Last night, I was heading over to a friend’s house for a little get-together.
He asked everybody to brink an appetizer and a bottle of wine.
Now…
Some folks stress out about what to bring, but not me.
This is how I roll.
Earlier in the day, I stopped by Trader Joe’s to get some apps and wine.
I got two types of frozen samosas, and tossed ’em in the freezer.
I also got me a bottle of Trader Joe’s Reserve 2009 Lot #72 Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, and put it in the fridge.
Now…
Some folks may question why I would put a red wine in the fridge, but it totally makes sense. First, it had been sitting at room temperature for a couple of weeks in a grocery store. That, coupled with the fact that it was pretty hot yesterday, meant that I had to bring the temp of the wine down.
Let’s keep going…
About an hour before the party, I pre-heated the oven…
While the oven was getting to temp, I took my dog for a walk.
After I got back, I was ready to throw the samosas in the oven.
While the samosas were cooking, I took the wine out of the fridge.
By the time I got to the party, the wine was at perfect cellar temperature.
So…
Now let’s talk about the wine…
You know that I’m a fan of the Trader Joe’s Reserve wines. It’s tough to go wrong with quality juice at $10. This Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was produced by Mazzocco Winery (a great Zinfandel-heavy winery in Healdsburg).
Color: Dark ruby.
Nose: Chalky raspberry, blueberry, and plum with hints of leather.
Taste: There are some aggressive (yet chalky) tannins on this wine. Great fruit notes of raspberries and blueberries.
Score: This is a solid, solid wine. I love the fruit to this wine, but there is not a whole lot more to it. Still… at $10, this wine totally over-delivers. 88+
The next time you have to bring apps and wine to a party. Don’t stress… roll like me.
Stay Rad,
Jeff
What’s your wine-of-choice to bring to a dinner party? Leave a comment, and let us know.
Tags: 2009, Appetizer, Cabernet Sauvignon, dinner party, Dry Creek Valley, Food and Wine, Healdsburg, Lot #72, Mazzocco, Reserve, Samosa, Trader Joe's
Stay Rad 
June 22, 2013 at 5:39 pm |
Funny you should ask that. Usually, it depends on what food is being served. I was invited to a Christmas party last Dec. and the hostess asked me to bring the wine(s). The dish was Greek Lasagna. Flashback to one of your earlier episodes about the A to Z Pinot Grigio. I thought it looked vaguely familiar like I had seen it before. Shrugged it off, as I’m not usually a pinot grigio drinker. While going through my inventory last week, I saw that in fact that I had purchased one for this party to go with the Greek lasagna. So there is a new food pairing for you to try if you ever buy that wine again.
What happened to Marcello’s clarinet solo?
June 22, 2013 at 6:04 pm |
Thanks, Lynn.
Marcello lives in a different state, so we’ll record something the next time I see him. Give it about a month.
– Jeff
June 22, 2013 at 6:46 pm
Okay… just want to make sure you don’t forget!
June 23, 2013 at 7:55 pm |
Why was the cab in the fridge?
June 23, 2013 at 8:12 pm |
It was 90 degrees that day, and about 75 in my kitchen. Red wine should be served at about 55-60 degrees.
By leaving it in the fridge all day, then pulling it out an hour before the party, you’re gonna have it at the perfect temp when you’re ready to drink it.