Ugh.  Can.  Not.  Move.  Dinner at Abe & Louie’s is always an experience.  Add in your most favorite people in the world, a significant birthday, and some red wine and it’s even MORE of an affair.  Last night we took my mother, on the verge of a very important birthday whose’s number shall not be named, out for an early celebration at this fine steak house.  Here are some highlights:

The Aps: Tuna Tartare.  Come ON.  Also an incredible caprese salad special with the most massive beefsteak tomatoes and incredible balsamic reduction.

The Mains: Steak, steak, and more steak.  The ladies all enjoyed the Filet au Poivre while the gentlemen indulged in rib eyes, sirloins and surf & turf.

The Sides: Hashed browned potatoes, creamed fresh spinach, backed mac & cheese & broccoli with hollandaise

The Dessert: Insane chocolate layer cake

The Wine: Adessa Pinot Grigio (Veneto) & Erath Pinot Noir (Oregon) to start, then a stronger Torbreck “Woodcutters” Shiraz (Barossa) to pair with the peppery steaks during the main course.

My only fault with the evening – I forgot to take pictures of the FOOD!  Maybe it’s because I am not used to having this handy-dandy hi-res camera phone, maybe it’s because we devoured everything as soon as it hit the table, but I apologize and promise to make a more concerted effort moving forward.

Fun Merlot wine tasting tonight, then fabulous family wedding tomorrow, I hope you all have fantastic weekends lined up as well!  I’ll have lots to share on Monday, so until then, Salud!!

Happy Hump Day!  Man, it’s a wet one today in Beantown.  It’s been coming down all week, but the promise of 80 degrees and sunny for my cousin’s wedding on Saturday is keeping me going!  So, right now is Restaurant Week in the lovely city of Boston.  Seeing as we have so much going on right now with weddings and birthdays and such, we have decided to save money and pass on the delectable 3-course for $33 deals and instead made our own little restaurant week menu at home!  For just over $90 (including tax), we put together an amazing 4 course meal with 3 (full bottle) wine pairings.  My fiancé had been wanting to really “cook” a meal for some time, just put something together without a recipe or worrying about all the crazy diet restrictions we’ve been adhering to lately.   Oh.  My.  Goodness.  All I can say is THIS is why I’ve gained a million pounds in the past four years that we’ve been together.  I took care of the wine selection and we were both very pleased with the final result.

First Course:  Capricho de Cabra with Herbs, Membrillo and Crostini Toasts

Wine Pairing:  Tohu Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough 2009

Second Course: Seared Asian Scallops with Watercrest Salad

Wine Pairing:  Same as above

Main:  Filet Mignon, Caramalized Onion, Mountain Gorgonzola with Garlicky Broccoli Rabe

Wine Pairing:  Mark West Pinot Noir, Sonoma 2008

Dessert:  A Duo of Chocolates featuring Caramel Sea Salt Brownies and Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse

Wine Pairing: Taylor Fladgate Late Bottled Vinetage Port, Oporto 2004

We did spend a tad more on the wines than normal for this event.  The Tohu Sauv Blanc was just under $15, and although we did enjoy it and it’s lemon notes paired perfectly with the herbs in the goat cheese and the soy sauce cooked into the scallops, I think that less expensive wines like Axis Sauv Blanc or Cupcake would do just as well.  The Mark West was more in our normal price range at $10.99 for the bottle.  Great wine, never fails, wonderful example of a Pinot Noir varietal wine.  Although we could have gone with something stronger to pair with the potent Mountain Gorgonzola and rich caramelized onions, we were just not in the mood for something super dry.  Mark West was a great compromise without actually compromising!  Cool website too, check out the link above the picture of the steak.  The Taylor Fladgate was just great.  After two bottles of wine and close to 3 hours of eating, you may think it difficult for a dessert wine paired with caramel sea salt brownies and hazelnut chocolate mousse to really stand out, right?  Wrong.  The bottle set us back $21.99 for the full 750 mL size, but considering that a glass of port is less than half the size of a standard glass of wine, the bottle and the price tag were very impressive.  And a HUGE shout-out to my girl Olivia-Rae from everydaymusings for the decadent brownie recipe.  I have been dying to make them for months after reading about them on her blog and they did not let me down.  Of course, only days after I finally try the recipe Olivia-Rae posted a new, revised version of the caramel sea salt brownies so I guess I will have to try those out as well.  Oh the struggle that is my life…  So all in all, I think we did pretty good  (I know, it should be well, leave me alone it’s my blog voice)!  We spent a total of $48 on wine ($24 per person for the equivalent of an entire bottle of wine each plus after dinner drinks, try getting THAT in a restaurant!) and $43 on food ($24 of which for the steaks alone, but they were so worth it), and the best part is that we got to express our creativity through our cooking and spend a few quality hours with just the two of us in our kitchen.  Well done, I say!  Tomorrow we’re off to one of the city’s most renound steak houses for an early birthday dinner for my mum, let’s see if they can hold a candle to our homecooked heaven…

