2013 Judge & Jury Red Blend, Kunde Family Estate, Sonoma County, California, USA; 2011 Lamole Gran Selezione Chianti, Italy; 2014 Petite Petit, Michael David Winery, Lodi, California, USA; 2014 Toasted Head Chardonnay, California, USA.
Saturday night is usually a red night and, as you may notice, most often a California Cabernet Sauvignon with grilled steak. This weekend, however, it was time to approach things from a fresh angle–hence a fish dish and this delicious Blanc instead of a Cab. George Costanza would be proud (and hey I think it was Jason Alexander’s birthday too, so maybe there’s some kismet involved).
2015 Marquis de Bacalan Sauvignon Blanc, Bordeaux, France.
The 2015 Marquis de Bacalan Sauvignon Blanc was part of an online wine order, a sampling of reds and whites from Bordeaux. The region’s reds get far more attention in the magazines and such, but whites like this nicely balanced bottle deserve some of the spotlight too. It has such a fresh, summer smell to it–quite fragrant and inviting when uncorked. This evaluator is not crazy about orange (i.e., the fruit), but the citrus notes of the Marquis were gentle and encouraging instead of off-putting. There is something that almost makes you want to chew this wine…a scent that I can’t better describe than saying it made me hungry for a sip.
2015 Marquis de Bacalan Sauvignon Blanc, Bordeaux, France.
That did bode well for the meal, a Blue Apron salmon recipe that sat ignored and uncooked for several weeks until tonight. Displayed here you see a crispy-skinned salmon with a French sauce gribiche, grilled vegetables (cherry tomatoes and purple summer beans), and mashed potatoes. With plenty of garlic, shallot, and tarragon in the mix, the meal came together really nicely and was the perfect setup for the 2015 Marquis de Bacalan. The dijonnaise mustard flavor worked effectively with both the seafood as well as the wine. My only critique of the food? Wish this chef had diced the cornichons a little finer instead of simply thinly slicing them.
Here’s hoping the leftover portion will stand up well for its encore performance later this week. Certainly the 2015 Marquis de Bacala will, and its good showing on this occasion (along with other recent offerings from Bordeaux) deepens my interest in future whites from one of the world’s best-known wine-producing regions.
*Quick confession: I did open a Cab while making dinner, so it’s not like reds went unrepresented in this house for the night.
2014 Terre Blanche Grand Vin de Bordeaux, Graves, Bordeaux, France.
2013 Pinot Noir, Curlew Vineyards, Russian River Valley, California, USA.
Earlier this spring, the Rombauer Chardonnay was recommended to me by a speaker who was wrapping up a highly successful webinar for dental students across the U.S. It was her celebratory drink and one she often served to friends new and old, and I can totally understand why. It’s one of the best I’ve ever had, a natural comp to my friends at Buena Vista and their most excellent Chardonnay.
2013 Chardonnay, Rombauer Vineyards, Carneros, Napa, California, USA.
The 2014 vintage is fantastic, the commensurate hint of butter to be sure, but mostly a melon scent that is refreshing even on the nose before you taste it. It pours golden in the glass, much richer in tone than a Grigio, and layers in other citrus smells that I can’t quite put my finger on. It’s bright and sweet, but not sticky sweet like the Riesling recently covered here in Notes (only click if you want the contrasting opinion), and you almost feel like you could drink it after a hot summer day or workout.
Additional facts from the Winery:
Thanks, Rombauer Vineyards, for the helpful details on your delicious wine.
Queso tostadas with summer vegetables and a spicy cream sauce.
Kitchen magic aside now, a special thanks to you, Ms. Ireland, for setting me on a fun journey with your favorite bottle. It’s going to be one of mine too and I appreciate the gift you shared with your recommendation. Can’t wait to pass it on…
Enlisted my brother and I for this wine adventure the moment I saw the promotion from Fleming’s Steakhouse–the August showing of the “100 Wines One Summer” series. We did the Uber thing to and from this tasting so that we could relax and enjoy new wines without having to figure out who had to be the designated driver. That being said, here’s how the evening unfolded for this guy:
I’m a little regretful that I didn’t take better stock of the vintage in the above. Most were assuredly ’13s and ’14s but I am pretty sure there were a few ’12s in the mix too. Sorry about that, fans.
That said, fifteen samples made for a great night and a great experience to share. If you like any of the above be sure to share some yourself and spread the love. -RMG
Pulled out a favorite wine to share with my brother during his visit this weekend – the 2013 Conundrum 25th Anniversary red. I renewed my love affair with Conundrum about six weeks ago and had this bottle earmarked for just such an occasion.
2013 Conundrum 25th Anniversary Red Blend, Conundrum Wines, California, USA.
He’s a fan of wine and has plenty of opportunities to taste excellent bottles during his business travels and home life, and of course I was interested in his feedback on the Conundrum. Would he be the fan I am? I was confident he hadn’t been exposed to this proprietary blend of the Wagner family and raised an eyebrow when he initially opted for a soda instead of wine with dinner. That decision only lasted moments before he was pulling a glass himself and swirling this red beauty for a whiff of its ample fruits.
