vinyl & vino. v2.

Over here at the Duo we love couples, combinations and pairing some of the finer things in life. Music and wine are two of our favorite things.

We're gonna dig through the crates and reach for the wine fridge to pair a perfect combination of music and wine.

The wine we chose tonight is another inexpensive Spanish charmer. Lately we can't get enough Spanish wine. It's so affordable, always interesting and widely available.

Meet the 2009 Carchelo.

It's a blend of three varietals 40% Monastrell (which I admit I know nothing about) 40% Tempranillo (this is that grape that makes Spanish reds so amazing) and 20% Cab Sauvignon.

This wine is a bit flashy, in all the right ways. It's bold and raw. It manages to be peppery and fruity at the same time. I can imagine this wine in a glass next to a really nicely grilled piece of meat.

What I really like about this wine is that it's different. I think it asks you to respect that and thusly I shall present our music recommendation to go with this bold, flashy and fun wine.

When I think flashy, I think Dizzy Gillespie. That's probably been written a hundred times but I don't care. Dizzy is where it's at. He's that flashy unconventional spirit that was born with a gift for music.

In looking through the Dizzy collection and thinking about great combinations one record stood out. It's that funky yet so approachable, To A Finland Station. On this album Dizzy pairs up with one of his proteges Aurturo Sandoval. This whole album is a great conversation between two jazz greats and a treat to listen to. The improvisational aspect of the album is what drives me to think it's a great match for this wine. Multiple grapes working together and having a conversation that leads to something special, much like the album itself.

Here are a couple tracks to listen to from the album, which means we've done 50% of the work for you already. Grab a glass of Carchelo and give it a listen.

#fridayfinds. double hinged wine key.

This kitchen tool is such an important part of life. This is the wine key. It's perfectly designed and durable. The double jointed action on this puppy is what creates leverage on the bottle and provides the easiest most efficient way to open a wine bottle. Buy two of them so you never find yourself without one. We promise you'll love this thing and never buy a different style of wine key again.

If dentists can recommend tooth paste then wine drinkers such as Lo and I can recommend a wine key. Cheers!

tdf. stage 4. cambrai → reims.

Yesterday the race moved onto French soil via a hardcore shake-up on the cobblestones. What a stage!

Both Lori and I are lovers of mussels cooked in a garlic and herb wine sauce served with a crusty baguette, so that's what we're featuring today. It would pair nicely with a bottle of Champagne.

As you'll see, this is a really quick, easy and amazing dish. Speaking of quick and amazing, watch for Mark Cavendish to pick up his first stage win by out-sprinting the fastest cyclists on the planet.

Basil mussels.

1 fresh baguette, sliced and toasted

24 mussels

6-8 small garlic cloves, sliced

1 large shallot, finely diced

2 tablespoons butter

1 pinch crushed dried chilis

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup fresh basil, shredded by hand

fresh cracked pepper

The keys to this dish are pretty simple. First, buy the freshest mussels you can find, none of the mussels should be open. If a mussel is slightly open, give it a tap against the counter top. It will close if it's still alive. Discard any mussels that have died. The other important thing to remember with mussels is that you've got to remove the beard. That's the little "hairs" that are growing out of the shell. Getting a beard in your mussel is an unpleasant experience to say the least.

Place a large pot over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter, let the butter melt and become aromatic. Add the garlic, shallots and dried chilies. Cook for a couple minutes until the garlic is almost turning brown. Add the wine to the pot along with the kosher salt and let simmer for two minutes. Add the mussels and the basil to the pot and give it a good stir. Cover and let cook for 2-4 minutes until the mussels have opened, throw away any mussels that don't open. Season with a little fresh cracked pepper and tip mussels and sauce into a big bowl and serve with garlic toast or fresh baguette.

The best part of this recipe is dipping the baguette  or garlic toast into the garlic and wine sauce, there is something so completely satisfying about it. Enjoy!

--Jd--

sam's wine picks. for lovers.

We are so lucky to have Minneapolis-based wine guru, Sam Haislet, as a contributor to our blog. We hope you enjoy his selections as much as we do.

 

Since Valentine's Day is such a big deal - the shining star of wine and food amid the darkness of winter - I am going to go a little overboard and make several recommendations. I'll highlight sparkling wine, red wine, beer and port. (Check out yesterday's post for Sam's white wine recommendation).

 

SPARKLING WINE

A celebratory day such as Valentine's deserves a toast to the one you admire with a little bubbly. What better for this occasion than a Sparkling Rose? Not the sweet Crackling Rose Neil Diamond sang about, but dry Rose wine made in the Methode Champenoise. These wines are produced all over the world, not just in Champagne, and have a beautiful color ranging from a light salmon or peach, to a vibrant translucent, ruby red.

