Castillo Perlada 5 Fincas

 Wine Name: Castillo Perlada 5 Fincas

  Type: Varietal: Garnatxa (39%), Syrah (26%), Merlot (26%), Cabernet Sauvignon (9%).

Country: Spain	Region: Empordà, Catalonia
Rating: Very Good	Price: Around $15 per bottle
Recommendation: Strongly recommended

  

Thank you to my brother for last week’s fine description of Provence and the delicious recipe. For our third blog we will be whisking you to the Empordà region in North East Spain. The region is an easy drive several hours north of Barcelona, close to the Mediterranean Sea at the bottom of the Pyrenees mountain range near the French Border. Unfortunately I have not been to the region and I don’t know anyone that has, but I will do my best anyway. The closest I have been is to Barcelona which I thoroughly enjoyed visiting.

The name of the wine, Castillo Perelada 5 Fincas, provides several intriguing story lines. The first part, Castillo Perelada, refers to the spectacular Castle which was built in the fourteenth century.  The castle is located in the town of Perelada which is a small village in the Empordà region of Catalonia. Finca, roughly translated means “Estate” in Spanish, and refers to the five different estates that produce the various grapes that make up this wine. Each different estate has its own soil type and characteristics, each contributing something unique to the wine.

For the food, this time we went with something simple. Being a Spanish wine, one of the first foods that first comes to mind is Paella, which I love. But that would be a little bit too stereotypical and this is a red wine after all. Although I suspect it would be just fine with Paella we went with Serrano ham and Manchego cheese for starters and Lamb and Chorizo skewers for the main course. We cooked them on the “grill” for the Americans or the “barby” for us Australians.

The wine itself is a dark red blend, with excellent flavor, drinkable without food it would also go well with all red meats. It has an excellent flavor with hints of cherry, cinnamon and oak. No single flavor dominates, so I would describe it as very balanced and very smooth. Overall a very drinkable wine at any time and I strongly recommend it.

We didn’t follow any specific recipe for the food, we pretty much made it up as we went along tonight but the following is the general idea:

Starters: - Mixture of Spanish cured meats and cheese.

Serrano ham – Spanish cured ham thinly sliced

Lomo  - Pork Tenderloin cured meat

Chorizo – Thin sliced cured pork sausage

Manchego – Sheep’s milk cheese from the La Mancha region of Spain

Main Course - Grilled Lamb and Chorizo sausage skewers on a bed of couscous.

Ingredients:

Lamb	Red onions	Red pepper (Capsicum)
Chorizo sausage	Zucchini (courgette)	Tomato
Asparagus

Soak the skewers for 24 hours in water.

Wipe the skewers with some light olive oil.

Add the Lamb, Chorizo, red onions and red pepper to the skewers, alternating each type as desired.

Brush the Zucchini, tomato and asparagus with light olive oil.

Cook the skewers and vegetables on the grill.

Cook the couscous about 5 minutes from completion of the skewers and vegetables.

Serve the skewers over a bed of couscous and the vegetables on the side.

I have purposely left off portion sizes as I will leave that for you to judge.

There were many excellent components in this meal such as the Lomo and Serrano ham which my children loved. The skewers went well with the meats but be careful not to overcook. The revelation for me however, was the grilled Chorizo, it was really good!!!

Rating:  Castillo Perlada 5 Fincas, Very Good and very good value for the price.

Winery Web Site:

http://www.castilloperelada.com/en/

Castle: 

http://www.castilloperelada.com/about-us/history/the-castle/an-emblem-of-the-emporda/

Chateau Roubine, Cru Classé

Wine: Chateau Roubine, Le Blanc	Type: Blend (Ugni-blanc, Sémillon, Rolle et Clairette)
Country: France	Region: Côtes De Provence
Rating: Excellent	Price: Around US$25 Per bottle
Recommendation: Highly recommended.

Welcome to my second ever blog, this time I have chosen a wine I had the pleasure to sample recently and I am excited to bring it to your attention. In doing so, I have reached out to my brother who lives in England to provide some descriptions of Provence and suggest some regional foods, as I have never been to Provence and he has travelled there extensively.

Apparently, to achieve Cru Classé status is a big thing, well if this wine is any example then I agree. Provence is one of only two regions in France that provide a classification for their wine estates rather than their region (the other being Bordeaux). In 1953, Chateau Roubine was awarded Cru Classé status and we are sampling their “Le Blanc” which is, as the name suggests, their white blend.

The wine is lightish in color, with a smooth taste that does not linger too long. It has an earthy straw type smell and tastes a little buttery and it has hints of oak without being overwhelming in any way. To describe this wine in a way that many of us would relate, it tastes a little like a subtle Chardonnay without the overwhelming taste and Oakiness often found in some Chardonnays. The interesting thing for me about this wine, is that it is not sweet but it does not leave any lingering dryness in your mouth either, it is really smooth. Each taste leaves you wanting more and would be excellent with seafood, white meat and even pork. It would also work well with many lighter cheeses and would be perfect on it’s own.

According to the winery’s web site the Chateau has a fascinating history. The name Roubine means Brook; it is one of the oldest wine estates in France,  dating back to the 14th century; it was once owned by the Knights Templar and it is apparently located “right in the middle of Provence” on the Roman road “Julienne”.

