A Best Buy From Spain

Spanish wines are not usually seen on best buy lists, mostly because their inexpensive wines are, in general, tough, unbalanced wines, highly alcoholic and tannic. Few exceptions apply to this rule; that's why finding best buy Spanish wines deserves a shout out. Today I'm going to talk about one of these nice surprises: Dehesa La Granja 2004, from Castillo y León region, close to Portugal border.

Dehesa La Granja 2004. Dehesa La Granja, Castillo y Léon (Spain). Full bodied red (100% Tempranillo). 3 1/2 Stars ($$)
For more information: http://www.dehesalagranja.com/

This is a 100% Tempranillo wine, which stays for 2 years in new American oak barrels. Maybe here is the difference with other Spanish wines: the new American oak barrels bring some roundness to the wine, subtle sweet notes (cacao and cinnamon) and a nice balance between fruit and wood. I had the 2004 and it was in its best shape. Great body, soft tannins (still there, though), tertiary notes (truffles and mushrooms) and a nice, elegant aftertaste. A complex wine that you can get in the US market for US$ 16.00, sometimes less (about R$ 100,00 in Brazil). It's definitively a bargain! Perfect for pairing with red sauce pastas, delicate meat cuts (veal and venison are nice pairings) and aged cow cheeses. Enjoy!!!

One Wine, Two Dishes, Pure Argentina!

Friday I went to a great Argentinean restaurant in East Village called Buenos Aires (http://buenosairesnyc.com/), the closest you can get here to a traditional porteño restaurant. Menu is great and food is divine. A real Argentinean treat, including their famous parrilla (grill) dishes: chorizo (sausages), costilla (ribs), ojo de bife (rib eye), morcilla (blood sausage), mollejas (sweetbread) and, of course, my favorite Argentinean meat cut, bife de chorizo (sirloin steak).
Their wine list is really good, with several Argentinean and Chilean wines to choose from, reasonably priced. I chose my wife's favorite, Clos de los Siete, a great Malbec blend already reviewed here (http://theaccidentalwineguy.blogspot.com/2011/02/comfort-food-comfort-wine-2.html). The wine was great as usual, reasonable priced (US$ 42.00), with smooth tannins, great body and this wonderful, almost sweet aftertaste. A delicate, elegant Malbec, yet a Malbec!

Clos de los Siete. Clos de los Siete, Mendoza (Argentina). Full bodied red (80% Malbec, 10% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon). 3 1/2 Stars ($$)


For appetizers we had some freshly baked empanadas (meat and ham & cheese fillings) and a wonderful order of mollejas (sweetbread) from the grill. The sweetbread was out of this world, perfectly pan fried, crispy outside, soft and tender inside. 

We just added some chimichurri sauce and a little touch (just some drops) of lemon. What a treat! Nicely paired with the wine, especially after we added the chimichurri. And for the main course...

... a marvelous bife de chorizo, perfectly cooked (medium was our order), with some provençal fries (hand cut french fries with a touch os garlic and parsley).

The wine and the steak were meant to be! As I mentioned several times here, Malbec and steak is the perfect pairing. And this one was perfectly perfect! If you want a taste of South America, you should definitively try this pairing, you won't regret. Cheers!!!

An Outstanding Spanish Wine

Recently, during my last visit to Brazil, I had an outstanding Spanish wine from Zamora appellation: Cenit, a 100% Tempranillo wine, rich, big, complex and extremely elegant.

Cenit. Vinas Del Cenit, Tierra del Vino de Zamora (Spain). Full bodied red (100% Tempranillo). 4 Stars ($$$)
For more information: http://www.bodegascenit.com/

This wine is definitively nothing like a traditional Spanish wine. Even being a 100% Tempranillo grapes wine, it has some interesting ripe dark fruit notes and it is not aggressive at all. Rounded tannins and a beautiful, long lasting aftertaste, make this wine a great one to be sipped alone, contemplating life. Or you can have it paired with lamb, veal and stews.
The first time I had this wine it was paired with a delicious Portuguese grilled octopus dish (finished in the oven with extra virgin olive oil, roasted potatoes, onions, garlic and broccoli). One of the best pairings I ever had. This time, I had it with fish cutlets in a capper-butter sauce and white rice. Divine! As you can see, this wine is so versatile that you will have a brad range of dishes to pair with. This is definitively a must try!
This wine is really difficult to find in the US market, but you can order it online from some retailers paying around US$ 50.00 + S&H. It's worth of every single penny. Cheers!!!

