Tag: Syrah

Food and Wine Pairing Pals

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oldmoon

Sometimes what I write about is predetermined.  At other times the topics find me.   This one is a combination of both.

The plan was to have cheeseburgers for a meal, and I wanted to find a wine that pairs well with them.  As per usual, I did a Google search, and you get two dozen opinions on what goes well with anything.   There is something to a food and wine pairing, but it’s all perception.  What might look good to some, might be hideous to others.

Based on the consensus; Malbec, Syrah, and Zinfandel were the ubiquitous suggestions to complement burgers.  Do you detect a theme?  These are three of the more full-bodied reds, with alcohol contents higher than 13.5%.

I have reviewed the first two wines in previous posts.  These can be seen here and here.  So Zin is the big winner today.

In looking at our collection of bottles, I only saw one Zin.  And I present the 2012 Old Moon (Old Vine) Zinfandel from our pals at Trader Joe’s.   This is part of an exclusive collection, that can only be bought at their stores.

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Not much in the way of superlatives to say about this wine.  It’s pretty standard.  But for $5.99 you really can’t complain.   I didn’t care for it at first. But, after a few minutes of breathing it got better.  It’s extremely fruity.  And in reading various reviews of it, every fruit known to man has been detected.  It’s best to go with your senses as to what you taste.   There’s little oak that I could detect.  And not much in the way of tannins.  It’s very easy to drink.  It can be enjoyed without food, for any occasion.

But if you’re looking for something groundbreaking, this is not it.  It’s a very basic wine.  This is a great wine for folks who are new to wine drinking.  And then your palate can only expand from here.

Not every wine is going to pair well with your dish.  My bacon cheeseburger with sides of regular and sweet potato fries was tremendous.  However, the wine didn’t heighten anything or bring about any new flavors.  It’s a decent and affordable bottle that serves its purpose.  If you are fortunate enough to be in a state where your local TJ’s sells wine, this is not one I would go out of my way to buy. For the price alone, it’s ok.  But there’s plenty of others at a few dollars more, with better quality. And I will be getting to those in proceeding posts!

cheeburger

How great does that look? 🙂

Thankfully, like I stated in the beginning, sometimes the topics are shown to me.  This is a great lead in to talk about my first visit to a Trader Joe’s that sold wine!    It was a serendipitous visit around the holidays in 2013 to their Old Town Alexandria, VA store!    I will be discussing some of my past and recent purchases in hopefully a fun and harmonious way.

And if I feel the need, I will be talking about my sadness over the Charles Shaw wines.

Thanks so much for reading!

Best,

Ideen

Bet On Black

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When you ask someone about their favorite winery in Maryland, a popular response will be Black Ankle Vineyards.   And I’d definitely place it near the top for me as well.  But there are many great places to visit and find a gem.

My friends and I were looking for a nice wine to pair with our St. Patrick’s Day feast, and I instinctively thought of the 2008 Leaf Stone Syrah.

I was able to purchase a few bottles a couple of years ago, at a sale price of around $30.00 each, at Friendship Wine & Liquor in Abingdon, MD.  And this was worth every penny then.  So how does it taste a year or so later?

Well my response at dinner was that I am glad we’re having this now, and not a moment later.  It’s still great, but it probably just went past it’s peak.  Something just felt a little different.  It had lost a little potency.  The updated tasting notes match my findings.  I am proud of myself to pick up on this detail.

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Nevertheless, if you can find this year I suggest doing so.  And then to drink it almost immediately.   It’s got the oak and full body that I always love.  And the Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon is usually always a delight to complement the other grapes.   As you can see above, on the back of the label, they have some fun facts that are easy to understand and are accessible.

So what else is great about this winery? Well I did visit once, and on the surface it looked unapproachable but when I walked in, the place was majestic.  The outdoor setting, outside seating, and tasting room area are out of a fairy tale.  It’s so beautiful that I can’t put it into words.  It was cozy enough to make you feel you’re on vacation.  In many ways, you are.

When I did the tasting room a couple of years ago, it was so packed that mine was done outside.  No complaints here. The wines I sampled were dynamite and fit the season we were in.  It’s been a while so I didn’t retain much from memory.  But I do intend to return this Spring or Summer, when the room will have since been reopened.

The wines do range on the higher end of prices.  Many are over $30, and as you can see on the site, that many are sold out and for good reason.  So I was grateful to get mine at the price that I did.

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In the meantime, we enjoyed our wine with a beautiful corn beef brisket, potatoes, rolls, and a side salad.  What a perfect way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

Enjoy the week.

Best,

Ideen

Beaulieu – A Great Taste of Napa

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BeauRouge

I’ve never been to Napa, but I have indulged in a few of their selections.   And it’s usually been a good experience.

