Some geography lessons...

Reverting to a trip a few months back, I was aptly surprised at a wine region in the United States of which I had never heard, but nonetheless had excellent wine.  Of where do I speak?  First, let me ask you this question... where were the oldest vineyards in the United States first planted?  Some may say Virginia, or perhaps one of the other original colonies - and while yes, the history is rich there, that answer is incorrect. Some others may say with the Spanish settlers in California - of course!  And that is not too far off, but the answer is still no.

Some of the oldest vineyards planted in the United States were in none other than the state of New Mexico. The vines were planted by none other than priests (who of course are great for their beer). Back before the Spanish had expanded to California, the missionaries spread to now what is New Mexico. They needed wine to celebrate the mass - yet it being so far away, they decided instead of lugging barrels cross oceans and countries, they would instead bring vines from Spain.  And thus, voila, the New Mexican wine region was born.  (Source: http://www.nmwine.com/)

We were in Albuquerque for a conference, and while we did not have too much time, we did have a chance to visit two beautiful wineries. The first one, located in a hidden part of town (so hidden in fact you feel like you are driving in a subdivision until you come upon it)  is Casa Rondena Winery. The approach, of which is a beautiful entrance into a New Mexican villa:
 The winery buildings are surrounded by a beautiful vineyard, gorgeous gardens, and space that is (the owners told us) quite the popular spot for weddings and other fancy events. And who could blame them.
The wine itself was quite good - unlike Virginia wines I would not recommend the whites or rose's too much. There was something mineral-y about the flavors that I wasn't a fan of. It also had a sweet melon taste, which some people enjoy but yeah not really my type of wine. But, if you enjoy a good Tempranillo - or similar type of Spanish Wine than Casa Rondena is a place to check out.

After our tasting I opted for a glass of their 2010 varietal of the 1629.  IT is 50% Syrah, 41% Cab Sauv and 9% Tempranillo.  And the name derives from the year of the first plantings in North America.  Alas, we didn't have anything to carry the wine home in, so we opted instead for a wonderful, relaxing rest out in the gardens.

Easter Dinner and Wine

This past Easter Sunday I was having a difficult time trying to figure out what wine would pair well with our food.  My family is of Lithuanian origin, so in addition to ham, we also have kapusta, a greens dish (called lapiene), as well as homemade raisin bread (razino piragas); not to mention scalloped potatoes, green bean casserole, ambrosia and a sweet jello-like loaf.  All in all a huge mish-mash of different flavors and tastes.

Since there weren't many wine drinkers at dinner, I knew that opening both a red and a white would be a bit odd.  So I opted, instead for a pinot noir we were saving in our fridge from a trip to Switzerland. It was a wonderful taste for the meal - the perfect balance of some body, without the butteriness of, say, a chardonnay.

We had this wine while staying in Switzerland with family, and it was absolutely delicious!  I am afraid, however, that it may have lost some of its flavor in the travel between countries. Still an excellent buy if you happen to find some over here. And it was a wonderful way to celebrate a special occasion!

The perfect VA day for a wonderful (surpise!) Virgina Red

For those of you not in the DC region - we've had our fair share of winter this year.  Here it is mid-April and we even had a few snow flurries earlier this week. About two months ago, during one of our winter storms I was thinking of what I could make for dinner that would warm the soul and heart - and make for a nice meal with my husband and I.  

I called up my Mom and asked for my Grandmother's Chop Suey recipe.  Interesting enough, I could not stand this dish when I was little - honestly because I had no idea what it is.  The recipe is relatively simple:

Ingredients:
2 onions
1 bunch celery
3-4 lbs of veal and pork
1 container fresh mushrooms
bean sprouts (optional)

The recipe - copied from my grandma's verbal instruction (hey she is 98 - she doesn't need recipes) is as follows:

Chop two onions
Chop celery 
Add the above to a pot, just cover with water (not a whole pot of water) and bring to a boil.  Simmer until celery is soft.

Brown meat in pan.  When meat is brown add to the above pot with veggies and continue simmering till soft (maybe 2 hours). If using fresh mushrooms, boil first for about 10 minutes and add to the mixture near the end. If using canned mushrooms add the can to the pot. Add bean sprouts at the end if desired. Add 1/2 bottle of soy sauce (more/less)to taste.

Serve with rice if you like.

