Last night my friend had a few of us over for a delicious dinner of hoisin-marinated salmon, sauteed snow peas, and brown rice. YUM! I would have paid $25 at a restaurant for that!
I was tasked with bringing a bottle of wine, so I did some research to see what pairs with salmon. I've had salmon and wine a million times, but I never seem to find the right match. Salmon has a very strong, fatty flavor but a big factor is also what spices are used. After consulting my wino friends and doing some research, I decided to bring a Pinot Noir. So I went into Nectar Wine Lounge on Steiner/Chestnut to purchase a bottle (they'll pour you tastes of the wines that they feature by the glass and by the bottle "to go") and ask for advice. They poured me 3 different pinots, they had their interesting differences but had one main (sort of bad) thing in common: too much tart cherry flavor. This tart cherry flavor is what tends to repel me from pinots (but I'm still trying to be open-minded), but I ended up just picking one at random (they were all the same price too) because I was running late and I hoped the salmon's fattiness would work well with the tartness.
The verdict: O'Reilly's 2007 Pinot Noir, Oregon, $20. It was medium to light bodied, had a somewhat resistant texture (didn't slide down smoothly, wasn't quite "rough"). Aromas of plum, cherry, and a little heat, the flavor was tart and flat and the finish was moderate. Paired with the salmon, the pinot did not get any better. Paired with the pinot, the salmon still tasted delicious. Long story short, I wish I got a sancerre, sauvignon blanc, or something bright and lemony which would be like a fresh seasoning on the somewhat sweet salmon.
I did, however, sort of like the pinot with the snow peas. They were a little spicy, and that spice masked the tartness of the pinot and brought out more fruits. It wasn't that remarkable, but still.
Anyway, didn't like salmon with this pinot. Any tips?
Friday, July 31, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
When is an opened bottle of wine too old to drink?
I don't really know. Different "experts" have told me different things. In terms of health/expiration, I think wine is probably good for a few weeks in the refrigerator. In terms of flavor, there are a few variables: refrigerating the wine vs. leaving it at room temp, suctioning the air out vs just putting the cork in.
My teacher at Culinary Institute of America, Jeff Morgan of Wine Spectator and also Covenant Winery in Napa, says "Just drink it." I like his attitude! He says that suctioning the air out also extracts the esters and terpines (what gives wine its delicious flavor). But keeping the air in, simply oxidizes the wine which could have positive or negative affects. On the other hand, the wine buyer at a shop in Washington D.C. says that suctioning the air out and refrigerating the wine will preserve it for 1-2 weeks.
I think this is a lot to weigh, and a lot to think about. I agree with Jeff's philosophy to just drink it!
Put to the test: BV Reserve Pinot Noir, 2004. My sister forgot she had this wine, and finally decided to open it (maybe it was perfect this year, maybe it would have been better last year...who knows). I was out of town when she uncorked it Friday night, but she saved me a splash so I could blog about it. She simply put the cork it and left it on the counter for 72 hours til I eventually drank it last night. It seemed that the main result of leaving it exposed to air for 3 days was a more acidic flavor over the palate, but still a soft/subtle finish. Not having tasted it in its pure form, I honestly can't really judge. It still tasted good to me, probably not as good, but I finished the rest of it. She says it was less earthy and more acidic than it was when she first tasted it. Also, since pinots are sort of delicate, I wonder if it would have done better or worse in the fridge.
Yangarra "Cadenzia" blend (65% Grenach, 35% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre), $20 retail. I opened this one on Friday before going out of town, but then I refridgerated it for teh 72 hours I was gone. When I tried this one last night, it was far too cold from the fridge and rather flavorless because of it. It was definitely more flat, boring, and had lost its smooth satisfying fruit. Originally, this wine was very pleasant. Soft, ripe fruits and "juicy" over the palate, subtle tannic structure, moderate finish. I really enjoyed it...shoulda finished it on Friday.
My teacher at Culinary Institute of America, Jeff Morgan of Wine Spectator and also Covenant Winery in Napa, says "Just drink it." I like his attitude! He says that suctioning the air out also extracts the esters and terpines (what gives wine its delicious flavor). But keeping the air in, simply oxidizes the wine which could have positive or negative affects. On the other hand, the wine buyer at a shop in Washington D.C. says that suctioning the air out and refrigerating the wine will preserve it for 1-2 weeks.
