So, I'm re-visiting the 2008 Monastrell that we featured intensely during the 2010 Christmas season. I've been sitting on this one intentionally, storing it away in my wine cooler wondering what might be happening inside the bottle.
The first time I had this wine was at the beginning of last November, so it's had a solid 5 months aging- not much time according to typical aging standards, but enough to definitely change the juice inside. The flavors I remember from then were definitely much brighter. The fruit, which is fairly intense, was much less ripe. Imagine eating a blackberry just a few days before its peak ripeness- good, but still a little less complex and impressive than you would like.
The flavors have certainly evolved a bit, as the wine has developed a little more complexity. The blackberries and black cherries are still there, as they were before, but they've mutated from the happy, cheerful level of last November to a moderately more mature and cultured level. The acidity is still there, not too out of balance but perhaps a bit much for my personal taste. I'm definitely getting some acid reverb in the sinuses as I swallow, and there seems to be something missing from the mid-palate on this wine. The acidity dominates this part of the experience for me.
It's hard for me to say if this wine has gotten better. I was definitely attracted to the playfulness of the fruit when I tried it for the first time. It was explosive on the palate, a bit surprising and definitely alluring. I'm missing that a bit now. The tannic structure is still there, leading me to still have hope for the next bottle that I have laying on its side, patiently awaiting its turn to be opened. I should probably hold off another 8 months or so, because if this one matures as well as its 2007 predecessor, then there are definitely good things ahead.
Speaking of, there is a bottle of the 2007 vintage in the wine cooler as well. I'm terrified of opening it because I don't know that I can get my hands on another. Will it be too soon? Too late? Will I miss the wine's prime? Unfortunately, the only way to know is to open the bottle and try it. And because I may never see another of the '07 vintage, I'll have nothing to compare it to going forward. So, as I always attempt to do, I'll simply have to enjoy it in the moment for what it is, rather than being distracted by what it was or what it could be!
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Raw/vegan dessert! This ain't your grandma's brownie, but it was SO good. The brownie is made from blended almonds, mixed with cocoa and agave nectar. The frosting is blended cashews, honey and hemp milk with a little cinnamon. After eating it, we decided it tasted a lot like German chocolate cake, and it could have used some sprinkled coconut on top.
Yum! This was my first attempt at a raw/vegan recipe. Beginner's luck, perhaps? It turned out really well. Raw, vegan tacos- the taco "meat" is made from blended pecans and sunflowers with cumin, coriander, salt and soy sauce. Chopped onion, mushroom and tomatoes on top. And, of course, fresh avacado on the side!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
A delicious belly-buster breakfast! I started with an attempt to make egg-less crepes; but without the eggs, they fell apart while cooking and turned into a pile of mush. So, plan B was a switch to pancakes (can't go wrong with pancakes, right?).
Evolving meals are some of my favorites, and this quickly turned into a pancake sandwich with loads of mango, strawberry, banana, ground cinnamon and agave nectar piled in between the two late addition breakfast staples. A little more fruit, cinnamon, agave and the last minute powdered sugar made it look as good as it tasted. I was full half-way through this meal...but, of course, gladly cleaned my plate.
Vegetarian enchiladas made with meatless soy-less beef style grounds sauteed in Leigh Oliver's fresh marinara sauce and topped with red enchilada sauce and crumbled feta cheese. Basic ranch-style beans on the side, and my world famous banana, mango, strawberry and blackberry fruit salad with a lemon, honey and cayenne syrup poured over it. Yum!
Vegetarian chicken sandwich with caramelized onion, mushroom and red bell pepper on an Ezekiel bun. A side of pan fried sweet potatoes and a spinach, green bell pepper and strawberry salad with a blueberry vinaigrette dressing.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Vegetarian Fajitas
Vegetarian fajitas + fresh guacamole + black bean, corn, serrano pepper + chips/salsa + fruit salad = a delicious first meal to post!
The vegetarian fajitas were made with a meat substitute called Quorn. "What in the world is Quorn?" you ask. Well, so did I. And I found my answer here:
I've tried several meat substitutes over the past couple of years, and this has been my favorite by far. The texture comes closer to chicken than anything else I've tried. The flavor isn't bad on its own, but for my fajitas I added a little worchestershire, liquid smoke, sea salt and fresh ground peppercorns. Worked brilliantly. Along with the Quorn, I sauteed onion, red bell pepper and mushrooms, then topped the fajita with sliced cherub tomatoes and fresh sliced basil leaves.
For the black bean dish, I sauteed the corn with garlic and a couple sliced serrano peppers before adding the mixture to the black beans. I love the serrano pepper for its spice (it's hot!), but also for its really fresh, organic flavor. After my first bite, I quickly realized that one serrano would have been plenty!
This is the second time I've made the fruit salad. Coincidentally, I remembered as I was making it that it was exactly one year ago today that I made it for the first time. I took it to a dinner party, and it was a big hit then as well as now. Fresh sliced cantaloupe and strawberries with fresh blackberries are soaked in a syrup made from water, lemon juice, sugar, honey and cayenne pepper. The balance of spice and sweetness turned out perfectly!
I saved my fruit salad until after dinner and enjoyed it with a cup of hot tea- a Madagascar vanilla rooibos from Celestial Seasonings.
The soft, smooth vanilla flavor of the tea was a perfect balance for the spicy tartness of the fruit.
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