Tempranillo & Tapas!

There it was. Right there in my e-mail inbox. It was the e-mail from Freda and in that e-mail was my wine assignment for this installment of The Wine Wench Newsletter. I felt a little bit like an undercover operative and I could have sworn that I heard the theme to “Mission Impossible” in the near distance.

With one deft tap of my pointer finger, the message opened and staring at me were five simple words: “How about a Spanish Tempranillo?” I think this is where my mission started turning into a comedy of errors, because I studied Spanish from the 7th grade all the way through my Junior year in high school, yet I must have pronounced Tempranillo with a hard double L – out loud, no less – several times before it registered that I was supposed to be saying Tempra-nee-yo. Nothing like feeling dumb right out of the box!

I’d never heard of this varietal before and was excited to broaden my horizons. I did a little poking around on line and read some descriptions about the flavor profiles of a few different brands. I liked what I was reading, although I still find it oddly amusing when I see berries, plum, tobacco, vanilla, leather and herb all in one sentence. I was just as unsure about the tobacco and the leather as I was about the little blue flowers during my trip to Argentina.

While I was doing my online investigation, I looked into what foods this wine would pair well with. I was floored to see that it seemed to go with just about anything – from barbecue to curry chicken – and everything in between. Personally, I prefer to pair my wines with flavors from the same region since it gives me an opportunity to push myself culinarily. I was feeling the need to keep things light and simple, so when the idea of tapas emerged, it seemed the perfect fit.

Simplicity was quickly replaced by complete overzealousness as list of tapas grew like crazy. My Facebook status update read like a menu: Jennifer Lake Cox shares: Serrano Ham Croquettes, Grilled Garlic Shrimp, Chorizo Tortilla (Spanish Omelette), Sofrito Marinated Grilled Beef Short Ribs, Pork Empanadas, Roasted Asparagus w/ Aioli, Fried Baby Artichokes, Stuffed Mushrooms (yes, I’m going to eat mushrooms), Catalan Guacamole, Smokey Eggplant & Fresh Tomato Salad . . . I can’t even list it all! ♥

Laundry list of ingredients in hand, I hit the grocery store and (shhhh, don’t tell, but I cheated on my regular wine shop with the big competition store in the grocery store plaza!) then went next door to grab the juice. I picked up two different bottles, both $9.99, one of which had a Wine Enthusiast Magazine rating of 87. The selection wasn’t huge and the most expensive bottle I found topped out at $17.99. I purchased two this time so that I didn’t have a repeat of my faux pas from last time when I switched from white to red mid-experiment.

Rewind back to the ingredient list and the grocery store. The Serrano Ham Croquettes at the top of my list called for, well, Serrano ham obviously, and one of my faves – Manchego cheese. The recipe did state that Prosciutto could be subbed in for the Serrano if need be, and sure enough there wasn’t any Serrano ham to be found at the deli counter. The Artisanal cheese section always has Manchego, but not on this day. I’m not quite sure why this didn’t serve as a warning of what was to come, but it didn’t.

Back at the homestead, I diligently set about the task of completely trashing my kitchen. The pork tenderloin I had braising in a variety of herbs, spices, tomato product and wine got all crazy on me and spattered all over the stove top and seeds and juice from the tomatoes I was slicing in preparation for their oven-drying process just seemed to be everywhere. Clearly it was time to open bottle #1, because I couldn’t fathom how I was going to get through this tour of duty without some liquid courage.

I’m appreciative of the level of accuracy with which whoever writes the descriptions of the flavor profiles, because I’m rarely disappointed, shocked or surprised and this time wasn’t any different. I did realize, however, that they also mentioned oak in there somewhere and that I had glossed over that point. The reason I mention this is because I tend to steer clear of wines that boast of oaky predominance. I don’t mind a hint of oak, but I’m easily overwhelmed by feeling as though I’ve pressed my tongue right up against the tree.

This one wasn’t too bad in that area but I have to admit that it wasn’t coming across as fruity as I’d expected. I hadn’t even had any of it with any of the food yet and I thought that perhaps I was being a little hasty. I proceeded to drink away as I took my kitchen from one level of destruction to the next. I had way too much going on and it seemed like it would never end. It was getting decidedly late, I’d finished bottle number one and was being circled by starving husband when obvious hint number two that my project had the propensity to go horribly wrong reared its ugly head. I burnt the pork empanadas while frying them.

The wonderful thing about the timing of this occurrence was that in coincided with the “I don’t really care!” attitude that often accompanies the single-handed polishing off of a bottle of wine. All of a sudden, the empanadas weren’t horribly burnt – you know nothing a few scrapes of a butter knife couldn’t fix! Even better, why don’t I make a reduction out of the braising liquid and drizzle some of that over them – that would certainly mask that underlying “smokey” flavor! And, I’m sure everything will taste better with more wine, so “Hey, honey! Open that other bottle for me, okay?”

