WINE CHAT: A Taste of New England

Fall foliage, Fenway Park and Cape Cod quickly come to mind when I think about New England. Wine, not so much.

Yet I have become aware that there are some good quality wines produced right here in New England. Westport Rivers is probably the most notable New England wine, particularly for their top-notch sparkling wines that are reported to have been served at the White House. We've had a chance to visit there as well as Sakonnet in Rhode Island and Truro Vineyards in Cape Cod. Nice not to have to travel all the way to California to visit a winery!

When Anne and Frank proposed a New England theme for the next wine tasting gathering, it sounded like a great chance to get to know more about our local wines. In these times when we're increasingly conscious of the 2,000 miles our food items travel on average to get to us, sampling from local vineyards seemed especially appropriate. I have to confess, though, I anticipated the local wine would be a notable dropoff from say the Pacific Northwest or Spanish wine tastings we'd participated in. While I wouldn't make a claim New England wines should be compared with the world's great wine producing regions, I was pleasantly surprised by the overall quality and diversity of the wine. And perhaps the biggest surprise of the evening was that I wound up liking a red the best of what we sampled, despite New England's cool climate generally being more suited to whites.

Here's the run down of what we sampled:

Newport Vineyard Great White was a popular choice--I was one of three who brought this bottle. It was the only New England wine made from grapes where I first stopped, and I couldn't bring myself to buying the blueberry wine. This was actually quite good--refreshing, slightly sweet white. No one was complaining that there were 3 bottles on hand. Apparently the grapes in this wine are a state secret, no mention anywhere I can find online, guessing they blend the white grapes they have on hand. But a pleasant summer sipping wine for under $10 is a good find nonetheless!

2005 Running Brook Unoaked Chardonnay Still had a bit of butter in the taste though it had the unoaked label. Pleasant enough drinking wine to accompany the appetizers. We also sampled their Sauvignon Blanc, which was a bit on the tart side. If you're going to try something from this winery I'd recommend the chard. They are based in North Dartmouth, MA.

2003 Westport Rivers Brut Cuvee Always a hit in my book, they make a nice, clean somewhat dry sparkling wine. This bottle brought by another guest was no exception and was definitly one of the top wines of the night. I'd actually wanted to bring one of their sparkling wines--definitely their strong suit--but could only find their Pinot Gris. I wound up sampling the Pinot Gris a bit out of order so might not be a fair taste, but definitely would say it doesn't match up to what they do with the sparklers.

Turtle Creek Zinfandel My tasting notes say "A bit of spice, though rather thin, didn't compare well to the full-bodied fruitiness of a California zin." Interestingly, I found later that the grapes were sourced from Amador County, California. It looks like this Lincoln, MA, based winery grows their own Chardonnay, Cab Franc and Syrah, outsources other grapes like the zin.

Sakonnet Cock of the Walk Red This interesting blend included two grapes I hadn't tried or heard of before-- Lemberger & Chancellor--along with the more familiar Cab Franc. A medium bodied red with some complexity and a bit of spice, it showed that it is possible to produce a quality red wine here in New Englad! Went nicely with the grilled ribeye steaks that were served for the main course.

Truro Vineyards Cranberry Red Yes, this one blends red grapes with a bit of cranbery flavor. I was skeptical, but it was fairly tasty and I could see it being a natural for Thanksgiving. Fitting for a winery on Cape Cod to add cranberry to the mix, given that it is a signficant cranberry growing area.

Not to worry, there was food to go with all this wine being sampled. Our hostess Anne is a quite a cook, starting us off with her signature grilled pizzas and a great array of cheeses. The main course was grilled steak along with several varieties of salad--pasta, green salad and potato. And a wonderful spread of desserts!

We sampled quite a few New England wines at this tasting, but there are actually many more producers we didn't try. The Fresh New England website has a roundup of the region's wineries, and it appears we were just scratching the surface! So in this age of the locavore, it is possible to drink well locally here in New England.

Wine & Food Pairing Today Features Qupe Wine Cellars

Friends Lori and Ray Schaefer of Phoenix Wine & Food are kicking off their pairing adventure today at Wine Country on Saturday June 27, 2009, 4:00-6:00 pm. (741 Main Street, Winchester, MA 01890, 781-721-1045). I'm posting below, with their permission, the details of what they are plannig to sample...the balance of this post is theirs, which I'm sharing for the public good!

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This is our first opportunity to choose both the wines and the foods. Please join us.

Qupe Wine Cellars is the featured winery, one of our favorites from Central Coast, California. Qupe is known for their Rhone varietals. We’ve met the owner, Bob Lindquist, who is a great guy, and the wines are great as well.

