Routas 1999 Carignane

[Thomas]

By the case, this is $10.80 a bottle at is-wine. Is it worth it? You bet.

The color of blood, the consistency of a medium oil, the flavor of spice (cinnamon comes to mind, as does allspice and even a little pepper), this wine is a perfect match for lamb, and so I fixed those tiny loin lamb chops.

First I experimented with the buttermilk soak--it worked again. Then I fired up a cast iron skillet to top speed; did the chops two minutes on each side; turned off the heat (and the stove fan), covered and let sit for three minutes; then removed the chops and placed on a plate to await the sauce.

The sauce: shallots and garlic sauteed in olive oil--two minutes for the shallots, one minute for the garlic. Then deglaze with 1/2 cup Amantillado, add a dash of soy sauce, three sprigs of rosemary, a pat of butter and reduce. When down to about 1/3 its original volume, poured the sauce over the lamb, ground some black pepper, threw some fresh mint on top of the chops, ate with the Carignane.

Do the word sublime make any sense at all?

The only drawback: Routas calls this an "old vine" Carignane. I am about tired of that designation. If vines are allowed to grow, they naturally become old--how old is old anyway?--and they naturally take on that sage character that age provides them (and us too--except maybe ww and Bucko, young-at-heart Devils that they are).

The only hitch to the meal: I also had some fresh, sweet upstate NY corn on the cob. Can't have that with Carignane--but it was good with a taste of Vermentino.

[cpurvis]

Good notes Foodie. Haven't seen carignane get good press as a stand-alone...pro'bly 'cause it doesn't make the most fruity quaffer. But it can make a good food wine & I've enjoyed the ones I've tried.
cp

[Scoop]

It (carignane) can make a good quality wine (although it is used more for blends, in southern France and in its native Spain), but only if the yields are severely limited; it easily overcrops. A big part of the European Union's former "wine lake" of excess production was vin du table wine from the south of France made mostly from, you guessed it, carignane. Many of those over-producing vines have been grubbed up in the last decade.

The Routas is a fine example of what the grape can achieve in the right hands.

Cheers,

Scoop

[RAD]

I guess my dinner invite got lost in the mail. [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]

RAD

[summa]

I think Fife does a good one for 'bout $20.

[Thomas]

Pellegrini makes a fine Carignane (again with the Old Vine designation). It's more money than the Routas.

[Bucko]

David Coffaro makes a killer Carignane. We have a 96 just the other night with a grilled halibut dish -- yes, red wine with fish -- it worked very well thank you.

Bucko