Notes from the Panel Archives - Page 24 of 32 - Wine Blog from The International Wine of the Month Club

Don’s February Premier Series Top Picks

February 28, 2014 by Don Lahey

This month’s Premier Series offers a formidable line-up of wines from four different countries on three continents: wines from France, Argentina, Chile and South Africa all make their appearance and each offers something special. Yet, only one gets to be Top Pick, and this month’s Top Pick goes to Mary-Lou Nash’s 2010 Black Pearl Mischief Maker Shiraz. Mary-Lou makes Black Pearl wines in tiny quantities with tender loving care from her 11 acre property. Best of all she has the knack for imbuing her wines with the beauty and wonder of the natural landscape of Africa’s Western Cape, which surrounds her perfectly tended vineyard. Moreover, Mischief Maker reveals a polished purity and sophistication that’s often missing in other South African wines. Opulent fruit flavors married to ripe tannins make this finely crafted Shiraz an absolute pleasure to drink. Enjoy!

Salute!
Don

Super Bowl Foods & Wine

January 31, 2014 by Kristina Manning

The big game is happening this Sunday. Party food is high in calories, so we will all be chucking that diet we all started at the first of the year. Oh boy, I am looking forward to eating party food and drinking my fair share of some tasty wines. Oh yeah, and watching the Broncos and Seahawks battle for the title.

Don’t just stick to one type of wine, enjoy your Super Bowl party food with a variety of wines. If your friends are like mine the wine won’t go to waste. Start with a sparkling wine, Viognier, Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc with the veggie tray or chips if you dare.

Work your way through the game with either a Merlot or Zinfandel and then a Cabernet Sauvignon while munching on the chili, burgers, meatballs and pizza.

Just because it is game day don’t forget the chocolate with a port or a sherry to complete a great party night.

Here is an infographic to help you pair up your party foods with your wines for the Big Game Day.

The Best Wines to Serve with Italian Food

January 30, 2014 by Don Lahey

What the best wines to serve with Italian food are all depends upon what Italian food we’re talking about. There is no one authentic Italian cuisine, only a myriad of regional cuisines and specialty dishes that slide down easily with a seemingly endless array of local wines. To accompany the artfully prepared risottos and complex sauces of Northern Italy’s Piedmont, the region’s “Three B’s” (Barolo, Barbaresco, and Barbera) immediately come to mind. Producers such as Seghesio, Silvio Grasso, and Querciola provide memorable accompaniments to Piedmont’s celebrated cuisine. And if fish or fowl make their appearance at a Piedmontese table, the region’s elegant dry white wines offer incomparable quality and value, especially Malaibale di Canale’s Roero Arneis and Massone’s crystalline Gavi. And to accompany Florentine Steak or one of Tuscany’s signature bean dishes, there is no better wine to serve than Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.

Richer than Chianti Classico and fresher and more food friendly than Brunello di Montalcino it’s hard to beat Vino Nobile at table, especially if the wine happens to be an elegant Vino Nobile from Caterina Dei. Moving south, how could anyone pass up a bottle of Greco or Fiano di Avellino from Caggiano or Colli di Lapio while sojourning along the Amalfi Coast to enjoy with some of the world’s most spectacular seafood? The hinterlands of this spellbinding coast also harbor the ancient Aglianico varietal that pairs perfectly with the region’s lamb and hearty stews. Vesevo and Molettieri are two producers to count on for exceptional Aglianico. We shouldn’t overlook Sicily and the far south as sources of affordable treasures either. Cellaro’s Nero d’Avola pairs splendidly with pizza, pasta, and the heady tomato and garlic laden dishes of Italy’s Deep South. And these wines just begin the conversation.

Prost!
Don

photo credit: lennox_mcdough via photopin cc

Mustard and White Wine Braised Chicken

January 7, 2014 by Kristina Manning

For a new twist on this regional French chicken classic, this adaptation uses whole grain mustard instead of the traditional Dijon. A co-worker recently made this for his family and he said: “My two young daughters normally prefer hot dogs and pretzels, but they devoured this!”

