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23

Dec

The 5th Wine of Christmas: 2004 Quinta Generación

Jacob Gaffney  in Red Wines, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz/Syrah, Petit Verdot, Carmenère , ,

The 2004 Quinta Generación is a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Shiraz, and a touch of Petite Verdot.

With so many grapes, how could it taste bad?

Well it does — at first.

So decant or leave open a least an hour, or, better yet, one day. Then you’ll be getting somewhere. A deep ruby colour, it gives that tell-tale ‘Cabernet from Chile’ smell that is kinda dusty and untidy. But, the blackberry throughout is great; and the body is peppered with…pepper.

Also, the roasted beef on the finish is kinda wacky. The finish is both long and harmonious: 8.8 points, 8.9 in a discounted mixed case.

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9

Nov

Lamb Shank with Breakfast Mushrooms & Mashed Potatoes

Sean Sellers  in Red Wines, Merlot, Blow the Bank, Meat & Poultry, Malbec , , , ,

InterWined Food
After a two-week hiatus, ‘Blow the Bank’ is back.

And, just as it has for the last five months, each Friday InterWined.com pairs one great wine with one great meal and publishes the results, along with the recipe.

This week’s ‘Blow the Bank’ comes courtesy of its own recipe for Lamb Shank with Breakfast Mushrooms and Mashed Potatoes.

Lamb Shank with Breakfast Mushrooms & MashLamb Shank with Breakfast Mushrooms & Mash

Shanks are tough, lean, temperamental cuts of meat from the tibia that require a great deal of attention, time, and cooking in order to become the big softies everyone loves. Cook them right and they reward you with a soft, tearaway flesh that falls of the bone onto your fork and almost dissolves in your mouth. Cook ‘em wrong and you forget what all the fuss is about.

To better illustrate the point, if you’ll forgive what is likely one of the most bizarre of food metaphors, shanks are pre-Governator, Arnold Schwarzenegger. (You remember him, don’t you? He was that great actor from such tour de forces as Jingle All The Way and that film about male pregnancy that must have seemed like a good idea to some since-replaced studio bigwig, Junior.)

Uncooked, the shank’s just like Arnie à la the first Terminator — all relentless and badass, but, if you can hold out long enough, it’ll come back out of the oven re-wired and on your side just like Arnie the Protector in T2. It’s all about patience. If you’re impatient, if you rush it by cooking it on a higher heat for less time for instance, it’s game over. The Connors are dead, and the future’s fit only for machines. Good Job, ‘girlie man’. Now, instead of forking through some tender Schwarzenegger, you’re left with piping hot rock-hard heap of Vin Diesel! And let’s face it; no one wants that to happen. Not you; not me.

Sure we could argue for days on end about merits of both men, whose less wooden or whose better at looking tough under the lights, their muscles glistening from a last-minute olive oil rubdown. Yet, whatever the outcome, it’s just cosmetics. We’re talking meat, not musclemen. And, the real fact of the fact of the matter is we’d all rather watch a limp Arnold Schwarzenegger in Kindergarten Cop over a cloying Vin Diesel in The Pacifier. Don’t deny it (Especially you, Gaffney — I’ve seen your video collection: It’s all Raw Deal, Red Heat, Last Action Hero, and Batman & Robin with you. Not a single copy of A Man Apart or Find Me Guilty in the bunch.)

And so it is with lamb shanks, it’s about the meat not the muscle — better an overcooked softie than an undercooked tough guy, which is exactly what happened with this week’s dish.

InterWined had high hopes that it’s breakfast mushrooms with onion, pancetta, and red wine would serve as the perfect jus for a soft, fall of the bone, lamb shank. And it would have paired beautifully too, had Sean proved more patient. Instead, the shank hung to bone far more than it should have done, coming in somewhere between Vin Diesel in XXX and Arnie in True Lies. If only it could have been Twins — where’s Danny Devito when you need him…right?

At 14.5% alcohol, the 2005 Chilean Matetic ‘Corralillo’ Merlot Malbec packs a punch. This is a muscle wine for a muscle shank, or so that was the thought when it was selected to accompany the lamb shank. It’s deep red in colour wine bouquet that’s falls somewhere between a campfire and a petrol station forecourt. For obvious reasons, one suspects most reviews would highlight the campfire over the forecourt. After all, the only people likely to get excited by the words “petrol station forecourt” probably drink a very select number of beverages that begin with White Lightning and wholly approve of Mark Vincent’s decision to change his name to Diesel.

