House Resolution 5034 brought by beer & wine wholesalers nationwide is designed to ensure they are the ones who control what wines and beers are available in your state and that direct shipping is no longer permitted. This is greed at its finest. Don't let this BS shut down small businesses in our and other states and let fat cat idiots decide what we can access in our local stores and have shipped directly to us.
The video below explains this and reminds us that if we care we should act.
Cheers!
--Jason
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Montreal's Food & Drink - April 2010
From the last post you can get a feel for the mission we were on to experience some of the distinctive beverage offerings found in Montreal. That mission is continued here.
Before I left for the trip I was reading a recent issue of Imbibe magazine that did a lineup of coffee stouts including the Imperial version from Dieu Du Ciel! based in Montreal. I planned to seek it out, try it and bring some home. Oddly I had forgotten when I organized the pub tour that this brewer does have a downtown location, as well as retail distribution, but had chosen locations closer to the hotel so we missed a visit. We did end up finding the beer at the IGA.
We also picked up the Rosee d’Hibiscus at the same time and sampled both at the hotel and brought the remainder home for future tastings.
Peche Mortel Imperial Coffee Stout ( 9.5% ABV)
6 pack for $14 CAD + tax
Smells like a Starbucks mocha!
Tastes like high cacao (85%+) dark chocolate
Strong smoke and coffee tastes
Triple chocolate cake with espresso dark chocolate sauce
Small sharp bubbles, but not overpowering
Will enjoy the remaining ones of these for sure!
Rosee d’Hibiscus ( unfiltered what beer infused with Hibiscus and spices, 5.9% ABV)
Pale red color
Strong floral and citrus nose
Tastes of flowers, spice and orange
Tastes like a hoppy/grainy rose wine
Next up was dinner...
Before I left for the trip I was reading a recent issue of Imbibe magazine that did a lineup of coffee stouts including the Imperial version from Dieu Du Ciel! based in Montreal. I planned to seek it out, try it and bring some home. Oddly I had forgotten when I organized the pub tour that this brewer does have a downtown location, as well as retail distribution, but had chosen locations closer to the hotel so we missed a visit. We did end up finding the beer at the IGA.
We also picked up the Rosee d’Hibiscus at the same time and sampled both at the hotel and brought the remainder home for future tastings.
Peche Mortel Imperial Coffee Stout ( 9.5% ABV)
6 pack for $14 CAD + tax
Smells like a Starbucks mocha!
Tastes like high cacao (85%+) dark chocolate
Strong smoke and coffee tastes
Triple chocolate cake with espresso dark chocolate sauce
Small sharp bubbles, but not overpowering
Will enjoy the remaining ones of these for sure!
Rosee d’Hibiscus ( unfiltered what beer infused with Hibiscus and spices, 5.9% ABV)
Pale red color
Strong floral and citrus nose
Tastes of flowers, spice and orange
Tastes like a hoppy/grainy rose wine
Le Milsa
1445 Bishop St.
(514) 985-0777
1445 Bishop St.
(514) 985-0777
Le Milsa is a churrascaria style restaurant with rodizio service. In Portuguese churrascaria is roughly translated as “barbeque”. Rodizio represents a fixed price offering where “meat waiters” bring various grilled meat offerings to the table until patrons signify they are full/done.
Le Milsa does not disappoint in the above definition. With ten meat offerings including, chicken, chicken sausage, pork, lamb, filet mignon, rib roast, sirloin, prime rib, strip steak, and turkey wrapped in bacon, you can be sure your cholesterol and salt numbers are going to go in the wrong direction! Served along with salad, bread, rice, sweet potato and spicy mushrooms many flavor combinations are possible.
All four of us, Margot, Gerry, Eloy and I, went with the standard menu and paired our meal with the following wines.
Bodega Norton Malbec Mendoza (vintage not acquired)
Errazuriz Estate Shiraz 2008 from Chile
The strategy I had for the wine was to have two different reds. For the first I looked for a subtle and focused wine to complement the richness of the grilled meats for which the Malbec did performed nicely. For the other I wanted a wine with more fruit and a bit of spice to counter balance the seasonings and take the flavors in another direction. The original choice was a California Zinfandel, which was not available, so the Shiraz was selected and played the part well. All of us agreed that both wines paired with the different meats differently and that all pairings were enjoyable.
One of the other experiences I was hoping for at Le Milsa was to try cachaca or a drink made from it. Without fail the Brazilian national drink, Caipirinha, similar to a traditional white rum daiquiri from the Carribean was on the menu. This drink contains cachaca, muddled lime and sugar served over ice. Somewhat sweet with good lime flavors, this drink was very pleasing and made for a great post-meal digestif.
We weren’t quite finished. With dessert, which was a choice of ice cream or grilled pineapple, we all also tried a strong coffee drink that included Gran Marnier and Crème de Cacao. Though I was originally worried that the coffee and pineapple flavors would not pair well, Margot was surprised by the perfect match due to the cinnamon coating on the pineapple. The flavors of the coffee were fantastic and its ability to promote laughter all around propelled us out on to the streets of Montreal for a brisk walk home.
Now that is making memories!
I did try a couple of other beers during the trip that are also worth mentioning.
Unibroue Ephemere - a tribtue to the green apple.
The green apple aroma was present right away and was unmistakable. It faded fast however, something I do believe to be a flaw. As for flavors I would say that my taste buds were still working, but were not picking up the fruit. It tasted like a typical light unfiltered ale without any other tangible flavors or aromas. This was not terribly memorable, but Unibroue makes many other styles I do like and will return to frequently.
We stopped at the Vermont Pub & Brewery in Burlington Vermont for lunch on the way home. I tried two of their house brewed beers that had unique descriptions on the menu.
Tulach Leis
Flemish style sour red ale
Fermented with Brett (also used in the Saison at Le Cheval Blanc)
Complex beer with pronounced aromas and flavors
Definitely sour and a bit yeasts
Not an everyday drinker unless this is your bag
Paired well with sweet potato fries and onion rings
Forbidden Fruit
This is big beer competition winner for them
Brewed with 500 lbs of local raspberries
Strong beer – no ABV determined
Sour mashed and oak aged
The fruit is unmistakable in the nose and flavors
Good on its own and would be good with fruit pie
No real pairing attempt was made, just enjoyed it solo
It was a drag coming home from such a whirlwind tour, but there was little choice. We have already started scheming up where we will go the next time.
Cheers!
--Jason
Le Milsa does not disappoint in the above definition. With ten meat offerings including, chicken, chicken sausage, pork, lamb, filet mignon, rib roast, sirloin, prime rib, strip steak, and turkey wrapped in bacon, you can be sure your cholesterol and salt numbers are going to go in the wrong direction! Served along with salad, bread, rice, sweet potato and spicy mushrooms many flavor combinations are possible.
All four of us, Margot, Gerry, Eloy and I, went with the standard menu and paired our meal with the following wines.
Bodega Norton Malbec Mendoza (vintage not acquired)
Errazuriz Estate Shiraz 2008 from Chile
The strategy I had for the wine was to have two different reds. For the first I looked for a subtle and focused wine to complement the richness of the grilled meats for which the Malbec did performed nicely. For the other I wanted a wine with more fruit and a bit of spice to counter balance the seasonings and take the flavors in another direction. The original choice was a California Zinfandel, which was not available, so the Shiraz was selected and played the part well. All of us agreed that both wines paired with the different meats differently and that all pairings were enjoyable.
One of the other experiences I was hoping for at Le Milsa was to try cachaca or a drink made from it. Without fail the Brazilian national drink, Caipirinha, similar to a traditional white rum daiquiri from the Carribean was on the menu. This drink contains cachaca, muddled lime and sugar served over ice. Somewhat sweet with good lime flavors, this drink was very pleasing and made for a great post-meal digestif.
