by Christina Waters | Apr 15, 2008 | Home, Wine |
Comparison shopping can be sweet. In order to better understand California pinot noirs – and specifically those made in the Santa Cruz Mountains appellation – it is sometimes necessary to cave in and purchase, taste and sigh over a pinot noir made in France.
Here’s one that rewards the splurge — and soars to great heights paired with aged sheep cheese.
The lovely Pernand-Vergelesses 2003 from Domaine Rollin Pere et Fils, is a subtle powerhouse of a Burgundy grand vin, fully equipped with notes of tobacco, leather and a heart of ripe plums. Yet at 13% alcohol and intricate acidity, it never tires the palate. Not one bit. Poetry down to the last sip, it opens and just gets better by the hour. The next day (should you be able to restrain yourself and save some) it is yet another ravishing creature, with a rounder tone and yet sturdy enough for some choice bit of oil-rich seafood or a roast pork loin.
Grab $30 — remember, you’re celebrating one more year of getting your taxes done on time — and head for Soif. There might just be a bottle left.
by Christina Waters | Apr 14, 2008 | Home, Wine |
What a delightful creation, this vivacious 2007 Muscat from Bonny Doon Vineyard’s Ca’del Solo estate. Cultivated according to the exacting standards of biodynamic agriculture since 2004, this spare, rugged vineyard has produced a luscious new wine that is full of surprising characteristics.
Whatever one’s attitude toward the esoteric agricultural teachings of Rudolph Steiner’s biodynamic philosophy, several things are obvious. 1) Grapes grown according to these hyper-organic standards, in which the soil is nurtured to maximum health, prosper through meticulous husbandry. And 2) the proof of whether biodynamic techniques are worth their calendula and nettles, is in the drinking. And that’s where this very young, 12.5% alc. wine excels.
Within minutes of twisting off the yellow screw-top, this wine was practically bouncing into the glass. A shimmering hint of effervescence was followed by a band of salinity, honey and then a center of lead crystal began to open. The finish – at first – was perfumed with wild gardenia. After a half hour, a top-note of lime entered this very pretty, crisp white wine. In other words, this wine offers a fabulous mystery tour for the palate, balancing neatly between mineral and floral.
Lively and complex, this intricate wine bodes well and beautifully for the Demeter-certified, biodynamically-farmed grapes of Ca’ del Solo vineyard down in Monterey County. Such a wine would be perfect with curries or jambalaya. Ready to drink now! $14.99. – Bonny Doon Vineyard.
by Christina Waters | Apr 10, 2008 | Food, Home |
The quest for chocolate continues — and my most recent fieldwork has turned up another reason to live.
Lake Champlain Organic Chocolate! Packaged in a convenient purse-sized (!) 1.25 oz bar, this truly TDF chocolate comes in some brilliant forms. Those who like it dark will scream over the 55% cocoa Dark Spicy Aztec. It tastes something like what Moctezuma might have consumed on his way to the harem – the rich, deep chocolate is spiked with vanilla, cinnamon, pumpkin seeds and enough cayenne pepper to make your palate pay attention. The finish on this one is very exciting.
Now for the milk chocolate, sea salt and almonds version. Those of you who will recall my ecstatic description of A16‘s chocolate budino with sea salt and olive oil, should heed this shout out about the Lake Champlain chocolate bar. Even though it contains only 38% cocoa, which ramps down the intensity of its chocolatey-ness, it recovers nicely thanks to the presence of sea salt. The salt powers the chocolate flavor further, faster and, I’ll say it, deeper. Almonds are a value-added ingredient which brings even more to this mouth party.
Dig it – the price is a mere $1.79 per bar, which is scored into eight convenient two-bite-sized rectangles.
At Shoppers, and probably elsewhere. Get it. Eat it. Get some more.
by Christina Waters | Apr 8, 2008 | Home, Wine |
Silver Mountain Vineyards – 2004, Tondré’s Grapefield, Santa Lucia Highlands.
I’m convinced that something close to sorcery must occur in the Tondré Grapefield. Because Tony Craig – formerly of David Bruce, who’s now joined founding winemaker Jerold O’Brien at Silver Mountain – is making all the Silver Mountain wines I’ve been tasting. But these Tondré grapes just seem to power the vintage into another plane of flavor duration. Sassafras, plum, rhubarb and licorice and a finish that lasts over a minute. This is a pinot noir that requires absolutely nothing more than a glass! And it gets better the second day, when more earth and mushroom tones appear at the top and the bottom. Roses perfume the very summit of the finish. Incredible stuff.
2004 Miller Hill Vineyard. At 13.5% alcohol, this wine has real finesse and cries out to be joined by chicken, fish or perhaps a lightly-seasoned duck dish. We tasted an initial round of ash and tobacco, something rich, meaty and spicy in the middle – Bolognese? blood? – and a finish of pomegranate, licorice and wood putty. (more…)
by Christina Waters | Apr 7, 2008 | Food, Home |
TLC rancher Jim Dunlop himself was doing the farmers market honors last Saturday – sitting on a mound of free-range gold from his free-rambling, pasture raised chickens. I’ve wandered the range with some of the very chickens who laid these eggs and a happier, more inquisitive, feisty bunch doesn’t exist. Ergo – I was happy to go ahead and pay top dollar – seven of them – for a dozen of the TLC ranch-fresh eggs.
Check out this three-minute egg, sitting in my favorite egg cup from San Miniato al Monte monastery shop in Firenze. An egg worth savoring, loaded with protein, omega 3s and grassy terroir. Intense flavor and electrifying orange color (not photoshopped I promise!) — TLC’s superior eggs are worth every penny.
Tastes Like Chicken Ranch – not just for terrific pastured pork. At your local farmers market.
