It’s a holiday weekend here in the U.S., and J and I will be off tasting our way through Paso Robles wine country with LoSo and JSo. Luckily and entirely accidentally, it turns out I already cooked this week’s CorkPopper Dinner – New York Steak with Balsamic Mushrooms. Check out the recipe here.
Cheers, and check back next week for posts on Paso Robles wines as well as the announcement of the next three wines in the CorkPopper Project – German Riesling!
Well kids, it’s been quite a month. I started out with Western Australia’s delectable Semillon-Sauvignon Blancs, proceeded to blow up the theory that all Australian Chardonnay is over-oaked and overworked, took my own private walkabout through the land of Aussie Cabernet Sauvignon (as J was traveling all that week), discovered the delights of the country’s fantastic red blends, and ended up almost getting J to jump on the Shiraz train. Phew! I’m exhausted! Not too exhausted, however, to talk about this week’s final Shiraz (and the final Australian wine in the CorkPopper Project).
The 2008 Charles Cimicky “Trumps” Shiraz hails from South Australia’s Barossa Valley, one of the country’s most famous wine regions (surely you’ve heard of Penfold’s Grange), and the Charles Cimicky winery is located in the heart of the valley. The wine is a deep, inky purple so rich it stains the glass.
With a powerful aroma, this wine would definitely benefit from decanting a bit, but your patience is rewarded by pretty fantastic notes of spice, blackberries, pencil shavings and bittersweet chocolate. On the palate, the flavors of berries and anise abound, along with some pepper, all of which is nicely rounded out by super fine tannins from the time the wine spent on oak (according to K&L, about 17 months on new American oak).
While this is a really nice Shiraz, there was just something undeniably comforting about this week’s second wine, the 2008 Gemtree “Uncut,” that the 2008 Charles Cimicky “Trumps” is lacking. It is perfectly balanced, yes, and I’m giving it the same score as the Gemtree “Uncut,” but when pressed to choose my favorite wine of the week, I have to go with the Gemtree.
That said, if you’d like to decide for yourself, both the 2008 Charles Cimicky “Trumps” and the 2008 Gemtree “Uncut” are available at K&L Wine Merchants, both at just $15.99/bottle.
4 corks popped!
Cheers!
How did you spend your Tuesday night this week? With microwaved leftovers or greasy delivery pizza and a sad bottle of plonk wine? Well, do I have a solution for you, inspired by this week’s second wine and the quick and easy meal I made to go with it…..
First, the wine. McLaren Vale is turning out to be one of my favorite Australian wine regions (second, of course, to Western Australia’s Margaret River, which I wrote about here, here, here, here and here), as the wines I’ve tasted from the region have tended to be a bit more complex an
d, dare I say it, artisanal-feeling than some of the wines from other regions with bigger producers. And the 2008 Gemtree “Uncut” Shiraz is no exception. The winery has been family-run by the Buttery family for several generations now. Indeed, the viticulturist (the grape grower) is a Buttery herself, and her husband is the winemaker. Talk about the “family business”…. And there’s something about this wine that makes you feel like you’re home.
This wine is a deep, opaque purple with just a tiny bit of sediment, which indicates that it wasn’t filtered before bottling (which is not necessarily a bad thing – it gives the wine a unique character not found in super-filtered wines). It has a huge aroma of ripe blueberries, dried lavender and bittersweet chocolate, as well as something meaty – beef jerky, maybe? Weird, I know, but yum. On the palate, there’s tons of ripe, juicy black and blue berries, a tinge of anise, and a bit of smoky baking spice. The tannins are generous but smooth, and the finish is long and pleasant. J isn’t the biggest Shiraz/Syrah fan, but even he liked this one (though he wasn’t quite as sold on it as I was). I’m giving it 4 corks popped….