Today is a happy day indeed!  My sister and her husband (eek! still so funny saying husband!) are coming home a week from tomorrow for our cousin’s wedding!!  So excited, it will be the first time the entire clan will be together since my sister’s beautiful wedding in May and I just can’t wait.  A few days ago I received an email from an old work colleague who recently discovered my blog.  She too has had a lot a fun family goings-on in the past years and now is the proud mama of a little boy!  Ever since her little bundle of joy came into the world, however, enjoying an occasional cocktail or glass of wine has taken a toll on her tummy.   I have definitely heard of this happening before (I fear for those around me if I go through something similar), but there is hope!  A lot of times a wine will make you feel sick or give you heartburn because of what you may have eaten (or not eaten) earlier in the day, or sometimes your mommy chemical make-up just doesn’t agree with a particular bottle!  While a lot of it is trial and error, I do have some suggestions to finding a wine that will do right by your body and your wallet:

• Acid is a BIG player in why certain wines will make your tummy tumble.  A trick to toning down the affect of acid in a wine (and this is just my opinion, not necessarily science) is chilling your wine before drinking.  This is why a lot of people can drink white wine more easily than red, because it is generally served at a lower temp!
• Sweeter wines are often a good fix for more sensitive stomachs.  Now, this does not mean that the wine itself has to be  a “sweet wine.”  I recently tried a great dry red from Layer Cake made with the Primitivo grape.  This grape is a lesser-known grape that tends to produce a wine with a great fruity flavor that hides some of the acid in other dry wines.  Then there are actual sweet wines like Jam Jar that would be great for a person who likes red wine but wants something more on the sugary side.  Balanced enough for a cheese plate or a rich dessert, or just sipping on its own!
• Wine that is aged longer will tend to loose some acidity and become more mellow, so you could try some older wines to see if that helps.   Because aged wines can often be more expensive (as they take longer to produce), you should stick with the classics like Merlot and Pinot Noir when you’re starting out as you can find good quality aged wines like these more readily.

Hope this helps, and if any mommy’s out there have further suggestions on overcoming this common affliction, please share!

Oh!  Also – Last night I purchased the first three bottles for my Merlot project, I’ll share review #1 with you tomorrow!  Now all I need to do is come up with a clever name for the adventure…

Who doesn’t love the little black dress?  Who doesn’t have at least 5 of them in her closet?  An absolute staple, and now an absolutely adorable little French wine!  We received a bottle of Little Black Dress Pinot Noir from my fabulous aunt & uncle and finally opened it up last night to pair with a Greek rice and spinach dish topped with sharp feta cheese.  The smooth pinot held up to the several distinct flavors in the dish without being overpowering (of course this is one of the many reasons why I love pinots!).  Plus, the wine maker itself, Little Black Dress, is pretty darn cute.  They even have instructions on how to host a Little Black Dress Clothing Swap on their website.  Imagine the timing, my friends are hosting a clothing swap this very weekend!  Ladies, you better check this out to make sure we’re following the rules…  So grab a bottle, grab a little black dress, reinvent your closet, and have loads of fun while you’re doing it.  And thanks again to my aunt & uncle for introducing us to this fun, versatile wine!  Cheers!

(photo credit: littleblackdresswines.com)

It pairs well with anything from chicken to beef,

It doesn’t leave that fuzzy feeling on your teeth.

It is not the easiest grape to grow,

But it is produced both above the equator and below.

It’s nose is plesant, the palate just right,

I want to drink it day & night.

