Bring Back Summer

I heard there is already snow on the ground not thirty miles from here! *gag* I'm not ready for another long winter. With luck, I think we can still squeeze out a few days of New England autumny goodness before winter sets in.

Enter Truro Vineyards Reserve Chardonnay.

We probably wouldn't have been able to procure this bottle from the 2007 vintage if it hadn't been a sample since Truro has been sold out for some time. I do wish we could have gone in person last summer to sample the wines and I'm sure we will some day. I think wine always tastes better at the winery, and I don't mean that in the cynical way. You just can't help but really enjoy drinking a wine within a few hundred yards of where it was produced. We didn't make it to the Cape this summer, but I reckon the only thing better than summer on the Cape is fall on the Cape. ;-)

Anyway, I can't recall having many Chardonnays grown in this part of the world other than a few we tried in Long Island so I don't have much to compare it to. Many local wineries choose to buy grapes from California. This Estate Grown Chardonnay was quite lemony with a little oak in the background. Even with the oak, I think it was much more refreshing than your average overly-buttery flabby chard. There were also some hay notes to balance out the citrus, and a smooth glycerin mouthfeel. A great summer wine, but also good for this time of year--like a crisp cold apple. I can honestly say it's the best New England chard we'd tried, and would pair nicely with any of our local seafood.

The Dining Alternative

Two Saturday's ago we had the pleasure of dining at the home of Chef Peter Ungár with Richard from The Passionate Foodie and his wife. Several wine and food lovers were also in attendance including Dale Cruse, Mary Reilly, Keri of The Wine Bottega, and Jacqueline Church.

The food was absolutely stunning with more courses than you could shake a fork at. Chef Ungár presented every dish and how it was prepared in detail. Among the most unusual concoctions: A watermelon oyster gelee which served as the base for a blue point oyster topped with salmon roe; the white anchovy tempura on a tiny roasted shallot boat; and a tomato sorbet with aged balsamic and basil oil. (photo courtesy of The Dining Alternative)

It's hard to pick a favorite course because everything was so good, but I probably most enjoyed the way the kobe beef ball crunched like a cadbury mini egg (Thanks Keri for that analogy). I also particularly enjoyed the walnut mustard. If I did have to pick a favorite, it would be the braised bison shortrib with white peach compote. Oh, I almost forgot the amazing trumpet royale mushrooms in the seared tuna dish--they were an epiphany.

Sommelier Scott Weinstein, brought some killer wines to pair with our meal. Top picks for me were the Martinsancho Verdejo 2004 which had a certain understated quaffability combined with a Masamoto finish; the Wakatake "Demon Slayer" Daiginjo sake for the seared tuna and green tea soba noodles, which could only be described as a digital liquid chocolate-dipped banana; and finally the heady South African Sequillo Red 2003 of which Scott brought his last two bottles. What a guy. That was some kind of sacrifice I can assure you.

The whole evening was a treat and Taster A and I enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. We both commented afterward that we felt like we were on an episode of Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie. It just felt like the kind of avant-garde scene they would feature. I think this may actually be the start of a new movement of gourmet in-home dining. Hey, Chef Ungár, when is Gourmet mag showing up? ;)

Being hep to the multi-media social 2.0 scene, The good people at The Dining Alternative put together this little vid showcasing the entire evening's menu. Take a peek, but try not to drool!

Bodega Aljibes Visits New England

We were fortunate Friday night to be invited to a Spanish wine dinner at Zorvino Vineyard with visiting winemaker Javier Fernandez Sanz from Bodega Aljibes in Spain.

It was our first time to one of Zorvino's events and it was nice to see that there was a healthy turnout. Most of the other guests were first-timers too, so I guess the word is getting out about Chef Philip Carolan. He pretty much runs a one-man kitchen, yet still finds time to do things like blanche and peel fresh cherry tomatoes to go with the seared skewered beef, and bake 70 mini soufflés. He also grows some of his own greens and herbs on the property which I think is just awesome. I know that's pretty standard in other areas but it's pretty revolutionary in these parts.

Javier was kind enough to fly in all the way from Spain just for this event. I admit I did heard him say something about going to New York on this trip too but, I'm sure New Hampshire was the highlight of his trip.

Javier walked us through his selections starting with the 2007 Viña Aljibes Blanco: An entry-level blend of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. This wine was very easy-drinking and a nice blend of mineral and fruit. The acidity really sparkled when paired with a calamari salad. This was followed by the Vina Aljibes Rosado 2007 which Javier explained was developed for the Holland clubbing market (apparently, in Holland clubbers drink Rosé at the disco). The criteria for this market is pink and smells nice which it was and did--like strawberry and pineapple.

