Posts (page 2)

It reminded me of the old Joni Mitchell classic....Chelsea Morning. We were off to Chez Swiffty to watch the Chelsea v Spurrs match. Should have been very good. We brought a bottle of Rhubarb wine and Bellini's....ie: A'Dorah and peach juice. I love this drink and other than coffee this is my favourite breakkie drink.

Sir Rod and Pete the younger were in attendance....food/spread was quite good. Much better than the game btw.

Well after the game we went to some wineries. What a surprise!

Stop 1: D'Angelo--- if you like big wines see Sal. If you like Pinot see Sal. If you like young wine, don't see Sal. Sal likes to age wine and his current Pinot is an '02. Yes a baby. It is a big Pinot and very good. Red wines include Cab Franc and Baco and Foch both hybrids, but he always has a bargain wine and at 8$ may be my current “cheapie goodie”. Funny it always seems that Sal is there when I am and he was and treated all of us very well. I like the guy.

Bought Pinot and “cheapie goody”

Stop 2: Sanson---Sanson is basically my model for a good winery. Good wine and food. He sells Berkshire Pork, Lamousell beef, heritage veggies, coffee etc. One stop for dinner. Best news is that the Savignon Blanc and Chardonnay are now available by the bottle (were just by the cast), The are great btw. The reds are very good too. The Baco is good (I know me liking one..they are getting better), but the Bird Dog is wonderful as usual. I have never met Dennis but have talked to him over the phone (but not about wine), he seemed nice but I don't know my winemaker...oopps but he has a nice cat.

Bought: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Baco, Berkshire Pork and steak

Stop 3: Muscedere--- they're my buds. I like their wine and Rob wants to start the Master Taster..Poor John C who will have him and me in the back row...add in that I hear Steve from Sprucewood is joining...it could be the second coming of the Three Stooges. Well their quality is great and their quantities are low, but the do make some normal priced wine and they are white and I like them. Their Pinot is great and so is their Riesling. Rob and I got into one of our wine philosophy discussions causing our group to go to the chairs. Well it was time for Rob to go to a Birthday party so we could leave. No more Syrah

Bought: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot

So we had a great time. I am happy to report that things in the vineyard may just work out. Low yields but good quality and just not the disaster that I predicted....I feel better

tootles

I reread my “real time” review of the Mastronardi Syrah. The other was done that evening as I drank it. I was rather emotional and missed alot of stuff, so this is a Redux of that review.

Saturday, was a rather tough day for me. The lads at the League (Friday night) wanted to talk of what happened and I was just coming to terms with it. I needed to do some trimming at my hose on Saturday but decided to touch up my drywall after priming as I only had one piece of Pergo left and the cuts were tough.

All I wanted was Syrah, and Syrah from Mastronardi especially. I have had Aleksander's and really enjoyed it, and think Smith and Wilson's is great. I had only had 1 bottle of Mastronardi's so I wanted more. What to have with Syrah????? Lamb of course...so I went to Schwab's for local lamb but there wasn't any...oi....and now what....its 4 and we have no wine nor lamb. Now time to change plans...we need wine!!!

So a run to Mastronardi...got there and Eadie and Pam are both there...that'll be fun. After greetings I feel much better and then we are sent on a mission.....barrel sample of the new dry Gewurtztraminer. Soft and floral....it was very very nice....I can't wait until it is available. Then some more tasting and me leaving with my beloved Syrah.

So then its off to Zehr's for lamb.....I know I should be local, but Mr. Ewe Dell is alot bigger than me and since he was closed that would mean sheep rustling, and I just have a fear of buckshot and just ain't as quick as I used to be, so New Zealand here we go.

When I got home I marinated the chops in olive oil, garlic(local), rosemary(very local...my deck), vermouth and pepper. No Salt????that goes on just before those wee chops hit the barbie.

Then goes on the tape of the Liverpool game and I turned the lamb on 15 min intervals....Oh yes, I opened a bottle of Liberty School Cab from Paso Robles (California) to pass the time. It's really good but I find it a wee bit jammy..don't like jam. At half time I put some pecan wood chips in to soak.

French sea salt liberally applied to the chops then grilled to happiness and smokiness. Just yummy but the smoke makes my eyes water.

Well, back to the wine:

Visual: deep red and wonderful legs...great viscosity....good start and the edge doesn't water up when you look at it at an angle which all are a good sign.

Aroma: the usual dark fruits are present but so are the secondaries....leather, earth, spic tones...oh so nice and none of those jammy sticky sweet tones that hit the hot climate Syrahs.

