Benjamin Disraeli was famously quoted as proclaiming: "The magic of first love is our ignorance that it can never end."

With all due respect to the late and esteemed Mr. Disraeli, I must say that I disagree, particularly when it comes to wine. The first grape I ever had the pleasure of making into wine more than 30 years ago was zinfandel.  And even though the resulting  liquid  was so over-oaked that it resembled toasted wood more than  it did wine, I still love zinfandel (made by professionals)  to this day.

As I have noted in this space before, zinfandel is the Rodney Dangerfield of red wines. It certainly doesn’t get any respect and even though many enjoy it, very few people want to take it home to dinner.  Why?  Well, the truth is that zinfandel has an identity problem.  In fact, it has multiple identities.  Are you listening, Dr. Freud?

The grape is so versatile that winemakers make it in a variety of styles. From white to blush, from light    to  medium -bodied, from  full-bodied to purple monster, zinfandel can be a confusing wine to buy and, unless you are familiar with the style made by a particular winery, it is difficult to match it with food.

The other problem comes from some wine critics who have declared that, while zinfandel  has some utility and can be a pleasant quaff, it really cannot be taken seriously because it does not age gracefully.  Since it does not benefit from extended cellaring (they proclaim), it should be drunk within the first few years after bottling.

I won’t deny that zinfandel – and almost every red and white wine produced on this planet – is best consumed within a few years after being made. However, I can attest to the fact that zinfandel does indeed age well and can be gracefully transformed into a multi-layered, subtle and complex wine - descriptors which are customarily reserved to describe revered  old Bordeaux.

How can I make such a claim?  Read on.

To honor this much maligned varietal and to test just how well (or not) zinfandel can age, some zin- fanatics (and yours truly) put together a vertical, blind tasting of zinfandel produced from 1974 through 1982.

There were 11 wines in the tasting (ranging in age from 27 to 35) and all were placed in paper bags to hide their labels. The zinfandels were:  1974 through 1980 Sutter Home (Amador County);   1980 Grgich Hills (Alexander Valley); 1980 Burgess (Napa); and 1981 and 1982 Grgich Hills (Sonoma County).

While the cellar conditions where the wines were stored could not be described as perfect, they were reasonably good. My wines had been aged on their sides in a dark and vibration free area of the cellar that has consistent temperature and humidity.   My good friend and wine aficionado, Andy MacQueen, had contributed wines too and his cellar conditions were similar to mine.

 
The wines had been allowed to sit upright for a week prior to the tasting to make sure all the sediment would fall to the bottom.  Just before the tasting, I carefully decanted the wines one by one into a carafe and immediately poured them back into the bottles which had been quickly rinsed to dispose of the sediment.  I also inserted the corks back in the bottles to prevent any further oxidation.

So with an assembled group of anxious and anticipatory wine geeks all fired up and ready, we got down to some serious sipping and evaluating.  Of the 11 wines, four were deemed by the group to be “over the hill” and virtually undrinkable. Those were the 1980 Burgess and 1976, 1978 and 1980 Sutter Home.  The remaining seven wines were all very drinkable and a couple of them were amazingly complex.

Some of the notes from the tasters described these varied and diverse attributes:  ‘tack room and teaberry mint aromas; coffee, cola and spicy cherry flavors; licorice, mint and tea notes;  silky, rich, subtle; and  minty, sweet fruit, layered flavors.’

The consensus favorite was the amazing 1974 Sutter Home Amador County. I described it as “a wine with leather and teaberry mint aromas, silky tannins, rich, sweet cola flavors and remarkable length – a wine with another five or more years of life.”  The 1975, 1977 and 1979 Sutter Home along with the 1980 Grgich Hills were also delicious examples of how well zinfandel can age.

No,  I’m not suggesting that you wait 30 or more years to replicate my tasting to determine if zinfandel can age as well as Bordeaux.   You just need to go out and experience today’s zinfandel, a wine  that is chock full of spicy, minty, jammy, blackberry flavors . And you’ll be amazed at how well zin goes with just about any full-flavored dish.

