A Friend Stopped by with this Biker...

The other night our friend John stopped by to drop-off the 2005 Elio Grasso Barbera d'Alba he had picked up for us. This was intended for another time; to go with an Italian meal of some sort to be sure. But he also brought along a nice surpise for immediate sampling, the 2006 Four Vines Biker Zinfandel. We'd enjoyed a Four Vines tasting dinner last year at Summer Winter, so he knew we wouldn't take too much convincing to share a glass of the Biker.

The Biker is a big, lush, fruit forward wine. Taste of plum and blackberry, with a nice round mouthfeel. A smooth finish with a bit of pepper. This was very enjoyable just to sip by itself and could also stand up very well to a good steak. It's been a year since I tasted the '05 Biker, but from what I recall I'd say I like the '06 better. A bit more fully developed and well-rounded, I'd say.

I don't recall anything about stopping by with a good bottle of wine in the '80s hit, "That's What Friends are For", but if they do a re-make they might want to consider working that in!

Working on my French...cooking, that is

Despite seven years of French in school, I could barely make my way around France when I finally had a chance to put the coursework to the test after college.  So I've resigned myself to being hopelessly mono-lingual.  But I've had much more success accessing other cultures by learning about their food and wine!

A few things have converged to get me focusing on learning more basic French cooking techniques.  I recently read Julia Child's "My Life in France" and her passion for French cuisine is infectious.  Then I got some demi-glace for Christmas that is a base for many classic French sauces, so I've been having some fun with that.  

Last weekend I used it to make sauce for roast lamb. The other night I made this Sauce Poivrade alla Marsala, which I served on roasted NY Strip Steaks and the accompanying mashed potatoes.  Very yummy!  I've gotten pretty handy whipping up my own sauces, so it was interesting to compare my own sauce concoctions with this traditional preparation.  The biggest difference is that this sauce gets strained shortly before serving so that it has a smooth consistency as opposed to my chunkier sauces.  The rich demi-glace also imparts a very hearty flavor.

Keeping with the French theme, I served the steak with a 2005 Mas de la Garrigue Cotes de Roussillon Villages ($10-$15), a rustic blend of grenache, carignan and syrah.   It was dense and meaty upon the first taste, characterics which softened a bit to also show some nice berry fruit along with the complex flavors of bark and leather.  A good match for the steak dish!

WINE CHAT 2008 Wines of the Year

I've had the chance to try many good wines in 2008, so choosing the top 10 isn't easy. This year I once again chose 5 from California, then added 2 each from Italy and France, with one appearance from a South African. If I did a top 20 you'd see a lot more from Italy, as I've really delved into its rustic food-friendly wines. I'm afraid I wasn't methodical as I could have been; I fear some good Cote du Rhones and Spanish reds for instance might warrant consideration as well but I tried them without taking notes! Methodological considerations aside, I think you'd enjoy any of my Wine Chat 2008 Wines of the Year!

2002 Volnay 'Les Champans' Premier Cru, Vincent Girardin Forced to choose among these wines for my favorite, I'd probably give this one the nod. Bouquet of violets, a nuanced, well-balanced taste with plenty of berry fruit and good structure. An excellent wine for food, but wonderful to sip alone too. Comes from the hillside village of Volnay, near the prestigious Pommard. I had this at a Meritage wine tasting where we sampled 4 Burgundies for $30, so I guess it cost me $7.50 for a glass, but that is a steal! I can't seem to get a price for this bottle but I'm sure it would be well over $50.

2005 Meursault, Pierre Matrot ($40) This white Burgudy from Meursault had an ethereal feel in the mouth, gently gliding over the tongue. An element of butter and oak, but very restrained and subtle. 2005 has been described as an historically great vintage throughout France, and this wine certainly won't dispell that notion. Also had this at the Meritage tasting mentioned above, it was served with a lobster corn salsa, the touch of butter in the wine a nice match for the rich lobster meat.

2005 Gaja Sito Moresco Langhe ($60) A wonderful blend of nebbiolo, cabernet sauvignon and merlot from the Piedmont. This gives the Volnay a run for the money for my #1 wine of the year. Winemaker Angelo Gaja ruffled some traditionalists' feathers by blending cab and merlot with nebbiolo, but I'm glad he did as the results are very good! Actually one of his most affordable offerings.

2003 Ronchi Barberesco ($45) As our host at a Spirited Gourmet tasting put it, this wine is not for beginner's. Austere, well-structured with dark fruit and leathery texture. Fit for hearty winter fare.

