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Castell del Remei 1780

Attributes:

Producer:

Castell del Remei

Region:

Costers del Segre, Spain

Varietal:

Dry Red Table Wine

Bottle Size:

750 ML

2005: WineAdvocate Rating: 88

Complexity:

compact

Flavors:

black currant, blackberry, eucalyptus, menthol, mineral, oak

2004: WineSpectator Rating: 83

Body:

light

2004: WineAdvocate Rating: 88

Flavors:

cranberry, spice, tea, tobacco

2001: WineAdvocate Rating: 89

Body:

medium-bodied

Compliments:

elegant

Flavors:

cedar, oak, spice box, white chocolate

2001: WineSpectator Rating: 83

1998: WineAdvocate Rating: 92

Body:

medium to full-bodied

Complexity:

deep

Compliments:

elegant

Flavors:

cherries, leather, toast

Fruit:

ripe, sweet

1998: WineAdvocate Rating: 89

Texture:

glycerin

1997: Tanzer Rating: 88

Aromas:

floral

Complexity:

deep

Compliments:

stylish

Flavors:

currant, lead pencil, oak, raspberry, smoky, tobacco leaf

Fruit:

juicy

Food Matches:

Cheese: Aged Cheddar, Goat Cheese, Sharp Cheddar, Soft Pungent Cheese
Fruits & Nuts: Almonds, Dates, Figs & Raisins, Hazelnuts
Herbs & Spices: Cilantro, Coriander, Cinnamon, Cumin, Saffron
Poultry & Eggs: Coq Au Vin, Roast Chicken with Herbs, Roast Turkey
Red Meat: Barbeque Pulled-Pork or Ribs, Beef Stew, Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Ham, Spicy Sausage, Wild Game - Elk, Caribou, Moose, Venison
Vegetables: Artichokes, Beans, Green, Beans, White, Carrots, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Gazpacho, Mushrooms, Potatoes, Roasted Sweet Peppers, Swiss chard or Kale, Tomato, Vegetable Gratin or Stew, White Aspargus with Mustard Vinagrette

Husch 'La Ribera' Cabernet Sauvignon

Attributes:

Producer:

Husch

Region:

Mendocino County, United States

Varietal:

Cabernet Sauvignon

Bottle Size:

750 ML

2003: CGCW Rating: 86

Complexity:

rich

Compliments:

well-balanced

Flavors:

cherries, oak

2002: CGCW Rating: 84

Aromas:

berry aromas

Flavors:

black cherry, herbal, sour

2001: CGCW Rating: 83

Acidity:

clean, soft

Compliments:

pleasant

Flavors:

cherries, chocolate, herbs, oak

Fruit:

ripe

2000: WineSpectator Rating: 81

Flavors:

berry, black currant, herb flavors, herbal

2000: WineEnthusiast Rating: 86

2000: CGCW Rating: 82

Flavors:

blackberries, cherries, toast

1999: CGCW Rating: 82

Body:

light

Flavors:

leather

1998: Tastings Rating: 86

Acidity:

bright

Body:

medium-bodied, solid

Flavors:

cherry, spice

Food Matches:

Cheese: Blue Cheese, Brie, Provolone
Fish or Shellfish: Sea Bass
Herbs & Spices: Basil, Mint, Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme
Poultry & Eggs: Game Birds
Red Meat: Barbeque Pulled-Pork or Ribs, Game, Kidney, Roast Beef, Sausage, Variety Meats or Organ Meats, Veal Carpaccio
Sauces: Red Wine Sauce
Vegetables: Potatoes, Roasted Mixed Vegetables

Cabernet Sauvignon:

(cab er nay saw vee nyon)—This highly adaptable grape grows almost anywhere it is relatively warm, but the best wines come from the Burgundy region of France (where it is a noble variety), California, and Australia. It became famous through the red wines of the Médoc district of Bordeaux and is now grown in Washington, southern France, Italy, Australia, South Africa, Chile, and Argentina. Cabernet Sauvignon grapes make wines that are high in tannin and medium- to full-bodied. Usually identified as having black currant or cassis flavors, the grape can also possess vegetal tones when the grapes are less than ideally ripe. The best wines are rich and firm with great depth, and are often aged for fifteen years or more. Because it is highly tannic, Cabernet Sauvignon is often blended with other less-tannic grapes such as Merlot.

Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon 'Cask 23 Estate'

Attributes:

Producer:

Stags Leap Wine Cellars

Region:

Napa County, United States

Varietal:

Cabernet Sauvignon

Bottle Size:

750 ML

2001: WineSpectator Rating: 88

Flavors:

currant, earthy, espresso, herb, minerally, sage

2000: WineSpectator Rating: 91

Complexity:

rich

Compliments:

well-balanced

2000: WineEnthusiast Rating: 93

Aromas:

floral

Complexity:

rich

Compliments:

delicious

Flavors:

beefy, bell pepper, currant, toasty oak

1999: WineAdvocate Rating: 89

Body:

medium-bodied

Complexity:

deep

Compliments:

stylish

Flavors:

oak

1998: WineEnthusiast Rating: 95

Flavors:

black pepper, cassis, oak, smoke, spicy, vanilla

1997: Tanzer Rating: 91

Acidity:

bright, firm acidity

Complexity:

complex

Flavors:

cassis, currant, dark chocolate, espresso, flinty, fresh herbs, molasses, oak

Fruit:

ripe, sweet

1995: WineAdvocate Rating: 88-90

Acidity:

high acidity, tart

Body:

lean, light

Complexity:

compact, narrowly focused

Compliments:

elegant

1995: WineAdvocate Rating: 88-90

Acidity:

high acidity, high in acidity, tart

Body:

lean, light

Complexity:

compact

Compliments:

elegant

Flavors:

coffee, herb, redcurrant, spicy

Food Matches:

Cheese: Blue Cheese, Brie, Provolone
Fish or Shellfish: Sea Bass
Herbs & Spices: Basil, Mint, Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme
Poultry & Eggs: Game Birds
Red Meat: Barbeque Pulled-Pork or Ribs, Game, Kidney, Roast Beef, Sausage, Variety Meats or Organ Meats, Veal Carpaccio
Sauces: Red Wine Sauce
Vegetables: Potatoes, Roasted Mixed Vegetables

Cabernet Sauvignon:

(cab er nay saw vee nyon)—This highly adaptable grape grows almost anywhere it is relatively warm, but the best wines come from the Burgundy region of France (where it is a noble variety), California, and Australia. It became famous through the red wines of the Médoc district of Bordeaux and is now grown in Washington, southern France, Italy, Australia, South Africa, Chile, and Argentina. Cabernet Sauvignon grapes make wines that are high in tannin and medium- to full-bodied. Usually identified as having black currant or cassis flavors, the grape can also possess vegetal tones when the grapes are less than ideally ripe. The best wines are rich and firm with great depth, and are often aged for fifteen years or more. Because it is highly tannic, Cabernet Sauvignon is often blended with other less-tannic grapes such as Merlot.


Napa County:

Napa County is located north of the San Francisco Bay Area in California. At the north end of Napa County is the Bay Area's second tallest peak Mount Saint Helena, and to the far south of Napa County lays the section of the Napa Valley that bleeds into Carneros. When the first white settlers arrived in the early 1830s, there were six tribes in the valley speaking different dialects and they were often at war with each other. The Mayacomos tribe lived in the area where Calistoga was founded. Napa County was one of the original counties of California, created in 1850 at the time of statehood. Napa Valley is widely considered one of the top wine regions in California and all of the United States. By the end of the nineteenth century there were more than one hundred and forty wineries in the area. Today Napa Valley features more than two hundred wineries and grows many different grape varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Zinfandel. The region is visited by as many as five million people each year, making it the second to Disneyland as the most popular tourist destination in California.

Tomato, Basil, and Mozzarella Salad

Rated

Ingredients

4 slices tomato
4 leaves fresh basil
4 slices low-fat mozzarella
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation

Place the tomatoes on a plate. Top with the basil leaves and mozzarella and season with black pepper.

Yield

Makes 4 servings