However, I have to admit it does my hillbilly heart good to prove that the prevailing view among the wine cognoscenti (regarding zinfandel’s inability to age well) is just one more de-bunked myth!

Wine friends mark your calendars and start your palates for the following food and wine events around our fair state.

 Tamarak

The Tamarack Foundation Gala, “Hats Off to the Arts!” at the Tamarack Conference Center in Beckley on Saturday, Sept. 19, from 6 to 9 p.m. will feature West Virginia foods on its extensive menu.

Tamarack Chef Jamie Henderson and his team of Greenbrier-trained chefs are saluting West Virginia’s protein, produce and food products from hors d’oeuvres at the reception to the dessert bar at the end of the evening.

“We’re always looking for opportunities to showcase West Virginia’s creative small businesses and entrepreneurs,” said Tamarack Foundation Executive Director Sally Barton.  “It’s great for us to give guests at the gala an opportunity to discover some wonderful local foods as well as fine arts and crafts.”

The funds raised from the Gala are used by the nonprofit Tamarack Foundation to support programs focused on building artisan-owned small businesses and preserving West Virginia’s unique cultural heritage.  The Gala features an auction of West Virginia arts and crafts as well and the proceeds from the auction benefit the Foundation’s Teresa Pauley Artisan Relief Fund.

Tickets are available from the Tamarack Foundation.  Call 304-926-3770 to make reservations.  Tickets are $125 each and a portion of the contribution is tax deductible.

 Ashton Place Kroger

This Friday Sept 18, the Wine Shop at Ashton Place Kroger will host a tasting of La Crema Pinot Noir and Guenoc Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. This tasting is free to adults of sipping age.  In addition, wine lovers can usually find an open bottle or two for tasting on Fridays from 3 to 6 p.m. and Saturdays in the afternoon.

Wine Shop at Capitol Market

The Capitol Market Wine Shop will conduct the following tastings this fall:

October 4- Annual Harvest Tasting at the outdoor market; October 18 - tasting of wines from  Moet & Hennessy; November 15 -  Annual Thanksgiving wine tasting;   December 6th - Annual Blind Claret Tasting; December 20th -  Annual Sparkling Wine Holiday Tasting.

All the tastings begin at 2 p.m. and have a fee – usually in the $10 per person range. The Wine Shop will also host a special Spanish Wine Dinner on Monday November 2.  Contact the wine shop at 304-343-9463 for details on where, what time at how much.

Fall is a time of transition and I’m going to get a head start on autumn food and wine by preparing one of my all time favorite fall meals.

 

 It is no real surprise, then, that most of us move from the light wines of summer such as riesling, rose’, sauvignon blanc, and pinot grigio to fuller-bodied red varietals such as cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel and syrah.

          

My idea of culinary Nirvana, as I have noted in this space before, is to match full-flavored, spicy foods such as stews, pot roasts and stuffed meats with big, juicy reds.  Today, I am going to share a recipe with you that will be enhanced by any of the above-mentioned wines.  Oh, by the way, this dish is absolutely delicious, particularly if you can tolerate a good dose of garlic and a little heat.  

         

Start with a four or five pound turkey breast.   With a sharp knife, cut several half inch thick slices, placing a sheet of wax paper under and over each piece.  With a mallet, pound the meat to about one-eighth inch thickness (if you have trouble waking your teen age children in the morning this will do the trick).

        

Next, roast a tablespoon of cumin seeds over medium heat in a sauce pan, stirring regularly for about one minute.  In a mortar and pestle, grind the cumin fine and add one-quarter teaspoon of cayenne pepper, a teaspoon of black pepper and salt and a tablespoon of chili powder.  Rub this mixture over the pieces of flattened turkey and let sit in the refrigerator overnight or for at least three hours.

         

For the stuffing, sauté (in three tablespoons of olive oil) one-half each green and  red bell pepper (cut in one-half inch long strips), one-half chopped onion, three cloves of minced garlic and one small can of chopped green chilies. Then sauté until vegetables begin to soften.  Salt and pepper to taste , stir in one egg and add one cup of Monterey Jack cheese and one-half cup of unflavored bread crumbs.  Microwave or cook two links of chorizo or Italian sausage, drain off fat, chop into small pieces and, when cool, add to the mixture.   

