Dirty South Wine

Macedonia is for Stallions!: Dirty Gets Down with Vranec!

(I apologize for the iPhone Shots!)

What comes to mind when you hear Macedonia?  The three "H's"???  History? Helmets? Handball? 

Well now it shall be VRANEC!!!  (pronounced Vranetz)  The Black Stallion of Macedonia!

I recently tasted through some Macedonian wines in the office of Two Friends Imports .  Seeing that I know nothing about Macedonian wine, I opted to sit, sip, and chat vs. just grabbing some samples.

We tasted wines from Bovin, who was described to me as similar to the "Mondavi of Macedonia."  (High quality, large scale, but still using old world methods).

3 stood out for me.

2008 Bovin Symphony-  An interesting mix of Chardonnay, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc. 
More Riesling on the nose, but a full bodied, and pleasantly acidic wine, with a touch of residual sugar.  I want to try this as an alternate wine on Szechuan forays to see how it stands up with a little heat.  Curious juice.

2006 Bovin Alexandar-  Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Vranec blend.  Deep purple, a little graphite, dark fruit, and a touch of floral.  Full bodied, a little tart, and medium, but soft tannins.  Pleasurable, and interesting from the addition of Vranec.  It reminded me a bit of a Malbec / Cab Blend.

2007 Bovin Vranec  (Insert wild horse sounds here)
Black- like new world Petite Syrah.  The color almost frightened me.  But on the nose-  Like a cross between Gamay and Malbec- Floral, Cherry, Chocolate.  Medium bodied, not as delicate as Gamay, but not quite as velvety as Malbec (though a hint)... soft+ to medium- tannins, and easy drinking.  Delivers pleasure.  Cool stuff.

These were fairly old world in style, but more refined than rustic.  For myself, I'd pick up the Vranec for nights by the grill, and if the price was right, I would happily order the Symphony, Chard and Vranec by the glass.  Solid interesting stuff.

**The wine samples poured for me at no charge.  I did feel my inner catfish, when I accepted the remains of the open Vranec to take home (justified to myself in the name of science). 

"Loss Cat" Loves When I Catfish!

Muscadet Gonna Rawk You! And Vintage Humour for Vintage Drinkers

2007 Domaine de la Fruitière Sur Lie Cuvée Petit M 
(France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et Maine) Melon de Bourgogne variety.  $10.99Ansley Wine Merchants, or find online via Snooth.  Jon David Headrick Selections

Lemongrass yellow-  A solid and wide nose of cantaloupe, rock (to be known for evermore as rawk!), and grassy grizzly, (oohhhh my grassy grizzly!!!!!)  Medium bodied, solid acidity and bone dry.  A medium, declawed, albino, sabertooth-tiger styled finish....

I have bought this wine for the past three vintages, and it is a staple in my Spring and Summer stacks.  It is good, value-priced, picnic (because we are culture of picnics) / grillin' out, open anytime you want type of wine.  I've also seen the price creep from about $8 to $11+.  It is still a good deal, but has gone from "steal" to "worth the price"

(Instead of looking for and trying to remember / pronounce the Domaine de la Fruitière Sur Lie Cuvée Petit M--  You can ask your merchant for the "Petit M" Muscadet)

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I received a media-copy of Malcolm Kushner's "Vintage Humor for Wine Lovers" book.  With about three hours to kill yesterday, away from internets, I read through the book.  It is heavy on "nyuck, nyuck" and clever wit, and humorous quotes regarding wine and intoxication.

This was a good read that helped pass the time. It would make a nice gift book for the vintage wine lover.

But while reading through the quotes, I thought one thing-  has anyone under 70 said anything funny about wine in the last 10 years?  (This not a knock on the book, but a knock on the younger generation being funny with wine.... )

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and Fo- Yo- Retro-Flo Enjo(y)ment...

B3: Beaujolais, Bacon, Bourgueil

The other night, I got together with Rowdy for a late night drink and think.

I broke my rule of "never bring one" (bottle), and like a total jackass, I brought a flawed Beaujolais Blanc with no back-up.  Instead we rummaged through Rowdy's stacks and picked these two.  An 07 Beaujolais (not Villages, not Cru, just straight up Boo-Juice) and a young 06 Bourgueil.

I drink a fair amount of Beaujolais, but always stick to crippy Cru-Boos in fear that the straight up B's are going to deliver nothing but thin candy, acid, and bitter tang...