What happened after that, I can’t really say. I assembled a huge platter of tapas: the empanadas, fried asparagus and artichokes flecked with goat cheese, garlic rubbed grilled French bread with oven-dried tomatoes, seriously under-cooked sofrito marinated short ribs and wedges of the chorizo tortilla. We sat down, I had more wine and picked at the offerings . . . Completely forgetting that I was supposed to be paying attention to whether or not the food and drink were playing nicely in the sandbox together. As my teenage boys would say, “Epic fail.”

Being the optimist that I am, I awoke the next day with renewed hope and decided that I’d try it all over again later that evening, but this time I was going to settle on a much simpler, straight forward menu combination of grilled filet mignon, arugula salad with blue cheese crumbles and balsamic vinaigrette and some grilled garlic bread. I nabbed a whole tenderloin at a market in a neighboring town for a mere $5.99 a pound – victory was sure to be mine!

I never thought going into this that I might come across a wine that just didn’t do it for me. A wine that just didn’t hit the right notes with the food – or at least not a whole lot of good ones – but this turned out to be the case. I caught the fruit with the beef and the blue cheese. A little grape and plum mixed nicely with the tang of the crumbles and the mineral earthiness of the filet, but the playground rumble was on when the wine challenged the arugula and the vinaigrette. All I got was a KO of bitterness and pepper. I wish my husband had taken a picture, because I’m sure the way I contorted my face was comical, to say the least.

All I could think of at this point was that I needed something sweet to balance it all out, so I grabbed the dark chocolate Easter bunny from the basket on top of the fridge and took a nibble. Oh, man! Wrong again! This wine was really, really good at finding all that is bitter with a food and ratcheting it up a few notches. I was really disappointed at the fact that attempt number two didn’t end much better than the first one. Other than, of course, the fact that I actually did what I was supposed to.

What I learned from this go-round were a few precious lessons. I’m not going to be BFF’s with every wine I meet and even as acquaintances, there will probably be situations where it just doesn’t mingle well with the rest of the party-goers. I do think that there is some combination out there that would be a dynamic duo, and perhaps I’ll even keep trying to find the perfect storm. For some reason, I have a sneaking suspicion that it may be as simple as Serrano ham and Manchego cheese. Until next time…
Cheers!
Jennifer
Occasions By Jennifer

Argentinean & Chilean Wines

Last week I went to Carnivale for their Chilean and Argentinean wine and food paring AFTER the three hour Canadian wine tasting! As you can imagine I was half lit by then and about three sheets to the wind.  I met my other girlfriend and didn’t learn anything because I was not only inebriated but we had way to much to catch up on! She’s in love.

I must say though that Carnivale really puts on a great tasting event and you give it a go. They are really organized, the format is friendly, laid back and educational while entertaining. It strikes a nice balance for people who want to learn more about wine in a fun, none snobby way. They also have a great wine director who doesn’t take herself to seriously and she really encouraged everyone to relax and enjoy while learning. We had a good time.

Chile is the fourth largest exporter to the U.S., the first largest exporter to Latin America and is the ninth largest producer in the world and is known best for its Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Carmenere–the grape that was called Merlot until 1998 when it was discovered to be the extinct Carmenere…surprise, surprise…and became Chili’s best kept secret. Another interesting fact was that Chili was never hit by the phylloxera louse.

Malbec is Argentina’s baby; it put Argentina on the wine map and has given them their identity in the wine world. Argentina’s viticulture roots come from Spain and while historically they were more interested in quantity rather than quality because they consumed 90% of what they produced, they’ve come full circle and Argentina is now the fifth leading wine producer in the world and the second biggest wine exporter to Latin America.

One Argentinean Malbec that I especially enjoyed at this tasting was La Flor de Pulenta Malbec. Malbec is the once popular black wine grape that was grown in Bordeaux, France, but since 2000 has lost popularity largely due to its susceptibility to diseases and its rustic character that doesn’t fit the modern drinker’s palate.

This Malbec was fresh, light and quite fragrant with floral aromas and spice. Fresh blackberry and mint flavors. I can’t tell you what the “mouth feel” was or if it had a short or long finish, that is for an entirely different blog…are we still talking about wine? Are those terms wine related? Oh boy wait until I cover rim variation and thickness! Wine education The Wench’s style. You will never forget your wine terms or what they mean. Ha!

Ice Wine: The After Sex Drink!

On Wednesday, I went to the Canadian 2010 wine release tasting and boy was that fun. I LOVE Canada! Many of the vineyards that were present were from Niagara on the Lake.  If you ever get the opportunity, visit Niagara on the Lake and tour the wineries and vineyards It is spectacular, especially when the leaves change colors. Most of the Icewine is available in the U.S. but many of their wines are not, not yet. The Icewine’s were orgasmic and definitely a digestif.

