Robert Mondavi Private Selection Sauvignon Blanc

Nights when Treasa gets home from work later than usual give me time to try things in the kitchen. This, while not crazily adventurous, was fun to make. I had marinated a few chicken breasts in Italian dressing for two days, and sliced them in order to open up a pocket in each cutlet. I stuffed them with seasoned Japanese panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, onion, garlic and various spices. The fresh parsley is key. It gives it a sharp parsley-ey flavor that works really well.

As a side, I made one of my favorites and corn. One box of orzo cooked in chicken broth with chopped spinach. I used the frozen spinach. You can find Green Giant plain spinach on sale for little more than a dollar and it’s easy. I nuke it to thaw, then sauté lightly with garlic and onion (and various spices) to perk it up a little.

As you can see in the mightily bad cell phone picture, we had the fire ablaze. We were being stubborn and had not yet turned the heat on. The house was chilly. A hot meal on the living room table, fire and wine were sure to fix that.

Oh, the wine. The Robert Mondavi Private Selection Sauvignon Blanc was pretty good. Maybe al the flavor from the meal over powered it slightly, but it was refreshing. We only had a few sips with the meal as we were both so hungry we ate without chewing, let alone enjoying wine.
The fire got the living room up to a nice toasty temperature. So much that we cracked the screen door to the balcony, which, in our post wine state, we forgot to shut before retiring for the evening. When we awoke to a house that was 56 degrees the following morning, combined with the season’s first frost, there was little I could do but acquiesce to the wife and turn the heat on.

Fat Bastard Cabernet Sauvignon, Five Rivers Pinot Noir, Domaine Ste Michelle

This whole life thing keeps getting in the way of my ability to blog about our wine adventures. My boss got a new boss, which means that my job changed, which means that all the work that I’ve been working on is irrelevant, which means that I have a whole new laundry list to focus on, which means that I work later than normal, which means that, today for example, I estimate that I wrote about 4,000 lines of code. This will drive one to drink. It has.
Accordingly, Treasa’s new job, while going very well, takes up more than a few minutes of her day. Add in the hour each way commute, and I’m (still) left (sometimes) doing most of the household chores. Please note the half made bed in the background of the picture.

It was all I could to do prevent Treasa from throwing away these bottles before I could take a picture of them. Now, while my meatballs are marinating (Yes, I marinate my meatballs), I have the ability to finally blog. Ta, da!

Fat Bastard cabernet sauvignon: If I remember correctly, we had this with a good pair of steaks. Treasa and I fought over the last half glass. This obviously isn’t the best glass of wine ever, but for ~$10, it’s one that, like a Bob Seger album, should be experienced more than it is.

Five Rivers Winery California pinor noir: I liked this more than Treasa did. It was above average without food. We paired it with a hearty pasta dish which over matched it a bit.

Domaine Ste Michelle champagne: By this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if they sent us a holiday card. I had left over bratwurst, which was all sorts of amazing. Treasa thought to pair it with champagne. Somewhat weird. But that’s the story.

Gnarled Vine Sauvignon Blanc 2009

This Friday The 13th installment of Old Wine Tales is brought to you by that freaky looking stuffed bear in the picture below. Treasa had a sales/corporate propaganda meeting at a bowling alley two days ago, where upon she thought it a good idea to drop a few quarters into that machine you never see anyone use with the grappling hook claw thingy to clutch, though normally initially pick up, then drop, toys worth less than the quarters it took to operate the machine in the first place. She was lucky, so to speak, to have been able to get a satanic bear with either backwards feet or a backwards head. Depending on what makes you sleep better at night.

Dinner consisted of chicken tenderloins marinated for thirty minutes in a concatenation of spices from the cupboard, Jim Beam Lemon and Herb marinade and the last sip of my Pilsner Urquell, sautéed onion and a quarter jalapeno in EVOO, Green Giant frozen veggies in a low fat butter sauce on top of whole wheat angel hair pasta.

Treasa picked the 2009 Gnarled Vine Sauvignon Blanc from the wine fridge downstairs, and neither the food nor the wine lasted long. The wine was a little softer and rounder than many of the Sauv Blancs we’ve had previously, but it was good. It finished clean with a nice lemony flavor. It complimented the pasta dish nicely.

Barone Fini Valdadige Pinot Grigio

Considering I gained, what feels and weighs like, ten pounds on the honey moon, I’m on a diet this week. I bought chicken and bagged salad and I’m ready to lose the spare tire. Specifically, I bought whole romaine. I’ve had chicken tenderloins from Costco marinating in fat free Italian dressing since Saturday. And I found two ears of white corn for $.80 from the grocery store on the way home from work. And for a $2 risk, I bought frozen shrimp shish-ka-bobs.

