You can find some excellent value wines in Argentina and Chile, both whites and reds, including wines with less common grapes such as Carmenere and Torrontes. I recently had a delicious opportunity to attend a wine dinner with all South American wines. The food also had a South American flair. Overall, this was a very good dining experience, as usual for this restaurant.
The Melting Pot hosted this four-course dinner paired with four wines, and it only cost $48 per person, which I think was an excellent value. We sat in the more intimate Lover's Lane section, a perfect place for a date or romantic evening.
Our first course was the Zesty Aztec Cheese Fondue (a zesty cheddar cheese blended with beer, horseradish, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, bacon and scallions). I really like that the server creates the fondue in front of you, and will omit any ingredient that you dislike, or add a bit more of something you enjoy. For example, I love bacon so my server added a bit more bacon to the fondue. I enjoyed the taste of this cheese fondue, especially on slices of green apple. The crisp, cool apple just goes so well with the hot and spicy cheese. I think the apple actually goes well with all of their different cheese fondues.
This fondue was paired with a Terrazas Torrontes Reserva from Argentina. Now, I have not really been a fan of the Torrontes grape, often finding it too bland or with funky flavors that turned me off. But this wine pleasantly surprised me. This wine has seen so oak and its fruit flavors showed quite well. I detected some peach and melon flavors, with a bit of a floral nose. It was a crisp wine with a moderate finish, and was quite a pleasant drink. It stood up well to the fondue and this is a wine I would drink again, and do recommend it.
For our second course, we had the Ranchero Cobb Salad (Romaine Lettuce, tomatoes, chives and sliced egg served with croutons and peppercorn ranch dressing and sprinkled with aged cheddar cheese). A good salad with fresh ingredients and a nice mix of textures and flavors.
Our next wine was the Casa Lapostolle Sauvignon Blanc from Chile. It is made from 85% Sauvignon Blanc and 15% Semillon. Another very good wine with fine citrus flavors, some minerality and a few floral notes. Very crisp, light and pure. Only a hint of grassiness and it reminded me more of French than New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs.
Our main course, the South of the Border Entrée, was a large platter of Filet Mignon, Tequila Citrus Shrimp, Peppered Duck, ‘Brazilian’ BBQ Pork, Sirloin Steak, and Picante Chicken. It was cooked with the Mojo style and accompanied with potatoes, mushrooms and broccoli. There were also eight different sauces for dipping. All of the meats were quite delicious and we have fun trying all the different sauces, seeing which ones best went with the various meats. The sweet apple bourbon butter went well with the pork, and the beef was tasty with the gorgonzola port. A number of the meats were spicy, yet not too hot. I love getting such a wide variety of different meats, which is why I always get this type of entrees when I dine here. Though you could always get just chicken or beef, why not go for the smorgasbord?
We received two wines for the entree, a Casa Lapostolle Merlot from Chile and the Bodega Luigi Bosca LaLinda Malbec from Argentina. I did not care for the Merlot though my wife enjoyed it. The Malbec though impressed me, with lush black fruit flavors and black pepper spice. It paired well with many of the various meats, though I could have drank it on its own.
Though I was fairly full from the rest of the meal, I still was able to work my way through dessert, Bananas Foster Chocolate Fondue (white chocolate blended with rum, Dulce de Leche, cinnamon and bananas). Who can refuse a chocolate fondue? Fresh fruit, marshmallows, pound cake, brownie, cheesecake, and more for dipping into the hot, gooey concoction. This is the perfect ending to a delicious dinner. And I am sure it would help two people on a date grow closer, putting them into such a pleasurable mood. Or it is a way to make a horde of children very happy.
Service was excellent, as usual. I have long been a fan of The Melting Pot and this dinner was no exception. I continue to recommend this restaurant, for families, couples and everyone. I have plenty of friends and family who have enjoyed this restaurant as well. So why not take a chance and make reservations. Tell them the Passionate Foodie recommended it.
The Melting Pot
213 Burlington Rd.
Bedford , MA
Phone: 781-791-0529
Friday, November 14, 2008
Domaine547's Wine Spectator Top Ten Contest
I won some wine which is always a very good thing!
