Tag: Castle Rock

About Wine, Organics, Value Wines, Warm Weather Sipping, Wine & Food Pairing

Grab your charcoal and your corkscrew, grilling season has arrived


On a warm sunny, summer afternoon, the big red winess that most of us would normally match with red meat are about as refreshing as a hot cup of coffee. Sometimes pairing wines with grilled food in warm weather just needs a bit of consideration regarding the flavors that outdoor (or indoor)grilling can bring to the plate: smokiness and charcoal. These alone can overwhelm less robust wines and make them appear wimpy next to your perfectly served rib-eye.
Zinfandel, Merlot, Shiraz and Malbec are always mentioned as the preferred wines to go with grilled red meats, because they each bring a few desired characteristics to go with that sometimes spicy and charcoal blend of flavors.
Zinfandel is a bold red wine that really bellies up to meaty, smokey flavors. This varietal’s black pepper spice, acidity and ripe tannins balance the fat and brings the texture to a new dimension. Zinfandel with it’s big, bold fruitiness is a natural when it comes to sauces and mild salsas especially sweet and spicy barbecue sauces. Butif your sauce is  heavily spiced, it could compete with this juicy wine and both could come up as losers.  In cases like this, the best spicy sauce/wine combination is often Merlot, because of its characteristic fruit-forward flavor profile. Merlot will support the spice and not aggravate it. Grilled pork chops, chicken and garden-variety salads with lighter dressings also mingle well with Merlot.

Another varietal that always seems to make the grill-friendly wine list is Shiraz (Syrah) As with the previously mentioned wines, this varietal is delicious with just about any red meat. Shiraz is dynamic, offering some aggressive fruit flavors, more mellow tannins and a softer-fuller body than a Cabernet. In fact, Shiraz absolutely shines with burgers, steak and hot dogs.

Quite a few wine lovers reach for an Argentinian Malbec to pair with those same burgers, steak and hot dogs, especially if they are smothered with onions sauerkraut and relish. Malbec has dark, plummy fruit flavors and a peppery spice edge that just works beautifully with grilled meat. Besides, it’s hard to argue with the value-for-money equation offered by this cheerful red with a lot of fruit intensity but not a lot of tannins.
If you want to be sophisticated or are a little unsure if what wine to choose, Pinot Noir will be your best safe bet. Pinot Noir a flexible varietal that is known for being extremely food-friendly. Pinot Noir with its hints of smoke and cherry can go from a juicy burger or grilled chicken to grilled fish —especially salmon—in a single sip.

One of the more versatile red grapes in the world, Grenache (Garnacha) from the rugged, rocky area in Spain’s Catalonia region is a favorite when grilling. These wines offer unmistakable candied fruit roll-up and cinnamon flavor tinged with both sweetness and spice. Grenache and Grenache- dominated blends are delious when paired with grilled meats.

Of course, you can’t only drink red. If you find it’s just too darn hot for red, you will find Riesling to be the perfect varietal for grilled brats, shrimp, barbecue chicken, and a variety of grilled veggies or pineapple.Besides, grilled fish and vegetables often generate a thirst for summer white wines. The important key point is to look for a wines with a savory character. Sauvignon Blanc has an herbaceous quality that supports marinades and sauces with similar attributes. Many fresh and lively Sauv Blancs are pungent, with nuances of dried herbs, and a slightly vegetal note that will highlight grilled veggies, roasted peppers and grilled.

Thick cuts of fish, particularly the richer salmon or tuna, are good with robust whites. Instead of reaching for a California Chardonnay, why not try a Torrontés from Argentina? Torrontés is Argentina’s white wine answer to malbec and offers enticing aromas that are strikingly similar to Viognier, with hints of peach pit, flowers, and orange citrus fruit, yet it is quite dry. This crisp white almost seems a little a bit like Viognier with the combination of soft stone and citrus fruits, floral oils and hints of spices, but is often much less expensive thanViognier—in fact, a good bottle of Torrontés is often under $15.  Although blackened Mahi Mahi, or grilled Cajun chicken with fresh mango salsa will work with Torrontés, you might want to pair it with a bit of Gewürztraminer. Gewürztraminer often offers a balance to spiciness with its slightly to moderately sweet character and honied hints of musky cinnamon, rose petals and citrus peel spice.

When it comes to pairing wine with the grill, it’s all about the sauce. Almost everyone who grills chicken or beef either marinates it or slathers it or something, so a simple rule of thumb is if it’s barbecue sauce, go red; if it’s citrus-tangy, go white; if you’re uncertain, go Pinot Noir—I’d go Rosé, but that’s just me.  No matter if it’s red or white don’t forget the 20/20 rule to give the wine a chill. If you don’t know the 20/20 rule, it’s simple: If the wine is white take it out of the fridge 20 minutes prior to serving; if the wine is red, put it in the fridge 20 minutes prior to serving.

