Saturday Night – Mick gets Sweet and Spicy – Part 1

Mick and Amy were hosting this past Saturday night’s dinner and Mick had a new dish and a couple of new wines for us to try.

 

The first course was the new recipe – grilled baby artichokes with crab dip. Mick paired this with a 2010 Genesis "Columbia Valley" unoaked Chardonnay.

The nose was pleasant with rose, lime and thyme aromas. Tasting the wine, white grapefruit was the dominate flavour with smoke, mineral and thyme flavours in the background. The acidity was racy but the mid-palate had a bite that came across a touch harsh at times. It was an OK pairing but it got a bit funky at times with the artichokes. The wine was decent on its own. If I had to guess at a good pairing for this wine, I’d lean towards a French onion soup.

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 87, Mark – 86, Kathy – 86, Amy – 86, Overall – 86.25.

Here is the LCBO information on the wine –

Genesis Chardonnay 2010 Chardonnay

VINTAGES#: 327916  
Price : $15.75
Release Date: August 3, 2013
750 mL bottle
Alcohol/Vol13.3%
Made in: Washington State, USA
By: The Hogue Cellars
Sugar Content:4 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: XD - Extra Dry
Style: Light & Crisp
Varietal: Chardonnay

Description - Speaking of genesis, this is the first incarnation of this wine we've carried at VINTAGES. Combines sleek racy brilliance with a bit of oomph, bringing good flavour concentration of fresh yellow apple, citrus, vanilla and roasted nuts while maintaining its pleasant lightness. Grill up some chicken thighs or pork chops, kick back, pour a glass of this Chardonnay and survey the scene, and you'll see that it is good. (VINTAGES panel, July 2012)

The baby artichokes and crab dip were quite yummy and I hope Mick will do them again soon.

Click here for Part 2

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

Saturday night - Gooey Goodness – Part 2

Click here for Part 1

 

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 – 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 – Ribfest

This past Saturday night Mick and Amy were hosting our usual Saturday night dinner. This one though was a touch more than the usual Saturday night dinner as Chris and Jan joined the four of us for Mick’s Ribfest.

 

The first course was Tuna Crostini and Mick paired this with a 2011 Mer Soleil "Silver" unoaked Chardonnay. We have had this wine before and reviewed it so I won’t go into too much detail other than to say it was a very good pairing with Tuna Crostini.

For the main course Mick did two types of ribs on his smoker and Jan and Chris were nice enough to provide the wine - a 2009 Limerick Lane "Block 1918" Russian River Valley Zinfandel. Mick also did sides of coleslaw and homemade Mac and cheese.

The nose was big with aromas of pine/Pine sol, strawberry and chocolate fudge; it was also very hot as your nostrils were burning due to the alcohol on the wine. Tasting the wine, green/Jalapeño pepper was the dominate taste with some cherry as the secondary flavour. The structure was decent but the lack of fruit had the wine coming across as hot. The wine was a good pairing for the ribs and the Mac and cheese but got a bit funky with the coleslaw.

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 86, Mark – 86, Kathy – 89, Amy – 86, Overall – 86.75.

There was no LCBO information on this wine which isn’t a surprise as Chris and Jan picked this wine up on their last trip to California. The price point on it was $40 US which is pricey for a Zinfandel. This wasn’t a bad wine except for the heat but $40 US price point kills it as there are much better Zinfandels (Seghesio for example) for less money. I will say though, I very glad we got the opportunity to try something that we can’t get up here.

For dessert Jan made a selection of dessert squares that were a yummy way to finish of the evening.

Thanks to Mick and Amy for hosting and Mick especially for smoking those awesome ribs despite having to do this all in the rain. Thanks to Chris and Jan for bringing the feature wine of the night and for the dessert.

Cheers!

Mark

Saturday Night – Curried Mussels and some other stuff – Part 1

Mick and Amy were hosting this past Saturday night’s dinner.  Mick had four courses and three wines lined up for us.

 

The first course was steamed artichokes with drawn butter.  Mick paired this with a Henriot Champagne which we have reviewed recently so I won’t be covering it in much detail.  The second course was Vietnamese beef rolls with a sweet chili sauce.  We had the Henriot with this course too.  The Henriot Champagne was ok to good with first course but really good with the second one as a pairing.  The Vietnamese beef rolls were a new recipe and were very good and I hope to see it back on the menu again in the future.