Taste: well the wine is very nice. The tannins and acid are there but not too much. There are deep fruits like black plums and then the leather, dirt and spice.....this wine is very good, I really think that our cold climate Syrahs reflect the old country much better than those big jammy hot weather cousins.

Now with the food.....it was perfect! Syrah from the old country has notes of Herbes de Provence which makes sense as its from Provence and rosemary et all grow all around. See we added rosemary which plays with the wine's spicy notes and the rosemary loves lamb....add the mild smoke which plays too...and all played well together. These people liked each other and worked perfectly. The lack of jam made the savoury work so much better.

So this wine is special and is a bargain at the price. Its getting me “off Pinot” and actually happily. I could drink this every day and would if Terry would allow me to have lamb daily. Glad I found the stuff I bought at earlier visits...I am now happy again.

tootles

Well to say its been an interesting week is to be very understated. So, what do you do? Well we had lunch at the DH then went to get lamb. Why???? Well I wanted Syrah...my new jones. Pinot just doesn't do it anymore as I've been to PA...Pinot Anonymous and I learned that I have a disease and it can be helped. Well I took the cure and now its on to Syrah...well I had a Pinot relapse when the evil Fabio Muscedere made me, yes forced me to drink his Pinot....No I said please do not do this to me....He forced me to drink that evil,,no wonderful elixir of life.....so I backslided.

No, now its Syrah. To cheer me up we went to Mastronardi to get some and we got to visit with Pam and Eadie...what fun..tried the new Gewurtz and its beautiful....still in tank but will be excellent...We closed the place and I came home with Syrah....actually we went to Zehr's first for lamb but that wrecks the visual.

I opened a bottle of Cab Sauv from Liberty School, put the Liverpool game on and marinated the chops in garlic, rosemary, olive oil and vermouth. Wood chips were Pecan...my fav.

Now the wine:

Visual: deep red and great legs

Aroma: great earthy tones, dark fruit, and great stuff...these cool climate Syrahs just sing with what the should be....no jam just alot of secondary flavours and niceness

Taste: well here we go...its great...no jam just dark fruit and earth...alot of earth....a rather big wine but a friendly one. I get dark fruits and lots of leather and spice...just like it should have. It has good acid and tannins too!

I really like this wine....it just is what it should be...no jam just fruit, leather spice and tannin but in balance...good balance.

With the food it was magical...Syrah and lamb is the bomb and this one just works and it works great.

Well I guess you think I like this and I do and at $15 its a bargain...

Do I take this to the Spurs Chelski game tomorrow....Nope I'm taking A'Dorah..the sparkler to make Bellini's...hope Spurs win btw

tootles

I'm going to review the Mastronardi Syrah this evening...sneak preview is it is wonderful

It's 6:00 am on Tuesday and for the last hour I have been composing this post in my head.

The Wine Fest was for me a great time and possibly the worst time of my life. Nobody died or went to jail, but I am sick over it, got sick, missed work and quite honestly just want to pack it in. Didn't get into the class I needed for my Master Taster...who cares. I the way I feel is only second to the humiliation I felt when at Peninsula Ridge, I was ignored because I guess the job interview at the tasting bar was more important than clients. I have not been back.

Let's start at the good. My seminar was well rec'd and I had good response, a full house and best of all my sponsors sold some extra wine. Terry made friends with Mike Pinkus' girlfriend and I found out that Mike is a stand up guy. Had a great time with Gary (Essex Wine Review) and his wife Wanda. Pete The Younger (aka my agent) came unexpectantly, made my day then ran to the Michigan game. Met 2 new friends that are readers so that was good. Seeing Tony and Eadie (Mastronardi) together laughing and joking was great. Our traditional closing the show at Muscedere is one thing that has to stop but is fun. We got to hang with friends and the highlight of the show may have been Izabel's (Aleksander) little one. So little so cute....she looks so happy.

So in that way the show was a great success. My apologies to TG there was no reason for me to be mad with you...I wasn't but you were the sacrificial lamb. It was inexcusable. To my friend who I vented to I am very sorry....I trust you and hope we are still friends.

The bad. The events played exactly as I expected. I arrived to find that I had no passes left for me. Off to another gate and no passes. Its now 1:00 and I'm on at 2 and I still have to set up and get wine. I only got in when I saw a program exec and she got me in.

Then I see that I am listed for Sunday. I had never agreed to it. I complain but agree to do it and spent alot of time rounding up new wine. I expected that this was going to happen.

