Saturday Night – The Peppers Strike Back – Part 2

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The second course was grilled topped peppers which Mick had done at the last dinner he hosted but explained that he was up to his neck in peppers from the garden and needed to use them.  I wasn’t too broken hearted about this as they are quite good.

 

He paired these with a 2012 Robert Mondavi “Napa Valley” Fumé Blanc.

The nose was mild which is normal for this wine with aromas of mint, wet stone, and tropical fruit.  Tasting the wine, grapefruit, lime and vanilla were the dominate flavours to the wine.  The structure was decent but the acidity was softer than previous years of the vintage; this was a minus for me as even though it makes the wine easier drinking, I missed that razor sharp acidity we normally get.  I was decent on its own and as a pairing for the food.

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 89, Mark – 85, Kathy – 85, Amy – 86, Overall – 86.25.

Here is the LCBO information on the wine –

Robert Mondavi Fumé Blanc 2012
VINTAGES#: 221887
Price: $20.95
Release Date: August 2, 2014
750 mL bottle
Alcohol/Vol 13.9%
Made in: California, USA
By: Constellation Brands Inc.
Sugar Content:2 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: XD - Extra Dry
Style: Aromatic & Flavourful
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon

Description - This wine has always been a treat to drink and as fine as the 2011 is the 2012 may be even better. The nose is [a] fabulous mix of tropical fruit and stony minerality notes with flecks of nettle, dried herbs and lemon curd. The blend is 87/13 sauvignon blanc/sémillon the latter bringing mouthfeel and figgy/orange rind notes. The balance and texture is near perfect in a wine that is faintly sweet on entry but beautifully dry in the finish. Complex and food friendly it is a marvel for the price. The majority of grapes come from Stags Leap and Oakville districts, and approximately two thirds of the wine is barrel fermented and it's all aged in 60-gallon French oak barrels, sûr lie for some nine months. Score - 90. (Anthony Gismondi, winealign.com, May 12, 2014)

 

The main course of the night was smoked honey Bourbon chicken wings and Mick paired this with a 2009 Seghesio Zinfandel.  We have had this before so I won’t go into much detail other than to say it was very good on its own and with the wings; there is a very good reason why there is a Seghesio Zinfandel in the Top Ten Zippy Sauce Reds.

 

For dessert Amy picked up a chocolate truffle cake which wrapped up the evening nicely.

 

Thanks to Mick and Amy for hosting and to Mick for all his hard work in making three wonderful courses.

 

Cheers!

 

Mark

Saturday Night – The Peppers Strike Back – Part 1

This past Saturday night Mick and Amy were hosting and Mick had one new dish and a couple of favourites on tap for the evening.

 

The first course was grilled prosciutto wrapped curried shrimp and Mick paired this with a 2006 Reichsgraf van Kesselstatt Kabinett Riesling.

The nose was fairly powerful for a Riesling with aromas of buttered popcorn, petrol, peaches and floral notes.  Tasting the wine, canned peaches in syrup and mango were the two main flavours.  The wine was nicely balanced but was slightly cloying and the finish disappeared quickly.  The wine was OK on its own but very good with the shrimp.

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

Here is the LCBO information on the wine –

Reichsgraf Von Kesselstatt Kaseler Nies'chen Riesling Kabinett 2006
VINTAGES#: 940809
Price : $19.95
Release Date: August 16, 2014
750 mL bottle
Alcohol/Vol 9.0%
Made in: Mosel, Germany
By: Reichsgraf Von Kesslerstatt
Sugar Content:46 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: XD - Extra Dry
Style: Aromatic & Flavourful
Varietal:Riesling

Description - The Kaseler Nies'chen Kabinett has chipped stone and allspice aromas typical of the blue slate soil here. In the mouth, the wine is more like a Spätlese than a Kabinett with a fair degree of sweetness, but good firmness and stoniness and incipient white peach fruit. Drink now or let it age 5+ years. Score - 91. (Claude Kolm, The Fine Wine Review, Issue 120, 2008.

The grilled prosciutto wrapped curried shrimp were nice to have as it has been quite a while since we have had them.

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Saturday night - Gooey Goodness – Part 2

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For the main course I was looking to do something lighter as I thought the Brie French toast would be quite filling and decided on grilled Chicken and Bacon sandwiches with a side of Miss Vickie’s chips for some colour.  I paired this with a 2007 Ambullneo Vineyards ‘Fang Blanc’ Chardonnay.

 

The nose on the this wine was big and easy to fine with aromas of candied pineapple, rose, cedar, tropical fruit and a hint of something medicinal in the background.  Tasting the wine, pineapple, nutmeg, vanilla, mango and pumpkin spice flavours were to be found.  The structure was beautiful, maybe at times a touch hot and oaky but only on odd sips and it had a finish that stayed around forever.  There was a lot going on with this wine as each sip the flavours changed so a different one would rise to the forefront each time.  It was a good pairing with Chicken Sandwiches and even better on its own.

