Had an opportunity to have a wonderful dining experience with family in Michigan. The wine list was impressive with a 1999 Chauteau Lafleur Pomerol, 2003 Shafer Hillside Select and a 2004 Dominus.
We began dinner with the Pomeral. The light bodied wine had an aroma and taste of black cherries, mineral, and licorice. The tannin and fruity finish paired well with a variety of appetisers. We wanted a heavier more tannic wine for our dinner. The Shafer Hillside Select hit its mark with a black fruit (black cherry, black raspberries) aroma and taste. It offered caramel and licorice neuances. The finish offered heavy tannins and fruit.
The 2004 Dominus by Dominus Estate Corporation, California is a Bordeaux-style blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 7% Petit Verdot. The aroma and taste offered black fruit especially black berries and black currant. There were licorice neuances. Mild tannins finished with a fruity aftertaste. We drank this wine after dinner and as such it was a good epilogue to our dining experience.
I received an unusual gift of wine for my birthday, or that was what I was told. The Hautes Terres de Comberousse Roucaillat had a simple yellow label with a small elephant image. I was told there was a story about this wine but could not find a story on the Internet. I did enjoy the wine nonetheless. The Hautes Terres de Comberousse Roucaillat is a blend of 50% Roussane, 30% Rolle and 20% White Grenache. The wine had a golden yellow color with a smooth medium to heavy body. The aroma offerend layers of pear, apple and melon. The pear and apple taste gave way to minerality on the finish.
The Roucaillat was purchased at the BRIX wine shop located in South End area of Boston, Ma.
While in Boston I spied a Petite Syrah while in the BRIX wine shop in South End on Washington Street. The Crusher Growers Selection Clarksburg Petite Syrah 2008 turned out to be a great find. Although a few dollars more than the average Internet price, this wine is reasonably priced. This Petite Syrah can stand on its own and doesn’t need to be blended.
The dark opaque to black color gave way to a ruby rim. The aroma had several fruits and a black fruit cocktail would describe it. The taste was smooth and offered black berries, raspberries, black cherries and plums. Although the wine offered some tannins, they were mild. The fruity finish lingered. At a gathering, everyone who had this wine first paused, thought about the wine and stated, “This is good.” My problem is that I only purchased one bottle.
Although not a Cab, this Petite Syrah can stand up to Cabs in just drinking alone or paired with food. The text on the cork ties in nicely with the name of the wine.
March 14, 2010 – 10:55 am
Haiti’s earthquake was in January. Since then there was a major earthquake in Chile and many other smaller weather and climate issues throughout the world. Somehow it seems that the earthquake in Haiti was long ago and not foremost in the news any longer. Hands for Haiti Now has been created and features master celebrity chefs dinners.
Hands for Haiti Now reminds us that Haitians are still in need. Just imagine if your city or town was destroyed in a few minutes how long it would take to rebuild it and make sure that people had ample food, shelter, clothing and medical supplies.
Next weekend, on March 20, 2010 South Coast Winery Resort & Spa will be hosting the first in a series of major dinner events prepared by five chefs. This five-course meal will be paired with five South Coast wines. The cost is $125 per person. For more information about this South Coast Winery dinner, visit their website. To discover more of these special dinners to be held throughout the country to benefit Haiti, visit the Hands for Haiti Now website.
Kudos to Hands for Haiti Now!
Cheers! Kathy
St. Patrick’s Day will be here soon and it’s never too early to start celebrating. We came across a recipe for Leprechaun Punch at Kreutz Creek Vineyards in Pennsylvania while we were visiting. The winery is located in the Philadelphia countryside.
The ingredients for Kreutz Creek Vineyards Leprechaun Punch include Vidal Blanc, sparkling water-lime, melon liquor, ground ginger, lime slices and green food coloring. This easy recipe is on the Wine Trail Traveler website. Give it a try and this may be a recipe to remember and use every St. Patrick’s Day!
Cheers! Kathy
March 12, 2010 – 11:13 am
Last night we enjoyed a Spanish wine while visiting family in Boston. This wine was produced in Rueda, a region of Spain, using 60% Verdejo and 40% Viura (also called Macabeo) grapes. This wine is similar to a Sauvignon Blanc. Inspiracion Pampano, with 12 percent alcohol, was a crystal yellow color. The aroma was a striking citrus reminding one of fresh cut grapefruit. The taste was of citrus fruits especially lemon and grapefruit. The wine was dry and finished crisp and citrusy.
The wine paired well with the risotto and shrimp dish and a green salad. It reminded us of a Sauvignon Blanc.
The Rueda region of Spain is located northwest of Madrid in Castile and Leon. The region is home to both red and white varieties. Reds include Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Garnacha. White varieties include Verdejo, Viura, Sauvignon Blanc and Palomino Fino.
Enjoy exploring wines from the Rueda region!
Cheers! Kathy
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Animated Wine Vessel Display at Detroit Institute of Arts
Yesterday we enjoyed a visit to the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA). This is the 5th largest fine arts museum in the US. Many years ago I visited DIA and enjoyed it. Since then they have renovated the building and added some nice features including an animated white silhouette wall display of the use of wine vessels including a mixing vessel, wine vessel and water vessel. An image of a servant moves across a screen showing how the vessels were used and ultimately the wine served to the master who was in a horizontal position eating grapes. It was interesting to note that after mixing the wine with water, a small pitcher was filled with the wine and then poured into a shallow drinking vessel that was very large in diameter, perhaps 12 to 15 inches in diameter.
When visiting DIA, it is easy to find parking in downtown Detroit. When you visit Detroit, check out the Detroit Institute of Arts and see the wine animated white silhouette wall display. It is located in the Ancient Greek and Roman section on the second floor of DIA.
Cheers! Kathy