Tag Archives: merlot

Entrecote a la Bordelaise Bordeaux Pairing Recipe

Posted on by

Entrecote Bordelaise is a classic French meat dish that marries well with a good bottle of Marquis de Lalande, Bordeaux Rouge.  Serve with sautéd potatoes or fries and green beans.

french-steakINGREDIENTS:
• 2  New York Sirloin cut steaks
• 7  tablespoons of butter
•  2 shallots, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup of red wine
• 1 cup of beef stock
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• salt / black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Season the steaks with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat the pan to smoking point and add half the butter. Place the steak in the pan and brown it on both sides – give it about two to three minutes on each side to sear it first, and then let the meat cook through to your taste. Prepare both steaks in this way and then set them aside.

In the same pan, (drain excess butter if needed), cook the shallots. Put them in the pan and stir from time to time until they are soft and starting to turn golden.   When the shallots are done, add the red wine to the pan and give it a good stir to deglaze the pan.

Now, add the beef stock to the pan and stir until everything is blended. Let it to simmer for 5 minutes or until reduced.  Cut the remaining butter into small pieces and add them to the sauce one at a time, mixing so that they melt into the mixture: this will give the sauce a rich flavor and give it an appetizing glossy finish.

Cut the meat across the grain into thick slices and arrange them on a plate.  Add some chopped parsley to the sauce, and then pour little of the sauce over each steak.  Serve the rest of the sauce in a gravy boat.   Serve with sautéd potatoes, fries and some green beans. Recipe courtesy of Food.com

Marquis-de-Lalande-Bordeaux-RougeMarquis de Lalande
Bordeaux
Bordeaux, France

Armand Lalande, great economist, member of the Medoc and Consulate of Austria-Hungary, founded the house wine trade “A.LALANDE & CIE” in 1840.  As one of the jewels of Bordeaux located in the historic district Chartrons, House A. Lalande & Co. specializes in the breeding and trading of Bordeaux wines worldwide. This Bordeaux rouge is made from select Merlot grapes; a blend of young wines providing fruit and richness, and older wines accounting for depth, complexity, and a beautiful structure. After bottling, the blend is cellared for several months in order to achieve a fine balance.  Beautiful, brilliant, rich, cherry-red color, that already displays slight bricking on the rim. Starts out full-bodied and rich on the palate, going on to reveal an elegant tannic structure and spicy red fruit flavors.

DougFrost“This vintage in Bordeaux is a newbie and the best examples show black cherry fruits allied with minty, savory notes; combining fruit and herbs to create classic Bordeaux complexity.” – Doug Frost, Master Sommelier and Master of Wine

Appellation: Bordeaux Controlee, France
Varietal Blend:  100% Merlot
Analysis: 12.5% alc/vol

Stuffed Tomatoes Pairing Recipe

Posted on by

INGREDIENTS:
• 4 ripe beefsteak tomatoes (or zucchini, red peppers, potatoes)
•  1 pound ground beef
•  1/2 cup bread crumbs
•  1 yellow onion
•  1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
•  1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
•  1/4 cup olive oil
•  1/3 cup Gruyere
•  Sea salt
•  Pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400° F.  Cut the tops off of each tomato and reserve the top. It will become a little hat, or as the French say, le chapeau.  Using a spoon, remove the seeds and scoop out the innards being careful not to pierce through the tomato flesh. Sprinkle tomatoes with sea salt and turn them upside down so that the excess water drains out.
With the exception of the olive oil, mix together all the other ingredients by hand until combined.  Place the stuffing in each tomato, sprinkle with Gruyere, and cover with the cut tomato top. Drizzle a little extra olive oil on top, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.   Bake uncovered for 40 minutes, then allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.  Serve with a side dish of rice or mushroom risotto.  Recipe compliments of Château Rouchereau.

Rocher-LideyreChateau Lideyre
Cotes de Castillon
Bordeaux, France

Merlot is the main grape variety in the hillside vineyards located next to the Saint-Emilion appellation. This is blended with the other great Bordeaux grape variety, Cabernet Franc.  Philippe Bardet comes from a long line of wine growers and has been applying an environmentally-friendly approach with just the right technological balance in his vineyards for over fifteen years.  Bardet is always among the last to pick his grapes, which are entirely hand-sorted. Automated temperature fermentation control systems make it possible to keep the wines on the skins for a long time while maintaining perfect control of extraction.  Depending on the wine’s age, it goes perfectly well with grilled meats, duck and lamb chops, as well as roast chicken and medium-strong cheeses.