Jill of Domaine547, one of my favorite online wine retailers and a fellow wine blogger, held a contest in which she asked people to try to guess the Wine Spectator's Top Ten Wines of 2008. The winner, whoever guessed the most wines correctly, would win six wines that scored under 90 points. These are all perfectly good wines, just ones that did not receive as much love from the professional print wine media.
In last year's contest, I did abysmal, failing to get a single correct answer. This year I actually got two correct, tying with Tim of Winecast. As we both had the most correct answers, Jill decided to split the prize between us. Good job to Tim and thanks to Jill for running this contest again.
Hopefully Jill will run this again next year and I can get even more correct.
Jill of Domaine547, one of my favorite online wine retailers and a fellow wine blogger, held a contest in which she asked people to try to guess the Wine Spectator's Top Ten Wines of 2008. The winner, whoever guessed the most wines correctly, would win six wines that scored under 90 points. These are all perfectly good wines, just ones that did not receive as much love from the professional print wine media.
In last year's contest, I did abysmal, failing to get a single correct answer. This year I actually got two correct, tying with Tim of Winecast. As we both had the most correct answers, Jill decided to split the prize between us. Good job to Tim and thanks to Jill for running this contest again.
Hopefully Jill will run this again next year and I can get even more correct.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Twitter Taste Live: The Bloggers Take Over
Join us on Saturday, November 15, starting at 6pm when Twitter Taste Live lets the Wine Bloggers Take Over! Consider this Open Mic night at the Improv. A number of bloggers, from all over the world, will take the stage one at a time and discuss a wine they have specifically chosen to highlight. There were no restrictions on which wine they could choose. Each blogger will tell everyone about that wine and you are also encouraged to ask questions.
I actually will begin the tasting (Twitter @richardpf) with the Masumi Okuden Kantsukuri "Mirror of Truth" Junmai Sake. My love of Sake is well known and I hope to get more people to embrace this compelling drink. I have never tasted this particular Sake so it will be new to me as well.
The rest of the tentative schedule looks like this.
@binendswine --Marcel Lapierre Morgon 2006
@saltlinestudio --Onix Priorat 2006
@bloviatrix --2005 Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Right Bank
@chinawinelover --Huadong Vineyard 2000 (China) and Great Wall red 2002 (China)
@vinquire, @brixchick @drxeno will be tasting through selections from Hahn
@winecast will be tasting Carmeron Hughes Lot 92 and Lot 79 (maybe more)
@mmWine --Zen of Zins 06 Old Vines Zin (Ravenswood), Cline Ancient Vines 07 Zin, Estancia Paso Robles 05 Zin, 7 Deadly Zins 06 Old Vines (lodi)
@1winedude --Sherries, and other stickies!
Please join us and learn about some new wines. Thanks to Bin Ends for giving us wine bloggers this platform to discuss these wines. I hope to chat with some of my readers, and others, during this event.
I actually will begin the tasting (Twitter @richardpf) with the Masumi Okuden Kantsukuri "Mirror of Truth" Junmai Sake. My love of Sake is well known and I hope to get more people to embrace this compelling drink. I have never tasted this particular Sake so it will be new to me as well.
The rest of the tentative schedule looks like this.
@binendswine --Marcel Lapierre Morgon 2006
@saltlinestudio --Onix Priorat 2006
@bloviatrix --2005 Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Right Bank
@chinawinelover --Huadong Vineyard 2000 (China) and Great Wall red 2002 (China)
@vinquire, @brixchick @drxeno will be tasting through selections from Hahn
@winecast will be tasting Carmeron Hughes Lot 92 and Lot 79 (maybe more)
@mmWine --Zen of Zins 06 Old Vines Zin (Ravenswood), Cline Ancient Vines 07 Zin, Estancia Paso Robles 05 Zin, 7 Deadly Zins 06 Old Vines (lodi)
@1winedude --Sherries, and other stickies!
Please join us and learn about some new wines. Thanks to Bin Ends for giving us wine bloggers this platform to discuss these wines. I hope to chat with some of my readers, and others, during this event.
Lower Falls Wine Co.: Vajra Tasting
Lower Falls Wine Co., one of my favorite local wine stores, is having a special tasting of the wines of G.D. Vajra, an organic Italian producer on Wednesday, November 19, from 5pm-6:30m. Adonna Imports is bringing Giuseppe Vajra to the store for the tasting. The tasting is complimentary and there will be special discounts on the wines.
