Skip to main content

The Mad Crush #Giveaway + Saucelito Canyon Tasting Notes #Sponsor

Back in November, I read and posted about The Mad Crush: A Memoir of Mythic Vines and Improbable Winemaking by Sean Christopher Weir. Click to read that post for Foodie Reads 2016.


It turns out that the author himself saw my review and offered me another copy, if I would like to host a giveaway for a lucky reader.* Would I?!?! Yes, please.


So, I tracked down some wines from the winery, Saucelito Canyon, hosted a pairing dinner with some good friends, and re-read the book in preparation for this post.

Again, I was reminded of how much I enjoy Weir's prose. "The smell of fermenting red wine is magnificent. It hovers between sour and sweet, but is neither. It is pungent, almost feline, and unlike anything else" (p.106).

"If you wanted to drink an impeccably polished wine, there were plenty of other options. But if you wanted to drink a wine whose aromas and flavors took you someplace wholly unique, then you couldn't go wrong with a bottle of Saucelito Canyon Zinfandel. I think the larger question is: should a wine have a soul - can it? - and if so, where does it come from?" (p. 116).

I had that question in my mind as we uncorked...


For the dinner, we poured the 2013 Dos Mas Zinfandel with a Zinfandel-friendly cheese platter. Pia selected Ossau Iraty Istara and Cave-Aged Gruyere; I had a Manchego with Quince Paste to accompany this red wine blend of Zinfandel and dos más (two more!), namely Grenache and Petite Syrah. The wine was bright and jammy with a nice backbone of pepper, a big Zin for some big cheeses.

For our main dish, my version of a Brazilian Feijoada, we uncorked the 2103 Estate Zinfandel.


The Zinfandel Estate, according to their website, is the wine that started it all—a bottling that dates back to the winery’s inaugural vintage of 1982. I can see why it's been a success for so many decades. It's fruity and gravelly. It's everything I love about Zinfandel.

Giveaway
One of my lucky readers - US only! - can enter to win a copy of The Mad Crush: A Memoir of Mythic Vines and Improbable Winemaking by Sean Christopher Weir, courtesy of the author himselfGiveaway runs from January 4th till January 16th. Please see terms and conditions in the rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
*Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of The Mad Crush: A Memoir of Mythic Vines and Improbable Winemaking by Sean Christopher Weir as a giveaway. Opinions are my own. I received no further compensation for my post.

There you have it: wines we thoroughly enjoyed, a book I adored, 
and your chance to win a copy of the book. Good luck!

Comments

  1. I remember the review on this book with Foodies Reads. How nice that the author contacted you.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have never tried Saucelito Zin. I don't have a specific favorite, they are all good!
    Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Meyer Lemon Custard-Filled Matcha Turtles #BreadBakers

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our of lovely bread by following our  Pinterest board  right here. Links are also updated after each event on the  Bread Bakers home page .  We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. This month Stacy of Food Lust People Love  is hosting and she wrote: "Your bread can be large, as in one big animal, or small - animal-shaped rolls. Use your imagination! Points for flavor and shape!" If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send an email with your blog URL to Stacy at foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com. Here's the animal-shaped bread basket from the #BreadBakers... Beef and Sweet Onion Dim Sum Pandas from Karen's Kitchen Stories Bird Bread Rolls from Ambrosia Easter Bunny Buns from Cook with Renu Ham and Cheese Elephant Rolls from Food Lust People Love Hedgehog Bread from Making Mir

Connecticut Lobster Rolls, Canned Lobster Bisque, and a 2019 Henry Fessy 'Maître Bonhome' Viré-Clessé #Winophiles

This month the French Winophiles group is looking at affordable wines from Burgundy.  Host Cindy of Grape Experiences wrote: "Burgundy, or Bourgogne, is known for its wines of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir... as well as Aligote, Gamay, Sauvignon, César, Pinot Beurot, Sacy, Melon in lesser quantities. Many of the well-known wines are quite expensive, but there are plenty of values to be found." Read her invitation here. And there won't be a Twitter chat for this event, so you will have to dive into the articles themselves to read about our pairings and findings. Here's the line-up... Wendy Klik from A Day in the Life on the Farm enjoys Domaine Chevillon Chezeaux Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits, 2018 Paired with a Maple Pecan Chicken . Camilla Mann from Culinary Adventures with Camilla shares her love of Connecticut Lobster Rolls, Canned Lobster Bisque, and a 2019 Henry Fessy 'Maître Bonhome' Viré-Clessé. Jeff Burrows of FoodWineClick! explains why we should Look t

Quick Pickled Red Onions and Radishes

If you've been reading my blog for even a short amount of time, you probably know how much I love to pickle things. I was just telling a friend you can pickle - with vinegar - or you can ferment - with salt - for similar delicious effect. The latter has digestive benefits and I love to do that, but when I need that pop of sour flavor quickly, I whip up quick pickles that are ready in as little as a day or two. I've Pickled Blueberries , Pickled Asparagus , Pickled Cranberries , Pickled Pumpkin , and even Pickled Chard Stems ! This I did last night for an upcoming recipe challenge that requires I include radishes. Ummmm...of course I'm pickling them! Ingredients  makes 1 quart jar radishes, trimmed and sliced organic red onions, peeled and thinly sliced (I used a mandolin slicer) 3/4 C vinegar (I used white distilled vinegar) 3/4 C water 3 T organic granulated sugar 1 T salt (I used some grey sea salt) 6 to 8 grinds of black pepper Proce