I’ve never had Icewine before. It was like drinking passion from a bottle. It was a delicate explosion of amazing flavors in my mouth. I simply don’t know how else to describe what a marvelous sensation it was. I was there with my best friend and like me, she doesn’t really like sweet wines either, but we were pleasantly surprised as we tasted and smiled, nodding our heads in agreement. I’ve deemed Icewine as the official after sex drink, keep a bottle in your “drawer,” eh hem, I mean, I don’t know what that means, I’ve only been told by many. Really, truly!

There were so many wines to be had at this tasting and there is no way I can list all of them, so here is a few: Inniskillin’s 2006 Vidal Icewine which is loaded with peaches, apricots and honey, their 2007 Cab Franc Icewine, and their Le Clos Jordanne’s 2007 Chardonay, 2006 Pinot Noir, and a 2004 Pétales d’Osoyoos which is a joint venture between Vincor and Tailan, a respected Bordeaux wine company.  The 2004 Petales d’Osoyoos had an aroma that was rich and lively, showing black currants, plum, vanilla, chocolate and spice, all of which are echoed in the flavors. YUMMY!

Vineland Estates Winery also had several wines I enjoyed. I especially enjoyed the sales rep, David, I learned a lot from him, like the fact that there are wineries that buy big canisters of concentrated grape juice, ferment it, bottle it and call it wine. EEEWWWW! I enjoyed their newly released 2008, 100% Cab/Sav Icewine and their exclusive Vodka Icewine Martini called VICE. It’s all the rave in Canada right now. It combines Vidal Icewine with Canadian made Vodka for a drink that burst with flavors of luscious peach and apricots topped off with a little bit of sweetness! It boasts of ONLY 22.5% alcohol. I also enjoyed their 2008 Semi Dry Riesling and their 2007 Elevation – Cabernet which is 70% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. It was really good, balanced and had a nice finish. Stratus was another interesting wine producer that is big on assemblage which is the art of combing several grape varieties into a single wine. I enjoyed their 2007 Riesling Icewine.

Great people, fabulous wines and a great time!

Curious How IceWine is made?
The grapes reach full ripeness in October, are left untouched on the vines under a cloak of protective netting until the first deep freeze of the Canadian winter. During this time, the grapes are naturally dehydrated by the elements which adds to the concentration of flavors, aromas, sugars and acids in the juice. When temperatures dip low enough to freeze the grapes solid, the grapes are hand harvested and pressed. The result is liquid gold. About 75% of all IceWine comes from Canada but Germany is the second largest producer of IceWine. Others are Michigan and even Illinois.

Kunde Family Estate 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon

One of my many day trips while I was in L.A. was Santa Barbara. About 90 minutes north of Los Angeles (less than 100 miles) it is worth the trip, especially if you take the scenic route, highway 1 and/or the Pacific Coast HWY, with breathtaking views of the ocean on your left and the mountains on your right for most of the drive. There were so many places along the way that I wanted to stop and explore or hike. Great national parks abound with some of the best hiking trails along highway 1. Santa Barbara is also a great get away from the hustle, bustle, noise and pollution of LA and it is right in the back yard.

A day trip doesn’t even scratch the surface of what is to discover and explore in Santa Barbara. From the beautiful Sterns Wharf landmark, to the vast shopping and dining establishments in downtown Santa Barbara to my most favorite, the wineries and tasting rooms, there is something here for everyone. It is a place I would either live or visit often for long weekends. A day visit didn’t even wet my whistle.

Since I’m from the windy city and it is freezing, cold, dismal and full of snow the beach is the first thing I sought out in Santa Barbara. The sun was in full blaze and the beach was calling my name. My little feet were screaming with excitement when they hit the beach. Together, my feet and I, walked for over an hour on the beach. Listening to the waves crash against shore, the seagulls squall, watching people sail–can you believe they sail all year round–I felt right at home.

After my walk, I jumped back into my car and did a quick zip through town to get a feel of the lay of the land. Once parked, I walked up and down State Street to find some seafood soup. When I say there are a lot of fine dining choices, I am not kidding. On a 2 mile stretch there were almost three Starbucks and three Subway’s to give you an idea on how seriously they are about making sure people find what they are looking for, either that or people just don’t want to walk!

What was really fascinating was the mission style architecture that prevailed through the entire town and provided visual cohesiveness. It truly is a beautiful town.

