Sunday, March 21, 2010

Covey Run Cabernet Sauvignon, 2006


Back in the early 1990s, we started taking trips out to the Columbia Valley, in eastern Washington, to visit new wineries and sample their offerings.. We used the town of Yakima as our home base as we toured the Washington State wine country. Covey Run had a lovely winery, in the Yakima Valley, that overlooked acres of rolling vineyards. On Saturday and Sunday afternoon they would barbecue burgers and salmon out in their yard with beautiful views of the Yakima Valley. By 2009, the Covey Run Winery had been sold a few times and is now owned by a company from California. This Colombia Valley Cabernet represents a excellent value wine in the Seattle area. I purchased this wine at QFC, in Bellevue, at $5.99 retail. The color is a light ruby with a scarlet rim. This is a medium bodied wine with dark berry and plum aromas. This is a smooth and easy-drinking wine with flavors of black cherry and cassis balanced with some mushroom and flint. The tannins are fine and submerged and the gentle acidity finishes the profile. Not a great wine, but a good value as an everyday table wine from Washington State.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Guinness Braised Lamb Shanks

Guinness Braised Lamb Shanks

After years of making Corned Beef & Cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day, I decided I would cook lamb shanks this year. Not only do we love slow braised lamb shanks, but this savory dish will go well with a nice glass of red wine or a tall glass of Guinness. This is a dish I might normally cook with a rich red wine, but in honor of the occasion I am using a 14 ounce can of Guinness Draught. This recipe serves 4.
Pre-heat oven 325 degrees. Cooking time approximately 3 ½ hours.

4 Lamb Shanks ( I use Ellensburg Lamb from Superior Farms, USA)
1 large Onion, coarsely chopped
4 stalks of Celery, coarsely chopped
4 large Carrots, coarsely chopped
5 Garlic Cloves, chopped
8 medium sized Red Potatoes cut in half
1 6 oz. can Tomato Paste
1 14 oz can Guinness Draught
1 tbs. fresh Thyme, chopped
1 tbs. fresh Rosemary, chopped
2 cups Beef Stock
1-3 tsp. Salt, to taste
1 tsp. Black Pepper, to taste
1 tsp. prepared Mustard
3 tbs., Olive Oil


Add the olive oil to a large Dutch Oven over medium/high.. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the Lamb Shanks and add to the pot, brown them on all sides. Remove the lamb from the pot and set aside. Add the onions, celery, carrots and garlic to the pan and sauté for about 5-7 minutes until soft. Add the tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, mustard, salt, pepper and cook a few minutes more. Return the lamb shanks to the pot and add the potatoes, the can of Guinness and the beef stock. Continue to heat, on stove, until liquids begin to simmer. Place the cover on the Dutch Oven and cook in the 325 degree oven for 2 ½ hours. At that time, remove the cover and continue to cook the lamb for an additional 30 minutes. Remove from oven, spoon off surface fat and adjust salt, to taste. Serve with a fresh Irish Soda Bread and a fresh green salad. You will not be disappointed!

Sunday, March 14, 2010

SirSell, 2004

SirSell, 2004

This is a red blend from the Priorat region of Spain made by Capafons-Ossó Cellars. It is a mix of 25% Garancha, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 15% Mazuelo and 10% Syrah. The wine is aged for 12 months in French and American oak barrels. The D.O.Q Priorat is known for producing many high quality red blends from vineyards of slate composition, warm micro climates, and low rainfall. We had cellared this 2004 SirSell for the past 2 years. The wine has a deep ruby color with a purple rim. The nose show fresh raspberry and cherry with wet rock and spice. This is a medium bodied wine with flavors of ripe plum, cherry and cassis along with lead pencil, cedar and black pepper. The wine is quite dry, in the mouth, with a cloak of fine grained tannins and a nice amount of balancing acidity. Still youthful and fresh, the finish is smooth and lingering. The wines of Priorat are not considered “value” wines, and this SirSell sells for about $30 in the Seattle area.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Caterina Zardini Valpolicella, Classico Superiore, 2006

Caterina Zardini Valpolicella, Classico Superiore, 2006

Last night was the 82nd annual Academy Awards and we had a small party as we lounged in front of the big screen to watch the handing out of the Oscars. There are a few food items that have become traditional, such as strawberries and Chinese BBQ Pork, but other finger foods come and go throughout the years. The food theme turned more Italian as I decided to fire-up the wood burning pizza oven and crank out some tasty treats.
To accompany our pizza party, I decided to open a bottle of a highly acclaimed wine from Giuseppe Campagnola winery located in the Veneto region of Italy. In Italy, there is a publication called the GAMBERO ROSSO that rates all Italian wines. The 2005 Caterina Zardini Valpolicella, Classico Superiore was awarded Tre Bicchieri, or "three glasses", which is awarded to only the top wines in a given year. This bottle is from the 2006 vintage and has been in our cellar for the past year.

The 2006 Caterina Zardini is made from 60% Corvina and Corvinone and 40% Rondinella. The hand picked grapes are allowed to air dry for 20 days prior to crushing. The wine has a lovely deep ruby color with purple hues. This wine has wonderful aromas with dark cherry, black raspberry, tobacco and summer rain. This is a medium to full bodied wine with a voluptuous mouth-feel with smooth tannins and gentle acidity. It is a delicious mix of ripe black cherries, plum, chocolate, clove and tobacco all wrapped up in a velvet curtain. The wine is well balanced and elegant with an extremely long and satisfying finish. In any given year, there are a few wines that really blow us away, and once again, the Caterina Zardini succeeds. I would award this lovely Valpolicella an Oscar for “Best Supporting Role” at an Oscar party! We bought this wine from Wines from Italy for about $25.



Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Castell del Remei Gotim Bru, 2005

Castell del Remei Gotim Bru, 2005

This Castell del Remei Gotim Bru is one of Spain's great wine values. This is a blend of Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Garnacha from the D.O. of Costers del Segre in Western Catalonia. We have been buying this lovely Spanish blend since the 1998 vintage. The color is a deep ruby/purple that is nearly opaque. There are sweet aromas of ripe black fruit with essences of coffee and licorice. This is a medium to full bodied wine with dark berry, black cherry and stewed plum flavors caressed by chewy tannins and zesty acidity. The wine is nicely balanced with some minerality and oak nuances that complete the package. This is a serious wine for the money. This Spanish blend can be found at Esquin Wine Merchants, in Seattle, for about $10.00. This wine will pair well with any hearty meal or an aged cheese from Spain.