Girls' Night Out: Pangea

Pangea
736 Bellafonte St
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
412-621-3152

Last night, the ladies and I went out on the town. Since I'm moving next week and am feeling the stress of packing, I voted we have dinner out instead of cooking. Ariel suggested we check out Pangea, a new tapas restaurant in Shadyside.

The ambience of the restaurant is incredible: soft and yellow, helping me feel very relaxed, as though I were dining outdoors during a lazy sunset. Also, though there may have been some music playing softly, I don't remember it, which means that it was at the perfect volume. I prefer to focus on the company and conversation when I'm out with the girls! The picture of the interior here is from the Pangea website, and the lighting in the photo does some justice to the lighting in the restaurant.

We each ordered a glass of wine from the menu. Pangea offers wine flights of three 2-oz. servings each, each with a theme ($12-14). I decided just to have a glass, as I'm operating under a rather tight budget. I probably should have foregone the wine completely, but I drink wine so seldom these days that I decided to splurge. The least expensive wine by the glass is $9 and ranges up to $14. I opted for a Viognier ($9), which turned out to be delicious. It was sweet, with no acidity at all, but remained uncloying with hints of honey and apricot and the classic oily mouthfeel of a Viognier.

The girls and I decided to share the Hummus tapas flight ($11), which consisted of three tasty hummuses (Gorgonzola and chive with toasted pine nuts, artichoke and feta with Kalamata olives, and Sweet Red Pepper with roasted shallot) served with warm, seasoned pita wedges. I wasn't wild about the pita wedges paired with the hummus, since the seasonings clashed with the intense flavors of two of the hummuses. However, the hummus was excellent. There weren't enough pita wedges to go around, however, and sadly, the remaining hummus was cleared from our table before we could lick the platters clean.

I ordered a Scallop Trio flight ($16), consisting of a tempura-style fried scallop, a scallop ceviche, and a seared scallop. In other words, I paid $16 for 3 scallops. While the scallop dishes were very tasty and left me wanting more (especially of the ceviche), I do have a complaint about the price for obvious reasons.

Though the restaurant claims to be a tapas restaurant, I felt that perhaps they missed the mark. Yes, tapas are generally smaller portions; but they are also supposed to be shared. The tapas flights, for the most part, consisted of three very different items following a theme (e.g., my scallop trio), and could not easily be shared without divvying up those individual items.

I have almost nothing negative to say about anything else at Pangea. I truly enjoyed my dining experience. The food was delicious, if a bit scant in amount for the price; our server was charming without being overbearing (he even brought us a complementary dish of Potatoes Lyonaisse, which was quite tasty), and didn't even raise an eyebrow when we asked to split the check four ways; and, of course, the conversation was colorful, with nary a dull moment.

However, I probably will not go back to Pangea because I know I can get even more excellent tapas and wines at Ibiza. I could have eaten (and drunk) twice as much for the price I paid at Pangea. (By the way, I have just realized I never reviewed Ibiza on my blog, though I have reviewed its sister restaurant, Mallorca; this is a situation which I must soon remedy because the whole world needs to know about Ibiza!).

So, the verdict on Pangea is really based on your mind-over-money mentality, I suppose. If your eating experience is based solely on the quality of the food and money is not a concern, give Pangea a try: you probably won't be disappointed. However, if you are value-driven and pinching your pennies, you'd be better off eating somewhere else.

Curried Cauliflower Risotto

I made up another recipe! It seems like most of my creations include curry used in unconventional dishes. This may be a result of looking for excuses to use my awesome Penzey's Sweet Curry Powder. It is the most flavorful curry powder I have come across (although, I haven't tried grinding and mixing my own yet).

Last night, I wanted risotto. I also had a half a head of cauliflower left over in the fridge that needed to be cooked before it started to rot. So I decided to steam that, and make the risotto. Then I had the brilliant idea to put the cauliflower in the risotto, so I commandeered a few half-cooked spears of cauliflower and sauteed them with some vidalia onion before tossing in the Arborio rice. And then, of course, I decided to add the curry powder.

Yum!! Sometimes, spontaneous creations turn out great, and this time, everything worked together really well. I might try a garam masala version next time.

