Waltzing Bear 2003 Rancho Ontiveros Vineyard Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir

Waltzing Bear Winery is an artisan winery where owner and winemaker Brad Lowman focuses on producing small lots of ultra premium wines.
The Waltzing Bear 2003 Rancho Ontiveros Vineyard Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir is made from the first fruit of a new block planted and grown by James Ontiveros in the southern end of Santa Maria Valley, near Bien Nacido Vineyard. Only 74 cases made.

The wine has a dark garnet color in the glass.
The nose showing deep cherry, earth, mushrooms, and oak. The earth/mushroom components being dominant.
On the palate is earthy and rich with dark cherry, dusty raspberry, and red fruit. The wine is nuanced with good acidity, and a long, smooth, finish with soft, lean, tannins.

This is definitely a slightly different, very interesting Pinot Noir. I can't quite put words to it so you just have to experience it yourself. The winery is right now selling it to a reduced price of $33.75. Give it a shot! I do not think you will be disappointed...


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Foxen 2003 Bien Nacido Vineyard - Block Eight Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir

Foxen makes some of our favorite Central Coast Pinot Noirs. We opened a bottle of their 2003 Bien Nacido Vineyard - Block Eight Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir a few night ago, and got to enjoy it close to, or at, its peak.

The grapes are 100% destemmed prior to enjoying five days of cold soak. They then go through whole berry fermentation before being aged in 65% new French oak for 16 months. Finally it is bottled unfined and unfiltered.

The result is a Pinot with a clear, dark, ruby red/purple color in the glass.
On the nose; dark raspberry, cherry, vanilla, and earthy components.
On the plate the wine shows of raspberry, cherry, and plum with a hint of spice and vanilla. It is a harmonic, balanced, and concentrated, medium to full bodied Pinot, that receives a lift from the fresh acidity and slight edge to the tannins. Drinks beautifully right now. Unfortunately this was the last bottle I pulled out of our stash...

Looks like it is still available at Vinfolio.com for $42. Check it out if you want to have a sip of this star this spring.

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Bonaccorsi 2003 Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir

Not the first time I have had and reviewed a Bonaccorsi Pinot Noir, and although I always think they are stellar, for some reason I am particularly enjoying the 2003 Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir tonight.

I decided to try all new recipes for dinner and served it with BBQ red wine flank steak, bulgur/roasted beet/mushroom/red onion pilaf, and a red wine vinegar braised carrot and leek dish. It turned out awesome! (both the food and the pairing)

The 2003 Santa Maria Valley has a dark, dense, slightly cloudy, garnet color in the glass. To me indicating big, lush, savage, fruit. But I should have known better. Bonaccorsi usually leans toward the more elegant side, although the dark fruit is there. It stays true in this case as well.
The nose, sure enough, displays black cherry, raspberry, blueberry, vanilla cola, and notes of dried grass. All powerful but with the recognizable finesse.
On the palate dark raspberry, black cherry, a touch of blackberry and subtle spice. The berries are accompanied by good acidity that keeps the wine lively, and well integrated but still noticeable, on the firmer side, tannins.

This wine definitely makes a statement with its dark and powerful, but more on the elegant side fruit, balanced nicely with proportionate acidity and tannins. All laced with oak.

Find it at...(?) I am frankly not quite sure where to find it. No sources online that I usually use seem to offer it. I paid $35 for it about 3 years ago. If you can get your hands on it now, 3 years later, for under $55-60, I would jump on it and give it a try. This Pinot is definitely worth it.


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Pahlmeyer and Vineyard 29

Sunday night we had dinner with good friends and had two bottles of really good wine.


We started of with a bottle of Pahlmeyer 2003 Napa Valley Proprietary Red Wine. Winemaker Erin Green made this from 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 4.5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petite Verdot, and 0.5% Malbec.
This wine shows a dark garnet color in the glass.
On the nose, dark fruit and berries with oak and a smokey note.
The palate exudes dark plum, black cherry, black currant, and again notes of smoke. The wine is surprisingly smooth for being relatively young. Rich in fruit and full bodied, with good acidity, and velvety well integrated tannins. All this and a long beautiful finish make this a great bottle of wine.


Next up was Vineyard 29 2005 Cru Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes were sourced from six vineyards across Napa Valley, hand sorted and gently processed in the full gravity flow winery. Aged 18 months in French Oak, 60% new.

