Shypoke Cabernet Sauvignon

OK, there are very few wines I feel a strong allegiance to, but when I find them I am all about them. Shypoke Cabernet Sauvignon is one such wine, I recently was introduced to this wine in a tasting of their 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon just prior to the holidays and it totally blew my socks off along with several other garments. I basically overstocked with this product and sold out not only what I stocked, but the remainder of the product in my supplier’s warehouse. This week, I was replenished on the Shypoke Cabernet Sauvignon- with the 2009 vintage. Needless to say I was initially heartbroken, where was the 2007, or even the 2008 (2008 that overall has proven to be a stronger contender than the 2007 Napa Cabernet Sauvignons in my opinion). But, the current release is 2009 and that’s what I have in my hands, so a wry smile crossed my lips as I realized I needed to try it out!

The label remains simple and understated, good marketing for a high class wine! I peel the foil back and pull the cork. The cork is high quality, well grained natural cork with nice density and firmness showing no signs of mold, or abuse. A nice start! The aromas erupt out of the bottle and execute a frontal assault upon the senses creating visions of dancing dark fruit, and spice in my head.

As this elixir escapes the bottle and is unfurled in my Riedel Magnum Glass the deep ruby-crimson hues cast shadows of flavors to come as the aromatics continue to capture the imagination. Swirling the 2009 Shypoke Cabernet Suavignon proves to that this wine can really dance, making the foreplay of wine tasting all the more invigorating and creating anticipation of just what this wine is going to do once it reaches my lips!

As my lips reach for the lip of the glass, the vixen elixir held within extends a velvet glove and caresses my tongue with nothing short of sheer velvet saturated in cassis, blackberry, and black cherries creating a caressing envelop that massages the palette. On the crest of the tongue there is an pure, clean explosion of brilliant deep spice that does nothing short of elevating the fruit to a new level just short of creating life itself and makes my head shift sharply to the left; as I finish this taste, the sensation of cocoa and cassis perfectly embedded caresses the mouth again with a warm sensation that certainly leaves my face slightly flushed. And then I exhale with pure pleasure.

Did I mention, I find Shypoke Cabernet Sauvignon somewhat of an erotic wine? I am one lucky man to have discovered this wine; and if I might say I am also one generous man to offer to share it with others!

Residue on a potsherd dating to the time of the first permanent settlements in the Middle East suggests that wine-making began 2,000 years earlier than previously thought. The sherd, ca. 7,000 years old, came from one of six two-and-one-half-gallon jars excavated two decades ago from the kitchen area of a mud-brick building in Hajji Firuz Tepe, a Neolithic village in Iran’s northern Zagros Mountains. Using infrared spectrometry, liquid chromatography, and a wet chemical test, Patrick E. McGovern and a team from the University of Pennsylvania Museum found calcium salt from tartaric acid, which occurs naturally in large amounts only in grapes. Resin from the terebinth tree was also present, presumably used as a preservative, indicating that the wine was deliberately made and did not result from the unintentional fermentation of grape juice.

Analysis of the Hajji Firuz Tepe sherd comes in the wake of two other recent discoveries of early wine-making in this region where grapes grow in the wild. Residue from a jar from Godin Tepe, in the nearby middle Zagros Mountains, was dated to 5,100 years ago, until now the earliest evidence of wine-making. Grape presses dating to the late third millennium B.C. have been found at Titris Höyük in southeastern Turkey.

Cassis Fruit

Tasting wine and describing wine is a daily event in my life. I often remind people that the correct answer as to what a wine tastes like lies within themselves. The delicate sensibility of one’s senses of smell and taste combined with the personal experiences and exposures to flavors and foods will ultimately determine what you taste and smell.

Among my favorite descriptors to throw out and see a person’s reaction to is “barnyard”. Some us grew up on a farm and understand the two polar opposite reactions that can take place with this one. Typically, it is used in the wine world as a clean, fresh straw with light hints of newly tilled earth. However, if your only experience in a barnyard has been mucking stalls in a horse stable… it’s not a pleasant thought.

Then there are rather ubiquitous terms like cassis and leechee nut.  Very few Americans are familiar with those flavors I’ve discovered. Too bad, with the broad international produce at our finger tips, we don’t really have the exposure we should to these elements that are so highly cast upon our palates by the wine world. I’ll try to help a little today.

Cassis is a European Currant, which grows on a bush, bearing Black fruit; basically the flavor of Black Currant, typically considered a cordial liquor.  So, where many softer red wines will have bright red currant flavor, those bigger deeper red wines with black fruits will have cassis or black currant flavors. Think of a new world syrah with heavy jammy blackberry and cassis flavors that will feel expansive in the mouth.