Curried Cauliflower Risotto

1 cup to 1 1/2 cups of cauliflower spears, cut to 1-inch pieces
3 TBSP butter, divided
3 TBSP Vidalia onion, chopped finely
salt and pepper
1 1/2 TBSP sweet curry powder
3 1/2 to 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup Arborio rice
1/3 cup white wine, preferably dry
1/4 cup grated parmesan/romano cheese blend

Steam the cauliflower in a small pot for about 3 minutes. Do not cook completely. Meanwhile, in a large skillet (at least 12 inches), heat 2 TBSP of butter over medium high heat. When it starts to froth, add the onion and the half-steamed cauliflower and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the curry powder and stir well to coat the onion and cauliflower. Sauté for 2 more minutes.

Meanwhile, bring the chicken broth to a bare simmer in a small saucepan. Once it reaches the boiling point, reduce the heat to medium-low.

Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium, then add the rice to the cauliflower and onion mixture. Stir around for a minute to toast the rice. Then add the wine. Stir occasionally, until all the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. Add 3/4 cup of the hot chicken broth to the rice, and, stir occasionally until all the liquid has been absorbed. Continue adding liquid in 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup amounts, waiting each time until the liquid has been completely absorbed before adding more. This should take about 20 minutes. Taste the rice to see if it is tender enough. When the rice is tender, but still retains a slightly chewy texture, stop adding liquid and turn off the heat.

Stir in 1 TBSP of butter and the cheese blend. Serve immediately, with extra grated cheese for garnish.

Philadelphia: Tria

123 S 18th St
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: (215) 972-8742

Sorry I haven't updated in a while: I've been on Spring Break! But you can expect a steady stream of "in retrospect" reviews. I'll try to limit myself to comestibles and potables, since I had so many fun experiences in two short days visiting my brother in Philadelphia that I'm not sure I'll be able to restrain myself from giving a detailed play-by-play otherwise.

Even before my sister and I had arrived in Philadelphia, plans were afoot to go at least once to Tria, which is basically my idea of heaven. Tria is a sophisticated little bar that offers wines, cheeses, and beers (and some food, too). But not just any wines, beers, and cheeses! Tria prides itself on offering the off-the-beaten path experience, and at very fair prices, I am happy to say.

I loved the atmosphere. If you go to their website, they have a lovely photo that really captures it. Smooth lines but not a lot of space: it feels like what I think a "European" wine bar would be like (I haven't had the pleasure of that experience yet). It's pleasantly cramped in both the bar and table areas, which somehow just makes the whole experience more charming.

We went on a Sunday evening (in order to take advantage of their "Sunday School" half-off special, featuring a Greek red wine ($5.50/glass), a Gorgonzola ($3 for 3 oz.), and a Victory Brewing Co. beer (though I can't recall the name of it) ($2.50)). The lighting was a little dim, but not too dark so as to make it difficult to appreciate the color of our beverages (color is important in wine and beer!).

It took me about 15 minutes to finish perusing the menu for what I wanted. We opted not to try the Sunday School specials, at least not right away. The Greek red wine ran out, sadly, so the special changed to a Carmenere, which I tried later on. We tried so many wonderful wines, cheeses and beers (for under $100 between the four of us, not including tip!). Unfortunately, I didn't take notes while there, so I'm not going to try to recall all the beautiful things I smelled and tasted. But seriously, you have to visit this place to believe it! Below are a few of the things I remember trying; the menu changes often, so some of the things I had are no longer available online for me to refresh my memory!

I only wish that I could remember what the red wine from Cahors, France, was that Jeremy ordered: that wine was so perfect! I miss it.

One last note: Tria serves each 5 oz. serving of wine in simple, classic crystal Bordeaux-style stemware. Thank you for caring about the swirling and the sniffing, Tria!!!

