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When #TasteMyTweet turns into #TweetMyDebautchery- a Twittelating tale…

Cost: Average price $12

Where buy now: Costco

Grapes: Shiraz, Cabernet, Merlot

Region: Australia

Vintage: 2009

A delayed post once again, but perhaps indicative of the recovery required from last week’s episode of #TasteMyTweet. So, what is this? “#TasteMyTweet” was originated by a few Twitter folks (“Tweeps” in Twitter world speech): Amanda: @sweetnsundefinednazzy, Zipp’s Liquors’ Jeff: @zippswine & Wine Geek TV, and a second Jeff: @WineGeekTV. A wine theme is chosen, everyone brings bottles and tastes each wine then tweets our on-the-spot reviews.

Seems fairly simple, right? Well, with a mixed bag of leg wrestling, bees, several more bottles of wine, more bees, electrocution and dumpsters, it may devolve into #TweetMyDebautchery.

Let me explain.

Last week, the plan for “#TMT” was to taste wines from Australia. There were no rules about price point, nor red/white preferences, just the wonderful instruction to “bring something you want to try and/or something you’re excited about”. Sounds wonderful- innocent, even.

We began with an Aussie white wine called, “The White One” it was 84% Arneis and 16% Chardonnay.

The White One

This $12 gem was purchased from Pairings in Eden Prairie, and was quite pleasant to drink alone. We also agreed that it tasted great with the Montamore cheese made by Sartori. It was medium bodied, yet crisp. Thought it would compliment roasted or grilled chicken with herbs such as rosemary & thyme.

The second wine wasn’t even from Australia so I’ll skip over it. [Fail.]

The third wine was Clancy’s, a Shiraz/Cabernet/Merlot blend I found for $9.99 at Costco.

Clancy’s Shiraz Cabernet Merlot

This wine was a juicy, jammy number that we rather liked. It had that dark purplish hue and medium body to it. It was dry, yet fruit forward with tastes of plum, dark cherry and smoky wood. With the $10 price tag on this buy now/drink now Aussie, I’ll buy this again in a heartbeat, and was a highlight for Jeff #2 (sorry for the unfortunate nickname, Jeff).

This was the part of the evening when things began to go awry.  I say this because, well, if I hadn’t taken pictures of the wines, this blog entry would have to end here with a series of “Scene Missing” signs. What I do recall is that this was about when bees first entered the picture. You see, we were outside of Zipp’s, somewhat near the dumpsters. We were in a basically odorless patio but the bees found their way to our nectar. Thank goodness Jeff #1 [from Zipp’s], had this tennis racket thingy that electrocutes bees. This is how we started swatting.

Wine Geek TV Jeff #2

Next on the list was Yalumba Grenache from Barossa Valley. Urrrr, ummm, it was… good. Yep, that’s all I got.

Yalumba Grenache

Before long, the leg wrestling began. Jeff #1 and Amanda [aka “@SweetnSnazzy”] were on the ground, battling.

Zipps Jeff & SweetnSnazzy

If that wasn’t enough, somehow when they returned to the table, Jeff #1 managed to knick the tennis racket and electrocute himself. It appeared almost as painful, as it did hilarious for the rest of us. Unlike Jeff #2, Jeff #1 likes stanky-ass cheese so we opened the one that he brought. Amanda likened the taste to “a woman who’s been constantly tanning/smoking Virginia Slims for 50+ years”. Ringing endorsement. Following this interestingly detailed and bizarre description, sheer curiosity consumed me. I went in. Oh, I shouldn’t have. Ewww. Even after copious wine slurping, this was even too stank funky for a James Brown groove.

Okay (*breath*, refers to yourself in the third person), Savvy hits the next bottle. This one was the Heartland Stickleback Red, or so says the photo. Honestly, I… I got nothing. Like Mr. Reagan once testified, I don’t recall. I’m going to say I liked it because I don’t remember thinking that I didn’t like it. How’s that for reason and logic?

Heartland Stickleback Red’

Near the end of the Tweet session, a Zipp’s employee came out to the patio, and more leg wrestling ensued.

Taint Misbehavin’

All in all, the night was fun as hell. Again, this is my rendition of the evening, based on tweets and photos I re-assembled the next day. Perhaps Zipp’s Jeff #1, Amanda or WineGeekTV Jeff #2 would put a different spin on the evening, but, we all agreed we can’t wait for the next one. Hope I’m not involved in the electrocution.

Chateau Mirambeau Bordeaux Rouge Reserve

Cost: Average price $14.99

Where buy now: Sentyrz: $11.99 sale, Solo Vino, Ken & Norm’s, Eden Prairie Muni & see below

Grapes: 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc

Region: France

Vintage: 2009

Chateau Mirambeau Bordeaux Rouge Reserve

I’m a big fan of local wine distributors, The Wine Company. You may see their trucks driving around town (featuring the innuendo tagline, “We spit so you don’t have to.” Nice.) There are other great distributors out there, but I chose to focus this week’s review to highlight them.

I like the way they bridge the gap between retailer and consumer. They have a great blog page http://www.thewinecompany.net/blog/The Wine Company and friendly staff to boot. They’ve made it easy for folks like you and me, outsiders, to join the wine realm. We can all reap the benefits from this added education.

“Wine Co.” (as they’re commonly known) sent out info about the Chateau Mirambeau Bordeaux Rouge. I was intrigued since they said they don’t import a lot of Bordeaux, and especially not at a price point of $15 or less [the Savvy Lush price point!].