Here are several delicious value-priced wines for the grill or any warm weather get-together:

Ravenswood Winery Old Vine Zinfandel, Lodi, 2010  (about $12)
This is a classic example of Lodi Zinfandel with plum, strawberry jam, blackcurrant jam and earth aromas and extreme fruit-forward flavors of thick, rich, concentrated blueberry fruit and soft spice. This medium-bodied wine offers minerals, decent acidity and easy mellow tannins to pair well with grilled meats.

14 Hands Vineyards Merlot, Columbia Valley, WA.  (about $12)
The wine is actually a blend of 78% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Syrah, 1% Grenache and 1% Cabernet Franc, making it a perfect grilling blend. The aromas start dark and earthy, slowly revealing notes of cherry. The palate offers lush flavors of mocha, black cherry and blackberries, followed by a bit of oak. It is smooth and silky with firm tannins that will pair well with just about anything on the grill. This is the perfect wine to bring to a cookout.

Hope Estate Shiraz The Ripper 2009, Western Australia  (about $14)
The ‘Ripper’ Shiraz has notes of crushed blackberry, cherry and mulberry over cedar, dried Provence herbs, lavender and a hint of mint. Full-bodied, ripe, rich, fruit-forward and concentrated, the blueberry  and blackberry and spice flavors blend with vanilla oakiness and are supported by definitive tannins and refreshing acidity, finishing with long lasting notes of toast and cedar. Bring on the steak!

Colores del Sol Malbec Reserva, Lujan de Cuyo,Mendoza, Argentina (about $9)
Colores del Sol, means “Colors of the Sun”  shows excellent balance with an opulent, full-bodied mouthfeel and ample fine grained tannins. Spice flavors lead into a rich, fruit-driven palate, dominated by flavors of raspberry and black cherry, currant and tea. Smoke, spice and caramel lead to the smooth finish. This wonderful red wine would pair well with grilled red meats,.

Castle Rock Pinot Noir California Cuvee 2011 (about $10)
This medium-bodied red is elegant, offering aromas of cherry, tea and herbal spice. Its smooth, silky-textured palate offers mild tannins, and flavors of black cherry, plum and spice,all the way through the long finish.  Brooding and savory, green, fennel-like edges feel refreshing and honest, avoiding the dried fruit flavors that mar many value-priced California Pinot Noirs. Perfect to set up for chicken or pork sausages.

Altovinum Calatayud Evodia 2011, Calatayud, Spain (about $10)
Evodia is an exciting project in the Denominacion de Origen Calatayud, hailed as one of Spains most progressive and promising wine growing regions. This savory wine has concentrated black cherry and cola on the nose, followed by raspberry notes with a bit of pepper and heat. This medium-bodied wine is slightly dry and a very much fruit-forward the with herbal notes of dried oregano and tobacco blend beautifully with black pepper spice for a good grill pairing.

Bodegas Juan Gil Monastrell Honoro Vera Organic 2012, Jumilla, Spain (about $10)
Monastrell accounts for 85% of the grapevines planted in Jumilla. Monastrell is known as Mourvedre in France, Mataro in Australia and is the M in GSM.  The nose is full of blackberry, bitter dark chocolate, raisin spice and licorice aromas. The boldness carries over to the Monastrell flavors, blackberry and fig compete with Australian black licorice. The mid-palate brings dried strawberry, raisins and a stiff brush of tannins, making it a nice organic favorite to grilled meats and vegetables.

William Cole Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Albamar 2012, Casablanca Valley, Chile (about $10)
William Cole Vineyards lies deep within Chile’s prestigious Casablanca Valley—often called “Chile’s Burgundy.” Albamar pays homage to the Casablanca Valley’s foggy sunrise (“alba” means sunrise) and the cooling breezes of the ocean (“mar” means ocean). This wine offers excellent fresh citrus fruit flavors of Meyer lemon, lime and crisp apple. Dry, light and crisp with the right amount of acidity and minerality to compliment the vibrant fruit and mild herbal flavors. It is bone dry and very food friendly. Ceviche is just one dish that would match the acidity and mineral freshness of this Sauvignon.

Ruca Malen “Yauquen” Torrontés, Salta, Argentina (about $11)
“Yauquen” is a word from the Mapuche language that means “to share a drink with a friend”.  The bouquet is bursting with aromas of white flowers and citrus fruits. It is fresh on the palate with crisp stone fruit flavors, fresh dill, delicate herbs and good mineral and acid on the finish. The acidity makes it a perfect pairing with spicy cuisine, particularly Thai and Tex-Mex grill. Favorite pairings include: grilled or sautéed pork chops, pork tenderloin and grilled or sautéed veal.