Seeing this in the stacks, I saw it was a Kermit Lynch import and was curious to try it.

2007 Domaine Dupeuble Pere et Fils Beaujolais
(France, Burgundy, Beaujolias) Gamay variety. Bought in TN. $11-$14 online at Snooth
Light cherry colored, thin, but then a seriously majestic nose of rose, spice, and strawberry.  Light+ bodied, and a little cranberry, solid acids, low tannin, and a medium- acidic finish.

The nose is the show-stopper here.  Seriously beautiful without being a hodge-podge of laffy-taffy and circus peanuts.  The palate and finish is fairly simple, but this wine delivers serious pleasure for the price.  I would buy a bunch for everyday drinkers and almost like a good rosé, this would pair well with almost anything.

2006 Yannick Amirault Bourgueil Les Quartiers
(France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Bourgueil) Cabernet Franc variety.  About $30.
Medium red, and a full nose of big pepper (green and black), big rock, not fully ripe berry, and herbs.  A super-tight, wide palate, that fills the mouth with good acidity and medium+ tannins.  Long tannic finish.

This will be a beautiful wine- I'd just give it another year or so before approaching my next one.  (or try a mega-decant).

Paired with these wines-- BACON Sandwiches!!  Crazy good stuff-  Bacon, kale, spinach, apple, sage, and a little Gruyere....  Man.  Perfect late night snack.

So Long to Drink on $30 and Eat on $30! Break out the Beluga, Bubbles and Blowfish!

Final entry on Drink on $30 -- Eat on $30.

The food part of this wasn't a lot of fun.  Though I enjoyed the challenge, I often didn't take the prep time, or the right strategy to really make this truly enjoyable.  Friday night's dinner was a prime example.

-Side Strip / End / Butt  / Round- Tough A@*! Steak with Brussels sprouts, Mushrooms, Peppers and Celery.  Paired with "Wrongo Dongo".  Yep, something called "WRONGO DONGO"

Though I could have bought some much better cuts of meat, this untanned hide was the cheapest thing on the shelf-  Coming in somewhere under $3.75 lb.   

 

FUD:
This meal was pretty self explanatory-
1/2 Lb of tough love (beef)
1lb of Brussel Sprouts
1 Orange Pepper
1/2 Container Mushrooms (left over from previous meal)
Remnants of Celery
Garlic,  Herbs, S&P
Brown Rice.
(Total Cost-- $6.00 w/ 2 meals from it)

The Brussels sprouts actually turned out great.  Tossed in oil, salt and pep, a little garlic, and thrown in a 450F oven for about half an hour.  The peppers, mushrooms and celery just quickly stir fried, and then the beef.  My issue with the meat was that I should have really cooked this slow, let it break down and attempt tenderness.  Short on time, I dropped it in a pan, cooked it just under medium rare, and it was tough as a turtle's leg and have the flavor of an old Birkenstock.

Wine:
2006 Bodegas Juan Gil  "Wrongo Dongo"
(Spain, Murcia, Jumilla) Monastrell variety.  $7.99 at Ansley Wine Merchants or elsewhere in the US via Snooth. Jorge Ordoñez Selections

Cherry red with medium depth.  Aromas of mixed berry, some smoked meat, and a little dusty.  Medium+ bodied, with some pretty jammy/stewy fruit (is there such thing as plum pie?), nice acidity,, medium tannins, and a decent finish.

For under $8, this is a solid red.  It has some depth, is not totally in your face, and is very food friendly.  Another interesting bottle that I'd be happy to have as inexpensive BBQ / Burger / Pizza juice.

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Looking back on the week's wines--  The most expensive was the South African Rose at $9.99 and the two Protocolo's were $5.99 each.  Not that I'm always loadin' and unloadin'' off with bottles of Krug, but the sub- $10 price point is relatively uncharted water for me.

ALL of the wines were very drinkable, and I thank Amber at Ansley Wine Merchants for putting these bottles together for me! 

When I think about these bottles and what separates them from what I usually pay up for (even in the value category)-- a sense of something artisanal.  (As much as I hate to use that word.)  Though they had character, it was often on the surface, or just below. BUT- for $6 you can find a bottle of wine that is the price of a six pack and use it to enhance your meal and the time you spend with friends. 

Though I'll be happy to shift gears a little more up-market next week, the wine part of this was an enjoyable, and much needed exercise.

