Merlot Wine and Food Pairings

Merlot was my first red wine love. The word merlot is derived from the French and it means “blackbird.”It is thought the merlot grapes are dark as a blackbird. The flavor profile of merlot is blackberry, plum and currants. Sometimes you will find other flavors like chocolate and a bit of leather; but most of the time the fruit is the star of merlot. Merlot is often used as a blending wine in other varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon.  Meritage wines or wines that contain more than one variety of Bordeaux style grape varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Merlot has gotten a bad reputation because it is not that easy to find a well made Merlot. I hate to sound like the character Miles from the movie “Sideways”; but merlot can be less than stellar sometimes. The movie Sideways gave merlot a bad name and made Pinot Noir a rising star in the world of wine.  Here are some fun facts about Merlot. http://www.snooth.com/articles/wine-varieties/12-secrets-of-merlot/2/

The addition of merlot can really add lushness to Cabernet Sauvignon. I like my red wines to be fruit forward and lush with a bit of structure.  Merlot gives that to me in a red wine and pairs well with cheeses and beef dishes. One of my favorite pairings with merlot is a hamburger. This wine is great for a grill party. It not only pairs well with burgers, but steaks as well. Here is a review of one of my most liked value priced merlots.

Bogle 2008 Merlot

 This wine has a beautiful deep dark red color. The nose is filled with dark fruit flavors and is just delightful. The palate has the same dark fruit flavors like plum and black cherry mixed with spice from the oak. This wine is smooth and it reminded me again why Merlot was my first red wine love. I really think this will be my QPR Merlot for this year. This wine is great to sip on its own or to pair with a burger, and steaks. This would also be a great wine with appetizers like cocktail meatballs, sausages and cheeses. This is a value wine and should be one to keep on hand in your cellar. The suggested retail price is $9.00

Recipes

Lorrie’s Steak Bites

1 12 -14 oz rib eye steak cut into inch cubes

1 bottle Stubb’s Beef Marinade

1 package of bacon cut into thirds

1 bottle of your favorite steak sauce (I like A-1)

Marinade cubed steak in enough marinade to cover the meat for at least 30 minutes. An hour is better.  Use a paper towel to absorb some of the excess marinade off the steak. Wrap each piece of steak with a piece of bacon strip, then secure with a tooth pick. Sear in a frying pan or grill on a grill until the bacon is done. Heat up your favorite steak sauce to dip the steak bites in. A fondue pot would be great to keep the sauce warm. Note: The amount of steak bites will vary due to the size of the steak.

Wine suggestion:  Rodney Strong 2007 Merlot Sonoma County

Lorrie's Super Bruschetta

1 head of roasted garlic (recipe will follow)

(1) 8 oz package of cream cheese

½ cup of sharp cheddar cheese

1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon of Creole seasoning

2 tablespoons of melted I can't Believe it's not Butter

¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil

20 diagonally sliced pieces of French bread

(1) 12 oz jar of roasted red peppers

½ lb. of thinly sliced beef pastrami

(1) 8 oz. block of Fontina cheese

dried chives for garnish

To roast garlic: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Cut the top off the head of garlic, just enough to see the garlic toes exposed. Put in a square of aluminum foil. Put olive oil on top and add about a teaspoon of water on the bottom of the foil, close up and bake an hour.

Squeeze roasted garlic toes out of the head of garlic into a small bowl.

This can be done ahead of time to save in prep time.

In addition, the cream cheese mixture can be made ahead as well.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix melted margarine and olive oil together in a cup. Brush the bread with the olive oil mixture and bake for about 5-7 minutes.

In a food processor, combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese, roasted garlic toes, cayenne pepper and Creole seasoning and pulse until blended. 

Remove from oven and spread a teaspoon of cream cheese mixture on each slice of bread. Then add a piece of roasted red pepper. Then add a small piece of pastrami, then a thin slice of Fontina cheese, and a drop of oil on each slice of bread. Sprinkle with chives. Bake in oven until the cheese is melted. About 5 minutes.

Wine Suggestions: Bogle 2008 Merlot or Red Diamond 2007 Merlot

My Method of Wine Scoring

Some may find my method of wine scoring hard to figure out. I review wines and post them on http://www.ebacchus.com/ and sometimes on http://www.examiner.com/ (Little Rock Wine Examiner) . The scoring system is based on grapes, one grape being the lowest score and five grapes being the highest score. I review ones based on their merit (taste) regardless of their price. Some wines which may be listed as a QPR are wines that are a bargain as it relates to their taste or quality. There may be a wine that gets four grapes and it costs $13.50 and a wine that is given four grapes and it could cost $50.00; it dose not matter, tastes is the bottom line. Now, there are different "tiers" of wine, meaning your entry level wines versus your cuvee` or cult wines; but each wine is reviewed based on their own merit.

Remember, taste, and what taste good to you is the deciding factor on how valuable a wine is to you! I am not a wine snob; I am a wine lover. There are not many of us who can just buy cult wines or wines that are made to cellar and expensive wines that we can drink everyday or a few times a week. Most of us buy wines to drink when we want to drink them. Sure, we may have a few to cellar; I don't, not yet!

Scoring does have its place in the wine world. It helps some to determine which wines they want to purchase. Finding a wine expert that you happen to share a palate with helps when reading wine magazines. I have found that I share a similar palate with Steve Heimoff of Wine Enthusiast magazine and a love for bubbles like Andrea Immer Robinson.

Value

Rodney Strong Charlotte's Home Sauvignon Blanc SRP $13.50 Highly Recommended

Splurge

Domaine Carneros 2006 Brut SRP $26.00 Highly Recommended

Two totally different wines in two different price ranges, both highly recommended.

Christmas Wish List

Okay, I know it is early, but Santa I have wanted this gift for over a year now.. Yes, I know it is expensive, but I really, really want it! It cost almost $80.00, but Santa baby, I never said I had inexpensive taste; I just have limited funds. Right now there is free shipping, but I forgot that you have your own delivery schedule. Well, see if an elf can go to this website and hammer out one of these for me. http://www.addisoncollection.net/oliv-ss0194.html Note: This can be found at Frontgate.

I also want a new wine cellar by Sub-Zero http://www.subzero.com/WineStorage/424FSWine. Yes it is is pricey, but if anyone can do it you can Santa. Also, fill the wine cellar up with some of my favorites listed on this blog along with some Moet & Chandon White Star and Pommery Brut Royal champagne please.

If I could get a generous gift card to our local Fresh Market that would be great as well. In addition a William's and Sonoma gift card would be another wonderful gift. 

I'd like a new set of pots; I have not figured out the brand that I want yet. I'll do a little research and let you know.

The last thing I want Santa is a book published on Appetizers and Wine Pairings. It has always been something that I have wanted to do!

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