First things first, if you are a vegetarian/vegan or you only drink white wine, then this column will come across as highly offensive. This is all about hearty red wine that was born to be served with one type of food…STEAK, period, end of story. Now I know it’s very fashionable for Sommeliers to be “flashy” and “daring” by saying that you can drink a chardonnay or some other white with steak…that’s just plain bunk! Sommeliers that say that are just trying to stand out from the pack. I can appreciate daring food and wine pairings, but not with steak. Some things you just don’t mess with, like pizza and beer, and red wine and steak. Go put on some jeans and a shirt that you don’t mind staining with steak juice and wine and let’s have some fun.

This wine and food column is of extreme financial importance. Banks are failing, AIG is owned by the government, bad loans are weighing down Wall Street. I needed a meeting with Chef Dave Repp (the recipe contributor) ASAP!!

“What can we do”, I asked my friend and chef, “We’re only two men who love food and wine to an almost socially debilitating level, how can we do our part in these unsure times?”

Chef Repp was at a loss, as was I. Thankfully there was wine to drink—an excellent bottle of wine from the Bierzo region of Spain named Flavium. The chef after remarking on how good it is, asked how much it costs. It was then that it occured to me that this bottle of wine cost just $9.99 and it rocks! I told Chef Repp the cost of the bottle and after several attempts and explanations on my column concept he got a mischievous twinkle in his eye as the hamster started to run full speed on the wheel. Dave was on board and took control of this important meeting. I felt like a waiter who brought the wrong food to the wrong table. Was Chef Repp going to hug me or hurt me? Thankfully we were both working toward the same goal. Killer wines under $10 and a mouthwatering recipe done on the cheap that will make you look like a superstar chef to your friends and family. This…my friends will be our contribution to these dire financial times—Great bottles of wine under $10 and inexpensive dinners.

Nothing feels better than finding a great bottle that costs less than $10. I don’t care if you make $20,000 a year or $2 million, the satisfaction involved in knowing that you did your homework with regard to wine and now your friends think they are drinking something expensive. It’s a beautiful know-it-all type of feeling that you should embrace, just don’t hurt yourself while attempting to slap yourself on the back.

With the confines of the column I’m not going to delve too deeply into these wines. Let’s start with the Aglianico grape which is grown mainly in the hot areas of Italy. It’s a weighty wine on the palate that has smoky flavors and good acidity. They can range in price like any wine, but I have one, Carraia at $8.99 is…well… really nice. Next we have Pine & Post Cabernet Sauvignon from Washington State that has some nice flavors of casis and cherry followed with some medium tannins for $9.99. Ok class stay focused—lunch time is in three more paragraphs. Next up we have the Flavium, 90 points from Robert Parker, made with the Mencia grape from the Bierzo region of northwestern Spain. This varietal and region is rapidly growing in popularity and quality. This wine has lively acid balanced with flavors of black currant, raspberry and licorice. It’s a steal at $9.99. Now I know it can be challenging to find a good Pinot Noir at $11.99 let alone $8.99…alas I have good news, I have found one…Monferrato, and it’s from Italy…that’s right Italy. It has that classic raspberry nose with a medium/light body, medium acid and a nice finish for $8.99.

For all of the white wine lovers out there, I didn’t forget about you. First on the docket is Steenberg, this great little Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa. Clean, with a refreshing nose of citrus and lemongrass that doesn’t overpower like some New Zealand Sauvignon blancs can. It finishes with a nice palate-cleansing-refreshing acidic zing, $8.99. Stay with me folks, your only homework is to drink these wines. I’m an easy “A.” Chardonnay…everyone has an opinion either negative or positive about this groovy grape. This Chardonnay is Stimson Estates made by Chateau Ste. Michelle, a classic vineyard from Washington State. My favorite wine making region in the United States. Not much on the nose which is typical of chardonnay accept a bit of vanilla maybe some litchi and a touch of oak. It is an excellent chardonnay for $7.49.

So many great wines for under $10 and not enough space to write about them. There are many more wines in my store that fall into the “under $10” category that are fantastic. I’ve tasted almost every bottle in my store and I can tell you that I had to taste a lot of sub-par “under $10” wines to find the ones that I thought were really good. My palate took all the abuse so everyone else could enjoy the wines that didn’t shake through and made onto my shelves. If you have an questions, comments or concerns…y’all know where to find me.

I’ve done my part for the economy, now it’s up to Chef David Repp, of Splash Restaurant in Westport to wow you with his economically sensitive recipe. Trust me, it rocks!

I would pair the Pine & Post Cabernet or the Flavium from Spain with the following recipe. Can’t miss!

