CorkPopper

Too Pretty to Eat.... Almost

corkpopper.blog@gmail.com (Laurel) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 03:00:00 +0000

Since starting this blog last year, I've steadily been working on not only my writing (good food and wine writing is a skill all its own) but also my photography, experimenting with different styles, settings, lighting, etc., and I, for one, think my photos have gotten increasingly better. Well, I've recently taken things to the next step and purchased what is called a desktop photo studio to really up the ante on the visual effect of this little blog of mine. What is a desktop photo studio, you ask? Well, it's a little white tent-like structure - actually, it's more like one of those flexible laundry baskets that you can fold up - in which you place what you want to photograph. You then situate two giant lamps on either side of the tent so that their light is diffused by the sides of the tent, giving you that perfect soft white light so necessary for the ideal photograph. Skeptical? Well, here's a photo of the pasta I made for myself on Tuesday night (recipe below), taken before I got my desktop photo studio......

And here is a pic of the even more delicious pasta I made for me and J last night (recipe also below), taken using the desktop photo studio.....

Amazing, right? I mean, I had so much fun taking pictures of it I almost let it get cold!!

Anyway, the point of all this is to introduce just one of the steps I'm taking to make this blog more than just my ramblings on food and wine but also a truly enjoyable aesthetic experience for you, my dear readers. There are additional changes to come shortly, so check back soon!!

Recipe #1: Fusilli Pasta with Spicy Sausage, Roasted Peppers and Tomatoes, Sauteed Onions, Black Olives, Pesto and Goat Cheese (aka the perfect Tuesday Night Meal)*

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1/2 pound fusilli pasta (the spiral ones, although you can use any short pasta)
2 spicy Italian sausages
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup jarred roasted peppers (I used yellow peppers, but red peppers are great as well), sliced
1/4 cup roasted tomatoes (I purchased these from the self-serve antipasto bar area at Whole Foods), sliced
1 small can sliced black olives
Crushed red pepper (optional)
Freshly ground pepper and sea salt
1/4 cup pesto sauce
Goat cheese

Preparation:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.

Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Remove the sausages from their casings and place in the pan, breaking them up into small pieces. Once the sausage is browned, add the onions, season with some salt and pepper, turn the heat down to medium-low and cover, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Once the onions are transluscent and almost soft, add the roasted peppers and tomatoes. Season with a bit more salt and pepper and, if you like heat, some crushed red pepper flakes. Cover and allow the flavors to really combine, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the instructions on the box, checking for doneness without about a minute left on the time. Drain the cooked pasta (but do not rinse) and return it to the pot. Add the pesto to the pasta and stir to coat, adding more pesto if necessary. Add the sausage mixture to the pot and stir. Serve in large pasta bowls and sprinkle with some freshly crumbled goat cheese. Pair with a spicy red wine such as a Spanish Rioja (or anything made from Garnacha or Tempranillo grapes), an Italian Super Tuscan, or a Burgundy (which is what I chose).

If done properly, this meal should take you no more than 20-25 minutes to prepare, making it the perfect Tuesday night dinner.

Recipe #2: Lamb Ragu with Mint**

Serves 2

Ingredients:
1/2 pound rigatoni or other short pasta
Extra virgin olive oil
1 large or 2 small shallots, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
3/4 pound ground lamb
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup dry red wine (I used Pinot Noir, which is an excellent choice to go with lamb)
2 cups marinara sauce

1/4 - 1/2 fresh mint leaves, torn
1/3 ricotta cheese

Preparation:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.

In a large skillet, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and saute until transluscent, about 2 minutes. Add the lamb and season with some salt and pepper. Cook until the lamb has browned, and most of the juices have evaporated. Add the wine, scraping up any brown bits, and simmer until the wine is reduced by half. Add the marinara sauce and simmer over medium-low heat until the sauce has thickened, about 10-15 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package, checking for doneness about a minute before the suggested time is up. Drain the cooked pasta but do not rinse.

Once the sauce is thickened, and its flavors have combined, turn off the heat and add the ricotta and half of the mint. Stir to combine. Add the pasta and toss to coat. Serve in large pasta bowls and sprinkle with the rest of the mint. Yummmm.... And for a tough-to-beat pairing, serve (and make) it with a Cambria "Julia's Vineyard" Pinot Noir. The pepper and anise in the wine perfectly compliment the richness of the lamb and the fresh herbaceousness of the mint.

This recipe is also relatively quick, taking just about 30-35 minutes to complete.

Cheers and buon appetito!!!

Laurel

* This recipe is my own creation, perfected after years and years of tweaking.
** This recipe is a Giada De Laurentiis recipe, which J and I saw her make one day on Everyday Italian. Our mouths were literally watering watching the television, and it is SO much better in person. I have, of course, slightly tweaked her original recipe, which you can find here.

What I'm Doing: Artbites

corkpopper.blog@gmail.com (Laurel) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:00:00 +0000

Plenty of people talk (and write) about the connection between food and art. But few people take their passion for the two worlds - gastronomic and aesthetic - and manage to intertwine them in a way that feels both unique and natural. Enter Maite Gomez-Rejon, founder of Artbites. With a BFA from UT at Austin and an MFA from Chicago's School of Art Institute, Maite's art world bona fides are easily established. Of course, art alone wasn't enough, apparently, because Maite also completed the Culinary Arts Program at the French Culinary Institute and has been a private chef for the likes of Aerosmith and KISS.

But it is where Maite's love for food and art meet that is the true focus on this post. In 2003 she designed a class for New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art called Art and Food: Looking and Cooking, which traced the history of food as seen through the Met's collection. The popularity of that class led her to found Artbites, and she continues to put on great programs throughout the U.S. dedicated to the confluence of art and food.

