In this episode, Jeff pairs a different kind of red blend with a steak…
Wine Tasted:
Ancient Peaks 2010 Margarita Vineyard Renegade
Stay Rad,
Jeff
What’s the worst food and wine pairing you’ve ever had? Leave a comment, and let us know.
Archive for the ‘Food and Wine’ Category
Stay Rad Wine Blog TV Episode 105: Renegade
June 20, 2013Here’s What I Did: Pork Tenderloin and Pinot Noir
June 8, 2013I was in a grilling type of mood this afternoon, so here’s what I did…
I picked up some pre-marinated Peppercorn Garlic Pork Tenderloin at Trader Joe’s today.
Here it is on the grill…
The tenderloin is supposed to be grilled over medium heat for 20 minutes a pound, so I had some time kill.
Here’s where the wine comes in…
Trader Joe’s Reserve 2011 Lot #77 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
You know that I’m a huge fan of the Trader Joe’s Reserve wines. You can’t help but love the quality that they bring for around 10 bucks. You also know that I’ve long been a fan of wines from the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County. When taking into account my recent crush on Pinot Noir lately, I just had to pick up this wine today.
Color: This Pinot Noir was a very light red. There were a few shimmering hints of rusty orange as well.
Nose: Very fruit-forward. Strawberries and cherries up front, with hints of potting soil and some fresh cracked black pepper.
Taste: A whole lot of cola and soil up front. The cranberry fruit on this wine is blended with some subtle notes of orange zest. Good tannins and acidity. Now… I know this is gonna sound weird, but there is a finish of a salty, pecorino romano cheese.
Score: Like most cool-climate Pinot Noirs that I’ve been digging on lately, I really enjoyed the subtle complexities of this wine. There aren’t many 10 dollar Pinot Noirs on the market that can bring it like this TJ’s Reserve. I’ve got a feeling that a lot of folks would prefer this over most of the 20 dollar Pinots in stores today. 89 points.
Now…
Back to the pork!
22.5 minutes, and 160 degrees, later… It’s ready!
Grilled Peppercorn Garlic Pork Tenderloin and Steamed Brussels Sprouts
The juicy and smoky pork highlighted the strawberry fruit and spicy notes in the wine. The bitter, green flavors of Brussels sprouts showcased the soil and tannins of the wine.
Fantastic!
Stay Rad,
Jeff
What would you pair with a pork tenderloin? What would you pair with a Pinot Noir? Leave a comment and let us know.
Back to the Castle
June 5, 2013So…
Kara made some amazing Macaroni and Cheese tonight, and I just happened to have another wine sample to review, so I figured I’d pair the two.
Check out the wine…
Castello di Amorosa 2012 Mendocino County Pinot Grigio
And the Mac and Cheese…
Kara used Gruyere and Cheddar in this bad boy. Yum!
The Castello di Amorosa 2012 Mendocino County Pinot Grigio consists of 100% Stainless Steel Tank-Aged Pinot Grigio. It comes in at 14.5% alcohol, and is available at the winery (as well as in their extensive online store) for $21.
Color: Very pale yellow. Think of the color of hay.
Nose: Massive amounts of honeysuckle (maybe due to the 3.8 g/L of residual sugar) create a nice backdrop for the green apple and honeydew fruits. The nose isn’t overly sweet. There are plenty of wet rocks to balance everything out.
Taste: There is a surprisingly nice petrol note to this wine which provides for a very fun, viscous mouthfeel. As with most Pinot Grigios, there is a brightly acidic backbone to this wine that delivers a variety of citrus fruit flavors of lemon and lime zest. There is a nice combination of honey and minerality at play here too.
Score: I get it. Castello di Amorosa makes wines consisting of mainly Italian varieties of grapes, and no self-respecting “Italian” winery would ever label a bottle as “Pinot Gris”, but… This is not one of those ordinary, 20-dollar, flat-lemon-lime-soda-tasting, Italian Pinot Grigios that have been taking over your local super market in recent years. This drinks like one of those rich, subtle, and intriguing Oregonian Pinot Gris that I have been grooving on in recent months. Stylistically, these guys have done everything right with the grape they call the “Grey Pine”. At 87+ points, you may want to introduce this Pinot Grigio to your favorite housewife.
