Dry tannins

• October 2009

  Pairing Roast Turkey and Syrah By Forming a Flavor Bridge As many of you know I adore Nebbiolo, and have a soft spot in my heart for aged California Cabernet. What may be surprising to many is that Syrah is locked in a desperate struggle with Sangiovese for... Read more Pairing Roast Turkey and Syrah By Forming a Flavor Bridge As many of you know I adore Nebbiolo, and have a soft spot in my heart for aged California Cabernet. What may be surprising to many is that Syrah is locked in a desperate struggle with Sangiovese for the third spot on my list of favorite wines. I have been on a bit of a Syrah kick lately. Some of that is due to the fact that I have been tasting quite a few for next week’s Spotlight on Syrah email which will be sent out on Tuesday.  More importantly perhaps is that Syrah is simply a superb match for my Autumn Table. From stews, to roasts, with plenty of root vegetables in the mix, my foods of fall tend to be rich, but not to weighty, and full of deep, layered, earthy flavors.  This past weekend I had some Syrah, young and old, laying about so I turned to the kitchen to use a bit up and create a dish that captures some of the trademark notes of the wine, bacon fat and black olives, forming a brigde between the dish and the wine. What to expect: Syrah One of the few grapes to really be a global success. Syrah combines a meaty core of ripe berry fruit, with tones that range from herbal to peppery, in a package that tends to be medium bodied with good acidity and moderate tannins. With age the wines can gain lovely leathery and black olive notes that make them a great match for savory and gamy dishes. Find more Syrah perfect for this dish Bacon Fat and Black Olives: Classic Syrah descriptors Find Ogier's La Rosine Priced from $27.99 Ogier’s La Rosine is a mini Cote Rotie, of sorts.  Though the grapes  come from vineyards that lay between Cote Rotie and Condrieu, this 100% Syrah wine shares many traits with Ogier’s Cote Rotie. In it’s youth it exhibits typical Northern Rhone Syrah notes of grilled meats, red plum fruits and floral tones. With age the fruit melds into the background and  reveals layers of spice, earth, leather, and of course bacon fat and black olives. Roasted Turkey and Root Vegetables with the Essense of Syrah By: Gregory Dal Piaz This is a simple, one dish meal that combines roasted root vegetables with Turkey thighs. It's a recipe that would work well with gamy meats like Duck and Wild Boar as well, since it is formulated to work particularly well with Syrah. If you are not serving Syrah, fear not. This recipe works well with almost any dry wine, white or red. I have used virtually the same recipe, substituting Chicken and Pinot Gris for the Turkey and Syrah, with great results. To download a printable PDF file of this recipe please follow this link. Roasted Turkey Thighs with Aromatic Root Vegetables. Ingredients 3 pounds of Turkey Thighs, about 4 pieces in my case 1 lb Parsnips, sliced on the bias into ½ inch coins1 lb Carrots, sliced on the bias into ½ coins1 lb Rutabaga, quartered and sliced into ½ inch slices10 garlic cloves, peeled 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 1/2 tablespoons Fresh Thyme leaves 1 tablespoon Minced fresh Rosemary 1 tablespoon Kosher Salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper ¼ lb thick sliced bacon, cut into ¼ inch strips 1 cup wine (I used Syrah) 24 Moroccan cured black olives, halved Technique Preheat oven to 475 °F with rack in middle. Blend together the olive oil, fresh herbs, salt and pepper. In a roasted pan toss the vegetables with the oil mixture and spread the vegetables out into an even layer. Layer the Turkey thighs, skin side up, over the vegetables. Put the roasting pan into the oven. After 20 minutes remove the pan and add the bacon to the vegetable mixture tossing to combine., and keeping the Turkey thighs skin side up on top. Replace the pan in the oven and reduce heat to 350 °F. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, then remove pan from oven and add the wine and the olives to the vegetable mixture, tossing thoroughly to combine. Return to the oven and bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes. Once the turkey thighs are cooked through (165 on an instant read thermometer) remove the pan and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Plate each Turkey thigh than add some of the vegetables as an accompaniment and drizzle the juices over the thigh to complete the plate.    (hide)

  From the article An Autumn dish of Turkey and Root Vegetables with Syrah

  
  