2006 Francis Coppola Director's Cut Zinfandel ($19) This drinks just like a zinfandel should. Big fruit taste, with a nice peppery element on the finish. It was a perfect match for the Steak au Poivre I made earlier this fall. From Sonoma County.

2004 Copain Arrowhead Mountain Zinfandel Big heady bouquet, very delicate for a zin. Taste of chocalate, spice and blackberries. From Sonoma County, this was a great birthday gift! Served with this Leek Mac & Cheese from Food & Wine which suggested serving with a zin.

2006 Cakebread Cellars Sauvignon Blanc ($24), half the price of their more widely sought out chardonnay. This one features a lively taste of citrus and a bit of butter. More full bodied than some of this varietal.

2005 Spier Vintage Selection ($20). This interesting red blend from South Africa was primarily shiraz (91%) but blended in enough mourvedre and viogner to add complexity and brightness along with the spicy shiraz.

2004 Moniz Vineyards Syrah ($30) Features lush, soft fruit. At this point, I've just had a sample of it at a tasting, looking forward to a good excuse to open the bottle I picked up! From the Spring Mountain District in Napa Valley.

2005 Four Vines Peasant ($38) I enjoyed this Rhone-style blend from Four Vines Vineyard in Paso Robles at a winemaker dinner at Summer Winter. It was matched with my favorite course of the night, Pheasant Breast with Leek Mousse and Truffles. Mourvedre and Syrah are the dominant grapes here, along with Grenache, Counoise and Tannat. The deep earthiness of this well-structured wine went well with the truffles. Though it has tannic backbone to give it heft, it still has a nice velvety finish.

Now, some of these wines can be had for close to $20 if you buy them as part of a case discount. But I realize that some of these are pricey in these tight economic times. I'd note that several I originally sampled for free or close to it as part of tastings available at local wine shops and restaurants, so that's a good way to get a taste of some higher end wines without breaking the bank. Also, keep in mind that you can order a very mediocre bottle of wine at a restaurant for $60, the same price as the Gaja that we'll enjoy tonight with a home cooked meal of Fettucine with Short Rib Ragu.

I hope that you too have had a chance to enjoy some good wine in 2008, and I raise a virtual glass to a Happy New Year for you and yours!

Originally published on Gather.com, where Wine Chat is a bi-monthly featured column.

WINE CHAT: New Year's Meal to Match our Bubbly

Pairing food and wine often starts with the meal plan, but from time to time I reverse that and start with the wine. I had our New Year's Eve bubbly selected first, the 2007 Domaine Renardat-Fache Cerdun du Bugey Rose ($22), a sparkling rose that blends Gamay, Chardonnay, Jura, Roussette and Mondeusea sparkling rose from France. So this matchmaking process was definitely going to start with the wine.

I sampled this rose at a tasting, and recall it had a delicate taste, with just a hint of sweetness. Our friend John has become quite the rose champion of late, so I thought I'd consult with him about pairing ideas. Turns out he actually had picked up the same bottle and was also contemplating matches for it. He suggested roast chicken or turkey, with traditionalsides like gravy and cranberry. Or perhaps something with a creams sauce, roast pork perhaps. Hmm, got my wheels turning...

I was working a full day, plus had shoveling to do on top of that, so it wasn't a night I was going to make anything extravagant. A wine with some sweetness can be a nice offset to spicy food, which led me to choose the Chipotle Pork Tenderloin we'd gotten as a Christmas gift from Omaha Steaks (it comes pre-marinated in the chipotle, ready to roast). I recalled John's suggestion about something creamy, and decided to whip up some mac & cheese with various things I had in the fridge. Ever since having a wonderful pork chop with macaroni & cheese at the now closed Mod restaurant in Chicago, it's a combo I like to put together.

I rounded out the meal with some sautéed baby spinach, flavored with a bit of cumin and coriander to keep on the spicy theme. All and all I'd say the match worked pretty well. The pork was quite spicy, almost nearly overwhelmed the wine...something a bit sweeter like a gewürztraminer might have been an even better match for that. But the mac & cheese with both the creamy element and a bit of spice went very well with the nuanced sweetness and bubbles of the rose. So if you wanted to try a combination on this line, a more basic pork chop along with this mac & cheese might be a good choice.

The mac & cheese recipe is posted over on the original version of the article, my latest Wine Chat column on Gather.com.