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 (NGW) 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.

Chateau Fuisse Julienas Domaine de la Conseillere 2009 ($15).  From producer J.J. Vincent, this has juicy red fruit bordering on tartness.  Emergent sage and lavender notes give us a nicely rounded experience.  But we really don’t need to think too hard about this one.  Just pop the cork and make-believe you’re sitting in a Parisian cafe with your best girl or one of your bro-chachos.  An easy drinking Beaujolais, serve slightly chilled.  Rated **

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 (NGW) 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. 

Today’s choice is a wine that I seek out simply because it has consistently delivered value from Bordeaux.  Normally, varying vintages of this wine are available for anywhere from $18-$21.  The current vintage of this was offered to me at $20+ per bottle.  I was about to put in my order.  But then I decided to check the internet and lo and behold, I was able to score a case of this at $14 prior to shipping.  With shipping the cost per bottle rose to $16.70.   But we don’t count shipping charges, do we?  

The Beaulieu estate, which is owned by Guillaume de Tastes, comprises 25 acres of vineyards in the Entre-de-Mer.  The use of new oak and green harvesting  (to increase concentration and lower yields), are among the reasons to like this wine.  In addition, the involvement of, well-known wine consultant, Stephane Derenoncourt in the process ups the ante further.  Back in 2004, Derenoncourt, told Jancis Robinson that he wanted to  

“…make wines to last…  wines with a certain lightness but very good balance and very good extraction. There is a big difference between concentration and power…  That’s why wine is so great. It’s not just a drink but after time it becomes an expression of place and vintage and no longer, for instance, a Derenoncourt wine.”  Derenoncourt – the new Michel Rolland?  7 May 2004

I found this quote somewhat amusing given that I discovered it after I wrote the review that follows:

Beaulieu Comte de Tastes 2009 ($14).  Sensual aromas rose from my glass.  All soft, dark fruit and chocolate on the palate, this opened with an almost fennel-cherry pie character on the nose.  With a healthy concentration, this producer delivers another nicely balanced Bordeaux at a reasonable price again.  Given the softness of the tannins, this is drinkable now, yes, but so much better for the bottles that I can marshal the patience to wait 3-5+ years.  A Bordeaux Superieur comprised of 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc.  Rated **1/2

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 (NGW) 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. 

Western Australia–  I am seeing more wines coming from this part of the continent down under.  This is a great development in that the ones that I have tasted so far are exhibit a freshness that I sometimes find lacking in many of the  mid priced range of Australian wines.  Barwick Estates has vineyards in Margaret River, Blackwood and Pemberton. 

According to their website, “The cool Mediterranean climate combined with the duplex soils of Margaret River, karri loams of Pemberton and well-drained gravels of the Blackwood provides ideal growing conditions for the selected varieties.”  I have no reason to disagree. 

The Treenbrook vineyard is located within the Pemberton Region.  The 73 hectare vineyard is nestled amongst the karri forests of Pemberton.  Don’t know what a karri forest is?  Me either, till today.  Karri forest is tall open forest of Eucalyptus diversicolor (Karri), one of the tallest hardwoods in the world.  It occurs almost exclusively in the south-west corner of Western Australia.  But I’m no Gregor Mendel and you should get your botanical information elsewhere.

According to the Barwick Estates’ website, “The vineyard produces the classic red grape varieties of Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz, having rich, well-drained loamy soils, gentle undulating landscape and access to excellent water from Treen Brook.  Rich additions to these classic reds are areas of Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Viognier and Pinot Gris…  Varieties are 21.7 hectares of Sauvignon Blanc, 10.8 hectares of Chardonnay, 3.6 ha of Semillon, 1.1 hectares of Viognier, 10.2 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.9 hectares of Merlot, 9.1 hectares of Pinot Noir and 2.1 hectares of Shiraz.”

Barwick Estates Pemberton Pinot Noir 2010 ($12).  Forget what you may think of Australian wines.  This in no Yellow Tail.  Who are these guys?  A translucent liquid with hints of all spice and florals on the nose.  Alluringly pretty red fruit which served as an entrée to a sort of earthiness.  Aye, mate, that sounds familiar– a quick perusal of the back label tells me that yes, this is Pinot, but there is 7% Shiraz.  I’m not a varietal purist– I’m not proud.  Balanced between the fruit, soft tannins and juicy acidity.  I have paid much more for Pinots this good.  I love the way this wine makes my tongue feel.  Grab this when you see it.  But beware, when I went to buy more of this, the price had gone up beyond the NGW $15 threshold.  Still worth it.  Rated ***

This wine turns us on.  Sure it’s a young thing.  But it’s a Fine Young Thing.  As I popped this… correction… removed the screw cap from the second bottle of this thing, I could have sworn I heard some of my female Super Bowl guests (of course there was wine during the S-Bowl) uttering the words from J Cole’s opus, Can’t Get Enough:

She said
“I, can’t get enough, can’t get enough”
“I, can’t get enough, can’t get enough”
“I can’t get enough of what you got
Good God, you hit the spot
Tried to let go but I just could not
So don’t you stop, I need that”

 

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.  