WINES with FOOD PAIRINGS

Marsanne “SANTA YNEZ VALLEY” 88% Marsanne & 12% Roussanne The grapes are picked at the low end of ripeness, retaining plenty of acidity and refreshingly low alcohol. Bob describes it as “wet stone” minerality along with hints of almonds, honey, citrus and flowers.” Ages well. Mango and Crab Stacks Red bell pepper, cilantro, lemon juice, and wasabi paste

Bien Nacido Cuvee 50%Viognier/50%Chardonnay “…floral, honeysuckle, and orange zest-scented possessing lots of fruit as well as crisp underlying acidity. This fresh, lively wine reveals how tasty some innovative blends can be”… “consistently one of the best whites grown in CA.” Camembert Cheese France, cow’s milk, soft, bloomy rind. Mild, slightly salty buttery flavor with underlying flavors of mushrooms, garlic, and/or nuts.

Syrah Central Coast 98% Syrah, 2% Grenache A blend of cool-climate Santa Barbara grapes and warm-climate Paso Robles grapes. The cool-climate fruit gives spice, acidity and balanced alcohol while the warm-climate fruit give softness, roundness, ripeness and more up-front fruit flavors and aromas. Roast Chicken & Rosemary Tidbits As recommended by Qupe to go with the Syrah Central Coast

Syrah Bien Nacido Bright ruby-red. Wild nose combines redcurrant, rhubarb, underbrush, herbs, resin and oak; notes of cherry skin and minerals merged with aeration. Supple, suave and quite dry, with the slightly bitter cherry skin element giving the wine a refreshing character. Finishes with very suave tannins and a mineral edge. Beef Tenderloin Crostini with Red Pepper Hummus and Black Olives

Evodia Garnacha: Great Value Spanish Red

I'm usually content if a wine for around $10 is a pleasant, drinkable wine. Once and awhile, I stumble upon something that makes me say, wow, this is only ____! Great value wines are always good to find, especially these days. The 2007 Evodia Garnacha I tasted last night is one of the best values I've come across recently.

My original tasting notes for this one: Violet bouquet, taste of cherry, licorice and a bit of cinnamon. Good value @ $11.

Then after it breathed for about 20 minutes, it went from good to great (for the price at least!)...or from "good value" to "a steal". The edges softened up, making for a powerful fruit-forward taste with a velvety fininsh.

The wine is produced from 100% old vine Garncaha in high altitudes in the mountainous village of Atea in northeast Spain.

Oregon Pinot and a Good Steak, My Early Father's Day Treat

My Dad's a bit easier to please in the Father's Day beverage department. Beer. Guinness. Happy.

I suppose being a wine afficianado could make coming up with a special bottle as a Father's Day treat somewhat daunting, but Jodi met this challenge with flying colors. She surpised me with a bottle of 2005 Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir, from the Willamette Valley in Oregon. I make it a policy of not posting prices for bottles given to me as gifts (I want to keep getting them) but it is definitely more than we typically spend for a bottle.

Saturday tends to be my favorite cooking night, so it seemed to make sense to crack open this pinot in advance of Father's Day. I brought it to the optimal serving temperature, 59 degrees according to my little wine chiller gadget. Pinot being such a fragile grape I don't tend to think about letting it breathe, but I realized last night that I might need to re-think that when drinking a serious pinot like this.

The bouquet was very subtle when getting ready for my first taste of this one. I first noted the pinot was well structure, with firm acidity and pleasant mouthfeel. But it was clearly still very tight, with the fruit still a bit locked in. I knew this was a good quality wine on the first taste, but not showing its best qualities yet. So for the first time I can recall, this pinot went into the decanter.

The Domaine Serene blossomed over the course of our meal. That early promise showing in the first taste matured into full blown pleasurable sipping. The berry fruit showed nicely, with subtle woodiness in the backdrop giving it structure. I don't often serve pinot with steak, but I correctly guessed that this big pinot could stand up to ribeyes I'd prepared, and would match the spicy sweetness of the sauce, which I made roughly based on this Wolfgang Puck recipe. The Asian accents of this sauce combine nicely with steak, and I had enough extra to serve some on the mashed potatoes. Definitely a recipe I recommend trying.

All in all, this was a wonderful treat! My one tip would be that this one will be best enjoyed with either some cellaring or breathing time.

Montgras Quatro Blend from Chile

The 2007 Montgras Quatro from Chile blends Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Carmenere, and Syrah. With that lineup of grapes, not a surprise that this would be a big wine that benefits from decanting. Shows a deep purple in the glass, the first taste upon uponing was very tight, a bit of cherry overshadowed by a rough woodiness. But after about 30 minutes in the decanter, the cherry fruit really showed nicely, making for a supple, well balanced wine.

I'd chosen this to go with some quick pork chops I was making, roughly following this recipe I'd made previously. A good match!

Spring Sampler Menu with Links to Recipes!

Spring Sampler for Social Capital Inc.