This wine has a dark, ruby red/purple color in the glass. The nose screams of ripe, dark fruit and berries, dark cherry, and vanilla.

The fruit on the palate is equally lush with dark cherry, black currant, and coffee. All with a spice note. The acidity is sufficient and the tannins soft. This wine is young, but very approachable and drinks nicely. It's lush and fruity with a lengthy finish and I can't wait to revisit it in the future.

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Fiddlehead Cellars 2003 Lollapalooza Santa Rita Hills Fiddlestix Pinot Noir

Only 312 cases was made of the Fiddlehead Cellars 2003 Lollapalooza Santa Rita Hills Fiddlestix Pinot Noir.
Lollapalooza is an old English word for "the best of its kind".

A clear, dark, ruby color, with a touch of purple, meets you in the glass.
The nose shows dark cherry, raspberry, spice, and from 15 months in French oak, vanilla and oak.
The palate has similar character with dark cherry, ripe red currant, raspberry, nice, light spice, and brandied cherries at the very finish. Great acidity and well integrated, silky tannins, with a firm touch at the finish makes this wine a winner.

We had this wine about a year ago in a restaurant and picked up a bottle to enjoy it again at home at a later time. It is as good as I remembered it to be and wish I had picked up some more... Great balance between the fruit, acidity and tannins. The fruit is supple, beautiful, and not overwhelming. This is a great wine to enjoy with a meal, or by its own as we did.

Hard to find online but available through WineZap.com from $50, which is a good price for this bottle.


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Jayson 2003 Napa Valley Red Wine

A short review on a wine we had with dinner tonight.
Jayson 2003 Napa Valley Red Wine is produced by Pahlmeyer, and is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot, and 2% Malbec. It is made from the grapes/juice that is left over after producing the "big brother wine", Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red.

The wine is dark ruby red in the glass. The nose shows black cherry, plum, blackberry, and vanilla. The palate follows in it's path with black berries, oaky vanilla, and relatively smooth tannins that however shows notes of green wood. The nose is a step above the palate, which is a little thinner in the fruit at the finish then you are lead to believe.

Find this wine at Wine-Searcher.com from $ 59.99. For the price it is a pretty decent bottle, but there are certainly better wines in that price range out there.


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Barham Mendelsohn 2003 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

This wine is made by winemaker Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat. His only bottling from Russian River Valley. 800 cases produced.

It shows a medium dark ruby color in the glass with medium dark berries, floral perfume, tea notes, cinnamon, cloves and vanilla oak on the nose. The palate shows young red fruit/berries, tart red currant, earthy spice, and a hint of black liquorice (?) and minerals at the very finish.

This medium bodied wine has good acidity but slightly harsh, still green tannins that shows on the the full length of the palate. The nose unfortunately promises more fruit than the palate carries.

Nice effort but, to me, not worth the $35 I paid for it. At $20 I could have seen it as a good value. The tannins and the tartness of the fruit did not quite fit my palate. It might however be the perfect match for someone else... I would love to hear your opinion if you have had it, and agree or disagree.

If you are interested in giving it a try it can be found at Winerz.com for $28.80.

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Vino Volo and Caymus Vineyards 2005 Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon

Going to Las Vegas last weekend our flight out of Sacramento was delayed for 4 hours, which gave us plenty of time to kill in the airport's wine bar, Vino Volo. Vino Volo is a chain of airport wine bars with five current locations; Seattle, Sacramento, Washington DC, Baltimore and New York, and with plans to expand and open many more locations in the upcoming year.
Having the option to visit Vino Volo made me very excited as airport food and drinks, in general, gives me the shivers... Vino Volo adds a touch of sophistication with good quality wine by flight, glass or bottle. Small plates are also served. We tried the cheese plate, chicken panini and the New York skewers with mashed potatoes and peas. All a step above all other airport food I have ever had.

I started of with the Pinot Noir wine flight featuring a California pinot from the Molnar Family 2005 Poseidon's Vineyard, from France the Louis Latour 2002 VOLNAY, and from New Zealand the Nevis Bluff 2003 Pinot Noir. A nice flight showcasing the many faces of Pinot Noir.

Not having killed enough time it was time for a second flight, this time the California Syrah. From Mendocino County came Saracina 2003 Estate, from Dry Creek Valley the Olson Ogden 2005 Unti Vineyard, and from Russian River Valley the Mesics-Tomerlin 2000 Timbervine Ranch, a small production wine according to the staff, and a favorite at our table.