The third course was clams casino and they were paired with a 2012 Concha Y Toro Gran Reserva Chardonnay. 

The nose was big and easy to find with aromas of buttered toast, marshmallow and vanilla with a touch of lime zest lurking in the background.  Tasting the wine, lemon zest and toasted oak were the two main flavours.  The balance was out of whack as the wine came across very hot.  On its own, there was too much oak and heat for me to enjoy it very much but with the food it was much better.

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 85, Mark – 85, Kathy – 85, Amy – 86, Overall – 85.25.

Here is the LCBO Information on the wine –

Concha Y Toro Serie Riberas Gran Reserva Chardonnay
VINTAGES#: 287995
$15.95
750 mL bottle
Alcohol/Vol -14.0%
Made in: Rapel Valley, Chile
By: Concha Toro S.A.
Sugar Content:3 g/L
Varietal: Chardonnay

The clams casino were very good and I was almost licking my plate at the end of that course.

Click here for Part 2

Saturday Night – California Love

It was my turn to host this past Saturday night’s dinner.  On our trip to Vegas last month, I had a sweet corn chowder with roasted tomatoes, garlic and bacon at Heritage Steakhouse at the Mirage that was amazing.  I decided to attempt to make my own version of it for the first course.  I changed a few things – I added the bacon to the chowder itself rather than roasting it separately and I just pureed the soup vs. pureeing and straining it like the restaurant did and lastly I skipped the roast garlic and just did roasted cherry tomatoes.

 

To pair with my chowder, I wanted a California Chardonnay and went with a Stag’s Leap “Karia” Napa Valley Chardonnay.

The nose on the wine was about medium strength in intensity with aromas of melted butter, Crème Brûlée and Irish Spring soap.  Tasting the wine, lemon and pink grapefruit dominate the wine with hints of bubble gum and papaya in the background.  The wine was nicely balanced with lovely crisp acidity to it and a finish that lingered for a very long time.   The citrus overtones and crisp acidity had me thinking the wine was more like a Sauvignon Blanc than a Chardonnay and as I have been really enjoying Sauvignon Blanc recently this wasn’t a bad thing at all.  It was a good pairing with the food and just as enjoyable on its own.

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 –

STAG'S LEAP WINE CELLARS KARIA CHARDONNAY 2011
VINTAGES 54585
750 mL bottle
Price $ 39.95
Made in: California, USA
By: Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Fob
Release Date: Nov 23, 2013
Wine, White Wine
13.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Style: Full-bodied & Rich
Varietal: Chardonnay
Sugar Content: 3 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: XD - Extra Dry

Tasting Note  - A monumental Chardonnay from a monumental producer. Sets the scene with rich notions of pineapple, banana custard, melon and toast. It's rich, opulent and mouthfilling with a toasty, tropical finish. Enjoy over the next 4-5 years with grilled pork or lobster. (VINTAGES panel, Oct. 2013)

This was a funny wine as we all very much enjoyed it but weren’t blown away by it; that said, Mick made the comment “Too bad that isn’t a magnum” as we all looked at the empty bottle and wished for more.

The chowder turned out nicely, it was different from the restaurant’s version but still very good.

For the main course, I kept the steakhouse theme and did beef tenderloin with Béarnaise sauce with sides of baby potatoes and green beans.  I paired this with a 2005 Beringer’s Private Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  We’ve reviewed this before so I won’t go into much detail other than to say it was very good with main course and even better with dessert.

For dessert I picked up a La Rocca Chocolate Truffle cake which finished off an evening of decadent food quite nicely.

Cheers!

Mark

Saturday Night – A Ray of Sunshine – Part 1

This past week has been a crap week for weather; on Wednesday we set a record for snowfall and then on Thursday we set record for coldest temperature on record for that date.  This winter has been brutal and it seems like it has going on forever.  Thankfully at the end of this week, Chris and Jan were hosting this Saturday night’s dinner and that was like a ray of sunshine and helped me get through the week.

 

The first course of the evening was a roasted pear, Brie and Ice wine soup.   Jan paired this with a 2011 Joseph Phelps Chardonnay which Chris and Jan picked up directly from the Phelps Winery in California on their last trip down there.