Provence itself is located in Southeast France and conjures up visions of lavender, sunflowers and olive trees. The food is typically full of olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, aubergines (egg plant) and includes the famous bouillabaisse fish stews from the coast. This historic region sits along the Mediterranean coast of France, bordered by the Rhone River to the west, the majestic Alps to the north and the shimmering beaches and coastline of the Côte d’Azur to the east. Wine has been made here for over 2600 years, making Provence the oldest wine producing region of France. Provence is blessed with a warm Mediterranean climate. Driving south from the French capital Paris, you notice the change in climate and geography, gradually changing from the cool greens and lush grasses of the north to a more golden and sun baked landscape of the south. Once in Provence itself, you will notice groves of olive trees and fields of bright blue and purple lavender rippling gently in the shimmering sunlight. The region is bathed in sunshine and receives relatively little rain with warm days and cool evenings.

Interestingly, Provence is more famous for its reds, particularly Rosé but this is clearly an example that shows they can make excellent whites as well. It has been suggested that being a Provencal wine it would drink well with any number of the regional dishes, so we have included a few examples. Canapés of tapenade (A crushed olive puree with garlic) and anchoiade (A smooth anchovy, caper and garlic puree) spread on grilled crusty bread as an aperitif. Served with the renowned saffron infused fish and shellfish stew of the region, known as bouillabaisse, a dish fit for a king yet served for centuries to the fishermen dockside in the Provencal ports of the Mediterranean from Marseille to Nice and beyond. Again from the sea but on a more simple basis, alongside some simply grilled prawns (Shrimp) basted with really garlicky extra virgin olive oil, and a little sea salt and pepper.  For a lighter option, perfect for a languid summer afternoon, this wine would accompany one of the classic dishes of Provence exceptionally well, the Salad Niçoise - literally meaning "Nice-style salad". It is an elaborate, layered salad with crisp lettuce, tomatoes, boiled new potatoes and haricots verts (French green beans) dressed with vinaigrette, hard-boiled eggs, black Niçoise olives and seared tuna steak, it really is Provence on a plate.

We have included a bouillabaisse recipe which is featured in the photos and goes really well with this wine.

I give this wine, an excellent rating and in my opinion it is well worth the $25 price tag. The wine is available in Houston from Specs and I have also included a link to the Chateau Roubine web site.

I hope you enjoy reading this as much as we did preparing it.

http://www.chateauroubine.com/wine/intro-en.htm.

Rating: Excellent.

Bouillabaisse Recipe

Soup/Broth:	Seafood	Rouille:
2 tablespoons olive oil	Pinch of Saffron	1 red pepper, roasted and peeled (again use canned or bottled if you prefer, they will work just as well)
1 cup onion, chopped	1 cup leeks, julienned	2 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup celery, chopped	3 cups tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped (use canned Italian tomatoes if you prefer, they work well and save on the effort of peeling and seeding)	1 piece of white bread torn into pieces
Salt and pepper	Juice and zest of one orange	1 egg yolk
3 cloves garlic	1 cup bulb fennel, julienned	1 tablespoon of dijon mustard
1 bay leaf	2 tablespoons garlic, chopped	half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper
8 peppercorns	2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped	juice of one lemon
2 sprigs thyme	Salt and pepper	salt and pepper
1 pound white fish bones	2 pounds assorted small whole fresh fish such as whiting, squid, sea bass, scorpion fish, eel,	1/2 cup of olive oil
Water to cover	angler fish, all cleaned and scaled - pretty much whatever you can get your hands on
1 cup white wine	1 ½ pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
	¾ pound mussels
	1/2 pound clams
	Salt and pepper

Garnish:
12 slices of crusty French bread

Method:
Soup/Broth:
In a large sauce pan, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the bay leaves, peppercorns, and thyme. Add the fish bones, water and wine. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain. You could prepare this a day in advance and keep in the fridge until needed.

For the Bouillabaisse:
Place the broth on the heat and bring to a simmer. Add the saffron, leeks, tomatoes, orange juice, orange zest, fennel, garlic, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Add the fish. Cook for about 8 minutes. Add the shrimp mussels and clams. Cook for further 6 minutes, or until the shells have opened. Discard any shells that do not open. Season with salt and pepper.

For the Rouille:
In a food processor, combine all the ingredients, except for the oil. Puree until smooth. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil. Season the emulsion with salt and pepper.

To assemble:
Remove the seafood from the pan and place on a large platter or serving bowl. Pour the broth over the seafood. Serve the Rouille and crusty bread on the side of the Bouillabaisse.
For individual servings, arrange the seafood in a shallow dish. Ladle the stock over the seafood.
Drizzle the Rouille over the seafood and serve with the crusty bread.

Whitehaven, Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand

Wine: Whitehaven	Type: Sauvignon Blanc
Country: New Zealand	Region: Marlborough
Rating: Good	Price: Around US$15 Per bottle
Recommendation: Recommended, good value for the price.

Welcome to my first wine blog, for the first one I am going to start with an example of a Sauvignon Blanc.  This is a crisp, dry white wine, with strong fruit tastes sometimes including tropical fruit such as passion fruit. The wine goes well with seafood, white meat, light cheeses and fruit. It’s a great warm weather wine, although could be enjoyed any time of year with or without food. We enjoyed ours with a Singaporean Laksa and a Beef Rendang (Indonesian). The wine comes from the Marlborough region which is at the tip of the South Island of New Zealand. I can’t describe this area as I've never been there, the closest I've been is the Canterbury plains which are a little further south but are without doubt a beautiful area. The wine has a nice light lemony coloring and overall is a good wine and good value at around US$15 Per bottle.  For those in Houston this wine is available at Specs.
Included now is a link to the winery as well: http://whitehaven.co.nz/