After searching for about twenty minutes and on choice overload, I stopped at Holdren’s Steaks & Seafood and asked if they had seafood soup.  They had a seafood soup they called Cioppino but unfortunately for me they were on the lunch menu and that was only served on the dinner menu, not to mention that the portion size was massive. I could have shared it with four people! I was so disappointed because I had a a strong craving for seafood soup and the chef must have noticed it in my face because he quickly took stock of his kitchen and agreed with the waitress to make a half order–still huge–and threw something together for me and added some big yummy shrimp! It was finger licken good and I mean that literally. There was no pretty way to eat this meal. There I was in the middle of Santa Barbara with a huge smile on my face living the life! If that isn’t customer service I don’t know what is!

Cioppino: One half Maine lobster, calamari, clams, mussels and fish of the day served in a spicy tomato sauce with roasted crostini. $38.00

My waitress Karly followed her boyfriend to Santa Barbara from Oregon…I think. They are both attending The University of California and she was very excited about being in Santa Barbara. Different scene from Oregon I’m sure. Bright, funny and optimistic she was interesting to talk to. I asked her what wine she thought would contemplate my Cioppino. She suggested a few, I tasted a few but didn’t really like any and then she brought out one that just nailed it!

A 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon by Kunde Family Estate. The aromas of raspberry and sage combine with a mouthful of chocolate richness this wine has made it’s way into my life and onto my top pick list. Made in Sonoma Valley the varietal mix is: 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 3% Malbec, 2% Syrah, 1% Petit Verdot

Interesting Fact about Kunde Family Estate Winemaking:
Wine Aging Caves – In 1989, our family undertook an enormous commitment to ensure the quality of our estate wines—the development of extensive aging caves deep in the hillside behind the winery. More than 32,000 square feet of tunnels with a storage capacity for 5,500 barrels run through the five million year old volcanic lava flows that are the bedrock of our vineyards. These geologic formations are ideal for aging wines, with year-round temperatures a constant 62 degrees Fahrenheit and the humidity 90-95%. At the furthest reaches of the aging caves, a VIP dining room lies 175 feet below the surface of our Kinneybrook Syrah vineyards.

I highly recommend Santa Barbara, Holdren’s Steaks & Seafood and this gorgeous 2006  Cabernet Sauvignon.

On my way home, I accidentally ended up on the 405 instead of highway 1  or the Pacific Coast HWY. Realizing halfway back to LA what had happened I quickly jumped off the 405 and headed west. My Garmin got the picture real quick–I LOVE my Garmin! This detour turned out to be the highlight of that day because I ended up on  Kanan – Dume Road which takes you through the Santa Monica Mountains and the Zuma/Trancas Canyons. It was absolutely breathtaking. I was overcome with emotion as I caught the sunset falling into the ocean at the peak of the mountains. This scene made me realize just how amazing life is and how the God that created these mountains, valleys, this ocean I was looking at, and the big ball of fire that was setting and does so day in and day out, is pretty damn extraordinary. Also check out

I stopped at a little place in Malibu on highway 1 called Beach Combers Cafe to wait out traffic. It’s located on the ocean and is a really cute establishment. It’s a real fooler from the outside but don’t let the tacky sign or the white stucco appearance throw you off–I drove by it twice thinking it was a dive bar–because the inside is elegant with a great outdoor patio right on the ocean! It was happy hour so I had some beef sliders and a nice glass of wine and talked to the staff. The people were incredibly friendly and fantastic.

Next Post: Viva La Santa Monica – Part 1!

2007 H3 Merlot & 2006 Tikal Patriota

So in my last post, Simply Divine | RED 2006 by St. Francis, I ended with “Next Post: A delightful discovery in Anacortes, Wa followed by a great story about acquiring a taste for great love like fine wine.” In order for me to do that we need to rewind to the week of January 10th. I was still involved in my internship at Pransky and Associates and thought I wanted to go into business consulting. I got to sit in on these great sessions and watch people go from being really intense and caught up in their concern about their life or corporations to getting way more philosophical and coming up with solutions once they stopped worrying and being concerned. That is another blog all together.

Half way through my week I realized that consulting wasn’t for me. That being said, I learned so much from George Pransky and his team over the past 7 months which has completely enhanced my life in far to many ways to even mention. After embarrassingly admitting I wasn’t cut out for consulting in that way, I realized two things: I wanted to work with people but in a completely different capacity and I was seriously going to pursue wine.  All that out of the way, I now had a lot of time on my hands and when I’ve got time on my hands I do what I do best…I set out to explore.

On that note I happened into the next town over from La Conner to Anacortes. If you ever get the opportunity in your life to visit Washington, I highly recommend visiting in the fall to catch the changing of the leaves! It is spectacular. Stay a few nights in La Conner at  La Conner Channel Lodge and from there take day trips to the San Juan Islands, Victoria B.C., Anacortes and a few more quaint and cute towns. It is so peaceful, quite and rejuvenating.  There are so many scenic back roads to explore and the fall foliage is brilliant and breath taking. Make sure to visit Nell Thorn and have a hamburger or my favorite, Beach Bowl Soup – A big bowl of fresh Mussels, Clams, Prawns and Fin Fish poached in a Herb & Fennel Seed-scented Tomato Broth for $24.00!

