QCW tasting club: Hearty winter reds

Baby, it's cold outside!   If you're anything like me, the latest winter storm has you bundled up at home waiting for the ice to melt and looking for a substantial glass of red to keep you company while you do it.

This was the inspiration for my kick-off QueenCity Wino tasting club. 

I put together a group of my closest wine-loving friends, threw together some hearty snacks, got the fire crackling and set to tasting a whole bunch of wine. 

We tried 10 different "hearty winter reds" and rated and ranked each one.  The overall consensus:  everyone learned a lot, tasted a whole bunch of great wines we might not have otherwise tried, and can't wait do to it again.


The "aroma panel"

 The concept was simple:  everyone brings the red wine of their choice in the "under $13" price range and we'll try each one to choose our favorite.  Before tasting, we reviewed basic guidelines for evaluating appearance, nose and flavor and then experimented with an "aroma panel" to introduce the idea of basic aromas and tastes that might be found in each glass.   

Armed with rating sheets, we blind tasted and rated each on a scale from 1 - 10 (1=I instantly regret trying it.  10= I'm buying this on the way home.) and then ranked them in order of personal preference.




Michael David Petite Petit

 The wines ranged from Beaujolais to Merlot to California and Spanish blends to classic Cabernet Sauvignon.  We even had an Armenian pomegranate on the table.  

Most of our selections were clearly "hearty" with alcohol percentages in the +13.5% range with the obvious exception of the Beaujolais and one surprisingly low Garnacha/Tempranillo blend at just 12.5% each.  

The "big boy" on the table was a petite sirah/petit verdot blend that weighed in at a whopping 15%. 



Here's the line up:

2006 Tin Roof Cellars Merlot
2008 Chateau du Souzy Beaujolais Villages
2008 Michael David Winery Petite Petit
2007 The Show Cabernet Sauvignon
2008 Bridgman Cabernet Sauvignon
2008 Cheap Date Cabernet Sauvignon
2007 Panarroz Jumilla
2006 Mosen Cleto Campo de Borja
2009 ReVah Pomegranate
2009 Contempo Inferno


Mosen Cleto Campo de Borja

 Of the ten wines evaluated, the clear favorite was a 2006 Mosen Cleto Campo de Borja.  This Spanish blend is 75% Garnacha/25% Tempranillo. 

In the glass, this opaque purple wine gave off aromas of black cherry, coffee and chocolate with a hint of minty herbaceousness. This was by far the most balanced of all the wines tasted.  Smooth and tannic with a lightly acidic presentation and a long peppery finish.  On the palate, the Campo had tastes of black cherry and plum, currant, raisin and a faint vegetal quality often found in younger Cabernets.   It was fantastic with briny marinated black olives and pungent blue cheese.  

Every wine on the table was highly drinkable and worthy of consideration.  But don't take my word for it...have your own Tasting Club and see for yourself.   Cheers!

Sangiovese 2008 Terre di Chieti

An inexpensive Italian red is getting the once over tonight. Picked it up at Total Wine for all of $8...lets see how it holds up to some bold food pairings.

This is an inky purple wine with a strong fruit fragrance..."grapey!" was the impression I had when I first opened the bottle. An hour or so later, it emotes dark cherry and a near peppery finish (although that could be from the meal I'm matching it with). It has a luscious mouth feel, coating your whole palate. A bit of breathing time has served it well. Upon first opening it was a bit acidic and hit the back of the tonque with a tiny bite. Now it is much more luxurious, bombing the taste buds with fruitiness.

I've matched it with some hearty, but simple fare....blue cheese with baguette starter course and a classic caesar salad alongside grilled salt and pepper sirloin topped with balsamic mushrooms and onions.

STARTER COURSE

As I described above, the wine on its own is a bit of acidic with tart fruit flavors. Tasting the blue cheese, I can feel the Sangiovese moving higher in the palate, smoothing it out and giving greater depth to the overall taste. The fruit is still there, but it's darker as the strength of the cheese tamps down the acidity. This is a great pairing and I could easily munch my way through the whole block if I didn't have a main course to look forward to.

THE MAIN EVENT

The classic caesar consists of romaine, shaved parmesan, and fresh croutons coated in dressing made from anchovies, garlic, dijon, worcester, lemon juice, salt, pepper, egg yolk and olive oil. It's a simple salad with intense flavors which seem to be enhanced by this wine. The Sangiovese seems to pull the garlic and pepper right into your nose but not in an unpleasant way. The acid makes another appearance with this salad as the intense spicyness of the anchovy/garlic combination goads it out of hiding after the cheese course. The croutons do a great job of keeping these rowdy flavors in check however, and the overall experience of the pairing, while intense, is definitely compatible.

I've grilled a thin sirloin with a simple preparation of salt and pepper and topped it with red onion and button mushrooms sauteed in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Again, the Sangiovese never met a peppercorn it didn't like, but the balsamic jumps in and grabs the fruit, making it impossible for the pepper to steal the show. The wine actually tastes dry with this pairing...a fascinating switch from the initial "fruit bomb" impression.

THE CONCLUSION

I love how each different food pairing brings a completely different experience with this wine. By itself, this Sangiovese was acidic and grapey, but once paired it showed itself to be a hearty and likeable Red. If you are not a fan of bold flavors or a spicy finish on a hearty Red, this may not be the wine for you. I am a fan of both and find myself lucky to have found this bargain wine to match with my dinner tonight.

RECIPE

The key to replicating this menu is the Caesar Salad. To serve 6, chop 2 heads of Romaine lettuce and toss with about 2.5 oz of shredded Parmeggiano Regiano cheese. Cube a 8-10 oz baguette and toss with 2 oz melted butter, 2 oz olive oil, and 2 tsp each kosher salt and fresh ground pepper and bake at 425 for ~10 minutes. In the meantime, make the dressing. Take 2 cloves of garlic, 4 anchovy filets and 2 tsp kosher salt and use two forks to grind into a paste.

Add a few grinds of fresh pepper, a tbsp each of dijon mustard and worcester sauce, the juice from half a lemon, one egg yolk, and about a quarter cup of olive oil and whisk til completely incorporated.

Toss dressing, Romaine, parmesan and croutons together and let sit about 15 minutes before serving. Drink with a delicious Red wine like the Sangiovese described above and enjoy!

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