These all-organic Barolos, barberas, and dolcettos never fail to impress with their purity and sense of place. Guiseppe will serve up a range of red wines and vintages, including his Barolo from the lofty 2004 vintage. As the wines are particularly appropriate for harvest feasts, his visit is quite timely. Come, enjoy impressive wines, and partake in some authoritative commentary!
I have tasted a number of the Vajra wines before and have enjoyed all of them. This tasting will be well worth attending and I am sure you will find wines you will like. Hope to see you there!
Lower Falls Wine Co.
2366 Washington Street (Rt. 16)
Newton Lower Falls, MA
Phone: (617) 332-3000
These all-organic Barolos, barberas, and dolcettos never fail to impress with their purity and sense of place. Guiseppe will serve up a range of red wines and vintages, including his Barolo from the lofty 2004 vintage. As the wines are particularly appropriate for harvest feasts, his visit is quite timely. Come, enjoy impressive wines, and partake in some authoritative commentary!
I have tasted a number of the Vajra wines before and have enjoyed all of them. This tasting will be well worth attending and I am sure you will find wines you will like. Hope to see you there!
Lower Falls Wine Co.
2366 Washington Street (Rt. 16)
Newton Lower Falls, MA
Phone: (617) 332-3000
Wine Parties & Hebrew Wine Poetry
"Wine is bottled poetry." --Robert Louis Stevenson
Wine is far more than just a liquid to quench your thirst or get you drunk. Wine can arouse many emotions, as well as provide impetus to writers, poets, and artists. When I savor a special bottle of wine, one that wows me, it puts me into a poetical mood. It makes me want to rhapsodize about the hedonistic pleasures of the wine. Other times, when I share a bottle of wine with family or friends, that might also put me into a poetical mood. At those times, the wine does need to wow me as it is the surrounding circumstances that elevate even a more ordinary wine to higher levels.
Wine was also inspirational to Arabic and Hebrew poets in Spain during the 8th to 11th centuries. They wrote much wine poetry yet it seems largely forgotten now. Were you aware of their poetry? I knew nothing about it until I chanced upon a passage discussing it in a recent biography, Maimonides. The passage intrigued me so I dug deeper, researching more about this wine poetry. I found a few resources about it, though it is still an area that needs more study.
My primary resource was Wine, Women and Death: Hebrew Poems on the Good Life by Raymond Scheindlin (Oxford University Press, 1986), a book I recently bought as it seemed interesting. It turned out to be a fascinating book, containing not only background on Hebrew poetry but all presenting 31 different poems, with explanations of each. I should also note that each poem is presented in Hebrew as well as English. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants more information on this subject.
Arabic wine poetry, called khamriyyah, originated in the 6th century but started to become more prominent in the 9th century. The most important Arabic wine poet was Abu Nuwas (9th century). During the 9th through 11th centuries, in Moslem Spain, wine parties became an honored tradition and very popular, especially in the lifestyle of courtiers. These parties were the origin and subject of many wine poems.
Jews in Moslem Spain, especially Andalusia, were influenced by the wine poetry of the Arabs and they began to imitate such poetry. The first Hebrew wine poem was written by Dunash ibn Labrat, also known as Rabbi Adonim ha-Levi, who lived in Spain in the middle of the 10th century. He was also the first Jewish poet to apply Arabic forms of poetry to Hebrew, causing quite a controversy at first. But this style of poetry eventually caught on and became the norm. Unfortunately, only a few of Dunash's poems still exist and most are known only by lines quoted by others.
Though Jews participated in wine parties, we don't have many specifics about those parties. But based on their poetry, it appears they were very similar to Arabic wine parties, provided the Jewish poets were writing about their own experiences. There seems little reason to doubt that the parties were not similar.
Most Arabic wine parties began after dinner and resembled in some ways the ancient Greek symposiums. Participants would sit on cushions with small tables next to them. The wine they drank was usually mixed with water, like the ancient Greeks. Attendees might bring their own glass, often crystal, or share a communal cup. The wine pourer, a saqi, was often an attractive young boy who was flirtatious but followed certain etiquette. Any young girls who acted as saqi had their hair cut short and dressed like a boy. These parties were most often held outside, commonly in a garden, and there would be entertainers such as singers and dancers.