We weren’t quite finished. With dessert, which was a choice of ice cream or grilled pineapple, we all also tried a strong coffee drink that included Gran Marnier and Crème de Cacao. Though I was originally worried that the coffee and pineapple flavors would not pair well, Margot was surprised by the perfect match due to the cinnamon coating on the pineapple. The flavors of the coffee were fantastic and its ability to promote laughter all around propelled us out on to the streets of Montreal for a brisk walk home.
Now that is making memories!
I did try a couple of other beers during the trip that are also worth mentioning.
Unibroue Ephemere - a tribtue to the green apple.
The green apple aroma was present right away and was unmistakable. It faded fast however, something I do believe to be a flaw. As for flavors I would say that my taste buds were still working, but were not picking up the fruit. It tasted like a typical light unfiltered ale without any other tangible flavors or aromas. This was not terribly memorable, but Unibroue makes many other styles I do like and will return to frequently.
We stopped at the Vermont Pub & Brewery in Burlington Vermont for lunch on the way home. I tried two of their house brewed beers that had unique descriptions on the menu.
Tulach Leis
Flemish style sour red ale
Fermented with Brett (also used in the Saison at Le Cheval Blanc)
Complex beer with pronounced aromas and flavors
Definitely sour and a bit yeasts
Not an everyday drinker unless this is your bag
Paired well with sweet potato fries and onion rings
Forbidden Fruit
This is big beer competition winner for them
Brewed with 500 lbs of local raspberries
Strong beer – no ABV determined
Sour mashed and oak aged
The fruit is unmistakable in the nose and flavors
Good on its own and would be good with fruit pie
No real pairing attempt was made, just enjoyed it solo
It was a drag coming home from such a whirlwind tour, but there was little choice. We have already started scheming up where we will go the next time.
Cheers!
--Jason
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Montreal Pub Tour - April 2010
Our first Montreal pub tour was back in May of 2009. Here is the link to that entry and the fun we had.
http://ancientfirewineblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/beer-drinker-update-for-montreal.html
The plan this time was to hit a few new places and of course try some new beers. We ended up choosing 3 places, including Brutopia from the first trip, and tasted 12 styles of beer before the night was through.
245 Sherbrooke West
(514) 543-9750
Place-des-Arts Metro Stop (Green Line)Benelux is located in an old bank with the vault used to create a more private space in the back. Definitely a place to see and be seen with a very different clientele, think younger and hipper, than Le Cheval Blanc. Busy on a Friday night after work.
We added some food to the mix here.
Tex-Mex Chicken Panini (contained mushrooms and a spicy sauce which was light). Green olives on the plate as well – it was good with crunchy bread, but not super-special. Hit the spot with and after the beers
Chips (didn’t find out if they are made on site or not). Kind of like Cape Code plain chips
1215 Rue Crescent
(514) 393-9277
Lucien-L'Allier Metro Stop (Orange Line)Bruopia was the only stop that was a return visit. This choice was based on the solid selection from prior visits and close proximity to our hotel. It turned out that, with the exception of the Raspberry Blonde, the beers didn’t impress as much this time which might mean we would only come here to drink the selections which we know and could expect to be safe. Those are good and are worth it.
Cheers!
--Jason
http://ancientfirewineblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/beer-drinker-update-for-montreal.html
The plan this time was to hit a few new places and of course try some new beers. We ended up choosing 3 places, including Brutopia from the first trip, and tasted 12 styles of beer before the night was through.
809 Rue Ontario Est
(514) 522-0211
Sherbooke Metro Stop (Orange Line)
(514) 522-0211
Sherbooke Metro Stop (Orange Line)
Le Cheval Blanc offers a combination of house brewed and unique import beers. All selections written on floor to ceiling chalkboard adjacent to the bar. The pub was nearly ½ full when we arrived around 5 PM, new patrons at a pretty good clip.
Euro feel / dark with a punk edge. Maroon and green color palette with funky feel, café or diner like with an eclectic collection of musician pictures hanging on the wall. We could not help feeling like Kerouac could start reciting at any time while the crowd snaps their fingers in approval. Our waitress with her bright red hair and combat boots made us feel surprisingly at home. Though her English was spotty and our French limited we managed to speak the language of beer quite easily!
Euro feel / dark with a punk edge. Maroon and green color palette with funky feel, café or diner like with an eclectic collection of musician pictures hanging on the wall. We could not help feeling like Kerouac could start reciting at any time while the crowd snaps their fingers in approval. Our waitress with her bright red hair and combat boots made us feel surprisingly at home. Though her English was spotty and our French limited we managed to speak the language of beer quite easily!
Cream Ale ( 5.4% ABV )
Creamy – bitter + strong after taste
Smells like warm butter
“Repeat favorite in the making”
Would be great with hot buttered popcorn
Cask Drawn Warrior IPA ( 6.4% ABV )
Yeasty and hoppy nose
Served at cellar temp
Smoky, rich and strong
Margot – ”A serious beer drinkers beer; not for the faint of heart.”
A contemplative customer enters and walks right to the chalkboard
and thinks, “Maybe I will try something I have not had.”
Blonde Lager ( 5% ABV )
Sharp and refreshing
Neutral aroma
Slight citrus taste in the finish
Would be good with a slice of orange/lemon
This feels like a classic “I wanna drink beer” beer
Noire ( stout, 4.1% ABV)
Strong mocha nose
Low carbonation
Margot – “I never like dark beer, but could drink a pint or two of this”
Tastes like a dark chocolate latte
This feels like an “experience beer”
Saison Blanc ( 6% ABV)
This beer is re-fermented with the while yeast Brettanomyces
Perfect for fish, fried or not
Clove and banana nose reminiscent of other Belgian styles
This is a “pairing or food” beer
Very dry, not as rich as Belgian dubble and tripel style
Creamy – bitter + strong after taste
Smells like warm butter
“Repeat favorite in the making”
Would be great with hot buttered popcorn
Cask Drawn Warrior IPA ( 6.4% ABV )
Yeasty and hoppy nose
Served at cellar temp
Smoky, rich and strong
Margot – ”A serious beer drinkers beer; not for the faint of heart.”
A contemplative customer enters and walks right to the chalkboard
and thinks, “Maybe I will try something I have not had.”
Blonde Lager ( 5% ABV )
Sharp and refreshing
Neutral aroma
Slight citrus taste in the finish
Would be good with a slice of orange/lemon
This feels like a classic “I wanna drink beer” beer
Noire ( stout, 4.1% ABV)
Strong mocha nose
Low carbonation
Margot – “I never like dark beer, but could drink a pint or two of this”
Tastes like a dark chocolate latte
This feels like an “experience beer”
Saison Blanc ( 6% ABV)
This beer is re-fermented with the while yeast Brettanomyces
Perfect for fish, fried or not
Clove and banana nose reminiscent of other Belgian styles
This is a “pairing or food” beer
Very dry, not as rich as Belgian dubble and tripel style
245 Sherbrooke West
(514) 543-9750
Place-des-Arts Metro Stop (Green Line)
We added some food to the mix here.
Tex-Mex Chicken Panini (contained mushrooms and a spicy sauce which was light). Green olives on the plate as well – it was good with crunchy bread, but not super-special. Hit the spot with and after the beers
Chips (didn’t find out if they are made on site or not). Kind of like Cape Code plain chips
Bock ( 6% ABV )
Mild nose and medium body
Somewhat earthy, a little chocolate flavor
Bitter
Olives and mushrooms paired very well with it
Lux Rouse ( Red Ale, 5% ABV)
Standard red ale.
Good but not memorable, we both agreed
Did not pair well with panini
Moonboot ( Belgian, 9% ABV )
Very clean, served in snifter so good aromas were very accessible.