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Totals-
Wine:  $30*on the nose
Food:  $44* (this included some cheating.  $6 at Willy's, $12 at Chat Patti, $3.50 at Octane Coffee)

For $30, I consumed 4 bottles.  Which is 1-2 more than I open in a week.

Food was tough.  I got really tired of leftovers, and needed a little variety and to get out of the house.  Though difficult, it made me spend more time looking at what I bought.  What was on sale, what was on special, what did I have coupons for, and that what was leftover had to be eaten.

Spanish Wine and Chicken Thighs! Drink on $30 day 4. #drinkon30

Half Bottles and Leftovers Piling UP!

With Tues. being a day for plowing through leftovers (food and wine), I was back in the kitchen on Wed.  improvising mayhem.  I'd never say that I'm a great cook (or even a good one), but I am very capable of following recipes.  This week has been the total flipside-- almost all shoot from the hip...  This one actually worked.

Greek Chicken Thighs with Roasted Veggies, Mint Rice, and Mushrooms in Rosé sauce-
Chicken Thighs (On Sale)
2 Carrots, 2 Stalks of Celery,
1/2 pack button Mushrooms
Brown Rice
Mint, Feta, Green Onion

I marinated the thighs in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, mint and oregano for about 90min (should have been 2-3x as long)  Browned the thighs in a pan, and then baked for 45 min with the carrots and celery. 

Rice and Peas came out of the latest Cook's Illustrated.

My mushrooms, were cooked in a Rosé wine pan sauce (from leftover Rosé) and I used some mushrooms that were starting to look a little sad.

Total:  Per meal, just under $2.25 (will make 3 meals w/ 2 Chicken thighs per meal)

Wine.

2007 Dominio de Eguren Vino de la Tierra de Castilla Protocolo Blanco
(Spain, Castilla-La Mancha, Vino de la Tierra de Castilla)  Airen and Macabeo blend.  $5.99 at Ansley Wine Merchants .  Jorge Ordoñez Selections

Yellow straw-  Aromas of mixed tropical fruit-  crisp apple, banana and a little rock.  Medium bodied, citrus, good acids, and a medium acidic finish. 

Not hugely complex, but for under $6....  This is pretty dang good.  This would make a solid, crisp, house white for the Spring / Summer.  Case price about $70...  That's a pretty sweet deal.

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Toast and cereal have been my breakfasts, and leftovers lunches and dinners.  This is a good exercise, but it is definitely challenging.

Weekly Totals:
Food:  $15.80 (12 meals total-- including 1 coffee at Octane)
Wine:  $22.00 (with 1 half bottles of Protocolo Blanco, and 1 glass left of Rose)

Leftover chicken thighs for lunch and dinner tonight.

Drinking on $30 (For the Week)- Cutting Back Doesn't Mean Cutting Out.

Last week, a number of food bloggers participated in an event to Eat On $30 for the entire week.  This was an opportunity for them to bring attention to the challenges of those who receive assistance from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (formerly referred to as the Food Stamp program.)  For most participants, this was a huge challenge and an exercise in planning, conservation, and doing without a lot of their normal daily luxuries.

As I read their posts, progress, and setbacks-  I started thinking about how I could do a similar activity with wine.  In reality, there is NO comparison-  No matter what we think, Wine is not vital to our survival and even at its most basic state-  it is a luxury product.  So I thought, why not attempt to Eat on $30 (or at least in the same vein), and to also try and Drink On $30 of quality wine for the week.  Different from the EAT on $30 crew, I wanted to show that while many of us are cutting back in all areas, it is still possible to drink fairly well on what many of us would sometimes spend on a single bottle.  Is my idea half-baked?  You Betcha'!

Helping me on the wines, was the f-f-fabulous Ms. Amber from Ansley Wine Merchants.  I asked her to select 4 bottles that would total for $30 or less.  I used the 4 bottle thought of 1/2 a bottle per night (which is actually more than I consume- but this is for SCIENCE!)  YES-- this could be done easily with 2 Dollar Squalor (aka 2 Bill Swill, 2 Buck Chuck), or magnums of Yellowtail, but I wanted to find bottles that still delivered quality.

Night 1: 
Rice and Beans with Protocolo Tinto.

