June 2008: Vol. 3 No. 5
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Super Margarita
 This fabulous margarita recipe comes from Tommy's Mexican Restaurant in San Francisco via our Web designer, Adam Gibbs. 1 part agave nectar (in the honey section at the supermarket) Place all ingredients into a shaker filled with fresh ice. Shake until metal shaker is cold to the touch. Strain into a glass filled with fresh ice. Serve with a slice of lime. Two French Country Wines
Chateau Haut-Sarthes Montravel 2007 The 2007 Haut-Sarthes Montravel is a crisp, citrusy blend of 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Semillon, and 10% Muscadelle that is long on flavor and short on price. Blends like this are common in the dry whites of the greater Bordeaux region. Sauvignon Blanc provides racy acidity as well as the bulk of aromas and flavors, while Semillon offers fruitiness and body, tempering the often garish acidity and personality of Sauvignon Blanc. The Muscadelle adds . . .well, if this wine were the Three Stooges, Larry would be the Muscadelle. Chateau Haut-Sarthe's owner, Daniel Hecquet, has an enology degree from the University of Bordeaux that reveals itself in the wine's elegance, purity, and balance, virtues often lacking in more rustic French farmhouse bottlings. By way of comparison, this wine is zippier than a California Sauvignon Blanc and less aggressive than one from New Zealand. Lots to like here! Montgaillard Cotes du Ceressou 2007 This southern French red is a light-bodied gem consisting of 40% Merlot, 40% Syrah, and 20% Grenache. The texture is silky and its balanced personality will remind you of sweet pomegranate, red cherries and red plums. Well-made light red wines like this are increasingly difficult to find and correspondingly tricky to make but fit nicely with a wide array of foods, especially in summertime. Delicate reds are easy to drink but because they are so transparent they can't hide flaws behind a curtain of alcohol, fruit, or tannins. To work, the alignment has to be precise. Two generations ago, most of the table wines made in Europe resembled this little red. Another solid value from the portfolio of Sevier Wines of Denver. A Modern Pair
 Roogle Riesling 2007 (Australia) "The 2007 Riesling is light straw-colored with a lovely perfume of mineral, spring flowers, and honeysuckle with a hint of tropical fruits in the background. Just off-dry (10 grams residual sugar), round, and intensely flavored, this is very sexy Riesling at a great price. Could this be the booty-call wine of the year? 90 points." Jay Miller, The Wine Advocate, Issue 173 Castano Yecla Monastrell 2006 (Spain) Juicy and jammy, this Spanish Monastrell (aka Mourvedre in most of the world) offers gobs of ripe cherries, blueberries, and blackberries that envelop your palate in waves of flavor. The depth, concentration, and purity of this little beauty are extraordinary for the price. Year to year, this is one of the great values in Spanish wine! Something a Little Special
Domaine de Vaugondy Vouvray 2006 (France) Here's a beautiful Vouvray that trumpets its Chenin Blanc parentage in a lightly sweet presentation offering hints of honey, citrus, ripe pear, and honeydew melon with just enough acidity to balance and carry the flavors. Vouvray is a great warm weather wine perfect for lighter fare. Edmeades Mendocino Zinfandel 2006 (Mendocino County) The 2006 Edmeades occupies a stylistic niche midway between light, spicy, claret-like Zinfandels and denser, extracted, high alcohol versions. Its flavors are big without being overbearing, and the texture shows fine balance and smooth tannins. I offer you Mr. Parker: "This is a beautiful 2006 Zinfandel that sells for a song. This has got to be one of the better values, and of course, 2006 looks to be a vastly superior vintage to 2005 for Zinfandel. This wine, which has some Petite Sirah, Merlot, Syrah, and Grenache blended in, exhibits deep ruby color and a big, sweet nose of peppery black cherry and raspberry liqueur intermixed with spring flowers and earth. The wine is medium to full-bodied, ripe, and altogether a hedonistic mouthful of big Zinfandel. 90 points." Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, Issue 174 Seriously Good
Zind-Humbrecht Alsace Gewurztraminer 2006 (France) Gewurztraminer can push the limits of even the kinkiest wine geek, but if you adore Gewurz just this side of that border, then you'll love this intensely aromatic, richly flavored, unctuous wine from one of the world’s greatest white wine estates. Labeled as dry by the winemaker, it is so concentrated as to appear a tad sweet. Gewurztraminer presents a set of problems at the table but is a treat to enjoy by itself, on its terms, with friends who enjoy wines not die-cut to a corporate recipe. On the other hand, think about pairing it with grilled pork loin or country ribs. Big league stuff, this! Mas de Can Blau Montsant 2005 (Spain) "The 2005 Mas de Can Blau is a blend of 35% Carinena, 35% Syrah, and 30% Garnacha with the Garnacha and Carinena ranging in age from 65-85 years. Malolactic fermentation occurred in barrel and the wine was aged in new French oak for 20 months before being bottled unfiltered. Purple-colored, it reveals a complex, sophisticated perfume of toast, slate, smoke, espresso, black cherry, and blueberry. This leads to a wine with a full-bodied personality, layers of flavor, gobs of fruit, and a pure, lengthy finish. It will be at its best between 2013 and 2025. 95 points." Jay Miller, The Wine Advocate, #175 Grilled Peaches and Plums with a Shiraz Reduction
A wine reduction is one of the easiest ways to add intense flavor to a dish. This recipe comes to us from our friend Linda Hoffman, owner of Come Back to the Table Cooking School in Fort Collins. A reduction is the viscous 1/2 cup or so of liquid left after cooking down a bottle of wine. Good wine is essential because the flavors, both good and bad, are concentrated and magnified in this reduced state. A basic reduction is open to tweaking as either sweet or savory, depending upon the spices and herbs you add while the wine cooks. Linda developed this version to baste on skewers of grilled peaches and plums. Simply delish! 1 bottle of good Shiraz-based wine, like Penfold's Koonunga Hill Shiraz-Cabernet
Bring the wine, star anise, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, and clove to a boil in a non-reactive pan. Simmer until 1/2 cup remains; discard spices. Add the simple syrup and more water if you think it's too thick. Baste the fruit as it cooks over a low grill until done. Dribble a small puddle or two of the reduction around the plated fruit. Garnish with several leaves of mint. * Newsletter prices on all wines are in effect June 13 - 28, 2008 and limited to stock on hand. To be removed from our mailing list send the newsletter back to us via email with "remove" in the subject line. Tom DeLia, Editor & Wine Buyer 1300 E. Mulberry St., Fort Collins, CO 80524 | 970-221-2428
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