I don’t believe in accidents or coincidence, so coming back from a recent ski trip a couple of Saturdays ago (1/24/15), I find myself at one of my favorite wine stores, College Square Liquors, in Westminster, MD.

I’ve been fortunate to attend a few of their Saturday tastings and the diversity of their choices is fantastic.    Napa Valley, and California in general, have usually been the most represented, among other wines from around the world.   But on this day, I discovered a beautiful bottle…

The 2010 BeauRouge from Beaulieu Vineyard is a delicious mix of eight grapes.  Cabernet Sauvignon is most prominent, maybe because it’s the fullest of the reds included.  The other seven are : Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah, Tempranillo, Petit Sirah, and two new ones for me – Touriga and Charbono.  The latter two I will need to do more research on.

This is a full bodied wine that hits you hard and pulls no punches.  The tannins are omnipresent and feel so good on my tongue, and on the inside of my mouth.   I know I’m drinking something special.  There is the peppery flavor that is so agreeable to my palate.  The description states there’s blackberry, chocolate, and cassis, which I could detect, if I try hard enough. Or maybe not at all

In the indoctrination process of Napa Wines, or more complicated blends, maybe this isn’t one of the early ones I should be drinking.  But as the old cliche goes, you gotta start somewhere.  So I welcome the simple ones and the even more intense blends to come.

When it comes to California wines, it’s a lifelong learning process that I look forward to.    I may never learn everything, but I am looking forward to gaining all the knowledge I can.  This is going to be a fun ride.

One of the most important things to note is, I got this bottle for only $16.99.  This is a good deal. The vineyard’s own website lists it at $32.00.   Most retailers, I have looked at online, have it around the $20.00 mark give or take.

I cannot tell you how many great wines I have bought at below cost, that are worth what they are regularly priced.  My preference is to buy all my bottles at under $20.00 if I can, with exceptions to the rule.   This would be one of those exceptions.  I look forward to trying more from Beaulieu.    And one day, it will hopefully be a memorable stop when I tour Napa.

Maybe someday…

Best,

Ideen

Boordy Brings It

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BoordyLandmarkReserve

Boordy is the first winery I ever visited.  So I’m partial and nostalgic to them.    They know how to throw events, concerts, and festivals.   They were  my first tasting and  tour.   So the soft spots just keep on coming.  They are a big part of why I love wine so much.

In November, there was another first.  It’s the first time I joined an exclusive wine club.   And of course it was Boordy’s.  I don’t think any of these things are accidents.  It could be fate or destiny.  Or both.

Now the perks are mentioned in the link above.  Or I’ll link it to you again here.  And I am grateful to be a part of this thing. Even if I don’t continue on, I can say I was a part of a club.   I may look at other wineries to do the same.  But one step at a time.

* 2013 Dry Rose – It’s a charming, light bodied wine that isn’t something I usually like to have.  But at the tasting I enjoyed it. It was easy to drink and didn’t come off too sweet. The synopsis is very simple to understand.  It states it’s similar to the roses of Provence and combines saignee juices of their varietals grown on their property.  One thing that stands out is that their grapes are 100% grown in Maryland.  Not every Maryland winery can make that claim.  There is something to be said for keeping it local.  A lot of wine aficionados appreciate that fact alone.

* 2008 Ruby Port – Now I don’t seek out Ports.   It’s just not my glass of wine.   Now I appreciate that it’s a dessert wine, after a hearty meal.  We actually opened this bottle, this past Sunday, for a birthday celebration.  So my experience goes beyond the original tasting.   The description reads a mix of plums and chocolate.  Both, especially the latter are detectable. Or maybe, once again, I tell my mind there are plums in there.  But I think I got a taste.   We enjoyed this with some Dove Chocolates, Coconut Cake, and Chocolate Cupcakes.

* 2012 Landmark Reserve – What this package is named if honor of.  Or maybe I just think so.  Oh well.. My favorite combinations of some of my favorite grapes – Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Sauvignon.   Label mentions briar fruit and chocolate are detected.  I’l have to see if I can taste those flavors.  For now, this bottle is killer.  I think it’s incredible.  And though I only had it at the tasting, it was worth getting the package for this alone.  This will be opened for a special occasion.

More on this phenomenal series can be found here.

The next package comes in February, and it will be a pleasure to do a recap.   I have seen what will be included, and a couple of my favorites are involved.  I am elated.  I will also, in a future post, talk about these.

I will also do recaps of other future events I may attend here.

Boordy will always have a special place in my heart.   And I thank them, for being one of the catalysts, for my worship of wine.

Thanks so much.

Best,

Ideen