The Riggs Fulmer Newsletter
No. 7
April 9, 2009
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Retailers and restaurants set pricing; think of the prices below as very educated guesswork- restaurant prices will likely be around double those listed.
Hey, there it is again, peeking through
the clouds! (cue music from
Hair: “Leeeeeeet
the sun shine, leeeeet
the sun shine in,
the suuuuuuun shine iiiiin!”) And here also am I, peeking into your inbox with my weekly rants, and pleased to be here. Spring continues to unwind, as
the trees do their leaves, and
the air gets softer and sweeter every week. It’s inspired a series of naughty haiku, but, don’t worry, I won’t include them here…
R-rated haiku
run the risk of being found
inappropriate
…Ha! Couldn’t resist! At any rate, this week’s installment is an exciting one, not only because it features
the killer spring tasting over at
Lemma, but because it contains
the inaugural
Cuisine of the Month. CotM will be my completely arbitrary choice of a cuisine that I think complements
the weather, my mood, or
the music I’m listening to (Thai and Debussy). I’ll give one recipe that exemplifies
the cuisine, and an affordable wine pairing so we can all enjoy it. Did I mention that if you make
the dish, you have to invite
the entire mailing list over for dinner? Seriously, I welcome any recipe submissions, particularly of
the meaty variety, since I am carnivorously challenged, as they say. Just email them to me at this addy, but please change
the subject line to form a new thread, so your submissions don’t get buried in
the general RFN landslide. If I get good recipes, I’ll include them throughout
the month of their featured cuisine, and you’ll be famous. As Ole Man McCain said, “You Will Know Their Names!”
Ready to wine it up? Here we go…
Spring Imports Trade Tasting at Lemma Wine Company
Friends, one of
the many reasons we are ridiculously lucky to live out here in Oregon is our fabulous localcentric culinary/wine/beer scene (should I coin a word there? “
Cervecuivinous,
having to do with beer, cuisine, and wine”). On
the wine side of things, there are a special few families who have served
the thirsty public longer, and better, than anyone else. Certainly one of
the most important is
the Lemma family, based right here in Portland, who have for years maintained one of
the most diverse, vibrant, relevant books out there. Even though they are much smaller than some of
the “big boys”, they are just as much a part of local wine shelves- an impressive achievement that bespeaks
the sheer quality and hard work they exemplify.
They also know how to throw a damn fine tasting, of which I was reminded this sunny Monday, featuring a cross-section of their offerings. Here are my favorites:
Monmousseau Brut Etoile (NV) $13Sparkling Vouvray! How very Springtime! 100% Chenin Blanc, this charmer shows a nose of sweet lemon acids, zingy and super-fresh. Delightful and bright in
the mouth, it shows lots of fruity limes on
the forepalate, but finishes clean and dry. Delicate and pretty.
Monmousseau Sparkling Brut Vouvray (NV) $16OK,
the first wasn’t technically Vouvray, so, in
the interest of fairness… and unabashed yumminess… I’m including this one. Resembling
the above in bouquet, yet with far more expression of earthy Loire terroir, this wine is also richer than its little compatriot. It retains excellent focus, with a mouthwatering cascade of acidity tickling through that fine mousse, and a great finish of snappy green apples. Absolutely worth
the small extra outlay.
2007 Monmousseau Vouvray $12You’ve all seen this wine, but have you ever tried it? This expressive still Chenin Blanc is demi-sec (half-dry), but, as its charming proprietor told me with a wink, “Americans expect sweet, so we don’t even put it on
the label!” You’ll forgive her if she underestimates your savvy, loyal
RFN readers, and you’ll do it
the instant you taste this wonderful wine. What a value, and what a textbook version of its grape! Classic flavors of flowers and sweet clay wind through perfectly balanced acids and minerality, finishing like a long, slow smile. Really nice juice.
2008 Domaine Alain Brumont Côtes de Gascogne Blanc $11-12Even as its price makes its annual northern migration, this wine remains a value winner. A blend of Gros Manseng and Sauvignon Blanc this year, these two similar-tasting grapes unite in a burst of bright, summery white grapefruit.
The finish shows peppercorns and citric minerality.
2007 Dme. A. Brumont Pacherenc du Vic Bilh Sec Jardins de Bouscasse $17OK, that’s a mouthful of a name, heya? It’s pronounced “pash-er-ank dew veek beel,” by
the way.