Doctors say a glass of wine a night is nutritious,

So grab a glass of pinot ’cause it’s downright delicious!

What’s YOUR favorite Pinot Noir?  Arrogant Frog?  Concannon?  An expensive Burgundy?  Spread the wealth and give us some new ones to try!

(photo credit: wikipedia.com)

I think everyone knows how I feel about Pinot Noir / Burgundy wine at this point – it’s just great.  It’s the perfect wine to bring to a dinner party since it compliments practically everything, a good pinot is always smooth without harsh tannins or a strong alcohol taste, it is just a pleasant wine to drink.  I have reviewed some newer pinots I’ve discovered on More Than Merlot already (Arrogant Frog, Bloom, etc.), but today I want to review a pinot I’ve known for some time – Concannon Limited Release Pinot Noir.  Concannon is a California winehouse founded by – wait for it – an Irishman!  See, we Irish really know our wine…

I have enjoyed Concannon for several years but haven’t purchased a bottle in some time in my quest to expand my repertoire.  I found myself going back to Concannon to match a recipe I was attempting because I had no idea how the food would turn out and wanted a versatile wine to cover a variety of results…  You know those people who really bother you at the farmer’s market?  You know, “Oh, I just saw this beautiful aubergine and just HAD to buy a dozen, I know I’ll figure out something FABULOUS to do with them, along with the luscious fromage blanc and organic agave nectar I picked up…”  As annoying as these people can be, don’t you kind of want to be able to do that too?  Just pick up something and transform it without a recipe or any advanced research?  Well, I recently found some gorgeous blueberries on sale at my local grocery store and totally had one of those moments.  I mean, I am marrying a Mainard soon, I need to know my way around a blueberry!  So I ended up concocting what actually turned out to be an amazing blueberry sauce with scallions and balsamic vinegar and ran to the grocery store to find a meat, vegetable and wine to make a meal.  I only had 7 minutes in the store and in my haste I picked up some chicken, prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, and the Concannon.  The flavors of the dish didn’t blend quite as well as I hoped, but the wine complimented the creation perfectly!  It didn’t overpower the mild sweetness of the blueberry sauce or the soft flavor of the cheese, and the spice paired well with the salty cured meat.  Concannon ranges anywhere from $12-$15 per bottle but I found it on sale for $11.  If you want a wine that will consistently deliver and don’t mind spending a couple more dollars than most other MoreThanMerlot selections, you should pick one up!  Let me know what you think, slainte!

I am fortunate to have visited Germany several times in my life.  I had my share of Hofbraus, rieslings, and even Becks – but I do not recall sampling a German-made dry red wine during my travels.  So when I happened upon “Bloom,” a German Pinot Noir from Precept Wine Brands, I had to try it.  I guess I just assumed that any sort of red wine from Germany would be something of an afterthought – Average, straightforward spicy stuff intended for little more than warming the spirit after a long day outside on a cold winter day.   Let me tell you – Bloom was nothing of the sort!  Precept has a great little website with all sorts of information, including tasting notes.  The site describes Bloom Pinot Noir as, “Fairly light bodied with soft tannins it has very pleasant blackberry aromas, a velvety texture and a fruity, rather soft finish.”  My reaction is this – the comments “fairly light bodied” and “rather soft finish,” are a bit of an understatement.  This wine was very light bodied and has a very soft finish, but what is the matter with that?  I found the wine very easy to drink and it paired well with the homemade crab and tuna enchiladas my amazing fiancee made for diner (the bottle even said that it pairs well with crab cakes and ahi tuna – what a coincidence!).  My only heads-up on this wine would be to pair it carefully.  Spicy dishes or heavy sauces would overwhelm this light, delicate wine.  Better to select mild, subtle flavors to allow the fruits to really stand out.  While it will never replace my 2 liter stein of golden frothy goodness, I would definitely pick up Bloom again!  Prost!

