Friday, April 19, 2013

Snake River Winery Cabernet Franc 2011

Rich, fruity new release. Currants, raspberry, plum, with just a bit of earthiness and sage. Silky finish. Very nice example of the Snake River AVA.

Snake River Winery "GSM" 2010, Arena Valley Vineyard

A blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mouvedre (hence "GSM") from Snake River Winery. The grapes are Estate-grown in the Snake River Valley AVA.

Medium garnet color with some blue hints at the rim.

Tobacco, cedar, boysenberry jam, slight tomato, wood smoke. Lingering fruity/cherry syrup finish. A slight burnt rubber scent in the nose.

Initially somewhat puckering and tannic, but opened nicely after a bit.

Definitely merits some old world style points.

A nice wine, and pairs well with rich meats.

Barn Owl in Winter

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Estofado de Carne de Toro

An Idaho adaptation of a beef stew from the Basque territory:

2 lbs. Kelso Farms beef neck bones - thawed, rinsed, and patted dry
2 T olive oil
1 lg onion - chopped
3 cloves garlic - minced
Salt
Pepper
1 T flour
2 carrots - chopped
1/2 c Snake River Winery 2010 GSM Arena Valley Vineyard red wine
2 T Sherry vinegar
2 bay leaves
2 whole cloves
1 large jalapeno - seeded and chopped
1 large red bell pepper - seeded and chopped
2 c low sodium beef broth
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 T parsley - chopped

In a 6 quart stock pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil and brown the meat on both sides. Add the onion and sautee until they begin to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and peppers, and sautee for another 5 minutes/until the vegetables start to soften.  Add the garlic and sautee for 30 sec./until fragrant.  Sprinkle everything with salt, pepper, and the flour and cook for another 1 minute.  Stir in the red wine and the vinegar, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits of meat or vegetables. Then add the bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, and beef broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer covered for 2 hours/until meat is tender and falling off the bones. Remove the bones, add parsley, and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Serve with mashed potatoes. Alternatively, add a few peeled, chopped potatoes to the stew for the last 30 minutes of cooking.