Tasting Australia: Elegance, intensity and value? Absolutely!

I am a huge fan of blind tasting to truly judge the quality of wine. Blind tasting not only allows you to forget about any preconceptions you bring to the table about the producer; it also removes the price tags and the labels that are created to incite reactions in the taster. Some tasters will set these wines into flights of prestige, yet I feel that even that is cheating in a way. In my mind, if a $20 bottle of wine scores “Wine of the Night” over bottles that cost $80 - $100, then so be it.

This week I brought a group of tasters together to help me taste through a sample of wines from Yalumba, an Australian winery, making wines from the Barossa valley and crediting themselves as the oldest family owned winery in Australia. The majority of wines showcased a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. (Yalumba's Website!)

The idea was simple: take the three samples and place them against another three bottles from my cellar… AND pull no punches. From Yalumba we had one of their top bottles, the 2004 Signature, followed by the 2008 Scribbler, which is something of a seconds bottle to the Signature. Lastly from Yalumba, we had the 2008 Patchwork, which is a straight Barossa Shiraz. The competition read like a who’s who of Australian wine starting with Penfolds 2003 RWT, one of my favorite bottles coming out of Australia. Also, there was the 2006 Watcher, a Rolf Binder bottling that delivers amazing value for its price. Lastly, we had none other than Wine Spectator’s runner up for Wine of the Year, Two Hands 2008, Bella’s Garden.


The wines were all served in bottles of similar size and weight and then covered in aluminum foil. One guest was then asked to place them in any random order, at which time they were numbered one through six. The notes are listed in the order these were tasted with a rundown of the taster’s reactions, and yes, the results were surprising…

Flight 1 was an amazing set of wines. Not only did it contain the “Wine of the Night” but it also showed the runner-up of the evening. In the end, it was the Yalumba, Signature 2004 ($40) which beat out what has long been my favorite bottle from Australia, the Penfolds RWT 2003 ($85).

1. Penfolds, RWT Shiraz 2003 – The 2003 RWT opened up with cherry fruits, dusty chocolate cocoa powder, rock dust, licorice and animal fur on the nose. The palate started tight but turned plush and velvety with time in the glass as flavors of red fruits, black pepper, dark chocolate and leather strap washed across the palate. The finish was long and refreshing. (93 Points)

2. Yalumba, The Scribbler 2008 – The nose on the 2008 Scribbler was, at first, baffling but once the initial surprise faded, it turned truly lovely, as aromas of citrus zest, prunes, brown sugar and violet candies formed a gorgeous bouquet. On the palate, I found dark fruit, wild berries and herbs with a plush and palate saturating texture, which led to a very pretty finish. (90 points)

3. Yalumba, The Signature 2004 – The 2004 Signature was utterly captivating with its aromas of cranberry sauce and bright sour cherry with soy, green stems and black pepper. The palate was focused and concentrated, yet fresh with dark chocolate covered cherries which turned to sour berry and savory broth with salty minerals. The finish was smooth and velvety as the dark red fruits slowly faded. (94 Points) - “The Wine of the Night”

Flight 2 was more difficult to judge, as each wine showed individual qualities but completely different styles. However, the best part about this flight was that it put some serious value wines head-to-head and turned out a $20 winner. Fetish, The Watcher 2006 ($20) was the wine of the flight and easily beat the $45 Two Hands Bell’s Garden 2008, which has just recently won runner up to Wine of the Year but on this night almost finished last.

4. Yalumba, Shiraz 2008 – The nose showed sweet cherry candy with animal musk, confectioners sugar, burnt butter, undergrowth and a hint of violets. On the palate, I found dark fruits with cinnamon and butter, which led to a soft red fruit finish. (89 Points)

5. Fetish, The Watcher 2006 – The 2006 Watcher showed to be a beautifully elegant and cerebral wine as aromas of florist shop, animal musk, toasty oak and green stems filled the senses. The creamy, full bodied palate showed red fruit, holiday spice and earthy minerality, which turned to sour fruit on the fresh, gorgeous finish. (92 Points)

6. Two Hands, Bella’s Garden 2008 – I tend to refer to wines like this as a party in a bottle. This wine showed big, rich aromas cherry, clove, cinnamon, chocolate and caramel, yet still came across as fresh. On the palate, I found black cherry jam, plum sauce, cinnamon and dark chocolate, but with a perceptible amount of heat. The finish showed red candied fruit and lingered for well over a minute. (90 points.)