Aromas and flavors were on par with typical Belgian double/triple fermented styles
Metallic smell from the glass was a little weird
The alcohol was not perceptible, but did not take long to make itself known!
Mild nose and medium body
Somewhat earthy, a little chocolate flavor
Bitter
Olives and mushrooms paired very well with it
Lux Rouse ( Red Ale, 5% ABV)
Standard red ale.
Good but not memorable, we both agreed
Did not pair well with panini
Moonboot ( Belgian, 9% ABV )
Very clean, served in snifter so good aromas were very accessible.
Aromas and flavors were on par with typical Belgian double/triple fermented styles
Metallic smell from the glass was a little weird
The alcohol was not perceptible, but did not take long to make itself known!
1215 Rue Crescent
(514) 393-9277
Lucien-L'Allier Metro Stop (Orange Line)
Smoked Porter
Subtle flavors, mildly bitter
Woody, reminds a bit of maple sap (not sugar)
Lighter smoke than expected
Didn’t pop, I actually didn’t finish it
Raspberry Blonde
This is our current and continued favorite in Montreal
“Will it beat the Noire?”
Smells like raspberries
Tastes of raspberries and citrus
“Raspberry lemonade OR iced tea?”
Grain and malt flavors are very perceptible and in balance
Gingembre
Smells like ginger sautéed with butter
Mild/low carbonation
Smells better than it tastes, not spicy and no perceptible sweetness
Medium dry
Better as a late drinker when unique tastes are not as crucial
Needs a little sweet and a little citrus
Subtle flavors, mildly bitter
Woody, reminds a bit of maple sap (not sugar)
Lighter smoke than expected
Didn’t pop, I actually didn’t finish it
Raspberry Blonde
This is our current and continued favorite in Montreal
“Will it beat the Noire?”
Smells like raspberries
Tastes of raspberries and citrus
“Raspberry lemonade OR iced tea?”
Grain and malt flavors are very perceptible and in balance
Gingembre
Smells like ginger sautéed with butter
Mild/low carbonation
Smells better than it tastes, not spicy and no perceptible sweetness
Medium dry
Better as a late drinker when unique tastes are not as crucial
Needs a little sweet and a little citrus
One observation is that the lighter beers made for better night drinking, which makes sense but was obvious in practice.
We weren't finished yet, but I'll save that for my next posting.Cheers!
--Jason
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Sommelier Away!
I met a recently certified Level 2 Sommelier last week. Thanks to Margot and her networking through Leadership Greater Manchester, we had a wonderful evening out with new friends.
Over dinner at Mangia in Hooksett we talked about wine from what seemed like A to Z. We covered making it, paring it, serving it, prices and quality, favorites, interesting regions and seeking out new styles and of course drinking it! I was also lucky enough to get some gracious feedback on the Ancient Fire 2008 Amarone #2 and 2009 Pinot Grigio. Both are drinking well right now and for a made-at-home product both seemed to be very well received.
The big outcome from the conversation was that I have decided to pursue Sommelier certification. This is something I looked into several years back, but not knowing anyone who was on the path, I had prematurely concluded that without restaurant/food service experience I would be at a disadvantage for this challenge. This myth was debunked with supporting evidence that suggested many of the people who pursue this certification do NOT in fact work in restaurants, his own story is one of a food & beverage manager for a local country club, and that with what I already appear to know I may be better prepared than I had thought. What a huge boost this was.
The next day I reviewed the curriculum available on the web site of The Court of Master Sommeliers and have already begun putting a plan to gain necessary knowledge and experience into action.
This choice sets me on a path to sit for the two days of instruction and exams to complete Level 1 in the summer of 2011 in Boston. If I feel ready sooner I could travel to another city to complete this level ahead of that schedule. Completing Level 1, and 90% of people do on the first attempt, will not earn me the title of Certified Sommelier, a designation reserved for Level 2 and above. The four level program culminates in an invitation only final evaluation that only 178 people have passed worldwide to date. With years of study (both textbook and practical, woo hoo!) ahead of me I am thoroughly excited and expect to be sharing this with all of you as willing students of science!
For now I am pursuing additional experience in the following areas:
Over dinner at Mangia in Hooksett we talked about wine from what seemed like A to Z. We covered making it, paring it, serving it, prices and quality, favorites, interesting regions and seeking out new styles and of course drinking it! I was also lucky enough to get some gracious feedback on the Ancient Fire 2008 Amarone #2 and 2009 Pinot Grigio. Both are drinking well right now and for a made-at-home product both seemed to be very well received.
The big outcome from the conversation was that I have decided to pursue Sommelier certification. This is something I looked into several years back, but not knowing anyone who was on the path, I had prematurely concluded that without restaurant/food service experience I would be at a disadvantage for this challenge. This myth was debunked with supporting evidence that suggested many of the people who pursue this certification do NOT in fact work in restaurants, his own story is one of a food & beverage manager for a local country club, and that with what I already appear to know I may be better prepared than I had thought. What a huge boost this was.
The next day I reviewed the curriculum available on the web site of The Court of Master Sommeliers and have already begun putting a plan to gain necessary knowledge and experience into action.
This choice sets me on a path to sit for the two days of instruction and exams to complete Level 1 in the summer of 2011 in Boston. If I feel ready sooner I could travel to another city to complete this level ahead of that schedule. Completing Level 1, and 90% of people do on the first attempt, will not earn me the title of Certified Sommelier, a designation reserved for Level 2 and above. The four level program culminates in an invitation only final evaluation that only 178 people have passed worldwide to date. With years of study (both textbook and practical, woo hoo!) ahead of me I am thoroughly excited and expect to be sharing this with all of you as willing students of science!
For now I am pursuing additional experience in the following areas:
- Worldwide Wine Regions
- Sales & Service, including Beverage Program development
- Food & Wine Pairing
- Mixology
My blog will figure prominently into this adventure as a place for me to share my experiences, recipes, pairing highlights and drinking recommendations. Of course I will still be making wine and keeping you all up to date on that, but I will be scaling back a bit in order to free up time and resources for this new challenge.
Cheers and wish me luck!
Jason
Cider Celebration
The conclusion of the Ancient Fire 2009 cider making was a gathering of friends a few Saturdays back. There was good friends, good food and of course, cider.
We sampled several of the finished ciders, including a batch made from the Rudesheimer yeast and a batch made with Traditional Cider yeast right from the spigot! We also sampled the three flavored ciders, strawberry, cherry and raspberry.
A few notes in are order to help with the reactions as described below.
All of the ciders ended up being between 8% and 10% ABV which is a bit higher than originally intended. No harm I guess…
The cider made from the Rudesheimer yeast is gold in color, has a good apple nose and is medium-dry. With plenty of apple flavor and a good balance of sweet and tart it is very pleasing to drink.
The cider made from the Traditional Cider yeast is about the same color and has a similar nose. This batch is a drier style which ends up being a bit more tart, but no less pleasing.
The flavored ciders are sweeter and were intended to have a serious infusion of fruit flavor. The strawberry appears to developed a flaw which has resulted in it being drier and flatter in taste than when it was bottled. As long as this doesn’t continue it will be drinkable. The cherry and raspberry don’t appear to have the same flaw and were both easily recognizable. The raspberry is much sweeter than the other two which serves to mask the alcohol, which may be dangerous down the line.
The response to the two unflavored styles was very positive with a pretty split decision on whether the medium-dry or the dry style was better. The flavored styles also received mixed reviews, with the strawberry being the least liked and for good reason.
We didn’t plan any specific pairings, but the hit of the evening was the candied bacon, thank you very much Cindy!, with the raspberry cider. I can’t really say much except you had to be there. It is the national food and drink pairing of Ancientfirestan, an emerging world power.
The experience of making several distinct styles of cider was truly rewarding and this reward will continue to pay off for months to come. I will not likely make cider again in 2010 and thus will have to ration it to carry its loyal consumers into the next year and next adventure.