It was at the inaugural session of her new "Dinner and a Movie" series that I met Maithe. 20 or so of us watched some clips from the fantastic film Like Water for Chocolate and then proceeded to make an absolutely fantastic spread of Mexican food inspired by the film. And there was certainly no shortage of absolutely beautiful and delicious food - handmade tortillas, stuffed peppers, chicken with mole, zucchini and corn salad, beans, rice, and flourless chocolate cake with rose petal sauce. What an absolutely fantastic experience!

Thanks Maithe!! See you at the next class!!

Cheers!

Laurel

Oh Canada....

corkpopper.blog@gmail.com (Laurel) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:00:00 +0000

As my regular readers know, March was supposed to be Canada's month in the CorkPopper Project. With all the great things I've read and heard about Canada's wines these days, I assumed I'd have no problem finding twelve Canadian wines to enjoy and review this month. Unfortunately, I was wrong. Sadly, despite quite a bit of recent good press about the quality wines being produced in British Columbia and Southern Ontario, it is still extremely difficult for an American consumer to purchase anything but icewine from Canada without actually making a trip across the border. And although Canadian icewine has its fans, it is neither my cup of tea (or wine) nor within the CorkPopper budget.

I did manage to find one website that sells and ships Canadian wines to the United States, but I was not willing to randomly select twelve wines and just hope that they were decent. As a compromise, I ordered four - a Semillon, a Pinot Gris, a Pinot Noir and a red blend - produced by four different wineries that were recently honored at the Canadian Wine Awards. As Murphy's Law would have it, however, the retailer apparently has some inventory issues, and I have neither received my wines yet nor been informed as to which wines they will even be able to ship to me.

Depending on how this all plays out, then, Canada may not make it into the CorkPopper project at all. Of course, in many ways it is pretty amazing that this is the first real speed bump the CorkPopper Project has encountered. In the meantime, I will be doing my best to post on things other than the CorkPopper Project this month (e.g., I've been promising a post about wine tasting in Buenos Aires ever since January, and have been to a few wine/food events recently that are definitely worth writing about). And on an even more exciting note, CorkPopper has been getting a behind-the-scenes face lift. Stay tuned for the big reveal, which should happen in the next week or so!

Cheers!!

Laurel

Week 26: What to Eat with the 2001 Campo Viejo Gran Reserva Rioja

corkpopper.blog@gmail.com (Laurel) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:00:00 +0000

If you've followed the CorkPopper Project for any length of time, you know that some months are better than others. Spain, I'm happy to say, has been a great month. The wines have been consistently good, and, even better, quality Spanish wines are still available at consistently good prices. Moreover, it's been a blast coming up with delicious recipes to compliment the best of each week's wines, and this week is no exception.

There was a tie this week in terms of corks popped scores - both the 2006 Bodegas Bilbainas Vina Zaco Rioja and the 2001 Campo Viejo Gran Reserva Rioja garnered 4 corks popped each. But, as in life, there can only be one CorkPopper wine of the week, and, although I quite enjoyed both wines, the 2001 Campo Viejo Gran Reserva Rioja is an especially food-friendly wine.

Even though we feasted on tapas last week, I decided to start off tonight's dinner with a tapas platter as well. I included some Drunken Goat and Young Mahona cheeses (both Spanish), some Spanish chorizo, Marcona almonds, dried persimmon, marinated mushrooms and baby artichokes, and roasted red and yellow tomatoes. Delicious and gorgeous all around...

For the main course, I put a more modern twist on some traditional Spanish flavors with Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Spicy Romesco Sauce.* Pork is such a wine-friendly protein - you can serve virtually any kind of wine with it depending on how you've prepared it, and tenderloin is my favorite cut. This preparation, with the smoky roasted peppers and spicy dressing is a great compliment to the mellow leather and plum found in the 2001 Campo Viejo Gran Reserva Rioja.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Spicy Romesco Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
8 large cloves garlic, 4 finely minced, 4 thinly sliced
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon hot paprika
1/2 bottle dry white wine
Extra virgin olive oil
Baby arugula
6 oz. jarred roasted red peppers, drained, rinsed, patted dry and sliced
6 oz. jarred roasted yellow peppers, drained, rinsed, patted dry and sliced
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup Sherry vinegar

Preparation:
Season the pork with salt and pepper. Place in a large ziploc bag with the minced garlic, 1 tablespoon paprika, and the wine. Allow to marinade several hours (at least 4 and up to 24).

Prepare your grill to medium-high heat. Grill pork, turning occasionally and using the marinade as a basting liquid, until a meat thermometer inserted diagonally into the center reads 150 degrees. This should take about 20-25 minutes. Transfer the pork to a cutting board, tent with foil, and allow to stand another 10 minutes.

While the pork is resting, arrange the arugula and peppers on a platter.

Heat a couple of tablespoons olive oil in a small pan. Add the almonds and garlic and saute, stirring frequently, until golden. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a paper towel to drain.

Add 1 tablespoon paprika, cayenne and a pinch of salt to the oil. Stir for about 30 seconds and then add the vinegar and allow to boil, stirring occasionally, for about a minute.

Slice the pork. Drizzle the hot dressing over the arugula and peppers and top with sliced pork. Sprinkle with toasted almonds and garlic.

Serve with crusty grilled bread, of course.

And to finish things off, some beautiful mini cupcakes brought by NG, our guest for tonight's CorkPopper dinner. Thanks, NG!!

Cheers!!!

Laurel

* This recipe is my version of a delicious-looking recipe I found on Epicurious.

2004 Conde de Valdemar Rioja Reserva

corkpopper.blog@gmail.com (Laurel) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 04:30:00 +0000

For my third and final Rioja, I've chosen a 2004 Conde de Valdemar Rioja Reserva. A blend of 85% Tempranillo and 15% Mazuelo grapes, this wine spent 18 months aging in oak barrels (6 months more than the required 12 months to be called "Reserva"). Dark garnet in color, this wine definitely needs time to breathe. I poured a glass immediately after opening the bottle, and it had a bit of an unpleasant peaty aroma. This mellowed out a bit with some time in the glass to reveal some roasted dark fruit along with a bit of spice. It was nice and smooth on the palate with more red and dark fruits as well as a bit of pepper to balance it out. In short, although that peatiness I smelled at the outset never entirely dissipated, this is a fairly decent wine. That said, this week's first two wines (here and here) were significantly better at a much better price. (This one's available for $18.49/bottle at wine.com.) Hmmm....