Having an additional hour before boarding we decided to hit it big and ordered in a bottle of the Caymus Vineyards 2005 Special Selection Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. We were on our way to Vegas after all. Why not start celebrating early? Cost was $165 plus a $12 corkage fee. Not to bad for retail price. Best price online I can find after brief research is $139.99 at Wine-Searcher.com.

On to the wine. Deep dark red/purple in the glass, and tons of big fruit on the nose with black cherry, dark raspberry and blackberry. On the palate the fruit and berries are equally big and intense with cherry, plum, blackberry, black currant and a hint of dark chocolate. Surprisingly smooth with soft tannins showing a green edge that hits at the end of the palate, with the long lush fruit notes.

I thought this would be to young to drink but it actually was very approachable thanks to the softer tannins. The fruit is definitely overpowering the tannins at this point, but with age I expect that the two will become more balanced. This is certainly a wine to enjoy now and in the future.

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Three reds...

The other night we had neighbors over for a glass, or two (or three) of wine. I took some brief note that I thought I would share with you...

We started of with the Alexander Valley Vineyards 2003 Alexander Valley Syrah. A slightly cloudy and dark red/purple wine. On the nose bright black cherry, blueberry and vanilla. The palate showed raspberry, blueberry, ripe cherry and oak. We all thought this medium to full bodied wine was enjoyable on its own, with integrated firm tannins and long fruity finish.

Find it from $14.99 at Wine-Searcher.com

Next up a bottle that our friends brought, Summers Winery 2004 Villa Andriana Vineyard Napa Valley Charbono. It is not very often you see a 100% Charbono and I was very excited to try this wine. The color in the glass was extremely dense purple/black color. On the nose first perfume with violet and rose. Then dark cherry, blackberry and a touch of creme brulee at the end of the nose.

Palate was lively with ripe, dense fruit and soft tannins with a slight edge. A very interesting and quite nice wine.

Find it from $24.99 at Wine-Searcher.com.

Third out was the Fratelli Ponte 2004 Barbera D'Asti Superiore. I was recommended this bottle in our local grocery store for $10.99. At that price I had nothing to lose and grabbed a bottle.

This was a medium bodied wine characterised by fresh yeasty bread, dark cherry, and a slight touch of plum and raisin. For the price I guess it was not to shabby, but I would personally not buy this wine again.

This was a night with a wide variety of flavors and impressions. Isn't that what makes wine tasting (and drinking) so much fun? You never know what's next and what surprises it might bring...

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Stags' Leap Winery 2003 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Stag's Leap Winery is located in the heart of Stags' Leap District, Napa Valley, on a 240 acre estate. Founded in 1893 it has a rich history. Read more about it at the winery's web site.

The grapes for Stags' Leap 2003 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was handpicked and fermented in small lots in a combination of open and closed top frementers. During frementation it received frequent punch downs. Thereafter it was aged in 50% new and 50% used French oak for 24 months. 2% Cabernet Franc and 2% Merlot was added for structure and depth.

In the glass this wine has a dark, dense ruby color.
The nose is heavy and earthy with dark plum, cherry, and coffee. Notes of cloves and vanilla enters at the end.
The palate displays dusty fruit of plum, dark cherry, and black currant, with earth, spice and a hint of coffee. The tannins are course and firm in moderate amount, and the acidity plentiful.

This wine showed the heavy and earthy qualities Cabernet Sauvignon can display. We enjoyed it although I would give this wine some time in the bottle as I believe the tannins will become more integrated and mellow out with age, and the fruit become more elegant and structured.
You can find it at WallyWine.com for $44.99.


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Robert Craig 2003 Central Coast Syrah

Robert Craig 2003 Central Coast Syrah is made from fruit from vineyards in Los Olivos, Santa Ynez Valley, and Paso Robles.
It shows a vivid clear, dark garnet color in the glass. Lifting the glass to my nose black currant, dark cherry, dark raspberry, black licorice and a hint of smoked meat and vanilla meets me. On the palate an array of big ripe, and at the same time slightly earthy, fruit and berries with dark cherry, blackberry, with peppery notes, displays. The tannins are big and soft in this medium to full bodied wine.
I enjoyed this wine. It has a lot of nuances and is big and bold at the same time as it has some finesse. For the price it is a good choice.

