Mourvedre

Reviews June 1, 2013

Ogier Clos de L’Oratoire Chateauneuf du Pape, Southern Rhone, France.

Grapes 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre, and 5% Cinsault   Facts It’s been a little-while since I last had/reviewed a bottle of CdP (what the cool kids call it…or at least…what I call it). Chateauneuf-du-Pape isn’t for everyone – its intensity and “tertiary” flavors certainly take some getting use to – but I’d probably put it up there as my overall all-time favorite French wine region. Seven generations of winegrowers have tended to the…

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Reviews January 9, 2013

Honoro Vera, Monastrell, Jumilla, Spain.

Grapes 100% Monastrell   Facts I’m already a big fan of the wines coming from producer Bodega Juan Gil. I’ve found them to be easily some of the best value wines coming out of Spain, but this is my first time trying their organic Monastrell. This Mrs. bought the bottle because, and I quote: “It has a cute little ladybird on the label!” I’ve still got a ways to go with her… The Bodega Juan…

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Pairings April 25, 2012

Domaine La Barroche Chateauneuf-du-Pape Paired with Pale Ale Beef Stew.

This isn’t exactly seasonally-inspired cuisine (since this is very much a winter-esque dish), but I’m not running a restaurant here, so get over it! :) Seriously though, a great amount of thought goes into these pairings (and indeed everything I put on this site). I want people to enjoy them, relate to them, read the whole-thing through to the end and possibly even make them in their in home. My rule-of-thumb is that if I…

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Pairings, Recipes January 23, 2012

Moroccan Spiced Lamb Chops Paired with La Griveliere Cotes du Rhone 2010.

Ever since receiving a set of insanely expensive Laguiole steak knives for Christmas, I’ve been dying to test them out. Truth-be-told, when I unwrapped the small rectangler box on Dec 25th, my heart dropped into my shoes when I saw the Laguiole logo on the wooden case. For one second I thought the Mrs. had dropped $100+ on a Laguiole wine opener. I don’t by any means want to sound ungrateful, it’s not that I…

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Reviews January 12, 2012

The Wolftrap by Boekenhoutskloof, South Africa 2010.

Grape Syrah 65%, Mourvedre 32%, Viognier 3% – often referred to as a “Rhone-blend”.   Facts Boekenhoutskloof, pronounced book-n-howeds-kloof, has always been one of my favorite wineries to say! Established in 1776, Boekenhoutskloof means "ravine of the Boekenhout". A Boekenhout is an indigenous South African tree generally prized for furniture making. Syrah brings the power, spice and dark fruit, Mourvedre brings red fruit and earthy notes, and Viognier (white grape) mellows the wine out and…

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Reviews December 17, 2011

Perrin & Fils “Les Sinards”Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone, France, 2007

  Grape 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre   Facts I do have to say, I’ve always had an affinity for Chateauneuf-du-Pape, even before I started really getting into wine. Maybe it’s because, for some reason,  I deemed it to be my first “serious” bottle of vino.  I’ve always thought of Chateauneuf to be almost stuck in time. Whereas most other wine regions of the world have seen at least a partial amount of modernization;…

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