3 corks popped....

Cheers!!

Laurel

2001 Campo Viejo Gran Reserva Rioja

corkpopper.blog@gmail.com (Laurel) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Founded in 1959, Campo Viejo is a bodega (winery) in Rioja that has consistently put out good wines through the years, and the 2001 Gran Reserva is no exception. A blend of Tempranillo, Mazuelo and Graciano grapes, this wine has a smooth aroma of plum, leather and vanilla, and you can tell at first whiff that it has been aged nicely. Indeed, to garner "Gran Reserva" status, Rioja wines must spend two years in oak barrels followed by three years in the bottle before it is released to the public. All that time resting gives it a nice, smooth mouthfeel with soft tannins and round flavors that are neither competing nor boring.

At its usual price of $22/bottle, this wine is a little out of my "everyday wine" budget (which is why I gave it 4 corks instead of 4.5). It's on sale right now, however, for just $14.99/bottle from K&L Wine Merchants. That's a deal you should be sure to not miss....

4 corks popped...

Cheers!!

Laurel

2006 Bodegas Bilbainas Vina Zaco Rioja

corkpopper.blog@gmail.com (Laurel) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Tempranillo, a red grape native to Spain and the primary grape variety used in the Rioja Denominacion de Origen Calificada (DOC), produces wines typically characterized by their deep purple color, fruity notes of dark, ripe berries, and smoky components of vanilla, tobacco and leather, which are generally present due to the wine being aged in oak barrels.

The 2006 Bodegas Bilbainas Vina Zaco Rioja, which J and I tasted after a particularly tough day, is a very typical Tempranillo, showing lots of juicy blackberries alongside some nice spicy nutmeg and a bit of vanilla from its time on oak. It's a tad on the tannic side, which means that after a glass or two your mouth feels more than a little dry, but this would likely mellow out a bit with some breathing time (which I did not give it).

Wine Spectator named this wine #71 on its list of Top 100 Wines of 2009, and at just $11.99/bottle from the Wine House, it's easy to see why. This is a great weeknight wine that does well both on its own and with food. Indeed, J and I tasted it with some grilled chicken and roasted garlic sausages, grilled bread and an arugula salad. Very nice, indeed.

4 corks popped...

Cheers!!

Laurel

Week 26: Rioja

corkpopper.blog@gmail.com (Laurel) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 04:42:00 +0000

For this, my final week in Spain, I'll be exploring Spain most famous region - Rioja. Rioja, the Denominacion de Origen Calificada (DOC) located in Spain's northern region, is also one of Spain oldest. Indeed, there is evidence that wine was produced in the region going all the way back to the days of the Phoenicians in the 9th century. The greater Rioja DOC is split into three subregions: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa, and Rioja Baja. Rioja Alta is at a higher elevation than the other two subregions and generally produces more "old world" style wines. Rioja Alavesa has a similar climate to Rioja Alta but different soil, which generally produces wines of higher acidity. Rioja Baja is the warmest and driest of the subregions and produces wines that are most often used as blending components in other wines.

The most common red grape variety in Rioja is Tempranillo with fairly large amounts of Garnacha Tinta, Graciano and Mazuelo also making their way into Rioja wines. There are four categories of Rioja wines: (1) "Rioja," which spends less than a year in oak, (2) "Crianza," which is aged at least two years, one of which must be in oak, (3) "Rioja Reserva," which is aged at least three years, one of which must be in oak, and (4) "Rioja Gran Reserva," which must be aged at least two years in oak and three years in bottle.

As for this week's wines, here's the lineup:

First, we have a 2006 Bodegas Bilbainas Vino Zaco, which was chosen as one of Wine Spectator's Top 100 of 2009. You can find it at the Wine House for just $11.99/bottle.

Next, is a 2001 Campo Viejo Gran Reserva, which was given 90 points by Wine Enthusiast and is available at K&L Wine Merchants for just $14.99/bottle.

Finally, is a 2004 Conde de Valdemar Reserva, which garnered 90 points from Wine Advocate and is available at wine.com for $18.49/bottle.

Cheers!!

Laurel

Week 25: What to Eat with the 2005 Domini de la Cartoixa "Galena" Priorat

corkpopper.blog@gmail.com (Laurel) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0000

I couldn't possibly do a month focusing on Spain without making tapas, the country's famous small plates. The word "tapa" is derived from the Spanish verb "tapar," which means to cover. According to The Joy of Cooking, the original tapas were slices of bread or meat (usually ham or chorizo) that drinkers of sherry in Andalusian bars used to cover their glasses between sips in order to fend off fruit flies. Because the meats are salty, they increase thirst, and tavern owners soon began offering different salty snacks in order to increase their sales of alcohol. Over time, the tapas themselves became just as important as the drinks.

Today, with hours between the end of the Spanish workday and dinner time, which can be as late as 11pm or midnight, the tapas tradition provides an excellent opportunity to socialize. Tapas have become somewhat of a cuisine all to themselves, with many restaurants (and, in some Spanish cities, entire neighborhoods) dedicated to the art of tapas.

For this week's CorkPopper dinner, then, J and I created our own little tapas selection, with a couple of traditional dishes as well as a couple of our own creations that still utilize the savory flavors of Spain. And those flavors - salty meats, nutty cheeses, rich spices, and garlicky spreads - are an excellent compliment to the big, bold flavors of the 2005 Domini de la Cartoixa "Galena" Priorat.

First, because you can never go wrong with a good cheese platter, we served a selection of Spanish cheeses along with some Marcona almonds, dried persimmon, and Serrano ham.