In Anacortes there is a cute grocery store called  The Market, similar to Whole Foods. I love shopping there and they have a great wine selection. I just happened to pick up 2 spectacular wines and I was delighted that I found them. They are so good they made Freda’s Cellar List!

The first wine is by Ernesto Cantena from Mendoza, Argentina. Tikal, the name of his vineyard, is named after his son. The wine is Tikal Patriota 2006 Red Table Wine from Argentina. I loved this wine! It is fruit forward but not sweet and it smelled wonderful.

Winemaker’s Notes:
Aromas of bright berry/cherry fruit and electric-purple color. Like swallowing a whole bowl of mixed ripe berries at once. Big body yet very balanced, with luscious layers of raspberry, cherry, and cocoa flavors. Just a hint of baking spice at the end brings it all together.

Pairs With:
Grilled meats such as beef and pork, smoked ham, and even pizza with meat toppings. Incredibly fun to drink!

Critical Acclaim:
The 2006 Patriota is composed of 60% Bonarda and 40% Malbec. It has greater depth and a longer finish than its 2005 counterpart.

The second is as equally pleasurable, a 2007 Horse Heaven Hills (H3) Merlot by Columbia Crest. Wine Spectator gave this sexy little number 91 points and I can see why! This is a full bodied, bright and complex wine explodes in your mouth. I don’t like many things exploding in my mouth but I can assure this is a good one!

The H3 (an abbreviation for Horse Heaven Hills in Wa) Merlot entices the nose with spicy blackberry aromas and then explodes across the palate with slight dusty, earthy, and rich berry notes which cumulate in the seductive, velvety, cocoa finish. -Ray Einberger, Winemaker

Grapes were crushed at 30% whole-berry to retain the fruit quality. Fermentation lasted 7-14 days on the skins to extract optimum fruit and structural components. Malolactic fermentation occurred in stainless steel tanks and oak barrels. I never thought such talk could turn me on!

H3 Blend: 79% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon,6% Cabernet Franc, 4% Syrah

It was a wine drinking frenzy for me because I drank both of these at the same time–no I wasn’t double fisting it–I’m more elegant than that…I put one glass down while I picked the other up!

A note on art and history: I’m not going to lie…I really like labels and like Alpana Singh says you experience a little bit  of art and history through well done wine labels. Many wineries hire professional artists to create their original wine labels and I reward them for their effort. These two are no exception! While sipping on a glass of great wine you can find yourself contemplating history and appreciating the labels as if they were Picasso paintings in a museum.

I also want to mention that I had a variety of cheeses, olives and salami. Next time I will write that down too! That’s a typical dinner for me.

Next Post: I forgot to tell the story of how great love is an acquired taste like fine wine!

Simply Divine | RED 2006 by St. Francis

So I headed out to check out the chic, sophisticated Stone Rose lounge located inside Hotel Sofitel Los Angeles.  I love the Sofitel in Chicago and heard great things about Sofitel in Beverly Hills including the restaurant and lounge. I love the laid back atmosphere of lounges with big comfy couches, a nice bar. Hotel bars are a great place to meet people because typically people seem to be very friendly. I love a good conversation and I’ve found some of the best just hanging out a bar. I’ve met some pretty damn cool people that I’ve kept in contact with through out the years. I really enjoyed The Bazaar at SLS Hotel so I was willing to take my chances and continue my search for great red wine at another hotel lounge.

I am so glad I did. I had a great time. I was greeted right away and somehow our original bartender got busy and was quickly replaced by another young woman, Destinee. She was absolutely awesome. It didn’t take long before we were all swapping stories and I was asking her how she ended up in L.A.. She had a great story. It is amazing how things always seem to turn out the way that they do.

Destinee went to great lengths to make sure I was well taken care of. Not only was she a beautiful person but she was incredibly intelligent and by the end of the evening we had heard a good portion of her story and her life. An artist who ended up managing a renowned bar chain in various cities who recently demoted herself so she can get back to pursuing her passion of art and fashion. I have a feeling we will see Destinee’s fashion on a runway soon.

Of course the question always comes up even before you figure out what you want to eat, “What would you like to drink.” I never ask for a wine by name unless I am craving it. In that case I just buy it from a store and stay in and drink it. I like to go into restaurants, lounges, essentially anywhere with a child-like ignorance because I learn a lot,  in addition to developing my palate. I go in with an open mind, an open palate, describe what I like and then ask to be surprised. It hasn’t failed me yet.