Lychee Fruit

Lychee is more of a white wine flavor, and is often referred to as a lychee  nut when dried, although it is truly a fruit and not a nut at all. This is a fruit that is rather hard to get your head around… Once on your palate, it has a perfume-like essence with a light grape-pear flavor. Ethereal soft fruitiness is my best description of Lychee. Typically, used a descriptor of white wines such as dry torrontes, Rieslings, and gewürztraminers where you have that spritzy, fruit like sensation that you can’t quite put your finger on- that’s lychee!

So, at the end of the day, if you taste fruit loops instead of leechee- it’s all good, it’s youtr palate built by your bank of experiences… the most important principle is to enjoy it and have fun as you continue your jouney!

Ossau Iraty

Ossau Iraty  is a classic sheep’s milk cheese made in the French Pyrénées in two neighboring provinces. Ossau Iraty is made with the milk of the Manech and Basco-Bearnaise ewes. While it complies with strict Appellation d’Origine Controlée regulations, the shape of each wheel can vary from region to region. Ossau is aged for a minimum of ninety days until its paste has turned a luscious ivory; its fragrance is reminiscent of toasted hazelnuts, and its taste encapsulates the sweet, buttery flavors that a great sheep’s milk cheese can deliver. This cheese pairs nicely with mast wines, especially Sauvignon Blancs, or Merlots.

Scotch Eggs

Perfect for picnics, this traditional favorite is given a modern twist here and, while it’s true that your own homemade Scotch eggs may require a little effort, they are so far ahead of anything you can buy. Using quail’s eggs also makes them more child-friendly and more likely to go in the mouth than fall on the ground. The recipe may seem a little complicated but actually it is not – and these will probably be the best Scotch eggs you have tasted. They will keep for several days in the fridge.

12 quail’s eggs

1 pound pork sausage meat

2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon

1 medium egg yolk, beaten

Seasoned plain flour, for coating

1 egg and 4 tbsp milk, whisked together

5 oz panko Japanese breadcrumbs, or stale bread, left out overnight so it blitzes well for breadcrumbs

25 oz sunflower oil, for shallow frying

Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Lower in the quails’ eggs and boil for three minutes. Remove from the boiling water and plunge immediately into cold, running water. When cold, peel carefully and set aside in a bowl of cold water.

In a bowl, combine the sausage meat, tarragon and beaten egg yolk. Season with salt and pepper, mix well and divide into 12 portions. Have ready three plates: on the first one, spread out some seasoned flour, put the egg wash on to the second plate and on the third plate spread out the breadcrumbs. Drain the quail’s eggs and dry them on a towel. Take one portion of sausage meat and flatten it out in the palm of your hand, place a quail’s egg into the center of the sausage meat then wrap the meat around the egg so that it is totally encased. Roll it into a little ball and repeat with the other eggs.

Roll each Scotch egg in the seasoned flour, then dip into the egg wash, shaking off any excess. Finally, roll in breadcrumbs to coat thoroughly and place on to a baking sheet covered with greaseproof paper. Pour enough oil into a medium-sized, heavy-based pan to come no more than one third of the way up the side. Heat the oil to approximately 160C (use a thermometer, or test the temperature by dropping in a small nugget of sausage meat; if it rises immediately to the top and starts to fry, the oil is at the correct temperature). Carefully lower the Scotch eggs into the hot oil and fry until well-colored all over. You may need to do these in batches; if so, make sure the oil comes back up to temperature before frying the next batch.

Remove the cooked eggs with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels, or a cooling rack.

A great appetizer served wither warm, or lightly chilled- room Temperature with a crisp Pinot Grigio or Nero D’avola!

Blauer Zweigelt

Austria is one of the most understated powerhouses of wine in the world. Within Austria, the Strasser Sandgrube is a part of the mighty Wechselberg . This hill rises on the easterly border of the Strasser valley and looks towards the south. The soils are slate, left over from the crystalline of the Bohemian Massif. Thanks to the layout of this location, it receives intensive sunshine all day long. The altitude of the Wechselberg creates a special microclimate, where a gentle breeze cools down the hot summer air in the evening. This temperature variation ensures excellent flavours in the grapes. These conditions are ideally suited to growing Blauer Zweigelt grapes in the vineyards of the Wechselber.

Now that we have a bit of geography and geology under our belts, the grape Blauer Zweigelt under the Allram Label is to be thought over. This is a smooth, soft, and silky red wine milder than many of its bolder cousins from warmer climates. You will find it to be smooth, full and round with aromas of red summer fruits like purple blackberry, blueberry and raspberry. Besides the fresh fruit is a light, delicious earthy undertones – typical Zweigelt – that all these fruits gives extra spine. The aftertaste is long and soft.

Wonderful by itself, this wine pairs gorgeously with a mildly spiced Grouper Grilled over a soft heat topped with a soft poached egg  with a side of peppered potato hash .

Blind date

Blind dates are an anomaly that I’m proud to say I have had the privilege of having friends care enough to set me up on for fear that I would die in solitude without anyone by my side. Or maybe, they just wanted to pawn their failed date-mates off on me. Either way, I choose to think they cared enough to help me open my mind and keep my heart pure by having me do something without prejudice and bias until the “date” came and went.

