In Part 1 of The Red Wine Party Challenge, I provided mini-reviews of eight possible wines under consideration for a catered meal where I needed to choose one red wine for a very large group of people. The criteria included:
1) Ideally a French wine
2) Must pair with: pasta with a variety of sauce options, poached salmon, roasted vegetables, & sushi.
3) To speed bar service, require alternative enclosure, or to be available in 1.5L bottle.
4) Lower price range ($7-$15/bottle) to stay in the party budget.
As a refresher, at a local wine store I found these eight wines as possibilities:
La Vielle Ferme (Rhone, France) $7
Rosemont Estate Cab/Merlot Blend “Soft & Smooth” (Australia) $7
Rothschild Mouton Cadet 2012 Bordeaux Blend (Gironde, France) $9
Duboef Beaujolais-Villages Gamay (Romaneche-Thorins, France) $9
PepperwoodGrove Pinot Noir (Valle Central, Chile) $9
Famille Perrin Cotes du Rhone Reserve, (Rhone, France) $10
Chateau La Freynelle 2010, Merlot/Cab Blend (Bordeaux, France) $12
Drouhin LaForet Pinot Noir (Beaune, France) $15
Round One: I started by removing the wines I thought had limited pairing ability- even though they might have paired wonderfully with one specific dish from the meal, after tasting them I had to find that one wine that will stand out on its own AND pair well with all the foods being served- salad, poached salmon, pasta (tomato sauce, pesto, garlic & oil, primavera) as well as a sushi station. Well, it’s called a challenge for a reason, right? I took three out of consideration after my initial tasting:
-The Rosemont Estate felt smooth and a tiny bit sweet- not right for this pairing.
-While La Vielle Ferme is often a wine I enjoy, this year’s selection was only OK.
-I thought a gamay selection offered good potential, but this bottle of DuBoef felt too astringent.
Round One left me with five remaining wines: two Bordeaux blends, one Rhone, two Pinot Noirs to decide among.
Round Two is going to be difficult! These wines all drink very well and are delicious, great bargains with no obvious faults.
Time to compare the two pinots and the two Bordeaux. This is not going to be easy, but I’m determined to make it fun!
For the pinot noirs and this meal, the Pepperwood offers more pairing options and is easier to drink by itself. Reluctantly, I had to put the Drouhin to the side. While it is a lovely complement for the salmon and sushi, it did not offer enough body to pair well with the spicier pasta sauces.
-The Mouton Cadet is an easy vin du table that is so incredibly consistent but I preferred the Chateay La Freynelle when considering the entrees being served. I put the Mouton Cadet to the side.
-I compared the Freynelle and the Perron Rhone. I tasted, spat and tasted, and then tried each with a medium cheese. The Famille Perron Rhone has a darker palate yet was more harmonious to the dairy, while the Bordeaux blend was crying out for meat. I’m not serving meat. I put the Freynelle to the side.
Round Three! I’m down to Perrin Red Rhone Blend and Pepperwood Pinot Noir.
Either of these wines would be a wonderful complement. The Pepperwood Grove Pinot Noir, a Chilean wine that drinks like entry-leve Burgundy from a top producer (at a fraction of the cost) would also be a great example of options to my guests who EXPECT French wines from me. It’s super easy to drink by itself or almost any food. Add the Zork enclosure, and this wine is a killer bargain at $9. Any nay-sayers would be stopped by the list of accolades on the label.
Yet the Côtes du Rhône is a beautifully-made red that is the epitome of great, inexpensive French red wine, with more body and a longer finish.
I debated and debated. I sipped and spat, swirled, sipped, and swallowed. I had to choose one.
Decision time:
In the end, I went with the Perrin Family Côtes du Rhône. The beefier body, the long finish, and the multiple specific notes from the wine make this the ideal red to serve. It will satisfy those who don’t know anything about wine (who will simply enjoy it with whatever they choose to eat) and equally well it will satisfy the oenophiles who will break down the elements, discuss the fruit, acid and tannins that I do so often in this very space.
So: decision made. For those who wonder what white wines were served, I will make good on that promise!
