Wine Review Monday

In honor of Earth Day we have listed a few organic and biodynamic wines from different regions. In most of the world's wine regions you will find wineries that practice sustainable farming and produce organic and biodynamic wines and some are labeled vegan.

It takes several years to prepare the vineyards for certification but it is a task that the vineyard owners and winemakers feel is worth the time and effort to protect their fruit as well as the environment. These practices today are in keeping with the tradition of old world winemaking practices.

Australia

In south Australia the Bosworth family is proud of their Edgehill Vineyard. Joch Bosworth's homage to his noble practices of maintaining organic soil and biological practices in his vineyard dealing with pest control is a force to reckon with in his viticultural Battle of Bosworth.

Battle of Bosworth, McLaren Vale, Fleurieu, South Australia

2007 Shiraz -- Winemakers Notes: Color is deep dark red with bright purple edges. The nose shows lifted floral and blossom notes with red fruits, as well as fresh liquorice, spice and hints of fresh meat. A tight, middle-weight palate is perfectly balanced and set to grow and develop over time. This wine is certified organic and vegan.

2008 War of the Rosé -- Winemakers Notes: The Rosé has a gorgeous nose of watermelon rind, red fruits and nettles. It has a balanced, even palate with bright, fresh acidity. The wine finishes dry, clean and wonderfully fresh. This wine is certified organic and vegan.

France

Celebrate with Champange from Vandières in the Champagne district in France.

A.O.C. Champagne, Vandières (Marne) is made from 70% Pinot Meunier, 25% Chardonnay and 5% Pinot Noir grapes. Winemaker's Notes: Three years of aging gives this wine a rich, full aroma with creamy texture and mature fruit flavors. Made more complex by hints of yeast and nuts. This dry, full- bodied style of Champagne from mostly dark grapes is an excellent wine for hearty appetizers or a full dinner.

The grapes from this vineyard have been certified organic since 1969.

Italy

2007 Prosecco Perlage Riva Moretta has a clear straw yellow color and a rich bouquet reminiscent of flowers and fruits, especially unripe green apples. It is clean, crisp and lively and is great with hors d'oeuvres, appetizers and camembert cheese, poultry or dessert. Also will pair with scallops.

Spain

In Spain, Vina Ijalba in Logrono, Spain began organic farming practices in 2000.

Vina Ijalba Almagre Tinto 2006 Rioja has a translucent purple plum color with dried black cherry and cocoa bean notes. The flavors of plum and the well balance of acidity and low tannins and the 6 months in oak make this Rioja a versatile wine. This is worth a try for those who enjoy a red Burgundy.

United States

California's Casa Barranca Certified Organic Winery in picturesque Ojai, California is the first certified organic winery in the Santa Barbara region.

2007 Viognier Madera, Wulf Vineyard: Winemaker's Notes: This elegant white wine has wonderful aromatics of honeysuckle, roses, pineapple and guava with a lovely golden-green hue. Delicate yet rich, it has forward citrus fruit and tropical fruit flavors that merge into a creamy mid palate. The long finish is highlighted with freshness and structure. This versatile wine can accompany everything from steamed fish to spicy, exotic Asian and Indian dishes, as well as delicate custards and pastries.

2006 Grenache Winemaker's Notes: Our first Grenache is light ruby with brick overtones in color and has strawberries, rhubarb and hints of leather in the nose. Ripe forward fruit with mulberry, cardamom, tea leaves and bits of leather on the first sip, its medium body is belied by the depth and melange of flavors that make it seem richer than it is. The flavors meld into a long finish with strawberry and Dutch cocoa lingering on the palate balanced by soft tannins and grapey acids.

Grenache is a fun, delicious and very versatile varietal as shown by this wine. It's wonderful on it's own, it pairs very well with hard cheeses, earthy stews, grilled foods including salmon and tuna, fowl, red meats, vegetables and tofu and it's a great foil for lighter red sauce on pasta.

Yorkville Cellars in Mendocino County, California is 100 miles north of San Francisco. The organic vineyards have been certified since 1986, using no pesticides or chemicals.

2007 Semillon Winemaker's Notes: has aromas of pear skin, coriander seed and vanilla bean. The flavors are rich with apricot, lime zest. Rich mid-palate with apricot, lime zest and honey-comb notes in a long dry finish.