The nose was easy to find with aromas of lemongrass, lime, lavender and marzipan with a bit of nutmeg in the background.  Tasting the wine, you will find flavours of citrus (lemon/lime), nectarine, and wet stone with a touch of vanilla in the background.  Structure-wise the wine had a big full mouth-feel to it and had decent balance but a touch more acidity would have be nice; on the other hand, I have been drinking a number of Sauvignon Blancs and Champagnes recently so maybe I’m a touch acidity biased.  The wine was very good on its own though and had a unique and inviting style to it that was quite memorable.  Unfortunately as a pairing for the soup, it didn’t work as the sweetness of the pear would throw it for a loop.  An off-dry Riesling would have been a better pairing.

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 92, Mark – 89, Amy – 89, Chris/Jan – 90.5 Overall – 90.
*Note – Kathy wasn’t drinking as she had spent most of the week recovering from the flu so Jan and Chris filled in for her rating.

Here is the LCBO information on the wine –

JOSEPH PHELPS FREESTONE VINEYARDS CHARDONNAY 2008
VINTAGES 249425
750 mL bottle
Price $ 73.95
Made in: California, USA
By: Freestone Vineyards
Release Date: Oct 15, 2012
Wine, White Wine
13.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Style: Full-bodied & Rich
Varietal: Chardonnay
Sugar Content: 4 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: XD - Extra Dry

Tasting Note  -  A stylish cool-climate Chardonnay, intense, crisp, vibrant and concentrated, with subtle citrus and pippin apple notes giving it a juicy sensation. Ends with slate and mineral notes that are firm and focused, reverberating on the finish. Drink now through 2018. Score - 93. (James Laube, winespectator.com, April 30, 2011)

*Note – the LCBO listing is for the 2008 vintage and not the 2011 reviewed here.


The roasted pear, brie and Ice wine soup which also had a nice hit of garlic and pepper was very good.  The really cool thing about this soup is I’d imagine you could have a lot of fun with it by just changing the cheese from Brie to say Blue Cheese, Old Cheddar or a Smoked Gruyere and it would be amazing with those cheese as well.

Click here for Part 2

Saturday Night – All new stuff – Part 2

The second course was Smoked Salmon Blintzes and these were paired with a 2010 Stonehedge Reserve Napa Valley Chardonnay.

 

The nose was a mix of burnt caramel, toasted oak and hazelnut.  Tasting the wine oak, marshmallow and kiwi fruit are the main flavours.  The structure was off as the acidity was low and the wine came across a bit sloppy, add in high levels of oak and this certainly wasn’t a wine that blew me away; or as Mick aptly put it “Chateau 2 by 4”.  It spite of the faults it was surprising good pairing with Smoke Salmon Blintzes probably as it was big enough to keep up with the richness and flavours of the dish.

 

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 86, Mark – 86 Kathy – 86, Amy – 87, Overall – 86.25.

Here is the LCBO information on the wine -

STONEHEDGE RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2010

VINTAGES 311548
750 mL bottle
Price $ 14.75
Made in: California, USA
By: Stonehedge Winery
Release Date: Jan 19, 2013
Wine, White Wine
13.9% Alcohol/Vol.
Varietal: Chardonnay
Sugar Content: 19 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: D - Dry

 

Tasting Note -  A great crowd-pleasing, full-flavoured Napa Chardonnay featuring aromas of tropical fruit (coconut, pineapple and banana), cream and woodsmoke. Very fruity and robust with a nice, balanced finish. Enjoy with crab legs or pan-seared sea scallops. (VINTAGES panel, July 2012)

 

This wine at $15 isn’t a bad value as long as it is used right.  This is not a wine I would like to sit around and drink on its own but you pair this with a rich dish like pasta in Alfredo sauce or a big butter garlic sauce and you’ll probably have no issue finishing the bottle.

 

Click here for Part 3

 

Saturday Night – Bison Burgers for the win – Part 1

Mick and Amy were hosting and Mick had two new dishes on tap for us to try and two new wines.  Kathy and I added to the meal by bringing dessert and a wine to go with it so we actually have 3 new wines to review.

 

The first course was Belgium Blonde Mussels with fresh sliced baguette.  Mick paired this with a 2011 Mer Soleil Sliver unoaked Chardonnay from California.

