Monthly Archives: September 2014

This is a picture of my home town…. Corner Brook Newfoundland.  A gorgeous place to be in the Autumn of the year.  Last week we welcomed the Fall with some comfort food and great wines.  And I said I would expand on that again this week.  So, as I sit in my sunny den looking at sunshine and temperatures of 24-degrees, it feels more like Summer than Fall.  As a matter of fact, I have used my air conditioners more in September than I did in July.  But regardless of what the thermometer says, it’s still Fall, and I’m going to enjoy the summer-like temperatures while I can, because I know before too long, it will look like this.

The annual Port of Wines Festival is taking place this weekend in Halifax.  I’m going tonight and I’m really excited, because I was visiting my hometown this time last year and missed this great wine festival.

As you can see, this year they are celebrating France, and the theme is ‘A Place for Every Taste’.   I am so excited to be tasting some new wines from France.  My friend Anthony told me yesterday he stays away from France, because he never knows what it is he is buying.  And I have to admit…. France can be very confusing if you don’t know the signature grapes from each region.  But my goodness, they have been making wine for a very long time and they are so very good at it.  In my next wine blog I’m going to be sharing the new wines I discovered at the show, but for this week I thought I would share some of my favorites in every price range.

In case you missed last week’s blog, this great wine for the great price of $16.99 is a beautiful blend of Grenache, Syrah and Merlot.  It’s a flavorful medium bodied wine that goes great with BBQ ribs, chicken done on the BBQ and although I don’t eat duck, for those of you that do, I understand this wine to be a great match.

Here’s a new wine from France that I tried this past week.  Yum.  First of all, I love wines from the Right Bank of Bordeaux.  They are Merlot dominant.  Bordeaux is always a blend, and if from the Left Bank tends to be Cabernet Sauvignon dominant, with Merlot added most times.  Right bank – Merlot dominant and usually some Cab added as well.  Bordeaux produces some of the most expensive wines in the world, but this reasonably priced beauty comes in at $23.99 and packs a flavorful punch.  Plum and vanilla flavors, it has some complexity which will go well with any pasta dish you want to serve.  And when I think comfort food, I think pasta.  Yum

If you love Malbec as much as I do, you’ll love this one.  Know that if you are in the French section, and the red wine is from Cahors, it’s a Malbec.  This beauty from Chateau Famaey is grown on older vines, is shown special care by being handpicked, and is aged for 2 full years in French oak.  This wine has layers and definitely a wine I would decant.  This is a great wine to go with that tasty beef stew you have in the slow cooker or any steak you throw on the grill.

If you’re buying a red wine from the Burgundy region, unless its Beaujolais – which would be labeled as Beaujolais, it’s Pinot Noir!  And Burgundy produces some of my favorite Pinot Noir wines.  However, if you’re picking a white wine, you are buying a Chardonnay.  This Burgundian Chardonnay from Thomas Bachelder is rich and dreamy and the perfect accompaniment for seafood or poultry.  I can’t eat seafood, allergic, so that’s why I’m not great at pairing wines with seafood, except what my training has taught me.  But chicken… let me tell you, I know chicken!  And everything from turkey to roast chicken, to your favorite chicken dish in sauce, this wine will match very well.

Well, that’s it for this week.  Next week will feature all brand new wines, that I’m trying for the first time tonight.

Till then, Cheers

Darlene

Well it’s Fall, my most favorite time of the year.  I love the Autumn here in Nova Scotia, with its gorgeous colors and cool crisp temperatures.  I love the great night sleep I get… and I love the comfort food that goes along with this season.  And with great comfort food, comes great wine!  Here are some new ones I ‘ve discovered recently.

One of my favorite foods this time of the year is beef done in the crock pot, or slow cooker.  I am not a big beef eater, but I have to say this is my favorite way to have it.  And normally, out comes the Cabernet Sauvignon.  But recently I tried a new Zinfandel called Bone Shaker, and I’m telling you, this wine is big enough to handle the beef.  So many people think Zinfandel as light and fruity or medium bodied at best.  Not all Zinfandel wines are created equal.  This one is big, bold and intense.  There is a little bit of Cabernet Sauvignon added, it gives it some structure.  But this is no wimpy wine.  Fermented in French oak, this baby delivers flavors of blackberry, plums, chocolate, licorice and an oak finish.  Not for the weak of heart.

I make a mean pulled pork sandwich.  I love pulled pork done in the crock pot, especially this time of year.  Found a new wine in the past couple of weeks that will go great with it.  Patiesserie Grenache, Syrah & Merlot blend.  Now if you love GSM, which is normally Grenache Syrah and Mouvedre, like I do, then you will love the combination of Grenache, Syrah and Merlot.  It’s got all the great structure of the Grenache, the spiciness of the Syrah, and the Merlot not only softens the Grenache like Mourvedre, it also adds a plump juiciness and flavor that I immediately fell in love with.  With pull pork, you have the BBQ sauce and the hickory smoke flavoring, so you know what that means, this wine is also a great wine for BBQ ribs or any other BBQ dish.

Last weekend I made a full lasagna from scratch.  I know it’s Fall when I make lasagna.  I don’t make it that often, because I live alone, and you can’t help but make a lot of lasagna.  So it’s always a little nerve-wracking when I do make it, but I got to say, it turned out excellent.  I love pairing pasta with wine, because there aren’t too many wines that don’t go well with pasta.  Now, quick rule of thumb.  Pick a wine from the country the food comes from, so Italian pasta, Italian wine…. in either red or white.    I love a Valpolicella with lasagna.   From the Verona area of Italy, this is also the place where Amarone originates from and of course Valpolicella Ripasso.   The Valpolicella Superiore, as pictured here, is more full bodied than your average Valpolicella, which can be a lighter wine.  The reason being Superiore is aged at least one year before being released and the alcohol content is at least 12% .  A Pinot Grigio or a Pinot Gris, as pictured here, would also be a great fit for my white wine loving friends.  This particular Pinot Gris is not made in Italy, it’s made right here in Canada and the Sandhill Winery in British Columbia.  Pinot Gris is a clone of Pinot Grigio, which originates in Italy.  I love the spiciness of a Pinot Gris wine, and Winemaker Howard Soon makes a beautiful one at Sandhill.

Well that’s it for this week.  If you would like any of my recipes from the dishes mentioned in this blog, yes, I cook them all by scratch, by all means contact me.  Next week let’s have more fun with comfort food.  What’s your favorite comfort food?  Let’s have fun matching some wines.

Till next week, Cheers

Darlene