Pacherenc is local dialect for “posts in a row,” referring to modern vineyard plantings, and
the hills, located in
the foothills of
the Pyrenees, are knows as
the Vic Bilh. Wines from this little-known region are made from Arrufiat, Gros and Petit Manseng, with a bit of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Think of it as a cousin to Jurançon. This almost exotic white is a wash of yummy limeflowers, stones, and chalk- you really can almost taste those colored hills- with super-bright acids and minerality on
the eloquent finish.
2008 Miguel Torres Gewurztraminer Sta. Digna Reserve $11-12 (Chile)I had to try a Chilean Gewurz, right? A bit unique it was, though delicious once you wrap your palate around it.
The smell is of Huxelrebe (a German grape, intensely spicy and aromatic… High Pass makes a great one here in Oregon) and… uh, let’s say those of you who have traveled through Humboldt County might recognize
the other smell. Not really “varietally correct,” but who cares? Dogmatism is for
the small-minded! Refreshing and citric in
the mouth, with a soft, clean finish.
2006 Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Scharzhofberger Riesling, Grosses Gewächs $34“Grosses Gewächs,” meaning “great growth” (akin to “Premier Cru”), is a designation for a winery’s finest dry Riesling. This one is stunning. A head-spinning cascade of pure German Riesling fruit fills
the nose with Meyer lemons and white peaches. Its piercing, clayey intensity must be experienced to be understood, with a loooong finish of blueberry skins and earth. All
the intensity of a sweet Spätlese, but completely dry. Wow.
2006 R. von Kesselstatt Josephshöfer Riesling Kabinett $21A great introduction to
the heights German Riesling can attain, this gorgeous Kabinett shows a huge nose of flowers and slate. Wonderful expression of terroir and seamless winemaking make this a real classic. It’s so precocious now, showing what will happen as
the wine ages- as it will, with utter grace, for up to a decade.
2008 Miguel Torres Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé $11This wine was once
the subject of a heated debate between Lemma's lovely, talented young Ellen Dull and myself, back in
the halcyon days of my purple youth… but no more! Warning: this is not a completely dry rosé! But who cares, with this beautiful balance?
The candied cherry nose shows off its zingy acids, and
the mouth preens with bright, sweet fruit.
The finish is all about minerality, with a bit of sweetness like shallow water over river stones.
The perfect gateway drug for our black sheep, White Zin-loving friends.
2006 Bouchard Bourgogne Rouge Pinot Noir $30 Goodness gracious! This is
the Platonic ideal of Pinot Noir, certainly.
The nose is all roses and blood, while
the mouth shows wonderful tannic grip and a compelling, silky minerality. A seduction,
the wine is alive with sweet wild cherries, pear-skin, freshly-turned forest floor, and naughtier, blushing flavors. Absolutely perfect Pinot, IMHO.
The savvy shopper will poke around right now for this wine, as a little bird told me it
might just be on sale through May… Fingers crossed, and happy hunting!
2008 Tilia Merlot $11 (Mendoza, Argentina)A dark, brooding, stony nose (not as stony as
the above Gewurz, heh heh) of, you guessed it, blackberries and bitter chocolate. But almost restrained… A great value, particularly for fans of Northwestern Merlots.
2006 Domaine Saint Gayan Côtes-du-Rhône $15Wonderful, this is
the best Côtes-du-Rhône I’ve had in some time. Bright, almost candied wild cherries flirt and preen, while
the palate is fine and bloody, totally accessible and open, like a lovely dinner guest who also tells great dirty jokes. Very, very nice. Its big brother, a Villages-level wine from Rasteau, is also gorgeous, at $20.
2003 Miguel Torres Conde de Superunda $57 (Curico Valley, Chile)I was prepared to be skeptical about this wine, and it kicked my ass. Made up of Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Monastrell, and Carmenere, this is an elegant, beautiful effort. Filled with bitter chocolate and dark berries, its wood is seamlessly integrated, perceptible but welcome. Despite these deep flavors, it retains such delicacy and sophistication. Wonderful.
2007 Miguel Torres Shiraz Sta. Digna Reserve $11-12 (Chile)One of
the value stars of
the tasting, this pretty little Shiraz is all bright strawberry gush, with excellent restraint and a smooth, dry finish.
2008 Tilia Malbec-Syrah, and Malbec $11/ each (Mendoza, Argentina)Another pair of great values, these Tilia wines are, across
the board, excellent for their price.
The blend shows lots of dark fruit balanced against compelling, bloody minerality, and
the straight Malbec is more restrained, but with plenty of rich, earthy fruit. Lay them in by
the case. By
the way, their Cab, priced just as are these two, is another winner.