Wine poetry lacked any rigid rules though they usually consisted of one of two themes, either descriptive or meditative, those sometimes poets combined the two. Descriptive poems would give details of the wine and the circumstances surrounding it. The poems might describes the wine’s age, fragrance, clarity, brilliance, and color. It might describe the cup, the jug which filled the cup, the table on which it is set, or even the saqi who served. Some even seemed like love poetry addressed to the saqi. Or the poems might detail the place where the party was being held or even discuss the entertainers. Meditative poems detailed the feelings that the wine aroused in the poet. These emotions were usually sad and the poems might contrast joy and sadness, indicating how pleasures are but temporary and fleeting.
Though wine poems are primarily secular, religious themes and imagery were sometimes added to them. For example, it was traditional to greatly exaggerate the age of the wine. It might be associated with biblical characters to indicate its great age. Interestingly, this did not originate with the Jews but actually came from the Arabs. Abu Nuwas sometimes described wines as coming from the age of Adam and Eve or Noah. In addition, in the wine poetry of the mystics, wine was a symbol of divine love while drunkenness was viewed as mystical ecstasy.
Samuel ha-Nagid (11th century) was the Jewish vizier of Granada, a very powerful man, and also wrote many wine poems. In some of his poems, he characterized King David as the model drinker as well as a symbol of the wine's great age.
Here are two short poems that he wrote, both from Wine, Women and Death: Hebrew Poems on the Good Life.
If you’re like me, and want to pour the wine of joy,
Hear what I have to say.
I’ll teach you pleasure’s way, though you don’t want to hear,
You friend of sighs and pain.
Five things there are that fill the hearts of men with joy,
And out my grief to flight:
A pretty girl, a garden, wine, the water’s rush
In a canal, and song.
(p.51)
Take from a fawn the crystal filled with blood
Of grapes, as bright as hailstones filled with fire.
Her lips are a scarlet thread; her kisses, wine;
Her mouth and body wear the same perfume.
Her hands are crystal wands with ruby tips—
She tints her fingers with her victim’s blood.
(p.74)
What are your feelings about these poems? I find the second poem to be especially evocative, with powerful imagery. It is a poem of passion and speaks to my heart.
Does wine make you feel poetic? It might be fascinating to see others write some wine poetry, either descriptive or meditative. If you write some, I would love to read it as I am sure others would be interested to read it as well.
Maybe it would be interesting to have our own wine parties in an outside garden, beneath the stars. Winter in New England might not be the best time for that but we could look forward to doing it this spring. Anyone want to join me for a garden wine party?
"No thing more excellent nor more valuable than wine was ever granted mankind by God."--Plato
Wine is far more than just a liquid to quench your thirst or get you drunk. Wine can arouse many emotions, as well as provide impetus to writers, poets, and artists. When I savor a special bottle of wine, one that wows me, it puts me into a poetical mood. It makes me want to rhapsodize about the hedonistic pleasures of the wine. Other times, when I share a bottle of wine with family or friends, that might also put me into a poetical mood. At those times, the wine does need to wow me as it is the surrounding circumstances that elevate even a more ordinary wine to higher levels.
Wine was also inspirational to Arabic and Hebrew poets in Spain during the 8th to 11th centuries. They wrote much wine poetry yet it seems largely forgotten now. Were you aware of their poetry? I knew nothing about it until I chanced upon a passage discussing it in a recent biography, Maimonides. The passage intrigued me so I dug deeper, researching more about this wine poetry. I found a few resources about it, though it is still an area that needs more study.
My primary resource was Wine, Women and Death: Hebrew Poems on the Good Life by Raymond Scheindlin (Oxford University Press, 1986), a book I recently bought as it seemed interesting. It turned out to be a fascinating book, containing not only background on Hebrew poetry but all presenting 31 different poems, with explanations of each. I should also note that each poem is presented in Hebrew as well as English. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants more information on this subject.