Next we had the 2004 Aljibes red: A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot (33%). I wish I had taken notes. Some found it perhaps too rustic for the average palate but, I thought it was quite graceful with deep dark fruit, layers of chocolate, spice, and tannins that tasted more herbaceous than bitter.

Finally, we had a 2006 Cab Franc paired with our chocolate soufflé and banana... Okay, can we talk about this banana for a second? I was expecting your average mushy poached banana but this thing had a delicate crisp caramelized coating, and was warmed through without being cooked to mush. Oh, and the soufflé..? We're supposed to be listening to Javier talk about this Cab Franc, and it was all I could do to not be distracted by the aroma of melty, bakey chocolate sitting under my nose. Some guests yielded to temptation and devoured all traces of the dessert before Javier had even stopped talking. I felt kind of bad for him--I hope the Chef saved him one so he left knowing that the chocolate was to blame. The Cab Franc was a great pairing with the dessert, by the way. The chocolate brought out a nice bright strawberry flavor in the wine.

All in all, a very pleasant evening with some great food and interesting wines. It was nice to have some Spanish wines introduced by the wine maker himself right here in New England...Not as nice as having them in Spain but, this was a pretty good substitute and the folks at Zorvino are fun. I'm going to keep an eye out for the 2004 Aljibes red blend in the local wine shops so I can try it again.

$10 Tuesday, Zorvino Winery

Those of you that follow this blog will remember that I just had a jones this spring. I just had to go back to my roots and get to a maple sugar house and stick my head into the steam. I found a sugar house up in Chester, New Hampshire one Sunday that was sugaring and I just had to go. B was doing homework and I was on a mission to find an arc, feel the heat on my jeans, smell the sap boiling and after 30 years, just find someone else that just understands what it means to sugar.

Driving up the back road in Sandown, New Hampshire, just five miles from my target I saw a sign by the road that said, “Wine Tasting”. I almost sprained my ankle jumping on the breaks. What is this, I’m in the middle of Southern New Hampshire? Well, let me fill you in about Zorvino Vineyards.

I walked into the tasting room and got a cheery, hello and welcome from Rue (right) and Sally who were operating the tasting room. We sat down and started to chat about the wines and the vineyard, and what I learned rocked my universe about business models for making wine.

This part of New Hampshire is not buffered by the ocean like Jewell Towne is, so the weather is, well New England weather. Thus it is difficult to find a grape to produce quality wines. But you are Jim Zanello, and you have a heritage of wine making. What do you do? You source your grapes. You source your grapes from Tuscany, Northern California and South America. Check this out, it’s like having two harvest seasons! Right off the bat, I have affinity for this winery. But can they make wine? Yes.

Zorvino Vineyards makes small batches in stainless steel. They are using modern techniques, to make wines in a style that are very flavorful, full bodied, beautifully extracted and just great values.

They are very open about where the grapes are sourced. On the tasting sheet, they list the growing region. They do not barrel age, but they do use chips. The result is a very mildly wooded wine that is similar to the styles of Chile, Argentina and Italy.

I brought two bottles home, the 2007 Chardonnay made with grapes sourced from the Curico Valley of Chile and the 2008 Carmenere, grapes also sourced from the Curico Valley of Chile.

Chardonnay 2007
Zorvino Vuneyards

Alcohol: 12.3%
Price: $10.00

Color: Straw Yellow
Intensity: Pale
Aromas: Vanilla, melon, honey, butterscotch, malt, oak
Flavors: Lemon, mango, butterscotch, oak, mineral, stone, lime zest
Acidity: Moderate
Sweetness: Dry
Finish: Long

Summary: This is a rather refreshing experience. Here in central, southern New Hampshire, I have found a chardonnay that I actually like. I’m not a big Chardonnay fan, I prefer Sauvignon Blanc. Here is a Chardonnay that is moderately buttery, mildly oaked, ever so slightly toasted that was very enjoyable. Nothing in this wine is overpowering. It is not trying to be the world’s best Chardonnay. Like a good friend that stopped over to shoot the breeze, it’s just a pleasurable experience.

We are having this tonight with baked potatoes. This will go good with anything you’d serve Chardonnay with, and you’ll like it.

Back at the Vineyard, I tasted the Dry Mascato, Pinot Grigio, the Chardonnay (above), Cabernet Sauvignon, and the Merlot. Chatting with Rue, I told him about my Italian heritage and how I have Sangiovese in my blood. At that point, he took me back to the tank for a special barrel tasting of the Sangiovese that Zorvino is making. It’s going to be real gooood and I’ll have to make a trip up when it is released.


