Wines that Stay on Your Mind

Well, before I talk about wines that have made a lasting impression on me, I have to say that the marinade I created for my steaks on yesterday turned out great! So, play around with those ingredients when making your own marinade.

I had the pleasure of having Frank Family Vineyards 2007 Zinfandel. I can't seem to get this wine out of my head. It has to be the best Zin that I've ever had! The problem is I can't get my hands on another bottle. The wine is not available in Arkansas, and due to shipping laws, "no can do!" I had this wine with a tomato basil garlic brushchetta http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/fresh-tomato-toasts-bruschetta-di-pomodori.html?cm_src=RECIPESEARCH, and an open faced grilled Da Vinci Gouda cheese appetizer. I have to say this was great.

Another two wines that have stayed on my mind are from Long Island. Castello de Borghese Chardonnette and Fleurette, which is a rose` wine.

The wines were just great to sip on, but would pair well with an appetizer or salad. Another wine that stays on my mind is Red Diamond 2007 Merlot. It was just smooth and easy to drink. I find that when evaluating wines, I don't look at price. Sure some wines are of a different tier or class, but it all boils down to if you like it, will it pair well with the food and is it affordable for you. I'm also impressed with the J 2009 Pinot Gris. I will be getting a few bottles to have on hand for the holidays.

Rodney Strong's 2009 Charlotte Home Sauvignon Blanc is one of my favorite white wines to have in my wine cellar. I truly love sparkling wine as you can see on this blog. The Domaine Carneros Brut is still on my mind.

Well, this is just a few wines that I'm in love with right now; I will add more wines to this list this week.

Sunday Cooking

Well today is Sunday. I'm having to cook today; so we are having rib eye steaks. I'm going to have steak fries and a salad along with the steak. I had my husband go to the store for the steaks (on sale at our local Kroger's) and wanted some Stubb's Beef Marinade to marinate the steaks. Of course my husband said, "Is this the right stuff?" And you know when I looked it was not! So, as any cook would do, I made my own. No use in using a product that you know nothing about, which could ruin good steaks. So, I scratched my head, so to speak and created my own steak marinade. I used fresh sage, fresh rosemary (both from my potted garden), liquid smoke, good balsamic vinegar, melted I Can't Believe it's not butter, Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning, garlic powder, a bit of sea salt, Victoria's Gourmet New Orleans Seasoning http://www.vgourmet.com/, sugar, lemon juice, olive oil and a bit of Merlot.

I whisked it all together while sipping on a cocktail. I added the Domaine de Canton ginger flavored liqueur and ginger ale and a bit of lemon while making my marinade. I have to say that it was a very nice cocktail. The lemon or lime is needed to balance the sweetness of the drink. I loved the spice from the ginger, plus it put me in the mood to cook. Marinades can be whatever flavors you want them to be; to day herbs and wine are the stars of my marinade. The steaks are still marinating, so I'll have to give you the results in my next blog...

Well, I'll have to have a glass of Merlot with the steak; the bottle was opened.  I wish I had a glass of Cab to go with the steak; but I'll have to go with the flow...

Wine and Food Pairing Suggestions

I must admit that serving appetizers with wine is my favorite way to entertain. I am an oenophile (wine lover) at heart. Cooking and pairing wine with food gives me a sense of culinary accomplishment. It also provides a pleasurable experience for my guests. Being a wine and food writer gives me opportunities to get samples of wine, food items and other gourmet goods to review.  The samples also allow me to create recipes and pairings to share with my readers.

 I really love picking my brain thing of what would be the best ingredients to make a glaze for a pork roast or what shrimp and corn dish to pair with Chardonnay. A home cook can feel like a chef by just realizing the power of creativity; which by the way is free! By the way, I really am working on a glaze for a pork loin and I want to pair it with J 2009 "California" Pinot Gris. The hints of tangerine and orange blossoms will pair well with pork that has those same flavors with an addition of a few other flavors to give it that right "kick."

One of my favorite no cook pairings is sparkling wine and cheese. I love to pair Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog goat cheese with sparkling wine. I let it come to room temperature and spread it on a thin slice of French bread. St. Andre cheese, which is a triple cream French cheese is another favorite pairing with sparkling wine. It is almost like butter. I like to spread it on a crisp cracker and savor it with a glass of sparkling wine.