Next, we made some Rice-Stuffed Peppers, a traditional dish from the mountain towns of Alcoy and Bocairent.

Ingredients:
1.5 cups short-grained Spanish Rice
Extra virgin olive oil
4 large red peppers
1 small red pepper, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 large tomato, skinned and chopped
6 ounces fresh chorizo
A pinch of saffron threads
3/4 cup chicken broth
Fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
Salt
Freshly ground pepper

Preparation:
Remove the stem ends of the large peppers, setting them aside as lids to replace later. Scrape out the inner membranes and seeds with a spoon.

Heat some oil in a pan and saute the chopped red pepper until tender, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper. Remove and set aside when done. Add a bit more olive oil to the hot pan and saute the onion until translucent. Add the chorizo and brown lightly, breaking it up into small pieces. Add the sauteed red peppers back to the pan and stir in the rice, saffron, chicken stock, tomato and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Next, in another nod to a traditional tapas dish, we served crunchy Toasts with Aioli and Sherry Mushrooms.

For the Aioli

Ingredients:
2 or 3 fresh garlic cloves, peeled and chopped. (Do not use cloves that have started to sprout, as they will be too bitter.)
A large pinch of coarse sea salt
1 egg yolk at room temperature
1/2 lemon, juiced
2/3 cup olive oil (not extra virgin)*
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:
In a food processor or blender, pulse together the garlic and salt for a couple of seconds. Add the egg and lemon juice and pulse until blended. Slowly add the regular olive oil then the extra virgin olive oil until the mixture thickens a bit. If it gets too thick, just add a bit of tepid water. Finish with pepper and a bit more salt to taste.

For the Mushrooms:
Ingredients:
8 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced (we used shitake and hen of the woods, but you can use whichever variety you prefer)
Extra virgin olive oil
Coarse sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
A splash of Sherry wine

Preparation:
Heat a bit of olive oil in a pan and add the mushrooms and some salt and pepper. Saute the mushrooms until soft. Add a splash of Sherry and allow the alcohol to cook off.

Final preparation:
Spread a little bit of aioli on some sliced bread and toast in the oven until the aioli begins to bubble and the bread browns. Serve the bread and mushrooms while hot.

Next, in order to incorporate some fresh produce into the meal, we served fresh Greens with Warm Goat Cheese and a Sherry Vinaigrette.

Ingredients:
Baby greens
4 ounces goat cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
Salt
Pepper

Preparation:
Dissolve the salt, pepper and honey in the vinegar. Whisk in the olive oil until combined. In a non-stick pan, heat slices of goat cheese over medium heat until soft. Plate the goat cheese atop some greens and drizzle with vinaigrette.

Finally, we couldn't do tapas without some Grilled Artichokes.

Ingredients:
2 medium artichokes, sliced in half and chokes removed
2 large garlic cloves, minced
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground pepper

Preparation:
On a large sheet of aluminum foil, drizzle olive oil over the artichoke halves, cut side up. Sprinkle with garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cover with another sheet of foil and fold the edges to seal. Grill at medium-high heat until you can easily peel away the outer leaves. Serve with some aioli, above.

And because all of this apparently wasn't enough food, we finished off our meal with an absolutely delicious (and gorgeous) dessert provided by our dinner guests. They served this phenomenal creation with a special Argentinian Achaval Ferrer dessert wine. Fantastic. Thanks guys!!

Salud!

Laurel

2005 Domini de la Cartoixa "Galena" Priorat

corkpopper.blog@gmail.com (Laurel) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:00:00 +0000

When you go home after a long, stressful day at work, what's the first thing you do? If you're anything like me, you pop the cork on a bottle of wine, pour a glass, and allow it to breathe while you go upstairs to replace your godforsaken high heels and "business casual" attire with some lounge pants and cozy slippers. And nothing helps you relax better than a big round glass of nice red wine.... enter the 2005 Domini de la Cartoixa "Galena" Priorat.
Priorat is a Spanish Denomicanion d'Origen Qualificada (DOQ) in Spain's southwest near Catalonia. It is almost entirely surrounded by the Montsant DO, and, like Montsant, is best known for its big red wines. What distinguishes Priorat (and makes it the higher-level DOQ rather than a DO) from Montsant is its special soil, known as llicorella, which is comprised of black slate and quartz.* The traditional grape variety used in Priorat wines is Garnacha Tinta, although several other varieties are also authorized, including Garnacha Peluda, Cariñena, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.

Traditionally, Priorat reds were either 100% Garnacha or a blend of Garnacha and Cariñena. The Galena is a blend of 35% Garnacha, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 15% Cariñena. It was aged for 12 months in French and American oak, which, if followed by being aged 24 months in the bottle would qualify it to be labeled as a Reserva.** Opaque and rich purple in color, the Galena has a wonderful aroma of cedar, mineral and dark ripe fruit. It is quite dry on the palate (meaning it leaves you salivating) but not overwhelmingly so, and, although it has a complex flavor profile, with some tobacco, earth and mineral notes mixed in with the ripe dark fruit and fennel, it is subtle rather than harsh. In short, an excellent way to unwind after a rough day. Visit K&L Wine Merchants to get a bottle (or two) while it's still on sale for $19.99/bottle (down from $29.99). Thanks again to Drew for recommending this one!!
4 corks popped!

Cheers!

Laurel

* Jancis Robinson, ed., Oxford Companion to Wine (Third Edition ed.), Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 548 (2006).
** Spanish DOQ laws state that a wine labeled as "Crianza" must be aged in oak 6 months and then 18 months in the bottle. Wines labeled as "Reserva" must age in oak for 12 months and then 24 months in the bottle. "Gran Reserva" wines must age in oak for 24 months and then 36 months in the bottle.