With the Food: Kara’s Mac n’ Cheese is killer! Creamy. Cheesy. Zesty. And the combination of the soft pasta and the crunchy bread crumbs makes it a textural sensation. When paired with the Pinot Grigio the flavor of the dish transforms to that of a pear, walnut, and gorgonzola pizza. Fantastic!
Stay Rad,
Jeff
What’s your favorite Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio? Leave a comment, and tell us about it.
Stay Rad Wine Blog TV Episode 102: Storming the Castle
June 3, 2013In this episode, Jeff sees if this destination winery’s juice can hold up to the power of this barbecue…
(Note: At the time of filming, Jeff did not realize that Castello di Amorosa sold their wines online. Their online wine shop is, in fact, very extensive, and quite easy to use. So… When you hear Jeff say something to the contrary in the following video, please shout back at him that he is wrong.)
Wine Tasted:
Castello di Amorosa 2011 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
After the Facts:
1. This wine sample was provided by Castello di Amorosa for review. Click here to check ’em out.
2. I bought this tri tip sandwich from Trail Dust Barbeque. Click here to check THEM out.
Stay Rad,
Jeff
What is your favorite destination winery? Leave a comment, and tell us about it.
Happy #ChardonnayDay!
May 23, 2013
Today is #ChardonnayDay!
I ain’t gonna lie…
This mofo snuck up on me this year.
Luckily, I had this bad boy on hand…
Jason-Stephens 2012 Estate Select Chardonnay
100% of the grapes from the Jason-Stephens 2012 Estate Select Chardonnay come from their vineyard in the back woods of the Santa Clara Valley. Jason-Stephens does two Chards. The Estate Chardonnay is 100% Stainless Steel fermented and aged, while the Estate Select sees a fair amount of oak and goes through secondary malolactic fermentation. It’s 14.5% alcohol, and retails for 30 bucks.
Color: Bright straw yellow.
Nose: Very clean nose of green apple, lime, pear, and wet rocks.
Taste: There’s a good weight to this wine. It’s got a big initial hit of toasty oak up front, which quickly gives way to buttered green apple, minerals, and lime zest.
Score: This wine is pleasant, but the finish is a bit awkward. All-in-all, it’s a solid effort from one of my favorite local wineries. 86+
While tasting the wine, I put together a quick little Indian dish for dinner…
Basmati Rice with Curried Chickpeas and a Samosa that One of my Students gave me for the Last Day of School
Pairing: The acid of the wine plays well with the lemongrass of the curry. It really makes the spices pop. What a great pairing… I rule!
Stay Rad,
Jeff
Stay Rad Wine Blog TV Episode 98: Pairing Wine with a Big Bag O’ Grease
May 17, 2013In this episode, Jeff picks the perfect wine to go with a greasy cheeseburger…
Wine Tasted:
Stepping Stone 2011 North Coast Red Rocks
After the Fact:
Jeff was WAY off. This wine saw NO OAK… Just 5 months in a stainless steel tank.
Stay Rad,
Jeff
Have you had any of the Stepping Stone Rocks wines? What’s your cheeseburger and wine pairing? Leave a comment and let us know.
White Rocks and Turkey Burgers
May 11, 2013Is it summertime yet?
In Northern California, it sure has been feeling like it.
On hot days like these, you’ve gotta get you some nice, cold, white wine.
Luckily, the folks at Cornerstone Cellars just sent me this sample…
Stepping Stone 2012 North Coast White Rocks
Stepping Stone is the entry-level label by Cornerstone Cellars. The Rocks series releases a different red and white wine blend each year. The goal is to provide interesting, approachable, and affordable food-friendly wines every vintage.
The 2012 White Rocks is a blend of Chardonnay and Muscat Canelli selected from the California North Coast AVA. It rolls in at $18.
Color: Pale yellow, with a bit of a greenish tint.
Nose: Honeysuckle, pear, lime and minerals. Nice!
Taste: There is a great viscosity to this wine. The White Rocks is loaded with citrus flavors of lemon and lime, with just a touch of melon. There are some subtle grassy notes, as well as a hint of honey. If I were tasting this blind, I would swear that this was a Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blend.
Score: This is a fun wine. It’s got a great balance of fruit, mineral, and acid. It’s a solid 89 for me, and well worth your 18 dollars.