The first thing you will notice about this wine is its bottle as it is an opaque ceramic-like grey bottle that is very different from your normal wine bottle.  The plus to the design is it stands out from other bottles and the opaqueness of the bottle will prevent light from getting in possibly spoiling the wine.  The big downside to it is it is very difficult to figure out how much wine is left in the bottle as you can’t see the wine level and the bottle is heavy so it always feels like there is more left in the bottle than what there actually is.

As to the wine itself, the nose was mild but aromas of Angel’s food cake, citrus, and hops were to be found.  Tasting the wine, it was a mix of gooseberry and lime zest with the butterscotch finish.  The flavours came across a touch overripe and the wine wasn’t as crisp as I would have like for an unoaked Chardonnay.  It was easy to drink and had a slight oiliness to the mouth-feel.  It was good on its own and made a decent pairing with the Mussels, though I think a nice crisp Chablis or French Sauvignon Blanc would have been a stronger pairing.

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

Here is the LCBO Information on the wine -

MER SOLEIL SILVER UNOAKED CHARDONNAY 2011
VINTAGES 220343
750 mL bottle
Price $ 28.95
Made in: California, USA
By: Mer Et Soleil
Release Date: Sep 14, 2013
Wine, White Wine
14.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Style: Full-bodied & Rich
Varietal: Chardonnay
Sugar Content: 4 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: XD - Extra Dry
Description - This intense yet elegant Chardonnay comes in an unconventional ceramic bottle that juxtaposes an eye-catching brilliance with a stripped-down minimalist style, from the Wagner family of Caymus fame. Look for ripe apple, pear, peach, mineral and a touch of hazelnut, and pair with grilled chicken.

As for the Belgium Blonde Mussels, they were very good.  They were in a very light creamy garlic sauce that had amazing flavour to it.  I also like that the sauce didn’t completely over-power the flavour of the Mussels which can sometimes happen with other Mussel dishes.  It was also a great sauce just to dip the bread into and enjoy it that way too.  This recipe was certainly a winner.

Click here for Part 2

Saturday Night – Yakiniku… huh? – Part 2

For the second course Mick did Trout Bruschetta and paired it with a 2011 Jean Marc Brocard les Vieilles Vignes de Sainte Claire which is a Chablis.  This wine always makes me giggle as Jean Marc Brocard sounds like Jean Luc Picard from Star Trek and when Mick offers to fill my glass, I can’t resist saying “Make it so, number one”.

 

The nose on the wine was faint but aromas of butter, melon, nutmeg and floral notes could be found.  Tasting the wine lemon and lime were the two main flavours with hints of butterscotch and pineapple in the background.  This wine was very smooth and exceptionally easy drinking as the acidity was very mild, almost too much so as it got lost against the food at times.  I liked this wine but felt it needed to be a touch bigger to be a better pairing with the food.  On the other hand, we killed the bottle with no issues and I was sad when the bottle was empty as I could have easily poured myself another glass or three.

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

Here is the LCBO information on the wine –

JEAN-MARC BROCARD SAINTE CLAIRE VIEILLES VIGNES CHABLIS 2011
VINTAGES 329995
750 mL bottle
Price $ 24.95
Made in: Burgundy, France
By: Jean Marc Brocard
Release Date: Aug 31, 2013
Wine, White Wine
12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Style: Light & Crisp
Varietal: Chardonnay
Sugar Content: 5 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: XD - Extra Dry

Tasting Note -  The 2011 Chablis Les Vieilles Vignes de Sainte Claire (tank) comes across as intensely saline and pointed. Lemon, flowers, and crushed rocks form the core of this beautifully delineated, energetic Chablis. Anticipated maturity: 2013+. Score - 90-92. (Antonio Galloni, erobertparker.com, Aug. 2012)

The wine was good but the real star of this course was the Trout Bruschetta; this dish certainly knew the way to downtown flavour country and wasn’t stopping for anything.  The Trout was smoked beautifully and add the garden fresh tomatoes with just a hint of dill mixed in and you have a stunning dish.

Click here for Part 3

Saturday Night – It’s a sign – Part 1

This past Saturday, Kathy and I hosted dinner for Mick, Amy, Chris and Jan.  The initial plan was to go out for dinner but the place we wanted to go for dinner, didn’t have a table for six available.  Kathy and I discussed other restaurants but in the end I decided as our first choice wasn’t available that this was a sign we should eat at home instead.  So as of last Thursday, the plan changed from going out to eat to Kathy and I hosting dinner for six.