(photo credit:  preceptwinebrands.com)

Saturday evening we held a small gathering to celebrate our new home.  As our first guests arrived, I received a phone call from my father inviting me to join him and my mother for a tasting menu at Davio’s in Patriot Place followed by a clutch seat in the lower bowl for the Patriots game against the New York Jets the next day.  Due to the rush of last-minute party preparations and more importantly my love for food and football, I immediately accepted.  We arrived at Davio’s at 1pm the next day and met our gracious hosts, long-time friends of my father who had won this lavish dinner for 12 by making a generous donation at the Rodman Celebration for Kids last December (PS- Fabulous event, we are very much looking forward to the upcoming Celebration on December 5th and I recommend it to anyone in the Boston area).  We ate straight through until after 4pm, only pulled away when we realized that the coin toss had already occurred.  Here is a run-down on the tasting menu and wine pairings.  I will definitely be returning to Davio’s soon and have already tracked down several of the wines served at local wine shops for my own enjoyment at home…  A special thanks to Paul at Davio’s for helping me research the wines and for getting me in touch with his distributors for further details!

1st course:  An assortment of appetizers including Philly Cheese Steak Spring Rolls®, Pan Seared Jonah Crab Cake, Sauteed Scallops with Cucumber, Chicken Parmesan Spring Rolls, Flat breads with mozzarella, balsamic vinegar & figs, and more…

Wine Paring:  Adami Garbel 13 Prosecco (Italy) – Outstanding and priced around $20 per bottle retail

2nd course: Penne Bolognese

Wine Pairing:  Five Rivers Pinot Noir (California) – Excellent pinot noir, highly recommended.  Paired perfectly with the bolognese.  Retails for around $14 per bottle.

3rd course: Salad with dried cranberries, pears and a champagne vinegrette.

Wine pairing:  Tangley Oaks Chardonnay (California) – Nice and crisp, notes of pear and apple with a hint of citrus.  Retails for around $15 per bottle.

4th course:  Grilled Sirloin with Asparagus and Mashed Potatoes

Wine pairing:  Lyeth Meritage – Oak and plum flavors, paired well with the steak.  Retails for around $17 per bottle.

5th course:  Panna Cotta with berries

Wine pairing:  Couldn’t do it, had to go for a coffee to wake me up for fear of slipping into a food coma during the game!

Oh, and to top it all off, the Pats put the Jets in their place winning the game 31-14!!

(Photo Credit: Patriot Place)

Another note about the fantastic wines from Arrogant Frog – They have launched a holiday discount promotion! Find a bottle with the promotional tag and get up to $2 off the bottle. I bought three bottles at $7.99 each, once I get my $6 rebate the price per bottle drops to under six dollars per bottle! A big score. I picked up another bottle of the Lily Pad Noir and decided to try out the Lily Pad Red (Cab/Merlot blend) and the Ribet White (Chardonnay/Viognier blend).   The Lily Pad Red was a little harsh at first, but once we let it breath a bit it was smooth and easy to drink.  I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys Bordeaux but is looking for something a bit lighter.  The Ribet White was a nice surprise.  It had a sweeter nose (smelled a bit sugary like a Riesling), but had a nice balance of citrus and floral flavors with just a touch of sweetness on the finish.  I’d recommend this to anyone who likes Pinot Grigio, straight Viognier, Albarino or young Chardonnay.   Adorable bottle + tasty wine = Great hostess gift for the holidays!

At this stage in the game, there are not many varietals I have not tried.  I was at a tasting this weekend when I came across Trivento Pinot Noir from the Mendoza region of Argentina.  I enjoyed the selection and noticed that the winery also boasted a highly-rated Malbec and a 100% Torrontes wine.  Torrontes is very popular in South America and although I had sampled Torrontes in mixed varietal wines I had never tried it all on its own.  How could I pass on a learning opportunity?  I must say, I was very pleased.

The first thing that struck me when I tried the wine was that it was rather sweet.  I would compare it to a drier Riesling but with less of a honey taste.  The citrus notes proved to be a very good balance for the subtle sweetness, and the floral aroma rounded out the experience nicely.  If Riesling or Gewurztraminer are too sugary for you, yet you’d like to experiment with a white beyond your traditional Sauv Blanc or Chardonnay, this wine is for you.  I paired the wine with a steak salad over mixed greens in a homemade dijon, balsamic and minced scallion dressing and a thick slice of brie – Great combination!  Trivento proved to be a good value at 3 for $25 at a local store in Quincy.  Try Trivento and let me know your take!  Salud!