Chateau Peneau Premieres Côtes de Bordeaux

Attributes:
Producer:

Chateau Peneau
Region:

Premieres Côtes de Bordeaux, France
Varietal:

Bordeaux - Red
Bottle Size:

750 ML

Food Matches:
Cheese: Aged Cheddar, Blue Cheese, Feta, Goat Cheese, Mozzarella, Sharp Cheddar
Herbs & Spices: Anise, Fennel Seed, Tarragon, Bay Leaf, Lavender, Mint, Rosemary, Thyme
Poultry & Eggs: Spicy Chicken Dishes
Red Meat: Beef Stew, Kidney, Lamb, Lamb Stew, Roast Beef, Salami, Sausage, Variety Meats or Organ Meats
Sauces: Red Wine Sauce
Vegetables: Ratatouille

Amberhill Cabernet Sauvignon

Attributes:
Producer:

Amberhill
Region:

California, United States
Varietal:

Cabernet Sauvignon
Bottle Size:

750 ML

2001: WineSpectator Rating: 85
Complexity:

rich
Compliments:

tasty
Flavors:

currant, ripe cherry, toffee

2001: WineEnthusiast Rating: 84
Flavors:

oak

2001: Tastings Rating: 87
Body:

medium-bodied
Flavors:

black currant, oak, tar
Fruit:

ripe

2000: WineEnthusiast Rating: 86
Complexity:

rich
Flavors:

blackberry, cassis

2000: Tastings Rating: 83
Body:

medium-bodied
Texture:

smooth

1999: WineSpectator Rating: 86
Complexity:

supple
Compliments:

fragrant
Flavors:

black currant, chocolate, spicy, toasty oak
Fruit:

ripe

1997: Tastings Rating: 84
Body:

full-bodied
Complexity:

deep
Flavors:

plummy, tobacco

1996: WineSpectator Rating: 80
Compliments:

pleasant

Food Matches:
Cheese: Blue Cheese, Brie, Provolone
Fish or Shellfish: Sea Bass
Herbs & Spices: Basil, Mint, Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme
Poultry & Eggs: Game Birds
Red Meat: Barbeque Pulled-Pork or Ribs, Game, Kidney, Roast Beef, Sausage, Variety Meats or Organ Meats, Veal Carpaccio
Sauces: Red Wine Sauce
Vegetables: Potatoes, Roasted Mixed Vegetables

Cabernet Sauvignon:

(cab er nay saw vee nyon)—This highly adaptable grape grows almost anywhere it is relatively warm, but the best wines come from the Burgundy region of France (where it is a noble variety), California, and Australia. It became famous through the red wines of the Médoc district of Bordeaux and is now grown in Washington, southern France, Italy, Australia, South Africa, Chile, and Argentina. Cabernet Sauvignon grapes make wines that are high in tannin and medium- to full-bodied. Usually identified as having black currant or cassis flavors, the grape can also possess vegetal tones when the grapes are less than ideally ripe. The best wines are rich and firm with great depth, and are often aged for fifteen years or more. Because it is highly tannic, Cabernet Sauvignon is often blended with other less-tannic grapes such as Merlot.


California:

California produces the majority of wine made in the United States. Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel and Pinot Noir dominate the wine production in California, but many other varietials thrive in the California climate. Many fine wines are produced in California using Mediterranean grapes.

Terlato & Chapoutier 'Malakoff Pyrenees' Shiraz

Attributes:
Producer:

Domaine Terlato & Chapoutier
Region:

Pyrenees, Australia/New Zealand
Varietal:

Syrah / Shiraz
Bottle Size:

750 ML

2005: WineAdvocate Rating: (91-94)
Aromas:

*-scented
Complexity:

deep, rich
Flavors:

black pepper, camphor, minerals, smoky, violet

2005: WineAdvocate Rating: (89-91)
Body:

medium-bodied
Compliments:

elegant
Fruit:

ripe

2005: Tanzer Rating: 90
Acidity:

zesty
Compliments:

classic, powerful
Flavors:

cherry, currant, earth, plum, raspberry
Fruit:

juicy

2005: WineSpectator Rating: 93
Aromas:

*-scented
Flavors:

black cherry, mineral, smoky

2005: WineAndSpirits Rating: 93
Complexity:

rich
Flavors:

earthy, plummy
Fruit:

juicy
Texture:

open

2004: WineAdvocate Rating: (90-92)
Body:

medium to full-bodied
Complexity:

opulent
Compliments:

delicious
Flavors:

blackberries, cherries, espresso, licorice, smoke

2004: Tanzer Rating: 91
Complexity:

suave
Flavors:

berry, blackberry, candied, creme de cassis, licorice, meat, mineral, plum, smoky
Fruit:

concentrated, ripe

Food Matches:
Cheese: Brie, Feta, Parmesan, Sharp Cheddar
Herbs & Spices: Bay Leaf, Cayenne, Chili Powder, Juniper, Lavender, Mint, Pepper (black, white, green), Rosemary, Thyme
Pasta & Grains: Lasagna w/Meat, Spicy Couscous
Poultry & Eggs: Coq Au Vin
Red Meat: Barbeque Pulled-Pork or Ribs, Chili, Game, Grilled Sausage, Hamburgers, Red Meat Cajun Style, Roast Beef
Sauces: Red Wine Sauce
Vegetables: Garlic, Mushrooms, Ratatouille

Syrah:

Originally grown in France’s Northern Rhône Valley (where it is a noble variety) this grape has spread to Australia, California, Washington, Italy and Spain. In the Rhone region this grape produces deeply colored wines with full body and firm tannin, however in Australia, where it is known as Shiraz, the wines are lighter and fruitier. Aromas and flavors for these wines vary as much as their geographical breadth suggests: berries, smoked meat, bell peppers, even tar.


Shiraz:

Australian name for the grape known as Syrah in France.

Roasted Red Pepper and Feta Salad

Rated

Ingredients

1 Roasted Red Pepper chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Oregano to taste
1/2 head lettuce, washed and chopped

Preparation

Combine the pepper with the cheese, tossing to mix. Season with oregano. Serve on a bed of lettuce.

Yield

Makes 4 servings