Château Haut-Vigneau 2012, Roast Lamb & Vegetables

Wine Name: Château Haut-Vigneau 2012 & Roast Lamb

Wine: Bordeaux
Country: France	Region:  Bordeaux
Rating:  Very Good	Price: $20
Recommendation: Recommended: the wine is smooth, has some subtlety, has a spiciness, and can be drunk with red based meats or on its own. Sorry that there was no blog last week, it has been a busy time of year.  This week is a Château Haut-Vigneau 2012 from Bordeaux and Roast Lamb, an enticing combination. The wine is produced in the Pessac-Léognan wine growing area in the north of the Graves region and immediately south of the city of Bordeaux. The region is known for producing reds and whites however, red wines are still predominant. The region is on the left bank of the Garonne, which is a major river in the area. The soil is typically gravelly and the very name Graves is derived from the intensity of the gravelly soil. The winery is the Château Haut-Vigneau, which has been growing grapes since the 1760’s, however, in the 1980’s the current owner, Eric Perrin, commenced a major refurbishment including clearing the 20 hectares and re planting.    It is made up of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, has a pleasant, earthy, and smoky bouquet with a medium ruby color. The wine is fruity for a Cabernet Merlot blend with a distinct spiciness. The predominant fruit is cherry with blackcurrant coming through and finishes that hint of cocoa or chocolate. The wine is smooth with a good mouth feel, it is drinkable by itself or with red meat based meals. http://www.haut-vigneau.com/ Roast Lamb Ingredients: Leg of lamb, size as desired. Garlic, several cloves. Rosemary, large sprig. Plain white flour. Large Potatoes, two. Pumpkin (Or Butternut squash). Sweet potatoes. Large white onion. Broccoli. Green beans. Zucchini (Green squash). Preparation and cooking Slice several cloves of garlic, place small slits evenly throughout the lamb and insert the slices of garlic. Do the same and insert sprigs of rosemary. Pre heat the oven to 350°F and cook the lamb at 20 minutes per pound, then an extra 20 minutes. Once the lamb is in the oven, peel the potatoes, pumpkin and sweet potato, cut into roughly two inch pieces. Heat up a pot of water and boil until they start to soften. Be careful as the pumpkin may soften prior to the potatoes. Drain in a strainer and once drained, shake them to “scuff them up. Add a layer of flour to a flat surface such as a baking tray, cutting board or large plate. Add the potatoes, pumpkin and sweet potatoes to the flour and sprinkle more flour on top to cover them completely Add your choice of oil to a baking tray and add all the potatoes, pumpkin and sweet potatoes. Place in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes, remove and turn them over, cook for another 15 to 20 minutes. Turn them over and cook for another 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cut the onion into quarters or halves and cook in your favorite oil in the oven for approximately 40 minutes. Cur the green vegetables as desired, steam the broccoli for four minutes and the beans for one to two minutes. Cut the lamb into slices and serve with all the vegetables.