Wines of the Week with John Syfor

2010 Rickshaw Cabernet Sauvignon California

     First I would like to offer my apologies for not posting last week. My reason for doing so was simply that I had not come across a wine I felt strongly about. Well, I am back and I have a great value from California. 

     Rickshaw is a second label from the talented people behind Banshee Wines. Their purpose with the Rickshaw wines is to both provide quality wines at affordable prices and also give back to the people. They are able to provide great value by finding quality fruit sources from the well know wine producing regions of California, then creating a final blend of all sources. They give back to the people by donating 5% of every bottle sold to feed the hungry in the state where the bottle is sold. Good wine, good cause and now you can drink to feed the hungry.

     Rickshaw makes three wines, but it was the 2010 Cabernet which caught my attention last week. This wine is dark garnet in color with aromas of dark berry, plum, dark chocolate and cassis spice. In the mouth it is full bodied, balanced and bright with flavors of dark plum, cinnamon, dark chocolate and graphite. At around $15 this Cabernet is a fantastic red wine to enjoy by the glass or with grilled steak or pork.

John Syfor

john@federalwine.com

Wine of the Week with John Syfor

2009 Finca Decero Cabernet Sauvignon

     This weeks' pick is a recent find from Argentina. Though a bit more money than the wines of the last three weeks, it is a steal at $18. Coming from the Remolinos Vineyard in Agrelo, a sub-appellation of Mendoza, this is higher elevation fruit from the foothills of the Andes. My experiences with higher elevation fruit in other regions of the world is that it produces wines with greater character, the same applies here.
     In the glass the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon is a dark garnet color with aromas of dusty blackberry, cherry, vanilla, and cedar with a floral note. On the palate it is medium to full bodied with a balance of blackberry fruit, smoke and mild grainy tannins. This is an elegant wine with the structure to age for a few years which is unusual for this price point. This wine will continue to develop and improve even further with a couple more years of bottle age. It should be drinking its best over the next 3 to 5 years.
This is an ideal wine for grilled steak.

John Syfor
john@federalwine.com

Wine of the Week with John Syfor

2011 Leese - Fitch California Cabernet Sauvignon

     It's been some time since I last posted and I recently decided to get back into it. I thought a regular weekly posting would make sense, but I needed a theme. I settled on posting about affordable everyday wine and decided to title it "wine of the week". A wine of the week would have to be something I found which was both interesting and represented "good value", so it could be opened any day of the week. 

     That being said, the first post is about the 2011 Leese-Fitch California Cabernet Sauvignon. It is not often I come across an inexpensive California Cabernet which I find as interesting as this one. The fun began with the bottle's closure. In place of a traditional cork or screw cap is the new(my first experience with it) Zork, which is a sort of peel and reseal type of cork made of 100% recyclable material. I opened the bottle and poured a glass. From the first sniff I was hooked. In place of the usual ripe dark fruits were the aromas of bell pepper, leather and roasted meats. In the mouth the wine was savory, i.e., round and flavorful, with hints of clove, cherry, tobacco and vanilla. Whenever possible, I like to put the cork back in the bottle and taste the wine the next day to see how it may have developed. What I typically find with most inexpensive and even many mid-priced California red wines is that they do not improve. Usually the big ripe fruit is gone, often times replaced by tart cranberry flavors. However, what I found with the Leese-Fitch was that the wine stayed essentially the same on the palate(in the mouth), while developing additional aromas of black olive, mint and balsamic.

At around $12 a bottle, I found this wine to provide quite a nice experience. I would pair it with red meats, especially steak and burgers.

John Syfor

john@federalwine.com

Salvatore's Perfect Meal (by Kc Hoye)

When I think "seafood" my first thought is obviously the Waterfront, post Convention Center Waterfront is a horse of a different color. As far as affordability priced fresh well prepared seafood goes, Sal's does it in spades. They have a staff member dedicated to cleaning seafood all day every day to ensure that their dishes use not only the freshest, but the cleanest ingredients.  It would take all day to describe, the veritable smorgasbord we ordered and consumed, so after a week of deliberation I've narrowed it down to three standout dishes on the Salvatore's menu.

Of the many dishes we ordered and sampled, the standout for me lay in three simple dishes, so here's the rap on THE meal to order if you roll through Salvatore's on the Waterfront.

Starters: Mussels Napolitano

The Prince Edward Island mussels are sauteed in extra virgin olive oil, garlic and pepperocini, giving just the right amount of spice to accent the fresh tomato base. The only word I can use to describe these mussels is succulent, both filling and refreshing.

iOlecito! Restores The Faith by Kristofer Jenson

When it comes to lunch spots in Inman Square, less is more. It's true of Punjabi Dhaba, one of my favorite Indian restaurants in the Boston area, and it's true of Olecito, tucked away on a residential street just outside of Inman Square. Both places may appear to be mere holes in the wall to the average passerby, which is part of what makes them so special. They let the food do the talking.

Twenty-Four Hours in Jamaica Plain

24 HOURS

I would write out more, but I am tired. Click the food link you feel so connected with. Happy Valentine's Day, you sorry pieces of love. :D

Valentine's Day Cookies: Who's your friend? Click.

Sandwich Time: Roast Beef was my friends choice. I usually get the Turkey.

Cool.

Soup of the Day: Potato Bacon Chowder

Avocado & Crab

Steak Mendoza

Packed Friday Nights

Dessert from the Corner Store

One word: Chorizo

What They're Eatin' - Row Jones

"Just cooked my first cheese steak hoagie from scratch...better than any restaurant" - Row Jones

Food Porn Pics - January 10th

Bob Beckel, 2012 Nfl schedule, space shuttle, the band, red wings, forgetting sarah marshall, nicklas backstrom, shuttle discovery, gsa, chicago blackhawks, jane goodall, bonnie raitt, glamping, carolina panthers, irs, saturday night fever, raffi torres, secret services, biggest loser, dancing with the stars