French beef stew with mushrooms, and red wine
3 lbs stew meat such as chuck
¼ cup brandy
2 onions thinly sliced
1 tbls garlic minced
½ tsp sugar
Pinch of each, nutmeg, pepper, thyme
1 ½ cups red wine
3 tbls butter
½ pound crimini mushrooms quartered
1 cup low sodium beef broth
1 tbls tomato paste
1 tbls corn starch blended with2 tbls beef broth

Marinate the beef in a nonreactive container with the onions, brandy, garlic, sugar, and nutmeg and let sit in the refrigerator for 8 hours

In a heavy 5 quart sauce pan heat 1 tbls canola oil and brown the strained meat save the marinade

Add the onions and mushrooms and sauté

Add the tomato paste, the meat marinade, and beef broth and red wine. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 and half hours

Using a slotted spoon remove the meat from the cooking liquid to a serving dish. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce by 1 fourth. Stir in corn starch mixture and simmer until thickened. Add salt and pepper if necessary. Pour sauce over the meat and serve with buttered egg noodles

As we approach the last sunset of summer where rosé is replaced with big reds, gin and tonics tossed aside for scotch on the rocks, I would like to take the time to reflect on another glorious summer of great food (sometimes), friends and of course wine.

I’d like to know who said you need get in shape for summer? I can get in shape but it only lasts for about two weeks tops. The culprit tends to be my atrocious food choices on the weekends when I’m at parties and barbecues. To think of all the mediocre well-done burgers and grilled hot dogs I’ve consumed, followed by numerous portions of mayonnaise-laced salads. BBQ’s that end with me sprinkling antacid pills on my ice cream and booking an appointment with my cardiologist are never good. Light and fresh is hardly the call of the day for summer BBQ’s.

Of course there were also some stellar meals during my summer sojourn that rose above the quality of my college cafeteria. Namely recipes made by my chef-friend and recipe contributor Dave Repp. But what do we pair with the cornucopia of BBQ foods soaking through our paper plates besides cheap light beer and corona? Ah yes…wine! Rosé, Albarino, Godello, Pinot Gris, Verdejo, Vinho Verde, Gruner Veltliner and Torrantes to name a few. So many great whites to try during the hot summer months. I hope everyone has taken advantage and has tried some of these beautifully floral, refreshing wines. If you’ve had a death grip on your bottle of Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio or Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc…I just want to say that it’s ok to let go of those bottles, they will be waiting for you with open corks when you come back from your exploratory tasting of the great—alternative whites of the world.

One of the great joys I have as a wine store owner besides getting to drink wine everyday, is to discover great grapes that are made by small producers that are inexpensive. I have to taste a lot of—let’s just say wines of questionable aromas, flavors and pedigrees—so when I do stumble upon a great wine, and, in this case an adventurous white, I get very excited and I think, “How can I share this with the public?” Oh, yeah…I can do a tasting at the store and share it with my customers.

So here we are at the end of summer. Wear all the white you want for another weekend, press your salmon colored shorts, and shine up that penny for those well broken-in loafers worn without socks all summer and starting to emit questionable odors. Only one more weekend of entertaining the kids 24/7. It’s definitely time to drink some adventurous whites and get your party-on. So where ever you find yourself this weekend make sure to stop in to the local wine shop and ask for the aforementioned grapes.

August is a quiet month so I’d be more than happy to sit down at the wine bar and chat about these adventurous whites from around the world.

Now, as you know it is time for Chef Dave Repp of Splash Restaurant in Westport to unleash his crazy-delicious Labor Day weekend recipe. Don’t miss out on this…just make it!

ALOTE LOCO (crazy corn)
6 local corns on cob
1 squeeze bottle of Sriracha hot sauce (available at all Asian markets)
½ cup fresh parmesan grated
3 limes cut in half
½ cup mayonnaise

Light the grill

Peel the husks on the corn down to the base

Using a clean towel rub off the hairs and pull the husks back up

Soak the corn in cold water for 15 minutes remove and place on the grill

Rotate the corn every few minutes until steamed inside

Hold the corn by the base and remove the husks

Using a pastry brush paint on the mayonnaise

Squeeze the sriracha sauce in squiggly line down the corn in three spots

Sprinkle on the cheese, squeeze the lime all over

SUMMER GAZPACHO WITH SOUR CREAM
2 lbs of ripe tomatoes
½ lbs white bread diced (to thicken the soup)
1 red bell pepper seeded and chopped
1 cucumber, peeled seeded, chopped
1 red onion chopped
¼ cup sherry vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
1tbls garlic chopped
1tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 cup water

Cut the tomatoes in half and squeeze out the seeds

Working in 4 batches place a fourth of all ingredients in a blender and puree

Transfer to a bowl and let sit for 2 hours

Pour the mix through a medium strainer

Add salt and pepper and serve with sour cream and crusty bread

FLANK STEAK WITH CHIMICHURRI RUB AND PARSLEY VINAIGRETTE

1 lbs flank steak trimmed

Chimichurri rub
Mix 2 Tbls of each
Dried oregano
Dried parsley
Dried thyme
Kosher salt