The final results:

1st Place - Yalumba, The Signature 2004 (94 Points) “The Wine of the Night”
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2nd. Penfolds, RWT Shiraz 2003 (93 Points)
3rd. Fetish, The Watcher 2006 (92 Points)
4th. Yalumba, The Scribbler 2008 (90 Points)
5th. Two Hands, Bella’s Garden 2008 (90 Points)
6th. Yalumba, Shiraz 2008 (89 points)

Painting the town Chocolate!

The place to be in New York City on April 3rd 2010 was not at some exclusive club or a red carpet event: in fact, it wasn't even in Manhattan. The place to be on April 3rd 2010 was in Brooklyn, across from the Brooklyn Museum at a chocolate party organized and executed by amateur chef Geneviéve Leloup. Oh yes, did I mention that she's from Belgium? Who better to make these chocolate culinary creations come to life?

Now, if your mind has suddenly taken you to thinking of simple samples of fine chocolate and sweet dishes gingerly laid out for the taster’s enjoyment, STOP. Instead, imagine a party centered on every manifestation of chocolate imaginable. Savory, salty and sweet all prepared with skill by a hostess so passionate about chocolate and delightful to know and speak to that you'd never want to leave.

Geneviéve Leloup's culinary education started in one of the best schools possible: her Mother's kitchen. The daughter of a masterful cook and professional baker, Geneviéve would spend as much time as possible learning the tricks of the trade. As an avid traveler and student of all things art, Geneviéve would later collect knowledge and recipes through friends she's made around the world. She added these recipes to a book, which serves as collection of recipes, friends and culinary memories of her life, which she still uses to this day. Today, Geneviéve spends more time developing her own recipes from the lessons she has learned, and the results are spectacular.

Upon entering the party, I was overtaken by an aromatic wave of all things chocolate. What was once a kitchen had been transformed into an exhibit of artful, edible delicacies. A chocolate olive tapenade wafted aromas of the Mediterranean into the air. On the stove, the Cincinnati Chili simmered away and assaulted my senses with smells of Christmas and spice. All throughout the apartment, in every corner and on every table, I found unique and exciting things to eat, each and every one of them made in some part with chocolate. It was an experience that each guest will always remember. The best part? I convinced Genevieve to share both her favorite and my favorite recipes of the evening with you.

What's Genevieve's favorite dish? Goat cheese with cocoa nibs, garlic, honey and ginger.




By mixing the bitter, dark crushed cocoa nibs with the soft palate coating goat cheese, you find a push and pull of texture and depth that can be enjoyed over and over again. The sweet hint of honey and ginger syrup adds a second layer of flavor that cuts the slightly dry feel of the cheese and cocoa nibs and is balanced by the garlic and herbs which work to pull you back to reality. It's a heavenly flavor and texture combination that must be tasted to truly understand.

4 Tbls. raw cacao beans
11 oz. log of goat cheese
½ clove of garlic (fine mince)
Herbes de Provence (to taste)
pepper (to taste)
1Tbsp liquid honey
1Tbsp ginger syrup (out of a bottle of preserved ginger)
1 baguette.

Crush about 4Tbsp raw cacao beans to make the cacao nibs. (An easy trick is to use a coffee grinder.)

Put the goat cheese into a bowl, soften it and mix in the cacao nibs. Add the garlic, some Herbes de Provence, and pepper (to taste).

Add the honey and ginger syrup, and mix well. Once combined, reshape into a log.

Because the flavors will continue to emerge over time, it is best to make it a day ahead.

When serving, sprinkle the log with some finely crushed cacao nibs or dust with cacao powder.

Serve with thin slices of baguette.

What was my favorite dish? Geneviève's Cincinnati Chili.