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 91, Mark – 91, Kathy – 89, Amy – 90, Overall – 90.25.

Here is the LCBO information on the wine –

Ambullneo Vineyards Fang Blanc 2007 Chardonnay
VINTAGES#: 357541
Price: $51.25
Release Date: November 23, 2013
750 mL bottle
Alcohol/Vol13.5%
Made in: California, USA
By: Greg Linn Wines
Sugar Content:2 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: XD - Extra Dry
Style: Full-bodied & Rich
Varietal: Chardonnay

Description - Although the 2007 Ambullneo Vineyards Chardonnay Fang Blanc (100% barrel-fermented) is tightly coiled at present, there is no doubting its terrific potential. Tart acids underlie this light straw-colored wine that offers up notes of honeyed pears, tropical fruits, nectarines, and white peaches. Full-bodied, fresh, and crunchy, it is a total delight to smell and taste. Enjoy it over the next 5-7 years. Score - 94. (Robert Parker Jr., erobertparker.com, Aug. 2010)

The 90.25 Overall rating places this on to the Zippy Sauce Top Ten Whites and I feel it is most deserving of that honour as this is certainly one of the better white wines I have had in a while.  The biggest surprise about this wine was at the end of the meal.  I picked up a La Rocca Caramel salted flan for dessert and had a sip of wine left in my glass and tried it with the dessert and was stunned as it was an amazing pairing with this dessert.  The fact that this wine could be paired with a Chicken/Bacon sandwich with spicy BBQ sauce and a sweet dessert and still be good with both makes it a real winner.

In case anyone is wondering about the Gooey Goodness title, both the Brie French Toast which was oozing cheese and the dessert which was oozing caramel and hence the title for this blog.

Thanks to Mick and Amy for the company as it was another great evening of friends, food and wine.

Cheers!

Mark

Saturday night - Gooey Goodness – Part 1

It was my turn to host this past Saturday night’s dinner and I had three new dishes on tap and two new wines to pair with them. 

 

The first course was Brie stuffed French toast with a garlic, caper, butter and wine dipping sauce. 

The second course was an asparagus and avocado salad.  Both were paired with a 2002 Lanson Gold Label Brut Champagne.

The nose was easy to find with aromas of canned mandarins, Mott’s apple juice, cream, floral notes, nutmeg and lime.  Tasting the wine, a ton of different flavours jump out at you - lime, pumpkin pie, tangerine, caramel and a touch of beer/hops in the background.  The wine was creamy and easy to drink but the acidity was a touch light in my opinion.  The wine though did finish very dry.  It was nice on its own but was a very good pairing with both dishes.  The fact that it worked so well as a pairing for two very different dishes was impressive.

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

 

Here is the LCBO information on the wine –

 

Lanson Gold Label Brut Champagne 2002
VINTAGES#: 722520
Price: $65.25
Release Date: December 7, 2013
750 mL bottle
Alcohol/Vol12.5%
Made in: Champagne, France
By: Champagne Lanson Pere & Fils
Sugar Content:13 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: XD - Extra Dry
Style: Rich & Complex
Varietal :Champagne

 

Description - A smoke-tinged powerhouse, with a minerally undertow and firm acidity, offering refined texture and a subtle range of ground spice, ripe plum, whole-grain toast, crystallized honey and candied lemon zest notes. The creamy finish shows a hint of savory fleur de sel. Drink now through 2027. Score - 93. (Alison Napjus, winespectator.com, Dec. 31, 2012)

 

It is not often that all four of us have the same rating, but I think that is a good reflection on this wine; solid, nicely structured, great with food but missing that certain magic to bump into the 90’s. 

The Brie French toast was nice and gooey and a good way to kick of the dinner on a cooler Fall day.  The garlic, caper, butter and wine sauce was the best part as it was rich and decadent.  The asparagus and avocado salad also had mint, lime, olive oil and coarse salt in it and was light and fun and quite frankly was better than I expected it to be.  Of the two courses, the Brie was true winner and I will have to do it again.  The salad was good but I don’t think I will be rushing to make it again, especially as shaving the asparagus was a pain in the butt.

 

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Saturday Night – It’s Saturday Night! – Part 3

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The main course of the evening was a shrimp creole recipe and Mick paired this with a 2012 Charles and Charles Rosé.

 

The nose on the wine was easy to find with big aromas of strawberry, acacia and soap.  Tasting the wine, under ripe strawberry was the main flavour with raspberry and lemon in the background.  The structure was nicely balanced but the wine was a bit odd that it was cloying at one time and then chalky at another.  I’m guessing the different flavour of the food were what caused that cloying/chalky thing to happen.  The wine wasn’t bad on its own but was really good with the food.

