August 2009 Recipe of the Month

All-Time Favorite Food and Wine Pairings

If there's one thing our staff spends a lot of time doing, it's trying out different foods with different wines. We asked each of our staff members who picked wines for this months' selections to tell us their all-time favorite food and wine pairing. Each one is a sure-fire recipe for a good night!

Chad Watkins: Tarte Flambee (Alsatian white pizza with onion and bacon) with Riesling

Kathy Brindle: Chicken fajitas with New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc

Phil Unger: Bryan Flannery's roast rib cap with Pinot Noir

Thomas McGarry: Braised short ribs with an aged Hermitage

Rick Bedkowski: Pork chops with Cotes du Rhone. Maybe a little applesauce

Laura Moorin: Mushroom risotto with Barollo

Cathy Wilkes: Sauteed foie gras and huckleberries with Muscat de Beaumes de Venise

Ivonne Nill: Pedro Ximenez Sherry generously poured over good vanilla ice cream.

Gary's Wine Club August 2009 Premiere Selection: 2007 Seven Springs Vineyard La Source Pinot Noir

2007 Evening Land Vineyards La Source Pinot Noir
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon
Food pairing: Chicken, wild rice and Chanterelles
Chosen By: Laura Moorin, Wine Associate, Wayne

Long a source of fruit for benchmark Oregon Pinot Noirs, the Seven Springs Vineyard is now a "monopole" vineyard estate, meaning the entire vineyard is farmed and controlled by a single winery. Spearheaded by former movie producer Mark Tarlov, Evening Land is a unique and ambitious project. Seeking to put the terroir of this famous plot on display, Tarlov enlisted the help of superstar winemaker Dominique Lafon, long renowned for his mastery with the notoriously fickle varietals in Burgundy. Following gentle techniques to lure out the fruit's best characteristics, his efforts have led to an emphasis on purity and elegance: in short, nothing less than a masterpiece.

Not long ago, Tarlov was gracious enough to meet with Gary and the buying team to taste us on his stellar new wines. Once the decision to buy them was (quite easily) made, we knew we had to share a glass with our enthusiastic new wine team member, Laura. One sip and her eyes widened; two sips and we knew she was on board when she described it. "There's a harmonious balance between its distinctive minerality and soft floral notes, with a luscious mouthfeel and long, elegant finish. This wine is bottled inspiration!" Well said, Laura. And with only 358 cases made, she's glad to share this rare opportunity to enjoy the "heir apparent" to the title of North America's finest Pinot Noir with you.

More info: http://www.garyswine.com/fine_wine/oregon/09947.html

Gary's Wine Club August 2009 Cellar Selection: 2007 Hamilton Russell Vineyards Pinot Noir

2007 Hamilton Russel Vineyards Pinot Noir
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: Walker Bay, South Africa
Food pairing: Dijon mustard and rosemary-encrusted rack of lamb
Chosen By: Cathy Wilkes, Internet Wine Sales Manager, Wayne

"When I think Pinot Noir," says Cathy Wilkes, manager of our virtual web store, "the first place that comes to mind is Burgundy, then perhaps California, then Oregon, and the South Island of New Zealand...but never South Africa. But after I tasted Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir for the first time, I realized just what I'd been missing!" The Walker Bay area of South Africa, where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet and the cold current from Antarctica flows, provides a cool climate for growing Pinot Noir. And through two generations of stewardship, the Hamilton Russell family has put much effort into determining the perfect varietals and clones to plant in the estate's unique clay, stone and shale soils. Their 2007 Pinot Noir bottling earned 93 points from Wine Spectator, a spot in the Top 60 New World Pinot Noirs by Decanter, and an enthusiastic nod of approval from our own Cathy.

More info: http://www.garyswine.com/fine_wine/south_africa/65821.html

Gary's Wine Club July 2009 Vintner Selection: 2007 Cricklewood Pinot Noir

2007 Cricklewood Pinot Noir
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: Sonoma County, California
Food pairing: Grilled Maple-Glazed Salmon

From the moment the grapes started rolling in to the winemaking facilities, those in the industry knew that the 2007 vintage was going to be a good one in Sonoma County. Yields were down, but quality was definitively up, so while less wine may be available, what we can get our hands on is exceptionally good. "The good news," said one winery's General Manager, "is that we are extremely pleased with the quality of the 2007 harvest. Berry size was small, smaller than we have seen in more than 10 years, and the fruit developed intense varietal flavors with rich, mouth-filling tannins." It shows in bottlings like this one, the 2007 Cricklewood Pinot Noir. Perfectly ripe cherry-like fruit and a nice balance of acidity and tannins make this a quality Pinot Noir rarely found under $20.