I'm also in love pate` from http://www.3pigs.com/, especially the pate`with mushrooms and the Mousse Truffle` pate`; both pair well with Brut, Blanc de Blancs and Blanc de Noir sparkling wines.

I must admit that I am in love with Domaine Carneros 2006 Brut Cuvee. The flavors of ripe pear truly make this sparkling wine unique; I want to pair it with Humboldt Fog and see if magic is made in my mouth! I am also planning to make a sparkling wine cocktail with a ginger flavored libation, Domaine de Canton with this wonderful sparkling wine because of the ripe pear flavors will pair well with ginger. I'm hoping for a successful cocktail. Will provide you with an update and a recipe when I develop the cocktail.

Another pairing that is almost no-cook pairing is popcorn and sparkling wine; just pop and maybe add some desired flavorings on the popcorn and sip bubbly. French fries are another great and off the beaten path pairing with sparkling wine in addition to potato chips.

Wines Recommended to Cellar

Wine Enthusiast just sent out their list of wine recommended for cellaring. I must admit, I'm not there yet, with long term cellaring. I much rather enjoy the wines that I have in my wine cellar/fridge. Maybe when my finances allow, I will get a few of these types of wines to see what "cellaring" is all about. I think I would have liked to cellar this Meritage  Rodney Strong 2007 Symmetry; the site says it could cellar for a couple of years. I sampled it for review; so no cellaring just yet. .

This wine is a deep almost inky red color. The nose is filled with dark fruit, blackberries, dark plums, and a sweet spice from the French oak. The palate mirrors the nose with an addition of chocolate. The wine's nuances are in symmetry, hence the name Symmetry. There are some tannins, but they give structure to the wine. I decanted this wine for about an hour, so I could experience the aromas and flavors of this wine. The alcohol level is a bit powerful, but decanting mellows this big wine. I wanted to pair it with a grilled rib eye steak with a pat of rosemary compound butter, which would have been the ultimate pairing; but I paired it with a round steak simmered in a red wine (Merlot) based gravy with sage, rosemary, and thyme as the herbs along with homemade macaroni and cheese and sweet green peas. This was a great pairing. Another pairing would be with any beef dish or with medium flavored cheeses like Cahill Porter cheese. Note: This wine was a sample provided by Rodney Strong wines.

So, here is the link Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Cellar Selections

J 2009 "California" Pinot Gris

This wine has a light straw color. The nose is beautiful! I have to say that I have a "thing" for wines with ripe beautiful noses. The nose has a "warm" tangerine and honeysuckle nose with just a slight hint of spice. The palate mirrors the nose with an addition of honey and lime. I think this wine is one to have during the warm months and also in the the cooler months due to the warmth of the nose, the citrus flavors (tangerine), and the acidity of the wine and the hint of spice. I think this wine would pair well with ripened goat cheese, pork, orange glazed chicken, crab cakes, and grilled shrimp, which were marinated in a marinade that included orange juice with a bit of ginger and lime juice. This wine is one that I will have in my cellar, just to sip or to pair with a meal. Note: This wine was a sample provided by J Wines. SRP $15.00

Domaine Carneros Brut Rose`

This wine has a lovely salmon hue. The nose is slightly floral, and has hints of strawberries and white peaches. The palate mirrors the nose with an addition of a hint of toast. This wine would pair well with salmon, chicken, duck and pork. I would also pair this wine with an appetizer of cream cheese with Tabasco brand Red Pepper Jelly spread on top, served with crackers. Note: This wine was a sample provided by Domaine Carneros. SRP $36.00

Wine Review: Domaine Carneros 2006 Brut Cuvee

This wine has a beautiful light gold color. The nose is fresh, slightly floral, filled with aromas of ripe pears and a hint of orange peel. There is also the sweet notes of vanilla and toastiness found in champagne. The palate mirrors the nose with an addition of a lush and creamy mouth feel. This wine is truly a treat. I would pair this with a triple cream cheese like St. Andre or a goat cheese from Cypress Grove Chevre like Humboldt Fog with a selection of crackers and sliced French bread. It would also pair well with oysters, shrimp, crab, and chicken. Note: This was a sample provided by Domaine Carneros. SRP $26.00