Cheers!
Jason
We sampled several of the finished ciders, including a batch made from the Rudesheimer yeast and a batch made with Traditional Cider yeast right from the spigot! We also sampled the three flavored ciders, strawberry, cherry and raspberry.
A few notes in are order to help with the reactions as described below.
All of the ciders ended up being between 8% and 10% ABV which is a bit higher than originally intended. No harm I guess…
The cider made from the Rudesheimer yeast is gold in color, has a good apple nose and is medium-dry. With plenty of apple flavor and a good balance of sweet and tart it is very pleasing to drink.
The cider made from the Traditional Cider yeast is about the same color and has a similar nose. This batch is a drier style which ends up being a bit more tart, but no less pleasing.
The flavored ciders are sweeter and were intended to have a serious infusion of fruit flavor. The strawberry appears to developed a flaw which has resulted in it being drier and flatter in taste than when it was bottled. As long as this doesn’t continue it will be drinkable. The cherry and raspberry don’t appear to have the same flaw and were both easily recognizable. The raspberry is much sweeter than the other two which serves to mask the alcohol, which may be dangerous down the line.
The response to the two unflavored styles was very positive with a pretty split decision on whether the medium-dry or the dry style was better. The flavored styles also received mixed reviews, with the strawberry being the least liked and for good reason.
We didn’t plan any specific pairings, but the hit of the evening was the candied bacon, thank you very much Cindy!, with the raspberry cider. I can’t really say much except you had to be there. It is the national food and drink pairing of Ancientfirestan, an emerging world power.
The experience of making several distinct styles of cider was truly rewarding and this reward will continue to pay off for months to come. I will not likely make cider again in 2010 and thus will have to ration it to carry its loyal consumers into the next year and next adventure.
Cheers!
Jason
Thursday, March 18, 2010
A Peach Of A Wine
Last night Margot and I hosted Julie and John for another of our monthly dinner dates and I was particularly excited to plan a meal with a peach theme.
I specifically chose this theme because we had purchased a bottle of Hopkins Vineyards (CT) semi-sweet peach wine last August and had also made a similar wine of our own last summer. I was very interested in the side by side comparison.
The verdict on the side by side comparison is that Ancient Fire wins having the most peach expression and a longer and more pleasing finish. The Hopkins selection was less like a fruit wine than a heavily peach flavored white wine such as a Gewürztraminer or Vidal. While not a bad thing at all it the wine also went flat too soon and was not as reminiscent of eating a peach as our home version. The nose on the Hopkins selection was an initial give away that it might be very different, and before taking a sip I could think of several other wines that it reminded me of on aroma alone. The wine was very good and would be one I recommend, but when compared to our peach bomb it didn’t match up. The Ancient Fire selection was slightly sweeter and had peach aromas and flavors throughout. The finish was longer and actually felt a bit thicker as it coated the tongue. We will definitely make the full six gallon batch of this again come summer time. Last year we split the batch and blended some with Moscato which is quite good, but not good enough to repeat.
Both wines were paired with our meal which consisted of slow cooked Peach & Tarragon Chicken over Apricot Ginger Rice with Honey Soy Brussels Sprouts. Both of the wines fit well with the meal but the added peach flavor in the Ancient Fire selection created a more enjoyable pairing.
We have done side-by-side comparison of commercial wines with our own several times and it is clear this time we hands down favorite. Doing this has served several purposes for us including, helping us determine how close to varietal character we have come, using tasting notes of commercial wines to better understand similarities and differences we observe in our wines, and lastly because it is just so damn fun! Why open only one bottle of wine when you can open two or three or more and compare them?
Cheers!
--Jason
I specifically chose this theme because we had purchased a bottle of Hopkins Vineyards (CT) semi-sweet peach wine last August and had also made a similar wine of our own last summer. I was very interested in the side by side comparison.
The verdict on the side by side comparison is that Ancient Fire wins having the most peach expression and a longer and more pleasing finish. The Hopkins selection was less like a fruit wine than a heavily peach flavored white wine such as a Gewürztraminer or Vidal. While not a bad thing at all it the wine also went flat too soon and was not as reminiscent of eating a peach as our home version. The nose on the Hopkins selection was an initial give away that it might be very different, and before taking a sip I could think of several other wines that it reminded me of on aroma alone. The wine was very good and would be one I recommend, but when compared to our peach bomb it didn’t match up. The Ancient Fire selection was slightly sweeter and had peach aromas and flavors throughout. The finish was longer and actually felt a bit thicker as it coated the tongue. We will definitely make the full six gallon batch of this again come summer time. Last year we split the batch and blended some with Moscato which is quite good, but not good enough to repeat.
Both wines were paired with our meal which consisted of slow cooked Peach & Tarragon Chicken over Apricot Ginger Rice with Honey Soy Brussels Sprouts. Both of the wines fit well with the meal but the added peach flavor in the Ancient Fire selection created a more enjoyable pairing.
We have done side-by-side comparison of commercial wines with our own several times and it is clear this time we hands down favorite. Doing this has served several purposes for us including, helping us determine how close to varietal character we have come, using tasting notes of commercial wines to better understand similarities and differences we observe in our wines, and lastly because it is just so damn fun! Why open only one bottle of wine when you can open two or three or more and compare them?
Cheers!
--Jason
Spring Is On The Way
Several themes are evolving for Ancient Fire’s activities this spring. While not everything we are hoping for is likely to come to pass, more on that to follow, we are nonetheless excited.
This past weekend a lineup of twelve Ancient Fire wines were used in a tasting to raise money for the Relay For Life. Some of the selections hadn’t been tasted in a few months which ended up being particularly exciting for some of our 2008 reds that are now drinking very well. The Cab Blend and Ruby Cabernet are both showing their individual character and Amarone #2 is developing and should continue to do so for another year or more. Margot’s Symphony was the star of the day and as our youngest wine it is sure making a statement. With nice floral notes on the nose, obvious fruit flavors from the first sip, and a balance seldom found in our wines we think we have a competition success in this wine. Everyone who tried it had something, and very positive somethings, to say about this wine where other very good wines didn’t attract nearly as much attention. We raised around $350 with this event which is a nice bump for our annual Relay For Life event.
The Sake experiment was a bust, I grew other fungi than I wanted so I threw it out and will focus my efforts where I am already successful, fruit and grape wines!
Our spring winemaking plan is partially tied to receiving a shipment of Chilean grapes, which after the earthquake is no sure thing. While our supplier is proceeding with optimism they have not yet confirmed what will be available and have extended the pre-order deadline so we must wait patiently and see. If the grapes do not work out we will acquire some frozen must (pressed grapes from last year’s fall harvest) and make some of the wines in our plan, but will reserve budget for the 2010 west coast harvest later in the year.
We have also begun receiving our WinExpert Special Edition kits including the Australian Petite Verdot and the hugely popular Pacific Quartet white blend. When these get started will depend on the outcome with the Chilean grapes. Obviously we will give an update when they get going.
Otherwise we are almost done with the ciders which have also been bringing smiles for all who have tried some. Summer here we come!
Cheers!
--Jason
This past weekend a lineup of twelve Ancient Fire wines were used in a tasting to raise money for the Relay For Life. Some of the selections hadn’t been tasted in a few months which ended up being particularly exciting for some of our 2008 reds that are now drinking very well. The Cab Blend and Ruby Cabernet are both showing their individual character and Amarone #2 is developing and should continue to do so for another year or more. Margot’s Symphony was the star of the day and as our youngest wine it is sure making a statement. With nice floral notes on the nose, obvious fruit flavors from the first sip, and a balance seldom found in our wines we think we have a competition success in this wine. Everyone who tried it had something, and very positive somethings, to say about this wine where other very good wines didn’t attract nearly as much attention. We raised around $350 with this event which is a nice bump for our annual Relay For Life event.
