Cheap Red Wine

The title of this post should probably be Inexpensive Red Wine, but we'll go with cheap because the price is.  The wine, Famille Perrin Cotes du Rhone Reserve from the 2013 vintage, is good.  There is a dark purple color to the body of the wine with electric purple edges.  It's young, but it's good.  It's fragrant with fruit and would and spicy with enough tannin to give it some kick.  Pour it, drink it, and don't think about it.  $10 and 13.5% alcohol. 

Red Grass

There is always something new blooming when the resident canine and I walk at the tall grass prairie a few miles from home.  It's both a remnant and a restoration of what was here before the farmers arrived 200+ years ago. 

We were there very early yesterday morning as the sun was coming through a stand of trees and highlighting this stalk of native grass.  The red part looks like Indian grass, but the broad leaf doesn't match what the rest of the plant should look like. I will leave the description as red grass and do some more research.  The other blooms are yellow cone flowers.

The prairie is full of rabbits and it keeps the dog busy stalking them.

Veal

I was at the market a few days ago and there were some good looking veal chops in the butcher case.  In this area one has to look hard to find veal so I brought home two that were one inch thick.  The result is pictured above.  The chops were marinated in lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, garlic, chopped fresh rosemary and red pepper flakes.  They were grilled over hardwood charcoal and finished with a little chopped parsley and orange zest.  Add in a local tomato and two orange slices with tarragon and it was a meal worth repeating.

For the wine we opted for the last bottle of 2012 Kinkead Ridge Ohio Valley Riesling.  It was tart and dry but with some hints of sweetness at the very end.  Good match and a fitting meal for that last bottle of any vintage for that particular wine.  The vineyard is no more.

New York Rose'

I bought this several weeks ago and drank it with friends before the problems began.  It is a Wagner Vineyards Rose of Cabernet Franc from New York's Finger Lakes district.  Bright, cherry flavors and tart acidity on the first sip gave way to just a hint of sweetness in the mid palate.  The wine finished dry and crisp.  Not the best rose' I've had this spring and summer but it's also one that I would be happy to drink again.  Simple and delicious.

With some pulled pork sandwiches it made for a great picnic. 

2015 Wagner Vineyards Rose of Cabernet Franc.  11% alcohol and $14.

Hello Again

My apologies for my absence lately in this little corner of the internet.  There was a sudden and unexpected death in the family and that left little time for anything other than getting a lot of affairs in order.  Those chores are mostly done.

To celebrate the resident canine and I took a long walk on an unseasonably cool morning along the Great Miami River yesterday.  The first hour we had the place to ourselves and that was rejuvenating for both of us.

There's been some wine and a few good meals in the interim and I'm sure those will start appearing here soon.

The Last Day of June

The Great Miami River

“The beauty of that June day was almost staggering. After the wet spring, everything that could turn green had outdone itself in greenness and everything that could even dream of blooming or blossoming was in bloom and blossom. The sunlight was a benediction. The breezes were so caressingly soft and intimate on the skin as to be embarrassing.” ―Dan Simmons, Drood