2000 Easton Shenandoah Valley Barbera

[Innkeeper]

2000 Easton Shenandoah Valley (CA) Barbera ($20). Alcohol 14.5%. This is one of most delicious wines we have had in a long time. Unfortuantely only had the one that came in the Fall Sampler Case. Gives you a sense of a well mulched blueberry patch after rain on the nose and upfront. So many gobs of fruit and earth across the palate that you don't notice the alky or the 18 months in oak. The finish would have to be described as four alarm. Almost unbelievable.

Did a lot of cooking, or more properly, preparation, this afternoon. First made up a new batch of blue cheese dressing (a very messy job; at least we I do it). Then made a batch of Italian Tomato Sauce for pasta. Then cooked the pasta, and the sweet Italian sausages; grated the cheese, made the salad, and called true love. A night to remember.

[This message has been edited by Innkeeper (edited 12-06-2004).]

[Georgie]

A well-mulched blueberry patch? Well, I guess if you're from Maine you could relate to that...

[Innkeeper]

Well, the idea was to combine blueberries, straw, and dirt.

[Georgie]

very creative, IK! I'd love to have your blue cheese dressing recipe!

[Innkeeper]

BLUE CHEESE DRESSING:

1 Pt Whole sour cream
1/2 C Whole mayonnaise
2 Tbl White wine vinegar
1 Slice onion
1/2 tsp Crushed garlic
1 tsp Salt
1/2 lb (after trimming) Blue Stilton cheese

Put everything except cheese in blender or food processor. Process until smooth. With machine running, add crumbled cheese slowly. Process until it reaches desired consistency. Store in refrigerator.

[Georgie]

Thanks! Sounds positively decadent!

[Innkeeper]

Popped the '02 that came in this year's Fall Sampler. May have to get more as it is a great wine. It is still $20 and 14.5% alcohol. The pH is 3.58 and the acidity is 7.2 gm/liter.

Still has the very ripe blueberries and other lush fruit on the nose and upfront. The layered complexity in the middle combined the fruit, acid, oak, tannin, so well that none of the elements hit you over the head. The finish lingered and lingered.

Matched it with Rigatoni in Pink Vodka Sauce, Italian chicken sausages, and sliced Brandywine tomatoes. Definitely was not a Blue Monday.

[Flamefighter]

Wow, Mondays are even an event at your house. We had plane-old-pasta with red sauce last night with a bottle of Sangiovese (Dimajo Norante 2003). It is an ok everyday wine that is very available here in Calif. but a little rough around the edges.

Please tell me more about the Easton Shenandoah Valley Barbera.

[Innkeeper]

http://www.terrerougewines.com/pdf-07/2002EastonShenValleyBarb.pdf