Carmenere
Zorvino Vineyards

Vintage: 2008
Alcohol: 12.5
Price: $15.00

Color: Garnett
Intensity: Dark
Aromas: Cherry, blueberry, smoked meat, black pepper, hay, American oak, rose
Flavors: Cherry, chocolate, licorice, tobacco, allspice, cinnamon, blueberry,
Body: Full
Sweetness: Dry
Tannins: Soft
Finish: Moderately long

Summary: This is a big surprise. Who would have thought that a good carmernere could be made in New Hampshire. We opened this wine with a tomato based vegetable pasta dish. It complemented the spicy dish very well. The flavors are bold even though the aromas are a little tight. Once it opened up, it became floral. The wood notes are complimentary, not dominant, meaning that it is not overpowered oak and smoke. This leaves the flavors and aromas unfettered by over oaking.

This is a good valued table wine made by an emerging winery, right here in New England.


I would have this with Mediterranean lamb dishes, Italian tomato or roasted meat dishes, pizza or Mexican. It is an easy wine to have with heavier foods.

You Say Foxy. I Say Candy Corn

Before we begin, please press play on the music video below to begin the soundtrack for this post.



Flag Hill Winery & Distillery, Lee NH
We visited another local New England winery over the weekend. Flag Hill has over 20 acres planted to several cold hardy hybrid and native grape varieties. Among them, Seyval, Cayuga, Niagara, Marechal Foch, and Chancellor. Flag Hill also has a cool brand new (but antique looking) brass still where they make their General Stark triple-distilled vodka from New Hampshire apples. They are also getting ready to bottle their first run of barrel-aged apple brandy.

So, getting back to the foxy theme...
We sampled the Niagara Reserve which was our first taste of the Niagara grape. Wow. Talk about your distinctive varietal. As I later tweeted, this wine reminded me of Halloween in olden-day New England. It just has a real harvesty aroma. I guess there is a word for this: Foxy (or in the common vernacular: Foxy mamma jamma). I couldn't quite put my finger on exactly what food item it reminded me of--the closest I could come was candy corn.

...and now for something completely different...

There is a lot of Seyval Blanc in New England. If you're going to drink local wines around here, you have to learn to like it. I have come to appreciate the fruit character that can be achieved with this grape in our northern climate.

Flag Hill does theirs differently than Jewell Towne in that they let it see some American White Oak. I generally like a clean steel-fermented Seyval Blanc, but I can still give Flag Hill props for this version. The oak does not mask the fruit and it lends a really nutty component to the palate so you find all kinds of almond notes, running the gamut from toasted almonds, to almond extract, to marzipan. We enjoyed it enough to bring a bottle home ($11.95).

Flag Hill is definitely a New England winery (is there any other kind in New England?). What I mean by that, is they aren't afraid to blend the traditions of wine-making with the traditions of the northeast.

Besides table wines, they are doing fruit wines, Sugar Maple liqueur, apple spirits, and dessert wines. They even produce a red dessert wine blended with maple syrup... I know... We tried it though, and it actually was well done. The off-dry Dechaunac is probably the most marketable of the reds. I actually found their fruit wine quite pleasant. I am not usually a fan of fruit wines. Flag Hill doesn't try to make their's something it's not by making a dry wine from fruit; it is sweet and it tastes like the fruit it is made from.

It's definitely worth the trip to Flag Hill Winery to sample some of the flavors of New England's heritage.

From pot to boat to pound to pot, Glah-sta Lahb-sta

I visited Argyle Winery’s tasting room when I went on my trip to the Willamette Valley last November. Argyle is famous for their sparkling wines. I don’t really care for sparkling wines, however, theirs were very good. What I did enjoy was their Riesling so I procured a bottle "for future reference". This Riesling was planted in the Lone Star Vineyard in a high density on devigorated rootstock.

Riesling
Argyle Winery
Willamette Valley
Vintage: 2006
Alcohol: 13.0%
Residual Sugar: 1%
Cases Produced: 635

Color: Yellow
Intensity: Pale
Aromas: Melon, honeysuckle, stone, cedar
Flavors: Grapefruit, melon, pear, lemon, mineral, a little wood flavor.
Body: Medium Bodied
Acidity: Moderate
Sweetness: Semi dry
Finish: Moderate

Summary: This is a clean, refreshing Riesling. I liked the acid and semi-dry balance in this wine. It has some nice mineral characteristics with a teeny-tiny bit of vanilla. It also left a nice, low grade glycerin feel in the mouth. The citrus is very refreshing.


This is a good wine for sitting down with a meal of chicken picante, fish (haddock, red snapper, whitefish, sole, or cod). Shrimp and lobster would go great with this. In fact, I think we will enjoy our Argyle 2006 Riesling with lobster! Read on!

