Posts
Hello Wine Lovers!
Today I thought I would talk about a wine that has certainly started many debates over the years, some may even call them arguments... but what the heck, that's what I'm here for. One of the reasons you are reading this blog (I assume anyway) is to learn something as well as confidence when choosing a wine for the evening's dinner or party or BBQ, or wedding or... oh the list goes on and on!
The wine, Concannon Petite Sirah from California available at Binny's for about $7.99, and my lovely Bride found it at our local Jewel store for $8.99! Anyway, back to me...
You will find this wine loaded with fruit, blackberries and cassis with a kiss of vanilla and a finish of tobacco and spice and a long lingering mouth feel. Perfect for the weather and outdoor fun!
But lets talk about what has sparked all the fuss! You will sometimes find labels with Petite Syrah VS Petite Sirah and this my friends is what causes all the fun! Briefly, Petite Syrah is a smaller grape from the world renowned region of the Rhone Valley in France, small intense berries packed with flavor and know for it's quality. Petite Sirah is actually known as Durif in the US and Israel, over 90% of the wine produced in these countries with the label Petite Sirah is Durif. It was named after François Durif, a botanist at the University of Montpellier. It was in a Peloursin vineyard near the university that he discovered the unique vine that he named for himself in 1880. The DNA fingerprinting at the University of California, Davis in 1997, Syrah was identified as the source of the pollen that originally crossed with Peloursin flowers.The grape's high resistance to downy mildew encouraged its cultivation in the early 20th century although the relative low quality of the resulting wine caused the grape to fall out of favor with local wine authorities. Today, it is almost nonexistent in France. Most winemakers use this grape to blend and few will produce a wine made up of all Petite Sirah grapes.
Now you know...
Here is another recipe my Bride and I prepared last week from Giada. Not only is it simple but it is really packed with flavor and the citrus is so "right on" with the hot summer weather!
Cheers!
J
Ingredients
Salsa:
2 large oranges
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 scallions, finely sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed, drained and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons orange zest
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Salmon:
Vegetable or canola oil, for oiling the grill
4 (4 to 5-ounce) center cut salmon fillets, skinned, each about 3-inches square
2 tablespoons amber agave nectar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
For the salsa: Peel and trim the ends from each orange. Using a paring knife, cut along the membrane on both sides of each segment. Free the segments and add them to a medium bowl. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, scallions, mint, capers, orange zest, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes. Toss lightly and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
For the salmon: Put a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Brush the grilling rack with vegetable oil to keep the salmon from sticking. Brush the salmon on both sides with the agave nectar and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Grill until the fish flakes easily and is cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Transfer the salmon to a platter and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Spoon the salsa verde on top of the salmon or serve on the side as an accompaniment.
Today I thought I would talk about a wine that has certainly started many debates over the years, some may even call them arguments... but what the heck, that's what I'm here for. One of the reasons you are reading this blog (I assume anyway) is to learn something as well as confidence when choosing a wine for the evening's dinner or party or BBQ, or wedding or... oh the list goes on and on!
The wine, Concannon Petite Sirah from California available at Binny's for about $7.99, and my lovely Bride found it at our local Jewel store for $8.99! Anyway, back to me...
You will find this wine loaded with fruit, blackberries and cassis with a kiss of vanilla and a finish of tobacco and spice and a long lingering mouth feel. Perfect for the weather and outdoor fun!
But lets talk about what has sparked all the fuss! You will sometimes find labels with Petite Syrah VS Petite Sirah and this my friends is what causes all the fun! Briefly, Petite Syrah is a smaller grape from the world renowned region of the Rhone Valley in France, small intense berries packed with flavor and know for it's quality. Petite Sirah is actually known as Durif in the US and Israel, over 90% of the wine produced in these countries with the label Petite Sirah is Durif. It was named after François Durif, a botanist at the University of Montpellier. It was in a Peloursin vineyard near the university that he discovered the unique vine that he named for himself in 1880. The DNA fingerprinting at the University of California, Davis in 1997, Syrah was identified as the source of the pollen that originally crossed with Peloursin flowers.The grape's high resistance to downy mildew encouraged its cultivation in the early 20th century although the relative low quality of the resulting wine caused the grape to fall out of favor with local wine authorities. Today, it is almost nonexistent in France. Most winemakers use this grape to blend and few will produce a wine made up of all Petite Sirah grapes.
Now you know...
Here is another recipe my Bride and I prepared last week from Giada. Not only is it simple but it is really packed with flavor and the citrus is so "right on" with the hot summer weather!
Cheers!
J
Ingredients
Salsa:
2 large oranges
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 scallions, finely sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed, drained and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons orange zest
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Salmon:
Vegetable or canola oil, for oiling the grill
4 (4 to 5-ounce) center cut salmon fillets, skinned, each about 3-inches square
2 tablespoons amber agave nectar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
For the salsa: Peel and trim the ends from each orange. Using a paring knife, cut along the membrane on both sides of each segment. Free the segments and add them to a medium bowl. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, scallions, mint, capers, orange zest, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes. Toss lightly and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
For the salmon: Put a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Brush the grilling rack with vegetable oil to keep the salmon from sticking. Brush the salmon on both sides with the agave nectar and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Grill until the fish flakes easily and is cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Transfer the salmon to a platter and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Spoon the salsa verde on top of the salmon or serve on the side as an accompaniment.
No comments:
Post a Comment