 

Now that the ‘where’ question had been answered then the next questions was the ‘what’ as in what are we going to have to for dinner.   Kathy decided that she wanted Lamb as the main course and that worked for me. 

To start the night I did a Breaded Shrimp recipe on the BBQ.  The coating for the shrimp was made up of breadcrumbs, parsley, oregano, paprika, garlic, salt and pepper and was served on a bed of mix peppers that were sliced thin, tossed with olive oil and sea salt and then grilled.  My wine pairing for this dish was a 2011 Catena Alta Chardonnay for Argentina that I’d picked up a few weeks ago. 

 

The nose on the wine was mild for a Chardonnay as you really had to swirl the glass to pick up the aromas of dish soap/lemon Pledge, vanilla, citrus and honeydew melon.  Tasting the wine, it started with a lemon/grapefruit flavour that transitioned to butterscotch on the mid-palate and then finished with a funky medicinal flavour.  The wine was 14% alcohol but the flavour and oak in the wine balanced that out nicely as it didn’t come across as hot.  The shrimp dish helped smooth out the funky medicinal finish and really helped bring out some of lovely flavours to this wine.  I liked pairing but if I had another bottle of this wine I would lean towards pairing this with an Alfredo as this wine was big and bold on the flavours and really would shine against a heavy rich dish like Alfredo.

 

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

 

Here is the LCBO information for the wine –

CATENA ALTA CHARDONNAY 2011
VINTAGES 959973
750 mL bottle
Price $ 39.95
Made in: Mendoza, Argentina
By: Bodega Catena Zapata
Release Date: Jul 20, 2013
Wine, White Wine
14.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Varietal: Chardonnay
Sugar Content: 5 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: XD - Extra Dry

 

Description  -  TASTING DATE: Rich and full-bodied with generous layers of tropical fruit, peach and green apple. Just the right amount of smoke to create a luscious package of complete satisfaction for Chardonnay lovers. Long finish leaves you looking for a top up. Perfect for dinner parties. Food matches: rich seafood pasta dishes, boiled lobster, grilled pork tenderloin. Score: 92 (Natalie MacLean, nataliemaclean.com, June 21, 2012)

 

The breaded shrimp recipe was very good, and I was surprised how good the mix grilled peppers were with it as I really did them more to just add some colour to the plate vs. trying to add another flavour. 

 

As there was some time to kill between the first and second course, I opened a bottle of KJ Chardonnay Vintner’s Reserve (a nice simple $20 California Chardonnay).  The KJ Chardonnay is fun as its bursts with pineapple flavours and has been a cellar staple of mine for years.  The KJ really showed how simple it was a wine vs. Catena Alta and how much the Catena Alta had going on with it.  I’m not so keen on the $40 price point on the Catena Alta but I did enjoy trying it and will probably pick up next year’s vintage just to see how it is.

 

Click here for Part 2

Saturday Night – Mick gets Curried Away – Part 3

Click here for Part 1

 

For the main course of the night Mick did curried seafood chowder.  This dish was very good with all the shrimp, scallops, white fish, corn and ton of other goodies in it.  The one downside to it was it was extremely spicy… which had me going “So good must have more but it burns… oh how it burns!”  Toning down the curry would have brought the flavours of all those wonderful ingredients out more.

 

The final review is the 2009 white Burgundy and I saved the best for last.

The nose on this wine was very mild and you really had to swirl the glass to get the vanilla and honeydew melon aromas to appear.  Tasting the wine you will find an interesting mix of ginger and vanilla flavours.  The structure on this wine was the best of the three as the acidity was nice and crisp, the oak was subtle and there was a lovely creaminess to it.  It was the best pairing with the curried chowder and was probably the best overall pairing for the night.  That said, in spite of the fact that it was the best of all three, it really didn’t blow me away and was decent but forgettable as there are better Chardonnays out there in the same price point.

 

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

 

There was no LCBO information on the wine but a quick web search and it looks like if it was available in the LCBO it would be about $35 a bottle.

 

I really hope Mick will do the curried seafood chowder again but a more toned down version as it was really awesome.  

 

It was a lot of fun trying the three different Chardonnays from the same producer and I want to thank Mick for making this happen.  I also want to thank him for the great food and for Amy and him hosting last night’s dinner.

