Wine and West indian Wednesday

Last week, Lisa Donneson DWS, owner of North Fork of Long Island AVA brand Bouké Wines and I got together at her home in Brooklyn Heights to dish, cook and drink wine – it was hard work, really it was! The goal was to pair some dishes I grew up eating with some of her wines. My family on all sides –mother, biological father and stepfather – hails from the tiny and bucolic Commonwealth of Dominica in the eastern Caribbean (I’m first generation American). Growing up in south Brooklyn, my childhood memories recall sunny Saturday mornings with my parents eating Accra, also known as fishcake, saltfish fritters or to my latino peeps “bacalao-itos”, while listening to Carl Anthony spin reggae and soca tunes on 1190AM WLIB before starting the chores and cleaning. Then it was smoked herring with plain bagels – 6 for $1.00 back then purchased on Flatbush Avenue near the corner of Flatlands – after Sunday mass. It was family time over heritage food. No wine was involved back then. My stepfather, who is a chef by trade and an awesome cook (he currently operates his own bar and restaurant in Pointe Michel, Dominica called The Curve), taught me how to make all the dishes I grew up eating, and today I incorporate them into my wineLIFE with a lots of love.

Lisa and I chatted the previous week to decide the menu and she asked me for a shopping list. For a heartbeat, I was stumped. These are not “recipes” per se, so I gave her what I thought I’d love to have on hand in the house if I was in the mood for any of these dishes, more akin a wish list than an ingredient list. I let her know I would bring along some homemade pepper sauce to give everything its authentic spice kick, but the rest was up to whatever was available in Brooklyn Heights. As a result, the nature of the actual food items was left up to some interpretation. I’ve been buying saltfish and smoked herring for decades now, its almost a reflex.

She emailed me to say that her fishmonger instructed her to start soaking the salt cod immediately on Friday so that it could be cooked and eaten on Monday. When I arrived, I was delighted to find that instead of the dried tail cuts available in supermarkets (labeled bacalao, usually not even real cod), there was a lovely, fleshy belly cut soaking in a ceramic dish. I knew I’d stepped into something marvelous!

These dishes were to be paired with her off-dry rosé, under the Bouquet label in her line. The 2010 vintage we tasted is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with a spot of Gewurztraminer for aroma (the brand signature). It’s just off dry, just enough to lift the fruit, and the finish is squeaky clean. We got to work on our little island feast.

We enjoyed the rosé best with the sautéed salt fish, which we cooked with onions, garlic and bell peppers and finished with cilantro and a squeeze of lime. The spicy, savory, salty dish awakened all the marvelous fruit notes in the wine and put the acidity to work cleaning and freshening up the palate for the next bite. Perfect pairing!

The fishcake was a natural with Bouké Perlant 2009, which is a slightly effervescent blend of three Pinots – Gris, Blanc and Noir. Sparkling wines and fried foods usually make happy couples.

The smoked herring, which I made with tomato paste and fresh Roma tomatoes, found a partner in Bouké Red, a wine that often goes well with tomato-based dishes. The Bouké Red is a wineLIFE fan favorite, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Petit Verdot, and the 2008 vintage is still drinking beautifully!

Conclusions:
1. Wine and West Indian food can work well together – and we don’t all have to drink sweet to enjoy it!
2. The white wine with fish rule is officially broken!
3. When buying saltfish, spring for the belly cut of real cod– it makes for a much nicer finished product!

It was a big meal! I walked it off over the Brooklyn Bridge, past Liberty Plaza (Occupy! Salute!) and down to the Ferry to head home.

Visit Lisa’s blog for the full ingredient lists and methods of preparation:
http://boukewines.wordpress.com/2012/01/10/salt-cod-and-herring-west-indian-style/

Meet Tempranillo – The Dreamgirl

Killer curves. Great beauty. Tempranillo is the witty, friendly, smart, sexy lady in your life. She’s graceful like leather, herb and baking spice notes often supported on a black cherry heart. Some guys may not have what it takes to convince her, but they all want to see if there’s a chance. And she doesn’t make it easy.

Ribera del Duero is a loving home for Tempranillo. The climate there is continental, with hot summer days, cool nights and a cold winter. The Tempranillo vineyards of line the Ribera del Duero, a river that starts in Spain and flows through Portugal where it is known as the Douro. This environment makes for great 100% Tempranillo wines that often have impressive longevity. In the Rioja region, Tempranillo’s often the strong link in the chain (a blend) with Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo. This is Spain’s noble grape. In many ways, Tempranillo bears a resemblance to Pinot Noir, another beautiful wine experience.

Much like with Pinot Noir, your palate should be used to high quality foods and ingredients, including organics (as I see it, if you take the time to treat your crop with good organic love, your efforts must produce something of high quality). Your palate should appreciate purity, as it does when your diet is strictly itals. Your palate is teased with a little spice in my fave Ribera del Duero reds that I tasted just recently at Wines of Spain Great Match 2011 at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Manhattan. (I shot my Rioja twitcon there, follow @RiojaWINE). I had the pleasure of vibing with both Verdejo and Tempranillo on personal level. They could be great mates in the same meal – Verdejo paired with a light appetizer like seared foie gras tourchon or saltfish with dumpling and sautéed spinach and onion. The main course could be a beautiful heritage chicken roast rubbed with Illchef #7 spice (link @iLLCH3F to inquire, and please truss that bird before roasting!) with carrots, onions, garlic and celery to compliment the Tempranillo. I suggest decanting Rioja Reservas and Grand Reservas as well as Ribera del Dueros older than age 6 (2005 or earlier).

Your Homework
Your homework for this week and weekend is to try 3 Tempranillos. Ask your favorite retailer or browse your favorite wine website for Ribera del Duero and Rioja. You can easily find a Rioja Joven or an inexpensive Crianza (under $15) then treat yourself to two Ribera wines – one around $15.00 and the other, on the older side, at $40.00 and up. Pay close attention to the varietal makeup of the Rioja. Do Tweet your notes to @wineLIFE_, @riojawine and @wines_fromspain #TempranilloHW. Tell us which one was your favorite (please include the wine’s name, vintage and region), how much you paid for it and its best qualities. You can also post notes on the wineLIFE Facebook wall. You will fall in love!

If you love this blog as much as I love writing it for you, please share it. I love sharing what I’ve learned about wine and life!

With Love,

Vee Fitzgerald DWS xoxo