The original price at the winery was $30. I found it at the local grocery store at sale for only $ 20.

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Bonaccorsi 2003 Fiddlestix Vineyard Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir

Saturday night and we are revisiting an old friend of ours, the Bonaccorsi 2003 Fiddlestix Vineyard Pinot Noir from Santa Rita Hills. I had this bottle for the first time in Dec-06 in Las Vegas (after which I had to get some for home), could not wait and opened one in January this year. Time for a new taste tonight, and then there is only one bottle left in my stack for future enjoyment.

The color in the glass is a dark ruby red with a slight purple shade. The nose is still bursting of bright fruit and berries, with dark cherries, dark raspberry, plum and for the first time I am noticing an herbaceous note. On the palate the dark cherry rules again with dark raspberry, and oak notes. The acidity is mouth watering and the tannins are well integrated and have mellowed down a bit from last time I had this wine, at that point I remember them being firm with an edge. The edge is gone...

Hard to get a hold of I found just a fews site online where you can order it, Wine-Searcher.com for $54.99. Winezap.com also has it for a slightly higher price.

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Cosentino Winery 2003 The Poet Meritage Napa Valley

This meritage consists of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Cabernet Franc, and 18% Merlot. Each lot was aged separately in French oak for 30 months, then blended and bottled unfined.

The color in the glass is a very dark, clear, ruby red, whispering of intense fruit. Dark floral and tons of black liquorice greets you on the nose with black tea, blackberry and black currant. On the palate, more blackberry, black currant, cherry, oak, and semi firm, well integrated tannins that balances out the intense fruit well.

I thought this was a great full bodied blend that is big and intense but still well balanced and never goes out of hand on the fruit. Will age well for many years to come. I got it in a wine club shipment a while back at the cost of $65. You can find it at the wineries website at that price, or at Wine-Searcher.com from $39.99.


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Ely Winebar, Dublin

I just came home from a week in New York and I have so much to tell you about the great food and wine we had, but before I go there I wanted to wrap up our England/Ireland trip by writing about a great place in Dublin.

Ely Winebar opened in 1999 and immediately turned into a hot spot, and two other location in Dublin has been opened since. They serve simple, delicious food, made with meat from an organic farm and the produce sourced from local suppliers.

We got seated promptly upon arriving and started of by ordering a bottle of Felton Road 2003 Central Otago Pinot Noir. A great Pinot from New Zealand packed with red cherry, dark raspberry, slight spice, all well balanced with moderate acidity and slightly firm tannins.
For starter I had the Cucumber and Crab with Mango Sauce. Cucumber wrapped around a light crab salad topped with the mango sauce, set around a baby lettuce salad. Subtle flavors marrying beautifully.
The entree of Pea, Mint and Lemon Essence Risotto with baby spinach and prawns were equally good. The risotto was a tad bit over cooked (wish it was a little more al dente) but the great combination of ingredients made up for that.
For dessert I just had to try the Sticky Toffee Pudding as I had never had this before. What a satisfying ending to the meal! Moist cake with a great sticky caramel/butterscotch flavor and sauce topping, served up with a side of vanilla ice cream. Yummy!
Our waiter Tony provided us with excellent service throughout the evening. Thanks Tony!

Me downstairs in the wine bar/dining area.

We all loved this place for its low key atmosphere, great food and service, and if you walk down stairs you will discover a wine bar and more tables packed with dinner guests in a cave like setting. Definitely a place to visit while in Dublin!


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Byron Vineyard and Winery 2003 Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay

This Chardonnay from Byron was aged 10 months in 25% new and 75%older French oak. 93% of the grapes are from Nielson Vineyard and 7% from Sierra Madre, vines being between 29-39 years old. The growing season here is one of the longest in California.

The color in the glass is a golden, medium yellow, straw. Sticking my nose in the glass citrus, ripe Golden Delicious apple, tropical fruit, and white floral meets me with oak notes. Tasting, it shows a pretty heavy texture with, again, the citrus, tropical fruit, and oak. Medium acidity and medium length finish. This is a slightly more heavy white then I expected and I suspect it might be due to it being past prime.

I have had the Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay from Byron several times in the past of different vintages and it never seemed this heavy to me. It has always been more refreshing with great acidity and more light fruit. I suspect that was what the 2003 had to offer a year or more ago...