And to make the evening even better, I managed to whip up an amazingly easy yet delicious meal that actually went quite well with the wine – New York Steak with Balsamic Mushrooms. The savory steak, coated in rosemary and garlic, paired nicely with the meaty undertones of the wine, and the sweet tartness from the balsamic mushrooms brought out the fruit on the palate wonderfully. Unfortunately, I was so hungry that I forgot to take pictures, but hopefully you’ll get the idea.
Allow the steaks to come to room temperature. Rub them with a bit of olive oil, then season generously with pepper and salt. Press the garlic and rosemary all over them so that it sticks, if possible.
Place the mushrooms on a large sheet of aluminum foil, top down. Drizzle with olive oil, rubbing the tops with oil so that they don’t stick to the foil. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with garlic and rosemary. Fill the caps with balsamic vinegar. Cover with another sheet of aluminum foil and fold around the edges to seal, creating a nice little pouch.
Preheat your grill to medium. Place the mushrooms, tops down, on the grill, cover, and allow to cook for about 10 minutes. Check the mushrooms to see if they’re cooked as you like them (some people prefer there mushrooms less cooked than others). Reseal the pouch and set aside.
Once the mushrooms are done, turn up the heat on the grill to medium-high. Place the steaks on the grill and cook one side for 7-8 minutes before flipping it over and cooking the other side for another 7-8 minutes, or until the internal temperature is about 130 degrees for medium rare. Remove to a cutting board and allow to rest for at least 5-7 minutes. The meat will continue to cook during this time, and the juices will be better absorbed by the meat, so you won’t have a cutting board covered in juice and a dry steak.
Serve with a simple salad with a balsamic vinaigrette and some grilled bread. Tuesday night: Done.
You can find the 2008 Gemtree “Uncut” Shiraz at K&L Wine Merchants for $15.99/bottle.
Cheers!
It’s CorkPopper Project’s final week exploring the big, bold world of Australian wine, and I’m spending it with the Aussie shining star – Shiraz. This week’s first Shiraz is made from a blend of grapes from McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek, and Strathbogie in Victoria and spent a little less than a year in French oak. It’s a dark, opaque purple with a blackberries, boysenberries and cherries as well as a generous amount of smokiness, dried tobacco and stony minerality. The palate presents a burst of tart black plum skin and boysenberry, which give way to spicy cedar and moderately firm tannins. Though it doesn’t finish especially hot, there’s a generous amount of alcohol on the nose, so beware when you take your first big whiff. The finish is a bit tart on the outer rear edges of the tongue, but that dissipates quickly, leaving a dry, velvety sensation on the tongue.
Wine Spectator gave this wine 89 points. CorkPopper gives it 3 corks popped.
You can find the 2008 Shoofly Shiraz at Old Bridge Cellars for $14/bottle.
Cheers!
After a great week of Australian red blends, it’s time now to focus on Australia’s shining star – Shiraz. Shiraz and Syrah are the same grape (a rose by any other name…), a grape that grows throughout the wine-producing world but is most closely associated with Australia and France’s Rhone region. It’s a dark-skinned varietal that adapts very well to (and tastes very different in) various climates and soil types. Indeed, there’s no one “typical” Syrah/Shiraz, as it’s a truly terroir-driven varietal that will taste different depending upon the soil type, climate, etc.
This week I’ll be tasting three different versions of Australian Shiraz, all from the 2008 vintage. One is from the Barossa Valley region, one is entirely from McLaren Vale, and the other is made from grapes hailing from both McLaren Vale and Langhorne Creek in South Australia. So, without further delay, here’s the list. Let the salivary glands begin to do their magic….
First, we have a 2008 Shoofly Shiraz, which is made from grapes grown in McLaren Vale and South Australia's Langhorne Creek. It earned 89 points from Wine Spectator and is available at Old Bridge Cellars for $14/bottle.
Second, is a 2008 Gemtree "Uncut" Shiraz from McLaren Vale. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate gave this wine 91 points, and it is available at K&L Wine Merchants for $15.99/bottle.