• October 2009

  Experiments in the Vegetarian Kitchen with Beaujolais and Butternut Mac & Cheese Karen UlrichIMBIBE NEW YORK Tucked away just south of Mâcon, at the tail end of Burgundy, sits Beaujolais—the oft neglected, yet vigorous region devoted to the red grape Gamay.  Capable of producing... Read moreExperiments in the Vegetarian Kitchen with Beaujolais and Butternut Mac & Cheese Karen UlrichIMBIBE NEW YORK Tucked away just south of Mâcon, at the tail end of Burgundy, sits Beaujolais—the oft neglected, yet vigorous region devoted to the red grape Gamay.  Capable of producing as much wine a year as the entire region of Burgundy, Beaujolais is typically associated with the November release of its potentially reputation-scaring Beaujolais Nouveau—a light and fruity simple red wine that’s meant to be drunk just months after it’s bottled.  But if this isn’t to one’s liking, one should continue north, with her eyes on the horizon beyond the practices of carbonic maceration, chaptalization (the addition of sugar to increase the alcohol level or abv) and short fermentation; past the rich, cool limestone and clay of Bas Beaujolais, and across the Nizerand River where the soil, landscape, and wine, undergo great change. Here, one will see the flat plains of the south give way to rolling hills of granite schist, where the vines receive more singular attention, and Burgundian-like wine making is practiced.  There are 38 communes classified as Beaujolais-Villages, and ten crus, including—Julienas, Moulin-a-Vent, Morgon, Brouilly and Fleurie.  And while some age-worthy wines are produced in these appellations, these are not the wines around which I created my vegetarian recipes this month.  Since most meatless dishes stem from healthy peasant stock, I chose to harness this spirit by choosing affordable wines ($15 or less) that are suitable to drink and pair with the everyday meal. Why Beaujolais?   It’s a wine that many Americans bring to the Thanksgiving table, just a heartbeat away.  And while the traditional turkey fare of this meal doesn’t interest me, a light bodied, red wine with low tannins and high acidity is a dream to pair in the Vegetarian kitchen. For the recipes I began with a list of vegetarian ingredients that are known to pair well with Beaujolais or Gamay—fennel, onion, leeks, potato, eggs, capers, bell peppers, nuts, pumpkin, salad and cheeses that include cheddar, feta, and Swiss.  And then I uncorked a bottle of 2008 Beaujolais L’Ancien Jean-Paul Brun Terres Dorees.   It’s an exception from Sud Beaujolais, because Jean-Paul uses natural yeasts, minimal or no chaptalization or filtering, and little sulfites.  When poured, subtle aromas of red cherry—slightly candied—and earth rise from the glass, and when sipped, the red fruits (cherry and cranberry) are wholly integrated with the other elements.  The finish is dry and earthy, and the acidity lingers straight through to the end.  It’s super refreshing, especially when served slightly chilled, at 54-59 degrees.  For this bottle I created a dish of roasted green beans, red onion, feta, and hardboiled eggs, with a dressing of olive oil, lemon, garlic, and coriander and cumin.  It’s a perfect match.  The wine retains its bright fruit and acidity without biting back, while the lemon compliments the wine’s acidity.  And though the pairing is harmonious, there’s a silent display of fireworks that illuminates both fruit and acidity, like a torch in a cave.  On the finish, the wine follows in the footsteps of the suggestive dressing, developing notes of spice. My second pairing failed miserably, both as a recipe and with the wine.  I’ll only mention that it included capers, feta, roasted red peppers, broccoli, and toasted walnuts; and that it didn’t work—it’s a tinny combination that turns the Beaujolais tangy and astringent, like under-ripe fruit. Thankfully, recipe number three—Butternut Mac and Cheese—is delightful, though it took a few attempts to get the oven times, textures, and temperatures right. To download a printable PDF of this recipe please follow this link. Butternut Mac and Cheese 1 medium butternut squash (3 lbs.) 3 tbs. olive oil 2 cups of chopped onions 1 lb. pasta, cooked al dente 2 tbs. butter 1/2 cup whole milk 1/2 cup heavy cream 4 cups grated cheese (I used 3 cheddar and 1 cup brought from Amsterdam by Lee) 1/8 tsp. nutmeg 1 1/2 tbs. salt pepper to taste grated Parmesan cheese Preheat the oven at 450˚, cut butternut squash in half, and place it facedown on an oiled sheet.  Bake for 45 minutes, remove from the oven, let the squash cool, and scoop out the flesh. In a pan, heat 2 tbs. of oil, and cook the onions until they’re sweaty—still a bit firm and crunchy—approximately 5 minutes. Mix the onions in a bowl together with the reserved squash, milk and cream, grated cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Toss the al dente pasta with 2 tbs. of butter and combine this with the mix. Pour into an ungreased 9x11 (or 9x13) pan and bake uncovered for 15 minutes at 400˚.  Serve hot. The end result is creamy with contrasting flavors—the sweet and salty earth of the squash; the onions, slightly firm and candied, pop against a background of creamy savory cheese—it’s hearty and healthy, whether eaten alone or with a salad of baby greens and mustard vinaigrette dressing.  The first time I prepared this dish, I paired it with 2008 Beaujolais-Villages La Lutine Domaine Des Terres Vivantes—a wine with smoky minerality and a petticoat of cherry.  It’s silky, and slightly floral with fruit that lingers on the finish; and as the wind blew through my window, wafts of fruit rose from the glass that sat on the table beside me.  I love the minerality on the nose, and when paired with the first round of Butternut Mac and Cheese, La Lutine compliments the squash, rendering it sweet and fruity.  The sweaty onions are lively and the cherry flavors in the wine are highlighted against a backdrop of cheddar cheese.  The pairing is like two new lovers walking hand in hand beneath a canopy of fall colored leaves; the couple not yet wholly integrated after years in each other’s company—each maintaining harmonious but separate identities. For the second round, I opened a bottle of 2007 Château du Chatelard Beaujolais-Villages Vielles Vignes—a more mature Beaujolais, both in age and texture.  Here, one finds dark cherries sprinkled on a damp forest floor.  While the acidity is not electric, it’s enough to keep the rustic tannins in check.  Near the finish, the fruit goes back in time, to appear—if only for a moment—once again young.  And while I enjoy but do not love the wine on it’s own, it pairs perfectly with the Butternut Mac and Cheese. As with the last bottle, the wine accentuates the sweetness of the dish.  The tannins that once seemed somewhat out of place, are replaced with clove spice; and the earthy elements of the wine now have a role with purpose.  The onions, squash, and nutmeg are earthy and sweet, and the wine compliments these notes returning in kind, a love letter stamped with earth and fruit.     (hide)

  From the article Experiments in the Vegetarian Kitchen with Beaujolais and Butternut Mac & Cheese

  
  