I think this is a lot to weigh, and a lot to think about. I agree with Jeff's philosophy to just drink it!
Put to the test: BV Reserve Pinot Noir, 2004. My sister forgot she had this wine, and finally decided to open it (maybe it was perfect this year, maybe it would have been better last year...who knows). I was out of town when she uncorked it Friday night, but she saved me a splash so I could blog about it. She simply put the cork it and left it on the counter for 72 hours til I eventually drank it last night. It seemed that the main result of leaving it exposed to air for 3 days was a more acidic flavor over the palate, but still a soft/subtle finish. Not having tasted it in its pure form, I honestly can't really judge. It still tasted good to me, probably not as good, but I finished the rest of it. She says it was less earthy and more acidic than it was when she first tasted it. Also, since pinots are sort of delicate, I wonder if it would have done better or worse in the fridge.
Yangarra "Cadenzia" blend (65% Grenach, 35% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre), $20 retail. I opened this one on Friday before going out of town, but then I refridgerated it for teh 72 hours I was gone. When I tried this one last night, it was far too cold from the fridge and rather flavorless because of it. It was definitely more flat, boring, and had lost its smooth satisfying fruit. Originally, this wine was very pleasant. Soft, ripe fruits and "juicy" over the palate, subtle tannic structure, moderate finish. I really enjoyed it...shoulda finished it on Friday.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Wine tasting with the family, cont'd
I'm finally going to finish my earlier posting. I already described all the wines we tasted first: 3 whites, 3 reds, now I'm going to describe the Malbec.
Everyone was getting really into the tasting and food pairing, so I decided to go ahead and open the Malbec, which was really nice to have last. At that point, everyone's palates were getting tired, but we still wanted to test our articulation and wine critiquing skills, so a fruity, easy-to-drink Malbec was perfect. Low in tannins, low in astringency, this was definitely a nice conclusion.
Ben Marco 2007, Mendoza, Argentina: $14. As with most Malbecs, it was fruit-forward full of ripe cherry, plum, and raspberries. It had a fairly short and simple finish and was exactly as I said before: easy drinking. Everyone liked it, but I'm not sure if it's because we had already tasted so many things, or people were getting drunk, or if it was the great price point. Regardless, I'll definitely try it again to find out for sure. Any thoughts?
Everyone was getting really into the tasting and food pairing, so I decided to go ahead and open the Malbec, which was really nice to have last. At that point, everyone's palates were getting tired, but we still wanted to test our articulation and wine critiquing skills, so a fruity, easy-to-drink Malbec was perfect. Low in tannins, low in astringency, this was definitely a nice conclusion.
Ben Marco 2007, Mendoza, Argentina: $14. As with most Malbecs, it was fruit-forward full of ripe cherry, plum, and raspberries. It had a fairly short and simple finish and was exactly as I said before: easy drinking. Everyone liked it, but I'm not sure if it's because we had already tasted so many things, or people were getting drunk, or if it was the great price point. Regardless, I'll definitely try it again to find out for sure. Any thoughts?
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Oatmeal Stout with Molasses Bacon
Ok so my forte' is wine, but I will definitely give a shout-out to delicious beer (and liquors). My sister is doing a potluck beer/food pairing tomorrow, and she's bringing oatmeal stout with molasses bacon. Seems like a good pairing, although I haven't had stout in a long time and I haven't had bacon in even longer. She asked me to help her come up with a description of these flavors...any ideas???
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Wine tasting with the family
I recently hosted a wine tasting for my parents and my aunt and uncle. Since there would only be five of us, I wanted to keep it simple and taste 2 whites, 2 reds. But as my parents have been collecting (and forgetting) dozens of wines over the years, my mom suggested we try 6-7. This made it a lot more fun for me!
How it worked: We did a blind tasting of 3 whites, stopped to talk about each then revealed them afterwards, then 3 reds following the same procedure.
