Terre di Ger Cabernet Franc 2007

This Italian red wine has a lovely nose of ripe red fruits and spice. The taste profile has a great peppery style. To me it is the pepper mill that has all the different peppercorns: black, green, white, and pink pepper. This wine would be great to pair with a soup or salad and you would not have to add any pepper to the soup just drink the wine. There is also a tasty red currant note swirling around behind that peppery profile.

Pairings: Portabella Mushroom Soup, Portabella Mushroom Cap, Venison Steaks, Porterhouse.

Jackson-Triggs 2006 Meritage

Proprietor’s Grand Reserve
12.7% abv
Has the three classic Bordeaux grapes: Merlot 55%, Cabernet Sauvignon 27%, and Cabernet Franc 18%.

Jackson-Triggs Winery is located in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada. The last time I visited the winery had to be around 8 to 10 years ago. This region has some great wineries and this bottle was one of my favorites back then. I did not buy this bottle at the winery; I got it at the duty free store at the border of Canada. I personally don’t like to buy wine from the duty free stores because they have those blazing hot spot light beaming on the wine bottles 24 hours a day. I want to go back to Niagara-on-the-Lake sooo bad.

Back to the wine. On the bottle it reads: “…aromas of black currant, ripe raspberries and plums underscored with vanilla, cedar and spicy black pepper.” “…flavors of berries, chocolate, coffee and clove…”

Back in the 90’s when I use to visit there they had some very good vintages. I am looking forward to trying this wine. I wish I still had my computer from then – I would have my tasting notes about this wine.

The appearance is a deep ruby color. The aroma is of dark fruit with a nice raspberry presence. There is also a good spicy style to the smell as well.

The plum to me is on the taste not the nose to me. When I taste this I think of biting into a plum. There is also a blackberry and black currant bite along with a red berry called raspberry that adds some character to this flavorful wine. The fine black pepper notes are on the aftertaste along with a nice earthy coating on my palate. There is also a dusting of 85% dark chocolate that lingers on the palate. This is a fuller bodied red wine.

Okay, the first weekend of November I am heading to this winery. No I am not - I just put a new roof on and put in two new doors on the house.  Next year!

If you like wine this is a must go to location!!!

Cranberry Maple Pecan Encrusted Veal Chops

In a small frying pan melt about three tablespoons of unsalted butter and add Cranberry Maple rub

then toss in the chopped pecans

Once the pecans are glazed well with the rub cover the veal chops with the pecans. Bake in the oven till ready.

Genesis 2007 Meritage

14.4% abv
The Hogue Cellars
Prosser, Washington, USA

This Meritage covers four different grapes from the Columbia Valley region: Merlot 49%, Cabernet Sauvignon 44%, Malbec 6%, Cabernet Franc 1%

The bottle reads, “…juicy berry, cherry and plum flavors and oak, spice and cocoa on the finish.”

I am opening this bottle of wine tonight (11:00pm) to taste it and see if it will be a good match with my filet mignon dinner that I am planning tomorrow.

The first sip seems to have a bite. Little bigger sample and it seems too astringent. This wine needs to breath before sampling. So, I aerate the next sample and swirl it in the glass a little longer and it is still on the harsh side. Maybe, I should have waited another year before opening this bottle – too late, it’s open.

The wine does have a nice dark purple body with some nice ruby highlights on the edges. The aroma is of tart cherry.

I’ll cork it and test it tomorrow. I am going to open another to be ready.

Next day’s notes:

The hash notes are down but, this is a full tasting Meritage wine. Dark strong fruit flavors dominate. I don’t pick up any particular spice or pepper notes. There is a heavy soil earth taste. Overall I am not impressed.

A Wine Review: Peninsula Cellars 2006 Merlot

12% abv

Peninsulacellars.com

This Merlot is coming from Traverse City, Michigan. The winery describes this wine as, ‘Plums and currants mingle with roasted coffee and distant pipe tobacco.’

Appearance: a bright ruby red color

Aroma: berry and cherry like

Taste: distant pipe tobacco? – Really now – only about 100 different pipe tobacco blends. I don’t even get a tobacco taste but that is me. I’ll call it a mossy earth style that mingles with a red cherry and red currant taste. Nothing complex here but, it is tasty.

My Strength Rating: 4

Solaire Pinot Noir 2008 and Red Snapper Smoothered in Black Bean Salsa

Solaire Pinot Noir is from Robert Mondavi. I picked this bottle up at a fundraiser when Waggin Tails Dog Rescue had a wine tasting night. This is a pretty simple Pinot. The aroma is pretty much like the taste. It has a big sweet red cherry taste and a light raspberry note. This is a good wine for lighter fare foods and a milder cigar. This bottle is usually under $15.00 a bottle.

Bruce’s Black Bean Salsa on Red Snapper

Make enough for four filets

¼ cup chopped onion
¼ cup black beans
¼ cup yellow corn
¼ cup chopped green or orange bell pepper
¼ cup chopped tomatoes
2 teaspoons of minced garlic
Tablespoon of olive oil
3 teaspoons of Worchester sauce
3 teaspoons of red wine vinegar
Sprinkle in some dry basil
Grind in some black pepper to taste
Add hot sauce to taste

Warm in a sauce pan

Pour basil olive oil in a frying pan and add red snapper filets. Cook till done.

With a slotted spoon place salsa mixture on top of the snapper filets, then with a spoon pour on the desired amount of liquid from the salsa on top of the fish. Pour Sansonetti’s hot sauce over the salsa.

Layer Cake Shiraz 2008

South Australia
14.9% abv

Here are the tasting notes from their web site: “Dark, dense and creamy, complex aromas of black plum, Bing cherry, blackberry and pepper merge with licorice, tobacco, mocha and dark chocolate. This is one inky Shiraz; an explosion of dark, super ripe, wild blackberry, with a touch of cigar box finishing with a mélange of exotic spices. A pure fruit bomb…complete from attack through a long, lingering finish.”

When I think of inky I think of Zinfandels. I could see how one may describe it that way but, I would call it a strong earthy quality. The blackberry and other dark fruits just coat the palate for a thick mouthfeel. The spices are tasty and the dark chocolate just add to this complex Shiraz. This is a must buy. Plan to pair this with game meats, a big porterhouse steak or other full flavored meals. I truly enjoyed this wine.

Trinchero Cabernet Sauvignon 2007: Tasting

Napa Valley Cloud’s Nest Vineyard

On the bottle it describes the taste as, ‘tobacco and tea.’ This is not your everyday Cabernet with that big dark berry taste. The herbal tea like flavors mingle with the tobacco, smoke and portabella mushroom earthy notes. This is delicious. I had this wine at diner at one of my favorite restaurants.

I will be looking for this bottle at my wine store now. A must try.

Villa Rubini 2008 Cabernet Franc

Colli Orientali del Friuli

This 13% abv Cabernet Franc is a true pepper experience. The fine grind pepper profile is the main dish here. There is a solid earthy quality with a nice dark cherry and black current notes to back up the pepper. My overall impression for My Strength Rating: 5.5.  Pretty much a medium bodied wine.  This wine is pretty simple in its taste. Being a Cabernet Franc lover I like to try as many different Francs as I can. While this is not complex I still like this wine because of the peppery experience.

For those of you who are not familiar with the Cabernet Franc grape – well you should be. It is known as the parent grape to Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc.

See the Cigar Pairing