Sunday, October 5, 2014

Saturday Night – A Hot Hand in the Kitchen

It was my turn to host and my menu had already been decided weeks ago.  After we tried the 2007 Ambullneo Chardonnay and loved it, Mick and I decided we’d have to get more and have it with a Wolfgang Puck’s Alfredo recipe.  As this recipe is extremely filling so I did not to do an appetizer but did decide to do a side of garlic bread with it.  When I bought the Ambullneo a few months ago I also bought a 2011 Smith-Madrone Napa Valley Chardonnay and thought we have a little head-to-head competition.
 

We are just reviewing the 2011 Smith-Madrone as we reviewed the Ambullneo very recently we will not being reviewing that one again; I will add though, that the Ambullneo was an exceptional pairing with the Alfredo.


The nose on the wine was a lovely mix of butterscotch, vanilla, wet stone, tropical fruit and floral notes.  Tasting the wine, butterscotch is a main flavour with a strong hit of lime on the finish with some pineapple and orange zest in the background.  The wine came across as very fresh as the acidity was crisp and vibrant and the finish lingered forever.  The wine was very good on its own but was a miss as a pairing for the Alfredo as it developed an odd bite with it.  I think pairing this with shrimp cocktail or scallops with lime would be a real winner.  I liked that the wine had a very unique character but it was certainly overshadowed by the Ambullneo in our head to head competition.


Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 89, Mark – 89, Kathy – 87, Amy – 88, Overall – 88.25.


Here is the LCBO information on the wine –

Smith-Madrone Chardonnay 2011
VINTAGES#: 363556
Price : $39.95
Release Date: June 7, 2014
750 mL bottle
Alcohol/Vol14.2%
Made in: California, USA
By: Smith Madrone
Sugar Content:5 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: XD - Extra Dry
Style: Full-bodied & Rich
Varietal: Chardonnay


Description - Moderate golden yellow color and clear in the glass. This wine is about the soil and uniquely reflects the terroir. The nose is replete with aromas of iron, paraffin, peach and citrus. Crisp and bright on the palate, with layered flavors of lemon, green apple, spice, and iron. Beautifully balanced with a remarkably long finish for a Chardonnay. This wine can be cellared for several years, but drinks beautifully now. Score - 93. (Rusty Gaffney, princeofpinot.com, Feb. 22, 2014)

The “Hot Hand in the Kitchen” title for this Blog was a little tongue-in-cheek humour as it wasn’t due to my skill in the kitchen but due to me trying to do things too fast and pouring about half a ladle of very hot Alfredo sauce over my hand as I was serving up.
For dessert I made Reese Chocolate Fudge which was yummy but certainly not a light way to end the evening. 

Fun night (well, minus my burnt hand) and I’m already looking forward to our next Saturday night dinner.

Cheers!

Mark

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