(menu from last Sunday's fundraising social @ our place)

“A community’s food preferences…represent one of the strongest social glues we have.” Michael Pollan, The Omnivore’s Dilemma

Early Stage Nibbling

Cheese & Crackers

Chips & Spicy Dip

Pesto Crostini

Crostini with Wilson’s Farm Asparagus & Goat Cheese

Wine Pairing: Sauvignon Blanc—Bordeaux Sauvignon, Honig, Cakebread

Alternative choice: Malbec or Zin

First Course

Maine Scallops with Garlic Chips and Arugula-Mint Cream

Wine Pairing: Albarino

Alternative choice: Rose or more Sauv Blanc

Second Course

Cape Malay Chicken Curry

Wine Pairing: Poppy Pinot Noir & Spier 2005 from South Africa

Alternative: Rose or one of the whites

Third Course

Steak with Mushroom, Truffle Oil & Faro

Sauteed Local Greens

Wine Pairing: Try a Nebbiolo or an Earthy Red from Southern France

(more on the wines for this course posted along with the recipe)

Dessert

Sweet Stuff & Wines to Match

Steak & Mushroom Farro

I was pleased that one of the favorite dishes I served for a recent "Spring Sampler" fundraiser we hosted for Social Capital Inc. was a new one I concocted for the occasion. I knew I wanted to serve some steak, but wanted to prepare it in a way that would stretch for the 15-20 guests I was anticipating. At first I thought about pasta or risotto, but the former seemed to basic and the latter would have my back to the company too much as I stirred. So I opted for the robust faro grain, which I made in a risotto style.

The recipe below could easily serve 8-10 as a main course; I served it as one of 3 smaller tapas style plates for a bigger crowd. I prepared the steak & mushroom sauce ahead of time, I've written the instructions that way to encourage the advance prep for company.

2.5 lbs steak, I used 2 porterhouse (great way to have a bit of filet!)

10 ozs button mushrooms, sliced

1/2 lb shiitake mushrooms, stemmed & sliced

4 small/medium shallots, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp fresh sage, minced

3 tbsp butter

1/2 cup red wine

1 1/4 lbs faro, soaked for 30 mins & rinsed

1/4 cup cream

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

salt & pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp truffle oil

1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Brush the steaks with the olive oil, the grind salt & pepper on the the steak. Let them sit for 15 minutes or so at room temperature.

2. Lightly coat a large skillet with olive oil spray. Heat on medium-high, add steaks when hot (mine just barely fit into the pan together). Sear the steaks by cooking on the stove top about 1 minute per side so it begins to brown. Move the pan from stovetop into oven, and cook for about 7 minutes--you want them to be rare at this point if you are going to be re-heating. Remove pan from oven, place steaks on platter and loosely tent them with foil.

3. Place the skillet, with the steak juices and morsels, back on the stovetop on medium heat. Melt the butter, then add the shallots & garlic. Saute until the shallots begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms in a few batches, stirring gently to combine, and cook for about 5 minutes until they start to soften. Stir in the wine, herbs, and season generously with pepper and a bit of salt. Cook for about 5 minutes so the wine sauce thickens. Finish by stirring in the cream. You can also add another tablespoon or so of butter at this point for a richer sauce, or use butter instead of the cream. Remove the pan from heat.

4. Cut the steak into bite size pieces, and stir it in with the sauce; I'd suggest doing this in a storage container, or a medium pan that you can re-heat the mushroom steak combination in later.

5. When you are 30 minutes from serving time, boil a large pot of water to cook the faro. When it's boiling, add the faro grain. It takes about 25 minutes to cook until softened. Drain the faro when it's tender.

6. Gently re-heat the steak & mushroom combination about 10 minutes before the faro is due to be done. Take care not to overcook the steak. Combine the faro and steak & mushrooms, add an extra tablespoon of olive oil to facilitate the blending. Add the cheese, a bit of extra salt & pepper, and finish by stirring in the truffle oil after removing the dish from the heat. Serve and enjoy!

Wine pairing: The beef and robust flavors of the faro and mushrooms definitely call for a big red wine, and we had a chance to sample three. My first thought was the 2006 Cantina Del Pinto Langhe Nebbiolo would provide the earthiness to match the dish; it was certainly a nice wine but was definitely upstaged by the pair we had from Southern France. I'd picked up the 2005 Chateau de la Liquiere Vielles Vignes, a red blend from the Faugeres appellation in the the Langeudoc region of France. This combines 40% old vine Carignan, 40% Grenache, 10% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre. This red had the rustic qualities I like from this region and matched the dish nicely. A friend also brought the 2007 Jean-Louis Tribouley Les Bacs Vin de Pays Des Cotes Catalanes, a nice treat and another good match for the dish. I'd previously raved about the 2006 vintage of this one. You can't go wrong with any of these three choices, but any other big red you might have is worth trying with this too.