Things I remember trying (and loving!):
1. Chinon Les Graves Gasnier (2006) from the Loire Valley, France [Cabernet Franc]: $8.50

2. Viogner, Renwood (2005) from Lodi, California [Viogner]: $7.50/glass

3. Tete De Moine (Cow cheese from Switzerland): $6 for 3 oz., served shaved (and shaped into a carnation!!) with hot pepper jelly

4. Cashel Blue (Cow cheese from County Tipperary, Ireland): $7 for 3 oz. served with chocolate pate

5. Allagash White (Belgian style wheat beer from Portland, Maine) $5 for 16 oz. draft

6. Reed’s Spiced Apple Ginger Brew: $2.50/bottle

Saint Clair 2006 Vicar's Choice Sauvignon Blanc

Saint Clair 2006 Vicar's Choice Sauvignon Blanc
Marlborough, New Zealand
Winemaker: Matt Thomson
Price: $13.99

New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs are considered some of the best in the world right now, so I decided to put that reputation to the test. I bought the Saint Clair Vicar's Choice 2006 vintage, produced in the famed Marlborough Region, the region attributed with starting the New Zealand wine industry in the 1970s.

The power happened to be out in my apartment that day, so I couldn't really chill the wine (the refrigerator had warmed up too much). Since white wines are traditionally served chilled, this could have proved to be disastrous. However, the situation turned out to be an unexpected boon. Gary Vaynerchuk is always saying that drinking any wine chilled makes it more difficult to taste everything it has to offer (and also hides the flaws), and I think I am starting to come around to that. At room-temperature, this wine was bursting with complexity of flavors, while the next day, when I had it chilled, it seemed uninteresting and rather common.

The color of this wine is about average for Sauvignon Blanc: a pale, delicate yellow. On the nose, the characteristic grapefruit is very strong, but there are also hints of dill and more tropical fruits, like mango perhaps. The mouthfeel is really quite lovely, with a nice, clean acidity balanced with a hint of sweetness. On the midpalate, there is a really clean burst of lemon or tangerine rind, and the finish is bright and clean. This is a super refreshing wine, even warm!

On a side note, this bottle (like most bottles from New Zealand and Australia) is sealed with a screw cap instead of a cork. I found this very interesting Wikipedia article about cork alternatives that talks about the various benefits and disadvantages of cork and the alternative sealing devices. Check it out!

Pittsburgh Coffee Crawl: Oh Yeah! Part III

Yes, I know, this is the third time I'm reviewing Oh Yeah! But I've gotten different ice cream every time I've gone. And it's good every time! So I've just gotta tell you about it!

Last night, not many of the crew made it out for coffee, but Lauren and Ruchi needed to nail down details of Oh Yeah!'s donations to the Pittsburgh Legal Income Sharing Foundation's annual Auction fundraiser. Oh Yeah! is donating a bunch of artwork and several tubs of their delicious ice cream to be scooped out for auction patrons. So awesome!! I'll be one of the lovely handmaidens distributing that delicious treat.

So, last night, Karl and I were on our own for about a half an hour before Lauren and Ruchi showed up. We enjoyed Blackberry Chip ice cream (a delicious blackberry ice cream with dark chocolate chips all through) and Pinot Noir ice cream. We didn't get carded for the Pinot Noir ice cream, though the sign does say "adults only." I guess we just don't look young enough anymore!

Blackberry chip is pretty self-explanatory. It didn't change my life, but it was very good ice cream. The Pinot Noir ice cream was a little wilder: it's not every day you have wine-flavored ice cream!

Right off the bat you notice that the ice cream smells "wine-y," as if there is some yeast in it. The taste is so strange that I'm not sure I can describe it other than to say it's addictive. It has some wine-esque elements, but if it weren't called "Pinot Noir" ice cream, you probably wouldn't guess that wine was an ingredient. It's a very complex ice cream!

We played with Coop (the resident boxer/Great Dane mix I may have mentioned in a previous post) while we ate our ice cream and drank some of the nicest espresso I've had in Pittsburgh.

Oh Yeah! looks like a keeper to me!

Happy Birthday, Wine Library TV!

Wine Library TV, hosted by my favorite wine-person in the world, Gary Vaynerchuk, turned TWO YEARS OLD yesterday! Yay!
For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about: Wine Library TV is a video podcast about wine. Gary Vaynerchuk, the host, tastes anywhere between 1 and 7 wines during the show and talks about his tasting notes, wine regions, grape varietals, values, and other general wine awesomeness. Please do yourself a favor and check it out.