Arabic wine poetry, called khamriyyah, originated in the 6th century but started to become more prominent in the 9th century. The most important Arabic wine poet was Abu Nuwas (9th century). During the 9th through 11th centuries, in Moslem Spain, wine parties became an honored tradition and very popular, especially in the lifestyle of courtiers. These parties were the origin and subject of many wine poems.
Jews in Moslem Spain, especially Andalusia, were influenced by the wine poetry of the Arabs and they began to imitate such poetry. The first Hebrew wine poem was written by Dunash ibn Labrat, also known as Rabbi Adonim ha-Levi, who lived in Spain in the middle of the 10th century. He was also the first Jewish poet to apply Arabic forms of poetry to Hebrew, causing quite a controversy at first. But this style of poetry eventually caught on and became the norm. Unfortunately, only a few of Dunash's poems still exist and most are known only by lines quoted by others.
Though Jews participated in wine parties, we don't have many specifics about those parties. But based on their poetry, it appears they were very similar to Arabic wine parties, provided the Jewish poets were writing about their own experiences. There seems little reason to doubt that the parties were not similar.
Most Arabic wine parties began after dinner and resembled in some ways the ancient Greek symposiums. Participants would sit on cushions with small tables next to them. The wine they drank was usually mixed with water, like the ancient Greeks. Attendees might bring their own glass, often crystal, or share a communal cup. The wine pourer, a saqi, was often an attractive young boy who was flirtatious but followed certain etiquette. Any young girls who acted as saqi had their hair cut short and dressed like a boy. These parties were most often held outside, commonly in a garden, and there would be entertainers such as singers and dancers.
Wine poetry lacked any rigid rules though they usually consisted of one of two themes, either descriptive or meditative, those sometimes poets combined the two. Descriptive poems would give details of the wine and the circumstances surrounding it. The poems might describes the wine’s age, fragrance, clarity, brilliance, and color. It might describe the cup, the jug which filled the cup, the table on which it is set, or even the saqi who served. Some even seemed like love poetry addressed to the saqi. Or the poems might detail the place where the party was being held or even discuss the entertainers. Meditative poems detailed the feelings that the wine aroused in the poet. These emotions were usually sad and the poems might contrast joy and sadness, indicating how pleasures are but temporary and fleeting.
Though wine poems are primarily secular, religious themes and imagery were sometimes added to them. For example, it was traditional to greatly exaggerate the age of the wine. It might be associated with biblical characters to indicate its great age. Interestingly, this did not originate with the Jews but actually came from the Arabs. Abu Nuwas sometimes described wines as coming from the age of Adam and Eve or Noah. In addition, in the wine poetry of the mystics, wine was a symbol of divine love while drunkenness was viewed as mystical ecstasy.
Samuel ha-Nagid (11th century) was the Jewish vizier of Granada, a very powerful man, and also wrote many wine poems. In some of his poems, he characterized King David as the model drinker as well as a symbol of the wine's great age.
Here are two short poems that he wrote, both from Wine, Women and Death: Hebrew Poems on the Good Life.
If you’re like me, and want to pour the wine of joy,
Hear what I have to say.
I’ll teach you pleasure’s way, though you don’t want to hear,
You friend of sighs and pain.
Five things there are that fill the hearts of men with joy,
And out my grief to flight:
A pretty girl, a garden, wine, the water’s rush
In a canal, and song.
(p.51)
Take from a fawn the crystal filled with blood
Of grapes, as bright as hailstones filled with fire.
Her lips are a scarlet thread; her kisses, wine;
Her mouth and body wear the same perfume.
Her hands are crystal wands with ruby tips—
She tints her fingers with her victim’s blood.
(p.74)
What are your feelings about these poems? I find the second poem to be especially evocative, with powerful imagery. It is a poem of passion and speaks to my heart.
Does wine make you feel poetic? It might be fascinating to see others write some wine poetry, either descriptive or meditative. If you write some, I would love to read it as I am sure others would be interested to read it as well.
Maybe it would be interesting to have our own wine parties in an outside garden, beneath the stars. Winter in New England might not be the best time for that but we could look forward to doing it this spring. Anyone want to join me for a garden wine party?
"No thing more excellent nor more valuable than wine was ever granted mankind by God."--Plato
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