Enjoying Narmada's Reserve Cabernet Franc on the
patio overlooking the vineyards

When looking through our wine for the right one to go with veal and pork I decided upon an unlikely subject: A 2011 Cabarnet Franc from Narmada Winery in Virgina.  Now, for those of you who aren't from the VA area, they do Cab Francs quite well - in fact I would recommend them over other regions.  They have a slightly mellow flavor that gives the ooomph of a red without the big body flavor.  Since most reds in VA are quite young, they too aren't quite as bold.  

At any rate, we were not disappointed. Narmada is a newer winery, owned by Pandit and Sudha Patil, who are retired Federal employees.  It is situated on a beautiful piece of land in the foothills of the Shenandoah valley. We happened upon it driving home from a late season camping trip in November. It was warm enough to be on their patio and enjoy some of their wine, as well as the fresh apples we had bought at a road-side stand nearby.  

Wine, sunshine and autumn - who could ask for more?

The winery is at once unique - decorated with Indian decorations - including their signature peacock on both their glasses and wine bottles. The food served at the winery is mostly of an Indian variety - which makes it a nice change compared to typical vineyard fare.  All in all, it is quite a lovely experience - one that was unexpected and made for a beautiful fall, and later on a wonderful spring evening warmed by chop suey, wine and love.

A rainy Sunday evening

Appetizer:  Avocado with True Myth Edna Valley Chardonnay (2012)

Dinner: Pulled BBQ Pork and Roasted Winter Veggies with 2011 Little Vineyard Zinfandel - Sonoma Valley

I'll admit, tonight's dinner is a bit of a mish-mash.  A few weeks back I cooked a pork loin for my partner and me.  We had A LOT leftover, and I froze most of it.  Fast forward a few weeks, and I find myself unexpectedly wanting ot cook a nice Sunday meal.  I pulled out the frozen pork loin, let it de-thaw in the fridge, cut up one onion and added about half a bottle of BBQ sauce.  It's been simmering on the stove for about an hour or so...  I looked at a wine chart to see that pork goes well with zinfandel so voila!

In the meantime, I peeled and chopped into large chunks beets, parsnips, turnips and rootabega.  I drizzled olive oil over the top, added salt, pepper, thyme and some rosemary, all in a great baking dish.  It's been in the oven a good hour at 350 and still has a bit of time to go.

A bit about the wine:  the 2012 True Myth Enda Chardonnay... we are not huge chardonnay fans.  Especially if it is from California.  The whole malalactic fermentation thing (whatever it is that they do) and the buttery taste that results = Yuck!  However, I received this wine through a local wine club I belong to near where I live.

My vote is that for a Chardonnay this is nice - nothing too overwhelming.  It overpowered the avocado a little bit, but still was a nice way to unwind and start the fooding.  My man - eh not so much.  He does not like the wine much at all - he drank it b/c we paid for it, but really any chard is a bad chard in his mind.

Little Vineyard - I am excited about this wine!  We bought it on a work trip out to California.  I had a conference, and we went early to play in Napa/Sonoma.  We went to the valleys a few years back on our honeymoon - and this time we got to explore many of the wineries we haven't had the chance to do so.  Anyhoo Little Vineyards was a bit off the beaten path - secluded and very beautiful in the foothills.  we went in late Autumn, so the crowds were not that bad.  At any rate - so far a beautiful bouquet... letting it get some air while the food finishes...

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And post meal - that wine was quite excellent.  It had a nice fruity flavor that really went well with the root vegetables.  I like a full bodied wine - and this was just what I was looking for.  Not so big that you feel like your mouth got whacked with a 2x4 - but enough of a oomph of flavor that you notice it. It paired really well with the pork too - the meat wasn't overpowered by the juice or vice versa.

I think this wine would also be good if you were sitting around with friends, just having a drink or two.  We also finished this bottle the day after while preparing some chop suey - and it was a great starter while we waited for the meal to finish.

At any rate I would buy this again - quite a tasty Zinfandel if I must say so m'self.

Wine for the rest of us

I'll admit that I enjoy wine.  Nothing says life to me than sitting down with friends or loved ones, uncorking a bottle of wine and letting go, and enjoying the conversation that ensues.  Yet much of the conversation on the blogs out there are by real connoisseurs who have amazing tastes (and incredible budgets!).  I am not an expert, I don't even pretend to be one.  Yet, in the words of countless vineyard owners and tasting room people, "Don't let the experts tell you what you should or shouldn't taste.  The real key is if you like it, or not.  If you enjoy it -drink it."

And that is the point - I will intend to share stories of wines I enjoy: whether at home with my family, out with friends, or on an exciting adventure.  The key is to help others learn about tasty wines, and perhaps a recipe or two to go with it.

Cheers!