In the Conundrum you have cherry smells and tastes in plentiful supply, and earthy, smoky notes that I’ve previously described as “dark chocolate” in their makeup. It is a fruit bomb, and yet very smooth and ready for drinking right away. Full disclosure – we did not have this bottle with a five-star, four-course dinner. It simply accompanied takeout pizza (the highlight of which, for me at least, was its garlic crust), hot out of the oven and readily devoured after our respective flights into town.
I still have not tried chilling Conundrum, preferring to serve and consume red at room temperature. The 2013 received the usual appreciation from this taster and in short time made a new fan in my brother. We are going to be talking about this wine throughout the weekend, particularly in light of future events on the horizon. Last note for you: believe me when I say neither the pie nor the bottle lasted very long!
The 2014 Myth Riesling, vinted and bottled by Washington Wine Works, arrived here earlier this summer as part of an online shipment. As a white, you might rightly expect it to sit in the rack indefinitely while reds were prioritized for dining and in Notes alike. And so it did, until this week when scorching temperatures suggested a well-chilled white might be a reasonable alternative to a cold beer or a bottle of red.
2014 Myth Riesling, Washington Wine Works, Columbia Valley, Washington, USA.
This 2014 Myth, produced in Washington’s Columbia Valley, is fragrant and sugary in the bottle and on the nose. This white smells full compared to a Pinot Grigio–does that make sense? There’s not a bit of dryness to the Riesling. Candidly, it was not as enjoyable as the Bordeaux Blanc, and I found myself limited to just a single glass at a time because of its sweetness. I still remember my first explorations of Rieslings (that’s Twisted River) but those must have been less sweet because I cannot imagine repeat purchases if they had been as sugary. On the last night/glass, I paired up Myth with a delicious pork chop dish that I’m proud to share here.
The food came out pretty well. What you see is seared pork chops and plum salsa with corn, kale, and farro salad. This is the first time (at least to my recollection) I’ve had farro and it was pretty good as seasoned with scallions and balsamic vinegar. With the kale, corn, and farro all mixed together you have a nice bit of crunch with the grains. The plum worked liked that too, a nice cool counterbalance to the seared pork chop–which was drizzled with the balsamic and butter sauce from the pan. Voila.
But this is a wine blog not a food blog, so let’s get back to the bottle. The label conveys, “Our Riesling leads with aromas of honeysuckle and nectarine with flavors of honey and orange blossom, finishing clean with balanced acidity.” I don’t know if that’s true or not–judge for yourself based on the above–but I do know I’m all set with this Riesling. I prefer to hold onto other myths.
2010 Summation Red Blend, Vintner’s Reserve, Kendall-Jackson, Santa Rosa, California, USA.
Buddy Guy and the Stones playing “Champagne & Reefer” in the background as I reflect on a great new dish and vino–the latter being the 2014 Le Parlement Bordeaux Blanc. If you’re into such things, I’ll share that the wine took home a Gold Medal (Director’s Award) and Best of Class honors at the 2016 International Winemaker Challenge. It took Silver in the 2016 Monterey International Wine Competition too. While Notes doesn’t offer cover whites, be assured this one will go into the “best of” list at year’s end.
2014 Le Parlement Bordeaux Blanc, Bordeaux, France.
The Le Parlement accompanied a new dish, one that (excusing self accolades) turned out exceptionally. Pictured here is not only the Bordeaux Blanc but brown butter cod with corn, shishito peppers, and purple potatoes. It’s my understanding that the peppers are Japanese in origin, and they wrapped a whole salvo of flavors together–you have a little stir fry, a little sweet and a little heat in those babies. The cod has had the brown butter spooned over it, sherry vinegar too. The whole kitchen smelled fantastic as this cooked up–in part from those aromatics but even more so from fresh oregano, shallot, and pressed garlic that work their way into the plated dish.
Okay, now the wine: The 2014 Le Parlement Bordeaux Blanc is crisp and citrusy. It is not overly dry, nor is it sticky sweet like the Riesling currently cooling in the fridge. The Le Parlement reminded me of this recent find too. It’s got a bit more weight to it than does a Pinot Grigio (at least the ones covered with some recurring frequency here). This white wine is not a buttery Chardonnay, either, with oak in its profile, but more like “spring”. I know, I know, don’t roll your eyes and say “WTF does spring taste like?” What I’m trying to describe is a light, nuanced white wine that I don’t quite have the palate to fully articulate. As I read here, I find it interesting that I’m better able to describe what the 2014 Le Parlement Bordeaux Blanc is NOT even more than what I can say it IS.
This is really a nice wine, truly enjoyable with the upscale cod, and you would do well to try a Bordeaux Blanc (this in particular) next time you’re thinking about fish. I know I will.
NotesOfNote 