Posted in Mencia, tagged barbecue, Mencia, pork on June 7, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Rating: 5/5
Slow cooked pork in a raspberry barbecue sauce shredded and put on a ciabatta bun with some Muenster. Cornbread and green beans on the side.
Wine: Pena do Lobo 2007
Notes:
What a perfect summer meal. The red fruits in the Mencía really set off the fresh raspberries I used in the barbecue sauce.
Posted in Bierzo, Mencia, Spanish, tagged beans, bierzo, chicken, garlic, Mencia, mushrooms, paella, peppers, rice, sage, Scallops, shrimp on April 28, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Rating: 4/5
Paella made with sun-dried tomato chicken sausage, scallops, shrimp, mixed peppers, chili beans, white rice, garlic, mushrooms and fresh sage.
Wine: Pétalos Bierzo 2006
Notes:
Paella happens to be one of my favorite dishes of all time. The peppers I use generally change from time to time and if I add beans, they’re usually just red and not chili. However, it’s hard to mess Paella up and the pepper mix of cayenne and serrano pulled in a good deal of heat. The fresh sage was a first time addition and definitely a keeper since it provided a wonderful refreshment in the middle of the dish. Generally, I’ll pair this with a Tempranillo or Monastrell, but the Bierzo (grape: Mencía) was something new so I opted for it. Bierzo is complex as it sifts between something like a Tempranillo in the leather and tannin and then towards something fruitier with it’s red fruits with hints of minerality and herbs. It packs a punch though. The mouthfeel on this was like a semi flowing through your mouth. Oddly, this made a great pairing with a spicy dish that probably would have prompted sweat without its aid.
Aaron Berdofe's Wine and Food Experience 