2007 Plumpjack Merlot Napa Valley

**2007 Plumpjack Merlot Napa Valley (USA, California, Napa Valley)** The nose had fish sauce, chocolate, cherry, plum, and vanilla. The palate had blackberry, chocolate, cherry, plum, and a vanilla finish. (92 pts.)

2004 Rolf Binder/Veritas Shiraz Hanisch

**2004 Rolf Binder/Veritas Shiraz Hanisch (Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley)** The nose had blueberry, floral notes, sausage, and minerals. The palate was soft and thick, and had blueberry, meat, floral notes, and a cassis finish. (92 pts.)

2007 Outpost Zinfandel

**2007 Outpost Zinfandel (USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain)** The nose had a tremendous amount of fresh black pepper, fresh ginger, and floral notes. There was also a small amount of raspberry and spice. The palate was very juicy, with pepper, ginger, spice, raspberry, and a good floral finish. (93 pts.)

2005 Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon

**2005 Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley)** The nose had black currant, mocha, raspberry, spice, and a little cedar at the end. The palate was very soft, with loads of dark fruit, chocolate, spice, and a cedar finish. (91 pts.)

2004 Château de Launay

**2004 Château de Launay (France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur)** The nose had cherry, clay, cooked vegetables, ans a little spice at the end. The palate had a lot of vegetable flavors, some cherry and spice, and a good forest floor finish. (90 pts.)

2001 José Maria da Fonseca & Van Zeller Douro Domini Plus

**2001 José Maria da Fonseca & Van Zeller Douro Domini Plus (Portugal, Douro)** The nose had plum and black cherry, dirt, pepper, meat, and spice. The palate was smooth and juicy, with plum, black cherry, earth, pepper, meat, and a spicy finish, (92 pts.)

2003 Maison Henry Bouachon Vacqueyras Pierrelongue

**2003 Maison Henry Bouachon Vacqueyras Pierrelongue (France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Vacqueyras)** The nose had cherry, spice, and a little chocolate. The palate had cherry, chocolate, and a spicy finish. (88 pts.)

2006 Coudert Fleurie Clos de la Roilette

**2006 Coudert Fleurie Clos de la Roilette (France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Fleurie)** The nose had leather, cherry, earth, raspberry, and some oak at the end. The was very juicy, with a lot of extracted red fruit, some stone flavors, and a good earthy finish. (88 pts.)

2007 Rôtie Cellars Northern Blend

**2007 Rôtie Cellars Northern Blend (USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley)** The nose was very creamy and floral. It also had quite a bit of tar and smoke mixed with dark fruit. It ended with pepper and spice. The palate was very rich with black currant and black cherry. The tar and pepper was very prominent on the mid-palate, and it finished with a spicy floral note. (90 pts.)

Pot-au-feu

Tonight I made Pot-au-feu. If you have Anthony Bourdain’s “Les Halles” Cookbook: Classic Bistro Cooking, the recipe is on pages 204 – 205 (Hardcover).

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 lb tender beef shoulder or brisket
- 6 pieces of oxtail, cut 1½ inches thick
- 6 beef short ribs
- 1 veal shank, on the bone
- 8 whole cloves
- 2 onions, cut in half
- 6 leeks, white part only
- 2 small celery roots, cut into quarters
- 4 carrots, cut into 4-inch lengths
- 1 bouquet garni
- salt and pepper
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in half
- 1 head of cabbage, cored and cut into 6 to 8 wedges
- 1/2 lb cornichons
- 1 cup large-grained sea salt
- 1 cup hot prepared mustard


METHOD:

COOK
In a huge pot, combine the beef, oxtail, short ribs, and veal shank, and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, and as soon as the water comes to a boil, remove from the heat. Set the meat aside and throw out the water. Clean the pot. Seriously, do it. Then put the meat right back inside. Push 2 cloves into each onion half and add the onions to the pot, along with the leeks, celery roots, carrots, and bouquet garni. Season with salt and pepper and cover with cold water.

Bring the pot to a slow simmer, gradually, and let cook over medium-low heat for around 2½ hours, or until the meat is tender. Skim the cooking liquid with a ladle periodically to remove scum and foam. Add the potatoes and cabbage and cook for an additional 30 minutes, until soft. You want to maintain the structural integrity of the meat and vegetables. Adjust the seasoning as needed.

