10 July 2013 Dinner with Jacob’s Creek…at My Home

Dinner with Jacob’s Creek…at My Home

July 10, 2013 By

Jacob's CreekThis year, 4th of July was celebrated with beef and beefy red wines at my home. My guy grilled a whole beef tenderloin and I baked my Cabot Creamery Seriously Sharp Cheddar Mac N Cheese.

Since I had a nice lineup of Jacob’s Creek’s current release, I decided to focus the party around their wines. Here’s what we tasted:

  • 2010 Jacob’s Creek Reserve Barossa Shiraz ($14) – This wine smells and tastes the way it looks: blackberry, chocolate/mocha with a little black pepper. It was perfect for the beef and the pepper sauce I served with it. I just enjoy that big mouthful of dark jammy berries.
  • 2011 Jacob’s Creek Reserve Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon ($10) – Purplish red in the glass, this Cabernet Sauvignon offers ripe blackberry and red current aromas with some astringent notes. Nicely balanced, fresh with vanilla notes. Can’t beat it for the price.
  • 2012 Jacob’s Creek Reserve Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir ($13) – Nice berry aromas with a bit of pumpkin pie spice. Bright cherry flavors with a little oak on the finish. Baby tannins stood up to roasted s’mores nicely.
  • 2012 Jacob’s Creek Reserve Barossa Dry Riesling ($12) – Citrusy aromas with fresh, green apple flavors. Lovely crisp, wet stone finish. Perfect to cut through the richness of my mac and cheese and stood up to its spicy Panko topping.
  • 2012 Jacob’s Creek Reserve Adelaide Hills Chardonnay ($15) – For fans of Chardonnay without a ton of oak and butteryness, this is a good option. It offers a floral, citrusy noseful and nectarine aromas with a great level of acidity. This was poured around the time we enjoyed my Red, White and Blue Cake.

I know I should have poured American wines of this very American holiday, but I enjoyed the lineup very much and look forward to pairing up those heavier reds with my grilled meats this summer.

Cheers,

Veronique

These wines were provided to me for sampling and I’m adding to my repertoire as they’re truly enjoyable.

Filed Under: Australia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Syrah / Shiraz, White Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
25 June 2013 2011 Capiaux Chimera Pinot Noir

2011 Capiaux Chimera Pinot Noir

June 25, 2013 By

2011 Capiaux Chimera Pinot NoirBright ruby red in the glass with typical cherry and pumpkin spice aromas and a mouthful of ripe cherry flavors – love this style Pinot.

Pairings: Roasted duck, chicken or turkey, mushroom dishes

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): Pinot Noir

Region: Sonoma County, CA, USA

Price: $32

Filed Under: Pinot Noir, Red Wine, United States, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , ,
22 June 2013 2009 Jean Edwards Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

2009 Jean Edwards Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

June 22, 2013 By

2009 Jean Edwards Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernet SauvignonI had the California Cabernet Sauvignon at a recent wine pairing dinner and it was big and round and rich with stone fruit aromas and chocolate covered cherry flavors. It was paired with short ribs and côte de boeuf and it was simply decadent.

Pairings: Roasted or grilled meats, cheese course

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Napa Valley, CA, USA

Price: $65

Filed Under: Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Wine, United States, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , ,
20 June 2013 2011 Ravines Dry Riesling

2011 Ravines Dry Riesling

June 20, 2013 By

2011 Ravines Dry RieslingI’m certain that if you’ve read me regularly, that you know what a fan of Ravines Wine Cellars and Finger Lakes Riesling I am. The 2011 Ravines Dry Riesling I poured over the weekend reminded me of why I love the wines from Ravines so much.

On the nose, there are lovely aromas of Asian pear and Meyer lemon. In the mouth, the lemon turns to lime and the pear to crisp apple flavors. The finish offers the perfect level of acidity and crispness.

It was delicious with the rich lobster I served at my 4th Annual Food & Wine Chickie Lobsterfest.

WS 90 points.

Pairings: Shellfish, seafood, grilled fish, spicy Asian food

Style: White wine

Grape Type(s): Riesling

Region: Finger Lakes, NY, USA

Price: $17

Filed Under: Riesling, United States, White Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , ,
18 June 2013 Super Value and Taste for Summer from Banrock Station Moscato

Super Value and Taste for Summer from Banrock Station Moscato

June 18, 2013 By

Banrock Pink MoscatoLast weekend, I hosted my 4th Annual Food and Wine Chickie Lobsterfest and was really pleased with the two wines I poured for an aperitif. Both were sipped along a variety of foods ranging from light to very rich and stood up nicely.

