Food & Wine & Recipe and Reviews!

Food & Wine & Recipe and Reviews!

It’s the weekend, YAY!!!  Today I have three different California terroirs, three different wines for you, plus an easy, tasty and healthy recipe.  In these days of high unemployment and global financial crisis, it’s nice to relax with a bottle of wine that doesn’t break your pocketbook. I’m here to sort out the memorable from the truly awful, and each bottle is under $10 unless noted otherwise.

Robert Hall 2009 Chardonnay Paso Robles Alcohol 14.5% by volume – under $10 at Trader Joes.

On the Label:  “Not far from the Pacific Ocean, along California’s pristine Central Coast, lies Paso Robles – one of the world’s most exciting wine regions. Here rolling terrain, varied soils and climate combine to yield the essence of this special place. As true stewards of the land, at Robert Hall sustainable farming is practiced to conserve our earth’s valued natural resources. Select lots of grapes were chosen for our 2009 Cahrdonnay. Rich from barrel fermentation and aging, this wine shows crisp green apple and butterscotch flavors wound around a fresh lemon peel core. This is what wine was meant to be – flavorful, approachable, and honest.”

My Take: Setting aside the whole “sustainable farming” thing (I really need to interview my boss on that subject), this wine had chilled well in an ice bucket, ready to go with a lovely fish packet meal (recipe following). It was the end of the work week; I looked forward to sitting down to a good meal with a nice wine, my family around me for another evening of silliness.

I got the silliness; I even got the fish packet meal (after some false starts). But the wine? At first, I thought – well, it just needs food. Then with the meal, as the wine started to warm up (now out of its ice bath), I decided that maybe it was past prime – but a 2009 Chardonnay should be able to hold up for four to five years or more.

It wasn’t until the next day that the truth became obvious to me. Upon tasting it again, I realized the wine was sour. It had either gone bad in the bottle, or had never been that good to begin with. I poured it out – I couldn’t even cook with it, the flavor was so bad. Will I try more Robert Hall wines? In the interests of research – yes, of course. Providing they’re lower than $10.

My Rating: ~ Barely Drinkable ~ Maybe I just had a bad bottle. It happens.

FISH PACKET MEAL: Preheat oven to 350 F.

Choose your vegetables. I like red onion, thin strips of bell pepper, zucchini sliced into coins, and shredded carrots. Make enough veggies for each packet planned (i.e., more for 4; less for 2, but twice as much as you have fish per serving. In other words, 2/3 veggies, 1/3 fish). Lay out a  12″ to 15″ piece of foil per serving, and place the veggie mix centered on the foil for each serving.

Take any nice fillet of fish (salmon, swai, tilapia, whatever is on sale or what your pocket book can stand that day) and pat dry. Place on top of the veggies; top with a slice of onion and a pat of butter. Season to taste with salt & pepper; seal the foil around the fish tightly so no steam escapes. If you wish: add fresh, chopped herbs such as parsley, thyme, oregano, rosemary – whatever you may have in your garden, and whatever you like with fish. You can also squeeze a lemon over everything before you close up the foil.

Place on a cookie sheet and into hot oven. Depending on the thickness of the fish, this will be done in 15 – 30 minutes.  You can also make this dish while camping; just place packets on grill on top of hot coals, put lid down on bbq, and wait the 30 minutes. Fish is done when it flakes easily. Pass lemon wedges about for the fish, if desired.

Serve with wild rice. While camping, don’t even bother plating this dish – plop the foil onto a plate and there you go – a hunk of bread will be a good substitute for the rice!

Doon Buggy Napa Valley 2009 Red Blend Alcohol 13.5% by volume Under $10 at Trader Joes

On the Label: “A perfect fit for the lush vineyards that blanket rolling hillsides, the Doon Buggy skips alone the throughs and peaks of perfectly raked soil while its pilot looks after his grapes and takes in the morning sun.

“Small enough to fit between the crevices of your taste buds but wtih enough horsepower to traverse the palate, our Doon Buggy navigates flavors of juicy plum and blackberries while earth-driven aromas of subtle spice and jammy fruit are brought to the nose in the cloud of metaphorical dust that lingers behind. Rich flavors are balanced by soft tannins that plto a course toward a long, elegant finish.”

My Take: I bought this wine thinking it had some connection to the Bonny Doon vineyards; but I didn’t find one. Nevertheless, the wine is as advertised; subtly spiced and nicely jammy. A pleasant, relatively mild red blend that won’t offend those who prefer their wines on the softer side, but with enough spice in it to please those of us who prefer bolder wines. A fairly good compromise.

My Rating: ~ Drinkable ~  This is a good rating for any red blend. I don’t think I’ve ever rated a blend higher than Drinkable, though of course I could be wrong!

thanks to http://www.goodcheapvino.com

Buena Vista Carneros Pinot Noir 2008 Alcohol 13.5% by volume Under $10 at Trader Joes

On the Label: “Cooled by the wind and fog off the San Pablo Bay, fruit ripens slowly in our Carneros vineyards, developing concentrated, layered flavors and excellent structure.  Pinot Noir unveils its elusive character here: rich cherry and blackberry, earthy spice, and supple, velvety texture. Pair this captivating wine with slow-roasted pork loin or grilled salmon.

We bottle our wines with a screw cap closure to ensure each glass delivers the true taste of Carneros. Enjoy. Visit Buena Vista Carneros for more information.”