SERVE
Put the cornichons, sea salt, and hot mustard into separate ramekins and set on the table. Remove the beef from the pot and cut into 6 pieces. Remove the veal shank from the pot and cut the meat off the bone, again into 6 to 8 pieces. Using a marrow spoon, dig out all that lovely marrow from the inside of the veal bone. Arrange the oxtails, the meats, the marrow, and the vegetables in an attractively disheveled fashion on the serving platter and spoon some of the cooking liquid over and around it. Serve the rest of the liquid in a soup terrine.

Alternatively, you can arrange the meats uncarved, with the vegetables around them, swimming in broth in a big, beautiful pile in a deep serving platter, and let your friends just tear at it like the savage animals they are. (I’m getting hungry just writing this recipe.)

2005 Trentadue Winery Old Patch Red

**2005 Trentadue Winery Old Patch Red (USA, California, Sonoma County)** The nose had gobs of black currant and pepper, with notes of cherry, chocolate, spice, and vanilla. The palate was very smooth, with some nice powdered chocolate, pepper, black currant, cherry, and a tasty spicy vanilla finish. It did have a touch of heat at the end, but not a lot. (88 pts.)

2003 Giuseppe Lonardi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico

**2003 Giuseppe Lonardi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico (Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico)** The nose had chocolate and Ricola, cherries, and figs. The palate was smooth and had prunes, mocha, mint, spice, and a good cherry finish. (91 pts.)

2001 Icardi Barolo Parej

**2001 Icardi Barolo Parej (Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo)** The nose had a load of stone and tar. It also had herbs, cherry, and raspberry. The palate was soft and had lots of red fruit and earth, with a mineral finish. (89 pts.)

2005 Vietti Barolo Castiglione

**2005 Vietti Barolo Castiglione (Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo)** The nose had leather ,violets, cherry, and earth. The palate had sour cherry, earth, and a nice floral finish, (91 pts.)

2003 Eugenio Bocchino Langhe Suo Di Giacomo

**2003 Eugenio Bocchino Langhe Suo Di Giacomo (Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC)** The nose had cherry, raspberry, herbs, spice, and vanilla. The palate was pretty extracted, and had cherry, cedar, spice, and a very sour finish, which I liked. (88 pts.)

2006 Forte Canto Salice Salentino

**2006 Forte Canto Salice Salentino (Italy, Puglia, Salice Salentino)** The nose had very bright cherry aromas, berries a,nd some dried fruit at the end. The palate had cherry, wild berry, and a herbal finish. (88 pts.)

2004 Lungarotti Sagrantino di Montefalco Sagrantino di Montefalco

**2004 Lungarotti Sagrantino di Montefalco Sagrantino di Montefalco (Italy, Umbria, Montefalco, Sagrantino di Montefalco)** The nose was very herbaceous and earthy. There was also some blackberry and black currant. The palate was soft and had lots of dark fruit and herbs. It finished with some good earth. (90 pts.)

2003 Tormaresca Negroamaro Masseria Maìme Salento IGT

**2003 Tormaresca Negroamaro Masseria Maìme Salento IGT (Italy, Puglia, Salento IGT)** The nose had an overpowering aroma of tar and game. Underneath was blackberry and plum, followed by spice and oak. The palate was very rich and smooth. It had the same fruit as the nose, and finished with tar and game. (91 pts.)

2000 Cálem Porto Vintage

**2000 Cálem Porto Vintage** (Portugal, Douro, Porto)** The nose had graphite and licorice, blackberry and black currant. The palate was very smooth, and had raisin, blackberry, pencil lead. (96 pts.)

N.V. Niepoort Porto 10 Year Old Tawny

**N.V. Niepoort Porto 10 Year Old Tawny (Portugal, Douro, Porto)** The nose had raisin, fig, caramel, and a little honey at the end. The palate was rich and had loads of raisin, caramel, and honey. (95 pts.)

2003 Roquette e Cazes Douro Xisto

**2003 Roquette e Cazes Douro Xisto (Portugal, Douro)** The nose had lots of mocha and tar, black currant, and spice. The palate was soft and smooth, with lots of cream. chocolate, and black fruit. (91 pts.)

2006 Quinta do Portal Douro Grande Reserva

**2006 Quinta do Portal Douro Grande Reserva (Portugal, Douro)** The nose had espresso, cream, blueberry, blackberry, spice. The palate was soft and rich, with chocolate, blackberry, spice, and oak. (92 pts.)

