An Uncorked Parade of Wines + Roasted Brisket & a Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz Blend #MoviesandMunchies

This month the Movies and Munchies group is watching Uncorked, hosted by Debra of Eliot's Eats. Read her invitation. I had seen the movie before, but wasn't watching it with foodie goggles on. So, I settled down on the bean bag and started to stream it. Jake looked at the screen and commented, "I think we've watched this before." I know, but now it's assigned, so I am going to watch it again!

On the Screen

At the base of it, this is a movie about a man who dreams of earning his master sommelier certification while his dad expects him to take over the family business, a barbeque joint. Elijah works in a wine shop as well as his family's restaurant. And the movie takes us from Memphis to Paris and back again.

While I definitely admire those who have studied and earned those accolades, I have never had any desire to be able to identify grapes, vintages, and location just from a mere whiff and a small sip from the wine. For me, it's enough that the wine pairs nicely with my meal!

Still, the skills sommeliers acquire and nurture are impressive. And this movie has some great scenes that show the stress of studying and testing to demonstrate those skills. There are also plot threads of conflict between father and son, ripples of cancer diagnosis, a love story, and more.

While this is about a man acquiring mad skills in identifying wines, there is a scene when he distills white wines down to a layperson view with a hip hop analogy. Elijah likens Chardonnay to Jaz-Z and..."Pinot Grigio is white wine with a bit of spice to it. Like, ‘Oh, you thought I was just a white wine? I'm about to get stupid.’ It’s like a Kanye West."

I will just leave it at that. If you are looking for a movie that will make you crave barbeque, this is for you!

An Uncorked Parade of Wine

Since wine is a major star, I was exceedingly grateful to see that someone else documented all of the wines in the movie. Thank you, WineMag! So, I'm going to share several of my pairings that have included some of the varieties, wineries, or locations mentioned.

Though I have never tried the Duckhorn Chardonnay from Napa Valley, I have poured a Napa Valley's 2018 Frog's Leap 'Shale and Stone' Chardonnay + Chips and Guac. And I have paired many a red Duckhorn from Duckhorn Merlot + Braised Lamb with Onions, Olives, and Orange Rind to Crisped Mushrooms On Warmed Le Welsche. 

Alta Vista Single Vineyard Temis Malbec from Argentina's Uco Valley made an appearance. I have traveled virtually to the Uco Valley when I matched Argentina Pork Churrasco + Ruca Malen Petit Verdot Reserva 2015.

Aubert CIX Vineyard Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast). Celebrating Sonoma: Lamb Lollipops with Spiced Apple Chutney + Wild Ridge Pinot Noir 2014 

Barolo made by a father-son over a game of dominos?!? Truffles, a Whole Fish, & Barolo, 2014 Camilla Barolo + Filet Mignon in a Creamy Mushroom Sauce, and Family Favorites: Spaghetti Bolognese + Bruna Grimaldi Camilla Barolo 2016.

 A Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz Blend

There is a scene in the movie when Elijah is having dinner with his dad. They are sitting at a bar and Elijah chats with the bartender about what wines they have available. Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz and Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet-Shiraz are both mentioned with the latter being more peppery with a super chocolate finish. "It's just good," Elijah says.

I wasn't able to track down the Bin 28 or the Bin 389, but my local Total Wine did have the Penfolds 600 which is also a Cabernet-Shiraz blend. But I didn't realize till I was pouring it that it wasn't actually from South Australia like the others. This Bin 600 is actually a California wine! In 1998, Penfolds imported vine cuttings from the Kalimna and Magill Estate vineyards and put them in the ground in California at what is now the Camatta Hills vineyard. The Camatta Hills original name was Creston "600" Ranch and is honored in this wine's name. 

The wine pours a deep garnet with an almost black core. On the nose, there is an interesting combination of spices, coffee, and a subtle floral aroma. On the palate, the wine was medium-bodied with almost licorice-y layers of anise and fennel. And the coffee from the aromas persisted through to the tongue. This was a wine that was begging to be paired with meat. So, I listened and served this with a roasted brisket and I used a coffee rub to accentuate that in the wine. It was perfect.

Roasted Brisket

Brisket

• 1 brisket (I used a 4-1/2 pound piece)
• 2 Tablespoons mixed peppercorns, ground
• 1 Tablespoon ground coffee
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground sea salt
• dash of ground coriander
• dash of ground cardamom
• Also needed: roasting pan with roasting rack, foil, and BBQ sauce for serving (I used my Raspberry Chipotle Barbeque Sauce)

Procedure 

Brisket

The night before, or first thing in the morning, prepare the rub. Combine all spices and mix thoroughly until well blended. Pat the brisket dry, then coat the brisket on all sides with the spice rub. Refrigerate for as many hours as you can; I ended up leaving them for 8 hours. Although you can let it rest for as little as an hour, if needed.

Right before you want to cook them, preheat the oven to 290 degrees. While the oven heats, take the brisket out of the refrigerator to warm up.

Place the brisket on top of the roasting rack in the pan and cover with foil. Place in the oven. Roast for 6 hours. Remove the foil and raise the heat on the oven to 400 degrees F. Return brisket to the oven for an additional 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

To serve, place sliced brisket onto a serving platter. Top with barbeque sauce or serve on the side. Serve immediately with sides of coleslaw and potato salad. Enjoy!

This is a wrap for my Uncorked post. The #MoviesandMunchies group will be back next month watching Encanto. But it's still early in the month, so you have time to join in with Uncorked if you wish!