. I loved that the salted caramel worked in harmony with the chocolate cake vs. regular caramel where the sweetness of it overpowers everything.

 

Thanks to Mick and Amy for hosting and to Mick for all his hard work in creating three very good dishes.

 

Cheers!

 

Mark