• October 2009

  Tasting Steaks and Red Wine With some surprising results With the weather rapidly changing, it’s just about time to put the grill away for the winter. Well not for all of us, but many will have to wait months to enjoy a great grilled steak once again. As a... Read more Tasting Steaks and Red Wine With some surprising results With the weather rapidly changing, it’s just about time to put the grill away for the winter. Well not for all of us, but many will have to wait months to enjoy a great grilled steak once again. As a final celebration for this grilling season, I spent a day gathering up provisions and several different cuts of meat in order to see what would be the most popular among a group of enthusiastic carnivores! Among the likely subjects were a New York strip steak, a Flank Steak, a Top Sirloin steak and, my favorite, a Flatiron Steak. All of the steaks were marinated in a simple blend of olive oil, red wine, onions and herbs for several hours, and then grilled over hardwood charcoal. The marinade was then used as a simple sauce base, prepared as the steaks cooked. The results were fantastic, with a unanimous winner among the steaks and a surprising wine to pair with them. What to expect: Pinotage Pinotage, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, is considered to be one of the classic grapes from South Africa. It can produce a very distinctive wine with a hint of rubber on the nose that leads to a rather fruity palate, with notes of banana, plum and cherry. While the grape imay be high in tannins, the wine is produced in a broad range of styles. Find more Pinotage wines All of the steaks were cooked a fine medium rare over a hot, hardwood charcoal grill. The steaks were sliced and presented with the finished sauce on the side so everyone got a chance to try the meat alone and with the sauce. Some reserved marinade was also used as a dipping sauce, with garlic and additional herbs added to create a sort of Chimichurri sauce. The least favorite steak was the Flank steak. It was perfectly cooked with a nice chewy texture but with little marbling, it trailed in the flavor department. The next in line was the New York Strip streak, which was tender and tasty, but neither as tender not as tasty as other cuts. Our runner up? The top sirloin steak was excellent with a rich beefy flavor and chewy but not tough texture it worked well with the marinade and the sauces and benefitted from a bit of extra thickness allowing it to develop a nice char without any sign of overcooking. And the winner was, hands down, the Flatiron steak. Richly flavored, fat is flavor after all, yet meltingly tender it was a superb, succulent piece of meat that handled the infusion of flavor from the marinade effortlessly and stood up to the saucing without missing a beat. This lowly cut of meat, long a secret among foodies, is fast becoming a favorite, and more expensive too boot. It’s no surprise that the Flatiron steak won our little completion. It’s been determined by testing that this cut, from the inside of the shoulder, is the second most tender of the cow, second only to the tenderloin! Unlike many Filets however, the flatiron steak is rich in flavorful marbling and beefy flavor. Marinade serve two functions, infusing flavor and tenderizing tougher cuts of meat. The marinade I used includes a modest amount of red wine, which supplies acid as well as flavor, but relies on the oil to imbue the meat with layers of flavor. With a cut as tender as this you need to be careful not to over marinate the steak. Over marinating occurs when a cut is left in a marinade for too long but is also likely when that marinade is too acidic. To download a printable PDF file of this recipe click here. Red Wine and Herb Marinade In a nonreactive bowl combine thoroughly: 1 Cup Extra Virgin olive oil 1/3 Cup Red Wine 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley leaves, minced 2 tsp Fresh Rosemary leaves, minced 1 tbsp Fresh Oregano leaves 2 fresh bay Leaves ½ tsp Celery seed 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced 2 tsp freshly cracked black peppercorns I like to let this marinade infuse overnight before using it. When ready to use, place the marinade and the steaks in a Ziploc bag. Expel as much air from the bag as you can while sealing it, and then thoroughly massage the meat to evenly distribute the seasoning. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. About 30 minutes before you want to grill begin preparing the grill. I use direct heat for a flatiron steak since it’s relatively thin and I want a nice char on my rare to medium rare steak. Remove steak from marinade and wipe clean of most of the marinade solids. In a non-reactive saucepan heat the marinade to a simmer and cook until the volume is reduced by about 20%, approximately the amount of water based liquids in the pan. Once the water has cooked off the onions will begin to cook. I let them sauté until they have just begun to gain some color then remove the sauce from the heat and allow it to cool. Before service I add the juice of half a lemon and 2 tbsp of minced parsley leaves to help refresh the sauce. That is a very simple marinade and dipping sauce for steak that not only enhances the flavor of the meat but also builds a flavor bridge to any wine that will be served with this dish. We tried several wines with our steaks. The bold, young Zinfandel, 2006 Ridge Geyserville to be specific, was a solid match but its richness didn’t cut the richness of the steaks. In fact it worked best with the lean flank steak. Our Cabernet entry, the 2005 Silver Oak Alexander Valley, didn’t really stand up to our marinade though the herbal elements in the wine did bring out the herb notes from the marinade. This might be a better pairing for a broiled or pan seared version of this dish. Our winning wine was the 2006 Warwick Old Bush Vines Pinotage. With a deep smoky tone, bright acidity and reserves of jammy red toned strawberry fruits this offered both complimentary and contrasting notes that meshed perfectly with the steaks.  Perhaps a wine better served with food than without. And that was that. While we were grilling to celebrate the end of the season we were, in fact, breaking in a new grill. It was a successful inaugural fire and I look forward to following up with more grilling adventures, sooner or later. Red Wine and Grilled Steak: A Classic Pairing with a New Twist 2006 Warwick Old Bush Vines Pinotage Priced from $16.49 This has the classic banana tone on the nose that is typical of Pinotage, but it's backed up by wonderfully aromatic notes of smoke and leather with a dry, earthy tone. On the palate the sharp tannins and solid acidity of the wine support slightly chewy dried strawberry and raspberry fruit notes that lead to a long, savory finish Red Wine and Herb Marinade Great with Beef, Lamb and Wild Game Marinades serve two functions, infusing flavor and tenderizing tougher cuts of meat. The marinade I used for these steaks includes a modest amount of red wine, which supplies acid as well as flavor, but relies on the oil and herbs to imbue the meat with layers of flavor.    (hide)

  From the article The Great Steak Shootout

  
  