A Serious Risk to the Wine Market in Brazil

Brazil is probably the most expensive wine market in the world. Due to several reasons, but mostly to the absurdly high taxes paid and bureaucracy, the same bottle of wine costs 5-7 times more in Brazil than it costs in the US. Even Argentinean wines, which have several tax benefits in our country, cost 3-4 times more in Brazil than here in the US.
Recently, a lobby conducted by few large-scale Brazilian wine producers led to the approval, by the Federal Government, of an import seal. It means that every bottle of imported wine in the country must have a numbered seal in the foil. Which means more taxes to be paid. Which means more bureaucracy. Which means higher prices to the consumer (already noticed).
Now, the same group of large wine producers is trying to convince the Federal Government that the Brazilian wine sector (aka themselves) needs some safeguards against the "threat" of imported wines, including increasing the import taxes (from 27% to 55%!!!). Even considering that 4 out of 5 bottles consumed in the country are Brazilian wines! Even considering that the Brazilian wine market is better than ever! Is it greed or not?
Today I read a great piece from Mr. Ciro Lilla, one of the country's most important wine importers and a genuine wine enthusiast. This article is in Portuguese only, but needs to circulate and be read by every wine lover. Here's the link to the article: http://www.mistral.com.br/newsletter/20122003/200312_protecao.html
As Mr. Lilla says: wine is more than a commodity; wine is passion, wine is history, wine is terroir. Let's help save wine from greed!
Cheers,
Frederico Peres
The Accidental Wine Guy

Super Bowl Wines

Tomorrow is the Big Game day, a date when families all over the US get together in front of their TVs to watch the Super Bowl. A day of joy, anticipation (particularly for Giants fans throughout NY) and, of course, finger foods paired with you favorite drink. Most of the people go with beer, and it is indeed a great pairing for the vast majority of finger foods usually served. But why not pouring some wine too?
First, some simple rules:
1) Choose versatile wines - red, white, rose or sparkling, find some easy-drinking wines, that kind of wine that usually pairs with several dishes and, yet, can be sipped alone while watching the game;
2) Do not splurge - the star of the day is the game, so you don't want to spend time analyzing wine's characteristics, complexity, subtle hints... you want to enjoy a nice afternoon with friends and family, have a great time, so you should definitively choose some simple (yet good), inexpensive wines (particularly if you are having more than six guests);
3) Make sure your wine is at a correct temperature - wines are much more appreciated if poured at the right temperature, usually 40F for sparkling, 45F for whites, 50F for roses, 55F for light reds, 60 for medium bodied reds and 65F for bold reds (but I would not recommend bold reds for tomorrow). This is the temperature when you pour the wine into the glasses. This temperature will raise a couple of degrees between the service and your first sip.
So, let's check some Super Bowl Wines!

Urban Uco Blend. O. Fournier, Mendoza (Argentina). Medium bodied red (Malbec & Tempranillo blend). 3 Stars ($)
For more information: http://www.ofournier.com/

This is a great wine, elegant, smooth, round tannins and some interesting vanilla and chocolate notes. Nice structure and balance. Best part of the deal? Costs around US$ 11.00 a bottle (sometimes you can find this wine for less than 10 bucks, what a deal!). This is a perfect red for the Big Game, pairing perfectly with wings, sharp cheeses, cold cuts, nuts and pizza.

Viu Manent Reserva Sauvignon Blanc. Viu Manent, Colchagua Valley (Chile). Light, crispy white (100% Sauvignon Blanc). 3 1/2 Stars ($)
For more information: http://www.viumanent.cl/

A great and refreshing white. Light, crispy, with a lovely floral bouquet and a great balance. Everything you need to go with a cheese platter, fruits (fresh and dried), vegetable w/ dipping sauces and chips. Usually costs around US$ 12.00 a bottle, sometimes less than that. A super versatile best buy!