2006 Niepoort Douro Vertente

**2006 Niepoort Douro Vertente (Portugal, Douro)** The nose was very milky, and had blueberry, raspberry, vanilla, and a slight hint of spice. The palate was rich and creamy, and had raspberry, cherry, spice, and an oaky finish. (91 pts.)

2006 Alves de Sousa Douro Estação

**2006 Alves de Sousa Douro Estação (Portugal, Douro)** The nose had lavendar and raspberry, dirt, spice, and a touch of vanilla. The palate was a bit tannic, but it had good red berry fruit, floral notes, and a spicy finish. (86 pts.)

2007 Quinta do Casal Branco Ribatejo

**2007 Quinta do Casal Branco Ribatejo (Portugal, Ribatejano, Ribatejo)** The nose had raspberry and chocolate, with small; amounts of cherry and spice. The palate was soft and spicy, with lots of red fruit. It finished a little hot, but not enough to bother me. (88 pts.)

2007 Casa Santos Lima Alenquer Quinta de Bons Ventos

**2007 Casa Santos Lima Alenquer Quinta de Bons Ventos (Portugal, Estremadura, Alenquer)** The nose was very light, but had a lot of good aromas. It had strawberry, raspberry, and a little earthiness. It ended with a hint of spice. The palate was smooth and fruity, with a good attack of strawberry, a bit of spice, some raspberry, and a pleasant earthy finish. (87 pts.)

2007 Salcheto Rosso di Montepulciano

**2007 Salcheto Rosso di Montepulciano (Italy, Tuscany, Montepulciano, Rosso di Montepulciano)** The nose had raspberry, black currant, and spice. The palate was sweet and tannic, with raspberry and spice. (88 pts.)

2007 Mollydooker Shiraz Blue Eyed Boy

**2007 Mollydooker Shiraz Blue Eyed Boy (Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale)** The nose was more complex than I was expecting. There was blueberry, tobacco, cedar, raspberry, and some stone at the end. The palate was slightly sweet, and had blueberry, cedar, tobacco, and a spicy finish. (93 pts.)

2006 Vietti Barbera d'Alba Tre Vigne

**2006 Vietti Barbera d'Alba Tre Vigne (Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d'Alba)** The nose had black currant, tar, smoke, and toasted oak. The palate was soft, and had tar, smoke, black currant, and a slightly oaky finish. (89 pts.)

2002 Artadi Rioja Viñas de Gain

**2002 Artadi Rioja Viñas de Gain (Spain, La Rioja, Rioja)** The nose was fairly light, but I did get cherry, licorice, and raspberry. The palate was a bit tannic, and had raspberry, licorice, and a cherry finish. (88 pts.)

2005 Janzen Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

**2005 Janzen Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley)** The nose reminded me of an Australian fruit bomb. It had loads of blueberry and licorice. It also had cedar and sage. The palate was very rich, and had blueberry, spice, licorice, and a nice herbal finish. (90 pts.)

Roast Chicken with Herbed Mushrooms

Tonight I made [Roast Chicken with Herbed Mushrooms](http://www.foodnetwork.com/tylers-ultimate/ultimate-roast-chicken/index.html).

Here's the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 (3 pound) organic free-range chicken
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 red onion, quartered
- 1/2 lemon, cut into 4 pieces
- 1/2 head garlic, about 6 cloves, smashed
- 1 bunch fresh thyme
- 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1/2 lb. sliced bacon, cut in 1/2
- 3 lbs. whole cremini mushrooms, wiped clean with a damp towel


METHOD:

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season the cavity with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl combine the onion, lemon, garlic, half the thyme, and 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt and pepper and mix it well. Stuff the bird with the mixture. Using 2 (3-foot) pieces of kitchen twine, tie up the chicken: Tuck the wing tips between the wings and the body. Put the midpoint of the twine under the chicken, bring the ends up and around the wings, and pull them tight against the body. Bring the ends of the twine up underneath the legs, wrap the string around them, pull the legs together, and tie them tightly. Place the chicken, breast side up in a roasting pan, and layer the strips of bacon up breast until covered. Scatter over the remaining thyme, drizzle over some more olive oil and season everything with salt and pepper.

Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours; arrange the mushrooms around the chicken 45 minutes after roasting. Baste with the pan juices every 20 minutes. The chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (the legs should wiggle easily in their sockets.)

