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never mind

So, tonight, to accompany a roast pork loin in a sort of Eastern European tradition, I decided to pop open an Eastern European wine! (Ooh, how shocking!)

Anyways, I had recently picked up a bottle of wine from Szőlőskert, in Nagyréde, Hungary. This bottle is a 2002 vintage made from Kéfrankos (aka Blaufrankisch in Austria) and Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a "semi-sweet" wine, not as sweet as a dessert wine (like Muscat), but not a dry wine by any stretch.

Surprisingly, this made a nice foil for the savory flavors of the pork roast, where the sweetness of the wine helped cleanse the palate between bites of the roast pork. I have never really considered semi-sweet wines as enjoyable stand-alone wines, but I may need to rethink some of my preconceptions when pairing a semi-sweet with food.

Also tonight, to accompany the appetizer (herbed goat cheese and garlic crostini), I selected a 2002 Charles Back Goat-Roti from the Cape province of South Africa. Goat-Roti (a play on the famous French appellation Côte-Roti) is a proprietary blend of Shiraz, Viognier, and Mourvèdre grapes. This is actually one of my favorite dry reds from South Africa, and it was an absolutely perfect match for the goat cheese and savory toasts.

Because of its high percentage of Shiraz, this wine is also really, REALLY good with grilled steaks. The style of wine that Charles Back produces is somewhat of a cross between the Australian Shirazes and the California Syrahs. The Viognier (which is usually used to produce a white wine) and the Mourvèdre (which makes a uniquely spectacular dry red on its own) add to the total product's equation in such a way that no Australian or California winemakers even come close to approaching.

Starting to drink more wine lately (well I drank both wine and beer on my latest trip to Europe). Found ALAMOS 2002 Malbec from Argentina to be quite nice. So nice in fact that I’ll probably try all their releases by and by. So nice to find an as close as one pleases to Bordeaux without the Bordeaux prices.

Now as for beer, the best I've maybe ever had was in Zurich but you can't get Swiss beer here, forget it.

Tonight's Pick: a 2001 Kaesler Stonehorse from Australia's Barossa valley. An interesting blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvèdre, this dry red wine has a nice balance of tannins and acidity, and aims straight at the classic French Rhône style. The spiciness of the Grenache is offset by the fruitiness of the Shiraz, while the Mourvèdre gives the whole a warm, mellow background. The aroma is decidedly spicy, with pepper and clove predominating. A hearty red wine to serve with both roasted meats and classic Provençal and Lyonnais cuisines. Brilliant execution at a moderate ($12) price. Look for it!

P.S. - David, I think the Argentine Malbecs are some of the best eminently drinkable red wine values out there. I normally keep a stock of Bodega Norton Malbec (usually sells for about $7 a bottle) on hand, both as an everyday wine and as a phonemenal wine to serve at parties.

Tonight year 2000 Montecillo Rioja, at half the cost of comparable labels, with a spicy beer poached chicken. Great value. I will buy this again and againn at $7 a bottle.

jf

Jack, I have three bottles of Montecillo's 1995 Gran Reserva Rioja in the "cellar" waiting for a special occasion. One of the finest Riojas on the planet, AFAIC. Montecillo is a class outfit in Rioja production.

Yes, the Montecillo's a great deal. The Gran Riserva is probably somewhat to a lot more expensive than the regular bottlings, eh?

Tonight, Penfolds Rawson's Retreat Shiraz Cabernet.

Oddly, maybe not as much as one might expect. The 1995 Gran Reserva goes for about $19.50, which puts it in my middle bracket. (My upper bracket starts about $30. I really need to like it to spend over $30 on it!) I'm saving a few bottles not because it's really expensive, it's just that it will be impossible to replace once it's been drunk.

I'm saving a few bottles not because it's really expensive, it's just that it will be impossible to replace once it's been drunk.

That is the beauty of Mad Dog 20/20.

Boy, does that sound good. Putting it on my list.

And now for something completely different....

It's.....

a 2002 Abbot's Table from Owen Roe in Oregon. It is a proprietary dry red made from (at least the 2002 batch): 41% Zinfandel, 22% Syrah, 20% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 4% Pinot Noir and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. At least that's what I can find. The grapes are sourced from small vineyards in Washington and Oregon.

This wine is a paean to the old-fashioned clarets from Bordeaux, at least in spirit. The blend is certainly not anything one would get from Bordeaux! But this wine's body, color, taste and a very, very long finish are reminiscent of a high quality, top level Bordeaux. At about $23 per bottle, this is an amazingly rich and complex wine from an unlikely place.

Thumbs down for me on the Penfolds Cabernet/shiraz. A little too oaky for my liking. If you love shiraz, try the Mad Fish from Western Australia.

Thought some of you might like to see this. I suppose it might be considered 'preaching to the choir,' but it's nice to know anyway!

More good news about red wine

Sorry, Gryphon....

John, I think the Penfolds Koonunga Hill Cabernet/Shiraz is a much higher-quality wine than the Rawson's Retreat, and it usually only goes for about $1.50-2.00 more per bottle. It's a great everyday wine for enophiles!

Feel free to bring a bottle

Why? You need some drains cleaned?

why don't you come to my party and bring a bottle yourself. October 30 = Brendan is running through his competition program. and I am hoping Jbryan just might show up with the 20/20.

Apple, as much as I'd enjoy the trip to KC right about now, tomorrow is already booked with the mega wine tasting! They've now upped the count to 920 wines!

So, as I sit here perusing the listing of what will be available tomorrow (while simultaneously ignoring the pointless acrimony of the political partisanship here in the CR ), I am enjoying the remainder of a 2002 Cousiño-Macul "Finis Terrae" from Chile's Maipo Valley. Finis Terrae is a blend of 45% Merlot and 55% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. This is a dense wine with very firm tannins, medium acidity and a balanced bundle of flavors ranging from blackberry and cranberry notes at first, followed by a sort of vanilla-like middle with evident mineral taste, with a definite bitter chocolate finish. This wine would be perfect for lamb chops or rack of lamb, and a wide variety of tomato-based sauces. This bottle is a bargain at its usual price, about $18.