Alexander Valley sneaks out a winner with Laurier's 2007 Merlot

Could it be possible for back to back winners with the Laurier 2007 Merlot from Alexander Valley? After all, the 2006 Merlot was a big winner garnering the Gold Medal and Chairman's Award at the Riverside International Wine Competition in 2008 and Gold at the Taster's Guild International Wine Judging that same year. Perhaps too soon to tell, indications are this Merlot is following the same blood line as its older sibling. Laurier Vineyard is not new to producing winning vintages. The Merlots, Cabs, and Chardonnays have been previous winners of Silver Medals in 2003 and 2004.

Is it a Merlot or Cabernet?

With its deep ruby color, tannins that complete a nice lasting finish to the palate, and  hints of herbs, plums, vanilla, and raspberry, this Merlot is certainly not lacking complexity and could be mistaken for a Cabernet. The nice aroma of cherries is definitely not forgotten either. With that said, it is certainly permissible to consume it now; however, given a couple more years, this Merlot may approach its full potential. This wine will stand proud alongside its comparable Cabernet cousins and with a price range of $14 to $16, one should consider it as a nice addition to their wine collection.

Food pairing brings out full flavor

The Laurier 2007 Merlot has no problem standing on its own; however, when paired with food, it truly partners well. Suggestions may include Prime Rib of Beef, Boeuf Bourguignon, smoked ham, and Coq au Vin. It will also stand up well to a rich sauce such as Bolognese. The best has been saved for last however, with its pairing of dark chocolate truffles. If you have a sweet tooth and enjoy a good wine, this is certainly a match made in heaven.

You Have Got To Try This At Your Next Dinner Party !

Strawberries

Diabolique

Dessert

Cocktail

AKA Drunken Strawberries

If you are under 21, go to your room. This dessert is for adults only! You won't believe that a dessert this good can be so simple to make. But it's true. I have been making this for decades and it has always been a hit at any dinner party. It's like two treats in one, a dessert and a wine cocktail perfect for after dinner.

All you need is 2 pnts of fresh strawberries, 2 1/2 cups of red wine (Merlot or Burgundy), and 2 heaping tablespoons of sugar. In a nice ornate clear glass bowl, mix the sugar and wine together. Taste and add 1 more tablespoon of suger if you want it sweeter. Wash,  then slice your strawberries lengthwise. Add them to the wine and stir very well. Cover securely with plastic wrap and refridgerate overnight. After your dinner, serve the strawberries in large martini glasses or wine glasses and pour the marinated wine over them. This recipe will serve about 4 people. A nice additional touch is to serve small dark chocolate truffles on the side.

You will impress your guests with this wonderful refreshing dessert. Combined, the strawberries and wine are so incredible together and a bite of the chocolate truffle will send your taste buds into overdrive. To finish, just sip the remaining wine as an after dinner drink. You will not be disappointed!  Bon Appetit...

A Word About Cooking With Wine and Spirits

Every kitchen (even yours) should have a bottle of red and white wine in the kitchen cabinet right next to the olive oil, salt and pepper, and all your other spices. Many dishes that we will make on this blog will call for a splash to a cup of it. I have however, had a few of you ask me about making non alcoholic substitutes for certain dishes that I show you.

An important thing we should remember when cooking directions call for wine. The cooking process will evaporate most of the alcohol within a few minutes and by the time your dish is ready, it will all have evaporated. An example of this is the Sauteed Steak and Salad dinner than I showcased recently. What you have left is the flavors in the wine without the alcohol. Those flavors have married with your spices and the butter you used to produce a wonderful rich sauce enhancing the dish. So remember, when cooking with wine, you won't have alcohol remaining.

Not everything we make on this blog with alcohol, however, calls for cooking. A clear example is the first dish we prepared, English Trifle. In this case, all the spirits we used are still there, alcohol and all. I can understand your concern. You want to make the dish but you really don't want to use any alcoholic content and you are asking yourself what else can one use?

Well, understanding your plight, with empathy I began to scour the internet for a site that would give us a chart of substitutes to assist those of you desiring to make these wonderful dishes without using any spirits. Well, I was successful! There is a wonderful site called GourmetSleuth that will give you all the substitutes you will need. The address is:

http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/alcoholsubstitutes.htm

I hope you will find this web site very usedful and that we will continue to make wonderful appetizers, entrees, and desserts together. Remember though, cooking with wine will evaporate all the alcohol, so don't worry. Bon Appetit !