There are many wonderful wines out there that fall in the $15 and under price category.   I am a big fan of the wines of Chile.  But, IMHO, this one does not measure up.  I calls ’em as I sees ’em.

Calina Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 ($12).  A lead pencil brambly quality on the nose.  But the dark blueberry-like fruit lacked the brightness that I normally hope for– it seemed a bit overwhelmed by the oak treatment.  The wine finishes with some drying tannins and seems to lack balance as a result. There are better values out there.  Rated *1/2

It does not seem right that I leave you with that for this week.  This has happened before and we found a back up that was not only serviceable, it left the starter gathering splinters on the bench!  So let’s see what other goodies might be found in Sybarite Sauvage’s cellar. 

For this, I am going a lot closer to home.  And to switch it up a bit, we are pulling back from the reds and reviewing a white from Northeastern Connecticut (you read that right).

Sharpe Hill Ballet of Angels White (N.V.) ($10).  According to the winery’s web site, this is a “secret blend of 10 grape varieties”.  Secret?  Are you kidding me?  This is Connecticut wine, folks– let us know what is in the bottle.  Your secret is safe with us.  Anyway, notes of apricot and peach with a viscous mouth feel, pleasant acidity reminiscent of key lime pie on the finish.  Not overly complex, but still a lovely wine to have with Asian cuisine in the middle of this or any week.  Rated **

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. 

In excellent vintages, the smaller producers give us good value.  Such is the case with today’s offering.  Although from the much heralded 2009 vintage, this will not blow you away.  And that is perhaps its greatest virtue.  I admit, that this one did not sell me– at first.  Shy to start, but perhaps this was just a bit of coyness; then something happened… I was hooked.  This is a food wine through and through.  I nibbled on some charcuterie while I sipped this.  Tonight is a Good Night.

As will.i.am says:

T to the A, to the S T Y – girl, you’re tasty. T to the A, to the S T Y – girl, you’re tasty…
D to the E, to the L I C I O U S, to the D, to the, E to the, L I C I O U S

Château Clément Saint Jean Medoc 2009 ($15) 13.5%.   Tasted twice, I was prepared to rate this at **.  Very tight on the entry.  But as it opened up and let me in, my excitement grew.  Aromas of cinnamon and cassis began to emerge along with redolent hints of fertile earth.  The red and dark fruit began to gyrate.  And the finish, with a dark chocolate component, seemed to linger just a but longer.  Not a fruit bomb, this is an old school approach.  A blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, that casts its spell before you can spell Delicious.  With chewy tannins, this is t-t-t-t-tasty.  I might be a little bit generous here, but… it’s better than **1/2 and in the final analysis, this stuff is Fergalicious.  Rated ***

 

So you’re making a Chateaubriand to go with this?  Here’s little haricot vert dish to take along on the ride.  This is not fancy gourmet cuisine.  And you could season this with other herbs.  Perhaps some hot cherry peppers. 

 

This is simple.  The best foods usually are. 

 

Haricot Vert Stir Fry

 

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsps. Peanut Oil
• 1/2 lb. Haricot Vert (frozen or fresh)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 tsp dried Thyme
• Fresh cracked pepper and Sea Salt to taste

Approach:

1. Heat up a wok and add peanut oil until just before it starts to smoke
2. Add garlic and quickly stir fry for 30 seconds or less– do not burn the garlic
3. Quickly add the Haricot Vert and the Thyme.  Cook over high heat.
4. While season with salt and pepper
5. Serve immediately

© Sybarite Sauvage 

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. 

When I was a young Sybarite, many years ago, Mama (pronounced ma-MA, with the accent on the second syllable), would on occasion prepare chuletas guisadas con tostones (pronounced CHOO-le-taas   GEE-sa-das cone TOS-toe-nes)– braised pork chops with twice fried green plantains.  The combination is magical as the sauce that the chops are braised in complements the starchy crunchiness of the plantains.  The secret to the sauce is sofrito.  French food has its triumvirate of carrots, onions and celery.  Chinese food has its troika of soy sauce, garlic and ginger.   Puerto Rican cookery relies on a substance named Sofrito– a combination of cilantro/culantro, garlic, onion and ajis dulce. 

I know that I can never replicate the flavors of Mama’s kitchen and I don’t ever want to.  Sometimes when I visit her, she makes this dish for me.  They are as good as they were all those years ago.   I still light up when chuletas y tostones arrive at our table. 