I marinated the shrimp skewers in warm salt-Old Bay water with apple cider vinegar to thaw. Soaked the corn on the cob in a warm sugar water bath for half an hour. Drizzled the halved romaine lettuce with extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper and reduced fat parmesan cheese. I gave the corn a hearty head start on the grill, then added the chicken, romaine halves, chicken and shrimp skewers. I plated everything upon a nice bed of mixed greens and ate.

It should be noted that from the beginning of the second paragraph, I’d been drinking a Barone Fini Valdadige Pinot Grigio. Treasa wasn’t feeling well, so the bottle was probably 85% mine. It’s an easy drinking bottle of wine, with some green apple flavors being most prominent among its round taste. When the last half glass was paired with the salad and light Caesar vinaigrette, the wine perked up a bit and was pretty good. The meal, cheap frozen shrimp and all, came together nicely.

Paradocx Touriga and Domaine Ste Michelle Champagne

Last night, July 26th, was our one month wedding anniversary, so we celebrated with a filet mignon, roasted potato, roasted sweet potato and corn dinner. And, obviously, a bottle wine. This celebration, mind you was different from the fourth Saturday of married life celebration we had two days prior we had with friends. I swear, if Treasa ever got a job at Hallmark, she’d make them a fortune with her ability to invent holidays that husbands are legally, at least by the law that counts, obligated to celebrate.

I did the usual burnt herb roasted potato side, but also got frisky and tried something with sweet potatoes too. To contrast the burnt, savory herb flavor of the former, I did the latter with more of a Persian flair with a hint of cinnamon sugar. Treasa nuked the frozen corn, added a stick of butter for each week of our marriage, the steaks came off the grill, and we sat down to eat.

We had a Paradocx Touriga left over from the wedding. Not only was this sentimental and thoughtful, but practical as the wine goes well with red meats. It also gave us an excuse to try our new Vinturi wine aerator, which was a wedding present from Treasa’s aunt and uncle. I’ll be honest, I really can’t tell you if it works because we didn’t aerate one glass and just uncork and pour the second one to have a taste test. (I’ll try to remember to do it next time though). However, the aerator is really easy to use, dishwasher safe and makes a really cool sound when you pour wine through it. So even if it is a gimmick, which I doubt, the sound effects are worth any incremental effort.

And partially because we still have most of a case left over from the wedding and because it’s really good for twelve-ish dollars, we relaxed after cleaning up the kitchen with a bottle of Domaine Ste Michelle.

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This post is a continuation from the previous, where we are about to head down for dinner at the Waterford Castle in Waterford, Ireland.

I can’t find my notes which captured our wine selections for the evening. I’m going to use their disappearance as an excuse for not updating here in a few days. So, if I find the page, on which I distinctly remember writing the wines down on a piece of paper separate from my trip journal, I’ll come back and update the following:

The chef provided a non menu special to get us started. I’m sure the official name was something tastily extravagant, but I remember a grilled pita chip, cheese and a spicy roasted pepper spread with fresh parsley. It was a fantastic one bite course.

Treasa had the lobster bisque for an appetizer while I enjoyed seared scallops in a bisque-esque sauce over a red onion salsa.

Treasa had a meat trifecta, not the Castle’s wording, for her entrée consisting of pork loin, pork shoulder and lamb. I had a filet mignon with a mushroom black peppercorn sauce. While mine was certainly good, her pork won the most attention. As a side note, this was the second time we had ordered a filet, both time medium rare, on the trip. Each piece was cooked to what I would consider just a hair past medium. Being as both places were definitely fine dining, I’m starting to wonder if there is a disparity between the US and Ireland meat temperature scale.

Huia Sauvignon Blanc & Ontanan Crianza Rioja

…continued from previous post…

After finishing the bottle of Henriot Souverain, taking pictures of the empty bottle, and ironing our fancy clothes, we headed down for dinner. The wine list was fairly extensive, and considering we were already lubed up with a few Guinni (plural for ‘Guinness’) and a bottle of bubbly, we decided to let the sommelier match wine to our food in half bottle increments.

Treasa selected a roast duck breast appetizer while I went with the Atlantic sea bass and tiger prawn. The sommelier, who was excellent though I didn’t note his name in our daily log, paired us with half a bottle of an ’08 Huia Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough New Zealand for E26. We each really liked it. It was much fuller and rounder than a lot of the Sauv Blancs we typically drink in the $10-$14.99 range. While it wasn’t a perfect match to either of our dishes, it was very good with both.

Treasa went with lamb chops with a side of shepherd’s pie while I had a filet mignon with a sweet onion puree for entrees. We were paired with a E22 half bottle of Ontanon Crianza, which I absolutely fell in love with. It was very similar to one of my favorite wines, Bogle’s Phantom, in so far that it was bold and robust, yet it was also a smidge smoother and lighter.

After a fantastic day and a wonderful meal, we retreated to our suite to combat the forces of jet lag.