1. Brander Sauvignon Blanc, 2008, Santa Ynez, CA: $15 from the winery. It was exactly what you'd expect from a sauv blanc: light body, refreshing acidity, aromas and flavors of grass, citrus, and some green apple. It also paired nicely with the green olives we had. It wasn't my favorite Sauv blanc, it fell a little flat and i prefer more citrus and crispness on the palate.
2. Crios Torrontes, 2008, Mendoza, Argentina: $12 from Costco. This was also exactly what you'd expect from a Torrontes: light body, ripe tree fruit, melon, and some citrus on the palate with a short and crisp finish. Very floral on the nose, with aromas of lychee and plumeria. Everyone really enjoyed this and had no idea what varietal it was (I think it was their first time trying a Torrontes). My main take-away from this wine, was that it was very simple and drinkable. I think this is perfect for my parents that like an easy sipping wine, especially on a warm summer afternoon out on the patio.
3. La Crema Chardonnay, 2006, Napa, CA: $15 from Costco. CORKED! Too bad. But I dont really care for Chardonnay anyhow. My aunt is a big fan of classic oaky, buttery Chards and she of course knew in a second that this wine was not right. The rest of my family thought that it was supposed to smell moldy, and like damp towels. We still tasted it anyway, and it definitely maintain its buttery/oaky/toasty flavor, but we moved on fairly quickly.
4. J Winery Pinot Noir, 2004, Russian River Valley, CA: $50? from winery. I'm not sure about the price because when I went there recently, I believe their 2005 and 2006 pinots are around $50, so the '04 must've been around the same when we bought it. My sister, however, feels strongly that she paid $70 for this a few years ago when she bought it for my folks. I dont really believe her, so i'm going to call the winery and see if they know. Anyway, it was delicious! Light bodied, subtle tannins, inviting aromas of ripe cherries, plums, and some iodine. Smooth over the palate, finishing with a slight chalkiness in the back of the throat. Everyone guessed it was a pinot, but my mom thought maybe it was a merlot. i tried to keep them guessing so i reminded them that tannins smooth out over time, and since this wine was already 5 years old, it could be a light-style smooth aged merlot. Fooled them!
5. Ponte Family Sangiovese, Temecula, CA: $35 from winery. My aunt and uncle brought this over. Bright cherry, notes of tobacco, and a very subtle hint of soap (not unpleasant). It had a somewhat rough texture, but would pair nicely with something rich and fatty like duck. My mom did not like this one at first (because of it's tartness and astringent finish) but when I reminded her that we were just sipping these and not necessarily pairing with the right items (other than 3 types of cheese), she changed her mind.
6. BV Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, 2003, Napa, CA: $65 from winery. It's as if everyone already knew this was the most expensive and also nicely aged. As soon as they smelled it, they were oo-ing and aah-ing. Personally I think it's because they assumed I did in fact save the best for last. Anyway, it was full bodied, with smooth yet structured tannins. Rich with black cherry, cassis, and hints of leather. The finish was moderate, laced with pleasant tannins. I think this would be perfect with a delcious steak (surprise surprise) and since my dad has 2 more bottles, i recommended that he brings it to Ruth's Chris next time they go.
Phew. I'm tired of writing for now, but I'm not quite done describing our tasting. I still have to talk about the Malbec we randomly decided to open after the tasting. But in the mean time, let me know your thoughts and whether you agree/disagree on my review of these wines!
How it worked: We did a blind tasting of 3 whites, stopped to talk about each then revealed them afterwards, then 3 reds following the same procedure.
1. Brander Sauvignon Blanc, 2008, Santa Ynez, CA: $15 from the winery. It was exactly what you'd expect from a sauv blanc: light body, refreshing acidity, aromas and flavors of grass, citrus, and some green apple. It also paired nicely with the green olives we had. It wasn't my favorite Sauv blanc, it fell a little flat and i prefer more citrus and crispness on the palate.
2. Crios Torrontes, 2008, Mendoza, Argentina: $12 from Costco. This was also exactly what you'd expect from a Torrontes: light body, ripe tree fruit, melon, and some citrus on the palate with a short and crisp finish. Very floral on the nose, with aromas of lychee and plumeria. Everyone really enjoyed this and had no idea what varietal it was (I think it was their first time trying a Torrontes). My main take-away from this wine, was that it was very simple and drinkable. I think this is perfect for my parents that like an easy sipping wine, especially on a warm summer afternoon out on the patio.