Finally, I'll be tasting a 2008 Charles Cimicky "Trumps" Shiraz from the Barossa Valley. It garnered 91 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and can be purchased at K&L Wine Merchants for $15.99/bottle.
Cheers!
I’ve been looking forward all week to coming up with a recipe for this week’s CorkPopper dinner. The 2003 Mak 
Coonawarra is truly a great wine and is sure to be even better when paired with the right meal, which is exactly what I think I’ve done with tonight’s recipe for Rosemary Rack of Lamb with Berry Mint Sauce.
As my regular readers already know, I. LOVE. RACK OF LAMB. It is nothing short of a perfect protein – it’s rich and juicy, with the ideal amount of fat. It’s elegant and beautiful, yet to eat it appropriately, you’ve got to get your hands dirty. It’s versatile enough to be served with all manner of sauces and sides, and it pairs wonderfully with myriad wines. What more can a meat/wine lover ask for? Nuthin’, that’s what.
I’ve done all manner of sauces and preparations of rack of lamb, but this week I’m trying something new. I wanted a sauce that played up the big, juicy berries in the wine, so I’ve created a sauce that is basically a berry explosion. And I’ve thrown a hint of mint in there, not only because mint and lamb are a classic combo, but also because my mint plant is growing gangbusters. And using wine in a sauce is a foolproof way to guarantee a good pairing. Basically, I want to spread this stuff not only on my lamb but also on my toast tomorrow morning…. hmmmm…..
Rosemary Rack of Lamb with Berry-Mint Sauce
Serves 4
Ingredients:
Preparation:
Place the berries, mint leaves, sugar, wine and pepper in a small saucepan. Smash everything together. Cook over medium-low heat until you have a jammy consistency. Set aside. This sauce can be made a day ahead. Refrigerate and reheat before serving.
Preheat your grill to medium-high. Cut the lamb racks in half so that you have four mini-racks with 4 ribs each. Push a metal skewer through the center of each rack. Thread a rosemary sprig through the hole and trim excess rosemary (although you
need to leave a bit so that you can pull it out later). Brush the lamb with olive oil and season generously with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Place the lamb on the grill, meaty side down. Cook for about 7 minutes before flipping them over and cooking for another 4 minutes or so. The proper internal temperature for lamb is about 145 degrees for medium-rare. Remove the lamb from the grill, place on a cutting board, and tent loosely with foil. Allow the lamb to rest at least 5 minutes before removing the rosemary sprigs and slicing.
Serve with a simple green salad and crusty grilled bread. Say it with me now…. YUM…..
4 forks and 4.5 corked forks!!
Cheers!
This week’s final Australian red blend comes from – wait for it, wait for it – South Australia! Surprise!! Not surprised? Yeah, me neither. South Australia cranks out an enormous amount of wine for world consumption, especially inexpensive wine, which is not to say that the region doesn’t produce quality wines. On the contrary, as we’ve seen over the past few weeks, South Australia produces some excellent wines that just so happen to be at a price point that appeals to the budget wine consumer. Perfect.
At $9.99/bottle, the 2007 Henry’s Drive “Pillar Box Red” is just such a South Australian value wine. A blend of 65% Shiraz, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot, this wine is an inky dark purple with big aromas of ripe blackberries, blueberries, anise and dried tobacco. The palate is juicy, full of those ripe berries, as well as a generous amount of spice and smokiness from the oak. This wine is a bit more tannic than the Shoofly Aussie Salute, but not overwhelmingly so. The alcohol is also noticeably high, but the smoky finish is long and pleasant.
Though it lacks the complexity and depth of the Mak Coonawarra, it’s definitely a decent mid-week wine. You can find it at K&L Wine Merchants.
3 corks popped!
Cheers!!
