Wine & Cheese Tasting at The Wine Steward
Thursday, June 21st and Saturday, June 23rd, 2007
Palma Real Rueda Verdejo 2005
Origin: Rueda, Spain
Varietal: 100% Viura
Tasting Notes: Crystal clear to the eye with a crystal clarity of fruit flavor, too. The 2005
vintage here was superb, giving a startlingly fresh and clean wine with a bright lemon and lime
flavor that leaps out of the glass.
Food Pairing: Seafood dishes of all kinds, particularly fresh sardines, shrimp and shellfish. Also pairs well with light summer salads.
Cave De Turckheim Pinot Blanc 2004
Origin: Alsace, France. High in the northeast corner of France sits Alsace. Sheltered by the Vosges mountains to the west and hard against the German border to the east, lie some of France's best vineyards and best wine-makers.
Varietal: 100% Pinot Blanc
Tasting Notes: A beautiful aromatic bouquet hinting of peach and citrus, it has lively, crisp floral fruit with a zippy finish. This is an excellent alternative to Chardonnay.
Food Pairing: Pinot Blanc is the perfect wine to charm everyone's tastebuds and works well with a variety of foods. It can be served as an aperitif or with pasta, summer salads and Asian food.
Luigi Bosca Reserva Pinot Noir 2003
Origin: Mendoza, Argentina. The City of Mendoza rests at 2,500 feet above sea level. At these high elevations, the air temperature stays relatively cool, yet the vines receive significantly higher amounts of solar radiation than vines at sea level.
Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir
Tasting notes: New York Times Description: Liqueur-like raspberry, strawberry, leather iron, earth and smoked meat on the nose, with a suggestion of exotic fruits. Supple and rich but quite dry, with complex flavors of strawberry, spices, smoke and leather. Finishes dry but flavorful and persistent, with fine tannins and an almost nebbiolo-like perfume of dried rose. New York Times Top Ten List
Food Pairing: Matches well with pork loin, ham, swordfish, veal, chicken, roast beef, and beef stew. Pinot Noir is considered a universal food wine.
Jumilla Carchelo Monastrell 2005
Origin: Located in a high, remote mountain valley in Spain's Murcia, in vineyards located at over 2200 feet in the desert like climate of Murcia, the indigenous Monastrell (Mourvèdre) thrives on its own rootstock.
Varietal: A blend of 50% Mourvèdre (locally known as Monastrell), 30% Tempranillo, and 20% Merlot, the 2005 Carchelo offers up even more intensity than usual.
Tasting Notes: Always deep in color, long on flavor, and smooth as silk in the finish, it is easy to see why this wine makes every important wine critic's "Best Buy" list. Indeed, Mourvèdre is a very special, highly flavored grape that it is well worth the fuss. We suggest serving the 2005 Carchelo cool or slightly chilled (about 58°-60° F or 15-20 minutes in the refrigerator). Enjoy!
87 points" Wine Advocate, February 2007
Food Pairing: This offering will undoubtedly please most palates, with or without food. However, our preference is to serve the 2005 Carchelo with good every day fare, including fresh pastas, savory stews, and simple cuts of meat. Tacos, hamburgers, ribs, pork barbecue and Shepard's Pie all provide enjoyable accompaniments, too.
Spellbound Petite Sirah 2003
Origin: Lodi, California
Varietal: 98% Petite Sirah with 2% Cabernet Sauvignon added for complexity
Tasting Notes: Petite Sirah is known for its deep color, luscious mouthfeel and wild berry fragrances. This 2003 definitely exemplifies the irresistible characteristics that are Petite Sirah. The purple color and aromas of violet and rose jump out of the glass. Flavors of fresh berries along with mocha and coffee dance on your palate. A broad structure with integrated, delicate tannins, create a great mouthfeel.
Food Pairing: This wine, which is seldom light in body, can be paired successfully with most foods you would pair with a Bold Syrah or Cabernet Sauvignon. Red meats like tenderloin, smoked, grilled or barbequed food, game, lamb, pork, etc., all go exceptionally well with the bold Petite Sirah. It also pairs well with hard, aged cheeses like Cheddar. Pair it with rich, fatty foods and it will cleanse the fat from your palate and make both wine and food better for the marriage.
Justin The Orphan 2005
Origin: Paso Robles, California
Varietal: When they blend wines from various lots each year they find there are always some who don’t fit in. Rather than abandon them and deprive them of a home, they united these mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah “Orphans” and offered them for your adoption.
Tasting Notes: Deep, dark purple in color, the 2005 Orphan has a bright red rim and an inky tone. Ripe aromas of cherry, plum and blackberry fill the nose and combine with a touch of smoke resulting from the new American oak. The palate begins soft and supple with bright red fruit and a hint of spice. Layers of earth and a light touch of tannin structure assure you this is a JUSTIN blended wine.
Food Pairing: A very versatile blend makes this another great summertime barbecue wine with steaks, sausage, burgers or ribs. It also pairs well with hard cheeses, stews, game, or Mexican food.