• October 2009

  Five Decades of Oddero with Isabella Oddero Isabella Oddero in the cellars   I had the pleasure of welcoming Isabella Oddero to New York last month. I have tasted with Isabella in the cantina at Oddero for several years but his was the first time we were able to sit down and share... Read moreFive Decades of Oddero with Isabella Oddero Isabella Oddero in the cellars   I had the pleasure of welcoming Isabella Oddero to New York last month. I have tasted with Isabella in the cantina at Oddero for several years but his was the first time we were able to sit down and share a few glass here in New York. Preceding dinner was an in-store tasting at New York’s Chambers Street wines where I was able to revisit the 2007 Bianco and 2006 Barbera d’Alba that I had previously tasted in the cellars. For those of you not familiar with Oddero it’s a historic Cantina of La Morra, in Piemonte, yet produced wines from many of the villages that constitute Barolo. The wines are made in a fairly traditional style, though their base Barolo is quite fruity and they even produce a Cabernet Sauvignon based wine called Fureste: The foreigner in the local vernacular. The real stars of the Oddero line-up are the single vineyard Barolo and Barbaresco. These are beautiful wines that may not be terrible expressive in their youth but blossom wonderfully with age. These earlier vintages are testament to the quality of the vineyards, coming from the family’s holdings in La Morra and Castiglione that are now bottled as Cru wines.   For more information on the wines of Oddero please see the previously published : A Killer Visit with Oddero     2007 Langhe Bianco Fruity on the nose with floral tones and pear fruit. Huge acids in the mouth give this great cut with a faceted quality to the mineral laden white fruits. This is assertively mineral on the backend and into the long finish.  89pts 2006 Barbera d’Alba Sweet and sour fruits on the nose are uncomplicated yet pure and bright. The classic Barbera acidity keeps this bright and zesty on the palate as well with a clear, slightly bitter black cherry tone and nice accents of tar, earth and violet than add nice length on the finish. 88pts 1961 Barolo A bit high toned on the nose and showing some volatility yet very aromatic with leafy tones of tobacco some sweet medicinal notes and a lovely array of assertive truffle and sweet angelica root tones. There’s a touch of teriyaki that emerges with air as well. While this retains a nice tannic bite it is fairly well resolved with a clear quality in the mouth that allows the bright sweet/sour cranberry tones to take center stage with hints of licorice and tar adding some detail around the edges. The fruit is fading a bit and doesn’t have great persistence in the mouth with a limestone mineral note taking over on the moderately long finish.  A very enjoyable,, fully mature bottle of Barolo. 92pts 1967 Barolo This starts off bit funky on the nose transitioning from the barnyard to a leathery, seaweed flecked bouquet that exhibits some classic mint and truffle tones before surrendering to a deep beef bouillon, dried onion and allspice tone. In the mouth this still has some flesh, which is well balanced by the relatively soft structure that remains. It gains more richness as it sits in the glass and the sweet edge of maderization gives an impression of sweetness to the cranberry/rhubarb fruit. There is a nice spice element that adds to the moderately long finish and a touch of burnished orange peel on the finale. The palate is fresher than the nose here but if this bottle is indicative these should be consumed sooner rather than later. 88pts 1970 Barolo The aromatics here present quite a contrast with a fresh, crisp celery note intertwined in the sweet black cherry core of fruit. There are hints of sweet tea, veal stock and fresh shitakes adding complexity but there is also a touch of rum on the nose that is a little off-putting. On the palate this is large scaled if soft with a wonderfully plush texture to the cherry and rhubarb fruit with hints of tar and subtle spice tones drawing out the moderately long finish. 90pts 1971 Barolo The cork on this bottle was pristine and the condition of the wine was exceptional. Such a deep color and such reticence on the nose that one would be forgiven thinking this was decades younger. The nose opens with a huge fresh celery note that is slowly subsumed by wonderfully sweet and fresh black currant and black cherry fruit tones.  With air the nuances of coffee, cigarette ash and burnt raisin tones add their detail to the bouquet though a touch of volatility does emerge, adding lift but also a bit of glue to the nose. In the mouth this is elegant with superb balance. The ripe, round tannins remain well concealed in a plush core of fruit. The lovely mouthfeel is complimented by the earthy floral tones and bitter cherry fruit the wine retains but the finish does reveal a bit of heat and the tannins gain a slight powdery edge with time in the glass. This is filled with fruit yet it lacks a touch a detail. It may very well continue to improve in the bottle. 91pts 1974 Barolo This really has a lovely fruity quality on the nose with a lightness and brightness that still makes this smell quite youthful. There are nice notes of dandelion, pigskin, dry earth and licorice that add nice detail to the fresh black cherry fruit. In the mouth this has such purity and real finesse. It is clean and polished with a great core of mineral tinged black cherry fruit, superb length and a sleek, refreshing feel. It is elegant; a touch simple and perhaps even delicate by Barolo standards but is pure joy to drink. Each note is so precise and clear here that you don’t need any more complexity to be completely satisfied. 94pts 1978 Barolo Reticent on the nose yet evolving rich hints of macerated flowers, sandalwood, tar and wet animal fur in the glass. This is continues to be decidedly matte feeling with plenty of fleshy fruit backed up by rich, slightly chewy tannins. The fruit is dark with earthy, leathery tones and excellent length but this still has a touch of an undeveloped feel. It’s rich and lusty if a touch rustic and may remain so. 92pts 1989 Barolo Vigna Rionda The aromatic on this are superbly layered and still very fruity with hints of iron, smoke, smoldering herbs and dusty earth embedded in sweet notes of cherry, candied strawberry and strawberry and cream fruit tones. In the mouth the tannins remain ripe yet rigid giving the mouth an excellent, precise feel. This is rich and powerful and the fruit is just beginning to yield the stage to the emerging tertiary notes but remains wonderfully youthful. 93pts 2001 Barolo Mondoca di Bussia Soprana The nose combines very fruity and intense notes of candied black raspberry fruit and cactus leaves with hints of cigarette smoke, clove and vanilla giving this a bit of a modern appearance. Big, rich and chewy in the mouth with big tannins and a dark core of confiture of black fruits. There are nuanced of espresso foam, licorice and backing spices adding accent notes on the long finish but this is still very youthful and showing lots of baby fat. 92pts 2004 Barolo Spicy on the nose, with jammy red currant fruits and a touch of carob. Lovely fresh tannins and rich fruit give this a soft, round feel with ripe wild cherry and boysenberry fruit that is fresh and intense if a bit simple and dilute on the finish. A fine Basic Barolo 88pts 2004 Barolo Villero A real step up in refinement over the base Barolo with red fruits on the nose accented with clay soil tones rose petals, sweet sassafras, spicy savory tones and a liquory black fruit top note. This offers up a really layered and complex. Set of aromatics.  Deceptively soft at first, the wine snaps together on the mid-palate with well-balanced, crisp, faceted tannins and prominent yet integrated acids framing the bitter cherry fruit. There are lovely herbal, medicinal tones that draw out the inner core of sweetness of the fruit and add resonance on the long finish. A very promising wine but one that is best left alone for a decade. 91pts    (hide)

  From the article Isabella Oddero Visits New York

  
  