I jumped at the chance to give it a whirl, which brought me to a NE Minneapolis staple: Sentyrz. Don’t get me started waxing poetic about this great little gem. Okay, well, perhaps just a little. Sentyrz (pronounced “SEN terz”) is an old-school grocery where you can buy Boars Head meats, blood sausage and Bell jars. Here’s the key that got the Savvy Lush’s attention: Sentryz was one of the few (perhaps only?) grocery store grandfathered in after prohibition. That’s right: they sell booze! Read more:http://www.sentyrzmarket.com/Sentyrz

Once inside, don’t let the store’s appearance be a deterrent. It’s small, a little crowded, but well worth the trip. The alcohol prices are smokin’, and be sure to ask for Peter, their wine buyer. A product of Surdyk’s, he comes to Sentyrz with lots of knowledge, and is in the shop Tuesday-Saturday. He’s a sweet fella’ who’ll help you find the right bottle. I asked him about the Chateau Mirambau and he said they just got it in and are so excited, they put it on sale right away. Normally $13.99, he has the bottle priced for $11.99.

Let’s get to the wine, shall we?

This is mainly Merlot, but with some Cabernet and Cabernet Franc mixed in. In my opinion, this is a great food wine. I say that because, although delicious, you’ll benefit more from a great food pairing. This Rouge is medium bodied and has a rich purplish, red hue with a hint of brown, due to the aging. The aroma of smoky cherry and plum flavors are dominant with some mild cedar underneath. The taste is dry, not fruit forward but you’ll pick up some smoke and plum. Wine Co. states that only “20% of the wine sees oak” which is good- any more and it wouldn’t be quite as balanced.

OK, so you have this dry, red wine with hints of smoke, plum and wood. What do you eat with it? Plenty! Start with roasted vegetables: zucchini, eggplant, asparagus, peppers, mushrooms and onions. I throw it all in a large Ziplock bag with olive oil, rosemary, garlic, salt & pepper and let sit for an hour and then throw in a grill pan. Even those who don’t like vegetables will be licking their plates clean. How about some lamb? Costco has great prices on lamb, and either grilled or roasted lamb would be excellent. A little salt, pepper, rosemary and olive oil is all you need. Need dessert? Try a dark flourless chocolate cake like this one: http://eatlikethat.blogspot.com/2012/03/flourless-chocolate-cake-with-blood.html/Eat Like That

Whatever pairing,I recommend opening the wine and letting it sit about 15 minutes or so to let it breathe. If you have the restraint, have a glass now and then save the rest for the next day. This wine tastes better on day two, it really opens up and softens overnight. I couldn’t believe the difference!

There are other places to find the Bordeaux Rouge in the TC area. According to Wine Co., look for it at the following locations: Eden Prairie #1 municipal, Solo Vino (St. Paul), Ken and Norm’s (South Mpls), MGM West Bloomington, Saint Anthony Village #2, Yarmo (St. Paul), and Glen Lake (Minnetonka).

Me? I love putting my wine on a conveyer belt, so I’ll keep stopping into Sentyrz. Also, I can get quality, reasonably priced meat, cheese, beer AND wine at the same place. Heaven, at last I found you! (Well, here in Protestant Minnesota, at least.)

Wolfberger Pinot Blanc

Cost: Average price $16.99

Where buy now: Byerly’s Ridgedale, Sale: Buy one, Get one 1/2 price = $8.50/bottle

Grapes: Pinot Blanc

Region: Alsace, France

Vintage: 2010

Wolfberger Pinot Blanc

You must try this wine!” says my trusted Byerly’s “@winestud”, Rodney, during a recent visit. Really? It’s Alsatian white wine, big deal. Perhaps it was my mood, but I’d never had a wine from the NE region of France that’d ever tripped my trigger. No, he insisted, and tucked it in my wine tote.

Flash forward a few days later. I was perusing my wine rack, gazing at all the bottles (that seem to keep dwindling) and saw this. OK, yeah: Rodney’s pick.

Well, I’ve found my new fried chicken wine. I know, classy. But, truly, this is it. Hey, I can eat with the fanciest of the fancy, but fried chicken has a special place in my heart. The crispy, seasoned coating, the juicy thigh and leg, the grease glistening on your finger tips. It’s all working and on so many levels. [You may recall my poetic waxing last Spring: http://thesavvylush.com/white-wine-of-the-week-|-white-wine-reviews/twin-islands-sauvignon-blanc.html/The Savvy Lush

You’ll need a wine to cut through all that: enhance the flavors, yet balance them out. Oh, Alsatian Pinot Blanc, I sing your praises.

This wine is more than meets the eye. Upon first glance, this is a pale yellow libation with scents of citrus. Try swirling the wine around in the glass with your hand on top. Remove your hand and stick your nose in, you’ll discover different notes popping out at you. I smelled lemon pith, peach and citrus fruits. I smelled again and then caught a very small, sweet undertone, which reminded me of a macaroon.

This wine has a medium body and the acidic tastes of the citrus fruit are rounded out by a slight peach flavor and a light macaroon/vanilla whisper. It was crisp, light yet tart and savory. I thoroughly enjoyed sipping this whilst getting all carnivorous with my fried chicken treat.

Fried chicken not your bag? I [probably] won’t accuse you of being Communist, so here’s another food pairing idea: with a tried and true grilled cheese. Try using Muenster-it’s creamy and melty. I like to slather some Dijon mustard on one side before grilling.