Dry Creek Fume Blanc

Yesterday was Father’s Day. My two dogs are spoiled like kids, that counts, so I can celebrate too. It was sunny and in the mid 90’s. It’s not like I need an excuse, but even if I had to play the Father’s Day card, I would have. Nothing was going to keep me from the grill.

I’ve been on Mission: Clean Out The Freezer lately. Partially because the frozen food is already paid for and doesn’t require a current cash outlay with the wedding coming up, and secondarily because I have a deep sea fishing trip planned for early August. I plan to restock with tuna and dolphin. No, not Flipper. Mahi-mahi.

I found two boneless chicken breasts. Thawed them and gave them a good soak in fat free Italian dressing before grilling. When they were just shy of done, I topped them with a few slices of deli ham and Swiss cheese. They went onto grilled rolls with a fat free ranch dressing (70%) and spicy honey mustard (30%) sauce. Voila! Grilled chicken cordon bleu.

I’d saw I paired the sandwich, with my bestest roasted potatoes, with the Dry Creek Fume Blanc, but that would seemingly imply that there was some thought behind it. There wasn’t. I grabbed something near the Riesling section of my fridge, and this came out.

I remember buying this bottle for two reasons. First, it was about $10. Low risk. Secondly, perhaps more importantly, it had a picture of a sailboat on the front. And I want to but a sailboat. Both are totally rational.

The wine smelled sweeter than it tasted and finished clean. It had a pretty round flavor though the crispness of grapefruit came through. The back of the bottle says it was fermented in stainless steel, and it isn’t oak aged. The wine didn’t add to the food, nor did it take away. Which, considering the price point and the fact that I didn’t put too much thought to pairing, the ‘taking away’ was my main concern. Overall, I liked it.

Fish Eye Pinot Grigio

I was in the mood to cook tonight. Not to reheat leftovers, but actually put together a meal that I’d enjoy. Treasa was out at the mall with Miranda shopping for something that will be ‘crucial for the wedding.’ That line is like an impenetrable defense. No matter what my argument is, she wins.

But, despite the credit card flesh wound, I had the ability to cook for myself, irregardless of my any other taste recommendations. I decided on fish stew. I have tilapia filets in the freezer from Costco, so I Googled a few recipes. I sort of stole from most of the ones I viewed, so I won’t give any particular one credit, but if you search for ‘fish stew’ and find the one that errs towards Mediterranean, doesn’t use bacon and calls for Tabasco, well, you’ll get pretty close.

The recipe called for a bottle of dry white wine, pinot grigio in particular. I saw a bottle of Fish Eye pinot grigio for $6.99 at the corner store. Considering I was making fish stew, I thought it was a match made in heav—an enameled cast iron dutch oven.

To go along with the tilapia, I ordered a handful of shrimp and scallops from the grocery store. I got a fresh tomato and some tomato paste. A little bit if culinary magic, and holy schiznit, the recipe called for a 1/3 cup of white wine and I’ve drank the rest…

The wine exceeded all expectations, especially considering its price. It was palatable by itself and didn’t detract from the seafood party in my deep bowl of flavor. For something to cook with, or to enjoy without trying to impress yourself or guests, this won’t hurt your wallet. Unlike white designer flip flops at the mall.

Cooking note: I bought smaller scallops thinking they’d cook at the same pace as the thawed fish and the shrimp. Eh, slight miscalculation there. Give those buggers a head start before you add the rest of your seafood assortment. I’m not sure if it was a faux pas to add a little reduced fat parmesan cheese to the fish stew, but after a bottle wine minus what I used for cooking, it seemed like a good idea. And at my reduced cognitive ability, I’d still say it was.

Steel Creek White Riesling

Treasa and I went through the closet in the guest room tonight and sorted through clothes we haven’t worn in awhile, clothes that were given to us and clothes that just ended up there for some reason. There was a lot of trying on, mirroring, and refolding/rehanging or refolding and placing in the donation bag. Given how much fun I was having, I hinted that a bottle of anything might be a good idea. Treasa said ‘A bottle of white,’ and I descended the flight of stairs in .2 seconds and was in the wine fridge picking something out before she finished with, ‘might be nice.’

I decided on the Steel Creek White Riesling 2009, from Monterey County. The back of the bottle says:

The aromas of honeysuckle and hyacinth complemented by rich flavors of apples and peaches set Steel Creek Riesling apart. Try it before dinner with fruit and soft cheeses, or with light chicken and pork dishes.

Okay. Maybe I can see that, but the first sentence should read, ‘The aromas of honeysuckle and hyacinth complemented by rich flavors of apples, peaches and about a metric ton of Sweet and Low set Steel Creek Riesling apart from anything you would consider pleasant to drink.’

‘So, where was that pair of hand-me-down dress pants you thought I should try on again, sweetie?’

