1st Annual Southwest Wines of France Gourmet French Fries Competition and Moules Frites Mariniere

June 6,2015

Here is another one of the competing French Fry dishes and My Favorite Wine pairings.

From Chef Paul Denamiel of Le Rivage we have Moules Frites Mariniere. This is twice cooked fries topped with a classic white wine, garlic butter sauce and fresh steamed mussels. They are twice as good with the delicate sauce. They were served with a selection of dry white wines.

Moules Frites Mariniere from Le Rivage and the 2014 Chateau de Millet Colombard Ugni Blanc (a MyFavoriteWineIS.com selection)

My Favorite Wine from this set of wines was the

2014 Chateau de Millet Colombard Ugni Blanc a MyFavoriteWineIS.com selection

2014 Chateau de Millet from the Cotes de

Gascogne. This is a blend of 50% Colombard and 50% Ugni Blanc. The The wine and french fry pairing of the day. With this Frites dish there was this balance of sweetness of the fries and the fruit in the wine with a palate cleansing acidity.

1st Annual Southwest Wines of France Gourmet French Fries Competition and French Fry’d Duck with Sour Cherry Chutney

June 5,2015

Here is the Peoples Choice Award winning French Fry dish and My Favorite Wine pairings.

French Fry’d Duck with Sour Cherry Chutney from Chef Hugo Uys of Brod Kitchen

From Chef Hugo Uys of Brod Kitchen we have French Fry’d Duck with Sour Cherry Chutney. This is hand cut french fries tossed in a chili olive oil with duck confit, sunflower shoots and a sour cherry chutney.They were served with a selection of full body red wines.

Clos Troteligotte – ‘Knom’ – Cahors- a MyFavoriteWineIs.com selection

Chateau Lagrezette Le Pigionnier – a MyFavoriteWineIS.com selection

My Favorite Wine from this set was the Chateau Lagrezette 2011 Le Pigeonnier.

This is a bold concentrated and elegant 100% Malbec wine from the Cahors region. This however has a estimated retail price of $150.

From a wine pairing perspective My Favorite Wine was the 2012 Clos Troteligotte K Malbec from the Cahors region. The red cherry flavors from the wine enhanced the flavors in the chutney. Estimated retail price of $15.

2008 Vinedo De Los Vientos Tannat from Uruguay

June 5,2015

Vinedo de los Vientos translates in English as “Vineyard of the Winds”. This vineyard is situated 4 km from the coastal city of Atlantida where the River Plate estuary meets the Atlantic Ocean. There are 17ha of vines planted and sustainable farming is practiced by Pablo Fallabrino.

2008 Vindeo De Los Vientos Tannat

2008 Vinedo de los Vientos Tannat from Uruguay a MyFavoriteWineIs.com selection

This wine is made from 100% Tannat grapes grown on calcareous clay and limestone soil with an average vine age of 20 years. Sustainable farming of course. Before release, the wine is aged for 6 months in 30% new French oak and the remaining 70% is aged in stainless steel.

The wine has a dark ruby color. There are aromas of blueberry,tobacco, and black berry with notes of vanilla. On the palate the wine is soft with velvety tannins. The fruit is ever changing in this complex delicious wine. The tannins are there and then gone in the finish with the wines balanced level of acidity. A value at the $16 average retail price.

2011 Pizzorno Tannat Reserva

June 2,2015

The Pizzorno Family Estate winery is a fourth generation winery located in Canelón Chico Region close to the Rio de la Plata. The 20 hectares of the family’s vineyards surround the winery and are planted on calcerous soils. The vineyards contain French stocks of Tannat, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir,Malbec, Arinarnoa , Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay using espaldera and lyra system channelling adapted to each variety.

For the Reserva the grapes are hand picked from the oldest vines in the vineyard which are about 50 years old. After fermentation and a prolonged maceration the wine was aged in American oak for 12 months. This is made from 100% Tannat grapes.

2011 Pizzorno Reserva Tannat

The wine has a dark ruby color. There are aromas of fresh black fruit with sweet coconut. On the palate the wine is medium bodied and the fruit flavors and the soft tannins are so well blended together. The finish is long with the fresh fruits and sweet coconut floral notes. This can be found for $18.

2013 Bodega Garzon Tannat from Uruguay

Bodega Garzon Uruguay

June 2,2015

This family winery started in 1999 with sustainability in mind.The vineyards are located near Punta del Este, La Barra and Jose Ignacio. The vineyards are planted on thin and rocky mineral rich soil with excellent drainage. Located less than 11 miles from the Atlantic Ocean the vineyards receive constant ocean breezes giving the wines a mineral touch.

The winery is built on a natural terrace which allows it ti benefit from using a gravity system in the wine production. 40% less energy is being utilized as a result of the use of solar panels and energy produced from wind.

As a sustainable winery natural yeasts are used. To maintain the freshness and purity f the wines concrete vats and un-toasted french oak barrels are used.