• October 2009

  Spicy Green Chili Stew and a Fiesty Red Mencia from Spain tames this bold dish As the weather cools and my thoughts turn to hearty stews and braises, it’s nice to be able to transition slowly from the lighter fare of summer. My weeknight meal of a deep, long... Read more Spicy Green Chili Stew and a Fiesty Red Mencia from Spain tames this bold dish As the weather cools and my thoughts turn to hearty stews and braises, it’s nice to be able to transition slowly from the lighter fare of summer. My weeknight meal of a deep, long simmered dish can be just the ticket for welcoming the arrival of cool, crisp  weather. However it may not be the right time for me to go looking for the rich wines that are a easy match. In its place I look for something a bit more retrained perhaps, and certainly easier on the wallet. The 2005 Flavium Bierzo Crianza is great example of an affordable option, perfect for Wednesday night, but a wine I welcome any day of the week. Coming from the Bierzo region of Spain, and made with 100% Mencia, this wine captures the warmth and exuberance of Spain with its bold fruit but at the same time reflects a complex and historic past. Mencia is capable of producing deep, layered wines but even this Crianza, signifying the wine spent only at least 6 months in oak barrels, has a nuanced character that speaks to me and sets this apart from similar, fruit driven, wines. What to expect: Mencia Menica is the red grape of the Bierzo region in Spain. It produces a medium bodied red wine with good acidity and slightly rustic, though fine grained, tannins that support dark cherry fruit with complicating notes of spice, earth, tar and herbs.    Show me more wines from Bierzo Before diving deeply into the pantheon of Beef and lamb dishes that are the staples of winter, I always look to pork to help make the transition from lighter summer fare to the stick to the ribs dishes I use to fend off the chill of winter. Pork and green chilies are a wonderful pairing, I find the typical Pork in green chili sauce sometimes  lacks a little oomph for my tastes, so I’ve taken a bit of creative license here. With my busy schedule I try and make one pot dishes whenever possible so the addition of some beans, and posole is not only in keeping with the south of the border spirit of this dish but takes this Chile verde from oh! to Wow! In my book.   This dish can get a bit spicy so look for a fruity, full-bodied red with soft tannins to pair here though a big, rich white would work as well. I’ve chosen the Flavium Bierzo specifically because of its soft tannins, rich, subtly spicy fruit and great balance, and it’s a wonderful match.   I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. The subtle spice of this pork stew pairs perfectly with the plush fruit of Mencia. 2005 Flavium Bierzo Crianza Priced from $8.84 This is a lovely little wine with ripe fruit scents that waft from the glass, uncomplicated but fresh and pure. The palate is soft and enveloping with sweet red fruit tones, good acids and just enough tannin to give this some weight in the mouth. Spicy Pork and Green Chile Stew By: Gregory Dal Piaz This take on Pork in Salsa verde introduces an extra layer of spice and smoky heat to the traditional reecipe while making it an easy one-pot dinner with the addition of beans and posole. An autumn dish to warm the soul. To download a printable PDF file of this recipe please click here. Greg’s Great Green Chili Stew Ingredients to serve 4 ¼ cup olive oil 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes 2 chipotle chilies, crushed 1 tsp. dried oregano 2 tsp. ground coriander 1 tsp. ground cumin 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 2 medium onions, peeled and ½ inch dice 2 tsp salt 1 pound tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and quartered 1 qt chicken stock 2 bay leaves 1 16oz can posole (hominy) 1 16 oz can pink beans (All canned beans and posole should be rinsed with water in a colander, to wash way all traces of canning residue, before using them) 3 Poblano Chilies, roasted*, peeled and 1 inch dice Or-2 7 oz. cans California green chilies, seeded and chopped For Garnish: Fresh Cilantro leaves, Diced red onion, diced tomato, lime wedges Technique Over a medium high flame heat the Dutch oven. When it’s hot add 2 tbsp of the oil and then brown the pork cubes. You may have to do this step in batches to avoid crowding. Once the cubes are well browned on all sides remove them from the pot. Add the Crushed Chipotles, oregano, coriander and cumin to the fat that remains in the pot, adding the remaining tbsp of oil if necessary, and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minutes, keep stirring the spice mixture to prevent burning Add the sliced garlic and sauté with the spice blend until fragrant, about 90 seconds. Add the diced onions and salt to the pot and stir well. Continue cooking until the onions have begun to brown, approximately 8 minutes. Add the tomatillos to the onion mixture and blend well. Reduce the heat and simmer until the tomatillos have softened and released their liquid, about 10 minutes. Add the reserved pork cubes, chicken stock, bay leaves, pink beans, posole, and green chilies to the pot, blend well, and allow to simmer until pork is fork tender. Make sure that the stew doesn’t become too dry. Add water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve garnished with Cilantro, diced red onion and diced tomato with a squeeze of lime. This dish is actually better reheated so don’t be shy about doubling the recipe and saving some for leftovers! * Roasting Poblano chilies is easy to do on any open flame. Simply rest the chili on your stove top (or oven broiler) and leave in the flame until the skin is burnt and blistered. Once the chilies are charred on all sides remove them to a bag or closed container to allow them to steam while they cool. That will make peeling them all the easier. You can wash off the charred skin that remains on the chilies under running water but I like to leave some on for this dish as it adds a bit of extra smokiness to the finished product.    (hide)

  From the article Green Chili Stew and Mencia

  
  