Rice & Beans
1 Cup Brown Rice
1lb Pinto Beans (dried)
1/2 Onion, 1/3 Red Pepper, 1/2 Habanero, 1 Carrot, 1 Celery Stalk, 2 cloves Garlic
1/2 Can Veg Broth
Olive Oil, S&P, Spices.
(Approximate total- $2.25.  This should make 3 meals)

Wine:
2007 Dominio de Eguren Vino de la Tierra de Castilla Protocolo
(Spain, Castilla-La Mancha, Vino de la Tierra de Castilla)  Bobal and Tempranillo blend.  $5.99 at Ansley Wine Merchants .  Importer:  Jorge Ordoñez Selections

Deep red, and bright aromas of fruit punch (mixed berry), a lttle vanilla, and almost a like aged balsamic on strawberries.  Medium+ bodied, and tart, juicy, red fruit on the palate.  Medium+ tannins, and a medium length finish.

Price aside, this is pretty good-  But for $6, it is VERY good--  It would be a great wine for parties, a BBQ, sitting down with a simple meal, or that special bottle you bring out for your friends the Guzzlers.

The rice and beans were far from my best effort.  Normally, I would have used a whole onion, a full can of broth, and double the celery.  I did dig in the fridge and sliced off some bits of rotisserie chicken to add a little more flavor (FYI- Publix Chipotle Mole chicken tastes disturbingly like hot dogs)...

This dish worked ok with the wine-  The bites with chicken played much better, and I think if I used chicken stock instead of veggie, it would have been more satisfying.  (The dish with the wine was far better than the dish alone!)

I Vacu-vin'd the the rest of the Protocolo and stuck it in the fridge. (Keeping red in the fridge will help preserve an open bottle longer.  Just take it out when you get home from work.)

Note:  As mentioned, I will try my best to keep in the limits, but I do have a couple of meetings that require some food or beverage this week.  And in support of my local restaurants, I'm going out at least once.

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Atlanta (like the rest of the E. Coast) got some late winter snow.  Here is Lady Dirty sledding in Piedmont Park on a pizza tin.

Sledding in Atlanta on 12seconds.tv

Bacon Popcorn and High Life Chasers: Trying to Make a 15% Shiraz Work

Woop Woop.  I tried not to hate on this wine before tasting it, but it was hard.  The goofy-ass name, the 15% Alc, and the love to hate relationship I have with bombastic Aussie Shiraz...

I popped the Zork (A unique alternative closure that I kind of like)... and cautiously poured a glass....

2007 Woop Woop Shiraz
(Australia) Syrah Variety.  About $11.  Haunting shelves all over the US.

More garnet than purple-  a revolting nose of burnt cigarettes, a dirty ashtray, alcohol, and artificial fruit syrup.  I can't escape the burnt cigs....  On the palate, full bodied, red licorice, more ciggies, some rock, and a long menacing finish.

I spit the wine, and grabbed a High Life to chase it to try and slaughter the finish...

Not content to accept defeat-  I ran this wine through the "Vitilator" to see if some aeration would help.

Remarkable difference.

The dirty ashtray smell fell back and the wine showed more intense fruit, and some rock.  Still, too big and fruity for me, but just no longer 100% nauseating. 

Again- still determined to make this work, I thought of a quick pairing--  I threw some popcorn in the microwave, and then liberally applied Bacon Salt and black pepper....  The combo worked pretty well.  Smokey flavors pairied well with the big fruit, and even seemed to hide the Alcohol.  I'd be content to have a glass of this and the popcorn while watching reruns of American Gladiators...

Beaujolais Blanc, Bat Boy, and a Whole Lotta Beans...

Bat Boy was misunderstood.  In his years of torment, continuous capture, and frequent escapes, Bat Boy accomplished more than most could dream of.  He joined the marines, was engaged to Hillary Clinton, found Saddam Hussein in the spider hole, and was eventually knighted by H.M. Queen Elizabeth II.

Like the poor Bat Boy, Beaujolais is also misunderstood...  Often slammed as a thin mix of grape and banana candy plonk, some of the most stunning reds I've ever had have been from Beaujolais.  With only about 1% of Beaujolais planted to whites (mostly Aligoté and Chardonnay) finding a Beaujolais Blanc can be like finding the Bat Boy himself...  It has actually been said, "you don't find him-- he finds you..."

2006 Dominique Cornin Beaujolais Blanc (biodynamic)
(France, Burgundy, Beaujolais) Chardonnay.  Approx $14.99 at Ansley Wine Merchants.  Imported by Martine's Wines
--Light yellow.  An alert nose of pink lemonade, thyme, and basil.  Full Bodied, pure, bright, and slightly tingly on the tongue.  A long steel and mineral finish.