 

Cheers!

 

Mark

Saturday Night – Mick gets Curried Away – Part 2

For the second course, Mick made blue cheese Caesar salad with homemade crotons and used prosciutto instead of bacon which was a nice change of pace.

 

With this course the Oregon Chardonnay was my favourite with the white Burgundy a very close second and the Niagara one being dead last.

 

The nose on the Oregon was milder than the Niagara one and had aromas of orange, yeast and vanilla.  Tasting the wine lime and buttered toast were the dominate flavours.  For the structure, it was better than the Niagara one as the oak was softer (still too much) and the acidity was higher (still needed more) and it didn’t get awkward in the mid-palate.  The lime and butter toast flavours really worked with the flavours of the salad and made this a very nice pairing.  It was OK on its own but not great.

 

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 86, Mark - 85, Kathy – 85, Amy – 85, Overall – 85.25.

 

Here is the LCBO information on the wine –

 

BACHELDER OREGON CHARDONNAY 2010
VINTAGES 273334
750 mL bottle
Price $ 29.95
Made in: Oregon, USA
By: Les Bougognes Delaney-Bachelder
Release Date: Dec 8, 2012
Wine, White Wine
13.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Varietal: Chardonnay
Sugar Content: 2 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: XD - Extra Dry

 

Tasting Note  - Peaches and cream corn, caramel, citrus, green apple, spice and flowers are built on a medium to full bodied frame. There is excellent length as well as sturdy backbone of acidity. It should age well for the next 5 years. Score - 91. (Evan Saviolidis, evanwinesavvy.com, Sept. 2012)

 

Once again at $30 this one too would be a pass as there are better Chardonnays out there for less money.

 

I liked Mick's salad but not sure about blue cheese and Caesar together as it was a little over the top at times, that said there wasn’t a single morsel remaining in my bowl at the end of the course.

 

Click here for Part 3

Saturday Night – Mick gets Curried Away – Part 1

Mick and Amy were hosting this past Saturday night’s dinner.

 
Sometimes when writing up this blog, coming up with a clever title is the hardest part but for today’s article there were three different ones I wanted to go with. 

 

My second choice for a title was “Mick makes an out of this world dinner” as dinner was awesome and we took a small break in the middle of dinner to watch the International Space Station (ISS) fly over.  NASA has a service (http://spotthestation.nasa.gov/) that you can subscribe to (no cost) that will e-mail you whenever the ISS is going to pass over your city.  Saturday night’s sky was crystal clear so we stood out on Mick and Amy’s driveway and watched it pass overhead which was very cool.

My third title for this blog entry was “Goldilocks and the three Chardonnays” as Mick found something pretty cool – a winemaker (Bachelder) who is based in Bourgogne, Oregon and Niagara and he had a Chardonnay from each of those regions.  Mick poured out all three and made three different courses to pair with them.

The first course was fried shrimp and oysters served with a sweet Thai chili dip and Chipotle mayo dip.   The two dipping sauce were fun as both added a very unique flavour to the food, I’d preferred the Chipotle mayo but the Thai chili was a very close second.

 

We’ll take a look at the Niagara Chardonnay now and review the others in part 2 and 3.

 

The nose on the Niagara one had the strongest intensity of the three and had aromas of vanilla, cheap perfume, wet oak and nutmeg.  Tasting the wine, you’ll find apple, pear, oak, pineapple and vanilla.  The balance on the wine was OK but the acidity was lacking and the wine became awkward on the mid-palate, it was also heavily oaked.   Really didn’t like this wine on its own but it was my favourite of the three with the shrimp and oyster course.

 

Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 86, Mark - 83, Kathy – 80, Amy – 84, Overall – 83.25.

 

Here is the LCBO information on the wine –

 

BACHELDER NIAGARA CHARDONNAY 2010
VINTAGES 302083
750 mL bottle
Price $ 29.95
Made in: Ontario, Canada
By: Les Bougognes Delaney-Bachelder
Release Date: N/A
Wine, White Wine
13.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Varietal: Chardonnay
Sugar Content: 3 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: XD - Extra Dry

 

At $30 for this Chardonnay, I will be passing on buying this wine as there are a number of $20 Chardonnays that are much better.

 

Click here for part 2

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