This month, we present another great Ribera Del Duero and a Grenache-based white from Terra Alta.
The Viños Piñol Portal White 2008 is 70% Garnacha Blanco, 20% Sauvignon Blanc, and the balance Macabeu and Viognier fermented and aged in stainless steel. It delivers a complex nose of mineral, dried herbs, fresh apples, and gooseberry. This is followed by a vibrant, intense, spicy wine with superb balance and length. It defines the meaning of over-delivering. (90 points, Parker)
According to Parker, the 2007 Bodegas y Vinedos O. Fournier Ribera del Duero "is a strong candidate for the best new release Ribera del Duero under $25. Made from 100% Tinta del Pais (Tempranillo), the wine spent four months in French oak. Purple-colored, it offers up a fragrant bouquet of scorched earth, violets, and black cherry that leaps from the glass. Smooth-textured and suave on the palate, it has loads of succulent black fruit, silky tannins, excellent depth and grip, and a juicy finish. Drink this tasty effort over the next four years. (91 points)
Recipes (from Andy Carthy)
For the Garnacha Blanca blend: Chicken Skewers with Yogurt-Mint Dipping Sauce Serves 6
This is a great dish from our pal Gerald Hirigoyen, the acclaimed chef of Piperade and Bocadillos in San Francisco. This recipe requires a lot of ingredients but is easy to assemble and could be prepared to up to a day ahead before cooking. Piment d’Espelette is a dried red chile powder from the French Basque region and is carried in many upscale markets such as the Spanish Table. Serve with the Pinol Blanc.
Yogurt-Mint Dipping Sauce:
* ½ cup whole-milk plain yogurt
* 3 tablespoons finely chopped mint
* 1-tablespoon sugar
* ¼ teaspoon piment d’Espelette (available at The Spanish Table, Sur La Table and other purveyors of specialty Spanish foods)
* 2 teaspoons lemon juice
* ¼ teaspoon cumin seed
* ¼ teaspoon coriander seed
* ¼ teaspoon fennel seed
* ½ pound boneless, skinless dark chicken meat cut into small pieces
* 2 tablespoons thinly sliced shallots
* 1 garlic clove thinly sliced
* ½ teaspoon chopped thyme
* 2 to 3 pinches piment d’Espelette
* Grated zest of ½ lemon
* 1-teaspoon kosher salt
* 1 egg
* 3 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
To make the dip, in a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, mint, sugar, piment d’Espelette, and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate for up to a day. Bring to room temperature before serving.
In a spice grinder, grind the cumin, coriander and fennel seed to a fine powder.
In a bowl, combine the chicken, shallot, garlic, thyme, piment d’Espelette, lemon zest, salt and ground spices and stir until loosely combined. Cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 375F.
In a food processor, combine the chicken mixture, egg and breadcrumbs and process until coarse. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions. Using your hands form each portion into a football shaped meatball about 1 inch thick and 1-½ inches long.
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and carefully add the meatballs, taking care not to overcrowd them, and cook, turning as needed, for about 4 minutes total, or until lightly browned all over. Slide the pan into the oven and finish the cooking. This will take about 5 to 6 minutes.
To serve, slide each hot meatball lengthwise onto a skewer, and arrange the skewers on a small plate. Serve with the dipping sauce.
For the Ribera Duero Grilled Hanger Steak with Red Wine-Shallot Sauce and Roasted Baby Carrots Serves 6
Hanger Steak or Onglet was once referred to as the butcher’s steak because it was the cut of meat that the butcher took home to his family. Its exceptional flavor and rich texture pair beautifully with the ripe bold flavors and supple texture of Ribera del Duero red wines.
Sauce:
* 1 small onion, chopped
* 1 small carrot, chopped
* 1 celery stalk, chopped
* 3 cups cremini mushrooms chopped
* 1 cup chopped shallots
* 1 bottle dry red wine
* 3 quarts veal stock or low sodium beef broth
* 1 bunch fresh thyme
* Salt and pepper
* 3 pounds hanger steak
* Salt and pepper
* 30 baby carrots, peeled
* Salt and pepper
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
* 2 sprigs fresh thyme
Season the steaks up to an hour ahead on both sides with salt and pepper.
Cook the onion, carrot, celery, mushrooms and shallots in a large pot over medium-high heat until the vegetables soften and begin to brown. Add the wine and simmer until the pot is almost dry, about 20 minutes. Add the stock or broth and reduce the heat slightly and simmer, skimming frequently, until the sauce has reduced to a little under a cup or thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Strain the sauce and add the thyme sprigs, salt and pepper. Keep warm.
Heat a grill to high heat and cook the steaks for about 5-7 minutes per side for medium rare. Transfer to a platter and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
While the steaks are cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, turning the carrots so they color on all sides until golden brown, about 4-5minutes. Add the butter and herbs and continue cooking until the carrots are tender.
Slice the steaks against the grain and serve with the sauce and roasted carrots on the side.
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