Villa Pillo Borgoforte, 2007

The Villa Pillo estate is located in the heart of the Chianti area, equidistant from the cities of Pisa, Florence and Sienna near the town of San Gimignano. The 2007 Borgoforte is a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot that is aged for one year in French oak. The color is a a very dark ruby with purple highlights. This is a medium bodied wine with rich, ripe black fruit components surrounded by earthiness and crisp acidity that screams out “Tuscany“. There are abundant grainy tannins the add a rustic touch. This is a value “Super Tuscan” that over delivers at the $12 price point. Try this wine with some Grilled Sausage and Peppers or Pasta Bolognese, you will not be disappointed.

Domaine de Couron Marselan, Coteaux de L’Ardeche, 2008

Marselan is a wine grape from France the is relatively unknown throughout the USA and the world. This grape was bred in 1961 as a hybrid of Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache. The Marselan grape is named after Marseillan, a small town on France's Mediterranean coast where it was first grown. This past weekend we were celebrating my birthday at the Metro Brasserie, at Southbridge, in Scottsdale Arizona. It was a lovely evening for alfresco dinning and we took advantage of their classy patio setting. I was excited to find this Marselan on the wine list and enjoy it with the Cassoulet of duck confit, braised lamb, saucisson, tomato confit and white beans. The wine has deep purple/ruby color and is nearly opaque. The nose is full of fresh blackberries, cherries, raspberries and black pepper with no evidence of oak or earth. In the mouth the wine is full bodied, inky, soft and succulent. Sweet cherry, ripe blueberry and juicy plum sing out on a back drop of caramel and white pepper. There are moderate well integrated tannins and a hint of minerality that highlights the fruit driven style. This Domaine de Couron Marselan was quite luscious and delicious and was a great companion to a great dinner. Only a small quantity of this wine is imported to the USA, however, if you find it, try it!

Matchbook Syrah, 2006

Matchbook wines are made by the Crew Wine Company in Zamora California (north of Sacramento). Crew Wine Company was started by John and Karl Giguiere who were the original owners of R.H.Phillips Winery. This Dunnigan Hills Syrah is made from 90% Syrah, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petite Syrah. This wine has a dark ruby color and a pretty nose of blackberry and butterscotch with a hint of citrus peel. This is a medium bodied wine that is very fruit forward with ripe red raspberry, blueberry, cardamom, toast and white pepper. This is a zesty, fresh wine with crisp acidity and gentle tannins. The finish is pleasant and lingering. This wine is a nice choice for any “new-world” junky looking for a good value from a solid California producer. We purchased the Matchbook Syrah at Pete’s Wine Shop, in Bellevue for about $11.
　

Alexandria Nicole Rock Star Red, 2006

Alexandria Nicole Cellars produces small lots of hand-crafted wine from their Destiny Ridge Estate Vineyard. The 260 acre estate vineyard is located high above the bluffs on the Columbia River, near the town of Paterson, Washington, part of the Horse Heaven Hills geographic designation. We have been members of their wine club for the past few years and really enjoy their well-crafted, quality wines. The 2006 Rock star Red is a blend of mostly Syrah, co-fermented with Viognier and Grenache. This wine a a deep ruby/purple color with rich aromas of dark fruit, cedar, floral notes and cracked pepper. On the palate is ripe black fruit, dark cherry, espresso, cedar and black pepper. This is a full bodied wine that is bold, fruit-forward and smooth. There are well integrated tannins and gentle acidity below a layer of toasty oak. The finish is long, inky and chewy. This is an excellent expression of Syrah from the Horse Heaven Hills region of the Columbia Valley. This wine was sold directly to wine club members for about $30.

Bila-Haut Cotes Du Roussillon Villages, 2008

Domaine Bila-Haut is owned by the famed M. Chapoutier. They own more than 400 acres of prime vineyards in the Rhone Valley area. This estate is located in the Cotes du Roussillon of Languedoc, which borders the Rhone Valley. Bila-Haut is an old vine estate that Chapoutier has planted with Grenache, Carignan and Syrah. This location is blessed with cool winters, hot summers, low rainfall and the local 'Mistral' (which is a drying breeze) to make a perfect climate for these varietals. All of the grapes for the Bila-Haut are hand picked in the vineyards. Michael Chapoutier takes pride in producing wines that have great character even at a value price-point. This lovely red wine has a deep, dark ruby color that is nearly opaque. On the nose is fresh blackberry and cherry with some earth. This is a big, rich wine with abundant black fruit, plum, currant, mocha and licorice. The mouth-feel is smooth and expansive with the bold fruit, creamy tannins, gentle acidity and subtle minerality. The finish is elegant and lingering. We really enjoyed this wine! This wine will pair well with roasted or grilled meats or any flavorful cheese. We purchase this 2008 Bila-Haut at Pete’s Wine Shop, in Bellevue, for about $14.00.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.