Hugel & Fils Gewürztraminer, 2011, Alsace, France (about $23)
This white is very floral offering fresh aromatic notes of fruit and spice, rose, lily of the valley, mango, lychee, pineapple, passion fruit and cardamom.Fresh and dry on the palate, it sparks flavors of citrus, crystallized ginger and mango before becoming  floral on the high-acid finish. Very stylish with spicy dishes, grilled lobster, crayfish tails or grilled veal and pork.

Blue Fish Riesling Dry 2011, Niederkirchen, Pfalz, Germany (about $9)
Blue Fish Riesling has amazingly seductive aromas of ripe apricot, peach, pear marked with a lovely floral accent. This wine is dry with a a slight effervescence, pleasing structure and underlying acidity. Not overly sweet or dry, the smooth fruit flavors start with Granny Smith apples followed by lemon, raspberry, aloe juice, pineapple, sweet red apple and a hint of lime. This is a very crisp, tart, clean and refreshing wine would pair well with a  grilled ribeye steak or pork belly with scalloped potatoes.

Enjoy!

About Wine, Food & Wine, Regions, Wine & Food Pairing

On pairing wines with steak


For years diners have been stifled by over-generalized, over simplified rules of food and wine pairing: “Drink white with white meat. Drink red with red meat.”

But is knowing that basic rule enough? How does one know which wine to select? The short answer is: the one that you will enjoy the most. But what if you don’t know what you’ll enjoy the most with your meal? Should you pick red? Or white?

First, red wine is a natural accompaniment to grilled meat. The secret is knowing which wines to drink with which dishes. Take a grilled steak, the hearty flavor of steak is always enhanced by the right wine.

Many reds taste better paired with beef­—or lamb—than they would if consumed without food (Chee-tos don’t count as a food group for this article. Note: Champagne works well with Chee-Tos).

Yalumba cabernetA simply-grilled steak pairs beautifully with a full-bodied red wine. A full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon with black currant, coffee and dark chocolate notes and a long finish would balance nicely with  steak. The tannins in the wine combines with the protein in the meat to create a lush, flavorful taste, and the steak’s proteins soften the Cabernet’s tannins. Summers Adrianna’s Cuvee from Napa Valley, Yalumba Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 from South Australia, Los Vascos Colchaugua Valley, Cabernet  or Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon, both from Chile are all affordable good choices.

Not in the mood for Cabernet? A California Merlot or a Hermitage like Guigal Crozes Hermitage 2006 from France’s Rhône Valley are also good choices.

2005 Twomey MerlotAlthough Cabernet Sauvignon will pair well with one of the most delicious steaks available— Ribeye or a Delmonico Steak, a Merlot would be better suited. A favorite is Twomey Merlot 2005 — a voluptuous, robust and balanced concentration of black cherry, blackberry essence, wild game and freshly ground black pepper. This is a full-bodied and velvety wine, with fine-grained tannins and an extremely long finish. This Merlot will continue to give drinking pleasure through 2018, and it  will delight you and your dining companion(s) today. This is a BIG, rich flavorful wine and it will leave you wanting more.

Bogle Vineyard’s Zinfandel blend.
Phantom by Bogle

If you want to add a little spice to your ribeye, cajun ribeye, or New York Strip Steak, a spicy Zinfandel with its blueberry and blackberry flavors is a match  made in heaven for this gorgeous marbling and mouth-watering aroma of beef at its best. Try The Phantom, Bogle Vineyard’s Zinfandel blend. This succulent full-bodied blend combines lush blackberries and blueberries with the fierce spice essences of black pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg.

A full-bodied, peppery California Zinfandel is always the first choice to accompany a spicy steak, such as a “steak au poivre”. Steaks that are highly spiced or one marinated in a spicy brine, are best paired with a spicy wine. If you would rather not have a Zin, a fruit-forward Merlot, with plum, blackberry, and clove is another alternative. The fruit flavors, when blended with the spicy steak, will appear sweeter and temper the pepper.

Chardonnay lovers, take note…“steak au poivre” is the steak to pair with a lightly-oaked, ripe, crisp Chardonnay. The Chardonnay should be rich with apple, pear, and citrus flavors.  Try  Alph Omega  Napa Valley Chardonnay 2006 with its fresh entrance evolving on marzipan, Meyer lemon, apples, yellow raspberry and pear, with a strong minerality and lingering crisp acidity. This 94 point* rated wine will surprise you—especially the fact that it is long-lived, it will continue to drink well through 2015.