Pair with shellfish, especially crab and crab cakes. Also matches well with chicken braised in wine.

This wine can be consumed young, by 2010, or aged for 7-10 years.

New York

Macari Vineyards is in the Long Island wine region of New York. They have been using sustainable farming practices for several years.

2007 Sauvignon Blanc "Katherine Field" Winemaker's Note: has a pale greenish-yellow color with citrus notes of grapefruit, lemon and lime zest with subtle hints. It is crisp with citrus flavors of grapefruit, fresh lemon and sweet lime with a briny minerality. This is the perfect wine to pair with oysters.


Wine tasting tip: "Good friends and good food are the best pairing with wine. Drink what you enjoy, it's just a matter of taste!"


Saluté!
Winelady Cooks

Flounder Spinach Roll-Ups

I don't know why, but I like roll-ups. It does take more work than just sauteeing up the light fillets but this fish calls for a little more pizzaz. Adding feta cheese and mushrooms gives these fillets a boost.

Ingredients

• 8 large baby bella mushrooms, sliced
  
• 8 oz. fresh spinach, chopped
  
• 2 cloves garlic
  
• 1 Tbls. vegetable oil
  
• 3 Tbls. crumpled feta cheese
  
• 4 large flounder fillets
  
• lemon wedges
  
• Salt and Pepper to taste
  
• 1 Tbls. lemon juice
  
• Capers as garnish (optional)
  
• toothpicks
  
  Pre-Heat Oven 350 degrees
  Directions
  
• 1. Add vegetable oil to heated saute pan and add garlic cooking for about 1 minute just to soften. Add mushrooms and cook about 5 minutes then add spinach and cook until wilted.
  
• 2. Remove pan from heat and drain the excess liquid from the pan. Sprinkle the feta cheese over mixture and gently mix together.
  
• 3. Lay out the fillets and place the mixture at one end of each fillet (do not put too much) then carefully roll up, securing with toothpicks.
  
• 4. Place roll-ups seam side down in buttered baking dish, add a dab of butter to the top of each fillet and then add 1 tablespoon each of lemon juice and water and cover with foil.
  
• 5. Bake for 15-20 minutes until fish flakes easily and is opaque. Season with pepper to taste and if you add a few capers (optional) you won't need much salt.
  
  Serve with lemon wedges and your favorite side dish. I made brown rice with chopped fresh tomatoes and parsley.
  
  Winelady Cooks

Wine Review Monday

We've explored Australia this weekend tasting 3 wines from the Barossa/Eden Valley region. This region is home to some of the most famous vineyards in Australia and have some vines that are can be up to 80 years old.

This region is known for its red wines, though Eden Valley produces excellent Riesling and Chardonnay. Wines from the Eden Valley can be labeled from Barossa or Barossa Valley.


White:
St. Hallett Eden Valley Riesling 2007 is a pale straw yellow with hint of green. This wine has fragrant floral and lemon and lime citrus notes. The natural acidity and citrus flavors make it well balanced and enjoyable.

This Riesling is bottled with a screw cap, how convenient. Easy enough to take on a picnic for the concert in the park.

We enjoyed this with spicy Asian style take-out.

Reds:
Two Hands Lily's Garden Shiraz 2006 has a very dark purple color with aromas of plum, and mocha with some clove and mixed spices. It is fruit driven with its rich plum flavors, mocha and subtle vanilla with a hint of pepper and spice. The tannins are smooth and velvety which I really like.

EVIL Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 from the Barossa Valley has been aged in French oak for 12 months. This Cab is a dark red with classic cabernet notes, black olive, blackberries and raspberries. The flavors of black currants, oak, and some cloves are well balanced with the fine tannins.

Enjoy this with grilled steaks and you won't be disappointed.

Wine tasting tip: "Good friends and good food are the best pairing with wine. Drink what you enjoy, it's just a matter of taste!"


Salute!
Winelady Cooks

Savory Palmiers

I always liked palmiers for several reasons. They are so versatile you can make them sweet or savory, and they are very easy to prepare.

Recently I made them with olive tapenade filling for a quick late afternoon snack since we were going to have dinner a little later than usual. I was having a little fun with my grandsons while I was making the palmiers and I called them elephant ears. They laughed (thank goodness for grandchildren since no one else was paying attention to me) but they were not quite sure they should be eating elephant ears.