3. La Crema Chardonnay, 2006, Napa, CA: $15 from Costco. CORKED! Too bad. But I dont really care for Chardonnay anyhow. My aunt is a big fan of classic oaky, buttery Chards and she of course knew in a second that this wine was not right. The rest of my family thought that it was supposed to smell moldy, and like damp towels. We still tasted it anyway, and it definitely maintain its buttery/oaky/toasty flavor, but we moved on fairly quickly.
4. J Winery Pinot Noir, 2004, Russian River Valley, CA: $50? from winery. I'm not sure about the price because when I went there recently, I believe their 2005 and 2006 pinots are around $50, so the '04 must've been around the same when we bought it. My sister, however, feels strongly that she paid $70 for this a few years ago when she bought it for my folks. I dont really believe her, so i'm going to call the winery and see if they know. Anyway, it was delicious! Light bodied, subtle tannins, inviting aromas of ripe cherries, plums, and some iodine. Smooth over the palate, finishing with a slight chalkiness in the back of the throat. Everyone guessed it was a pinot, but my mom thought maybe it was a merlot. i tried to keep them guessing so i reminded them that tannins smooth out over time, and since this wine was already 5 years old, it could be a light-style smooth aged merlot. Fooled them!
5. Ponte Family Sangiovese, Temecula, CA: $35 from winery. My aunt and uncle brought this over. Bright cherry, notes of tobacco, and a very subtle hint of soap (not unpleasant). It had a somewhat rough texture, but would pair nicely with something rich and fatty like duck. My mom did not like this one at first (because of it's tartness and astringent finish) but when I reminded her that we were just sipping these and not necessarily pairing with the right items (other than 3 types of cheese), she changed her mind.
6. BV Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, 2003, Napa, CA: $65 from winery. It's as if everyone already knew this was the most expensive and also nicely aged. As soon as they smelled it, they were oo-ing and aah-ing. Personally I think it's because they assumed I did in fact save the best for last. Anyway, it was full bodied, with smooth yet structured tannins. Rich with black cherry, cassis, and hints of leather. The finish was moderate, laced with pleasant tannins. I think this would be perfect with a delcious steak (surprise surprise) and since my dad has 2 more bottles, i recommended that he brings it to Ruth's Chris next time they go.
Phew. I'm tired of writing for now, but I'm not quite done describing our tasting. I still have to talk about the Malbec we randomly decided to open after the tasting. But in the mean time, let me know your thoughts and whether you agree/disagree on my review of these wines!
Friday, July 3, 2009
Laird Family Estate's Pinot Noir
I went to wine country a few months ago, and our first stop was the Laird Family Estate in Napa. I described the tasting in an earlier post, but this entry is to follow up on the Pinot Noir I had purchased (but hadn't actually tasted), their 2007 Pinot Noir from the Carneros region.
It was light to medium bodied, with a somewhat chalky texture in the sense that it didn't quite slip over my tongue, but it "snagged" a little and left my tongue feeling, well, chalky. This definitely had to do with the tannins, which were bright and astringent. The fruit was very underplayed--hints of bright cherry at best. The finish was tart and moderate. All in all, I did not particularly like this wine, but maybe I should have expected that: I believe I paid around $20 for it at the winery, and supposedly you can't find a "good" pinot for less than $30-40. I'll let you know when I taste the Bolletto pinot, which was $25!
It was light to medium bodied, with a somewhat chalky texture in the sense that it didn't quite slip over my tongue, but it "snagged" a little and left my tongue feeling, well, chalky. This definitely had to do with the tannins, which were bright and astringent. The fruit was very underplayed--hints of bright cherry at best. The finish was tart and moderate. All in all, I did not particularly like this wine, but maybe I should have expected that: I believe I paid around $20 for it at the winery, and supposedly you can't find a "good" pinot for less than $30-40. I'll let you know when I taste the Bolletto pinot, which was $25!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)