More info: http://www.garyswine.com/fine_wine/california/08908.html

Gary's Wine Club June 2009 Selection: 2008 Martinborough Vineyard Te Tera Pinot Noir

2008 Martinborough Vineyard Te Tera Pinot Noir
Grape variety: Pinot Noir
Region: Martinborough, New Zealand
Food pairing: Seared Ahi tuna with tomatillo salsa

A few years back, we discovered a small vineyard called Martinborough that was producing a very good Sauvignon Blanc from the eponymous appellation in New Zealand. Te Tera Sauvignon Blanc became a staple on our shelves, but it was only this year that the quality of their Pinot Noir came to our attention.

Perhaps it was the blessing of a very good growing season, or the able hands of winemaker Paul Mason, but whatever the cause, we've found Martinborough's 2008 Te Tera Pinot Noir to be a fantastic example of what New Zealand Pinot can be: at once light and silky, but also carrying deep chocolate and plum flavors that make it rich without heaviness. Ever humble, the winery gives much of the credit to the mercy of Mother Nature in this vintage. Excellent winter soil moisture combined with a very settled spring (to give us) some of the best flowering conditions we've ever seen. Glorious summer weather... minimal rainfall ... a dream season overall. If only Mother Nature were this kind all the time.


http://www.garyswine.com/fine_wine/new_zealand/09131.html

May 2009 Wine Club Selection - 2006 Merry Edwards Pinot Noir

2006 Merry Edwards Pinot Noir
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: Russian River Valley, California
Food pairing: Manchego cheese and lavender honey

If you're familiar with Merry Edwards and her notoriously short-supplied wines, I'll give you a minute to finish jumping up and down. If you're not, begin jumping now. I'll give you a minute.

Just last week, we returned from a visit to the Merry Edwards winery in the Russian River Valley, where we tasted her Pinot Noirs from both the 2006 and 2007 vintage. While all of Merry's single-vineyard bottlings are indeed stunning, what struck us most was just how incredible her appellation Pinots (she makes one from the Russian River Valley and one from the Sonoma Coast) really are.

Pinot as it should be, this wine is dark fruited without being too "dense" for the characteristically light varietal, and carries bright, long-lived acidity without even bordering on tart. Most charmingly, underlying the beautiful berry fruit and clean, silky mouthfeel is just the lightest aroma of flowers, maybe lilacs, that seems all the more fitting when you see the garden-lined vineyards Merry farms in the Russian River Valley. Enjoy. (Just don't jump with a full glass.)

April Wine of the Month Picks - Gary's Wine Club Web Video

Gary Fisch and Wine Club Director Maggie Fox taste two 'green' wines that are their picks for April Wine of the Month at the Wine Tasting Bar in Gary's Wine & Marketplace in Wayne, NJ




2005 Silverado Vineburg Chardonnay

Ripe apple and orange blossom aromas with vanilla and oak in the background. Stone and mineral aromas echo on the palate. Balanced acidity with a silky mid-palate lead to a zesty finish.

$25.99
$37.99
ON SALE!

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2005 Duckhorn Migration Pinot Noir

This medium-bodied wine has bright fruit complemented by ripe and broad tannins that provide great balance and a lengthy finish. The aroma features blueberry, plum, strawberry pie, and toasted oak. The flavors are focused and follow through with ripe strawberry, plum, and cherry, complemented by clove. A lighter style than our Goldeneye, this wine shows the range and suppleness of the Pinot Noir varietal.

Reviews

Wine Spectator 89 points

Rich and savory, with a cherry cola-sassafras aroma that spills over to the palate, giving it a distinctive flavor profile. Finishes with a long, complex, fruity aftertaste, with a hint of mineral. 89 points

$29.99
$37.99
ON SALE!

Qty

2005 Duckhorn Migration Pinot Noir

Qty

2005 Duckhorn Migration Pinot Noir
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: Anderson Valley, California
Food pairing: Braised duck over lentils

If you're going to create an entire winery based around one species of wildlife, then it's only fair to say you've got to be wildlife supporters in the long haul. The folks at Duckhorn (who create varietal wines under the Duckhorn, Paraduxx, Goldeneye, and Migration labels), have just such a commitment through their sustainable winemaking practices and Napa Green Certification (a program that ensures that the soil, wildlife, and water are conserved on and around their vineyard properties.)

Migration Pinot Noir is the sister label of Goldeneye, and is produced entirely of Anderson Valley Pinot Noir. Choosing from a veritable palate of 22 clonal varieties in 23 separate vineyard blocks, winemaker Zach Rasmuson crafted a wine in the 2005 vintage that carries a nose of earth and cherry, a palate full of delicious cherry fruit, and a silky finish with notes of forest floor. Drinks beautifully now, and should continue to do so through 2010/2011.