2006 Cousino-Macul Cabernet Sauvignon Antiguas Reservas $20 (Chile)Yum, yum, yum! What a delicious Cab, and
way underpriced at twenty bucks. A celebration of varietal purity (even for this multifarious grape), it’s a bustling cascade of blood, leather, black currants, and wild cherries. Eloquent depth and structure knit
the wine together and give it real aging potential, although it’s wonderful right now. Even this veg craved a thick slab of beef with this wine in his mouth! Really nice.
Hungry yet? Great, then let’s move on to...
April Cuisine of the Month: Mexican
You were expecting Vietnamese? Nope, nothing lights up
the sometimes-grey, sometimes-blue skies of Oregon springtime like spicy, hearty Mexican fare. These enchiladas are my own crazy hybrid recipe, built to go with wine and good friends. A casserole-dish (did you know that, in French,
casserole refers to
the pot itself?) of these and you’ll have happy company. Proportion ingredients to your taste- I tend to cook by feel, and smell, rather than by prescribed amounts and portions.
Enchiladas del NorteYou’ll need: Casserole dish, olive oil, enchilada sauce, tortillas, tofu, broth, white wine, grated sharp cheddar and pepper jack, swiss chard or spinach, garlic, yellow onion, cumin, oregano
If you have time, press your tofu. Cut a 16 oz. block into two “steaks,” pat them with salt, and wrap them in a clean kitchen towel or cloth, between two wide plates. Then place a heavy weight- maybe a teapot full of water- on top of
the plates. This will press water from
the tofu and give it a thicker, meatier texture. Make sure
the weight is proportioned properly, or
the tofu will be pressed irregularly (and we can't have that!). Do it for as long as you can. When pressed, cut
the tofu into half-inch cubes, and sauté in olive oil at medium-high, allowing it to brown. When you’ve got some browning, add broth (I like vegetable broth, you can get it in bulk at Fred Meyer) and minced garlic. To this liquid add a dash of cumin and oregano, and maybe even a dash of soy sauce if it’s handy. Cook until
the tofu has absorbed
the liquid and set aside. Sigh, yes, you can substitute chicken here if you must!
Meanwhile, caramelize half of a nice yellow onion in olive oil and white wine. While this is happening, remove
the tough veins from a bundle of Swiss chard and discard them. Once
the onion is fully caramelized, add
the de-veined chard, and a dash of cumin, and cook until soft. Resist
the urge to eat this by itself…
Now you can oil up your casserole dish and get ready to rock. Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees. You’ll build each enchilada individually and set them fast against one another in
the dish- usually a small casserole dish will take five or six enchiladas, a large one around nine or ten. Dip a tortilla into enchilada sauce and set it in
the dish. Spoon tofu and chard into
the tortilla, then add a dollop of cheese, usually in a blend with more jack than cheddar (these two cheeses work wonderfully together in all sorts of Amerexican fare), and roll
the thing up into a wet little almost-burrito. Once you’ve filled
the dish, sprinkle a bit of cheese on top of
the whole thing, and a bit more sauce if you wish. Cover
the dish in foil and bake until
the top is just threatening to brown; you can remove
the foil for
the last few minutes if you wish, although if you do this too early you risk toughening your tortillas.
Serve with yellow rice (you can make your own with a little white rice, turmeric and garlic), and:
Zantho Muskat Ottonel Burgenland $16 (Austria)If you read
the RFN two weeks or so ago, you heard me gushing about Muscat. Throw a ‘k’ in there and it’s
the same lovely, floral juice.
The Austrians, in particular, make wonderful wines from
the grape, and this one (with snappy packaging and a cool glass cork, to boot) is a total winner. It pairs perfectly with any cumin-seasoned dish, but it’s especially wonderful with Mexican dishes. You’ll smell wildflowers, Buddha’s hand citron, almost-ripe stonefruit, and wind through cedar boughs. On
the palate, it is lively and filled with light, floral flavors coiling around a peppery, citric core. You should find this wine at once, it is wonderful (distributed by Odom in Portland)! Also matches well with halibut and mango salsa, or palak paneer. Yummy!
All right, friends, I think
the clock is creeping ever closer to
beer-thirty, and a
Sierra Nevada ESB is calling my name. Or that might be
the credit agencies. Oh well, let's call it beer! Have fun with
the recipe, and mix it up- remember, if you hit a bad note, call it jazz! Enjoy these warm, flowery days while they last, y’all, and don’t forget to email me your ideas for next week’s recipe, for great local Mexican restaurants, or just to tell me to kiss off. Have a great, safe weekend, hug your kids, and we’ll be seeing one another same time next week.
yrs,
Riggs