The Sake experiment was a bust, I grew other fungi than I wanted so I threw it out and will focus my efforts where I am already successful, fruit and grape wines!
Our spring winemaking plan is partially tied to receiving a shipment of Chilean grapes, which after the earthquake is no sure thing. While our supplier is proceeding with optimism they have not yet confirmed what will be available and have extended the pre-order deadline so we must wait patiently and see. If the grapes do not work out we will acquire some frozen must (pressed grapes from last year’s fall harvest) and make some of the wines in our plan, but will reserve budget for the 2010 west coast harvest later in the year.
We have also begun receiving our WinExpert Special Edition kits including the Australian Petite Verdot and the hugely popular Pacific Quartet white blend. When these get started will depend on the outcome with the Chilean grapes. Obviously we will give an update when they get going.
Otherwise we are almost done with the ciders which have also been bringing smiles for all who have tried some. Summer here we come!
Cheers!
--Jason
Monday, February 15, 2010
V-Day = Dessert Wine
Dessert Wine of four types in one day?
To pull this off you must know people who make it, make it yourself, and/or know where to buy it.
For Valentine's Day in 2010 that was a combination of all of those. We started with a brunch finisher and then went on to homemade and then to back-in-the-day Montreal with some ice wine.
At Sel de la Terre we had a wonderful brunch. We started with a bottle of Lange 2007 Pinot Gris, an excellent choice. It paired well with both barbequeued salmon and fried egg and duck confit hash. We led off with a cheese plate and goat cheese dip, great matches with the breads, apples and nuts paired with them.
The Sauternes and Late Harvest New Zealand Sauv. Blanc were kick ass! What a great way to finsh a meal.
We then returned home and indulged in a bottle of the 2008 Plum Dessert wine from our own collection. This is still drinking mighty good and won't last forever!
The final selection was the Magnotta Vidal Dessert wine from Quebec made in 2005. We bought several bottles of this to bring home in 2006 or 2007 and it is still as good now as it was then.
I had hope to write more in this entry, but it got lost in my drafts so I just decided to quickly finish it and ship it.
Cheers!
Jason
To pull this off you must know people who make it, make it yourself, and/or know where to buy it.
For Valentine's Day in 2010 that was a combination of all of those. We started with a brunch finisher and then went on to homemade and then to back-in-the-day Montreal with some ice wine.
At Sel de la Terre we had a wonderful brunch. We started with a bottle of Lange 2007 Pinot Gris, an excellent choice. It paired well with both barbequeued salmon and fried egg and duck confit hash. We led off with a cheese plate and goat cheese dip, great matches with the breads, apples and nuts paired with them.
The Sauternes and Late Harvest New Zealand Sauv. Blanc were kick ass! What a great way to finsh a meal.
We then returned home and indulged in a bottle of the 2008 Plum Dessert wine from our own collection. This is still drinking mighty good and won't last forever!
The final selection was the Magnotta Vidal Dessert wine from Quebec made in 2005. We bought several bottles of this to bring home in 2006 or 2007 and it is still as good now as it was then.
I had hope to write more in this entry, but it got lost in my drafts so I just decided to quickly finish it and ship it.
Cheers!
Jason
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Cider Update
I am racking and back-sweetening the remaining six (of seven) carboys of cider this weekend. The first one was flavored with strawberry and has already been bottled.
I started with seven buckets of cider from Lull Farm in Hollis, NH in the first week of October. They were inoculated with 3 different types of yeast which was a new twist in my home brewing journey. Three with traditional cider yeast, two with sweet mead yeast and the remaining two with rudishiemer yeast. From the beginning there were differences in the pace of the fermentation and tastes between the evolving products.
Now at the point of preparing them for bottling the differences are very obvious and quite interesting.
A couple baseline notes. I prefer my cider without carbonation and thus I allowed the fermentations to complete and used sorbate and sulfite to retard further activity. I didn't make any cider in 2008 which is why I went nuts with 35 gallons; I hope it lasts.
As expected the traditional cider yeast yielded a dry cider which will get treated in three ways, with strawberry flavored syrup, dry and medium dry.
The sweet mead batches ended up with some residual sweetness, as expected, and will be treated in two different ways, medium dry and with raspberry flavored syrup (3 gallons). These should be a hit all summer!
The rudishiemer batches expressed a nutty flavor early on and it has remained, although to a lesser degree in the finished product. There is also residual sweetness similar to the sweet mead, which is a pleasant surprise. These batches will be treated in two ways, medium dry and with cherry flavored syrup (3 gallons). The nut and cherry flavors should meld nicely.
In the end I will end up with seven different styles that should easily be differentiated. This is by far the most interesting home brew project I have taken on to date.
Cheers!
--Jason
I started with seven buckets of cider from Lull Farm in Hollis, NH in the first week of October. They were inoculated with 3 different types of yeast which was a new twist in my home brewing journey. Three with traditional cider yeast, two with sweet mead yeast and the remaining two with rudishiemer yeast. From the beginning there were differences in the pace of the fermentation and tastes between the evolving products.
Now at the point of preparing them for bottling the differences are very obvious and quite interesting.
A couple baseline notes. I prefer my cider without carbonation and thus I allowed the fermentations to complete and used sorbate and sulfite to retard further activity. I didn't make any cider in 2008 which is why I went nuts with 35 gallons; I hope it lasts.
As expected the traditional cider yeast yielded a dry cider which will get treated in three ways, with strawberry flavored syrup, dry and medium dry.
The sweet mead batches ended up with some residual sweetness, as expected, and will be treated in two different ways, medium dry and with raspberry flavored syrup (3 gallons). These should be a hit all summer!
The rudishiemer batches expressed a nutty flavor early on and it has remained, although to a lesser degree in the finished product. There is also residual sweetness similar to the sweet mead, which is a pleasant surprise. These batches will be treated in two ways, medium dry and with cherry flavored syrup (3 gallons). The nut and cherry flavors should meld nicely.
In the end I will end up with seven different styles that should easily be differentiated. This is by far the most interesting home brew project I have taken on to date.
Cheers!
--Jason
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Ancient Fire to Attend the WineMaker Annual Conference in Stevenson, WA
In both 2008 and 2009 we have were lucky enough to bring home wine competition medals, with 17 in all as I write this.
The WineMaker Magazine International Competition is held each year, and the results are officially announced at the annual conference which we have yet been able to attend. This May we will be in making the trip and are hoping to learn new techniques, connect with others who share our hobby, drink some wine and if luck holds bring home some more hardware.
This year’s convention is being held in Stevenson Washington in the heart of the beautiful Colombia River Valley one of the most well known wine regions in the United States.
The conference combines classes and workshops with networking and finishes up with recognition for those whose wines scored highly in the competition. We are very much looking forward to clapping loudly for our peers, both those that have won medals and those who have risen to the top with best of show awards, including winemaker of the year. The swap meet on Friday is assured to be a great opportunity to share our wines with others who will also have interesting creations of their own available.
Check back soon to see what wines we will be entering into the competition and of course check back in late May to see if we were honored for our efforts again this year.
Cheers!
The WineMaker Magazine International Competition is held each year, and the results are officially announced at the annual conference which we have yet been able to attend. This May we will be in making the trip and are hoping to learn new techniques, connect with others who share our hobby, drink some wine and if luck holds bring home some more hardware.
This year’s convention is being held in Stevenson Washington in the heart of the beautiful Colombia River Valley one of the most well known wine regions in the United States.
The conference combines classes and workshops with networking and finishes up with recognition for those whose wines scored highly in the competition. We are very much looking forward to clapping loudly for our peers, both those that have won medals and those who have risen to the top with best of show awards, including winemaker of the year. The swap meet on Friday is assured to be a great opportunity to share our wines with others who will also have interesting creations of their own available.
