Monthly Archives: November 2012

The bottle pictured is the 2010 Cellier des Princes Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Wouldn't it be great if you were able to buy TWO bottles of it and cook a nice meal for your family or friends? Check the website or our newspaper ad on Thursday the 22nd for details!

Happy Thanksgiving.

[caption id="attachment_189" align="alignleft" width="300"] Dan tasting the 2011 vintage at Signé Vignerons in the heart of Beaujolais.[/caption]Yes, it's that time of the year again. Well, almost. Next Thursday November 15th marks the arrival of this years' Beaujolais Nouveau and the 30th Anniversary vintage. Georges Duboeuf is celebrating with a special website and a free smartphone app available at the website link. The wine will be $6.99 with your Premier Card.

Sometimes it’s tricky pairing wines with certain dishes, even the comfort variety. Case in point: my wife made an old family recipe that her mom and grandfather had made for years with the inevitable variations that intrude upon, yet often improve the original recipe. She made a Broccoli chicken and curry casserole that incorporated cream and cheddar cheese. Normally I would have an oaky, buttery type of Chardonnay with a creamy dish, but the curry and broccoli change things a bit.

I chose the Domaine Lafage 2011 Novellum Chardonnay because it isn’t a California style Chard. It’s from France and is aged in mostly stainless steel tanks with some exposure to Burgundy barrels along with continued aging in Viognier lees.

Whoa! It seems complicated but this wine is actually quite simple. It has a lovely nose of honeysuckle and peach and tastes of faint apple and pear with a pinch of sea salt. This is a medium bodied crisp Chardonnay with a smidgen of creaminess.

November has arrived and with it cold wind, rain, and after today, possibly snow. It’s time for comfort food. Hearty stews, soups and casseroles are what we crave. It’s time for meatloaf and chili and macaroni and cheese. For the entire month of November, I will be offering wines that pair well with comfort foods.

Ticket to Chile 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon is a typical Chilean style cab that is deep ruby in color and has notes of cherry, black tea, and chocolate with a hint of tobacco. There are flavors of blackberry and currants with a slightly spicy finish. This wine may not be particularly robust but it certainly isn’t whimpy either.

This cab will hold up to a variety of dishes from Roast Beef to pasta with red sauce. For a comfort food pairing try this cabernet with a meat loaf with a chili sauce and currant jelly glaze. Mashed potatoes and carrots with parsley and butter make attractive sides. If that seems too extravagant for comfort food, skip the glaze