For Vin Diesel fans and gasoline fetishists: 10 points.

For the rest of us: given the £11.99 price tag at Oddbinns, a-nothing-to-write-home-about 7.7 — too much alcohol, too little finesse.

InterWined’s Own Recipe In Full

Lamb Shank with Breakfast Mushrooms & Mashed Potatoes

Click on the post to view and download the recipe

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7

Sep

Scallops Wrapped with Serrano Ham with Paprika Vinaigrette

Sean Sellers  in White Wines, Sauvignon Blanc, Blow the Bank, Fish & Seafood , , ,

InterWined Food
Every Friday, InterWined.com pairs one great wine that exceeds its normal £10 ($20) threshold with one great meal, prepared following the instructions of some the Internet’s best food blogs.

This week’s ‘Blow the Bank’ comes courtesy of Son, the Single Guy Chef, and his delectable Scallops Wrapped with Serrano Ham and New Baby Potatoes with Paprika Vinaigrette.

Scallops Wrapped with Serrano Ham with Paprika VinaigretteRaw Scallops Wrapped in Serrano HamChilean Sauvignon Blanc

At the beginning of August, InterWined questioned the overproduction of Sauvignon Blanc, noting that both New Zealand’s Oyster Bay and California’s Berigner seemed disappointingly samey. Given the profound affect that geography (soil, sun, climate) has on wine grapes, wines from New Zealand should not naturally taste like wines from California. It asked readers to venture beyond the global brands and seek out less predictable examples of one of the world’s most popular grapes.

Thus, when InterWined chose to prepare one of the Single Guy Chef’s favourite recipes, it decided to follow its own advice and chose 2005 Santa Rita Floresta Sauvignon Blanc from Leyda in Chile (£9.99 at Waitrose/$25 online at Primo Vino.net).

While Chile might be the world’s 5th largest wine exporter with big brands like Concha y Toro and Cousino-Macul to wave its flag, it is not yet one of the top producers. For the 2003, it ranked bottom of the top 11 wine-producing nations, just behind Portugal, Germany, and — surprisingly — 6th place China. (Santa Rita ranks somewhere in the middle in terms of production and export; its 120 label its most ubiquitous.)

Fortunately, InterWined’s fears were largely unfounded. Straw in colour, the 2005 Floresta has a gentle nose of fruit and blades of grass making it seem fairly typical of French Sauvignon Blanc and less citric than New Zealand ones often taste. InterWined might almost be forgiven for saying that it tasted of gooseberry — a long-time signature of classic Sauvignon Blanc that seems to be slowly being replaced by a more acidic, lemony flavour; and a fruit with which only celebrity wine tasters seem adequately familiar. InterWined certainly isn’t. However, what made this Sauvignon Blanc special was its bizarre after-taste: juicy, green grape skins the likes of which you play with on your tongue when peeling grapes in your mouth. A perfect partner to the fleshy deliciousness of the scallop.

The Single Guy Chef’s Recipe in Full

Scallops Wrapped with Serrano Ham and New Baby Potatoes with Paprika Vinaigrette

Click on the post to view and download the recipe

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26

Jul

INTERWINED EXCLUSIVE: Chilean Winery Goes Carbon Neutral

Jacob Gaffney  in News , , ,

Viña Ventisquero, the Chilean multi-tiered wine producer (some good, some great)…is going Carbon Neutral.
The first for any Chilean winery. Carbon Neutrality means the winery must offset all of its green house gas emissions, even those produced during fermentation (which bubbles off plenty carbon), and those produced via transport (each bottle of wine’s so-called food miles).
This […]

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31

May

Vertical Magnums, Dude

Jacob Gaffney  in Red Wines, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir , , , , , , ,

In this case: Viña Ventisquero Pinot Noir, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005.

The 2005 will be the best – eventually. Now it’s the 2003. The 2002 is on its way out, and so lacks fresh vivacity and sandal soapiness of a Chilean Pinot Noir. The 2004 had too much rain, and that is evident in the wine, especially when running against the others.

A vertical of the Cabernet Sauvignons 2003, 2004, 2005: All decent. New Oak and mineral. The evening was sealed as winemaker Felipe Tossa Bruna presented a sneak peek of Ventisquero’s latest Iconic wine, Pangea. The wine is a collaboration of John Duval of Penfold’s Grange fame. The wine is being launched at the end of June, and will retail for around £25 per bottle.