So there I was minding my own business at the supermarket mulling over some pork chops when some awesome looking lamb shoulder chops jumped out at me.  Dare I break with convention?  Oh yeah– just don’t tell Mama.

Braised Lamb Shoulder Chops with Tostones

 Ingredients

• 4 Lamb Shoulder Chops with bone in
• 3 tbsps EVOO
• 1 small can of tomato sauce
• 1 Red Bell Pepper cored, seeded and cut into thin strips
• salt & pepper

For the Sofrito

• 10 leaves of Culantro (one bunch of cilantro can be substituted) washed and dried
• The cloves of a Head of Garlic, peeled
• 1 medium onion coarsely chopped
• 12 ajis dulce (available in spanish groceries) split and cleaned of membranes and seeds.  Note, green bell pepper can be substituted, but it is not as rich or aromatic as ajis dulces.

For the Tostones

• 3 green (unripened) plantains peeled and cut into 1 inch thick rounds and put to soak in a bowl of salted water
• 2 Cups of Canola Oil
• Preferred equipment for frying is a Wok

Directions:

Prepare the Sofrito:

1. In a food processor,  combine the Culantro, Garlic, Onion and Ajis Dulce and process until finely chopped and combined.  Note this will yield more than you need , but the excess can be set aside and frozen.

Prepare the Chops:

1. Season the chops with salt and pepper
2. Heat up a frying pan large enough to comfortably hold the chops without crowding the pan. 
3. Add EVOO to the pan and when hot (but not smoking) sear the chops over high heat to create a nice brown crust.  About 2 minutes per side.  Remove the chops and set aside. 
4. In the same hot pan, add 2-3 tbsps of  Sofrito 3 tbsps and tomato sauce, stir and cook for 1 minute over medium heat
5. Return the seared Lamb Chops to the pan with the Red Bell Pepper strips and add enough water to cover the Chops and Bell Pepper.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover.  Cook for 20-25 minutes until meat is tender.

Prepare the Tostones: 

1. While the meat is cooking, remove the sliced plantains from the salted water and pat dry.
2. Heat up the canola oil in a wok (or frying pan) and fry the plantains in batches.  They should just start to turn color but should NOT be cooked all the way through.  Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.
3. Take each plantain, place it on a cutting board and flatten it with a spatula or a the bottom of a heavy plate.  Each piece should be about 1/8 of an inch thick or up to 1/4 inch thick.  I prefer the crunchier thinner ones.
4. Refry each of the tostones in batches until fully cooked through being careful not to burn them.  Remove from oil and drain.  Season with salt while still draining.
5. Serve with the Lamb Chops.

Serves 4

Addition variations

• Go classic and make this with bone in pork chops
• If you do not fear garlic, sprinkle a little garlic powder over the chops along with the salt. 

Sybarite Sauvage ©

 

 

 

Cellar Can Blau Montsant ($12) 2009.  I am a fan of the 2007 vintage of this wine.  But this is simply not as aromatic as the 2007 with its earthy nose rife with some woodsy almost truffle-like characteristics and black plum.  2009 is out of character with that earlier vintage: red raspberry and cranberry fruit is tart, dominated by the acidity that hits your palate at the first instant.  This is one hell of an Acid Trip.  And I was disappointed.  I put a cork in it and went to bed.  But as it sat overnight, and I went off to work and on my return home the next evening, the magic of time in an open bottle opened this baby right up.  The acid was still there, but something else started to kick up its heels.  Something herbal.  Something a little more alluring.  Something delicious.  Something forest like mixed with eucalyptus.  So if you’re not the patient type, like me, decant– please decant this.  But have it with food and you will definitely be Tripping pleasantly.  Rated **1/2

 

 

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.  

Charles Smith Kung Fu Girl Riesling 2010 ($10).  I’m not a gimmicky wine-label kind of guy.  But after this wine, I may have to reconsider.  The faint aroma of lychee filled my glass.  Or is that the label speaking to me?  Perhaps.  But with a little bit of ripe apple-like roundness on the mid-palate balanced by soft star-fruit like acidity and a minerally edge on the finish, this is an easy wine to like.  A great party wine that folks will remember for the label and for what’s behind the label.  Yeah, it kicked my glass!  Rated **1/2

Yellow Beet and Green Apple Salad

Ingredients

• 3 Yellow Beets (peeled and cut into thin sticks– think potato sticks)
• 1 Granny Smith Apple (cored, peeled and cut into thin sticks)
• 2 to 3 Tbsp. of Pomegranate seeds
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 1/2 Tbsps. Honey
• 2 Tbsps of White Balsamic Vinegar
• 4 Tbsps. EVOO
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 Tbsp of chopped parsley

Steps:

1. Toss the Apple and Beets with the lime juice to prevent discoloration
2. In a bowl whisk together the honey and Balsamic vinegar.  Add a pinch of salt and a few grindings of black pepper.
3. Slowly whisk in the EVOO, until an emulsion forms. 
4. Toss the dressing with the beet/apple sticks pomegranate seeds and parsley
5. Serve immediately

© Sybarite Sauvage

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.  