Since they were watching me do the prep work and I enlisted their help with the rolling they decided it was o.k. to taste them since they didn't see a real elephant lurking around the kitchen.

This particular recipe doesn't need exact measurements or ingredients since you can use your favorite olives, or any combination of ingredients you choose. I usually use my judgment with this type of recipe.

Ingredients

2 sheets of Puff Pastry (Pepperidge Farms from the freezer section)

Assorted olives chopped OR use your favorite jarred olive tapenade**

Sundried tomatoes chopped (optional)

**For easy chopping use a food chopper or processor if you do not use jarred olive tapenade. I used approximately 1/4 cup of olives for each pastry sheet. You might use more or even a little less. The filling should be fairly thin for easy rolling.

1. Layout one sheet of puff pastry and spread the olive tapenade evenly on the pastry sheet (leave about 1/2 inch border on all sides). Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry.

2. Roll up one side of the sheet only to the center and stop. Then roll up the opposite side of the pastry sheet to meet in the center.

3. Cut the rolled up pastry sheet into one inch slices.

4. Place the slices flat on a cookie sheet with parchment paper and bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 15 - 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.

5. Cool and serve either warm or room temperature.

These make a great appetizer for a party. They do not require heating or refrigeration.

It's also a recipe that the children will have fun making with you especially if you use their favorite ingredients.

Winelady Cooks

Wine Review Monday

This is the premier of Wine Review Monday. Each Monday we will post, very simply, notes on wines tasted over the weekend.

Whites:
Teruzzi & Puthod Rondolino Vernaccia di San Gimignano 2006 was light with floral and fruity aromas. This crisp white had citrus flavors of lemon and lime. Paired well with seafood.

Puerto Viejo Sauvignon Blanc 2007 has notes of melon and lemon. It was light and crisp which we liked with broiled chicken.

Red:
Novecento Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 has aromas of dark berries with berry and cherry flavors, a hint of chocolate and has a medium body and tannins. Paired well with roast beef dinner and I also enjoyed it with pasta.

Wine tasting tip: "Good friends and good food are the best pairing with wine. Drink what you enjoy, it's just a matter of taste!"

We'd love to hear about the wines you enjoyed this weekend.

Winelady Cooks

Let's Do Lunch

Spring arrived today in our neck of the woods so I decided it was time to get in shape and eat a "lite" lunch. When I checked the fridge I found a large tomato and an avocado. So my double-decker tomato and avocado with lettuce sandwich came to life.

Simple as this sandwich is to make it can be a bit bland, so I spread a thin layer of cole slaw dressing on each slice of bread which added just enough flavor to make it worth while sacrificing calories.

This sandwich doesn't have to be "lite". You can build on the basics and make this sandwich your own by using your favorite dressing. Even add a slice of your favorite cheese to each layer. Oh, and don't forget to add a few bacon slices.

Wow, all that sounds so good. I think I'll have to make a bigger sandwich next time.

Winelady Cooks

Welcome to Winelady Cooks.

I've always loved cooking and baking. Way back when I was raising my family there were always schedules to be met so my time was limited. I had to be creative in the kitchen and get dinner ready as fast as possible. Lucky for me I learned to cook watching my mother and grandmother create delicious meals with fresh ingredients they picked up at the farmers' market. "Back in the day" farmers' markets were open every day and in every community. I remember watching as they chopped, breaded, seared, simmered, and seasoned and then they would taste and adjust the flavors until everything was just right. Every meal they made was always delicious.

However my hands-on cooking experience didn't happen until I was married. Lucky for me, or maybe lucky for them, the children didn't arrive for several years because many of my earlier meals were not quite perfect. Well, how much can you learn while "watching"? But I never gave up, always keeping in mind that we learn from our mistakes. I now have lots of recipes that are family favorites and plenty of tips and ideas to share that can help to make your time in the kitchen easy.

Not only is cooking and baking a passion of mine, I also enjoy wine. I will have wine pairings for recipes whenever possible. On our Wine Reviews Monday you will find reviews on the wines we tasted over the weekend and will include food pairings whenever possible.

Salute!
Winelady Cooks