winemaker-eric-marin“Intense garnet-red color with crimson highlights and a full-bodied, subtle bouquet featuring berry fruit, very ripe black currants and violets.  The  after taste follows through with aromas of toast and spice.” – Eric Marin, winemaker

Winemaker: Eric Marin
Appellation: Cotes de Castillon Controlee, France
Varietal Blend:  87% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc
Analysis: 13.6% alc/vol
Aging: 75% American Oak, 25% French Oak, aged 14 month

Grgich Hills Winery Spotlight Tasting Event

Posted on by

November Tasting Event

>> RSVP at your local WineStyles <<

Mike_cheersThe Story of Grgich Hills Estate

Miljenko “Mike” Grgich first gained international recognition at the celebrated “Paris Tasting” of 1976. Then, in a now-historic blind tasting, a panel of eminent French judges swirled, sniffed, and sipped an array of the fabled white Burgundies of France and a small sampling of upstart Chardonnays from the Napa Valley. When their scores were tallied, the French judges were shocked: they had chosen the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, crafted by Mike Grgich,  as the finest white wine in the world. Mon Dieu! The results stunned the international wine establishment and immediately earned Mike a reputation as one of the greatest winemakers in the world.

The Paris Tasting served notice to the world that the California wine industry was on the move, and it laid the groundwork for the creation of Grgich Hills Cellar. After his victory in Paris, Mike sat down with Austin Hills and his sister, Mary Lee Strebl, from the Hills Bros. Coffee family, and on Independence Day 1977, they gave birth to Grgich Hills.  With his fierce commitment to making wines of the highest quality, Mike began producing what immediately became signature wines: the exquisite, richly complex Chardonnays that win awards and delight wine lovers across America and throughout the world.

Now 91 years old and still sporting his signature blue beret, Mike was inducted into the Vintners Hall of Fame in 2008 in honor of his many contributions to the wine industry. While many other Napa wineries pursue strategies of expansion, Mike, along with his daughter, Violet, and his nephew, Ivo Jeramaz, prefer to stay small. Their aim, year after year, is to improve the quality of their grgich-wine-bottlevineyards and their wines, relying on Mike’s unique artistic and intuitive touch. This strategy continues to pay significant dividends.

Committed to natural winegrowing and sustainability, they farm five estate vineyards without artificial fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides, rely on wild yeast fermentation and use our passion and the art of winemaking to handcraft food-friendly, balanced and elegant wines.  In keeping with Grgich’s goal of sustainability, the winery switched to solar power in 2006. As Mike often says, “From our vineyard to your glass, naturally!”

Grgich Hills remains committed to making distinctive wines with quality, consistency and longevity.  World leaders such as Presidents Reagan and Clinton, Queen Elizabeth II and French President François Mitterrand chose Grgrich wines to serve at state dinners.  More importantly,  Grgich is equally proud that every single day discriminating wine drinkers count on Grgich Hills to turn their own dinners into special occasions.

Grgich-hills-winesFEATURED GRGICH HILLS WINES AT TASTING EVENT:

Chardonnay
Fume
Zinfandel
Merlot
Cabernet

LIMITED SEATING
Contact your local WineStyles to RSVP!

 

 

Gold rated wine paired with Grilled Filet Mignon

Posted on by

WC_Oct_2014_MrRiggs

 

filet-mignonGRILLED FILET MIGNON WITH GORGONZOLA BUTTER

INGREDIENTS:
•  4 filet mignons, each 1-1/2 inches thick
• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 1 to 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 4 tablespoons Gorgonzola butter

GORGONZOLA BUTTER:
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground fresh black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

DIRECTIONS GORGONZOLA BUTTER:
Using a hand-held mixer or a mini food processor, blend the butter and Gorgonzola until smooth. Add the scallions, pepper, and vinegar and blend for about 1 minute longer until fully incorporated. Alternatively, mix the ingredients by hand.

Lay a piece of plastic wrap on the counter top. Scrape the butter onto the plastic and, using the plastic wrap as a guide, form the butter into a log. Fold the ends closed and refrigerate until ready to use.

DIRECTIONS GRILLED FILET MIGNON:
First of all, rub the steaks with olive oil and pepper. Set aside for 20 to 30 minutes until ready to grill. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill. Lightly spray the grill rack with vegetable oil cooking spray. The coals should be moderately hot to hot.