2005 Celler de Capcanes Mas Donis Barrica

corkpopper.blog@gmail.com (Laurel) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:00:00 +0000

This week's second wine, a 2005 Celler de Capcanes Mas Donis Barrica, comes from the Montsant Denominación de Origen (DO) in Spain's southwest. This region was previously known as a subzone of Tarragona but was made into its own DO in the early 2000s, and its wines have been labeled as Montsant rather than Tarragona since 2002. The Montsant DO almost completely surrounds the more famous Priorat DOQ (I'll be tasting one of those next...), and, like Priorat, Montsant is more famous for its big red wines. Montsant's authorized red grape varieites include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cariñena, Garnacha, Garnacha Peluda, Merlot, Monastrell, Picapoll Nera, Syrah and Tempranillo.

The 2005 Celler de Capcanes Mas Donis Barrica is a blend of 85% old vine Garnacha and 15% old vine Syrah. The use of fruit from old vines tends to produce more concentrated flavors because as grape vines age, they produce smaller crops, concentrating the natural flavors and sugars into less fruit. The life span of a grape vine is about 120 years, and the Garnacha and Syrah used in this wine come from vines that are over 80 years old and over 30 years old, respectively. The wine also spent 8 months in French and American oak before being bottled without being filtered. In other words, the winemakers at Celler de Capcanes wanted a big, bold red wine, and they certainly got it.

With big notes of ripe, dark berries, licorice and spice, this wine is quite the flavor bomb. These flavors explode on the palate and fill the entire mouth with rich dark fruit and spice. While I didn't much care for it on its own, the big flavors actually improved (and were mellowed out a bit) when I paired it with my dinner - a Mediterranean-style salad of baby greens, tomatoes, roasted red peppers, roasted garlic, balsamic onions, goat cheese and warm orzo pasta.

In short, if you're looking for a big red wine with lots of concentrated flavors, give this one a try. You can find it at wine.com for $11.99/bottle.

3 corks popped...

Cheers!!

Laurel

2006 Bodegas Almansenas La Huella de Adaras

corkpopper.blog@gmail.com (Laurel) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:00:00 +0000

This week's first wine, a 2006 Bodegas Almansenas La Huella de Adaras, hails from the Almansa Denominación de Origen (DO) in Spain's southeast in a transition zone between the high central plateau (La Mancha) and the Mediterranean Sea. This area, with its long, hot summers, cold winters, sparse rainfall, and nutrient-rich soils, is pretty perfectly suited for making rich, full-bodied red wines. The most common red grape varieties grown here are Garnacha Tintorera, Monastrell, and Cencibel (Tempranillo), although Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah can also be found.

I know I don't often talk about wine labels, but I have to say that I absolutely love this one. The red thumbprint with the vine in it gives you a sense that this Bodega takes great care to carefully tend their vines by hand and that winemaking is something that is not only in their blood but has imprinted itself on their very fingerprints. If this is true, I like this wine even more. If it's not, it's pretty brilliant marketing.

Now to the wine. Made from 60% Garnacha Tintorera, 30% Monastrell and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine is dark ruby in color and is nearly opaque. It has lots of black cherries and dark berries on both the nose and the palate, with some smoky bacon and a bit of minerality to balance it out. There's something a bit tart in the middle, although it's not entirely unpleasant. It also has some nice medium tannins, which come entirely from the grapes themselves, as this wine apparently saw no oak (a good choice, as fermentation in oak would likely make the tannic structure way too overpowering). In short, this is a very nice standby wine, especially at just $13.49/bottle from The Wine House .

3.5 corks popped!!

Cheers!!

Laurel

Week 25: Spanish Reds

corkpopper.blog@gmail.com (Laurel) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:00:00 +0000

With a week of fun sparklers behind us, it's time to head into a couple of weeks of delicious Spanish reds. And I have a feeling that red is Spain's color for a reason - it's passionate, complex, romantic and mysterious. Let's see if the wines are the same. Next week will focus on Spain's most famous red wine region - Rioja - but this week I'll be exploring a few different reds from various other parts of the country.

First, we have a 2006 Almansenas La Huella de Adaras, which received 90 points from Stephen Tanzer and is available at wine.com for $13.49/bottle.

Second, we'll try a 2005 Capcanes Mas Donis Barrica, which garnered 91 points from Robert Parker and 89 points from Stephen Tanzer. This one is just $11.99/bottle from The Wine House.

Finally, I'll be trying a 2005 Domini de la Cartioxa "Galena" Priorat, which was recommended by fellow wine lover, Drew. Robert Parker gave this wine 92 points, Stephen Tanzer gave it 90 points, and Drew served it at his wedding (now there's a recommendation!). It's usually $29.99/bottle, but I found it at K&L Wine Merchants for $19.99/bottle. Hooray!!

Cheers!!

Laurel

Week 24: What to Eat with the Gran Sarao Brut Cava

corkpopper.blog@gmail.com (Laurel) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0000

First of all, happy Valentine's Day, dear readers. It was an absolutely picturesque day here in Los Angeles with bright blue skies and temps in the mid-70s - a wonderful change from the cold, gray rainy days we've had recently (and are SO not used to....). J and I had a great day - brunch at Bottega Louie followed by a matinee show of the LA Philharmonic at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Neither of us had been to the WDCH yet, so it was quite a treat, and the show was great - Schumann, Debussy, and (one of my faves) Ravel.

How does one top such a day, you ask? Well, when you've got the CorkPopper calendar to keep up with, you top it with a delicious dinner of Seafood and Chorizo Paella paired with this week's winning Cava, the Gran Sarao Brut. The gentle acidity and effervescence of this wine is a fantastic counterpoint to the spicy heat of the chorizo as well as the briny flavor of the clams, squid and shrimp. Yum.

