Wine and Food Adventures

Stoneridge Vineyard, Washington State, USA
80 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 20 % Syrah
14.0 % Alcohol
Tasted 2020-04-10, 2020-04-11 & 2020-04-12



Medium ruby ​​red. Currant with some elderberry. Plus lots of spices (clove, a little laurel, a hint of anise). Fresh and animating. A little perfumed.

Very present on the palate without being over-vinified. Complex. At first the youthful freshness dominates, but it quickly gives way to a flowing softness that is almost balsamic. The wine unfolds layer by layer. Fascinating. Definitely a wine for the intellectual wine connoisseur (:-)) who, with a lot of patience, gives the wine the necessary freedom and, above all, time.

Already really nice to drink. Another 10+ years no problem.

Pair this elegant gentleman with a classical Hanger Steak. Orgiastic.

Same on the second and third day, overall, in my opinion, the wine was a little more harmonious. So I would wait another two years before opening.

Central Coast, California, USA
14.8 % Alcohol
Tasted 2020-04-12

Due to the current corona crisis, my wife and I spend a lot more time at home than usual. This means in particular that we also cook a lot more than in "normal" times. To my delight, Teresa decided today to prepare her sensational chilli again after a long time. You have to say that this variant is much closer to the American style and has very little to do with the Chilli Con Carne served in Germany. The chilli is not prepared with minced meat but with chopped Tri Tip. She also uses dark chocolate and a hint of curry. A very sophisticated aroma is guaranteed - and of course requires a suitable wine.

With the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon from Smith & Hook, I once again opted for a wine from my own wine business. At first I was sure that it would go perfectly with it. However, I was also curious to see how it developed over the years. The last time I tasted the wine was in early 2017.



Clear, medium ruby red. Slightly restrained, but very pleasant aromas of blackberries and black cherry. A touch of leather, ground herbs and wet forest floor. Somewhat closed at the moment.

In contrast, very present on the palate. Exceptionally fresh and fruity with a calm, flowing and surprisingly long finish. Rather quiet, but probably a great food companion.

Indeed, the wine with the chilli shows its full strength. The still present acid combines wonderfully with the hotness of the chilli and ensures a highly complex aroma ensemble. It seems that this shy beauty has been waiting for this moment. The volume in the mouth becomes fuller, the wine stronger. An outstanding wine-food pairing.

Three years earlier, I certified a lifetime until 2024. Today I give the wine another three years. I think it will open up a little more in about two years or so and will present a slightly different flavor. It will still be a perfect companion for slightly spicy food. My rating takes this factor into account.

It is Good Friday and a little bit of wine is left from our high-end-dinner last week:

- 2018 Oak Farm Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc
- 2017 Klinker Brick Winery Albariño

So it fits quite well that Teresa wants to prepare a nice Mexican dish with a green Mole Verde:



My assumption was that the Sauvignon Blanc would fit perfectly and the Albariño could have slight problems. Fortunately, I had no idea .

As expected, the Sauvignon Blanc from Oak Farm harmonized wonderfully with the subtle pungency of the Mole Verde. Together with the fish, beautiful, pointed fresh aromas developed on the palate. The wine supported the pungency and elegantly guided it into a perfect full chord. The entire ensemble was also retained by the add-on sour cream. Awesome.

Then Klinker Brick Albariño. Stupefying. The minerality that could be tasted the previous week was still there, but together with the mole it turned into a silky, slightly hot taste experience that is second to none. Spicy explosions alternated with velvety softness depending on the composition of the different ingredients. One of the best Food-Wine pairing experiences of my life. Simply terrific.



Obvious task for Teresa: More Mole Verde dishes!

Happy Easter!

These are strange and difficult times. Not only Germany but the whole world is under control of Corona. In addition to the tragedies caused by illness and death, the news about dramas that arise as a result of the falling economy become more and more every day. Gastronomy is one of many economy sectors that have a particularly difficult time. Many restaurants try to counter this situation by selling vouchers or by offering pick-up or delivery service. So also one of our favorite restaurants - the Country Inn "Zum Hirsch".



So I thought I would have a high-end dinner with (my own) matching wines for my wife and me at home. Said and done. The dishes are prepared by Chef and Owner Markus Nagy in such a way that they are easy to finish at home.

And here is the menu:

1st Course
- Atlantic Swordfish Tartare with Wasabi Sour Cream, Cucumber and Mixed Salad (Teresa)
- Gâteau of Japanese Scallop, Green Apple, Coriander Mayonnaise and Mixed Salad (Peter)

2nd Course
- Breton Lobster Bisque

3rd Course
- Ragoût from the Arctic Char in Riesling Mousse with Fresh Mushrooms, Green Asparagus and Risotto Milanese (Teresa)
- Braised Australian Wagyu Brisket with Horseradish Sauce, Potatoes and Beetroot (Peter)

4th Course
- Curd Cheese Almond Cake on Cassis Fig and Vanilla Mousse (Teresa)
- Mango Passion Fruit Mousse with Pineapple (Peter)



The task to find the right wines was now to select only wines from lovely Lodi - and exclusively from wineries that I had already visited and whose wines I imported myself. I chose the following wines:

1st Course:
- 2018 Oak Farm Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc

2nd Course:
- 2016 LangeTwins Estate Chardonnay

3rd Course:
- 2017 Klinker Brick Winery Albariño (Teresa)
- 2015 Klinker Brick Winery Farrah Syrah Grand Reserve (Peter)

4th Course:
- 2016 St. Amant Bootleg

All wines were opened and tasted before dinner. The final ratings were then assessed after dinner. As an exception the wine-food pairing was also included in the rating.



