2010 Tablas Creek Patelin de Tablas Blanc

The 2010 Tablas Creek Vineyard Patelin de Tablas, Paso Robles is a delicious blend of 50% Grenache Blanc, 33% Viognier, 10% Roussanne and 10% Marsanne from a combination of estate vineyards and purchased fruit. Light golden in color, the aromatics are a bewildering array of butter, pear peel, mineral, braised fennel bulb and spring flowers with the fennel notes becoming more dominant as the wine approaches room temperature. Palate more or less mimics the nose. Terrific acidity and an unctuous, oily texture that just doesn't quit. Really best at room temperature or with just a slight chill. The rich, oily texture really seals the deal on this one. Throwing quite a bit of tartrates. Stunning wine for $20.

Had this tonight with an Asian-marinated, grilled pork tenderloin, steamed green beans and wild rice. The wine really didn't do anything for the food, but that's all on me. This would've knocked it out of the park with some crab cakes or any number of salmon dishes.

Austin Hope "Troublemaker" Blend 3

The good people at Austin Hope have hit another home run with the nonvintage Troublemaker Blend 3, Paso Robles. This blend of 55% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre and 5% Petit Sirah shows a pretty, deep crimson color in the glass. Beautiful notes of pomegranate, cranberry, pencil shavings, licorice and rosemary spring from the glass. On the palate there's a wonderful sense of balance with the sweet/tart fruit, mineral, hickory and rosemary flavors kept in check with fine-tuned acidity and nice tannins. I really appreciate the acidity here, something often lacking in highly-extracted Paso "Rhone Ranger" blends. Seems much more restrained than the Blend 2 I had last July. Finish turns a bit herbaceous/bay leaf and lasts forever and ever. A blend of wines from the 2009 and 2010 vintages and a stunning value at $17.

A Few From Marquee Selections

Marquee Selections is a Kansas City, MO based importer that specializes in wines from organic, biodynamic and environmentally-friendly wineries. As April is earth Month, the retailer I work for is featuring a number of wines from Marquee for our Wine of the Month club. I've sampled a couple of these wines over the past two weeks



Saturday's dinner was an improvised "clean out the refrigerator" pasta dish featuring smoked chicken, grilled asparagus, shaved red onion, garden fresh chives, a dollop of heavy cream tossed with campanelle (trumpet-shaped pasta). To accompany, I opened the 2010 Caligiore Pianissimo Malbec rose, Mendoza. The deep ruby color immediately lets you know this is a new world style rose with plenty of body. Wonderful notes of juicy raspberry and red grapefruit with a nice peppery finish. Bone dry. Mouthwatering acidity leaves you lusting for the next sip. Beautiful with the food and easy on the wallet at under $10. Made from organically grown grapes.

Another wine made from organically grown grapes imported by Marquee is the 2010 Caligiore Staccato Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendoza. This blend of 60% Malbec and 40% Cabernet is bright ruby in the glass and literally explodes with plummy, black pepper aromas. The palate is weightier than the nose would suggest with sweet-tart raspberry notes, pipe tobacco and a very pleasant, slightly bitter tar component that had me thinking of a nice Chianti. Tannins are firmer than I would have guessed for an entry level blend of this nature. Another nice value in the under $10 market and paired quite well with grilled pork tenderloin with chimichurri.

The 2011 Caligiore Grazioso Torrontes, Mendoza was our wine of choice for Sunday's fish tacos; a favorite food and wine pairing of mine. The wine is quite clear in the glass with amazing aromatics of gardenia and freshly-grated orange zest. Secondary aromatics include fresh-cut grass and lemon. The palate doesn't seem quite as expressive as the nose as the orange zest and alcohol really kick in (almost like doing a shot of Cointreau). Stated alcohol content is 13%, but it seems higher. Very light and delicate in style, crisp and acidic. Lacks the viscosity of some of my favorite Torrontes from the likes of Crios, Sur de los Andes and Rutini. But for under $10, I'm not complaining. From organically grown grapes.

