Meritage Tasting

Hosts: Jean and Dale

The Meritage* Taste Off!!!

The evening will start with:

·   A white meritage with appetizers


Ginger Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail

The evening will proceed with the blind Red Meritage tasting:

·      First a taste without food

·      Then another taste while enjoying heavy hors d'oeuvres designed to complement the red wines


Meatball Sliders

Please bring:

·   One bottle of a Red Meritage Wine meeting the following criteria

o       Domestic

o       Vintage 2006 (possibly 2007)

o       Price: This is up to you but less than $50.00 (and do not feel you need to spend this much!!!)

o       Greater than 50% cabernet sauvignon

o       The name does not have to include “meritage” but the grapes in the wine must meet criteria defining a red meritage (see attached document)

Note:

We will ask one couple to bring a red French Bordeaux.  As you know, a red meritage includes the same grape varieties found in a red Bordeaux.  We will then be able to compare the domestic meritages to a classic Bordeaux. 

Meritage Wine Summary

All were winners!

The wines in order of placement on the china cabinet:

Sparkman 2006 Stella Mae, Columbia Valley (14.9% alcohol)

80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc

Cuillin Hills 2006 Claret, Columbia Valley (14.3% alcohol)

60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot

Whitman Cellars 2004 Narcissa Red, Columbia Valley (13.8% alcohol)

63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Syrah, 12% Malbec, 10% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc

Chateau St. Michelle 2006 Meritage Red Wine, Columbia Valley (14.3% alcohol)

58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 6% Malbec, 1% Petit Verdot

Rollat 2007 Sophie de Rollat, Columbia Valley (14.2% alcohol)

50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc

Chateau Bel-Air La Royere 2004 Blaye (13.5% alcohol)

65% Merlot, 25% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon

I found the details on the following website: http://www.cadmanfinewines.co.uk/ChateauBelAirlaRoyere_2004

Minted Lentil and Goat Cheese Strudel (from The Herbal Kitchen cookbook, Jerry Traunfeld (of the Herb Garden Restaurant fame)

I am attaching the scanned, 2 page recipe to the email.  I made individual phyllo packets and instead of brushing with butter, I sprayed the sheets with Olive Oil using my oil “misto”.  I did not include the mint because Dale is not fond of that herb.