Destinee recommended two wines and the moment I stuck my nose into the glass of RED, took one whiff and my lips met the bursting fruit forward, jammy fluid in the glass…I instantly knew that RED and I were meant to be and she would be another one of my trophy wines added to my collection of recommendations.

RED is produced by St. Francis which is located in the heart of  Sonoma county. St. Francis is well known for their big, bold, full-bodied wines that over deliver on flavor.

Each wine is made from 100% hand-picked, Sonoma County fruit and represents our philosophy of maximizing the true expression of both grape variety and terroir.

St. Francis - RED 2006

St. Francis achieves critical acclaim from the wine media who refer to it as “The House of Big Reds.” Among its many accolades, St. Francis was recently named “International Red Wine Maker of The Year” by the London International Wine Challenge.

St. Francis spent the past three decades acquiring and developing over 600 acres of prime Sonoma

County vineyards, carefully selecting diverse vineyards with varying soil compositions of loam, clay, and volcanic soils in a range of microclimates that vary from direct sunlight of high hillside slopes to the cooler regions of the valley floor.

The fruit from these superior vineyards along with the fruit from our family of growers is used in the Sonoma County and Reserve wines.

RED is  a succulent blend of 48% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Syrah, 3% Zinfandel and 6 % Mixed Blacks (Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Alicante, Malbec). RED is lush with succulent ripe red fruit flavors and spicy aromas. Full-bodied and versatile, RED pairs with a variety of foods for any occasion.

Wine Makers Notes: Red, ripe and robust fruit flavors with spicy aromas make this a wine that pairs well with a variety of foods. Great with grilled foods and pizza or pasta dishes with red sauce. The perfect wine to serve at a cocktail party or backyard barbecue.

RED is for all red wine lovers who simply want a tasty bottle of wine with a fun package at a great value. It’s my job to worry about clones, soil conditions, vintage and Vinification so that the consumer doesn’t have to. We’ve created a dependable, versatile wine – No lessons needed – uncork and enjoy. -St. Francis Winemaker Tom Mackey

Click here to locate RED near you

Recipes just for RED

So if you’re ever in L.A. and want a friendly bartender, drop by Stone Rose Lounge and say hello to Destinee. Tell her Freda sent you and for goodness sake try a glass of RED! Oh before I forget, I had a fresh fruit plate, a cheese plate and fresh salmon bedded in delicious saffron rice all covered with a divine sauce.

Next Post: A delightful discovery in Anacortes, Wa followed by a great story about acquiring a taste for great love like fine wine.

Vina Sastre Roble Ribera del Duero 2000 – Spain

So the story goes…I’m in L.A. by myself and on a hunt to find some fabulous red wine. I heard amazing things about The Bazaar which is a combination of both traditional and avant-garde Spanish fare. The Chef is none other than the popular Jose Andreas. He was the guy who brought tapas or hot plates to the United States.

Rewind. There are two things I don’ t do well in, cold and rain. It had been raining all day and I really didn’t feel like putting a lot of effort into getting ready as I was in search for the best red wine not a man but my son pushed me and I made a bit of effort to dress up. I ended up looking pretty sharp. So I saunter into The SLS Hotel, find the bar and chat up the bar tenders. I have one thing and one thing on my mind…to find another great bottle of red wine and tonight I am craving cheese. After describing what I am looking for, Rob the cute and friendly mixologist, makes two recommendations and I chose the Tempranillo called Vina Sastre Roble Ribera del Duero 2000.

I had a cheese plate but I can’t remember what it was. I let them surprise me and I wasn’t terribly impressed but not because it was bad but because the portion was soooooo small. I mean I just had visions of cheese chunks running through my head and this was more like a mouse size portion. I mean I am certainly not a rat but I had a man size appetite that night. That being said, I managed to eat it all and I even shared with my two new friends.

Sitting next to me were two guys who just seemed really interesting. I couldn’t help but listen in on some of their conversations and finally after about 30 min I introduced myself and chatted them up. They were both private chef’s working for, eh hem, people in L.A. and were out for a drink. Martin was a native of New Zealand and Sergio was a native of Spain both living in the U.S. for about ten years. I had so many questions and was fascinated with them both. Their travel stories were very inspiring. They both cooked and traveled all over the world before ending up here as private chef’s. We talked about everything. As we sat there talking my mind started dreaming and visions of wine went running through my head and that night a concept was born.

Then I met Ken the other mixologist at Bazaar who was also incredibly friendly and happens to be very connected. He is the event planner for clubs in L.A.. Again we chatted about business. I love talking business and hearing people’s ideas, hopes and dreams. I find it very exhilarating and inspiring.

