This little guy doesn’t have a guilty bone in his body. Neither should you. Here is this week’s $15 or less offering.
No-Guilt Wednesday is not about compromising on quality. It’s all about drinking good wine that does not break the bank, eating good food and of course, it’s about sharing with the ones you love.
Tonight’s wine come from Languedoc-Roussillon– a great place to hunt for bargains in French wine. Bathed in the warm Mediterranean climate, I have at times found wines from Languedoc-Roussillon to be a bit overripe. But that is not the case with this week’s offering from the Côtes de Thongue, a relatively small area in Languedoc-Roussillon.
As far as I recall, I have never tried a wine from Côtes de Thongue. I am including several maps to show where exactly this wine comes from since I had no idea where this was and I presume many of you are in the same boat.
In our search for good wine, many stones must be overturned. Sometimes viper-like wines lie in wait– all hissing, bad attitude and bite. Other times, like today, a ruby awaits discovery.
Les Chemins de Bassac Isa Rouge (Vin de Pays des Côtes de Thongue) 2007 ($13). I get excited when I drink a wine like this humble Vin de Pays. Probably because my expectations are set low based on prior sub par experiences with such wines. And yet this surprised from the first sniff of earth and minerals blended with sweet spices. It is made with a panoply of organically grown varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Mourvédre, Pinot Noir, Syrah. Seriously– Pinot Noir AND Syrah? Can you do that? These guys did. But what came next was the best surprise of all– juicy red plums and cherry and pomegranate notes– not sweet, but not unripe either. Finishing with some bitter chocolate notes, the tannins and acidity made the fruit dance on my tongue in a joyful ceilidh of flavor– a little bit rustic, but a whole lot of fun. And while I sipped at this one all by my lonesome tonight, it’s the kind of wine that makes you long for a kiss from that special someone. This little baby from Côtes de Thongue is worth searching out. Rated **1/2
You might have noticed that I have not included many recipes recently. Mostly this is due to the intrusion of other parts of my life on the blog. No fear, I will come back with some great dishes soon– in the meantime, enjoy the wine. There is nothing wrong with simple servings of charcuterie with this– especially a nice dried sopressata, or as my New York Area Italian friends would say, “supersod”. Sounds more like a lawn product than a meat product.
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