Rub the salt into both sides of the steaks. Grill for 5 to 6 minutes on each side for rare meat or for 6-7 minutes for medium-rare meat. Brush a little more olive oil on the steaks after they are turned. Place a pat of the compound butter on top of each filet mignon as soon as it comes off the grill so that the butter begins to melt on top of the meat. Let the meat rest for a few minutes before serving.

Mr-Riggs---2012-Three-Corner-JackBold_stickerMr.Riggs
Three Corner Jack
Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot
McLaren Vale, Australia

DougFrost“If there is one simple attribute that Australian red wines are supposed to embody it’s “jam”: an intense and nearly confectionary kind of fruitiness that makes you just want to grin and drink more. One of the country’s top winemakers, Ben Riggs, has tossed Cabernet, Shiraz and Merlot together for this fun brew, but he has always been adept at crafting rich and exuberant reds.” – GOLD RATING

Winemaker: Ben Riggs
Appellation: McLaren, Vale, Australia
Varietal Blend:  40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Shiraz, 20% Merlot
Analysis: 14.5% alc/vol
Critical Acclaim: GOLD rating – Doug Frost, Master Sommelier and Master of Wine
“Best New Wines” from Australia – Josh Raynolds – IWC 2013; 90 points 2011 vintage

Piebald Gully vineyard 1In South Australia, where the beloved McLaren Vale region is located, ‘Three Corner Jack’ is the name given to a three-spiked prickle which sticks to you and is hard to ignore! Perfect name for a wine that combines three of McLaren Vale’s finest grape varieties from three of their very best vineyards.  A tried and tested area for growing full-flavored Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, McLaren Vale has almost the perfect climate for grape growing: warm summers, low humidity, good winter rain and long autumns to ensure that grapes achieve ripeness, flavor, acid and balance.

 

Cambridge Meritage Pairing Recipe

Posted on by

Cheese & Tomato Gallette

INGREDIENTS:CheeseandTomatoGallette

• 1 pack Chevre goat cheese
• 6 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 square (9×9 inch) frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1 large tomato, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 3/4 teaspoon lemon pepper

DIRECTIONS:

In a food processor, combine together cheese, cream, and butter. Place puff pastry on floured surface, cut off corners to form a circle. Roll out dough into a 12-inch circle. Spread cheese mixture leaving a 2-inch border of pastry around the edge.  Lay tomato over cheese, sprinkle with thyme and Lemon Pepper. Fold dough edge over toppings, crimping edge to form circular shape. Bake in preheated 375°F oven until pastry is lightly browned, about 35 to 40 minutes. Serve warm, sliced in wedges.

AWD_Cam_Meritage_smallCambridge
Meritage
Napa Valley, CA

Bold_sticker“Hints of juicy candied cherry, scraped vanilla bean pod and black raspberry on the nose. A blend of American and French oak adds spicy notes while raspberry, chocolate and pomegranate splash across the palate. ” – Douglas Danielak, winemaker.

Winemaker: Douglas Danielak
Appellation: Napa Valley, CA
Varietal Blend:  87% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon
Analysis: 13.8% alc/vol

Delicious Summer Trifle

Posted on by

Summer_trifle

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 large angel food cake, cut in cubes
  • 1 small package instant vanilla pudding
  • 8 oz sour cream
  • 10 oz frozen whipped topping
  • 1 pint fresh strawberries
  • 1 pint fresh blueberries
  • 2 bananas, peeled and sliced
  • 2 kiwis, peeled and sliced
  • 1 peach, peeled and sliced
  • 8 oz can crushed pineapple, drained

DIRECTIONS:
In a large glass bowl, place 1/2 of the cake cubes. Add half of the strawberries, blueberries, bananas, kiwis, peaches and pineapple. Cover with half of the whipped topping mixture.  Add a second layer in the same order.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.   Garnish with fruit from recipe or use mint leaves or edible flowers.  Makes 16 servings, 30 minutes prep time.

AveryLane-Merlot

PAIRING SUGGESTION:

AVERY LANE MERLOT
MELLOW STYLE

Bright aromatics of black raspberry, clove and nutmeg swirl in the glass.  The soft, juicy and plush palate presents interwoven layers of dark fruit.  This easy to drink Merlot leaves you with a hint of star anise on the finish.

Appellation: Columbia Valley, Washington
Vineyards: Canyon Vineyard Ranch, Oasis, Canoe Ridge
Varietal: 100% Merlot
Analysis: 13% alc/vol, 3.61 pH, 0.62 TA