This wine was great, so you know I had to pair it with some food…
Mediterranean Turkey Slider with Tzatziki, Lemon Arugula Salad, and Roasted Corn
Now that ROCKS!
Stay Rad,
Jeff
What’s your summertime wine of choice? Leave a comment, and let us know.
Rosé and the Grill
April 21, 2013How’s the weather in your neck of the woods?
It’s beautiful here in Northern California.
It’s the perfect time to break open the ol’ grill.
When you’re grilling, there are a couple different ways to go in terms of wine pairing.
For me, the choice was obvious…
Stepping Stone 2012 Corallina Syrah Rosé by Cornerstone Cellars
The fine folks at Cornerstone Cellars sent this wine my way as a sample, and I just had to break it open.
This rosé is 100% Napa Valley Syrah. The block of this Syrah was intended to be used for rosé from the beginning. In a world where some rosé is treated as an afterthought, this wine was made with intention. For a wine that saw French oak for 5 months before bottling, this rosé is surprisingly affordable at $20 a bottle. Considering that it is now available on special at $16 from the winery, this rosé is a steal.
Color: A beautiful salmon pink.
Nose: Citrus of grapefruit and lime, with a fun cherry 7-up minerality on the nose.
Taste: Make no mistake. This is a dry rosé. The fruit, however, gives a good perception of sweetness. Beautiful notes of cherries, raspberries, and cranberries with a little orange zest on the back end. A nice minerality, and good acidity, gives this wine a fresh balance that completely hides the 14.1% alcohol.
Score: Cornerstone will tell you that this a serious rosé. I agree. A solid 88.
Now, onto the food…
Mushroom, Onion, and Bell Pepper Kabobs, Marinated Portobellos, and a New York Strip
Some folks will tell you that this outdoor meal requires a big Cab, or a ripe Zin, but those folks are squares.
This is rosé weather.
Stay Rad,
Jeff
What’s your beverage of choice when you’re manning the grill? Leave a comment, and let us know.
Find wine and wine-related products on Amazon.
If Jalapeño Jelly can’t salvage this day-old Zinfandel, I don’t know what will.
April 17, 2013Yesterday, Kara and I opened up this bottle of wine from Trader Joe’s…
Trader Joe’s Reserve 2011 Lot #71 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel
Now…
You know I’m a big fan of these Trader Joe’s wines. At $10, it’s tough to go wrong. This wine looked really intriguing, not only because it’s from the Dry Creek Valley (a great spot for Zin), but also because it was a lot-specific wine. I was really hoping for this wine to blow me away.
But…
I gotta be honest…
This wine came off as a one-dimensional fruit bomb.
We only drank a little bit of it last night.
Tonight, Kara made this awesome dish…
Jalapeño Jelly Slow-Cooked Chicken
The chicken has a little bit of sweetness with a nice, spicy kick. It reminds me a little bit of Jamaican Jerk Chicken.
So…
I’m sitting here, eating the chicken, and thinking to myself, “Self. You know what would be good with this chicken? A nice fruit bomb of a wine. I wonder if there’s any of that Trader Joe’s Zin left.”
Sure enough, there was.
The wine still had a ripe, brambly type of red fruit to it on the front palate. There was a good acid to the wine. What was nice about this day-old wine was that some of the over-the-top fruit had given way to some nice herbal qualities.
With the chicken, the wine started to show some pretty green notes.
This wine still may not blow many of you away, but if it’s not your cup of tea, just get you some Jalapeño Jelly.
Stay Rad,
Jeff
Stay Rad Wine Blog TV Episode 94: Don’t let hot dogs and Barbera scare ya’.
April 13, 2013In this episode, Jeff uncovers what could be the best wine pairing for a hot dog…
Wine Tasted:
Damilano 2009 Barbera d’Asti
Food Tasted:
All Beef Hot Dog with Lagunitas Maximus IPA Braised Onions and Peppers
After the Fact:
I was so exited about the wine and food, I forgot to score the wine on video. Give it a 90+.
Stay Rad,
Jeff
What is your go-to wine and hot dog pairing? What is your favorite food to pair with Barbera d’Asti? Leave a comment, and let us know.
Find wine and wine-related products on Amazon.
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