Oak Grove Voignier

We opened a bottle of 2007 Oak Grove Voignier tonight. Treasa wanted a bottle of white. She wanted something to cool her down, as I’ve yet to turn on the A/C. As shown in the picture, I had a Micholob Ultra with my Cajun seasoned catfish filets with sausage and cheese stuffed jalapeños. The wine, according to the back label, is

Rich and full bodied, this excellent white wine has the body and flavor to stand up to full flavored dishes. Pair with tortellini in a light cheese sauce for a memorable experience.

So, while it was a good bottle, I wasn’t about to pair it with my fish. I figured a light beer would be less risky. The beer worked well as did the wine by itself.

Chilensis Reserva Chardonnay – 2008

Last Saturday, Treasa and I met our friends, Larz and Miranda, at the marina to spend the day on their boat. Larz’s mother and aunt were going to be there, and knowing that they were wine drinkers, I figured I’d pick up a bottle of white and put it in the cooler with the beer.

This wasn’t a premeditated plan per se, it was more so waiting in line to buy beer and seeing a Chardonnay with a handwritten, highlighted sign saying ‘$9.99’ that made me think to myself, ‘It’s probably not that good. But, it’s the thought that counts, and if his relatives don’t want to drink beer, so-so wine is better than no wine.’ And that’s how I found the Chilensis Reserva Chardonnay .

Well, they came stocked with wine. Apparently just enough so that they didn’t have to open my offering. So, tonight I grilled a romaine chicken caesar salad for dinner and figured what the heck, let’s try the chard.’

The dinner was good. The wine, not so much. Perhaps, caesar dressing doesn’t match with chardonnay, or perhaps the wine just isn’t good. Truth be told, I don’t usually drink chardonnay anyway, but regardless, the likelihood of another Chilensis Reserva Chardonnay posting here is slim at best. Well, unless I find a good recipe to cook with it…but I think that tells you all you need to know.

PS: So the camera is back in action, but this picture is worse than the PDX one I took with my BlackBerry. I would have done something to cut down on the reflections, but I was hungry and I decided eating was more important than uploading a crappy picture.

Paradocx Vineyard

Treasa and I are getting married at Paradocx Vineyard, in Landenberg, Pennsylvania.

Paradocx Vineyard is owned and operated by the Hoffman and Harris Families. The name of the winery is a play on words, as the four principles are practicing physicians (Pair of Docs).

Part of the contract was a complimentary, well, you know, besides the piles of money we’re paying to rent the site, wine tasting so we could decide what wines we wanted to feature at our event. This, if one was on the fence regarding future marriage plans, is certainly a reason to take the plunge. Certainly, I’m not in that category, as I’m looking forward to married life with or without a wine tasting, but if you view things in terms of: A) ‘it doesn’t kill you’ B) ‘it makes you stronger,’ feel free to check C) ‘all of the above’ as far as complimentary wine tastings are concerned.

Here’s the rundown of what we sampled (I’d relay my thoughts on each specific variety, though, for reasons you may be able to surmise, my retrospective recollection abilities have suddenly become slightly foggy), more so give, than take:

Whites:
Whitewash in a Chic Can
Yield – 2006
PDX Pinot Grigio – 2006
PDX Voignier – 2007
PDX Reserve Chardonnay – 2007
PDX Vidal Blanc – 2009
Old Stone Chardonnay

Reds:
Barn Red in a Chic Can
PDX Sangiovese – 2006
PDX Merlot – 2006
PDX Touriga – 2008
PDX Leverage – 2006
PDX Chambourcin – 2008
And a Port, of which the exact name escapes me.

We did make a final selection. We’ll be featuring a diverse spectrum bottles during our tasting, as well as a very nice offering of wines to compliment John Serock’s talents. For those readers who will be invited to the wedding, you’ll have to wait to see the menu. For those readers who will not be invited, feel free to send gifts/cash anyway.

#1: Canaletto pinot grigio #2: Trapiche malbec

Treasa and I had a friend of ours over last night to grill. She brought the pinot grigio for the appetizers: homemade guacamole and grilled roasted garlic artesian bread. The wine was decent. Fairly tart and refreshing, but I think it could have used a bit more body. It did match pretty well to the food though. The guac’ recipe needs some improvement. The grilled bread, as usual, was great.

For the entrée, I went with some skirt steak fajitas from Doc’s Meat Market in Hockessin. Not cheap, but it came out great with a little fresh cilantro and a dusting of my personal/proprietary/confidential/amazing/spectacular spice blend. Last, but not least, the Malbec. I liked it. I thought it was good by itself, and picked up a bit of spice when paired with the food. Everyone else, not so enthusiastic, if that’s a fair assessment from this comment, ‘It kind of tastes like lead poisoning.’

PS: sorry about the cell phone pictures. The digital camera is on the DL, but hopes to be back in the lineup soon.