2013 Garzon Tannat

2013 Garzon Tannat- MyFavoriteWineIs.com Selection

The wine is made from 100% Tannat grapes.

The wine has a dark ruby color. There are aromas of fresh raspberries and cherries. On the palate the wine is medium bodied with soft plum and tobacco notes and soft tannins. The finish is long with its soft fruit and soft tannins.

An easy drinking wine and at a value price of $18.

2012 Pizzorno Don Prospero Tannat Wine

June 1,2015

2012 Pizzorno Don Prospero

2012 Pizzorno Don Prospero Tannat a MyFavoriteWineIS.com Selection

This is made from 100% Tannat grapes.The grapes are de-stemmed and lightly crushed. Native yeast is used to begin the fermentation and only stainless steel is used.

The wine has a dark ruby purple color. There are aromas of dense black cherry and black berry with notes of violets. On the palate the fruit is fresh with some cocoa underlying the ripe black fruits. The tannins that you would expect were not there. There were soft tannins that melted away in the fruit filled finish. Easy drinking wine. It can found for $12.

Tannat Grape Variety from Uruguay

May 29,2015

Tannat Grape from Uruguay

Tannat is native to the Madiran region of southwestern France, however it has found a new home in Uruguay. Over one third of the wines produced in Uruguay are from the Tannat grape variety.

In the 1870’s Don Pascual Harriague, a French Basque immigrant brought this grape along with him.

Tannat is a dark colored rich full bodied wine. This grape variety is well known for its harsh tannins. Here in Uruguay, the Tannat grape grows well and creates a much softer wine than when grown from its southwestern France home. Also, today’s wine makers want people to enjoy their Tannat wines so they are finding ways of making it more approachable to drink them today.

Let’s try some Uruguayan wines made with Tannat.

Uruguay and Wine

May 28. 2015
Uruguay is located in South America between the 30thS and 35thS parallels and has its vineyards located along the 34thS Parallel just as Argentina and Chile. It is bordered by Argentina to its west with Brazil to its north and east and the Atlantic Ocean to its south and southeast.
This is a small country with an estimated population of 3.3 million people in a country of 68,000 square miles.

The population is concentrated in the country’s capital city of Montevideo with 1.8 million people living there.

As a result of bordering the Atlantic Ocean, there is a maritime influenced climate. The overall climate is mild with its warm summers cooled down by the winds from the Atlantic Ocean.

Food and Wine

Beef is very popular in Uruguay. Asado, barbecued beef is the national dish. What better to have with you beef than some red wine? The Tannat grape variety is the national variety. This is known to be an intense wine with strong tannins. Uruguayan wineries also produce wines from French grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.

Aging Wine Under Water

May 27, 2015

How do you like your wines-youthful or with some age? Do you like your wines aged under ocean waters or aged in a wine cellar?

It has been found that aging bottles of wine under water affects the wines. There are some premature aging characteristics and other changes to the wines.

As of now aging above or below the water is no longer an option. After the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) consulted with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concluded that wines aged under ocean waters would be considered to be adulterated under the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). Therefore the TTB considers that wines adulterated under the FD&C Act are considered mislabeled within the meaning of the Federal Alcohol Administration Act.

The bottle seals having contact with the sea and ocean waters may cause the bottles to be adulterated since they have been stored in unsanitary conditions and have become contaminated.

It has been determined that for every 10 meters of depth the bottles are subject to one atmosphere of pressure. Tidal flows and storm surges increase the pressure against the bottle and allows the bottle to breathe . This breathing allows the bottle to equalize the internal pressure of the bottle with the external atmosphere. Breathing is the exchanging of the contents of the bottle with the water and therefore possibly contaminating the wine.

Also any sea life that attaches itself to the bottle and continues to live may degrade the cork and allow contamination of the wine. Wax seals have not been proven to be 100% efficient in sealing under these conditions.

Exciting aging process and illegal to sell and buy these wines in the United States.

White Sturgeon Caviar From Lady Elena Caviar Pairing with Dehours Grande Reserve NV Champagne

May 13,2015

Dehours Grande Reserve NV Champagne

Today we are pairing this champagne with Americana caviar (White Sturgeon) from Lady Elena Caviar.

Dehours Grande Reserve Brut NV with Americana Caviar from Lady Elena Caviar. The blend is 60% Pinot Meunier, 30% Chardonnay, and 10% Pinot Noir. 26 of the wine is reserve wine from a Solera that was started in 1988.It was aged on its lees for 2 years and has a dosage of 6 g/l.

Dehours Grande Reserve NV Champagne and Lady Elena Caviar White Sturgeon Caviar

The champagne with a straw gold color has minuscule bubbles rushing t the top. There are aromas of toasted bread,white flowers, citrus and green apple. On the palate it is minerally soft with red fruits appearing. The finish is dry .

Lady Elena Caviar Pairing

Americana Caviar (White Sturgeon):The NV Dehours Grande Reserve champagne cleanses the palate with some remaining dryness. A good Lady Elena Caviar pairing.

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