The antithesis to the tooty-fruity, oak-driven Argentine Malbec is the 2010 Caligiore Reserve Malbec, Mendoza. The bowl of the big Riedel Bordeaux glass is immediately filled with Rhone-like aromas of tart raspberry, cracked black pepper, Provencal herb and a hint of meatiness. The tart raspberry continues through on the palate of this elegant, restrained, dare I say austere Malbec. Tons of dry cocoa powder, green tobacco and black peppercorn also vie for attention. The severe acidity and tannins are impeccably balanced on this one and the finish goes on forever with, once again, the tart raspberry and cocoa notes. At $15, this old world style wine really separates itself from a sea of generic Malbec. No surprise that it was enjoyed with a grilled flank steak with chimichurri sauce and grilled garden-fresh asparagus. From organically grown grapes.

As much as I liked the Caligiore Reserve Malbec, though, I have to question why a winery who prides itself on being organic and "Earth-friendly" insists on individually wrapping its bottles in tissue paper before loading them into cardboard cases. Seems like a really needless waste of reams and reams of paper. I understand that fine wines used to come wrapped in paper as a way of protecting the labels during long term storage in dank, humid caves and cellars. But is this really the case today? Somehow, I doubt it. I think it's much more a marketing gimmick and a practice I think a self-professed "green" winery would want to avoid. Stepping down off of my soapbox now.....

2007 "40 Nights" Red Wine

2007 Fortnight Wine Company 40 Nights Red Wine, Washington State - It's been about six months since I've had one of these and I'm happy to say it is still showing well and very reminiscent of previous bottles. Unremarkable color. Cool climate Syrah nose of mineral, wintergreen, pepper and tart blackberry. Restrained and slightly tart as the mineral, pepper and fruit flavors are recreated on the palate. Tannins are negligible and the oak only starts to reveal itself on the long, toasty finish. Predominately Syrah with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. This isn't the kind of flavor profile I really enjoy sipping on, but it was quite nice with an andouille sausage and roasted red pepper pizza. Great value at $12.

Turkey Hunting

Before moving to the farm I had never fired a gun at anything more than a paper target at an indoor firing range. But in the last two years I have done my best to acquaint myself with different types of hunting as we are trying to be as self-sufficient as possible. I spent a weekend pheasant hunting in Iowa in November of 2010 and came home with a cooler full of birds. Last December I shot a large doe on my property and we have been enjoying venison once a week or so ever since. The steaks and chops are great on their own and we have been blending the ground meat with purchased ground beef and ground pork to make sausage, meatloaf, meatballs, chili, etc.

Last spring I decided to give turkey hunting a whirl. Armed with a shotgun, a call box and decked out in camouflage, I spend 10 or 12 fruitless mornings in the woods being eaten by ticks. I took a shot and missed a large hen on my first day and never again fired my gun at a turkey. This spring, I had a different approach to turkey hunting with a new location (still on my property) and I listened to advice given to me by friends and neighbors who were seasoned turkey hunters. And about two hours into my second morning out I got a huge tom with a 10" beard and spurs nearly 2" long. A friend of mine told me this was definitely the "boss tom" of the area.

Here I am with my prize:

I decided to not mess with the legs and wings. I'm usually a dark meat kind of guy when it comes to birds, but we had really bad luck (thick tendons everywhere) with the dark meat on the heritage turkeys we raised last spring/summer. So I just removed the breasts from this wild turkey and took the rest of the carcass back into the woods for the coyotes and bobcats. Hey, they've got to eat, too, right?

A friend of mine, Jeff, is quite an accomplished hunter and he advised me to not only brine the turkey breast, but wrap it in cheesecloth before cooking it. I think this was solid advice and I will continue to use this technique in the future. I brined it for about half a day in a solution of salt, brown sugar, peppercorns and spices and then rubbed the bird down with a melange of spices. Then I wrapped the breasts in cheesecloth and tied them with butcher's twine. Instead of the breast flattening out on the grill, the meat remained in something of a football shape which I think was key to helping the unbearably lean meat retain its moisture. Shockingly, it took about two hours to get to 165 degrees over indirect charcoal and maple chips. But after a 15 minute rest (wrapped in plastic wrap) it was unbelievably tender and delicious.