Check back soon to see what wines we will be entering into the competition and of course check back in late May to see if we were honored for our efforts again this year.
Cheers!
Happy New Year & Catching Up
I have written a few articles in the last couple of weeks on the bus or at the house in VT and am only now getting around to posting them. Ancient Fire is as busy as ever and expecting great things for 2010.
I hope 2010 bring you great things as well.
Cheers!
--Jason
I hope 2010 bring you great things as well.
Cheers!
--Jason
Ancient Fire 2010 Plan – January 23, 2010
Chilling at the Vermont house provides plenty of quiet time to collect one’s thoughts or scheme up the next big thing.
With that in mind I have been considering what to include in the 2010 Ancient Fire lineup. Here is what is on deck so far
Winter
Finishing the 2009 batches
Three Liters of Sake from a Leener's kit
Spring/Early Summer
Cabernet Sauvignon Juice/Grape Blend
Syrah Juice/Grape Blend
Chardonnay Juice/Grape Blend
Cab/Syrah Blend
White Bordeaux (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon blend)
WinExpert Limited Edition Petite Verdot Kit
WinExpert Limited Edition Pacific Quarter Kit
Malbec all Grape double batch
Several new techniques and pieces of equipment will be brought to bear on these batches including a crusher, press and malolactic fermentation. I am reading up on the steps now and will be ready when the time is right. Let’s hope these enhancements will bring results!
We already have a new wine underway for 2010. Margot started the WinExpert Symphony kit, a blend of white grapes, which will be given a light oak treatment and is destined for the WineMaker Amateur Competition being held again this spring.
Summer
We have decided based on our experience with fruit wines that we will only make strawberry and peach again this year, and only one batch each. We have so much light drinking wines in reserve that this won’t hurt at all, and we are sure to get these right based on our track record.
Fall
When we reach the fall we are hoping to have some first hand feedback on how our new equipment and techniques have worked. With that information we will decide what to do to end the year. It is likely we will seek out some Cab and Pinot Noir grapes, but only time will tell.
Cheers!
--Jason
With that in mind I have been considering what to include in the 2010 Ancient Fire lineup. Here is what is on deck so far
Winter
Finishing the 2009 batches
Three Liters of Sake from a Leener's kit
Spring/Early Summer
Cabernet Sauvignon Juice/Grape Blend
Syrah Juice/Grape Blend
Chardonnay Juice/Grape Blend
Cab/Syrah Blend
White Bordeaux (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon blend)
WinExpert Limited Edition Petite Verdot Kit
WinExpert Limited Edition Pacific Quarter Kit
Malbec all Grape double batch
Several new techniques and pieces of equipment will be brought to bear on these batches including a crusher, press and malolactic fermentation. I am reading up on the steps now and will be ready when the time is right. Let’s hope these enhancements will bring results!
We already have a new wine underway for 2010. Margot started the WinExpert Symphony kit, a blend of white grapes, which will be given a light oak treatment and is destined for the WineMaker Amateur Competition being held again this spring.
Summer
We have decided based on our experience with fruit wines that we will only make strawberry and peach again this year, and only one batch each. We have so much light drinking wines in reserve that this won’t hurt at all, and we are sure to get these right based on our track record.
Fall
When we reach the fall we are hoping to have some first hand feedback on how our new equipment and techniques have worked. With that information we will decide what to do to end the year. It is likely we will seek out some Cab and Pinot Noir grapes, but only time will tell.
Cheers!
--Jason
Cellar Update - Jan 23, 2010
The 2009 batches are slowly disappearing with some benefitting from cold stabilization and some just gently settling to maximum clearing. The following selections from 2009 have yet to make their way into the bottle:
Australian Riverland Reserve – this was Margot’s first and unfortunately we have experienced some protein haze which is being real fussy about clearing.
Elderberry Rose – this wine just needed some time to settle and clear. I allowed it to do that before I added a touch of sweetness to enhance the warm weather enjoyment. Summer here we come!
Moscato – this was one of two pails of fresh juice from the fall and since it came in late it has run longer than last year. It is ready to go, I just need to find some time.
Plum/Riesling – this was the other pail of fresh juice I split with Vincent and with the addition of the plums it required an extra long clearing time which from the looks of it has proved successful.
Peach (1/2 batch) – this was held over to blend 2 to 1 Peach/Moscato to make 3 gallons, with the last gallon of the Peach planned for a dessert wine. This plan will take shape in the coming weeks.
Hard Cider – I ended up with 7 barrels of cider and let them ferment dry and then completely clear before messing around with them. The time has arrived the first barrel has been racked, sweetened with strawberry syrup and is ready to bottle. The other six will get various treatments from slight sweetening to cherry and raspberry flavoring over the next month or so.
With that we can move on with the 2010 vintage which is expected to bring a bunch of new things!
Cheers!
--Jason
Australian Riverland Reserve – this was Margot’s first and unfortunately we have experienced some protein haze which is being real fussy about clearing.
Elderberry Rose – this wine just needed some time to settle and clear. I allowed it to do that before I added a touch of sweetness to enhance the warm weather enjoyment. Summer here we come!
Moscato – this was one of two pails of fresh juice from the fall and since it came in late it has run longer than last year. It is ready to go, I just need to find some time.
Plum/Riesling – this was the other pail of fresh juice I split with Vincent and with the addition of the plums it required an extra long clearing time which from the looks of it has proved successful.
Peach (1/2 batch) – this was held over to blend 2 to 1 Peach/Moscato to make 3 gallons, with the last gallon of the Peach planned for a dessert wine. This plan will take shape in the coming weeks.
Hard Cider – I ended up with 7 barrels of cider and let them ferment dry and then completely clear before messing around with them. The time has arrived the first barrel has been racked, sweetened with strawberry syrup and is ready to bottle. The other six will get various treatments from slight sweetening to cherry and raspberry flavoring over the next month or so.
With that we can move on with the 2010 vintage which is expected to bring a bunch of new things!
Cheers!
--Jason
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Phelps Family Christmas Eve Wine Tasting
The Phelps family decided to have a wine tasting on Christmas Eve as a gift between the 6 of us. We have all taken to the wine and food pairing challenge so this seemed like a lot of fun and a great gift at the same time. Here is what we assembled:
• Ayler Kupp altenhofchen Riesling Kabinett 2007 with marinated Strawberries & Gold Rush Bars
• Coppola Sophia Blancs de Blancs Sparkling with Brie
• EOS Moscato Dessert Wine with Goat Cheese
• Voga Italiano Pinot Grigio with Prosciutto wrapped Cantaloupe
• Connecticut Valley Winery Raspberry Dessert Wine with Blue Cheese
• 2009 Ancient Fire Amarone #2 with Parmigianino/Reggiano Cheese
• 2006 Beringer Knights Valley Alluvium Blanc with Goat Cheese & Smoked Salmon Pate
The Riesling and strawberries were left for the dessert course, so back to that in a bit.
Each of us introduced our wines and foods, talked about what we were aiming for and suggested any tasting procedures specific to the selection.
Dessert wines and cheeses of strong character are generally matches made in heaven. With two wine options and several goat and blue cheeses to try, we all spent some on those from the start. The EOS Moscato was incredible with both the goat and blue cheeses, and was the standout for me.
The Sophia Blancs de Blancs was stellar but not surprising as many small batch sparklers from the US don't get nearly enough attention. This one is even more unusual in that it is made from all white grapes where most are made from a blend or red grapes. The real kick with this selection was the cocktails we made with the marinated strawberries and syrup the next day.
The Connecticut Valley Raspberry dessert was very flavorful although not as sweet as I expected. It paired well with the pungent blue cheese as was expected and it also paired very well with the goat cheese. While we weren’t disappointed we aren’t sure the wine was as true to its style as it could be.
