Posts Tagged ‘BBQ’
Varietal: 100% Petite Sirah
Region: Livermore Valley – California – USA
Cost: $15 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes: 2008 Petite Sirah, Conservancy has fantastic depth and character. It exhibits a rich nose of fresh berry fruit, and the flavorful palate shows blackberries, chocolate, mocha, and plums. Subtle notes of molasses, cedarwood, and rip mulberries are complemented by soft, creamy oak tones and a smooth, silky finish. Pairs well with barbecued chicken or your favorite lamb recipe.
My Review: It’s been a little less than a year since I tried the 2007 Concannon Conservancy Petite Sirah, so I was pleased to see the 2008 vintage show up at my office recently, as there’s something to be said for seeing how a wine changes from year to year. Unlike the previous vintage, the 2008 Concannon Conservancy Petite Sirah is 100% Petite Sirah, with none of the Petit Verdot that made its way into last year’s vintage.
Varietal: 100% Malbec
Region: Argentina – Uco Valley
Cost: $12 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes: Deep red in color with cherry, plum, and vanilla notes. Pairs well with steak, sharp cheeses, and BBQ.
My Review: First, a bit of related knowledge. The name of the vineyard is actual a reference to the Tango, which originated in Argentina. The “caminada” is the walk, a seemingly simple, but key step within the Tango. The idea is that you do the simple things correctly and the rest will fall into place. Ok…now on to the wine. Read the rest of this entry »
Varietal: Garnacha (Grenache)
Region: Spain
Cost: $10.50
Ruby in color with aromas of fresh strawberry and raspberry, with notes of black tea, licorice, and pungent herbs. Red berry flavors linger through till the end. Pairs well with BBQ, chicken, and pasta.
Recommendations: I picked up this bottle after a tasting at The Wine Cellar because a) I’m a fan of Spanish wines, particularly Grenache, and b) it’s a really good value for a really good wine. Good color in the glass, and while I didn’t get the licorice on the nose (which is fine since I don’t like licorice), I did get the notes of strawberry and raspberry.
Red fruit was pervasive throughout the wines flavor, and while I didn’t pair it with anything except a movie and some time with my wife, it was easy to drink by itself, and I could easily see pairing it with some grilled BBQ chicken or pasta. Read the rest of this entry »
Varietal: Meritage (Merlot; Cabernet Sauvignon; Petit Verdot)
Region: California – USA
Cost: $22
Deeply colored and full bodied. Blackberry, cassis, and jammy red fruit flavors pair well with a variety of foods such as lamb chops, chicken marsala, Osso Bucco, steaks, pork, BBQ, or day old meat loaf.
Recommendations: First of all, I want to clear something up. It’s Meritage (as in “heritage”)…at the Virginia Wine Expo two weeks ago, where there were several Meritages, this became a topic of debate at several tasting tables. Ok…now on to the review.
The Surfrider Red is good. The alcohol on the nose did give way as the wine opened up more into aromas of fruit and cherry, and the red fruit flavor finished with a combination of bold tannins and earthiness that I rather enjoyed, especially since the alcohol that was on the nose didn’t come through on the palate.
Paired with a dinner of grilled BBQ chicken and some mixed veggies, the full-bodied, earthy flavor of the wine did a great job of enhancing the natural smokiness of the food without overwhelming the chicken or being overwhelmed by it. It did what wine is supposed to do – complimented the meal.
While this wine certainly isn’t life-altering in any way, it was very enjoyable both with the meal and after, and was perfect with the BBQ – something that I feel will be a bigger issue as the weather begins to warm. For those getting ready to start grilling, the Surfrider is definitely one to consider.
Special thanks to the International Wine of the Month Club for providing the wine for this review.
Varietal: Monastrell
Region: Spain
Cost: $9
Dark violet color with aromas of spice on the nose and fresh fruit on the palate. Pairs well with roasts, steaks, and BBQ.
Recommendations: I will admit that the name of this bottle alone caught my eye when I was in the store. I had never heard of Monastrell before (though apparently it’s the same thing as Mourvedre, which I have heard of), so I decided to give it a try.
Opened the same night as the Pepperwood Grove Pinot Noir, we paired this wine with the same cheese and crackers. Far more robust than the Pinot, the Wrong Dongo had aromas of cherry and spice with the same cherry on the palate.
While only paired with the cheese and crackers, I can see how this would pair well with a dinner of grilled or roasted meat, and certainly some BBQ. The big surprise for me was that even with the high alcohol content (15%/vol), I didn’t get a heavy alcohol taste, which has been a sticking point for me lately. Read the rest of this entry »
Varietal: Malbec
Region: Argentina
Cost: $12
Deep red color with aromas of berry and tobacco. Dark cherry, blackberry, and spice on the palate allows this wine to pair well with BBQ.
Recommendations: My wife had picked this wine up a while ago, and since we’ve been snowed in and our selection is starting to wane, we paired this wine with a meal of lemon-mustard chicken and mac n’ cheese. The wine was fairly dark in the glass, and while I did grab a hint of berry and tobacco on the nose, the alcohol (13.5%) was what I really picked up at first sniff.
In the mouth, I was able to taste dark cherry and blackberry, but again the alcohol was prevalent until the wine was allowed to open up, helping to mellow it out. While it went well enough with our meal, it would have paired much better with BBQ of some type, and if you pick this bottle up I would recommend that you do just that. Read the rest of this entry »