Out of the league for the InterWined.com wallet, which doesn’t want to give away any tasting notes on Pangea just yet, except for this: buy a bottle for a special occasion. It is an incredibly delicious and drinkable wine.

Pangea rocks, dude.

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21

May

Global Warming in a Bottle

Jacob Gaffney  in Sparkling Wines, Blanc de Blanc , , , , , , , ,

Ruinart is a Champagne house that appeals both in taste and in price. In fact, their lower priced bottlings are tremendously delicious. Unfortunately, the Blanc de Blancs (only Chardonnay) is not worth the £45 price tag. (It was a celebration.)

Other positives are the Lanson Black Label which frequents the cheapside London party scene. Not sure of the price, but it’s nice.

But, it’s the Bollinger NV that takes the cake: minerality, mainly flint, a nice, crisp profile with a touch of tarty green apple. Not to mention a decent weight and enjoyable finish: 8.8. Bollinger also continues to bubble for FOUR days after being opened. Now that’s gas.

The cabbie did add that he felt Argentina trumps Chile with its block-buster Malbec and that 2005 Ribera del Duero was going to be a very promising vintage(!).

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2

Apr

Here to Stay

Jacob Gaffney  in Red Wines, Cabernet Sauvignon , , , , , , , ,

2002 Hawk Crest: The older of the two and ready-to-drink – Strongly Californian. Strong powerful nose, heavy body and a powerhouse finish, though short. A bit roasty-meaty and a bit blackberry. Not complex, but still as pleasing. Thanks for the memories Hawk Crest, but really, considering the nature of wine production, how can you remain so consistent? Curious comment, sure to have its share of detractors: 8.7.

2004 Cousino-Macul Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo Valley: Other names on the bottle, such as ‘Estate bottled’ and ‘Antiguas Reservas,’ are just smoke and mirrors. Don’t mean it good, don’t mean it bad.

The label says 14% ABV, but the legs walk a 15.5%. Strong alcohol in the aroma confirms. Opened two hours, and the smell is still there. Best opened a day prior, and immediately re-corked. Some caramel and a touch of minty lamb.

The most shocking thing about this wine is likely due to critic-bias (a name InterWined just invented to explain how a wine taster cannot completely discount their own subjectivity based on their own experiences). For example, for reasons best left unexplained and unexplored, the Cousino-Macul smells, and even tastes, vaguely of Hawaiian Punch: 8.6.

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28

Nov

Where to Start?

Jacob Gaffney  in Red Wines, Cabernet Sauvignon , ,

Decanter magazine declared the 2005 Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile, the best value Cabernet…and they’re right. For around £6, the ripe fruit and easy going nature of the wine make it perfect for the price. Snatch it up; there should be plenty to go around: 8.8.

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28

Aug

A Matter of Taste (Part 3)

Jacob Gaffney  in Red Wines, Cabernet Sauvignon, White Wines, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Sauvignon Blanc , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The 2004 Grove Mill Sauvignon Blanc is a stunner, £7. Good with anything, even spicy sausage: tropical fruits on the nose; dry finish, light on the tongue. Two days later, the wine had mellowed to being almost buttery. It was smoother than Brazilian legs during Carnival. 8.5.

2001 was not so good for California and Bonterra’s Cabernet from that year shows it. Watery and thin, little identity, no wonder many bottles of it are available to buy now – though it’s not a complete wash-up. It was drinkable as a table wine. Serve with dinner. 7.7

Same for 2004 Valdevieso Merlot. It holds it own, but can’t hold your attention. 7.7.

The ‘Taste the Difference’ 2003 Connawarra Cabernet from the grocer Sainsbury’s was on sale for half-off, £4.

The fumes alone are flammable. Hard to taste anything else when a wine is pimped out with so much silly sauce. A day later, ripe fruits, mainly blackberry, tinge of oak, still strong. Price was right though. Eight pounds would be a joke. 7.0.

Finally the 2003 Heartland Petit Verdot from the Limestone Coast of Australia…The Heartland gave off wild aromas violets, black cherry but still very rustic, like an old leather belt that will never give up holding onto pants. Also a bit of rust and a hint of mint.
8.9 points, mainly for controlling a late harvest grape most people won’t bother with.

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28

Aug

A Matter of Taste (Part 1)

Jacob Gaffney  in Red Wines, Pinot Noir ,

Cono Sur Pinot Noir (It’s not bad, but not nearly as good as some blogs would have you believe)…

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