The reason this show has probably survived 412 episodes over two years (which is a LOT more than most tv shows) is because Gary is such a personality. He isn't a wine snob. He is all about trusting your own palate and drinking what you like (as long as you're stopping to think about WHY you like it).

If you are like me, once you get into the show, you will start thinking about watching WLTV like you think about watching "Grey's Anatomy" or "Desperate Housewives" (or, if you're REALLY like me..."Project Runway" or "Dirty Jobs"). I have learned so much about wine, and I feel like Gary is a part of my family now. He is surprisingly invested in his podcast (which may be another reason it is so successful) and makes a point to interact with his viewers. I have personally received reply emails from Gary when I have asked him questions, and once, he emailed me to respond to a comment I had left in response to one of his podcasts. It's pretty awesome.

Get with it! Watch one! I know, they're long. But it's so worth it if you are serious about learning about the wonderful world of wine. I have had much less success with books and other podcasts. Gary keeps wine exciting.

Happy Birthday WLTV!

Valentine's Day Extravaganza: Plum Tart

Today is the day! Karl and I will be celebrating the Dia de Amor in high fashion this evening (since the middle of the week didn't work for us). Instead of going to a fancy restaurant, we decided it would be more special to stay home and cook up some of our favorite foods that we don't get very often. Ok, so that just means lamb and a fancier-than-usual bottle of wine. The other trimmings are red potatoes, brussell sprouts, and green beans. Yum! I can't wait!

For dessert, I wanted to do something special, so a couple of weeks ago, I asked Karl what he'd like, and he said "How about a plum tart?"

So, I got out my trusty "365 Great Pies You Can Bake" cookbook (which hasn't failed me yet), and found a recipe. I baked it this morning, and, as you can see from the photos, it is just beautiful!

I did make a few changes to the recipe: first, I used Grand Marnier instead of brandy, since I had Grand Marnier on hand. Second, the ratio of graham cracker crumbs to butter was a bit off in the recipe, so I added about a cup of graham cracker crumbs so the crust wouldn't be soggy. And third, the recipe called for 2 TBSP butter for the filling, but never specified at what point to add it...so I just left it out. I imagine the butter was supposed to be dotted over the top of the tart, but I wasn't sure. I doubt it will make too much of a difference.

I can't wait to have a slice tonight after Karl and I have indulged in Burgundy-Pepper-marinated leg of lamb (from Trader Joe's at $5.99/lb) and a hopefully delicious French wine (2005 Domaine des Ouches Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley, $17.99). I will update later when I have had a chance to taste the tart. Judging from the heavenly aromas, I won't have any complaints!

Update: The plum tart was delightful. Next time, I won't use a graham cracker crust, although it certainly is a delicious complement to the plums. The problem is that the crust simply doesn't hold up as a tart shell. So, maybe I just need to figure out how to make a more compact crust that will hold up. Karl and I ended up eating more of a cobbler than a tart since the crust just didn't hold up.

I also will probably make sure the plums are a few days riper. It's kind of hard this time of year to get good plums, but I think a hint more sweetness would have been delicious with the tartness of the underripe plums. So maybe adding a little bit of sugar to less-ripe plums would work, too. Still, a GREAT tart that I will be making again.

Plum Tart

Crust:
3 cups graham cracker crumbs, finely crushed
3/4 cup butter, melted

Filling:
2 cups plums, sliced thinly (about 7 good sized plums)
3/4 cup apricot jam
2 TBSP Grand Marnier or brandy
1/3 cups hazelnuts, chopped coarsely

Preheat oven to 375˚F. Mix the graham cracker crumbs and the butter, and press tightly into an ungreased tart pan. Bake for 8 minutes.
Cool completely.
Arrange plum slices in tight, concentric circles in the tart shell. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the apricot jam and Grand Marnier until it just begins to bubble. Drizzle the hot jam mixture over the plums. Sprinkle the nuts on top of the tart. Bake in 375˚F oven for 20-25 minutes. Serve lukewarm.

Note: Don't refrigerate this tart: apparently, it doesn't hold up well in the refrigerator.

Spanish Cuisine in Pittsburgh: Mallorca

Yesterday, after feeding our spirits at Shadyside Presbyterian and feeding our inner-outdoorspeople at REI, Karl and I feasted mightily at Mallorca, a Spanish restaurant on E. Carson and 22nd in the South Side.