I started everyone off with the Gazela Vino Verde 2012 $6/bottle from Portugal, whose touch of fizziness reminds the drinker of sparkling wine while being lower in alcohol, light and delicious, making it really fun to drink.
For a full-bodied white, I chose the Yalumba Unwooded Chardonnay 2013 at $11/bottle from Southern Australia. The Yalumba is a vegan and vegetarian-friendly wine that uses no animal-based fining agents as well a being a predominant winemaker who uses both organic, biodynamic and sustainable winemaking practices in their work. Beyond that, it simply tastes delicious (green apple & white peaches) with notes of stone and spice on the crisp, clean finish. Very satisfying.
Please share with me YOUR experiences and trials in trying to find the “right” wine. I look forward to hearing from you!
à votre santé!
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Tags: Bordeaux Blend, Burgundy, Chardonnay, Commentary, Featured, Pinot Noir, Red Blend, Review, Sparkling Wine, Vinho Verde, White wine review, Wine, Wine Review, Wine Under $10
A little more even label shot, photo credit to wine-searcher.com.
jvb uncorked 
Garnacha With Love
17 NovThe wine grape Grenache in France, or Garnacha, as it’s called in Spain, is one of the most widely planted grapes in the world. Sadly in the USA, we tend to think of it primarily as a blending grape, when there are many vineyards producing great single varietals. I recently had an opportunity to taste six of the Spanish beauties, and the first four wines have tasting notes are below. Thanks to Sofia Gonzalez, Wines of Garnacha, and Stefanie Schwalb for the tasting!
La Miranda de Secastilla 2012, Granacha Blanca, Spain. 13.5% ABV, Street price $13-14/bottle.
Color is a neutral medium straw. With a delightfully floral nose, honeysuckle and sweet white peaches, the mouth gets a crisp fruit attack with creaminess in the body before the acidity. Some gentle minerality of sandy loam and aged cedar plank on the finish. The overall experience is rich and opulent, and understand the depth of this compliment: I really enjoyed this bottle, would accept this wine in place of a white Bordeaux blend in the same price range of $13-20.
Castillo de Monséran Cariñena Garnacha 2012 by San Valero. 12.5% ABV. Street price $8.
Color is medium violet with garnet edging, the nose is gentle blue fruit, menthol and old wood. Black plum, blueberry, and black cherry are evident on the soft palate with hints of forest floor, potting soil, and an essence of stone on the finish that reminds you of Pyrenees mountain range. Really surprising value to be had here; with the soft fruit and complex body this bottle compares well with wines over $35.
Vinas Del Vero’s Secastilla Somontano Garnacha 2009. 14.5% ABV. $24 street.
Deep garnet in color, a nose of blackberry jam. Dark, spicy black fruit on the palate. Robust and viscous, this wine begs for tapas and Spanish entrees but paired equally well with chili, Mexican, and a spicy chicken stir-fry.
PDM Pagos del Mancayo, Garnacha 2012, Campo de Borja, Spain. 14% ABV, Online from $12-14/bottle.
Deep violet color, nose of blue and black young fruit with green vegetation, and a hint of dank compost. On the palate, the fruit is muted yet mature, while strong tannin and acidity remain. An ideal wine for protein-heavy tapas: not overpowering, but palate cleansing. Very dark palate and secondary flavors, forest floor, tar, cedar, graphite, and coffee grounds. My food pairing choice was mediocre but the strong flavors in the bottle made me certain that a proper pairing shows this as a stunning wine. Hearty meals centered on meat would pair best, such as a stew, roast, or meat sauce. http://pagosdelmoncayo.com/en/11-garnacha.html
Overall I was impressed by the quality of the wines I tasted, and was glad to be educated to the quality of this grape by the sampling. This tasting certainly opened my eyes and my taste buds, and I enjoyed both the wide range of flavors, the quality of production and the end value to the consumer that was demonstrated by these producers, and I know that you will appreciate them as well!
What’s your favorite garnacha/grenache wine? Click the comments tab and let me know!
à votre santé!
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Tags: Featured, Garnacha, Grenache, Review, Spanish Red, Spanish Red Wine, White Garnacha Wine, White wine review, Wine Commentary, Wine Under $10