I do not recommend buying the 2003 vintage, as it seems to be past prime, but if you find a more recent vintage, grab it. This wine has a reputation of being of high and consistent quality.

Find it a Wine-Searcher.com from $16.99.

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Lodi Wine Tasting

My birthday is coming up and yesterday my two good friends Robyn and June picked me up in the morning to go to a, for me, unknown destination for a day of fun.

An hour or so later we arrived in Lodi. Now, I have never been to Lodi before, but I do know that they make quite a bit of wine there, so of to wine tasting we went.

We started off with Jewel Winery were the majority of the wines are under $10. They pride themselves with offering great wine for a great price. I started of by tasting the 2005 "Un-Oaked" Chardonnay ($9.99). Not to bad at all for the price. Good amount of fruit while refreshing from the acidity, and non existing oak. Got myself a bottle of this one. The 2004 Firma (blend of Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Syrah), has a nice balance of dark fruit and smooth tannins. For $9.99 it is not to shabby as a crowd pleasing table wine. The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon ($9.99) was really not all that bad either but it was lacking a bit in structure with to much fruit, although not to ripe, and not enough tannins and acidity to carry it up. The 2005 Petite Syrah ($9.99) had a good amount of dark fruit but was way to high in firm, edgy tannins. Did not enjoy this wine. Last up was the 2002 Estate Raffaele "Diamant" ($24.99). This was the most complex of the wines poured. I did however not care for it a big deal considering the price. I can find better bottles in this price range. Over all I do think they achieved their goal. These are good wines for the price you pay.

Lodi Wine and Visitor Center

Next we visited the Lodi Wine and Visitor Center where they pour wines from many different wineries in Lodi. We had a very enthusiastic and knowledgeable young man pour us the wine and he really enhanced our experience. Thank you Fungai! We started with the 2005 Vino Brio Pinot Grigio ($16). It had very soft, muted nose and palate with not enough acidity to make it interesting. This wine did not really do it for me. Moving on to the 2005 Gustavo Thrace, Mohr Frey Ranch, Sauvignon Blanc ($16.50) I kind of had the same experience. These are certainly not bad wines and nicely chilled they are a good option for a hot summer day, but not much more then that. On to some red wines we were poured the 2005 Jessie's Grove "Ancient Vine" Carignane. This was a real surprise coming from 117 year old vines. It is not very often you see a "pure" Carignane wine (81% Carignane, 15% Petite Sirah and 4% Syrah) as it is mostly used as a blending grape, especially to a high extent in France. This wine however was full of dark red fruit and berries with nice supporting acidity and tannins to give this very smooth medium bodied wine a medium length finish. Had to get a bottle of this one... The 2004 Mettler Syrah was up next. This Syrah was made in a more elegant style than many other syrahs, with just medium dark fruit and less spice than usual. At the first sip I really liked it but then I discovered a funky note on the nose of wet hay. Can't say that the wine was spoiled or defected, maybe a stylistic approach, but not to my liking... Last up was a Cabernet Sauvignon and the sad thing is that I really enjoyed it but I do not remember the maker or vintage... Oh well...

From here we just walked a few steps to have lunch at Wine and Roses (a hotel, restaurant and spa resort). I have read about this place and I was very excited that my friends had planned for this as our lunch stop. We started of by trying the Dungeness Crab Cocktail, with mango, avocado, and topped with wonton chips. The crab tasted super fresh and was deliciously sweet and well paired with the avocado, mango and some other ingredient that I can not recall. We also tried the Squash and Zucchini Soup with green zucchini, yellow squash, onion, and some additional vegetables in a broth. Light but so incredibly flavorful. A great soup for the summer.

For entree I had the Grilled Scottish Salmon glazed with a BBQ sauce, on Israeli couscous, sauteed pea tendrils and baby organic beets. The salmon was perfectly moist and the beets soft and sweet. Altogether an awesome dish! I would have it in a heart beat again. After that I was surprised with a birthday dessert. The plate consisted of three chocolate items. A Chocolate Irish Cream Mousse with a Butterscotch Cream Center sitting on top of an Oatmeal Crust. To die for! On the side was a Dark Chocolate Ganache Chip studded with chocolate chunks and a creamy, Frothy Vanilla Drink with a Chocolate Dipped Tuille. Trust me when I say that I was in heaven after this meal. Outstanding! If you ever pass by Lodi make sure to stop here for a meal or two...