• September 2009

  Felton Road reaches new heights with their latest releases The View from Felton Road across the Pinot Noir vines of Block 3, center background I was glad to have had the chance to spend some time with Felton Road’s winemaker, Blair Walter, this past month. For... Read more Felton Road reaches new heights with their latest releases The View from Felton Road across the Pinot Noir vines of Block 3, center background I was glad to have had the chance to spend some time with Felton Road’s winemaker, Blair Walter, this past month. For someone interested in experiencing the unique cool climate wines of New Zealand’s Central Otago region, these are must try wines. Every effort is being made at Felton Road to allow the wines to express their terroir, while capturing the intense fruit flavors the vines are capable of providing. While not inexpensive by any stretch, the entire Felton Road line-up stood out, offering a sense of vibrancy and transparency, yet with rich, ripe fruit flavors. An attractive balance indeed. Read the complete report here. Working with some 32 hectares (almost 80 acres) of vineyards on three distinct properties, 2 of which are owned, the third controlled by a long-term lease, Felton Road has been able to bottle Estate wines since it’s first vintage in 1997. The viticulture has progressed through a move to organic farming in 2002, followed by a conversion to Biodynamic techniques begun in 2003, and was completed in 2005. The winery is in the process of being certified  Biodynamic by Demeter this year. As one would expect vinification techniques are in line with the Biodynamic principles and are as non-intrusive as possible. Whether that means the use of wild yeasts, allowing the malolactic fermentation to begin naturally, or neither filtering nor fining the wines, the end results are about 12,500 cases of ripe, expressive and complex wines annually. The use of whole cluster fermentation for the Pinot Noirs, some 20-40% depending on vintage and vineyard, and the use of new oak at decidedly low levels, add another layer of complexity to the finished wines.  While these techniques add a real impact to the finished wines, I am particularly fond of a bit of stems in my Pinot, Blair is very carefully to make sure that everything that is done enhances the finale wine, while not obscuring the purity of flavor that he is able to obtain from these vineyards. Each of the three vineyards is broken up into distinct blocks based on the soil composition. Each block has then been paired with a specific pairing of rootstock and vine in an effort to allow both soil and vine to speak in the finished wines. There are several distinct Chardonnay and Pinot Noir bottlings that carry single vineyard or block designations and each one offers a unique experience. I asked Blair to offer some background information on the vintages we tried and briefly his points were: 2006 - Quite hot and therefore a very early and ample vintage. Some wines show somewhat elevated alcohol levels, but the wines have fresh fruit and good balance. 2007 - A cool spring and rain during flowering reduced yields by 25% or more and gave a small crop of small berries. The warmth that dominated the middle and end of the growing season helped the fruit to ripen on schedule and yielded a crop of rich, powerful yet fresh wines. 2008 - The return of a warm, sunny spring ensured a good crop set this year and the dry and cool weather during harvest allowed for extended hang time in the vineyard. The wines reflect this with their balance of ripe fruit and vibrant acidity, Interestingly, the rainfall during the growing season was so well dispersed that some vines in heavier soils went the season without irrigation. An attribute Blair credits to their conversion to Biodynamic farming. Riesling, an emerging star New Zealand is best known for its Sauvignon Blanc, and then perhaps Chardonnay if one is considering white wines. Both better watch out. The cool climate and poor soils are allowing for the production of Rieslings that will soon be ready to compete with the world's best. 2008 Felton Road Riesling Priced from $29.84 Aromas of minerals, lime oil, and green leaves greet the nose followed by key lime pie, slate, light honey tones and incipient notes of petrol. In the mouth this is fairly sweet and lush yet there's plenty of juicy acidity to keep things balanced. Chardonnay, second to none The cool climate of Central Otago has proven perfect for those who appreciate their Chardonnay on the elegnat, restrained side. With a deft use of oak, these wines have emerged as some of the most complex, balanced, focused expressions of the grape in the New World. 2006 Felton Road Chardonnay Priced from $29.79 Though this is served cool it is remarkably aromatic with green apples and green plums,a touch of vegetal herbs and an underlay of silica and clay. In the mouth this is really zippy with fine balance and a sweet/sour tension that highlights the green apple and citrus character of the wine. Pinot Noir, a sign of things to come While we tasted the soon to be relaesed 2008's with winemaker Blair Walter, the notes for those wines can be found on the site, the 2007 Pinot Noir is readily available and serves as a brilliant introduction to the house style. 2007 Felton Road Pinot Noir Priced from $42.00 This has a lovely nose that balances burnished cherry and dried raspberry fruit against delicate notes of stem, moss, dried floral tones and a whisper of cinnamony spice. Rich and soft in the mouth, bordering on lush, but again with great balance. The fruit is a touch dark, veering off towards black cherry, but the soil, mineral and woodsy tones keep this fresh and offer good complexity and length. Other Felton Road wines recently tasted and due in the market soon. Felton Road Central Otago Block 2 Chardonnay 2007 Tight on the nose with notes of seashells and dusty white flowers edged with smoky nuances of butterscotch and herb. Taut in the mouth as well with good volume yet very restrained, focused flavors of green fruits. The finish is huge and really shows the richness of the wine and the fine mineral notes that offer contrast to the slow to open core of orchard fruits. Give this another few months in the bottle. 92pts Felton Road Pinot Noir Central Otago 2008 Lightly smoky and earthy on the nose with watermelon and spicy cherry fruit that has a light candied cranberry tone. Fairly lightly bodied though juicy and transparent in the mouth with spicy mineral tones giving the wine an almost salty tinge that adds to the subtle stemmy and floral complexity of the wine. 92pts Felton Road Pinot Noir Cornish Point 2008 Smoky and autumnal on the nose with a touch of green spice and moist soil tones. Very richly fruited in the mouth with fine grained tannins and balanced acids framing the sweet, dark cherry fruit. Herbal and forest floor notes emerge with some air as well as hints of juniper and an earthy vein that leads to the crisp finish. Rather round in the mouth and decidedly fruity but transparent. 92pts Felton Road Pinot Noir Block 3 2008 This smells rich and dense and sacrifices some of the transparency of the other Felton Road Pinots for that extra bit of richness. There are hints of cola and juniper on the nose with a touch of licorice accenting the plummy, dark berry fruits. The texture is soft and voluptuous with a nice spicy accent on the backend leading to rich finish with good sweet/sour tension and an earthy finale. 91pts Each of these wines was bottled under screwcap in an effort to help preserve the freshness of the wines. Don't allow that to sway your view of these wines. They are world class wines and few producers are able to offer a range of wines that perform at this high level. I was impressed by the wines freshness, depth and balance and hope you will be as well. To read more about Felton Road click here.    (hide)

  From the article The view from Felton Road

  
  

• September 2009

  Are there in fact any from Bordeaux any more? I can't think of any. From Cahors, Lagrezette is always on everyone's list, maybe because it's imported. I'm not a fan for the most part. But as it happens, I just noticed my notes from a Malbec tasting last spring, so here are those... Read moreAre there in fact any from Bordeaux any more? I can't think of any. From Cahors, Lagrezette is always on everyone's list, maybe because it's imported. I'm not a fan for the most part. But as it happens, I just noticed my notes from a Malbec tasting last spring, so here are those that I liked. Some are imported into the US, most aren't. There were over a hundred wines and I'm not about to put up all of my notes, but here are those that stood out. 2007 Chateau Haute Borie - lots of tobacco on the nose, quite dry finish, ripe fruit 2005 Haute Serre (10% merlot, 5% tannat) - great nose of spice and pepper that makes me predisposed to love the wine. It's actually got great ripe fruit and wonderful follow up too, so it's one of my faves. 2007 Rigal - Les Terasses (has 30% merlot) - again tobacco, forest floor/humus, very earthy, dark fruits 2005 Domaine Clos Siguier - cuvee - a big monster of a wine, plums and dark cherries but with an underlying acidity reminiscent of pomegranates or something similar. Quite good. 2005 Chateau les Hauts d'Aglan - smoky, tarry, tasty, balanced. Might be my favorite of the tasting. 2006 Chateau la Reyne - kind of a funky, leathery nose, on the palate notes of tar and dark fruit and a little of the same leathery quality. One of the best of the day. 2005 Chateau Eugenie (10% tannat) - complex, deep, very ripe fruit but not sweet, something seems to be hidden in the wine, maybe it needs decanting or time, but it's very promising. 2005 Chateau Rouffiac - oaky as hell, smells like butterscotch and toffee and pretty discernable oak on the palate but great fruit to support it. Very different from some of the Spanish wines with this nose, not as soft and it has bigger but rounder tannins. This would be something to hold on to for a couple of years. Nice. 2005 Chateau le Chambert - lots of vanilla, really ripe fruit, but also tannic as hell and very drying on the finish. Another that should be good in a few years.    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Cahors & Bordeaux Malbec... by GregT