This week we head back to South America.  Santa Ema seems to deliver good everyday value.  Previously we reviewed the Santa Ema Chardonnay.  https://sybaritesauvage.com/2011/06/21/no-guilt-wednesday-wine-santa-ema-reserve-chardonnay-2008/

Santa Ema Merlot 2008 ($9).  A touch of toasty oak and earth on the nose serves as the calling card for this new world merlot.  Yet, it’s not all about fruit.  We get black olive, vanilla notes, acidity provides structure.  Did someone say rack of lamb?  Maybe I’m just hearing voices… Rated **1/2

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. 

Now and again, we come across a wine that challenges the status quo.  This one doesn’t just throw down the gauntlet– it takes a few swipes at your head first.  Think overripe Australian Shiraz and imagine the anti-Shiraz.  This is that. 

Not that I love overripe Australian Shiraz– but the pendulum went too far in the opposite direction.  Still as a wine to study, it does have a certain allure.  And that counts for something– knowing what we do not like and why we do not like it informs our palates.  That works in relationships, and it works in wine. 

Domaine des Entrefaux Juveniles Crozes-Hermitage 2008 ($12) 12.5%.  This 100% syrah was specially produced for the Juveniles Wine Bar in Paris.  One of my suppliers got their hands on some cases of this from what they refer to as “a small, ambitious importer”.  A hint of saffron and herbs mixed with a cedar forest like quality on the nose.  Alternating notes of sun-dried tomato, black pepper and tart fruit.  The palate pushes toward an acidic finish.  Although there are some interesting flavors here, the lack of balance is disappointing.  Now, some folks reading this might actually like this wine.  And while this is not my favorite style, there are still reasons to savor this experience.  So don’t take my word for it– I say, take this girl for a spin with the top down and then tell me why I am wrong.  Still if I had to choose this or a big overripe Shiraz– I’m driving this one home.  She is not like every other girl on the block…Rated * 1/2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I’m sure the Gauntlet is around here, umm, somewhere…

 

 

 

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.  

It was a late night by the time we settled down for the evening.  Given the holiday insanity, we did not eat well during the day.  We wanted something more, something that would take us into bedtime and hold us till we dozed off.   Nothing fattening, something flavorful.  Something that would caress the Merlot, throw its soft legs over it and get caressed back.  Something that would set our tongues tingling.  Something we could make in about 35 minutes. 

Make no mistake, saffron is an expensive ingredient.  However, there is no substitute for it.  It raises the game of this simple little almost vegetarian/vegan braise.  (you could go full vegetarian and substitute vegetable stock or even slightly salted water for the chicken stock in the recipe). 

Saffron Braised Cauliflower

Ingredients:

• 1 Head of Cauliflower (separated from the stem and sliced into 1/4 inch thick slices)
• 2 Tbsps. EVOO
• Chicken stock (depending on the size of your pan, enough to almost cover the cauliflower)
• 1 small 8 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 tsp. Paprika
• 1 pinch of Saffron
• 2 tsps. of Red Wine Vinegar

Approach:

1. Heat up the EVOO in a large pan and saute the cauliflower over high heat until it starts to brown at the edges.
2. Introduce the Chicken stock to almost cover the cauliflower and add tomato sauce, paprika saffron.  Stir to incorporate the ingredients.
3. Add 1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar and taste the broth.  (The recipe call for two teaspoons of the red wine vinegar, but this is really a matter of personal taste and can be adjusted as you like it.  But like salt, it’s easy to over do it.  You can always add more, but you can’t take it out once its in there.)
4. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cover for 10 minutes.  The cauliflower will soften and absorb the flavor and color of the broth.  Remove the cover and reduce the saffron sauce.
5. While this is simmering, prepare cous cous  For the cous cous remember, 2 parts liquid to 1 part cous cous.
6. Once the cauliflower is tender, serve at table alongside or on top of cous cous.

Serves 4

Beau Pere Cellars Merlot 2008 ($12).  Back to the Napa Valley today we have a nice little wine with a fair amount of complexity for its $12 price tag– and a merlot to boot.  A perfume of sweet spice, earth and butterscotch filled our  glasses.  Drinking beautifully now, dark fruit, soft tannins and velvet-like on the palate.  Rated **1/2