Seafood and Chorizo Paella

Serves 2

Ingredients
3 ounces fresh chorizo, casings removed
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
1/3 cup canned diced tomatoes (with juice)
1/2 cup short-grain Spanish rice (substitute arborio rice if necessary)
Pinch of saffron threads dissolved in about 1 tablespoon water
3/4 cups water
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 pound small Manila clams (you can also do 1/4 pound clams and 1/4 pound mussels), scrubbed and rinsed*
1/4 pound squid tentacles and bodies, bodies sliced into rings
4 ounces cooked chicken
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley
1 scallion, thinly sliced

Preparation:

In a paella pan or large wok, cook the chorizo over medium heat, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon until browned slightly. Add the onion and garlic and saute over low heat until translucent, about 7 or 8 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, rice, saffron (with the liquid), and water. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat until the liquid is absorbed (the rice should be just about al dente at this point), about 15-17 minutes. Try not to open the lid or stir during this time.

Heat a small pan with a lid over medium-high heat. Add the wine and lemon juice and the clams (and mussels, if using), cover and steam for about 3 minutes, shaking the pan a couple of times. The clams (and mussels are done when they pop open). If any clams (or mussels) do not open, discard them. Pour the shellfish and the liquid over the rice.

While the clams (and mussels) are steaming, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large nonstick pan. Season the shrimp and squid with salt and pepper and cook them over high heat, turning once until the shrimp are just pink, about 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to the rice.

Stir the cooked chicken into the rice. Garnish with parsley and scallion and a wedge of lemon.

Buon appetito!!

Laurel

* When buying clams and mussels, ask for the ones that are closed. If they are open, ask the person at the seafood counter to tap them on the counter. If they don't snap shut, they are dead and unsafe to eat. I forgot to ask for this extra step and ended up with unusable mussels. So sad....

Castillo de Perelada Brut Cava

corkpopper.blog@gmail.com (Laurel) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:00:00 +0000

I had a great pro bono success at work yesterday. LM and I represented to absolutely adorable Tibetan kids whose parents (who have long resisted Chinese rule over Tibet) were arrested in Tibet by the Chinese government after pictures were taken of the children protesting outside the Los Angeles and San Franscico Chinese embassies during the 2008 Olympic torch relay (the kids have been in the U.S. on student visas and live with their aunt and uncle). No one had heard from the children's parents since their arrest, and there was no way to know if they were even still alive, leaving the children potentially orphaned. Well, yesterday LM and I learned that our efforts to obtain Permanent Residence status for the children were successful. Hooray!!!!

If that's not a reason to celebrate, I don't know what is.... enter the Castillo Perelada Brut Cava.

Made from the traditional, indigenous Cava grape varieties - Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo - this is the Cava that Juan Carlos I, King of Spain, serves at all official state functions. With persistent, almost aggressive bubbles (J's glass had what looked like a tiny bubble twister going in his glass for several minutes) and a nice citrusy (mandarin oranges rather than lemon, grapefruit or lime) flavor, this is a good, although not great, sparkling wine. It is pleasant and easy to drink, but it lacks that bread dough aroma and flavor that I love so much in both Champagne and, in fact, the Gran Sarao Brut Cava I tasted earlier this week. That said, it's certainly worth a try and would be a great sparkler to have on hand for impromptu celebrations like the one J and I had last night! You can find it at K&L Wine Merchants for $9.99/bottle.

3.5 corks popped....

Cheers!!

Laurel

By Popular Demand....

corkpopper.blog@gmail.com (Laurel) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 03:00:00 +0000

Ask, dear readers, and you shall receive! Many of you have requested the ability to print CorkPopper posts (presumably because you are preparing CorkPopper recipes, although no one has yet posted a comment about doing so.... come on, people!!), and I FINALLY figured out how to do it. I am no web programmer, believe me, so this was a feat of nearly monumental proportions (ok, maybe not, but I'm still pretty proud of myself). Now, when viewing an individual post (it won't show up if you're just on the CorkPopper homepage), there will be a cute little "print" icon at the end of the post, so print away!

Don't feel the need to print every review and recipe, however, as a CorkPopper Cookbook is in the works for later this year... stay tuned!!!

Cheers!!

Laurel

A Few Thoughts on Love and Wine.....

corkpopper.blog@gmail.com (Laurel) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:00:00 +0000

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and although I don't buy into the heart-covered mass marketing campaign that the holiday has become,* I am a hopeless romantic at heart. So, in the true spirit of the day, here are a few great quotes for all you (wine) lovers out there....

Falling in love consists merely in uncorking the imagination and bottling the common-sense... Helen Rowland

Bring water, bring wine, boy! Bring flowering garlands to me! Yes, bring them, so that I may try a bout with love... Anacreon c. 570 - c. 480 B.C.

In water one sees one's own face; But in wine, one beholds the heart of another... An old Frech proverb

May our love be like good wine, grow stronger as it grows older... Old English Toast

Where there is no wine there is no love... Euripides

We are all mortal until the first kiss and the second glass of wine.... Eduardo Galeano

Your words are my food, your breath my wine. You are everything to me... Sarah Bernhardt

What I do and what I dream include thee, as the wine must taste of its own grapes... Elizabeth Barret Browning

When you came, you were like red wine and honey, and the taste of you burnt my mouth with its sweetness... Amy Lowell

How much better is thy love than wine, and the fragrance of your oils than all kinds of spices... Song of Solomon 4:10

Love is like wine. To sip is fine, but to empty the bottle is a headache... Julio Iglesias

What though youth gave love and roses, Age still leaves us friends and wine... Thomas Moore

A sweetheart is a bottle of wine, a wife is a wine bottle... Charles Baudelaire

Age is just a number. It's totally irrelevant unless, of course, you happen to be a bottle of wine... Joan Collins

A bottle of wine begs to be shared; I have never met a miserly wine lover.... Clifton Paul Fadiman

Beauty is worse than wine, it intoxicates both the holder and beholder... Aldous Huxley

Wine makes a man more pleased with himself; I do not say it makes him more pleasing to others... Samuel Johnson

Men are like wine - some turn to vinegar, but the best improve with age... Pope John XXIII

Wine comes in at the mouth And love comes in at the eye; That's all we shall know for truth Before we grow old and die... William Butler Yeats

Wine gives courage and makes men more apt for passion... Ovid 17AD

Cheers and Happy Valentine's Day!!