--This is good...  Bat Boy leading cops on a 3 state chase good!  Not ridiculously complex-- Just fruits, herbs, minerals and flavor!  (No oak and biodynamic)

I paired this wine with just a bowl of Ranch Gordo heirloom beans (cooked with mirepoix, a splash of vinegar, and a touch of salt).  Very simple, earthy, rich, and really satisfying.

Muskateller, Taxes, And The Mothership Connection!

(When the Sea Monkey Surfaces, You Better Listen Up Suckers!)

For many of us, our spending habits have radically changed.  If the items we want are not on sale, special, or marked-down, we don't even consider purchasing.  We've become predatory spenders-  picking at the omnipresent and growing carcasses of retailers, restaurants, and small businesses.  (Wow- That's an uplifting image!)

While tearing up the grocery store this weekend (coupons in hand), I came across Darting Muskateller on close-out.  Marked down from $19.99 to $9.99.  Being Sat. PM (Georgia doesn't allow Sun. alcohol sales) I bought one to try with the intent of cleaning house Mon. AM if the bottle was sound.

I opened up the bottle with a posse of fellow bloggers (Running with Tweezers, Eat It, Atlanta, with cameos by Smylie and Rowdy), and some friends at Dynamic Dish--  I found it stunning.  Pure, filled with joy, tasty, and thought provoking.  We opened some great bottles, but this left the biggest impression on me.

Perhaps the experience skewed by revelry, incredible food, and good friends?

I went back, and bought a few more bottles (there is still more as of time of posting).  This time, I opened a bottle with a sandwich while doing the exact opposite of reveling in the joys of friendship-- Doing my taxes.

I arranged a decadent meal of store bought, deli-sliced buffalo chicken, supermarket bread, hummus, and Swiss.  Sitting at my table with stacks papers, receipts, and their charming company-  I worked through my sandwich, and sipped the juice....

We Are Not Alone!!!!!!!

F@#!*!**!@%&*  Dang!  This was good.  The pairing slapped me silly.  I wanted to devour stacks of sandwiches, fill my tub with Muskateller, and make loud Chewbacca moans in hopes of contacting the mothership!  Easily the best experience I've ever had while doing taxes.

2005 Kurt Darting Durkheimer Muskateller Kabinett Trocken
(Pfalz, Germany) Muscat varietal.  $9.99 at Ansley Kroger.  Or search the web at Snooth.com

Straw yellow.  Heady ORANGE BLOSSOM, with gravel road.  Medium bodied, dry, and packed with big minerals, pineapple and acids, almost to the point of effervescence.  A long finish loaded with pineapple and rock.

Not a radically complex wine, but one that way over-delivers in the joy department.  If you can't get this for $9.99, I think this is still a buy in the $15 range. 

(For a domestic Muscat, this is one of the best dry Muscat wines that I've come across.  James David Cellars Muscat Blanc)

Speaking of the Mothership...

The ATL Sky Is Falling, $10 Wine, Truffled Popcorn, and Shibusa Shirazu

It was a wild afternoon-  I was nearly brained yesterday...  An object fell from an ATL crane and shattered my rear windshield while driving down a Midtown street.

 

Brains still intact, It was time for wine and popcorn...

2007 Tilia Malbec Syrah
(Argentina, Mendoza) Under $10 Ansley Wine Merchants, 13.5% alcohol

Deep cherry color.  Cherry, violet, and plum on the nose.  Medium bodied, juicy, acidic.  (Not plush or velvety).  Low tannin, and a medium+, earthy and cherry finish.

This wine has me a bit mixed up.  Blind, I might think this is new world Pinot Noir, or older Gamay.  It is a little upfront, but not like huffing melting gummi bears.  The oak is minimal and that gives the wine a bit of "purity" that to some, may be unsettling at first.  This wine could use some air, but it is ready to roll.  This wine is the opposite of most sub $10 Malbec blends I've had.  I'm intrigued, and will buy another.

With Lady Dirty out of town, I put on my slippers, whooped up some popcorn with white truffle oil and black pepper,  turned on 24, kicked back, and watched my stories....

After a day of my life flashing before eyes (not really), I came to believe that in 2009, I'm searching for wine's equivalent of Shibusa Shirazu (thanks Greg!) FTW!!!!!!!!!