Remove the chicken from the pan, cover with foil, and let stand for 10 minutes to rest. Serve the chicken with the roasted mushrooms and pan juices.

2004 Château Lassègue

**2004 Château Lassègue (France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion)** A very fruity nose of currant, plum, and cherry, with undertones of leather, pepper, and mocha. The palate was very earthy, with pepper and dark fruit, leather, and a very good espresso finish. (91 pts.)

2007 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon

**2007 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley)** The nose is an explosion of chocolate and coffee. There was also a lot of berries - raspberry, blackberry, and currants. The palate was extremely smooth, with lots of chocolate and coffee. It also had dark berries, and an oaky finish. (93 pts.)

2006 Arietta Quartet

2006 Arietta Quartet (USA, California, Napa Valley)**** The nose had quite a bit of stone and flowers. It also had raspberry, blueberry, and cherry. The palate was a little too tannic, but it did have nice fruit, There was raspberry, blueberry, and cherry. It finished with a lot of minerality. (91 pts.)

2007 Lioco Pinot Noir Michaud

**2007 Lioco Pinot Noir Michaud (USA, California, Central Coast, Chalone)** The nose had dried rose petals, cherry, orange zest, and rhubarb. The palate was extremely smooth, and had rhubarb, cherry, and orange peel. It had a nice floral finish. (94 pts.)

2006 Mitolo Shiraz Reiver

**2006 Mitolo Shiraz Reiver (Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley)** The nose had blueberry and mushroom, leather, smoke, and a little pepper at the end. The palate was very rich, and slightly tannic. It had great fruit - blueberry, blackberry, and a bit of cherry. There was also toast, and earth, and it finished with a lot of pepper. (92 pts.)

2006 R Wines Grenache Chateau Chateau Chateau

**2006 R Wines Grenache Chateau Chateau Chateau (Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley)** The nose had cherry pie and currant, a little herbs, and some forest floor. The palate was very smooth. It had loads of blue fruit, earth, and a great herb finish. (91 pts.)

2005 Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon Estate

**2005 Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon Estate (USA, California, Napa Valley)** The nose had a lot of mocha and blackberry. It also had chocolate, and a bit of cherry at the end. The palate was big and tannic. I got cedar and blackberry, coffee, and a little cassis. It had a good cherry finish. (91 pts.)

2005 Spring Valley Vineyard Frederick

**(USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley)** The nose had a massive amount of black currant and graphite. I also got some floral notes and blackberry in the middle. The palate was slightly tannic. There was a bunch of black fruit, some floral notes, and a bit of pencil lead on the finish. (90 pts.)

2005 Woodinville Wine Cellars Ausonius

**2005 Woodinville Wine Cellars Ausonius (USA, Washington)** The nose had a plum and pepper mix that was rounded out by some dried herbs. The palate was pretty soft, and had currant, pepper, and spice. The finish had a very good plum flavor. (90 pts.)

Onglet Gascon

Tonight I made Onglet Gascon for dinner. If you have Anthony Bourdain's "Les Halles" Cookbook: Classic Bistro Cooking, the recipe is on pages 127 - 128 (Hardcover).

This recipe calls for bone marrow, one of God's great gifts to serious eaters. The easiest strategy here is to ask your butcher to put a nice fat leg bone of veal on a bandsaw and saw you off four 2- to 3-inch/5- 8-cm pieces. When you get home, soak the bones in cold water for a while and then, using your thumb, push the marrow through and out the other side of the bone. Hold in ice water until ready to use.

INGREDIENTS:

- 4 6 oz onglet steaks
- salt and freshly cracked peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- marrow from 4 beef bones
- 2 ounces white wine
- 1/2 cup strong, dark veal stock, (nice to have a little demi-glace here, too)
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- course sea salt
- 2 sprigs flat leaf parsley, chopped


METHOD:

COOK THE STEAK AND THE MARROW

Preheat the oven to 375ºF/190ºC. Season the steaks with salt and pepper. Put the oil in the sauté pan and heat over high heat. When hot, add 1 tablespoon/14 g of the butter. When it has foamed and subsided, add the steaks, working in batches, as you don't want to overcrowd (and hence cool down)the pan. Using the tongs, turn the steaks, cooking about 2 minutes on each side. Put the pan aside without washing it.