Laurel

* Warning: Soap Box Moment - Contrary to what the world's confectioners, florists, and greeting card manufacturers would like you to believe, a true celebration of Valentine's Day does not require extravagant gifts or a mad rush to the Valentine's Day section of a local store just before closing time. On the contrary, the best Valentine's Day is one that is unique to a particular couple and focuses on the personal - a small yet thoughtful gift instead of a merely expensive one, time together rather than a generic greeting card, an intimate home-cooked meal rather than an overpriced dinner with dozens of strangers.... So go ahead and walk right past that greeting card aisle at the grocery store (she doesn't care what Hallmark thinks of her; she cares what you think of her), navigate away from that florist webpage (she doesn't want a stupid stuffed bear, and you're spending way too much on red roses and baby's breath), and put that heart-shaped box of chocolates back on the shelf (she's barely a month in to her New Year's resolution to lose those last five pounds, and chocolate will not help). At a loss for what to do in the absence of the pre-packaged and heart-shaped? Write her a love letter - by hand. Surprise her with a romantic meal at home, complete with candles and a bottle of her favorite wine. Do something together during the day that you've both wanted to do but haven't had time/opportunity. Just think. Ok. Stepping down off the soap box now.... :-)

Gran Sarao Brut Cava

corkpopper.blog@gmail.com (Laurel) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Come on, you know the song....

Tiny bubbles (tiny bubbles)
In the wine (in the wine)
Make me happy (make me happy)
Make me feel fine (make me feel fine)

I don't know what Don Ho was drinking when he sang that song, but it may very well have been the Gran Sarao Brut Cava. Made from a blend of Xarel-lo, Parellada, Macabeo and Chardonnay grapes, this fun sparkler has really nice notes of fresh bread dough, green apples and wet limestone. And at just $9.99/bottle, there's no reason not to see if those tiny bubbles make you sing.

4 corks popped...

Cheers!!

Laurel

Segura Viudas Brut Reserva

corkpopper.blog@gmail.com (Laurel) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:00:00 +0000

I know what you're thinking. Sparkling wine is just for special events and isn't really meant to be paired with food, right? Wrong. While bubbly (especially in a beautiful Champagne flute) is perfect for that touching toast and can easily be had on its own, sparkling wine is, indeed, a remarkable beverage to pair with all kinds of food, even beyond the standard brunch fare.

Take J's and my Monday night meal this week, for example. We used the leftover chicken from last week's CorkPopper dinner in our chicken and mozzarella panini and paired it with the Segura Viudas Brut Reserva ($8.99/bottle at wine.com). Yum.

Made from a blend of Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo grapes, this dry sparkling wine has a gentle effervescence and nice notes of delicate dried apple and minerals on the palate. It has a great (yet not overwhelming) creamy texture from being fermented in the bottle and lingers nicely on the tongue.

Combined with the tangy and sweet lemon and onion sauce on our chicken and the creaminess of the melted mozzarella, you've got yourself an excellent pairing. Now, isn't that reason to celebrate?

3.5 corks popped...

Cheers!

Laurel

Week 24: Spanish Cava

corkpopper.blog@gmail.com (Laurel) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:00:00 +0000

When I developed the CorkPopper Calendar last August, I was sure not only to schedule the most important wine-producing countries during long months but also to ensure that certain weeks would focus on certain special wines. Thus, the last week of December was dedicated to French sparkling wines (in order to celebrate New Year's Eve), and this week stars Spain's famous sparkler, Cava (in order to coincide with Valentine's Day*).

Cava is a type of Spanish sparkling wine that is most commonly found in the Catalonia region just southwest of Barcelona, although under Spanish DO laws, it can be produced in any of six different regions. These same laws require that Cava be produced using the champagne method and must be made using a combination of Macabeo, Parellada, Xarello, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and/or Subirat grapes. More Cava is made than any other sparkling wine in the world, and tens of millions of cases are distributed all over the world every year.

Cava comes in varying levels of dryness, much like other sparkling wines, and is usually easily recognized by its slight rubbery aroma (which sounds horrible but, in a good Cava at least, is not reflected in the palate). I'll be tasting three different Cavas this week, all of which are available for under $10/bottle. Woohoo!!!

First, is a Segura Viudas Brut Reserva, which earned 90 points from Wine & Spirits and is available at wine.com for just $8.99/bottle.

Second, we have a Gran Sarao Brut Cava Penedes, which is a K&L Wine Merchants Top Pick and is available for just $9.99/bottle.

Finally, we have a Castillo de Perelada Brut Cava, which is also available over at K&L for just $9.99/bottle. This Cava is apparently what the King of Spain, Juan Carlos I, serves at all official state functions. I'd say that's quite a recommendation.

Cheers!!

Laurel

* While I don't entirely buy into consumer-focused holidays such as Valentine's Day (J and I will be doing something special together rather than spending massive amounts of money on gifts), I never pass up an opportunity to celebrate with a fun bottle of bubbly.

Calling All Canadian Wine Fans!!! CorkPopper Needs You!!!

corkpopper.blog@gmail.com (Laurel) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:00:00 +0000

As the final countdown to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver begins (set your DVRs and hope for snow in B.C.!!), so, too, does the countdown to CorkPopper's month-long odyssey through the world of Canadian wines. And CorkPopper needs YOU, dear readers, to help it put Canada on the proverbial wine map!!

So, post a comment or send an email to corkpopper.blog@gmail.com with your recommendations for Canadian Pinot Gris, white blends, Pinot Noir, or red blends. Just remember that all wines must be available for purchase on the Internet and under $25/bottle.

Cheers!!