Everything was great until Martin and Sergio left and some interesting characters replaced them. I was lucky that Zac and Chloe came to my rescue. The highlight of the night was when Sergio and Martin told me I had a rockin body! I was floating…

Back to the wine:
Wow this is a fab Tempranillo. It is full bodied, fruit forward, not to sweet, jammy, plummy, full of berries and a nice finish. It comes from Ribera del Duero, Spain’s most revered wine region and has a fantastic story behind this family owned and operated winery:

The Story: Hermanos Sastre is a family-run winery in the heart of the Ribera del Duero, Spain’s most revered wine region. Sastre boasts some of the oldest and finest vines in the entire Ribera del Duero Denominacion de Origen (D.O.), a region whose wines are the most expensive in Spain and the most widely sought on the international market.

Until recently, the Sastre brothers, Pedro and Jesus, ran Sastre. They inherited their prime vineyard sites in the Burgos region of Ribera del Duero from their father and grandfather. Tragically, Pedro died suddenly in December of 2002, leaving Jesus with the family winery and a great store of wine that he and his brother had worked so hard to create.

Pedro was Sastre’s primary winemaker and its window on the world, while Jesus had always tended the vineyard and overseen the agricultural side of winemaking. By all accounts, Pedro was a true bon vivant. He loved to take special visitors through an extensive barrage of barrel tastings, followed by memorable meals that even the most committed gourmands have described as incredible. His brother and all who knew him sorely miss him. Yet, it seems that most great artists, poets, writers, and even scientists become more known to the general public in death than in life. They leave a legacy for the rest of us to treasure and a spirit to savor, and indeed this scenario is once again being played out in the case of Pedro Sastre, whose treasure trove of magical wines are becoming increasingly popular and highly sought after since his untimely death. We invite you to taste and see the goodness of Vina Sastre, while you rest secure in the knowledge that this winery will continue to put out pure, flavorful wines of distinction under brother Jesus’s tutelage.

Although often in the background in the old days, Jesus is and has always been a driving force in the success of Vina Sastre. He is committed to organic farming and biodynamic agricultural principles and is considered and expert in the field of sustainable viticulture. In addition, the wines at Vina Sastre are never fined or filtered, nor are they artificially cold stabilized; all stabilization is done naturally by moving the wine from the barrel room to separate tanks in a part of the winery where the temperature is naturally regulated by the outdoor temperatures.

Tasting Notes: Charming, elegant, and impeccably balanced, the 2000 Vina Sastre Roble is pure charisma in a glass, and a veritable crowd pleaser, too. Exhibiting a seductive array of beguiling scents and flavors, the Vina Sastre is eminently drinkable and just about impossible to resist. Ripe current fruit, an expressive cigar box scent, and that oh so much more the French refer to as je ne sais quoi make this medium-bodied, unfiltered, purebred Tempranillo a clear standout among its peers. Unequivocally, the Roble is one of the most irresistible Spanish reds we have encountered in quite some time… and we haven’t even mentioned the Roble’s well-integrated cachet of new oak and its alluring, utterly satisfying finish. We suggest serving the Vina Sastre Roble at about 65º F, after allowing it to breathe for a half hour. Since the Roble has been bottled unfiltered, some may prefer to decant it, as some harmless, natural sediment may form with additional time in the bottle.

Accompaniments: del Duero, lamb seems to be the traditional favorite of the local cognoscenti and not surprisingly the tasting panel echoes those sentiments when pairing the 2000 Vina Sastre Roble with food. However, as tasty as chops, legs, shanks (and as pleasurable as this wine is, perhaps, even the wool, too) of lamb may be in the company of the Roble, there is no need to typecast this rising star. A good old-fashioned steak from the grill, sizzling fajitas, a spicy black bean and chicken chili, a brick oven baked calzone, or Veal Pizzaiola (veal in a cherry tomato and Kalamata olive sauce) all provide diverse but equally memorable complements to the Vina Sastra Roble. In fact, most grilled meats and vegetables pair well with the Roble. One of the panel’s favorites is Portabella Mush-rooms that have been marinated in high quality balsamic vinegar, then lightly grilled with a little rosemary and thyme. Come to think of it, just about everything we have tried so far with the Roble has been a hit, even no accompaniment at all. Typically, Spanish reds require food to shine, but the 2000 Vina Sastre Roble needs no additional accoutrements or support, save for a clean glass. Enjoy! by Wine of the Month Club

Next post – St. Francis RED, Destinee and Hotel Sofitel

Las Rocas Garnacha & Nine Stones Shiraz

This week my love affair continues. As I get more entangled in this web of lust, my passion grows, my palate develops and I have a voracious appetite that just can’t seem to be satisfied. Maybe that is why I stepped out this past weekend on the Spaniards and flirted with the Australians? What are we talking about here, sex or wine? Wine of course!

This week I am excited to share with you two wines. One of which I accidentally stumbled upon while out at D.O.C. Wine Bar this past Saturday. This wine was fantabulous but I can’t get over the mark-up! I digress…will share shortly.