Carta Nevada Brut (Cava). Freixenet, Penedés (Spain). Bright, aromatic sparkling (Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada). 3 Stars ($)
For more information: http://www.freixenetusa.com/

This is a great cava from one of my favorite producers, Freixenet. This cava is fresh, light, with an aromatic bouquet and a nice balance. Lots of fresh fruits, particularly pear and a little peach. One of the most versatile wines you are going to find for a party like this. And you usually find this wine in retail stores for about US$ 9.00.

Now, it's up to you: visit your retailer, pick your favorite wine and enjoy the party! Cheers!!!

Rabada à Brasileira & 2004 Chateau D'Issan: what a paring!

Yesterday I had one of the greatest wine-food pairings I ever experienced: Rabada à Brasileira (Brazilian Style Ox Tail) and an outstanding 2004 Chateau D'Issan. Check it out:

 

First, the ox tail. I bought some gorgeous ox tails at Eataly (http://eatalyny.com/), one of my favorite places in NYC.

Then I brined the meat for 24h in a Pinot Grigio (1 75cl bottle) solution with 2 tablespoons of salt, 4 cloves of garlic and 1 minced bay leave.

After brining for 24h, I rinsed the ox tails, coated in all purpose flour and stir fried in olive oil until golden brown. When golden brown, I added 4 cloves of garlic and half onion finely chopped and a bay leave. I poured one shot of Brazilian cachaça (sugar cane liquor) and flambed. Then I added 1 can of mashed tomatoes pelatti, 2 cans of homemade beef stock, adjusted salt and pepper and let it cook for about 2 hours in low heat. After checking the meat (soft but still attached to the bone), I transferred to a roasting pan with 3/4 of the sauce and roasted in a 375 oven for 2 more hours. With the remaining sauce, I tossed some large fingerling potatoes, stired for about 5 minutes and transferred to another roasting pan.

When the potatoes were tender and the meat was incredibly golden brown and falling out of the bone, I added some fresh organic watercress tossed in a little bit of extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. And that's it!

Rabada à Brasileira

Roasted Potatoes

The final presentation

The picture speaks for itself...

And now the wine:

2004 Chateau D'Issan. Chateau D'Issan, Margaux (Bordeaux, France). Full bodied, complex red (+70% Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc). 4 1/2 Stars ($$$$)
For more information: http://www.chateau-issan.com/

The wine was still a little bit young, but already enjoyable, rich, complex, multilayered, outstanding. A complex bouquet, with ripe and fresh dark fruits, a subtle spiciness, some toasted and woody notes, great body, classic. I decanted for about one hour to preserve some tart and tannic notes, which improved dramatically the pairing with such a rich dish. A perfect marriage!!! Enjoy and have a great weekend!!!

A Cru Classé 1855 and a Different Twist on Meatloaf

One of my favorites Chateaus in Bordeaux is Léoville-Barton, in Saint Julien. They produce these bold, consistent wines (Léoville and Langoa Barton) vintage after vintage, using traditional winemaking techniques with modern touches. My favorite is Léoville-Barton, a rich, luscious wine representing the best terroir expression.
Recently I tasted two vintages of this wine: 2007 and 1998. I will talk about the 1998 one later. Today, I will share some notes on the 2007 with a pairing suggestion.

Léoville Barton 2007. Chateau Léoville Barton, Saint Julien/Bordeaux (France). Full bodied red (+ 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Merlot). 4 Stars ($$$$)
For more information: http://www.leoville-barton.com/

This wine was bold, rich, but still young. Red berries, cassis, tobacco and vanilla, all balanced, with a great structure and body. I decanted it for a couple of hours and it improved significantly. I assume this wine should be better appreciated between 2015-17.
A pairing suggestion for this great wine is a different twist on an American classic: meatloaf. You can find a basic meatloaf recipe here (http://theaccidentalwineguy.blogspot.com/2011/12/two-american-classics-meatloaf-and.html).

When the meatloaf is done wait for, at least, 30 minutes, slice it thickly (about one and 1/2 inch), cover with mozzarella, a touch of barbeque sauce and oregano. Put it back in the oven until the cheese melts. Serve with mashed potatoes.

This is the perfect complement for this great wine. Enjoy!!!