Laurel

Week 23: What to Eat with the Martin Codax Albarino

corkpopper.blog@gmail.com (Laurel) — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 23:55:00 +0000

Those who know me know that I have long disliked chicken. This mostly likely stems from my year in Italy during college, when I lived with an Italian woman who ate nothing but chicken breast pan fried in olive oil (from her native Calabria, of course) EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. She'd plate her little chicken breast on a deep plate filled with more olive oil and accompany it with a loaf of crusty Italian bread, pieces of which would end up all over the kitchen every night. I never saw her eat anything else in the entire year I lived with her, and this despite the fact that I often offered to share with her whatever I was cooking (Italy is, after all, where my love for food began). Upon leaving Italy, I was fully prepared to never have to look at or smell chicken ever again. Period.

It's been nearly nine years now since I returned from Italy, however, and I have slowly been working on my relationship with chicken, mostly because, in J, I have found someone who really knows how to cook it properly. He's been helping me take baby steps, of course, stuffing it with goat cheese, mushrooms, spinach and onions or grilling it and topping a dinner salad with slices of it, for example. Well, last night I think I finally and fully banished my chicken demons and took the huge step of cooking it myself - and to brilliant results, if I do say so myself.

So without further adieu, please let me introduce this week's CorkPopper dinner - Lemon Garlic Chicken with Roasted Lemon-Onion Sauce.* The tangy citrus and sweet roasted onions, along with the perfectly juicy chicken were a perfect compliment to the pleasant acidity of the Bodegas Martin Codax Albarino.

Ingredients:
1 5-lb. roasting chicken
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 lemons
1 head garlic, cut in half cross-wise
Extra virgin olive oil
2 medium sweet onions, peeled and thickly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine (use a bit of the Martin Codax Albarino to really make the pairing pop)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon flour

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove and discard any chicken giblets. Pat the outside of the chicken dry with a paper towel. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Cut the lemons in quarters and place two lemon wedges inside the chicken, along with the garlic. Rub the outside of the chicken with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.

Place the chicken in a small roasting pan. (If the pan is too large, the onions will burn.) Place the reserved lemons and the sliced onions in a large bowl and toss with some olive oil, salt and pepper. Arrange the lemons and onions around the chicken in the roasting pan.

Roast the chicken for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and a thigh. Remove the chicken to a platter, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 10 minutes while you prepare the sauce, leaving the lemons and onions in the pan.

Place the pan on top of the stove and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the wine and stir with a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits. Add the broth and sprinkle on the flour, stirring constantly for a minute, until the sauce thickens. Add any juices that collect under the chicken.

Carve the chicken onto a platter and serve with the lemons, onions, and warm sauce, along with some crusty grilled bread and a simple green salad with a white wine vinaigrette.

Hello, chicken!!!

Cheers and bon appetito!!!

Laurel

* This is actually an Ina Garten (aka Barefoot Contessa) recipe. I hadn't originally intended it to be this week's CorkPopper dinner (which J and I usually create on our own), but it turned out so well that there was really no question.

2007 Morgadio Legado del Conde Albarino

corkpopper.blog@gmail.com (Laurel) — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 03:54:00 +0000

Finally this week, we return to the Albarino varietal in the form of a 2007 Morgadio Legado del Conde (wine.com, $12.79/bottle). Pale straw yellow in color with somewhat muted aromas of citrus on the nose, I thought at first I was really going to like this wine. Unfortunately, however, there was something almost bitter about it, especially in the finish - a characteristic that, unfortunately, turned me and J pretty much off.

In short, while this wasn't a completely horrible wine (J might actually disagree with me on this point), it certainly isn't something that I would seek out again, especially when I can get better Albarino for the same price.

2.5 corks popped....

Cheers!

Laurel

2006 Rafael Palacios Louro do Bolo Godello

corkpopper.blog@gmail.com (Laurel) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Godello, another Spanish white wine varietal heralding from Galicia in the northwest of Spain, has characteristics similar to those of Albarino - stone fruit and citrus - yet with fewer floral and herbaceous notes and a more creamy texture than its typically acidic cousin. The best Godello comes from the Bierzo and Valdeorras regions, and Valdeorras is from where this, the second of CorkPopper's Spanish whites, comes.

Light gold in color, the 2006 Louro do Bolo has a fine aroma of white peach and juicy pear. It was fermented and aged in tanks as opposed to barrels, which I mention mostly because it has a relatively buttery mouthfeel for a steel-fermented wine. Had it been aged in oak, this creaminess might have become overwhelming, making the steel tank fermentation an excellent choice.

In short, for you Chardonnay lovers out there looking for a little variety, you might want to give the Louro do Bolo a try. And at $12.79/bottle from Wally's Wine & Spirits, what have you got to lose?

3 corks popped...

Cheers!!

Laurel

2008 Bodegas Martín Códax Albarino (UPDATED)

corkpopper.blog@gmail.com (Laurel) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Albariño is Spain's most popular white wine and is most closely associated with the Rias Baixas in Spain's northwest. Albariño wines generally have a great aroma of stonefruit yet are generally dry and fairly acidic. This means that on the nose you are likely to sense peaches while on the palate you'll get grapefruit.

According to the winemaker's notes, Bodegas Martín Códax is a cooperative established in 1968 that currently has over 550 members and vineyards in the Salnés Valley of Rias Baixas. The name "Martín Códax" is said to pay homage to a troubadour of the same name who lived in the region in the 13th century and who sang songs exalting the beauty of women, love and wine - my kind of guy...

Light straw in color with just a faint hint of the typical Albariño stone fruit aroma and lots of fresh citrus and and fresh herbs on the palate, this is definitely a pleasant - albeit not particularly exciting - wine. It is a wonderfully full-bodied white wine with a nice, round balance and a generous finish of crisp apples and meyer lemon.

All in all, a very decent option to add to any list of everyday white wines.... Check it out yourself for just $12.79/bottle from Wally's Wine & Spirits.

4 corks popped!!*

Cheers!!

Laurel

UPDATE: I originally gave this wine 3.5 corks popped, but have decided to upgrade it to 4 corks popped pairing it with an absolutely delicious meal....