We discovered the Voga Pinot Grigio on a trip to Montreal. We had bought it at SAQ and took it to a wonderful BYO restaurant, L'Acadamie, for dinner along with an Amarone. The melon wrapped with salty meat was an initial question mark for me not being a melon lover. In the end the melon flavor was in good balance and the freshness of the whole package succeeded. I went back for more which I would have bet against when it was introduced.
The salmon pate, though not tried by all, was a hit with those that paired it with the Beringer Alluvium Blanc. The smoky flavor of the pate really set the stage for the smooth and oak influenced flavors of the wine. Even Margot, who was skeptical of the pairing, commented that the two went together well. Donna expressed some surprise that I brought smoked salmon anything as I have not historically been a fan. She of course loved it being more familiar with smoked salmon.
The Amore went well with the hard cheese purchased for the pairing but many preferred having it with the blue cheese originally meant for the dessert wine.
For dessert we indulged in the Ayler Kupp altenhofchen Riesling with strawberries marinated in the wine, and gold rush bars which are like a brownies with dried fruit and spices instead of chocolate. This was a perfect way to end the parade of different flavors and textures. With manageable sweetness the strawberries and bars allowed the medium dry wine to dance with them and enhance their characteristics. It was at this time we found the marinated strawberries and the sparkling wine made a great cocktail to cleanse the palate.
With this experience in hand it is clear that for those looking for something fun to do challenging themselves to a food and wine pairing should provide immense enjoyment.
Cheers!
--Jason
• Ayler Kupp altenhofchen Riesling Kabinett 2007 with marinated Strawberries & Gold Rush Bars
• Coppola Sophia Blancs de Blancs Sparkling with Brie
• EOS Moscato Dessert Wine with Goat Cheese
• Voga Italiano Pinot Grigio with Prosciutto wrapped Cantaloupe
• Connecticut Valley Winery Raspberry Dessert Wine with Blue Cheese
• 2009 Ancient Fire Amarone #2 with Parmigianino/Reggiano Cheese
• 2006 Beringer Knights Valley Alluvium Blanc with Goat Cheese & Smoked Salmon Pate
The Riesling and strawberries were left for the dessert course, so back to that in a bit.
Each of us introduced our wines and foods, talked about what we were aiming for and suggested any tasting procedures specific to the selection.
Dessert wines and cheeses of strong character are generally matches made in heaven. With two wine options and several goat and blue cheeses to try, we all spent some on those from the start. The EOS Moscato was incredible with both the goat and blue cheeses, and was the standout for me.
The Sophia Blancs de Blancs was stellar but not surprising as many small batch sparklers from the US don't get nearly enough attention. This one is even more unusual in that it is made from all white grapes where most are made from a blend or red grapes. The real kick with this selection was the cocktails we made with the marinated strawberries and syrup the next day.
The Connecticut Valley Raspberry dessert was very flavorful although not as sweet as I expected. It paired well with the pungent blue cheese as was expected and it also paired very well with the goat cheese. While we weren’t disappointed we aren’t sure the wine was as true to its style as it could be.
We discovered the Voga Pinot Grigio on a trip to Montreal. We had bought it at SAQ and took it to a wonderful BYO restaurant, L'Acadamie, for dinner along with an Amarone. The melon wrapped with salty meat was an initial question mark for me not being a melon lover. In the end the melon flavor was in good balance and the freshness of the whole package succeeded. I went back for more which I would have bet against when it was introduced.
The salmon pate, though not tried by all, was a hit with those that paired it with the Beringer Alluvium Blanc. The smoky flavor of the pate really set the stage for the smooth and oak influenced flavors of the wine. Even Margot, who was skeptical of the pairing, commented that the two went together well. Donna expressed some surprise that I brought smoked salmon anything as I have not historically been a fan. She of course loved it being more familiar with smoked salmon.
The Amore went well with the hard cheese purchased for the pairing but many preferred having it with the blue cheese originally meant for the dessert wine.
For dessert we indulged in the Ayler Kupp altenhofchen Riesling with strawberries marinated in the wine, and gold rush bars which are like a brownies with dried fruit and spices instead of chocolate. This was a perfect way to end the parade of different flavors and textures. With manageable sweetness the strawberries and bars allowed the medium dry wine to dance with them and enhance their characteristics. It was at this time we found the marinated strawberries and the sparkling wine made a great cocktail to cleanse the palate.
With this experience in hand it is clear that for those looking for something fun to do challenging themselves to a food and wine pairing should provide immense enjoyment.
Cheers!
--Jason
Holiday Wine Dinner
So Julie, Margot, John and I sat down to a nice holiday dinner on the 18th. This month was our turn to host. The menu and pairings are below. Not everything turned out as planned but we sure had some laughs over it.
Black Currant Dessert Wine
Mixed Apple Salad with Maple Caramel Drizzle paired with 2007 Hard Cider
Cider & Pepper Marinated Steak Tips Wrapped in Lettuce paired with 2007 Hard Cider
Cranberry & Cola Slow Cooked Lavender Pork Chops
and
Baked Stuffed Apples with Apple Cornbread Stuffing served with 2009 Pinot Noir
Apple Crisp served with 2007 Vidal Ice Wine
We also tried a Cabernet/Foch from an up and coming NH winemaker. We found it to be a bit fuzzy, but with great flavor. The wild Foch presentation was easily found.
The maple caramel drizzle was candy by the time it got to the table so I'll have to go back to the drawing board on that one. This bottle of hard cider was not my best, but it proved to pair well to open the meal. Everything got good reviews and can certainly say I enjoyed it all. I hadn't cooked with lavender before so I wasn't sure what to expect. It was amazing.
What a way to celebrate the holiday season!
--Jason
Black Currant Dessert Wine
Mixed Apple Salad with Maple Caramel Drizzle paired with 2007 Hard Cider
Cider & Pepper Marinated Steak Tips Wrapped in Lettuce paired with 2007 Hard Cider
Cranberry & Cola Slow Cooked Lavender Pork Chops
and
Baked Stuffed Apples with Apple Cornbread Stuffing served with 2009 Pinot Noir
Apple Crisp served with 2007 Vidal Ice Wine
We also tried a Cabernet/Foch from an up and coming NH winemaker. We found it to be a bit fuzzy, but with great flavor. The wild Foch presentation was easily found.
The maple caramel drizzle was candy by the time it got to the table so I'll have to go back to the drawing board on that one. This bottle of hard cider was not my best, but it proved to pair well to open the meal. Everything got good reviews and can certainly say I enjoyed it all. I hadn't cooked with lavender before so I wasn't sure what to expect. It was amazing.
What a way to celebrate the holiday season!
--Jason
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Rum Redux and RumBa
Rum has been on my mind since our trip to Jamaica last month. I made a rum cream after finding nothing at the state liquor stores and not wanting to buy and ship. Strong, but flavorful in all the right ways. Two new drinks go with it as well as those described in my last post on rum.
http://ancientfirewineblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/if-youre-not-drinking-appleton-youre.html
Coconut Creme
3 oz homemade rum cream
1 oz Malibu rum
Appleton Morning
3 oz homemade rum cream
1 oz Appleton Special
Meet me at RumBa! If you are into rum and from Boston you'll get this. You should get this. RumBa, the rum bar at the Intercontinental in Boston has 100+ rums ready to drink with curiosity accessible prices for the size of the drink. I tried the Cruzan Black Strap and lusted after the Appleton 21 and a host of others that will be tried before I'm gone! The Cruzan was slightly sweet and had a nice long and clean finish.
After the stop at RumBa I ordered a book on rum history which informs us of the Boston roots of the early rum business. "Rum: The Epic Story of the Drink That Conquered the World", July 2005, Charles Coulombe. This hopes to be a great read. We are already planning a trip to St. Croix to visit Cruzan!