Lunch was over and we were stuffed as we headed of to the next winery, Van Ruiten Family Winery. The 2004 Rose of Cab-Shiraz ($12) was bone-dry with nice rose petals and raspberry on the nose and palate. I am usually not a big rose fan but this one was actually really nice. Next up was the 2003 Cab-Shiraz ($15) that had nice full body, with dark fruit, dark cherries, black currant and some spice, but nothing special. My favorite from this winery was the last pouring, the 2002 Old Vine Zinfandel ($18) It had dark, ripe, lush fruit and berries with a nice spiciness from pepper and good acidity and tannins as backbone.

Last stop was the Michael David Winery. I had not heard of them before and to my surprise they produce the wines I so often see in the grocery store, like Seven Deadly Zins, Seven Heavely Chards, Incognito etc. We tasted to many wines for me to keep track of here, but let me talk about the ones I do remember. Sparkling Duet is a sparkling wine made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Without giving to much detail (because I do not quite remember), it was slightly sweet, but light and refreshing. I am guessing a nice little bubbly, but since I did not take mental note of it I suspect nothing extraordinary. The 2005 Seven Heavenly Cards ($13) is a crowd pleasing, tasty chardonnay with fresh citrus, apple, some creaminess and good amount of acidity to keep it relatively light and refreshing. One of my favorite here was the Don's Lodi Red because it is so simple and plain but still satisfying to an extent. This is a blend of Carignane, Syrah and a touch of Symphony. A great everyday wine that I can see working great with meaty pasta dishes. A fruity, pleasing, simple blend that will not blow anyone away, but will be sure to please a lot of people as an all around table wine. On to the 2005 Seven Deadly Zins ($15). This is another budget favorite year after year. This zinfandel has great dark fruit with, black cherries, blackberry, and some pleasing peppery spice. Unfortunately it has to heavy oak for my taste, but on the other hand the majority likes this. This wine would be better (for my palate) with less oak and a little bit firmer tannins. Last but not least was a new interesting wine from the winery. The 2005 Petite Petit is a blend of Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot. I did not take any specific tasting notes for this wine but I remember it having pleasant flavors of dark fruit and relatively balanced, and I brought home a bottle and I'll make sure to review it in the near future. What made my whole day in the end was that Don, the father of Micheal and David, was in the store and when he learned that my big

Robyn, myself, Don and June

three zero was coming up he came up and wished me happy birthday and gave me a bottle of his Don's Lodi Red and signed it with a birthday wish for me. Plus he threw in a bottle of the Seven Deadly Zins. What a kind man and what a great way to end our wine tasting! Thank you Don! And thank you Mark, (the tasting room guy who poured us the wine and entertained us), you did an awesome job!

What a day! And as if that was not enough my friends now took me back to Wine and Roses for a 90 minute ultimate spa treatment. I do not get spa treatment very often but when I do it is usually at pretty descent places around the world, and I have to say that this was one of the best ones I have ever had. Thank you June and Robyn for an absolutely wonderful day!!!
Cheers!

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Orecchiette with Hot Italian Sausage and Sauteed Greens

Time for a new video blog. This time I am cooking up a warm pasta salad that is the perfect dish for the summer. It's a one-dish-entree that is easy to make, very flavorful and looks pretty on the plate. All things good.

Episode 11: Orecchiette with Hot Italian Sausage and Sauteed Greens.

Recipe follows.

Orecchiette with Hot Italian Sausage and Sauteed Greens

3/4 lb Orecchiette pasta
2 tbsp butter
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3/4 cup dry white wine
salt and black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb hot Italian sausage (can be substituted with sweet Italian sausage)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 (5 oz) bag of baby arugula
6 Swiss chard leaves, central rib removed and coarsley chopped
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to directions. When draining reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water.
In the meanwhile saute garlic and scallions with butter in sauce pan until softened. Add white wine and simmer until liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Pour into blender, add 1/2 cup of water, and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Saute Italian sausage with olive oil in skillet, breaking up with wooden spoon into bit size pieces as you cook it, until lightly browned and cooked through.
Whipe out pasta pot and add olive oil, arugula and Swiss chard. Cook over high heat until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add pasta, scallion-garlic sauce, sausage and reserved pasta water. Stir together and simmer until sauce thickens. Take off the heat and stir in the mascarpone cheese. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.