Here they are on the grill smoking away. Note the shape. They look more like pork roasts than turkey breasts. This definitely had something to do with the long smoking time as well as the delicious texture:

Knowing that smoked foods have an affinity for low tannin, fruity reds I pulled a bottle of 2010 Apothic Red Winemaker's Blend, California from the cellar. I've posted on this quaffable blend of Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernet and Merlot before so I won't bother waxing eloquently. Suffice to say, the medium body and over-the-top blueberry and coffee notes were a perfect match with the bird. Others might find it too sweet, but this $10 gem performed admirably tonight.

2008 Dunning Private Reserve Zinfandel

After last week's less-than-inspiring bottle of 2008 Dunning Vin de Casa, I thought I needed to re-visit my stash and recalibrate my palate. Tonight's bottle of 2008 Dunning Vineyards Private Reserve Zinfandel, Paso Robles more than re-affirmed my faith in this small winery. Exudes aromas of French oak, blackberry, black cherry and black pepper. Very full on the palate with black fruits, spice and unctuous dark cocoa flavors. Tannins are off the charts on this one. And although I don't lay Zinfandel down, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend others putting this one down for a couple of years. Impossibly long, dusty, dry cocoa finish. 15.5% alcohol. About as good as Zinfandel gets.

Dinner tonight was a whole chicken I rubbed down with BBQ spices and then slowly rotisseried over charcoal and hickory for two hours. Moist and delicious with the perfect amount of smoke, but still overwhelmed by the sheer weight of the wine.

The 2010 Cannonball Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County is nearly devoid of color. (I think there's more tint to the bottle than there is to the wine itself.) But don't let that fool you. The nose and palate feature beautiful white flower, peach and melon aromas and flavors with some light grapefruit and herbaceous notes lurking in the shadows. Does a nice job of walking the line between that rich, melony California style and the leaner, herbaceous New Zealand style. Nicely balanced on the palate with no oak influence and good acidity. Finishes a bit sweet, but you won't catch me complaining about that. Simply charming as a summer sipper or with a grilled filet of citrus pepper-rubbed salmon and steamed broccoli. About $12

2007 Sanctuary Bien Nacido Pinot Noir

We had a couple of friends come over for an early afternoon traditional Easter lunch of spiral-sliced ham, deviled eggs, garden-fresh asparagus, roasted sweet potatoes and a squash casserole. Nothing gourmet, but tasty nonetheless. I figured a Pinot Noir would be a nice pairing. Knowing we were dining al fresco on a warm afternoon, I chose to chill it down for a few minutes.

The 2007 Sanctuary Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley is a very light, borderline transparent wine with a clear rim. Lean and lithe in the nose with tart cherry, cranberry and menthol notes. Might even be a bit of pencil lead/graphite hiding in there, too. Tartness carries over onto the palate where the acid and under-ripe fruit notes dominate the charred oak and dusty, herbaceous notes. Much leaner than the Pinots I typically enjoy, yet somehow this all comes together quite well; particularly with the food. A nice change of pace from this classic, cooler climate vineyard. About $25.

2008 Dunning Vin de Casa

I've had and reviewed this wine on a number of occasions, but I thought it was worth mentioning again in light of tonight's bottle. The 2008 Dunning Vineyards Vin de Casa, Paso Robles is a blend of 45% Cabernet Franc, 35% Zinfandel and 20% Syrah. Deep cranberry color with a nose of sweet-tart raspberry, wintergreen, hints of licorice and cocoa and a good amount of green tobacco and sage. The Cab France really asserts itself on the tobacco-laden palate. Looking back at older notes on the blog, it seems as if this wine has traded in its youthful cherry fruit and licorice for more tobacco and herb-driven aromas and flavors. In the 3 years I've been a member of Dunning's wine club, I've only received one bottle of their Private Reserve Cabernet Franc. Obviously, I haven't had this varietal bottling from them yet, but I think I have a pretty good idea now of what to expect from it. really long, chalky, cocoa finish. Priced in the low $20 range, I still like this wine. But I have to admit I liked it better 6 months ago.

Paired with a delicious grilled flank steak with grilled garden-fresh asparagus and cauliflower mash.

And can someone tell me why I have to manually insert page breaks on Blogger now instead of just hitting the enter key? That's really annoying. Anyone else having this issue since Blogger revamped its layout template? I find all the "upgrades" to be pretty annoying. Might have to find a new host site for the blog.....

Garden update.....