Cheers!
--Jason
http://ancientfirewineblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/if-youre-not-drinking-appleton-youre.html
Coconut Creme
3 oz homemade rum cream
1 oz Malibu rum
Appleton Morning
3 oz homemade rum cream
1 oz Appleton Special
Meet me at RumBa! If you are into rum and from Boston you'll get this. You should get this. RumBa, the rum bar at the Intercontinental in Boston has 100+ rums ready to drink with curiosity accessible prices for the size of the drink. I tried the Cruzan Black Strap and lusted after the Appleton 21 and a host of others that will be tried before I'm gone! The Cruzan was slightly sweet and had a nice long and clean finish.
After the stop at RumBa I ordered a book on rum history which informs us of the Boston roots of the early rum business. "Rum: The Epic Story of the Drink That Conquered the World", July 2005, Charles Coulombe. This hopes to be a great read. We are already planning a trip to St. Croix to visit Cruzan!
Cheers!
--Jason
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Dessert Wines
Any avid drinker can tell you the tale of when they first drank a good dessert wine. Vidal Ice Wine, Montreal QC in 2005. The honey, dried fruit, peaches and apricots left me stunned. Iced ciders, more ice wines and some Canadian whiskies were most excellent on that trip.
I had been making country and kit wines for a year or so by then, but nothing that fit with "good" dessert wine. The first dessert kit was a WinExpert Vidal wine base with a Vidal flavoring pack that added at the right time and with a little age creates a beautiful, rich delight. This wine has been tasted alongside many dessert wines and while the differences are perceptible, they are not game changing but in the most exceptional cases. My mother loved this as a birthday gift.
Since then I have made both fruit and kit dessert wines with much enjoyment. While I write this I am drinking the 2008 fresh fruit plum dessert wine which is aging surprisingly well. My notes on this wine indicate several previously unused techniques were used, acid balancing and manual degassing. Some experiences are so enjoyable learned hands on. Sweet plums with a nice tart hit are dripping with sweet juice. You want some too!
We just bottled the WinExpert Riesling Ice Wine which has a distinctive wild and profound character like many dessert, late harvest and ice wines. It needs some age before a more thorough review can be had. The glass of left over tasted great. AS/FA/VC look out!
I have a bottle of the 2009 "Super S" Strawberry Dessert wine in the freezer. The berries were picked in Londonderry at Sunnycrest in June. This wine was well cared for and has high expectations to meet. More next time.
Cheers!
Jason
I had been making country and kit wines for a year or so by then, but nothing that fit with "good" dessert wine. The first dessert kit was a WinExpert Vidal wine base with a Vidal flavoring pack that added at the right time and with a little age creates a beautiful, rich delight. This wine has been tasted alongside many dessert wines and while the differences are perceptible, they are not game changing but in the most exceptional cases. My mother loved this as a birthday gift.
Since then I have made both fruit and kit dessert wines with much enjoyment. While I write this I am drinking the 2008 fresh fruit plum dessert wine which is aging surprisingly well. My notes on this wine indicate several previously unused techniques were used, acid balancing and manual degassing. Some experiences are so enjoyable learned hands on. Sweet plums with a nice tart hit are dripping with sweet juice. You want some too!
We just bottled the WinExpert Riesling Ice Wine which has a distinctive wild and profound character like many dessert, late harvest and ice wines. It needs some age before a more thorough review can be had. The glass of left over tasted great. AS/FA/VC look out!
I have a bottle of the 2009 "Super S" Strawberry Dessert wine in the freezer. The berries were picked in Londonderry at Sunnycrest in June. This wine was well cared for and has high expectations to meet. More next time.
Cheers!
Jason
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Seasons Eatings & Drinkings
Last year I wrote a blog entry with some tips on Turkey Day food and wine pairing. You can find that entry here http://ancientfirewineblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/jason-talks-food-wine-pairing-november.html.
I won't repeat that advice and instead I will suggest you try some new and random combinations and see what happens. Earlier this year we had a serendipitous pairing with our Strawberry wine and Cyndi's Shrimp & Feta Zucchini, which turned out to be a lot of fun. I say try something new and you will be rewarded!
We will be making the lime/cilantro brined smoked turkey again and it will be interesting what will pair well with that. I'll let you know.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
--Jason
I won't repeat that advice and instead I will suggest you try some new and random combinations and see what happens. Earlier this year we had a serendipitous pairing with our Strawberry wine and Cyndi's Shrimp & Feta Zucchini, which turned out to be a lot of fun. I say try something new and you will be rewarded!
We will be making the lime/cilantro brined smoked turkey again and it will be interesting what will pair well with that. I'll let you know.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
--Jason
Monday, November 16, 2009
If You're Not Drinking Appleton, You're Just Not In Jamaica
Just back from Runaway Bay Jamaica and of course the rum was flowing as much as ever!
Appleton Rum is the signature rum brand from Jamaica and if you go, you must try it in several forms to get a feel for the versatility of the rums from this 260 year old distillery on an island know for its place in the rum trade of old.
Imbibing Suggestions
1. Rum punch with a V/X float - traditional Jamaican punch with a float of Appleton V/X aged rum.
2. Street Pharmacist (an original) - rum cream, Appleton Special (gold rum) and Amaretto.
3. Appleton Reserve 12 Year - on the rocks like a bourbon or scotch. You will find this to be a complex spirit well worth savoring. And you have to go to get some as far as I know.
In Jamaica rum is a reflection of the spirit I love as much as reggae music and jerk chicken. All three go together very well and sure make for fun times on vacation.
Cheers!
--Jason
Appleton Rum is the signature rum brand from Jamaica and if you go, you must try it in several forms to get a feel for the versatility of the rums from this 260 year old distillery on an island know for its place in the rum trade of old.
Imbibing Suggestions
1. Rum punch with a V/X float - traditional Jamaican punch with a float of Appleton V/X aged rum.
2. Street Pharmacist (an original) - rum cream, Appleton Special (gold rum) and Amaretto.
3. Appleton Reserve 12 Year - on the rocks like a bourbon or scotch. You will find this to be a complex spirit well worth savoring. And you have to go to get some as far as I know.
In Jamaica rum is a reflection of the spirit I love as much as reggae music and jerk chicken. All three go together very well and sure make for fun times on vacation.
Cheers!
--Jason
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Amenti del Vino Amateur Classic
Ancient Fire is celebrating another surprising competition result. We took 6 medals in the Amenti del Vino Amateur Classic hosted by M&M Wine Grape in Hartford, CT.
Bronze Medals
2009 Viognier
2008 Amarone
2008 Cabernet Blend
2008 Riesling/Gewurtztraminer Blend
2009 Strawberry #2
Silver Medals
2009 Strawberry #1
In a field dominated by red wines these results are pretty significant seeing that there were only 289 entries overall. We also entered the 2009 Pinot Noir, 2008 Vioginer and 2008 Gewurtztraminer/Riesling Blend which did not place.
With 17 medals to date Ancient Fire is creating quite a name for itself and receiving valuable feedback about the fruits of our labors in the process.
Cheers!
--Jason
Bronze Medals
2009 Viognier
2008 Amarone
2008 Cabernet Blend
2008 Riesling/Gewurtztraminer Blend
2009 Strawberry #2
Silver Medals
2009 Strawberry #1
In a field dominated by red wines these results are pretty significant seeing that there were only 289 entries overall. We also entered the 2009 Pinot Noir, 2008 Vioginer and 2008 Gewurtztraminer/Riesling Blend which did not place.
With 17 medals to date Ancient Fire is creating quite a name for itself and receiving valuable feedback about the fruits of our labors in the process.
Cheers!
--Jason
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