 

During fermentation the wine is left on the skins of the grapes for a period of time, which imparts this beautiful color into the wine. Because of this process the wine also extracts more fruit and richness from the grapes making the resultant wine more full bodied than the clear version.

 

So in the world of sparkling wine, the Rose versions of the wines are the more robust, and although dry, tend to have less acidity than their clear companions. These wonderful wines are made all over the world. Most anything that you find from Champagne will be excellent, but here are two wines made outside of Champagne that are worth seeking out:

 

Louis Bouillot, Cremant de Bourgogne, Brut Rose (around $15)

From Burgundy France, this is simply one of the best deals around. Charming with a sense of ripe cherry fruit, it is dry and elegant on the finish.

 

Schramsberg, Brut Rose (around $43)

Schramsberg is one of our country's best sparkling wine producers, easily competing with Champagne in terms of quality. If you have any doubts this dry Rose will make a believer of you. As with most Rose, it is very full and rich on the palate, with the aroma of dried flowers, soft ripe fruit and a long dry finish. A great way to start the meal, but this could easily be served with fruit and light pastries for dessert.

 

RED WINE

The Arneis (featured in yesterday's post) gets me thinking of other wines from that region for a Valentine's Day meal. Piedmont is home to two of the greatest red wines in the world, both produced from the grape Nebbiolo - Barolo and Barbaresco. Of the two, Barolo tends to be the bigger, more robust, and even the more famous of the two. However I prefer Barbaresco, especially for Valentine's Day.

 

Barbaresco is understated, subtle, complex, refined and nuanced. Barbaresco takes time. It unfolds slowly, grows on you and rewards your patience, rather than giving everything it has up-front. I think of a meal accompanied by Barbaresco and the many delights it offers over time, as one lingers and tastes and enjoys the company of another...Barbaresco is a wine of lovers, Barolo a wine of hunters.

 

Barbaresco is always special and the pricing reflects this as some of the wines may run well north of $100/bottle. Of recent years 2001 and 1996 were outstanding, and almost anything you find in a store or restaurant will be good as Piedmont has had a terrific string of vintages. The only exceptions would be 2002 and 2003. With a particularly young or old wine, decanting would be helpful. For the young, to aerate and open the wine, for the old to pour off the sediment.

 

Paitin, Sori Barbaresco, 2000 (around $60)

Dried rose petals and sandalwood aroma give forth to a medium bodied wine that is cool, sophisticated, and subtle. Hints of red fruits and dried cherries, combined with fresh saddle leather and earth. This is the perfect accompaniment to any ragu or slow cooked meat.

 

Another great, and less expensive, red wine option for Valentine's Day is the Beaujolais St Amour. There are 10 Cru Beaujolais and they represent some of best values in the wine world. These wines drink like light bodied Pinot Noir at a fraction of the price. How can you resist St. Amour on a holiday that celebrates love?

 

Georges Duboeuf, Beaujolais St Amour, 2005 (around $15)

Light bodied, tasting of ripe strawberries with a tangy bright finish. This is a delightful easy going wine that would be great with any lighter dinners including salmon.

 

BEER

There are so many great artisan beers available on the market now that I think they shouldn't be overlooked. So here is one for Valentine's Day.

 

What says Valentine's Day more than chocolate? Here is a terrific beer from one of our favorite breweries, Ommegang in Cooperstown, New York. Associated with Duvel Moortgat Brewery in Belgium, they are America's only farm house brewery specializing in (what else) Belgian style beer. This one is specially brewed with Belgian chocolate:

 

Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence (around $13)

Chocolate, but not sweet, this rich, full bodied beer with an undercurrent of bitter dark chocolate would be terrific after dinner with a sampling of Belgian chocolates.

 

PORT

There is a new local product from Alexis Bailly Vineyard, called Bailly Chocolate Reserve. This chocolate infused Port wine is pure dessert in a glass. From the moment you smell this wine you will be mesmerized. Aromas of cocoa, dark and milk chocolate mingle together wafting out of the glass to your nostrils. The flavor is of rich chocolate, dried cherry, sweet but not cloying, sumptuous and velvety smooth. Great on its own, or serve with chocolate, fruit or nut tarts for dessert.

 

Alexis Bailly, Chocolate Reserve, 375ml (around $20)

Aromas of rich cocoa, followed by a mouth full of velvety smooth rich chocolate infused port. Like a chocolate covered cherry in a glass.

 

All of these selections are available in Minneapolis at Haskell's Wines and Spirits, or at other fine retailers in your neighborhood.

 

Here's to love!

--Sam--

 

Sam Haislet started in the wine business in Minneapolis in 1987. He has written numerous wine lists for restaurants, and opened two retail wine shops in the Twin Cities. He is currently married to Nan Bailly, wine maker at Alexis Bailly Vineyard. When he is not hunting rabbits with his dog Toumie he is working as a wine consultant at Haskell's Wines and Spirits.