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

 

Here is the LCBO information on the wine –

 

Charles & Charles Dry Rosé 2012
VINTAGES#: 340521
Price: $13.75
Release Date: July 6, 2013
750 mL bottle
Alcohol/Vol12.9%
Made in:Washington State, USA
By:Sutter Home Winery
Sugar Content:11 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: D – Dry
Style: Medium-bodied & Dry
Varietal: Rosé – Dry

 

Description - This blend of 81% Syrah, 16% Mourvedre, 2% Cinsault and 1% Grenache offers aromas and flavours of strawberry, cherry and a stony minerality. Charles and Charles would like you to know that (and we quote), 'Yes you can drink rosé and still be a bad#ss'. All joking aside, these unconventional dudes know their stuff: the 2011 scored 90 points and was rated #42 on the Wine Spectator Top 100 Values of 2011. This is perfect for grilled salmon.

 

For $14 a bottle this wine is a very good deal – easy to drink and very food friendly.  The shrimp creole dish was a new one and it was exceptionally good; I don’t think anyone add a drop remaining on their dish at the end of the dinner.

 

To wrap up the night, Amy picked up cupcakes which were well received by everyone.

 

Thanks to Mick and Amy for hosting dinner and to Mick for all his hard work; it was nice getting back to a normal Saturday night after this extended break.

 

Cheers!

 

Mark

Saturday Night – It’s Saturday Night! – Part 2

The second course of the evening was Vietnamese beef rolls with Thai dipping sauce and Mick’s homemade "Tragically Hot" hot sauce.  Mick paired this course with a 2012 Domaine de Congy Cuvée Les Galfins Pouilly-Fumé.

 

The nose on this was very mild but there were plenty of different aromas to be found after giving the glass a good swirl; aromas of caramelized sugar, nutmeg, peanut brittle, lemon, Pine sol, vanilla and mango.  Tasting the wine, the dominate flavours were lemon, lime and vanilla.   The structure on the wine was awesome with fresh crisp acidity leading the way and a finish that lingered beautifully.  I liked this wine on its own and it was a very good pairing with the food.

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

Here is the LCOB information on the wine –

Domaine de Congy Cuvée Les Galfins Pouilly-Fumé 2012
VINTAGES#: 244780
Price: $25.95
Release Date: November 9, 2013
750 mL bottle
Alcohol/Vol: 12.5%
Made in:Loire, France
By:Bonnard Père et Fils
Sugar Content:2 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor:XD - Extra Dry
Style:Aromatic & Flavourful
Varietal:Sauvignon Blanc

Description - Great interplay of the aromas here, with fresh garden herbs, grilled asparagus, lemon, lime and sweetgrass all richly represented. Juicy, layered and bright. Nice mineral note emerges. Tangy and lively acidity on the finish with lime and green apple. Enjoy with herbed seafood, or as part of a traditional turkey dinner. (VINTAGES panel, Sept. 2013)

The beef rolls were very tasty and this was my first time trying Mick’s homemade "Tragically Hot" hot sauce; I was pleasantly surprise to find the burn at reasonable levels and very much enjoyed its flavour.

Click here for Part 3

Saturday Night – It’s Saturday Night! – Part 1

Mick and Amy were hosting this past Saturday night’s dinner and it was nice to get back to a normal Saturday night after a long hiatus.  Everyone is doing fine, it was just vacations and schedules that caused the extend break.

 

The first course was roasted topped peppers and Mick paired this with a 2012 Ferrari-Carano Fumé Blanc.

 

The nose on the wine was a nice mix of lime, stone, Irish Spring soap and a hint of tropical fruit/dragon fruit in the background.  Tasting the wine, the main flavor was a soap/Thrills gum with some lime, pink grapefruit and vanilla in the background.  The structure wasn’t bad but a touch more acidity would have been nice and the finish did linger for quite a bit.   I really wasn’t a big fan of this wine on its own but it was a decent pairing with the food.

 

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 86, Mark – 86, Kathy – 85, Amy – 86, Overall – 86.75.

 

Here is the LCBO information on the wine –

 

Ferrari-Carano Fumé Blanc 2012
VINTAGES#: 354993
Price: $22.95
Release Date: June 7, 2014
750 mL bottle
Alcohol/Vol: 13.9%
Made in: California, USA
By: Ferrari Carano Winery
Sugar Content: 5 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: XD - Extra Dry
Style: Aromatic & Flavourful
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc

 

Description: The delicious 2012 Fume Blanc exhibits lots of melon, pineapple and fig notes in an exuberant, fresh, lively, medium-bodied style revealing no notion of oak in either the aromas or flavors. Drink this delicious, consumer-friendly, textbook Fume Blanc over the next year. Score - 89. (Robert Parker Jr., erobertparker.com, Dec. 2013)

 

The peppers topped with herbs, sweet corn and cheese were very good.

 

Click here for Part 2