2018 Château Le Conte Marquey Puisseguin St-Émilion

Happy Sunday!  Tonight I am embarking on a new adventure for 2024, this time on the Food side of this blog.  Last year I bought an interesting cookbook, called "Dinner in the Diner" which is a compilation of 300 recipes from the dining cars of famous railroads and trains of the 20th century.  For this year, I am devoting the last Sunday of each month to exploring the recipes in the book and pairing them with a nice wine.  Tonight, the wine is a 2018 Château Le Conte Marquey Puisseguin St-Émilion that I recently bought from Wines Till Sold Out.  This wine is a blend of Merlot (95%) and Cabernet Franc (5%) from an appellation located to the northeast of the village of Saint-Emilion.  Let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass, with bright color on the edges, just as you might expect from a heavy Merlot blend.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of blackberry, leather and a bit of tawny port, amid undertones of violet and forest floor.  The first sip is a rush of black fruit, with woody undertones, blackberry, plum and cedar with hints of peppery spice as the tannins seem to sing in harmony with the earthy flavors.  With the well-structured tannins, the wine ends with a lovely dry finish that lingers on the palate with just a subtle reprise of Bordeaux funk.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it is an easy drinking and well structured wine that's also a terrific value, as this wine was part of the WTSO case sale at just $12.49 a bottle!  This wine would pair well with wonderfully rich French dishes, or beautifully sauced dishes, from Italian to Moroccan to Thai.  Tonight, however, I am enjoying this wine with a Curry chicken recipe from the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, a dish which may have been served on such classic trains as the Capitol Limited, along with some steamed rice and oven roasted carrots.  The recipe is reprinted below.  Cheers!

2015 Cinco Reserva Red Blend

Happy Saturday!  Yesterday I stopped at my local wine store and went into the "back room" where they have all the better and more expensive wines and I found the wine I've opened tonight.  The odd thing was that this wine was only $12.97, so I'm not even sure why it was in the pricy wine room.  In any case, I was intrigues by this wine, "Cinco" as it's a blend of five different varietals from Chile: Carmenere (38%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%), Syrah (20%), Merlot (7%) and Carignan (5%).  So. let's see how this Cinco blend is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, a testament to the impact of the Cabernet on the blend.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of leather, blackberry and cherry with hints of peppery spice undertones.  The first sip is a rush of ripe plum, cherry and blackberry that transitions easily to some earthy notes of dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured, providing for a velvety smooth and exceptionally dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5 as it's a wonderfully easy drinking red that could be an everyday wine at this price.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from steaks and lamb to barbecue or tacos.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with some mustard barbecued chicken thighs, oven roasted sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli.  Cheers!

2021 BigLITTLE Wines Open Road Rosé

Happy Sunday!  It's been bitter cold here, like so much of the country right now, so I've been huddling indoors, doing laundry and cooking and trying to stay warm!  Given that summer and rosé season seem so far away, I've decided to open a bottle of a Michigan rosé that some friends sent me for Christmas.  The 2021 BigLITTLE Wines Open Road Rosé is a blend of Pinot Gris, Riesling and Marechal Foch from the Leelanau Peninsula in northern Michigan.  So, let's see if this wine can bring back the summer!

The wine is a deep peach and rose color in the glass, just as you'd expect for summer sipping on the patio.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of strawberry, melon and hints of apple, certainly bringing back some warm weather vibes.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of crisp and tart fruit, tart cherry, apple, and melon that will have you ready for a summer dip in the lake.  The finish is short, but crisp and dry, inviting you to sip this with a meal or just some conversation with friends.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a lovely departure from many of the sweeter wines I've tasted from Michigan.  This wine would pair well with summer salads, tacos, pizza or smoked barbecue.  Tonight, I've taken a different path and am enjoying this wine with some coconut crusted cod, steamed rice and fresh asparagus with hollandaise.  Cheers!

2004 Viñedos y Bodegas Pablo Gran Viu Finca Santiaga

Happy Saturday!  And since this is the first Saturday of a new month (and new year) it's Cellar Saturday!  Tonight, I've raided the cellar and opened a bottle that I just bought a week or so ago from Wines Till Sold Out.  The 2004 Viñedos y Bodegas Pablo Gran Viu Finca Santiaga is a red blend from the Aragon region of Spain containing Grenache (60%), Cariñena (20%) and Vidadillo (20%).  So, let's see how this wine has developed over the past two decades!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, much more reminiscent of a Merlot than a Grenache heavy blend.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of leather, black currant and licorice with undertones of earthy graphite.  The first sip is remarkably fresh with a rush of blueberry, tart cherry and currant that ease into some notes of tar and dark chocolate.  The tannins are voluptuous, providing for an ideal base for the lingering dry finish that just leaves you reaching for another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's the most impressive Grenache blend I've had the pleasure of drinking.  This wine would pair with a wide range of dishes beyond the traditional Spanish paella, anything from hearty steaks to pasta to roast leg of lamb.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a pan seared prime center cut ribeye, with sautéed mushrooms and onions, steamed green beans and a big baked potato with sour cream and chives.  Cheers!