The Pittsburgh City Paper named Mallorca for "Best Outdoor Dining" and "Best Spanish Food" in Pittsburgh. While it was a bit chilly (17˚F) to test the former, I certainly agree with the latter award!

Right next door to Mallorca is its sister restaurant, Ibiza, a tapas and wine bar that Karl and I enjoy frequenting for its delicious and varied array of tapas and inexpensive wine flights ($10 and up for 4 half-glasses). We were pretty excited to explore the heftier Spanish fare at Mallorca.

Mallorca would clearly have been out of the question price-wise for two poor graduate students (entrees $17-$40) had it not been for the uber-generosity of Karl's parents. His father, while in town for a convention a couple of months ago, had chanced across Mallorca for lunch, enjoyed the goat immensely, and consequently promised Karl that he and I could have a meal there on him.

Well, we didn't get his goat. We had all the best intentions of ordering goat for lunch, but the first special we heard in our waiter's thick, Spanish accent changed our plans: wild boar.

Neither of us had ever had wild boar previously. We briefly considered the rabbit entree but settled on Plan A: splitting the wild boar ($36, with an extra plate costing a mere $6.00) and ordering two bowls of soup ($4.95 each). It seemed like it would be a nice light lunch. We assumed that the wild boar entree would be a lunch-sized portion...

Though the wine list doesn't list any, Mallorca does offer wine by the glass. Since we didn't want a bottle, we ordered two glasses of their house Rioja ($8 each) in anticipation of a good pairing with the boar. The Rioja was delicious: the nose smelled obviously of chocolate-covered cherries that carried over into the taste. The bottle had clearly been open for a while, allowing the tannins of this Tempranillo wine to soften and highlight the bright berry notes with faint spice.

We started off with salads of mixed greens, onions, tomatoes, and hearts of palm in a mustard-y version of thousand island dressing (included in the price of entree). I nibbled at mine, picking out the hearts of palm (my favorite!). I didn't want to spoil my appetite, after all.

Our soups arrived shortly after the salads: one Sopa de Ajo (Garlic soup) and one Caldo Gallego (Spanish Vegetable Soup). The Sopa de Ajo was delicious, with the traditional soft-cooked egg in the bowl. I enjoyed the Caldo Gallego soup, too. The hot soup chased the chills from our bones.

Then came our "light lunch."

Two legs of falling-off-the-bone boar in a delicious sauce with lima beans , a plate of yellow rice, a plate of freshly fried potato slices and a bowl of mixed vegetables later (most of which we had wrapped up to go), we ordered a piece of almond cake (who can resist almond cake, I ask you?). The waiter also brought us two complimentary almond liqueurs from the bar. Did we feel like royalty? Oh yes!

Waddling out to the car, our bellies full and with the promise of a repeat meal (due to our sizeable doggy bag), we decided that we'd definitely return some day to taste the goat.

Trying New Things (Malbec)

My friends and I thought it fitting to celebrate being half-done with law school with half-price bottles of wine at Shady Grove, a regular Wednesday special. Granted, half-price in a restaurant is still more than you'd pay at a wine shop, but it's a fun way to celebrate with your friends.

I am not a fan of the wine selection at most bars, but this time, Shady Grove had the Pascual Toso Malbec on the list ($7/glass, $32/bottle (or $16 at half-price), and I have been wanting to try a Malbec!

Most people who are casual wine drinkers, or are new to wine, are unaware of the amazing variety of wine that is available. At the most basic level of distinction, there are red and white wines. Then you get into the various grape varietals that compose the wines (which also give them their names).

Most will recognize the popular grape varietals Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Shiraz, and maybe even Pinot Grigio. It is less often that the casual drinker knows about Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc. But there are hundreds, maybe thousands of lesser-known grape varietals that make fantastic wines, whether alone or blended. For an idea of just how many varietals there are, see the Wikipedia list of grape varietals.



Malbec is a grape that has been gaining in popularity (hence its inclusion on the wine list at Shady Grove), and is typically grown best in South America. The Pascual Toso is from a vineyard in Chile (which, by the way, has a fantastic website that you should check out). This is not a blended wine, which means it is made of 100% Malbec grapes, as opposed to being a mixture of two or more grape varietals.