After an unseasonably warm winter, it's time to get the garden back into shape. Once again, the focus will be on tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, leafy greens, berries and an assortment of herbs. We're also devoting some space to garlic, carrots and, for the first time, corn, peas, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts and shallots. Of course, we're going organic again. No chemical herbicides or pesticides. The soil is all organic and the only fertilizer we use is a combination of composted vegetable scraps and the poop-laden pine shavings we scoop out after each cleaning of the chicken coop.

Surprisingly, a number of items re-emerged after the brief, mild winter. Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme (sounds like a Simon & Garfunkle song) all came back a few weeks ago. We've grown herbs in the past in warmer climates like Georgia and Texas and we've never had parsley or rosemary come back after a winter. I'm rather shocked, in a good way, that they decided to come back for us in Kansas. We ripped the cilantro out after it went to seed last summer (yes, I hand-picked a large jar of coriander seeds from the plants) so we'll have to re-plant cilantro. And hopefully this year we can time it so the tomatoes and cilantro are ripe at the same time. Last year we didn't get to make any 100% garden-fresh salsa since the cilantro went to seed right about the same time we were starting to get ripe tomatoes.

We grew a number of types of tomatoes last year, mostly of the indeterminate varieties. In case you don't know the difference, indeterminate tomatoes grow and produce fruit throughout the season, but they require a substantial amount of staking, pruning and care (think: vines). This year we're going with determinate varieties. We won't get as many tomatoes this way, but the plants will be more compact (think: bush) and consistent.

We're also experimenting with an alternate method of supporting our cucumber vines. They got completely out of control last year when we attempted to contain them in tomato baskets. Something like this is what we have in mind for this year:

But instead of buying something from a catalog, we're going to build something similar with a couple of old chain link fence doors. You can see our improvised cucumber supports in the picture at the top of the page.

We planted 36 asparagus plants last year knowing full well that we wouldn't be able to harvest any until the third year. But my wife recently read an article that claims you can harvest second year spears for a month so long as you stop and let it go wild for the rest of the growing season. So we've already snapped a couple of meals worth and I can't even begin to tell you how delicious this stuff is. So sweet and tender - like no asparagus I've ever had from a grocery store. And it's amazing how quickly those little guys grow. You snap them all off one morning and 24 ours later you're ready to harvest them again. It's almost like one of those time-lapse films you used to see back in elementary school science class!

I had to include a gratuitous picture of our totally cool Boer goat, Willow. Willow is about as sweet as it gets - as affectionate as a dog. She and her compatriot, a pygmy goat named Olive, act as our lawnmowers in the chicken pen and they love to wander around out in the back pasture. Olive is sweet in her own right, but damn if she doesn't like to bite! There's nothing the goats like more than a handful of fresh herbs, particularly thyme

Here are Olive and Willow together. I wish I could've caught them on film here as they were engaged in a little head-butting exchange.

I'll be sure to post more pictures as the garden comes into its own and update our hits, misses and favorite recipes.

2008 Alpha Box & Dice "Tarot" Grenache

Just a quick update on the 2008 Alpha Box & Dice Tarot Grenache, South Australia. Followers of my blog know I've consumed well over a case of this wine and I've gone so far as to call it the greatest sub-$15 bottle of wine I've ever had. Seems like it's been a year or so since I've had this wine and I thought it would make a nice pairing with a grilled pork tenderloin rubbed with Asian spices - and it turns out I was right. Still shows a beautiful, deep color. As it is shedding some of its youthful fruit and baby fat, it is moving away from the simple, sweeter raspberry notes and developing more complex raspberry notes with earthier, mushroomy aromas. Still rather fruit-forward on the palate with raspberry and vanilla bean flavors, but you can tell there's more depth and density now and an earthiness that wasn't present a year ago. Beautiful finish still goes on forever and ever. Tannins are negligent and the acidity provides nice balance. Not sure where this is heading as it moves into another phase of its life so I would recommend drinking sooner rather than later. I have one left in the cellar and I might keep it for a few years just to see what happens.

I just can't say enough good things about Justin Lane and the stunning, quirky wines he makes at Alpha Box & Dice. Although Grenache is nothing new to Australia, I challenge you to seek out some of his blends incorporating Dolcetto, Nebbiolo, dry Muscadelle, Barbera, Sangiovese and other varietals unique in Australia.