The first wine I would like to bring to your attention is Las Rocas de San Alejandro. The grapes from this vineyard are 100% Granacha and are sourced from 70 to 100 years old vines that are located in Calatayud, Spain (northeast Spain). This wine explodes with dark, ripe berries like black cherries, plum, and currants, hints of mocha and licorice followed by undertones of spices. You can purchase this at Whole Foods for about $10.00. In my opinion this is bargain buy!

Just when I thought the Spaniards could hold my attention and keep me satisfied…I ran into an Aussie. Maybe it was his accent, maybe it was his taste or smell…not sure, but I couldn’t resist him. I was tempted and gave into my desire and cheated on the Spaniard. Shhhh, no one needs to know but us! This next wine is a 2004 Shiraz called Nine Stones from the Barossa Valley region located in Southern Australia. Not surprising at all, “The vineyards are mostly to the South East of Young, which is known as ‘The Cherry Capital of Australia’”. This wine is hand-crafted made from selected low-cropping fruit. This easy to drink, full bodied wine explodes with yummy fruit flavors like ripe blackberry, dark cherries with undertones of luscious chocolate, mocha and macerated fruit.

Now, what ticks me off is that we ended up paying $30.00 per bottle, we bought three, and I have discovered that it only costs $13.00 per bottle on-line. I am feeling gouged! Ouch. They really emptied our pocket books! We could have had three bottles for the price of one!

2006 Cabernet called Foxglove, McLaren Vale Old Vine Grenache & Altos de Luzon

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I am a huge fan of red wine! I probably have a glass every night after my workout, with dinner or just because!

At the moment, I am in love with Whole Foods Market for my wine purchases. Lately, they have some fantastic wines at bargain prices! In addition, if you buy 6 bottles or more, you get an extra 10% off!

Now, I realize that you may not share my taste in red wine, but I am gonna pass this along anyway. When I look for wine, I love the dark fruits like: plums, black cherries, dark berries, blackberries, strawberries, chocolaty, vanilla…you get the picture right! Fruity, but not too sweet!

This week I have three recommendations. This first one is my all time favorite at the moment, a nice 2006 Cabernet called Foxglove. It is delicious! Yummy delicious. You won’t stop at one bottle delicious! That is all I know how to describe this wine. Whole Foods is always sold out of it when I try to buy it, that is how yummy it is! The value of this wine is around $16.00 and worth every penny too!

My second favorite is an Australian wine by Yangarra Estate Vineyard. It is a 2006  McLaren Vale Old Vine Grenache. This delicious wine is bursting with flavors of black cherries, dark fruit, spices, licorice and fruity, soft tannins. Overall this wine is silky smooth.

Last but not least, is Spanish wine which is a 2005 Jumilla called Altos de Luzon. It is a mixture of Monastrell, Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo. Like the others…it is yummy.

I am not going to pretend like I know anything about wines with the exception of knowing what my taste buds and tummy like! All these wines are easy on your wallet and are valued under $20.00 at Whole Foods Market. So stop drinking Yellow Tail because ladies, it isn’t wine at all. Expand your taste buds and get adventurous. Have some fun!

On New Years Day while at my neighbors, they had a variety of unique Spanish Red’s from Whole Foods. I am really excited about sharing those with you too! Those will be next.

Ciao Bella!

Vino Borgia (2005)

So, this past week I was invited to celebrate my neighbors engagement and little did I know I was in for even a bigger surprise, they had a wide variety of wines…red wines…Spanish, red wines and I was in wine heaven. I am only going to share one of them now, more to come later as my love affair with Spain intensifies!

First, I must say that I am really falling in love with the Spaniards and their wine making…I have to wonder if their love making is just as yummy? Oh, I couldn’t help myself! But, is it any wonder that I find this wine so yummy? With its ripe berries, black cherries, deep lush flavors, hints of spice and ruby red color why wouldn’t Vino Borgia (2005) be one of my favorite wines? She is down right sexy. What is even more interesting is upon further research of my new found love, I realized why I was so drawn to her…she has been named after Spain’s notorious poisoner, Lucrecia Borgia! My kind of woman! I picked her up on a cold winter night in the wine section of Whole Foods for about $13.00.

As you get to know me, you will see that I associate two things with women: cars and wine! Because it is so fitting for both of these.

My second pick of the week is the 2006 Panarroz Jumilla. This medium bodied red wine is an unoaked blend of Mourvedre, Grenache and Shiraz. Of course, it too, has those deep dark black fruity and tart plumy flavors that I so love along with being a little rustic. I also picked her up at Whole Foods for under $13.00! I could of had a three-some but I didn’t want to press my luck!

So there you have it…until next week!

Ciao!

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