I am pairing this dish with a Chianti, the Frescobaldi family's 2003 Nippozano Riserva Chianti Rufina. This is a medium bodied red wine with plum and nice spice on the palate, that works really well with the peppery greens and spicy sausage, but is not to heavy for the creaminess of the mascarpone. Find it at Wine-Searcher.com from $15.88.

Enjoy!

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Frank Family Vineyards

This weekend we went wine tasting at our local wine merchant, Capitol Cellars. Frank Family Vineyards was pouring four of their wines, and I thought I put together a little review on those, as we enjoyed the tasting.

First out was the 2005 Napa Valley Chardonnay ($34). Medium straw color in the glass with citrus, ripe apple, and a hint of white floral on the nose. On the palate the apple and citrus plays an initial role before the round creamy mouth feel steps in. This is however not an overly oaky chardonnay. It has refreshing acidity that balances the creaminess out and gives it a fresh and somewhat crisp finish. Over all a very nice chardonnay.

The 2005 Napa Valley Zinfandel ($34) was up next. This zin has a dark red/purple, but relatively clear/thin, color in the glass. On the nose it displays raspberry, strawberry and a spicy note from pepper. On the palate darker fruit with black raspberry and blackberry emerges with mouth watering acidity and high in firm tannins. You are left with the firm tannins at the end of the finish and I wish the fruit held up a little better against it. Might benefit from decanting an hour or so before consuming.

The 2003 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($45) has up front dusty, black cherry with spice notes and a touch of vanilla. In the mouth black cherry, black currant and black berry dominate with not to firm tannins. Balanced wine altogether made in a more delicate style.


2003 Rutherford Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($85) was our favorite of the four wines poured. It has a beautiful ruby red/purple color in the glass. Aromas of plum, black cherry and blackberry greet you on the nose with a touch of vanilla caramel at the end. On the palate black currant, black berries and cherry with relatively smooth, but still somewhat firm, tannins. The great balance between the different components gives this wine a long memorable finish. Not to bad of a Cabernet Sauvignon...


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Fess Parker 2003 American Tradition Reserve Santa Barbara County Syrah

We had this wine last night when having a BBQ in the backyard. The dinner contained of a Spanish spice rubbed chicken with spicy parsley and mint sauce, grilled vegetables and a tomato/corn salad.
This syrah has a dark, dense, purple/red color in the glass. On the nose it shows black cherry, dark fruit and black currant. On the palate, intense dark, ripe, cherries again with black berries and some oak. This wine was very concentrated in the dark, ripe, fruit and berries but manages to balance that pretty well with decent acidity and round tannins. Over all not an amazing syrah but certainly good. Worked well with our meal, and it won't break your bank. Find it at Wine-Searcher.com from $26.45.

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Galante Vineyards

We were in Carmel this weekend for Mother's Day. Passing by the Galante Vineyard Tasting Room I just had to stop by to taste their wines. I had not heard about this winery before and I got some good information from the very knowledgeable and friendly tasting room staff. They explained the wineries wine making philosophy and methods. The wine maker strives for the wine to express what in France is called terroir. That means, in short, letting the soil, surroundings, location and weather express itself through the fruit in the wine and intervene as little as possible. The wines are gravity racked and have not gone through fining or filtration.

On to the tasting. I tasted around eight wines and I will mention the ones I liked the best.
First out was the 2006 Carmel Valley Sauvignon Blanc ($25). It has intense peach aroma and flavor, with a hint of tropical fruit. Good acidity gives this wine a nice freshness.
The 2005 Carmel Valley Petit Sirah is much more delicate than most Petit Sirahs that I am used to. Soft medium dark berries and soft tannins. Very easy to drink. Recommended by the tasting room staff as a summer BBQ wine.
On to the Cabs. I got the 2002 ($40) and 2003 ($30) Red Rose Hill Cabernet Sauvignon side by side to compare. The 2002 is a more elegant wine with red cherries and berries and softer tannins. The 2003 was my favorite with dark cherry and berries, and a hint of violet, with more pronounced acidity and firmer, but still moderate, tannins.
Their most expensive Cabernet is the 2003 Blackjack Pasture Cabernet Sauvignon ($60). This is their most intense and complex wine with dark fruit, black berry, black currant, and a hint of oak. Great medium big, smooth tannins, medium plus acidity, with the dark fruit, gives this wine a long finish. A really nice Cab.

Find these wines at Galante Vineyards website.


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