As difficult as the choice was to make, I found myself going back to Genevieve's Cincinnati Chili again and again. This isn’t anything like your average chili. It’s autumnal in a way and reminds me of all the things I love about fall and the holidays. The allspice and cinnamon mixed with the cocoa give it a depth of flavor that you only experience when eating the finest dark chocolate. The Chipotle takes on a spicy sweetness that is tantalizing on the palate and leaves behind a pleasant amount of heat on the finish. Each bite is just as good as the first and the texture is amazing. As I tested this recipe, I found that the most difficult thing about it was stopping myself from eating it right then and there.

The craziest part about this recipe is how insanely simple it is to make, yet how sinfully delicious it is to eat. When you read it, you may be tempted to add conventional chili preparations, but I urge you to fight that temptation and try it just as it is. Make sure to make this a day in advance to let the flavors truly come together over night.

First additions
1-quart water
2 pounds lean raw ground beef
2 large onions small dice

Second additions
2 (6oz.) cans tomato paste
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp red pepper (The chili is not too hot but you can cut this in half, if you want less heat.)
3 Tbls. chili powder
½ tsp. Chipotle powder
2-½ tsp salt
2 tsp ground allspice
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
3 Bay leaves
2 ½ Tbls Cocoa Powder (unsweetened)

Last addition
40 grams 70% dark chocolate (chopped)

Garnish
Sour Cream
Nachos
2 Tbls. Fresh chopped parsley or cilantro

Have all of your ingredients measured out.

In a large saucepot over medium high heat, add the water, ground beef and onions. With a spoon, break up the beef as the water comes up to a boil. It’s important for the beef to be completely broken up.

Once the mixture comes to a boil, add all the ingredients from the second addition, stir to combine completely and return the pot to a boil. Once it returns to a boil, reduce to a simmer (uncovered) and set your timer for 2 ½ hours.

Throughout this time, make sure to stir the mixture every 15 to 20 minutes. Assure that the chili is not sticking to the bottom of the pan, and if it is, consider lowering the burner.

When there is a half hour left on the timer, take a small pot and fill 1/3 with water. Place a metal bowl over the pot and turn the flame under this pot to the lowest setting (hence creating a double boiler). Be careful, as the water should not touch the bottom of the bowl.

When there is about 15 minutes left on the timer, add the chopped 70% chocolate to the bowl. Stir constantly and keep the chocolate from the sides or it may burn. Once the chocolate has melted completely, remove the bowl from the pot and place to the side.

Turn off the flame under the chili, and pour the melted chocolate into the pot. Stir to combine. Taste the chili and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.

To plate, prepare a plate with sour cream and tortilla chips. Ladle a healthy dose of chili onto the plate and garnish with your choice of chopped parsley or cilantro. Clean the rims of your plates with a warm moist towel and serve.

Need wine pairings for your Cincinnati Chili? I tested this recipe with a group of tasters and the two wines below were easily up to the challenge.

A Mano Primitivo, Prima Mano 2006 – This wine shows a dark purple color with aromas of blueberry, crushed fall leaves, animal musk and caramel rising from the glass. On the palate, it shows a full body with an excess fruit but excellent acidity which keeps this from ever being overwhelming. Cherry, prune and a long finish is present with raisin and mulling spices. This primitivo stood tall next to the Cincinnati Chili, as its rich fruit accentuated the allspice and cinnamon while providing a finish rich enough to handle the residual heat of the chipotle and cayenne pepper.

Find this Wine on Wine-Searcher!

Pure Love, Layer Cake Shiraz 2008 – The nose is fresh and bright with sweet brambly berries, cedar and a hint of forest floor. On the palate, you find rich raspberry jam, cinnamon and vanilla with a finish that hints at milk chocolate. With all of these sweet and rich descriptors you’d expect this wine to be overdone, but the true beauty of it is that it comes off as refreshing and satisfying.

Find this wine on Wine-Searcher!

For those of you who have still not reached your chocolate fill, the pictures below are sure to truly satisfy...

Savory Cream Cheese Bites

Chocolate Sandies with smoked salt

Lime Mint Chocolate Tartlets

Chocolate Fondue with a drop of Cognac

Chocolate Olive Tapenade

Chocolate Salami

Dark Chocolate Mousse

Beet Chocolate spread

Mole Pecans

Mole Carrots

Geneviéve Leloup is a designer, graphic artist, children's book illustrator, musician, amateur chef, and lover of all things chocolate!
For more information you can see her website HERE!