I was really glad I got this Malbec, even if the first glass I had was about 80˚F (I actually asked the waitress to put it in the fridge for 10 minutes, since red wine should be drunk closer to 65˚F). It was very black-fruit driven, but the tannins were really soft. There was still a little bit of a pepper kick to the finish, though, which I thought really rounded out the wine.

It was a great wine to drink with friends, and I got a chance to talk about wine and pique my friends' interest (a little...).

So try new things! Don't always go for what you know you like...if you are unsure, you can always ask for a taste before you buy (especially if you're buying at a place like Shady Grove where they serve all available wines by the glass).

If you are interested in learning a little more about grape varietals and wine, check out the excellent Wikipedia article on wine.

Hearty Seafood Potage and a Weird Wine

I wanted soup.

So, Karl and I braved the impending ice storm and horrible drivers and went to the store to gather all the necessary ingredients. It was well worth it. One of the ingredients was wine, so we stopped by the Wine & Spirits shop to pick up an irresistible Italian Pinot Grigio/Chardonnay blend ($6.99) and a Bandit boxed-liter Pinot Grigio ($9.99) as a backup.

Check out that bottle! Supposedly, this bottle, which I have mixed feelings about, is an homage to the glass-blowing traditions of the region. It just looks weird to me. The wine itself is a really yellowy gold color. It almost looks like melted butter. It smelled nice to me, like melons and white grape juice. Karl said it smelled like pears and that was it! I didn't smell any pears.

It did taste like pears, though! I really didn't know what to expect from this blend. I'd never heard of a Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay blend. This was clearly not aged in oak, so that was a blessing.

We concluded it was good but not awesome, and we did get what we paid for. I've had worse white wines, but we probably won't buy it again. I just had to try it, if only because of the ridiculous packaging!

On a side note: try Bandit boxed wine!! Great value, eco-friendly, simple-but-delicious wine (at least the pinot grigio). Check it out!!

The soup recipe follows: try it! It's simple, hearty, and pretty decadent for a $15-20 effort (depending on how much shrimp you put in).

Hearty Seafood Potage
(serves 3-4)

2-3 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 onion, chopped
1 14-oz. can of quartered artichoke hearts
1 14-oz. can chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 TBSP fresh, flat-leaf parsley, chopped
3/4 cup half-and-half (or light cream)
1/2 tsp nutmeg
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 lb to 1 lb raw, peeled shrimp

Heat the oil in a heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, and cook until softened (about 5 minutes). Add the artichoke hearts, broth, and white wine, then increase the heat to bring to a boil. Cover, and reduce the heat. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat, and, using an immersion blender, puree the soup. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can use a food processor or a regular blender, but do it in batches and be careful to take the necessary precautions!
Return the pureed soup to medium heat, and slowly whisk in the half-and-half. Add the parsley, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring the soup to a simmer, and let simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Add the raw shrimp to the soup and cook just until the shrimp are done (about 3-5 minutes). If you let them cook too long, though, they'll be tough and rubbery, so remove the pot from the heat the earliest you dare!

Enjoy hot with fresh parsley as a garnish.

Montecillo Crianza 2003 and Saxonshires cheese

Montecillo Crianza 2003
Rioja (Spanish)
ABV 13.5%
$9.99 [on sale, normally $11.99]

Time to study! I bought this wine on impulse to help me through my environmental law outlining. Then, on further impulse, I bought fixings for the perfect study-time snack platter: red globe grapes, crackers, and "Stripey Jack" cheese, more commonly known as "Saxonshires" or "5 Counties."

Saxonshires is a delicious English cheese composed of five layered cheeses, including Double Gloucester, Caerphilly, Cheshire, Leicester, and English cheddar. Not only does it make a stunning display on a cheese platter, but it is truly delicious whether you pick apart the layers and eat them separately or if you eat them all together.

As for the wine, I couldn't accurately evaluate the color since I was drinking out of one of my sister's novelty goblets that is a translucent blue with air bubbles in the glass. I have got to get some good, basic stemware for my own apartment!