  
  

• September 2009

  That's all too difficult to explain in a single post but let's see if we can summarize as follows - BS, no, it's theirs. So as not to be so glib, here's a little bit of info. If you remember your geometry, as you increase the circumference of a circle, you square the volume of... Read moreThat's all too difficult to explain in a single post but let's see if we can summarize as follows - BS, no, it's theirs. So as not to be so glib, here's a little bit of info. If you remember your geometry, as you increase the circumference of a circle, you square the volume of it. Since a barrel is basically a cylinder, increasing the size of the barrel diameter results in a much greater increase in the volume of wine it can hold. It's just like grapes - smaller grapes have a higher skin to juice ratio that bigger grapes and the flavors come out of the skin for the most part. So if you think of the wood as the skin, it's the same thing. Now if you take two barrels made of the same wood and of the same age, but one is twice the size of the other, the wine put into the smaller one will pick up more of the wood flavor than the wine in the second one. That's the first thing. In addition, wood is porous, unlike stainless steel or plastic or glass. So you have a tiny amount of oxygen exchange with the wine that takes place through the wood. Again, since the smaller barrel has less juice per wood than the larger one, you will get more oxygen exchanged with the wine. From these two things alone, you will have two very different wines after they've spent a year in the respective barrels. But when they talk about tanks, they're talking about something else. Those are much bigger than the 225 liter barrel you can envision. The tanks are bigger than your hot tub and they hold the equivalent of many barrels, depending again, of course, on the size of the tank. Many people like to ferment in tanks, rather than in steel, for the reasons stated above. While it is easier to control the temperature of steel, fermenting in a tank can result in a softer and rounder wine as the fermentation takes place in the wood. Then many wines are aged in tanks too. Once the wood has been used a few times, it imparts very little, if any, flavor to the juice or wine. Moreover, back to your geometry - the ratio of juice to skin is even even greater with a tank than with the barrels, so even if there were a flavor component imparted from the wood, it's negligible with a tank. Also the oxygen exchange is far less. So depending on what kind of wine you want to end up with, you may prefer tank fermenting and/or aging for your juice. In some places it was traditional to age the wine for a very long time in large, old tanks. Now as far as whether or not that's better, it all depends. Most tanks are oak anyway, so "sitting in oak" is still taking place. But there are any number of wine snobs who sally forth into battle armed with minimal knowledge but many opinions. My advice is that as soon as someone starts telling you that one thing is good and another thing is bad, you just ignore them. American vs other oak is an entirely different issue. There are compounds in oak that are the same as those in vanilla and for that reason vanilla is one of the easiest flavors to imitate - artificial vanilla flavoring is available in every grocery store. French oak typically comes from one of several forests that the French have been safeguarding for centuries. If you plant an acorn today, you won't see barrels out of the resulting tree in your lifetime. So you need a long term view. If a tree grows slowly in a cold area, it ends up with a nice tight grain. For that reason, maple from northern New York State makes very nice butcher blocks. So the French have a few forests where the weather is just right for producing oak that makes great barrels. The species of oak that grows there is not native to the US. In the US, they generally use a species of white oak that is also used for flooring. Traditionally they used this oak for bourbon barrels. If you look at a piece of wood, you see that there are little tiny tubes running up and down - the grain - and usually the French oak was split along those tubes, where the Americans just cut the wood, exposing more ends. So now you've started with a different species of oak and you've cut the wood differently. On top of that, the French would stack their wood outside for several years and let the wind and rain and snow leech out the tannins and other compounds. The Americans would dry it in kilns and set to work making barrels. The resulting barrels were obviously going to be very very different. Those differences are drastically reduced if one treats the American oak in the same way as one would treat the French oak, and if one sources the American oak from someplace where it grew slowly with tight grain. Try Ridge Monte Bello. It's made with American oak that they treat as I mention. See if it's full of vanilla flavor. I'll bet you a bottle that your "wine guy" has never tried the same wine aged in different barrels side by side, or he would not be so quick to talk about such differences. As far as why the French think their oak is better for barrels, if they do - for one thing it's got a longer history. They were starting to cultivate their forests long before the Americans were even sure they'd survive as a country, and they've figured out how to make really great barrels. Increasingly, the Americans are following suit. And for what it's worth, the Hungarians have a history at least as long as the French and they also make barrels from their oak, which is the same species as much of the French oak. Probably the next most common would be Slovenian oak. Since the French dominate the barrel trade at the high end, think back to your tanks. Many winemakers are criticized for over-oaking their wines. They put the wine into new French barrels and the wine picks up all kinds of spice and vanilla flavors. So the criticism of lots of oak is to a large extent also a criticism of French oak. In CA, Australia, Spain, France, Italy, and many other places, when people talk about oaky wines, they are usually taking about costly wines and they aren't talking about American oak. Again, it's a matter of taste and age. If you drink a young wine and it's oaky, that does not necessarily mean that in a few years the oak will be as prominent. Of course, it very well may, but if the wine was intended to be set aside for a while, it's an invalid criticism. Finally, new French barrels may cost $800 each or around that. That has to be added to the price of the wine. There are many delicious wines from places like the south of France that are aged in tanks and that are $15 or even less. If your wine guy is recommending those, he's doing you a solid favor whether or not he's doing it because of his own palate preferences.    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Oak vs. tanks by GregT

  
  