Transfer the steaks to the small roasting pan and add the bone marrow. Place in the oven and cook for 5 minutes (maybe 8 for medium rare). Remove the meat from the pan, but leave in the marrow for seven additional minutes, until it is cooked through - meaning no pink, white, or red color remains. Place the steaks on the plate to rest.

THE SAUCE

Return the sauté pan to the heat and stir in the wine with the wooden spoon. You know this by now, right? Or did you just jump to this recipe? Okay. Fine. Make sure to scrape up the nice brown stuff with the spoon as you deglaze with the wine. Reduce the wine by half. stir in your stock (and now's the time to sneak in a little of our demi-glace stash). Reduce by half. Got any juices leaking out of your resting meat? I'll bet you do. Put that in the sauce, too. Whisk in the remaining butter (that's called monter au beurre if you wanted to know) and remove from heat. Off the heat, whisk in the mustard and adjust the seasonings.

SERVE

Arrange the meat on the platter with the marrow around it. Spoon the mustard sauce over the steaks. Sprinkle the sea salt over the marrow. Sprinkle the parsley over everything.

2008 Terra Andina Carménère

**2008 Terra Andina Carménère (Chile, Central Valley)** A nice mix of black currant and dirt on the nose, plus a little cedar and pepper thrown in. The palate was a bit tannic and green, probably because the wine is so young, but it did have nice fruit and earthiness, which I liked. It also had a tasty pepper finish. (86 pts.)

2005 Cave Vinicole de Hunawihr Riesling Secret Valley

**2005 Cave Vinicole de Hunawihr Riesling Secret Valley (France, Alsace, Alsace AOC)** The nose had a good citrus aroma that was pretty evenly split between orange and lemon. There was also some crushed rocks in the middle, and a faint pie spice smell at the end. The palate was extremely fruity, with the orange flavors a little more dominate than the lemon. It finished with a very chalky stone taste. Crisp and tart, it was a fairly decent drink. (88 pts.)

2005 Rusden Shiraz Black Guts

**2005 Rusden Shiraz Black Guts (Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley)** The nose was loaded with wild game and bacon, smoke, and a little blueberry at the end. The palate was over the top and extremely extracted. It had a ton of blueberry and a small amount of smoke, stone, and game. (91 pts.)

2006 Premiere Napa Valley Bonded Winery #9 Ghost Block Cabernet Sauvignon

**2006 Premiere Napa Valley Bonded Winery #9 Ghost Block Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville)** The nose had mocha upfront along with chocolate covered cherries. There was also blackberries and spice, and some dried rose petals at the end. The palate was very over the top. It had extracted blackberry, mocha, and cherry flavors. It finished with spicy toffee. (92 pts.)

2007 Tait The Ball Buster

**2007 Tait The Ball Buster (Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley)** The nose was mainly leather and cedar, with small amounts of blueberry and pepper thrown in. the palate was a lot smoother than I was expecting, with loads of blueberry, leather and spice, and a finish of cedar and pepper. (90 pts.)

2006 Cameron Hughes Zinfandel Lot 88

**2006 Cameron Hughes Zinfandel Lot 88 (USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Amador County)** The nose was dusty and brambly, with pepper, sweet red raspberry and blackberry. The palate was smooth and spicy, with the same sweet raspberry and blackberry. It finished with forest floor flavors. (90 pts.)

2005 Familia Zuccardi Tempranillo Q

**2005 Familia Zuccardi Tempranillo Q (Argentina, Mendoza, Santa Rosa)** The nose had a whole bunch of milk chocolate, a little leather, and a mix of various red berries. The palate had some sweetness to it. It started with blackberry and plum, and then moved to leather and tobacco. It finished with a chili infused chocolate flavor. (91 pts.)

2004 Bodegas LAN Rioja Reserva

**2004 Bodegas LAN Rioja Reserva (Spain, La Rioja, Rioja)** The nose started with a lot of tar and smoke. Underneath that was licorice, and a small amount of floral aromas. There was a little plum at the end. The palate was very juicy, was strong flavors of smoke mixed with plum. The finish had floral notes and licorice. (90 pts.)

2007 Columbia Crest Chardonnay H3

**2007 Columbia Crest Chardonnay H3 (USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Horse Heaven Hills)** The nose started with a spicy pear aroma. It had creamy undertones, and a little citrus on the back-end. The palate was very explosive, and had loads of citrus, pear, and cream, and an incredibly spicy finish. (90 pts.)