2014 Highlights

Before we embark on the blogs for 2015, I thought I would reflect on the past year and highlight some of my favorites from 2014.

The blog was commenced in May 2014, and since then around twenty seven have been released. I have thoroughly enjoyed writing the blogs and have made numerous new discoveries I may not have experienced normally. I hope you have also enjoyed reading the blog and have also tried some of the foods and wines.

White Wine of the Year - Chateau Roubine, Cru Classé, Le Blanc.

For the white wine of the year, I could not go past one of the first blogs which featured the Chateau Roubine Le Blanc from the Provence region of France.  This was a real discovery for me and was the white wine that I enjoyed the most throughout the year.

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 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. It also didn’t hurt that we tried it with a seafood bouillabaisse, which was a fantastic meal and it was the first time I had attempted to cook it. All around it was a great experience.

Red Wine Of the Year - Castillo Perlada 5 Fincas

There was strong competition for the red wine of the year including one of my favorites the Two Hands Gnarly Dudes Shiraz from Australia. The reason I chose the 5 Fincas from Spain though, is that it combines a unique blend that results in an unusual style and flavor at a very reasonable price. I couldn’t go past the taste for the price.   

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.

Find Of The Year – Bandol, Domaine de la Laidiere, Rosé.

The find of the year for me represents something that I had never experienced before that changed my entire outlook. There was also strong competition in this category, notably from the Vico Riviera, Numero 99 Falanghina from Italy. Falanghina is a wine I had never tried before and it was very impressive. Also the Dona Paula Los Cordoso, 2013 Malbec also opening my mind to Malbec’s. My experiences with Malbec’s had not been great but this wine was a really good wine at a really great price and has left me wanting to try more of this variety.

The wine that was the biggest revelation for me however, was the Bandol Rosé from the Bandol Region in France. The Rosés were not a wine that I would normally drink, probably because I had only tasted cheap and poor examples in the past. The discovery of the Bandol Rosé has opened my eyes to good Rosé wines. The wine has a nice earthy bouquet, slightly sweet, yet dry aftertaste. Definitely a summer wine, it would be great for a lazy summer afternoon with a nice salad. It has hints of fruit, possibly apple although it was difficult to identify anything explicit. It was very enjoyable and I would describe the flavor somewhere between a Riesling and a Sauvignon Blanc. Based on this sampling, I will definitely be exploring Rosés more in the future.

Best Value - James Serra Cristalino.

This was probably the hardest category to select a single wine with strong competition from several different wines. The Dona Paula Malbec from Argentina at around $10 is a standout. The Joel Gott Sauvignon Blanc from the Napa Valley is another excellent example. The one I could not go past however, is the James Serra Cristalino Brut sparkling wine from Spain. At a price around $7 to $8 per bottle, it represents outstanding value. The wine has hints of lemon and definitive citrus overtones, it has a nice mouth feel and great taste. The only drawback I can distinguish, is no real length to speak of compared to higher end champagnes.

Food - Shakshouka

The food was similarly difficult to identify a clear winner. Some great examples are the Seafood Bouillabaisse, Chilli Crawfish, and Lamb with lemon pepper potatoes. The reason I chose the Shaskshouka is that it was a fantastic dish and was something I had never even heard of let alone tried to cook, and I loved the results.

Well, I hope you had as much fun as I did and I hope you enjoy the upcoming year. I also hope to hear from you with your favorite recipe and wine suggestions.