My favorite was a friend that “just knew” we would hit it off and live happily ever after. I should have listened for muffled laughter as we were talking over the telephone. When this blind date drove up, I was rather impressed by the tiny little sports car that I saw pulling up. I grew concerned when the car door opened and closed and I had yet to see this person. Four feet, nine and a half inches makes for a nice, cute garden gnome, but not really the mate of my dreams. I could hardly converse for fear of explosive laughter in the most inappropriate moments- like when there was an attempt at a goodnight kiss. Guess you surmised that there was no second date; although the follow up phone call with my friend who put me up to that date was rather riotous.

Now, Wines are like that these days. We have so many prejudices and biases for and against various grapes and blends. My favorite tastings are when a sample is poured and I’m asked, “What do you think of that?” No information on the label, grape, blend, wine maker, region, price, or anything else…just a pour and a prompt to try the wine.

I’m rather proud to announce, I have a second date with more wines than I ever did with people. Seems that wines have a better vibe for my personality, or maybe I’m just in love with the adventure of the next great grape that may come my way. Every week, I have the adventure of trying something new without knowing what I’m getting into. Sometimes I fall in love, sometimes I can’t stop laughing that they thought I could fall in love with what was in the bottle. But my odds continue to be better with grapes than people!

So, close your eyes and blind yourself to your prejudices of the wine world and try something new. While it may come up short, it may also start a lifelong love affair that you would never have had before.

Cheddar

The most widely purchased and eaten cheese in the world. Cheddar cheeses were originally made in England, however today they are manufactured in many countries all over the world. Fully cured Cheddar is a hard, natural cheese. It is shaped like a drum, 15 inches in diameter, with natural rind bound in cloth. Normally, the color of Cheddar ranges from white to pale yellow. Some Cheddars, however, have a color added, giving the cheese a yellow-orange color. Cheddar is always made from cow’s milk and has a slightly crumbly texture if properly cured. If the cheese is too young, the texture is smooth. Cheddar gets a sharper taste the longer it matures. It is generally matured between 9 and 24 months. The important thing in purchasing Cheddar, is to consider the age of the cheese. Milk is heated to 86 degrees F and inoculated with a lactic starter culture. After an hour rennet is added. When the curd is firm, it is ground down to marble-sized bits which are heated to 100 degrees F. The whey is discarded and it is sliced into slabs. The curd is pressed overnight and stands for 4 days in a cool atmosphere. Unlike other well known cheeses, Cheddar’s name is not protected so it has been used and abused by many producers around the world.

What not to say

When you’re describing wine, cheese, and other foods you use terms and descriptors that you can relate to and hopefully other people can relate to. We refer to the color, hue, clarity, aroma, bouquet, and talk about the flavors as they cross the palate of the tongue. We speak of lingering aftertastes and spices along with a description of sensations and sensory overload for many people.

Now, when working with new staff, or relatively new people to the wine and cheese world, there are a few things we try to avoid. We never call anything an odor. We try to find something more appealing in our base of experiences to relate to… although I find different reactions to something like barnyard aromas. I think of barnyard aromas and I think of fresh straw and fresh earthy sensations; my neighbor thinks of mucking horse stalls. I have to remember to go into the details of what brings a broad description together so more people can relate to it.

Today, I leave you with the image on this post from a cheese shop as to how we never want to describe a cheese, nor a wine, nor any other food stuff to go into our mouth. Sometimes, it’s best to see what not to do rather than what to do. Have a nice chuckle and then go get a glass of nice wine and smile the rest of the day!

Valdiguie

Valdiguie is another of those esoteric grapes that has large berries and typically goes through fermentation without crushing the grapes. This produces a fruit driven, lighter style of wine which is fairly low in tannic acid. Typically grown in cooler, wind driven climates valdiguie typically has lower sugar content and bright acidity allowing for brilliant fruit driven flavors to explode on the palate.

Among my favorite valdiguie wines is that produced by J. Lohr Winery. This is a wine that I go to anytime I have “that couple” composed by the white wine drinker and the red wine drinker who want to share a special bottle of wine- and the red wine drinker has grown weary of sharing white wines. With a lower tannic structure in valdiguie wines, it lacks that “pucker factor” that disillusions the white wine lover and has enough bright acidity to pair with food and be enjoyed by the red wine lover.

Valdiguie

Steve Peck, the wine maker for this wine describes it as follows: This wine is vibrant and red-purple in color with bright aromas of boysenberry, Bing cherry, raspberry and pomegranate. The fruit complexion on the palate is equally bright, dominated by pomegranate and raspberry. Drink your last bottle just in time for the release of the new vintage! Serve chilled.

And I can’t agree make a better description than that – So, let’s pour a glass of the Windflower Valdiguie from J. Lohr Winery and raise our glasses to celebrate the things that make us, and our wines, unique.