The description on the bottle says: "Bodegas Montecillo, founded in 1874, selects only the finest Tempranillo grapes for this Montecillo Crianza. Aged for more than one year in oak barrels and one year in bottle, this wine is ruby red in color with intense fruit aromas. Ideal with white or red meat. Serve at temperature of 63-64˚ F."

The wine was very, very oak-y on the nose. I couldn't smell too much else. There were some faint whiffs of pepper and blackberry, but mainly, the nose was scarily oaky.

After a taste, my first imipression was that the wine was all oak. On second sip, though it still tasted very oaky, I also picked up some very tart, sour blackberries and black raspberries.

The finish is very nice and pretty long, though I did get quite a bit of that tannic, fuzzy feeling around the front of my top lip at the beginning of the finish. The tannins fade fairly quickly though, to reveal the berries on the finish.

I think I was lucky to find a bottle of the 2003 vintage, or I might have been overwhelmed by the tannins, but maybe not. I'm not very experienced with how wines tend to age.

My overall impression is that this wine is super intense! But I kind of like it, which surprises me, since I tend to hate the overly oaked wines...don't get me wrong, I like a little hint of oak, but when it's the predominant flavor, I usually have problems. I would say that this wine is pretty balanced with the fruits, though I certainly would not call this fruit forward.

As a bonus, this wine seems to go very nice with the cheese! In the future, I may post about how I normally don't enjoy cheese and wine together, so keep an eye out for that!

Santa Isabel Torrontés 2006

Santa Isabel
Torrontés 2006
Mendoza White Wine (Argentina)
Price: $7.99 (sale, normally $9.99)
ABV: 12.5%

I opened this wine on Thanksgiving day so my sister could cook with it (yay for pumpkin pear ginger soup). The nose was delightful, but it tasted quite blah. The disparity between the fruity aromas and the really bland taste was pretty weird. I'd never had a wine that tasted so poorly after such a promising nose!

Last night, 6 days later after the initial tasting, Karl and I decided to give the wine another test before I designated it to the cooking-wine shelf.

Surprisingly, the nose had not changed much, but the taste (in my opinion, anyway) improved by leaps and bounds! No longer bland, the flavors (though still strangely distinct from the nose) really opened up and developed with time.

The color of this wine is very pale gold, almost greenish, but very clear in the center of the glass. The description on the bottle calls it bright yellow, which is not true at all.

The nose is sort of mysterious. It smells really sweet. Karl compared the nose to a botrytis dessert wine that he had during the Thanksgiving break: sweet, with a veiled musty-ness. I didn't really smell any must. I got some leechi fruit scents, some honeydew melon and maybe some not-very-tart apples (like Pink Lady or Ambrosia apples). I didn't get a lot of alcohol on the nose, which was nice.

Like I said, this wine's taste is so different from its nose that it's a little off-putting. Thought it smells really sweet, it's quite dry: there is literally not residual sugar at all coming through. I actually was fooled by the nose and thought the wine was "off-dry," but Karl corrected me.

On the attack, for a few seconds, there is a burst of really tart, sour, white grapefruit. The finish is a little bitter, like lemon pith (not the zest, but the white parts). It sort of reminds me of some very hoppy but not too dry India Pale Ales that I've had, but without the acidic zing that effervesces in your mouth due to the carbonation of the beer. I suppose that might be a grassyness akin to hops that I tasted. Right at the end, I think there may be a tiny hint of jasmine, which the bottle's description also touts as a feature of the wine. It tastes a bit like jasmine tea that has been brewed too long and has started to get that tannic bitterness.

Karl didn't really like it to drink alone. I enjoyed it, but I probably wouldn't want to drink more than a half-glass of it since it's so intense. I agree that it probably needs some food to really bring out its potential, but I couldn't think of any food pairing off the top of my head that would be good, so I probably won't buy it again except maybe to cook with since it's pretty cheap.

A fun wine to taste since it's not your typical fruity wine. Experimenting is the key to learning what you like, so don't be afraid to try new things, even if you think you'll hate it! Karl and I were lamenting that we need to expand our palates so that we are better able to pinpoint what we're smelling and tasting in wines (and beers, too!), and the only way to do that is to try new things (and to think about what you're tasting and smelling while you're doing it). I'm definitely planning to do more of that in the future.