2018 Oak Farm Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc (93/100)
Lodi, California
13.5 % Alcohol

Pale yellow green. Pure lime with a hint of tropical notes. Today is a wonderful, sunny spring day - and this is the perfect wine for this day. Fresh on the palate but not astringent in any way. Invigorating and at the same time softly flowing. An incredibly long finish. Awesome.

This Sauvignon Blanc is already perfect to drink but will remain on this level for another three years minimum.

2016 LangeTwins Estate Chardonnay (92/100)
Clarksburg, California
14.5 % Alcohol

Light golden yellow. Wonderful, intense smell of a whole basket of exotic fruits. A hint of caramel and slightly nutty aromas. Typical Chardonnay creaminess on the palate with a very slight sweetness at the end of the very long finish. Vibrant.

Just at the beginning. Another five years no problem.

Remark: The originally rating was 91 points. One point was added for the outstanding food pairing.

2017 Klinker Brick Winery Albariño (91/100)
Lodi, California
13.0 % Alcohol

Light golden yellow. On the nose abundant green apple paired with a wonderful flint note. Surprisingly, a little vanilla is added after a while in the glass. A prime example of a white wine that should be decanted. Very mineral on the palate and still endowed with a nice, fresh acid.

Absolutely at its peak, which will continue for at least two years.

2015 Klinker Brick Winery Farrah Syrah Grand Reserve (94/100)
Lodi, California
15.9 % Alcohol

Medium purple red. Incredibly intense aroma of fresh forest berries. There is also leather, tobacco and lots of forest herbs. An olfactory bomb.

Pure fruit on the palate. In addition, a typical Syrah acidity that gives the wine the strength to linger for a very, very long time. The admittedly high alcohol content is only noticed to a limited extent and is an advantage here: The wine becomes softer and softer towards the finish. Syrah at its best.

Just at the beginning. Another ten years for sure.

2016 St. Amant Bootleg (92/100)
Amador County, California (OK. Not really Lodi. But St. Amant is definitely 100 % Lodi .)
18.5 % Alcohol

Dark ruby red. Very classic nose of a young port. Crushed berries, ripe plums and mashed strawberries. Pure fruitiness on the palate. A harmonious acidity accompanies the wine in a long, velvety finish.

Already perfect to drink. I am quite sure I will say the same in fifteen years.



The Wine / Food Pairing.

1st Course:
Home game for the Sauvignon Blanc from Oak Farm. Both dishes were extremely fresh and clean. The scallops were more on the sharper side, which the wine liked a little more.

2nd Course:
Outstanding food pairing. The wonderful scent of the lobster soup already got everything out of the Chardonnay. Incredibly good. The wine covered the soup like a second skin.

3rd Course:
Both courses are real challenges for perfect wine pairings. Interestingly, both wines went very well with the brisket. Not just the Syrah. The minerality of the Albarinho worked a little against the Riesling mousse of the char.

4th Course:
Not much to say. Wonderful to both dishes.

Many thanks to Britta and Markus for this culinary delight.

Many thanks to Heather, Dan, Amanda, Joe, Lori, Steve, Farrah, Stefan, Barbara, Stuart and Nathan for your incredibly good wines.

Napa Valley, California
14.9 % Alcohol
Tasted 2020-04-01, 2020-04-02 & 2020-04-03

Deep, dark cherry red with some brighter rims. Seems to be heavyweight stuff. Intensive and wonderful aromas of forest fruits paired with some black cherry notes. In addition a hint of licorice but also some tar and wet leather. At the very back red rose petals. Complex.

On the palate at the beginning very fruity paired with an animating freshness induced by its youthfulness. The freshness is dominating the first five seconds. After this it is replaced by a little acidic velvety which remains long. Very long.

The Cabernet Sauvignon wines from Amici are not really inexpensive. In total the winery offers eight to nine different Cabs per vintage! This Reserve is the "second cheapest" in the ranking of all these Cabs - and its quality is already tremendous! I would love to taste all others, too . Leave this wine alone for a minimum of three years. Then it will be on peak for another ten to fifteen years.

On the second day the wine was unchanged. But on the third day the acidity was totally gone. Now a floating velvety was clearly dominating. Absolutely delicious.

This is definitely a wine for meat. The third day we paired the Cab with Black Angus Beef Goulash - and it was awesome. But it will also work faboöous with a high-end BBQ. Enjoy it.