• September 2009

  Experiments in the Vegetarian Kitchen: Green Beans & Pinot Noir     Pairing vegetarian dishes with red wines is often like being dropped at a random lot in Tbilisi (true story).  Wine writers, tasters, and critics always scream, Meat! as the first red drop hits their tongues,... Read moreExperiments in the Vegetarian Kitchen: Green Beans & Pinot Noir     Pairing vegetarian dishes with red wines is often like being dropped at a random lot in Tbilisi (true story).  Wine writers, tasters, and critics always scream, Meat! as the first red drop hits their tongues, leaving me and nearly ten million other vegetarians in the US, with nowhere to turn.  And while I get the bits about tannins and proteins and fat, as a vegetarian, I see no reason to condemn myself to a life of white grape imprisonment.   As the temperature drops, the contents of my glass evolves from white and pink to red, while I reach for my Russian and Georgian cookbooks, in search of something transitional, that’ll lead me through the change.  And though not oft associated with vegetarian fare, these regions, along with the Mediterranean and Middle East, inspire the meatless meals that set our dining room table throughout the year.  With Georgia on my mind, I walk through the farmer’s market and stop before a display of green beans--dark in color, glistening, and piled high.  It’s been almost a year since I last cooked “Georgian Green Beans”, a dish that includes cilantro, onions, garlic and eggs, and so I buy a pound or so and take it home.  Before cooking or uncorking a bottle, I thumb through What to Drink with What you Eat, a brilliant tome by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, curious to see their suggested pairings for green beans and cilantro.  Locating my ingredients, I am not surprised to find only white wines.  And since I have none in my fridge and starving is not an option—nor is dinner without wine—I have to think quick and experiment with what I’ve got. Georgians traditionally use a lot of walnuts in their dishes, and walnuts, with their oily proteins and bitter finish, tend to pair well with the tannins in red wine.  And so, I turn to Please to the Table—the Russian Cookbook by Anya von Bremzen and John Welchman, in search of some inspiration and find it in a recipe for a green bean and walnut salad. Sifting through a lifetime of pairings, I consider the fact that green beans are often served at Thanksgiving, as are sometimes walnuts.  With this in mind, I pull a bottle that had just arrived in the mail (courtesy of the winery itself)—Sokol Blosser Pinot Noir Dundee Hills 2007, because I think it might work, with the wine assuming the role of a mouth-watering enhancer, like Thanksgiving dinner’s cranberry sauce.  Light red fruit, tangy, and slightly sweet—the flavors I expect from a Pinot from Oregon—fruity but not as ripe as one from California, where the warmer climate yields riper grapes and wines with big fruit. I pop the cork and pour a glass and sure enough, there it is—tart fruit on the nose, red cherry, raspberry, and cranberry; a little earth and spice.  At 14.5% abv, there is a slight burn at the back of the throat, but not the full-on-blaze that I’d expected.  The finish is slightly bitter and astringent, like cranberry sauce, and after a few sips, I bite into a walnut, roll the flavors around my mouth, and…Yes.  The wine’s fruit and acidity tempers the walnut’s bitter finish…but cilantro?  I pull a few leaves from a sprig, take a sip, and tear into the herb with my teeth.  Suddenly two great waves rise in the midst of my kitchen, one cresting cilantro, and the other bright red fruit.  Opposite one another, the waves peak, fall into each other and crash—leaving a sopping wet mess on my floor.  Cilantro is out. Snapping a raw bean in two, I sense earth and herbal spice.  Raw, it is not a perfect match with the wine, but perhaps cooking might temper the flavors, or in the end, they might just pair better with an Old World Syrah.  Finally, since garlic=acidity, of which the wine has plenty, the recipe is adapted and I am ready to cook.   Green Bean Salad with Walnuts 1/2 cup ground walnuts 2 medium garlic cloves crushed 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon water 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound of trimmed green beans, cut in half 1/4 medium-sized red onion, sliced thin salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste --Combine walnuts, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, water, and oil.  Mix thoroughly and let stand for 30 minutes. --Boil enough salted water to cover the beans when added; then boil for as long as you like, no longer than 7 minutes.  Drain and cool in ice water. Drain and pat dry. --Toss beans with onion and add the dressing.  Season with salt and pepper, and toss again. (Adapted from Please to the Table—the Russian Cookbook by Anya von Bremzen and John Welchman.) Pairing is a two-way street.  One route reflects how the wine affects the food and the other how the food alters, enhances, or neutralizes the wine.  My immediate reaction to this particular pairing is Yes. I love how the Pinot coaxes the acidity of the red wine vinegar from the dish, encouraging the salad to shine, until it’s so full of life that flavors are popping like fireworks in my mouth.  The green bean salad is suddenly illuminated, but in reverse, the walnut dressing coats the tongue, like a pair of shades on a sun-dazzle day.  It somehow reduces the wine’s fruit and acidity, which works if you, like me, are one who prefers your fruit with the volume turned down.  In this particular pairing, the sweet fruit of the wine is transferred to the dish, which establishes a relationship that involves a little sacrifice.  It’s an interesting and fun experiment that anyone with a little time on his or her hands can conduct at home.  It’s a pairing that serves to strengthen my resolve—this commitment to keep searching through ingredients, aromas, textures, and flavors until I find pairings that enhance both vegetarian dishes and red wines. By: Karen Ulrich Imbibe New York      (hide)

  From the article Experiments in the Vegetarian Kitchen: Green Beans & Pinot Noir

  
  

• September 2009

  yes I'd be happy to share what I can! Bin 389 was a Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz. I remember enjoying the '91 the most - perfect balance and complexity of dark fruit, spice and vanilla.. And the '76 was almost past its prime but I have never tasted that old of a wine so my palate... Read moreyes I'd be happy to share what I can! Bin 389 was a Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz. I remember enjoying the '91 the most - perfect balance and complexity of dark fruit, spice and vanilla.. And the '76 was almost past its prime but I have never tasted that old of a wine so my palate adjusted to the cedar notes, dry tea leaves, fig, raisiny tastes, softer tannins. The younger the wines, the more full bodied, very jammy, med+ tannins...2006 needs time (apparently, it can age for another 15-20 years). 2002 was enjoyable as well - gorgeous dark fruit, aromas of berries and chocolate, incredible length; can only imagine how it well taste after aging for another 10 years; it has a lot of potential. Length and complexity of wines developed and changed even more the older the wine showcasing the fruit, both chocolate and vanilla notes, a lingering spice - a unique experience!    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic What's wrong with Australian... by Nicki Gig

  
  

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