2012 Banrock Station Pink Moscato ($8), delicate pink in the glass with refreshing, lightly floral flavors. The small amount of fizziness and nice level of acidity balance out most of the sweetness.

2012 Banrock Station Moscato ($8), lightly citrusy on the nose, tropical fruit flavors and bright and refreshing finish.

Banrock MoscatoThese wines from Australia’s McLaren Vale region are affordable, approachable and delicious.

Cheers,

Veronique

These wines were provided to me for sampling and I’m adding to my repertoire as they’re truly enjoyable.

Filed Under: Australia, Muscat, Rose, Blush Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,
10 June 2013 2005 LAN Rioja Gran Reserva

2005 LAN Rioja Gran Reserva

June 10, 2013 By

2005 LAN Rioja Gran ReservaThis Spanish Rioja is inky black in the glass and offers aromas of ripe cherries with herby and a little funky notes. Chocolate-covered cherries and dark berry flavors on this great example of Rioja. It’s a little tannic and peppery on the finish.

Pairings: Grilled meats, spicy food, barbecue

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): 85% Tempranillo, 10% Mazuelo and 5% Graciano

Region: Rioja, Spain

Price: $25

Filed Under: By Country, Red Wine, Rioja, Spain, Wine Reviews
10 June 2013 2010 Cakebread Cellars Zinfandel Red Hills Lake County

2010 Cakebread Cellars Zinfandel Red Hills Lake County

June 10, 2013 By

2010 Cakebread Cellars ZinfandelI brought this California Zinfandel to a camping trip to pair with my World’s Easiest Baby Back Ribs and it was a nice pairing.

It’s deep purple in the glass with stone fruit and mocha aromas. For those of you who love huge fruit bombs, this is likely not the Zin for you. It’s medium-bodied with cherry and chocolaty flavors and a velvety mouth feel.

Pairings: Grilled meats, spicy food, barbecue

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): 94% Zinfandel, 6% Petite Sirah

Region: Lake County, CA, USA

Price: $30

Filed Under: Petite Syrah, Red Wine, United States, Wine Reviews, Zinfandel Tagged With: , ,
5 June 2013 2007 Echeverria Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc

2007 Echeverria Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc

June 5, 2013 By

2007 Echeverria Late Harvest Sauvignon BlancThis dessert wine is strikingly golden in the glass and offers ripe, juicy peach aromas. There’s a rich, coating mouthfeel, honey and fig jam flavors and a nice level of acidity on the finish of this little beauty.

The 2007 Echeverria Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc held up nicely to the caramel panna cotta but it was paired with at a recent dinner I attended.

Pairings: Cheese course, stone fruit or caramel desserts

Style: Sweet / Dessert Wine

Grape Type(s): Sauvignon Blanc

Region: Curico Valley, Chile

Price: $19.99 (375ml)

Filed Under: Chile, Dessert Wine, Sauvignon Blanc, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , ,
30 May 2013 2010 Selbach Oster Riesling Kabinett

2010 Selbach Oster Riesling Kabinett

May 30, 2013 By

WinesPerhaps it’s because we’ve vacationed in Mosel and visited and stayed at an inn that poured Selbach-Oster, but I just enjoy these wines tremendously.

I uncorked this German Riesling at a recent lobster dinner in Canada and it was a super pairing. On the nose it’s floral with wet stone aromas. Although a Kabinett, which tend to be slightly sweet, this wine is drier than I expected (for which I was grateful) with green apple tartness and peach lusciousness flavors. The finish is crisp on this well-balanced Mosel Riesling.

Pairings: Shellfish, seafood, grilled fish, spicy Asian food

Style: White wine

Grape Type(s): Riesling

Region: Mosel, Germany

Price: $23

Filed Under: Germany, Riesling, White Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , ,
22 May 2013 2009 Marquis de Chasse Sauternes

2009 Marquis de Chasse Sauternes

May 22, 2013 By

SauternesGolden in the glass, the 2009 Marquis de Chasse Sauternes offers typical aromas of honey and dry apricot. In the mouth, it’s rich with ripe pear and honey flavors with a little nutmeg notes on the finish. Sweet yet well-balanced – very pleasant for such a young Sauternes.

Pairings: Cheese course, foie gras, most desserts

Style: White wine

Grape Type(s): Semillon,  Sauvignon Blanc,  Muscadelle

Region: Bordeaux, France

Price: $24 (500ml)

Filed Under: France, Muscadelle, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , ,
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