My Take: I have always enjoyed Buena Vista wines, and this one was no exception. It is what I expect in a Pinot Noir – plus it passes the Smoking Loon test (is this wine better than Smoking Loon Pinot Noir?). It’s got some nice juiciness, just a hint of spice, and a nice, lingering aftertaste.

My Rating: ~ Very Drinkable ~ especially for the price!

Want another review source for cheap wines? Check out Cheap Wine Ratings  blog – they take a more educated approach to their discussion of the wine, but still fun stuff.

Well, that’s it for this week and wines – I hope you enjoyed! As usual, this is just my honest opinion and is changeable depending upon my mood, the weather, and the tides. Your taste buds will differ.

~ Until the next time, cheers – and remember to drink responsibly! ~

Demon Soul is a winner at Reader Views Literary Awards!  Still available for the Kindle and the Nook! Have you read it yet?

My Rating System: Undrinkable, Barely Drinkable, Drinkable, Very Drinkable, and the ever popular Stay away! This is MY wine, you slut!

 
Down Under Shiraz, plus a California Chardonnay

Down Under Shiraz, plus a California Chardonnay

Happy Friday!!!  In these days of high unemployment and global financial crisis, it’s nice to relax with a bottle of wine that doesn’t break your pocketbook. I’m here to sort out the memorable from the truly awful, and each bottle is under $10 unless noted otherwise.

I picked up a couple of Australia’s best last week. Here they are:

Jacob’s Creek Reserve Shiraz, 2008  Barossa Region, Australia   Alcohol, 13.8% by volume. Regularly $14.99 at Vons, on sale for $10.49

On the front Label: “South Australia’s Barossa region is famous for producing outstanding Shiraz wines. Our Reserve Barossa Shiraz is no exception with its full body, dark berry and rich chocolate characters.”

On the back Label: “For this wine, we reserved selected parcels of grapes grown int he Barossa region in South Australia, a region famous for producing high quality Shiraz wines. Here the warm days and cool  nights allow for optimal development of intense flvor and complexity.

“2008 Jacob’s Creek Reserve Shiraz exhibits typical regional characteristics with fruitcake and plum aromas with a hint of spice and oak.  The palate has complex flavors of mulberry, plum, chocolate and spice with excellent fruit length.

“Excellent drinking now and will continue to improve over the next five to ten years.”

My Take: What a lovely wine. Juicy and with that spice kick, it made a perfect accompaniment to our steak dinner. I’ve had Jacob’s Creek in restaurants before, and was delighted to find it in my local grocery store and at a reasonable price as well. I will definitely be buying more Jacob’s Creek Shiraz (on sale, of course).

My Rating: ~ Very Drinkable ~

Anthropology Shiraz 2009  Pure Estate, Central Ranges, Australia  Alcohol, 13.9% by Volume Regularly $14.99 at Vons, on sale for $8.99

On the Label: “Anthropology, by definition, is the study of culture and traditions. Remarkably, one of the oldest social customs on record is the enjoyment of a great glass of wine. With this in mind, we use sustainable vineyard practices to craft a rich, elegant Shiraz which is perfect for all occasions.

“Anthropology Shiraz shows rich berry and plum flavors layered with a hint of mocha and spice.”

My Take: I was pleasantly surprised by this wine, too, and have come to believe that Australia makes terrific Shiraz. It was a tad lighter in weight from the Jacob’s Creek, but that also suited the meal – I believe that night was a melange of leftovers (chicken tikka masala and rice, salad, pasta, peas and corn plus a good Italian bread), so this wine paired really well.

My Rating: ~ Very Drinkable ~ Especially if you like a bold wine but with a lighter touch. Plus the price – Nice!

Benziger Family Winery 2009 Chardonnay Carneros, California  Alcohol 13.9% by Volume On Sale at Vons for $8.99

On the Label: Chardonnay, Carneros  For more than 25 years, our family has sought to capture the distinctiveness of Carneros by handcrafting wines of authentic varietal character. We use a sustainable grape-growing program with certified standards to cultivate intensely flavorful grapes. Our methods enhance soil vitality, increase biodiversity and create healthy vineyards. The result is an exceptional Chardonnay, rich and with ripe peach and pear flavors, and soft notes of vanilla oak from barrel aging. Learn more on our website at www.benziger.com, or better yet, come visit our Sonoma Mountain estate.

My Take: Three for three. I really enjoyed this Chardonnay. Last week, when the sky was impossibly blue here and the sun warm on our backs, after we did some gardening we rewarded ourselves with a glass of Chardonnay. A lively, lovely wine terrific for sipping or to go with a meal of bacon seared scallops (that’s how we finished the bottle, lol). This is a good bottle to keep on hand for you Chard drinkers.

My Rating: ~ Very Drinkable ~ I’ve put this on my summer to-buy list!

Well, there you have it, this week’s wine roundup. My hubby is happy because I can now recycle the empties!

As usual, this is just my honest opinion and depend upon my mood, the weather, and what cycle the moon is in. Your taste buds will differ.

~ Until the next time, cheers – and remember to drink responsibly! ~

Demon Soul is available for the Kindle and the Nook! Have you read it yet?

My rating system: Undrinkable, Barely Drinkable, Drinkable, Very Drinkable, and the ever popular Stay away! This is MY wine, you slut!