So Sunday comes and I am late but again no passes and they will not let me in. Mike Pinkus got me in and now I am pissed. I get to the speakers tent and lo and behold I am cancelled. TG told me and again I apologize for what I said. I am crushed and depressed. Guess I really just didn't and don't matter. I can entertain and use alot of my time and just be chucked with the trash.

The tent director later found me (thru Mike Pinkus' girlfriend, she was sitting with us) and tried to smooth it over. I got bumped by Williams Food Equipment's Riedel show so if its for Rick et al I'm cool with it.

So what did I get for the show....sfa...every year I at least get a token gift bag and really felt good drinking the wine. I felt loved. This year showed me that I just don't matter...kinda like at Peninsula Ridge. They are going to cancel the speakers tent....at least me it seems and want to move upmarket.

Well there is the new fest so maybe I'll see how it is...But I just love being there. I get a day to meet all my friends in the industry and not have to drive to them. I have the up-most respect for you. The site is just so perfect.

Special thanks to my dear friends at Muscdere, Mastronardi and Erie Shores for being so good to me and supplying wine. Thanks go to Amy at Viewpoint for jumping in and offering wine for Sunday to help me out, Steve from Sprucewood for the same offer and Scott who was helping at CREW for arranging wine. See it may have been bad but in ways it was sooo good.

And special special thanks to Terry for sticking up for me and making me feel loved.

We will see what the year brings. I was so sick I couldn't go to work yesterday and I just can't sleep cos I'm just depressed over this. If they want I will do next year, because I enjoy it and I'm starting to see the same faces...and that's cool.....

I appreciate all of you who read this and support me...Merci Beaucoup!!!

Tootles...I need coffee, a shower then its off to work!

Well I don't know if its good or not...but sweet potatoes are out....wonderfull and uncured, they are great mashed or cut into fries and grilled...oooooh so good...yup cut them into steak fries, coat with cajun spice and then grill....so good BUT it means summer is over

Well, well, well...cleaned up the basement entry so we can get a new dryer in...Terr's died...and guess what..I found a six pack of Grand Cru Alsace Riesling and a couple of the good ones from Konzelmann...and 2 cases of my cider and we're having filet mignon tonite...I found some steaks and a whole one in the freezer...

Here is my corn and it's Seneca Chief!!!! Finally I got it to grow. This was THE CORN to eat when I was growing up. So much better than the modern stuff. I just don't get how we lost those heritage foods but hopefully it will come back.

I was devastated to see that Corn Land Corners closed for the season..ouch summer must be over.

BUT we still have...

corn

broccoli

cauliflower

cabbage

zucchini

tomatoes

pears

apples

peaches

plums

peppers

onions

garlic...amazing...order now to avoid the evil Chinese stuff

eggplant

potatoes..fresh is amazing and the fingerlings are

man can we eat well local

tootles

oh yes my email is essex_wine_report@yahoo.ca if you want to comment and not join

I wrote the final to my Master Wine Taster course on Monday. I guess I am tired of rating wines and just didn't want to write about wine as much as food. Maybe thats why wine reviews have been rarer.

I have 2 courses which I will take and I will be done by Christmas...YAHOOOOOOOO!!!!! I don't know what I will do with it but its been a learning experience. I hope I have gotten better.

But I want to use this space to lobby for one of my responses. Mate a wine to roasted corn and chive butter. Well as an ex-dazzling urbanite who is a refugee to the country, I take umbrage that my response was poo-pooed. We buy our corn from either CornLand Corner or Mimi. That means it was picked that day. So if you buy corn in the city it is days old and the sugar content in corn falls like a rock...hours make a difference. If you mate it with a Chardonnay its folly as the wine isn't sweet enough. Last night we had corn...sauteed in butter with basil and it absolutely killed Double Barrel. It tasted like cheap vinegar....with the steak it was fine.

So John, see my logic. Local sweet corn is like candy and to roast it will make it sweeter. What will stand up???A sweet wine with acid...what would that be...A late Harvest Riesling or Ice Wine. Actually a second press Riesling Ice Wine would be perfect. Sweeter than the corn with acid to get thru the butter.

I'm sorry I am right if you use local fresh sweetcorn and just wait for my Seneca Chief...I have wee wee cobs...it will be even sweeter...the Undisputed King of Corn.

Ps: You can take me out of the city but I still listen to Marvin Gaye.

tootles

oh yes my email is essex_wine_report@yahoo.ca if you want to comment and not join