Girardet Baco Noir, 2006

Girardet Baco Noir, 2006

Girardet Winery, of Roseburg Oregon, is a pioneer in the Baco Noir variety on the West Coast. They have been producing it since 1991. Baco Noir was developed in the Armagnac region of Bordeaux by Francois Baco. This bottle of wine was produced in the Umpqua Valley in Southern Oregon and was given to me by one of my very nice patients. This is the first time we ever tasted a wine from the Baco Noir. This wine has a deep crimson/purple color that is very dark in the glass. The nose is packed with rich aromas of blackberry, sweet plum, cotton candy and spice. This is a medium bodied wine with a rich mouth feel of cooked blueberries, black cherry, cinnamon, and chocolate. The rich fruit flavors build slowly and then linger on a spicy finish. There are soft tannins and lingering acidity that contribute to the overall deliciousness factor. This wine comes in someplace between a new world Spanish Garnacha and a smooth Mendoza Malbec.

Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Shrimp

Last night we hosted a party for my Eastside Dental Study Club. This was a Pizza Party at heart, but we also had several tasty appetisers. These Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Shrimp are relatively easy to make and are definitely a crowd favorite. I made a double batch; plated them and the sauce on a platter for easy passing amongst our guests.

Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Shrimp
With Dill Dipping Sauce

16 Large Shrimp, peeled and deveined
8 Slices Prosciutto
16 small Bamboo Skewers
1 tbs. Olive Oil

Soak bamboo skewers in cold water for 10 minutes.

Cut each slice of Prosciutto in half, lengthwise, and wrap each Shrimp. Skewer each wrapped shrimp and lightly coat with olive oil.

Place on medium hot grill and cook for about 3-5 minutes, per side, until charred and cooked through.

Dill Dipping Sauce

¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
2 tbs. chopped fresh dill
2 tbs. chopped chives
1 garlic clove, crushed
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
½ tsp sugar
1 tbs. lemon juice

Mix all ingredients in small bowl. Serve chilled.

Mas Donis Barrica, 2004

The 2004 Mas Donis Barrica is a blend of 85% Garnacha and 15% Syrah from the Montsant region of Spain. The wine is aged for 8 months in French and American oak. We had cellared this wine for the past 2 years and decided to open it last night. The color is deep red/purple and is nearly opaque. There is a lovely nose of dark berries, plum, aged cheese, earth. On the palate the wine is medium to full-bodied with layers of ripe black fruits, espresso, tobacco and leather all co-mingling to form a long, pure finish. The tannins and acidity are both restrained and compliment this easy drinking wine. This is another outstanding wine from Spain imported by Eric Solomon.

Casa Lapostolle Cuvée Alexandre Syrah, 2002

Casa Lapostolle Cuvée Alexandre Syrah, 2002

Casa Lapostolle was founded by the Marnier Lapostolle family from France and the Rabat family from Chile in 1994. The winery is located in the heart of Chile about 100 miles south of Santiago, in the Rapel Valley. This 2002 Syrah has a deep, almost black color with some purple hues. The nose displays dark berry with notes of smoke, vanilla and caramel. This is a thick, chewy wine with expressive flavors of black fruit, espresso, licorice and smoke. There is an impressive concentration of these flavors along with firm tannins and exotic spice on the finish. This is a full-throttle full bodied wine that would pair well with some Beef Wellington. We have cellared this lovely Syrah for the past 4 years and found it to be a true gem.

Barbera D'Alba Superiore Bricco Cichetta, 2006

Barbera D'Alba Superiore Bricco Cichetta, 2006

Azienda Agricola Rinaldi is located in Piedmont, near Alba, in Madonna di Como, an area of Langhe which is known to produce excellent Barbera wines. During the Roman Age, the name “Como” indicated a group of young people dancing to celebrate Bacchus, the God of Wine. This estate, Agricola Rinaldi, has been producing Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto and Moscato since 1920. The Barbera D'Alba Superiore Bricco Cichetta, 2006, is a beautiful wine with a dark ruby red color. The nose is packed with dark ripe fruit along with some spice, licorice and vanilla. This is a medium bodied wine with an elegant, rich mouth feel and delicious flavors of plum, black cherry, dark chocolate and some delightful minerality. There are well integrated tannins and crisp acidity that make this wine a great companion for a hearty Italian meal. We enjoyed this Barbera at the excellent Veneto Trattoria, in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Atalaya, 2007

Atalaya, 2007

This is new import from Bodegas Atalaya from Almansa, Spain. . The 2007 Atalaya is a blend of Monastrell, Garnacha, and other red grapes. The wine was aged for eight months in French and American oak. The color is deep purple with a violet rim. This wine has a lovely bouquet of cherries, blueberries and some new leather. On the palate it shows off beautiful dark fruit flavors of plum, black cherry and berry along with some light spice, coco and pepper. This is a medium bodied wine with a lovely mouth-feel and superb depth and complexity. This is an all-round delicious wine that will go well with any hearty meal or with a nice chunk of dark chocolate. We bought this yummy wine at Pete’s Wine Shop, in Bellevue, for about $14.

