Wednesday 23 November 2011

Vinum Africa 2008 Chenin Blanc

Caitlin's family has been in town all week. They are fixing up the condo, organizing, and preparing an awesome Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow.  I think they have fed me for the past three nights, so tonight it seemed like time that I cook a little something for them.  I made a simple paella, the recipe for which was on an iPad app called "How to Cook Everything."  The only ingredients were rice, stock, olive oil, chicken/shrimp, onion, saffron, salt, and pepper.  It was super easy--I made double the recipe thinking people would eat a ton, but we had a huge tupperware left over because it was so filling.  On the side I served a tomato salad in a chili-balsamic vinaigrette.  Tomato salad is traditionally more of a summer dish, but I wanted something fresh and simply flavored that would not clash with the paella.  With dinner we had a Chenin Blanc that one of Caitlin's coworkers brought to our last party.

In my head I had equated Chenin Blanc with Sauvignon Blanc.  I expected the chenin blanc to be light, crisp, maybe even a little watery--something that would accompany the shrimp and rice without much noise.  How insensitive of me; chenin blanc is its own distinct varietal, as I later learned, completely unrelated to the other blanc.  In South Africa, chenin blanc is also known as Steen and is the most widely planted varietal in the region.  Chenin blanc is rather malleable, in that depending on the terroir (climate, soil, etc.), the grape can create very different flavors, acidity, and sweetness in the wines it becomes.  South African chenin blancs are usually on the drier side with tropical fruit notes, while those wines from Loire, France, can be sweet or dry, still or sparkling.

This chenin blanc was heavier than I expected.  It reminded me a little of a viognier.  These are white wines that really sit in your mouth; they aren't refreshing or light like a sauvignon blanc, but they have a lot of character.  You can tell from the color--a deeper yellow--that there is more going on in the glass than with other whites.  The Vinum was thick and fruity, a little tart, but not overly sweet.  Caitlin tasted lime and honey--I didn't get that far, but I trust her palate.  This is definitely a white wine for people who like wine, not for the cocktail party white wine drinker.  It is a serious wine for a serious meal, and I think it matched well with the (slightly) greasy paella.  Not guzzleable, so good pair with dinner.

I googled the bottle, and it runs about $20.  I would recommend it, but only if you actually want to taste your white wine before you swallow it.

Monday 14 November 2011

Marques de Montanana 2009 Garnacha

I just couldn't stay away. It's been almost a year, but I haven't forgotten you. There isn't a wine store window I haven't pressed my face against, a restaurant wine menu I haven't pored over, or a catchy label I haven't ogled and thought of you. It was only a matter of time; true love never dies. The Humble Grape is back up, sipping, swirling, and savoring its way through the economical wines around DC.

Saturday night Cait and I had a birthday party; it wasn't her birthday, it wasn't my birthday, but it was a pretty good party. Among the lovely guest gifts was a bottle of garnacha from Allison and Rob. Of course the real gift was their presence at the party, but I won't blog about dancing barefoot on the kitchen mat or Rob telling me he felt, "It is time to switch to whiskey." Tonight Cait and I were in the mood for a glass of red, and we sliced some meats and cheeses to accompany our selection.

Both Cait and I loved this bottle. It smelled a little like church wine and was immediately fruit-filled and fun on my tongue. But it settled on the sides of my tongue and finished slightly tannic. Medium-bodied and easy to drink, this garnacha was truly a treat. It reminded me a little of a big pinot noir, and the bottle was gone before we knew it.

We liked it so much that we looked it up online to find more--turns out you can find this at Trader Joe's for $4.99! Excellent find. I will pick up another bottle or two next time I'm at the store.

Update: Also great with chocolate cake.