        

When the stuffing is cool, portion it evenly on the flattened turkey breast and roll them up, securing with butcher’s string or toothpicks.  Fire up the charcoal or gas grill and place the roll-ups directly over the fire, turning frequently until they are browned on all sides.  Then close the grill cover and roast them indirectly for about 20 minutes. Allow the meat to rest for about 15 minutes, then slice into one-inch sections and serve. You may wish to accompany this dish with wild rice or garlic mashed potatoes.

 

Here are a few wines that will make this dish even better.

 

2007 Castano Monastrell ($9) – A floral, perfumy aroma gives way to a deep, rich, spicy blackberry flavored mouthful of monastrell (also known as mourvedre). An amazingly complex wine for under $10 that has a silky mouth feel, this Spanish red is a lovely match to the turkey roll-ups.

 

2007 Alexander Valley Vineyards Syrah ($18) – Wonderfully balanced wine with none of that sometimes over blown, candy sweet intensity prevalent in many new world syrahs/shiraz.  Excellent dark fruit flavors, some medium tannins and nice acidity make this wine a superb accompaniment to the turkey roll-ups.

Hey friends and neighbors, WineBoy here.  Just back from ten days in Italia where I tried to break the Garibaldi Book of World Records for consumption of food and wine.  One look at my dirigible-like countenance and you will agree I must have been a finalist in this gustatory competition.

Anyway, I hope to have a few words to share with you soon on my travels and the spectacular array of wine and food I experienced in both Piemonte and Tuscany. As you may know, Piemonte (which is in northwest Italy) is known for its famous Barolo and Barbaresco while Tuscany is home to Chianti and Brunello Di Montalcino among other fine wines.

Both regions boast some of the best foods prepared anywhere on Mother Earth and I did my best to sample them with flagons of the local wines. In fact, I arrived in Piemonte in the middle of the red wine harvest and at the beginning of white truffle season.

 So stay tuned over the next few days for a report on my travels to wine and food heaven!

 

It’s always fun and gratifying to be a part of an organization that provides essential services that are beneficial to the community in which we live. For the past decade, it has been my privilege to serve on the boards of the Thomas Health System and also the Foundation for Thomas Health.

One of the benefits of my association with Thomas is that I get to (occasionally) use my knowledge and love of food and wine for some purpose other than gratifying my own hedonistic tendencies. In this instance, I will be a part of an effort to celebrate and shine a light on the good works of the folks at Thomas.

It will be my pleasure to once again select and then present the wines at the second annual five-course gourmet dinner sponsored by the Foundation for Thomas Health. The event will be held again at the Chop House – this year on July 28, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

At the inaugural event last July, the dinner highlighted Italian food and wine. This year, attendees will be treated to a celebration of traditional American cuisine with wines paired for each course by yours truly. The Chop House has been a very generous partner in this event and, as usual, you can expect the quality of the food to be exceptional.

Here’s the menu with wines:

Passed Canapés: Warmed mushrooms stuffed with fresh herb roasted chicken and pecans; Smoked salmon topped on bruschetta with tomato caper relish
2014 Emmolo Sauvignon Blanc
Appetizer: 4 oz. Crab and lobster cake topped with homemade red pepper coulis with basil and crispy onion stack
2014 Clos Pegase Carneros Chardonnay
Salad: Seasonal greens with Michigan dried cherries, spiced pecans and dressedwith Maytag blue cheese

2016 Belle Glos Pinot Noir Blanc
Entrée: Grilled 6 oz. filet mignon on whipped garlic mashed potatoes with glazed baby carrots and broccoli and finished with a cabernet demi sauce
2014 Mullan Road Cellars Red Blend
Dessert: Chocolate Decadence cake with fresh summer berries
Santa Margherita Prosecco
The price is $125 per person and seating is limited. If you’re interested in attending, please call the Foundation at 304-766-4340 and make your reservation today. You can also bring your friends as tables of four, six, eight and ten are available.

Hope to raise a glass with you to Thomas Health on Friday, July 28th.