Campos Reales Tempranillo, 2008

Campos Reales Tempranillo, 2008

Located around 110 miles southeast of Madrid, Bodega Campos Reales is situated in La Mancha region, the largest wine producing region in Spain and the world. There are a few things that are quite interesting about this wine. First, this is another well made “new-world” wine, imported by Jorge Ordonez, that is being sold in the Seattle area for about $7.00. Secondly is the age of this wine. This new vintage came available in March, 2009, only 5 months after the grapes were picked off the vine. Wow, how youthful can you get… no oak aging here! This easy drinking wine has a deep violet color and a nose of fresh berries and cherries. On the palate, ripe blackberries, strawberries and pomegranate comingle on a zesty medium bodied backbone. The tannins are quite submerged and the fresh acidity makes this wine a good pair for any casual dinner. This is not a complex wine; however, it delivers some delicious vitality and freshness that is quite enjoyable.. We bought this nice “value wine” from Spain at QFC, in Bellevue, for about $7.00

Stuffed Sizzling Peppers

Stuffed Sizzling Peppers


When we were down in Scottsdale, a few weeks ago, we had a lovely dinner at the Sierra Bonita Grill. We started with an appetizer of Cheese Stuffed Sizzling Jalapeños. To our surprise, they arrived on our table in a specially made cast iron pan with 8 beautifully sizzling peppers. The appetizer was totally delicious and the owner was nice enough to give us the name of the company that sells these special pans. I promptly ordered two from the Sizzling Pepper Griddle Company, and got to try them out tonight. I made two "pan-fulls" tonight with one pan a blend of Mexican cheese and the other with ground lamb, chopped onion and the same cheese blend. The concept is simple, but the results are totally delicious. We enjoyed these as a savory dinner with some chip and salsa and a cold Wheat Ale.

Here is the special cast iron pan ready for some stuffed jalapeños.

Start with fresh, large jalapeños that you cut in half and de-seed.The peppers are filled with the stuffing and cooked on the stove or grill.Here are the cheese stuffed peppers after cooking.Here are the lamb and cheese stuffed peppers ready to eat.

Quinta do Encontro QdoE, 2004

Quinta do Encontro QdoE, 2004

Quinta do Encontro is located in the Bairrada region of Portugal. The majority of red wines produced in this region are from the lesser known grape called Baga. This is a varietal known to produce wines with bold rich color, straightforward acidity and powerful tannic structure. Wines made from Baga can have great longevity when all the right elements come together.. Quinta do Encontro has included some Merlot in the QdoE to soften and expand the flavor profile. This wine has a deep ruby color with some dark purple hues. The nose is quite expressive with blackberries, cherries and some green pepper. This is a dense wine with flavors of black cherry, raspberries and loads of black pepper integrated onto a medium bodied frame. There are abundant tannins that completely coat your mouth and moderate acidity that lingers on the finish. This is an interesting wine to help understand the wines from the Bairrada DOC of Portugal. We purchased this wine from QFC, in Bellevue, for about $10.

Martin Codax Ergo, 2006

Martin Codax Ergo, 2006

Bodegas Martin Codax was founded in 1986 and represents modern Spanish wine making with the ideal fusion of tradition and innovation. This Bodegas produces fine white wines in the Rias Baix Region and lovely red wines in Rioja. The winemaker is Luciano Amoedo and with this 2006 vintage he has crafted an elegant wine at an everyday price. This wine is a blend of 85% Tempranillo and 15% Mazuelo. The color is deep ruby red that is nearly opaque. The nose is full of red cherry, plum with a hint of leather and spice. This is a medium bodied wine that opens with sweet plum and black cherry and finishes with chocolate, black pepper and some lively acidity. There are light tannins and a hint of oak that help round out this modern Rioja. The Martin Codax Ergo can be found in the Seattle area for about $10-$12. Another good value from Spain.