Glah-sta Lahb-sta
I had a hankering today. I really wanted to have some lobster, and why not. We live in a fishing port in Massachusetts, all’s I have to do is go see my fellow Blogger, Joey at Captain Joe and Sons and pick up a couple of "frisky ones". Joey is a dedicated Blogger and family man who runs Good Morning Gloucester. Good Morning Gloucester is a very well read Blog about life in Gloucester and I owe much of the local popularity of SMU to Joey. [Meet Joey on SMU!]

This time of year, the lobsters are headed out to deeper waters, out of Gloucester Harbor. We have fewer lobster pots in the water. Fishermen bring them in for storage. Here are some pots coming in to Captain Joe’s for winter storage.

We are lucky. The lobsters that B and I buy go from the pot to the boat to the pound to the pot in one day.

Tips on buying lobsters
Just because you live in Kansas doesn't mean you can't get lobster. Gloucester sends them to markets all over. When you buy a lobster, make sure that they are frisky. The tails should curl up. Ask your fishmonger to pull the tail out and see if it pulls back. If it is limp, pass; the lobster is not really in good condition. Your fishmonger should boil this and put it on display for some of the uniformed to buy. Our lobsters were flipping and pissed off to be picked up from behind. Real “frisky ones” as I call them.

When you get them home, put them in the refrigerator. Don’t put them in the sink or bathtub with water, they will drown. They will be fine in the fridge in a bag for a while. Me, being spitting distance from the nearest lobster pound, I pick them up at 1:00 and put them into the pot at 5:00. (Sorry for throwing salt into the wound, not everyone can live on the Atlantic coast.)

When I cook lobsters, I get a big stock pot boiling with water. I cut the claw bands off and drop them head first into the water and set the timer for 10 minutes. (We ask for 1.5 to 2.0 pound lobsters. For 2 pounders, maybe 11 minutes.) While this is going on, slice up some lemon, melt some butter, pop open the Riesling and get the glasses ready. After the lobsters are done, pull out and drain and eat. (In the summer time, I’ll throw some ears of corn in the water about three minutes before the lobster is done.)

The Argyle Riesling was absolutely perfect with this lobster. It was citrusy enough to hold up to the lemon in the butter and sweet enough to not seem sour against the lobster meet. B made a great green salad with chipotle lime dressing with shredded cabbage, fresh cilantro and corn kernels.

This is without a doubt the best lobster meal I have ever had. Pairing this Willamette Valley Rielsing with Lobster was just a fabulous treat.

Vignoles in the Fall

I’ve had several discussions with Peter Oldak, owner and wine maker of Jewell Towne Vineyards. He has a good heart and soul for what he does. He likes to make what he calls “honest wines”. Oaking and smoking wine is not his style, and in this age or formulating for wine scores, it seems that Peter is blissfully oblivious to that trend.

Peter uses all stainless steel fermentation and storage. Many of his wines are “American table wines", and I get excited about his whites and I think they are worth talking about. This is the Massachusetts-New Hampshire border we are talking about. This is ideal for cold climate grapes.

If the whites are worth mentioning, Peter expands his skills and makes a killer port and a kick-butt Vidal Ice Wine 2005. Some cold and snowy night, I’ll share the port with you, promise.

Tonight’s wine is his Vignoles table wine not to be confused with the 2007 Vignoles which we will pop open later.

Vignoles
Jewell Towne Winery

New Hampshire Table Wine
Alcohol: 11.0%
Price: ~$10 to $12

Color: Golden-yellow
Intensity: Moderate for a white
Aromas: Honey, pear, straw, butterscotch, apple, litchi,
Flavors: Lemon, melon, honey, butterscotch, pear, guava, tangerine, hint of tobacco
Body: Moderately full
Acidity: Crisp
Sweetness: Sweet
Finish: Moderately long

Summary: Mmmm, an interesting combination of tropical, citrus and butterscotch. It has a very round mouth feel, but also a cleanness, with explosive flavors. It is 25 deg F outside, not what I think would be white wine weather, but I’m just enjoying this. As with many Jewell Towne Wines, it is on the sweet side, think lemon sorbet. Nice and refreshing.

I heard Taster B say this would go good with spicy Asian food. I think I’m happy to have this on its own, just as an aperitif. I’m thinking about a warm fire with a cold wine and good music going. Just turn off the tube, close the laptop and enjoy.

There's grapes on the vine.

Just this past Tuesday, my friends at Jewell Towne gave me the run of the vineyard to shoot to my heart's content. Their grapes are coming along very well. Bellow are Aurore, Cayuga White and Maréchal Foch.