2 posts tagged “wine & food pairing”

What better reason to start making one's own. Euro/£ currency appreciation and the local supplier had run out of stock. Gorgeous French pate.

IMG_0571

Shoulder, belly and pork livers were minced and seasoned with onions and parsley. Wine to marinate. Lots of herbs and spices.  Vacuum-packed into the water bath for 5hours at 70^oc.

Drain off fluids. Vacuum- packed. Refrigerate. Place a weight on top.

Leave for a few days.

Et voila.  

Serve chilled, with bread, wine and great company.

Finally I got to Orrery's wine tasting. It was held at L'Epicerie, and not in the main restaurant. Pity. With 30+ persons (excluding our wine host, 3 waiting persons, another wine expert with a distinctly French accent, and a chilled cabinet), the space was tight. Our waiting person had only 90 minutes to circulate 6 wines (3 whites and 3 reds) plus top-ups. Hot. Hungry. Thirsty. She did well.

A real Spanish fare Marques de Riscal - wines plus tapas-style nibbles and my companion for the evening was Portuguese; a wonderful combination. 

Blanco Rueda

We started with 2007 Blanco Rueda. Verdejo grapes, fermented in steel vats. Mr. Portugal was buzzing with ideas and picked out strawberry notes. A lovely fresh white, great as an aperitif.

Next up. Sauvignon Rueda (2006). Am sure the heat was getting to us folks. I heard descriptions like "...wild boar ... at altitude ... licking pine tress..." I wasn't sure if someone was recanting an adventure holiday, a Coen Brothers’ movie or my companion had already had a long lunch!   

Combination of peppers, mozzarella, salmon nibbles accompanied the wines nicely.

Rioja Rosado (2006) produced using the saignée method did manage to remain delicate, fresh and smooth, apparently untypical for this type of

Rioja Rosado

wine. Within moments of sipping, a lovely lady to my right squealed "bakewell tart". Original. She followed up with "... but I hate these cakes...” Oops. Not sure she intended to bellow out that comment quite so loudly. One assumes her reference to "Mr. Kiplings cakes" was inspired by the almond notes. She loved the wine.   

Of the three reds which followed, my favourite was 2003 Rioja Reserva. The tasting notes explained, after pressing and fermentation, the Reserva wines of Riscal spend approximately two years in American oak barrels, followed by a further 18 months in bottle before release. Usually, I find Rioja fruity and not tannic enough. Clearly I am buying wines at the cheaper end of the market. This wine was beautifully balanced, tannic, with blackcurrant aromas.

1860 Tempranillo (2004) and Rioja Gran Reserva (2000) were also served.

A wonderful selection of Spanish wines. The prices ranged from £10 to £25 for the Gran Reserva.

So, a hot night of fun, frivolity, and gorgeous wines. L’Epicerie, I think you need a larger room, perhaps next time.