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 lb. chicken thighs and drumsticks
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 shallots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
½ cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
¼ cup whole grain mustard
1 tbsp. finely chopped thyme
2 tbsp. roughly chopped tarragon, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oven to 375°. Heat oil in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper; working in batches, cook chicken, flipping once, until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate; set aside. Add shallots and garlic to pan, cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 3-5 minutes. Add wine, stock, mustard, and thyme; bring to a boil. Return chicken to the pan with any juices, cover with a lid, and transfer to the oven. Bake until chicken is cooked through, about 45 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°.

2. Transfer chicken to a serving platter and keep warm. Return saucepan to stove; bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, 8-10 minutes. Spoon sauce over chicken; garnish with tarragon.

Photo and recipe from www.Saveur.com

Is it Shiraz or Syrah?

December 23, 2013 by Don Lahey

Whether the label says Shiraz or Syrah I’m up for the adventure because either name refers to the same exquisite grape variety. In the world of grape varieties one often finds multiple names for the same grape, and so it is with Shiraz, or should I say Syrah? But regardless of the name on the bottle, Syrah reigns as one of the planet’s greatest red grape varietals.

Syrah has been grown for centuries in the Rhône Valley of France, where it is responsible entirely or in part for many of the greatest wines of France (Hermitage, Côte Rôtie, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape specifically). However, the exact origins of the deep purple grape of tremendous flavor known as Syrah remains a question to debate. Nonetheless, historians do seem to agree on several points. First, Syrah was brought to Europe from the Middle East, yet when and by whom still remain mysteries. The other point that enjoys widespread consensus is that the name Shiraz, from the Persian city of that name, is the likely origin of the grape variety’s name. In any case, Syrah or should we now say Shiraz flourishes today not only in the south of France but in other Mediterranean climates. It fares particularly well in Australia, California, Chile and South Africa, where it is frequently called by its original name – Shiraz. But no matter the name, Shiraz remains one of the world’s finest grapes and earns a place in my glass, but only long enough for me to smile and empty the glass.

Saluté!
Don

Don’s November Collector’s Series Top Picks

November 21, 2013 by Don Lahey

The Collector Series Top Pick this month belongs to Joseph Perrier’s Cuvée Royale Brut Champagne. Joseph Perrier (not to be confused with the more commercial brand Perrier Jouet), crafts traditional Brut Champagne and ages it to perfection. While other Champagne houses have cut back on the ageing of their Brut Champagnes and have resorted to homogenizing their blends, Joseph Perrier has stayed the course. The result is a creamy, sensuous, and eminently drinkable Brut Champagne that embodies both elegance and a host of full, exquisite flavors. And as the name implies, Cuvée Royale is indeed Champagne fit for kings and queens. It makes an ideal aperitif but also pairs so well with lobster, crab, salmon, and all kinds of fish and hors d’oeuvres that I have to keep more than a few bottles on hand, lest our glasses run dry. So let’s celebrate the day with a glass of Joseph Perrier Cuvée Royale Brut Champagne and enjoy!

Saluté!
Don

Don’s November Premier Series Top Picks

November 14, 2013 by Don Lahey

This month’s Premier Series Top Pick highlights the appealing attributes of the Syrah varietal and provides further evidence of the wonderful work Chile continues to do with all kinds of French varietals. Is there anywhere else on earth where so many fine wines are being produced at such affordable prices? After numerous visits to the world’s longest, thinnest country, I find it’s hard to beat Chile for quality, value and variety. And these qualities can all be found in the 2010 Valle Secreto First Edition.

Valle Secreto’s First Edition Syrah garners Top Pick this month because it captures the very essence of Syrah with its striking color, beautiful black fruit aromas that leap from the glass, and seductive deep down flavors that change and unfold and please now, but promise even more. Intense, but not overbearing, Valle Secreto’s First Edition Syrah can best be summed up in a quote from one of our panel members, “This wine kicks me in all the right places, do you think I could have some more?” Warm, supple, and full of flavor this wine truly rocks.

Saluté!
Don

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