This week’s second wine – a 2007 Shoofly “Aussie Salute” – hails, like many of the wines this month, from South Australia. It’s a very unusual blend of 48% Grenache, 47% Shiraz, and 5% Viognier, which is an aromatic white grape. According to the winery’s website, they ferment the Shiraz and Viognier together in order to give it a smoother, more rounded palate. It’s an interesting choice and is unique among this week’s wines (the other two of which are more traditional Bordeaux-type blends with some Shiraz thrown in for good Aussie measure).
The Aussie Salute is bright ruby in color with a big, bold aroma of ripe red cherries and blackberries as well as some black pepper and baking spice. On the palate, there’s an interesting, almost tart acidity, which I imagine comes from the Viognier. J noted a bit of “bacon,” which I hadn’t really picked up on until he said it, but there are some understated savory notes there. The tannins are almost non-existent, making this a remarkably easy-drinking wine from a mouthfeel perspective, and the finish is long.
With its lack of tannins, this is actually a really food-friendly wine that would easily pair with a wide variety of dishes. J and I ordered Indian (chicken tikka masala and lamb vindaloo) last night, and it paired remarkably well.* A better pairing, however, would be some slow-cooked barbeque pork ribs, especially if you use some wine in the sauce.
At $14/bottle from Old Bridge Cellars, this is a solid summer-evening-on-the-porch red that will probably please most palates.
3.5 corks popped!
Cheers!
* Highly tannic wines do not pair well with spicy foods, as they tend to exacerbate rather than compliment the heat.
Having finally gotten myself back on track after a long weekend away, I was definitely looking forward to getting started on this week’s Australian Red Blends, the first of which is a 2003 Mak Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon Blend. Coonawarra is a wine region in South Australia along the coast southeast of the city of Adelaide and is famous for its Cabernet Sauvignon, which comprises the largest percentage of this week’s first wine – a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Shiraz, 12% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc. Wow.
This wine is a brilliant dark ruby with a bit of brick or garnet at the edge, indicating some age. There’s a bit of sediment in the bottle, so if that bothers you (or you’re serving it to guests), be sure to decant. Even with about 20 minutes in the glass (I got distracted), the aroma is a huge burst of dark juicy berries and cherries as well as a generous amount of clove, cedar and oiled leather. In addition, there are some dried flowers – lavender and violet – that you pick up when you hold the glass a little further from your nose. On the palate, the ripe dark fruit is dense but is balanced out by some remarkably pleasant oak characteristics, which lend some nice, fine tannic structure. The finish is long, and despite a high alcohol level (14.5%), the subtle complexity of this wine makes it both an excellent wine to drink on its own and an even better wine to pair with food.
I’ve still got two more wines to taste this week, but I can tell you now that this one will be hard to beat! If you’d like to try it yourself (and you should), you can find it at Old Bridge Cellars for $19.99/bottle.
4.5 corks popped!
Cheers!
It’s a cold and rainy May afternoon here in Los Angeles….. Wait. What?!?! Did I really just write that? Yep, I did. And it is, which makes it a perfect evening to curl up on the couch with a glass of one of this week’s CorkPopper wines.
After a fun week last week of pure Australian Cabernet Sauvignon, this week I’ll be tasting three very different red blends. (Oh, and my apologies to any of my regular readers who were looking for this week’s list on Monday. It’s taken me an extra couple of days to get back on track after my mini-hiatus last weekend.) So, without further delay, here are this week’s wines:
First, we have a 2003 Mak Coonawarra, which is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. It garners high praise from the folks over at Old Bridge Cellars (one of my go-to places for finding Aussie wines). You can find it there for $18/bottle.
Next, we have a 2007 "Aussie Salute" from Shoofly. This is a somewhat unusual blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Viognier (a white grape) and is available at Old Bridge Cellars for $14/bottle.
Finally, we have a 2007 Henry's Drive "Pillar Box Red," which is a blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. This is the only wine of the week that's been "rated," and it garnered 90 points from Robert Parker. You can find it at wine.com for $9.99/bottle.
Cheers!