Add
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1tbls smoked paprika
1 tsp crushed red pepper
¼ cup olive oil

Mix all the ingredients to form a paste

PARSLEY VINAGRETTE
1/4cup extra virgin olive oil
1tsp garlic minced
1/4 cup Italian parsley
1Tbls onion diced
Juice from 1 lemon
2 Tbls sherry vinegar
Salt pepper to taste

Place parsley and sherry vinegar in a blender and puree

Mix all ingredients and let sit for 1 hour

Take some of the chimichurri paste and rub it all over the flank steak

Grill the steak to the desired temperature and let rest for 5 minutes

Using a sharp knife slice the steak as thin as possible and arrange on a platter

Drizzle with the vinaigrette

Have fun…be safe,

John

Just a quick story with regard to Tropical Storm Hannah that pounded Fairfield County with torrential wind and rain. I was standing on my floating Pergo-style wood floor in my store thinking about what the topic of my column would be about…which isn’t always easy. Looking for inspiration in my wine bottles, I meander the aisles and BAM!! It comes to me! The Torrontes grape from Argentina. Joy! Elation! Thirst! All these wondrous, witty thoughts rushing around in my head looking to latch on to the alarmingly few memory cells that remain. I needed to act fast…get these ideas wrangled on to the page and organized. Alas, it was not to be. I looked down when I felt the cool sensation of water entering through the small holes in my Crocs. Apparently—and this is just a guess—it seems that while I was patting myself on the back, water had been infiltrating my store. My floating floor was indeed floating as water rushed underneath like high tide coming in during a full moon. How could this happen? Mother Nature’s dastardly storm had interrupted my creative process. It took me four days of deep thought and meditation to remember the train of thought that would lead to this column.

Torrontes and tacos, you read it right. Torrontes is a little known grape that is wholly grown in Argentina and usually at high elevations. It is considered to be the best of its kind in the world. Taco are…well tacos. If you don’t know what they are I really can’t help you.

So we have this Torrontes grape which is so special and different from other whites. Get your whole schnoz into that wine glass—you won’t look silly I promise. The first thing you will notice is that it is outrageously floral in the nose along with some citrus. When the wine rolls over your lips it will envelop your tongue and mouth tasting almost like a Viognier (a white grape from the northern Rhone Valley in France) which is soft and rich tasting. But here’s where it gets interesting: As the wine makes its way toward the back of your tongue it miraculously cleans up to show bright, dry crisp acidity which makes it finish like a Sauvignon Blanc. Are you kidding me!! It’s too good, bordering on sinful.

Torrontes has been a huge hit with my customers this summer. The look on their faces when they’ve tasted it at the store were mostly of pure astonishment followed by joy in finding such a groovy grape. There is a lot going on in this wine in terms of smell and taste. It drinks expensive, but the great thing about this varietal is that it is relatively inexpensive to buy a bottle ($8-$14). You gotta try this grape pronto if you like white wine. If you don’t like white wine this is the grape to bring you over to the “white side” for a short visit. It’s time for this beautiful Torrontes to have its coming-out party…and I’m escorting it the tasting table.

Now, I’m going to go against traditional wine pairing wisdom here with this week’s recipe, which just so happens, to be my very own. Wine for me isn’t about rules; it’s about fun and enjoyment. If you want Chardonnay with steak…go ahead; you want Cabernet with lobster…be my guest. I’m going suggest that you try a bottle of Torrontes with my tacos. It rocks! Torrontes and tacos both south of the border and both delicious!

Tacos
2lb Ground Beef 80-20 (you can get leaner meat if you wish)
2tbl Olive oil or Vegetable oil
Pinch of hot red pepper flakes
1 ½ Onion chopped on the smaller side
3 garlic cloves minced or pressed
2tbl Chili Powder
2tbl Paprika
¾ tsp Ground Coriander
½ tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 ½ tsp Ground Cumin

Combine dry spices in a small bowl and set aside

3 tbl Worchester sauce
3 tbl Soy Sauce
Salt to taste if needed
Hot Sauce to taste if you want more heat
1 ½ 8oz can of tomato sauce

Heat oil in the pan with red pepper flakes over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and cook until the onions are transparent (3-5 minutes). Add beef to pan and brown, pour off at least half of the fat in the pan. Now add the dry spices that are patiently waiting in the bowl and mix through the beef. Next add the worchester and soy sauces followed by the tomato sauce. Let simmer for about 25 minutes.

Heat up your taco shells in the oven, chop up your lettuce and tomato, shred your cheddar, put out the sliced black olives and sour cream, and crack open that bottle of Torrontes. It’s time to go south of the border.