The classic porterhouse is a cut that offers two unique steak flavors in one. The rich taste of the meaty sirloin strip and the tender, buttery-soft filet mignon. The larger filet mignon portion, is sure to satisfy your beef-lover’s appetite, and it just calls out for a medium-bodied Pinot Noir. The rich silkiness of the wine enhances the filet’s soft texture. Pinot’s flavors of red cherry, strawberry and smoky, earth tones shine in Castle Rock Mendocino, California Pinot Noir.  For a French twist, Joseph Drouhin Vero Pinot Noir 2006 is not only a delicious Burgundy, it’s affordable.

Prime rib becomes more of an occasion when paired with a Syrah/Shiraz. If you want a fruity Shiraz, look to Australia’s Peter Lehmann’s Barossa Shiraz. The nose is typical of Barossa Shiraz, with scents of dark plums and chocolate. There are also notes of  sweet cedar and a hint of black pepper. The palate has a good depth of dark berry flavors with a touch of savory fruits and a good tannin structure in harmonious balance to the fruit. This wine does very well with both steak and lamb.

Guigal Crozes HermitageIf you want a more elegant and refined syrah look to France’s Rhône Valley. The Guigal Crozes Hermitage 2006 mentioned earlier is a structured, tannic wine. This well-made, medium-bodied 2006 is a classic example of the appellation at a high level of quality. This  Crozes-Hermitage is richer, and more textured, offering peppery, tapenade, and cassis scents with an undercurrent of minerals. The spicy, fine red berry and cherry flavors mingle with refined tannins thus lending support and a focused peppery quality. All of this leds to  a strong finishing snap.

Somewhere between the two, is California’s Pedroncelli Alexander Valley Syrah . Pedroncelli’s Syrah has rich aromas of ripe berry and black pepper spice with concentrated flavors of blackberry, plum and licorice. This Syrah has well-balanced tannins providing structure. Expect this delicious wine to take on complexities for the next 5-7 years.

Italy’s Rocca della Macie offers an elegant, an innovative blend of Sangiovese and Syrah called Sasyr. This wine is velvety smooth, supple and vibrant, with fruity aromas cherry, blackberry and raspberry. It is intense and complex and as the winemaker likes to say “it will introduce you to an array of flavors beyond your wildest dreams.” Needless to say, Sasyr is both easy drinking and quite elegant with steak.

For something different, a Petite Sirah, is a good choice. No, it’s not a smaller version of Shiraz/Syrah, it’s a hybrid, making it a different grape. Durif is a cross of Peloursin and  Syrah. This grape makes a dark colored, tannic wine with blackberry, plum fruit and mushroom flavors—perfect for pairing with prime rib, a T-bone,  or a  sirloin steak. Try David Bruce Central Coast Petite Sirah 2006. This Sirah exudes bright, spice-tinged, jammy fruit, earthy mushrooms, and dense blackberry, blueberry and white pepper aromas. The wine offers a supple and balanced feel full of red and blueberry fruit with hints of cassis and firm tannins.

Altovinum’s Evodia Old Vines Garnacha 2008 will add some peppery goodness to any steak. Evodia is the Greek word for “aroma” and this red has very fresh, straightforward scents of raspberry and blackberry, plus cracked pepper. Juicy and tannin-free, with spicy berry and pepper flavors and a gentle mineral lift. Easy to drink and a superb value, with a good finishing bite— you won’t need to reach for the pepper mill when you pair grilled meat with this one!

Okay, your steak is slathered in barbecue sauce, what do you drink? Chianti. Chianti is the traditional wine to accompany red tomato-based sauces. That’s why Chianti is the preferred wine for pizza or to drink with spaghetti and meatballs. The high acid content in Chianti balances well with the high acid content in red sauces, such as barbecue sauce. Marchesi de Frescobaldi’s Nippozzano Riserva Chianti Ruffina proves itself year after year. This classic Chianti is from the sub-region of Rufina in Tuscany. The smooth, supple wine is full of red fruits, violets, cinnamon spice, fine tannins, and gentle cedar complexities that lead to a beautifully fine tannins a clean finish. Chianti is the traditional wine to accompany red tomato-based sauces.

Serve a red Bordeaux with grilled lamb steak. A smooth, subtle Red Bordeaux, such as Chateau du Taillan Cru Bourgeois Superieur Haut-Medoc 2005 is an ideal companion to grilled lamb. A Spanish Rioja such as El Coto Rioja Crianza also pairs well with grilled meat.

Many classic examples exist of food and wine pairings that are tried and true: grilled steak and Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon or grilled lamb and red Rioja. These are reliable, low-risk ventures that will likely result in an enjoyable overall dining experience. Just remember to open these wine 20 minutes prior to mealtime to allow for the flavors in the wine to fully develop.

*Wine Spectator rating