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WINE

Various wines go well with rabbit

April 4, 2016

This comes a bit late for Easter, I know. Sally wrote to ask which wine paired well with rabbit. I love a wisecracker, so here are my suggestions. Rabbit is like chicken. It has many recipes that complement. So, Sally, if you like it stewed with apricots and cabernet, try a bottle of Decoy (second label of Duckhorn) Sonoma Cab 2012, 82 percent Cabernet, with 10 percent Merlot, 6 percent Cab Franc and 2 percent Petit Verdot. Dark purple-colored with dark berry fruit and pumpkin pie spice aromas. The palate shows raspberry and black cherry with hints of dark chocolate. The solid integrated tannins provide structural support for a delightful fruit/acid balance. Persistent finish is clean and repeats the fruit notes. Buy under $20 for McD 89 points. If you were a President Obama supporter, who prefers Mexican rabbits, probably a Shiraz would be best. As you can imagine, Mexican rabbit is spicy and wet. It has many very flavorful ingredients such as corn, cumin, chilies, peppercorns, garlic, tomato, corn meal and rosemary. Try a $9 bottle of Jam Jar 2012 from South Africa. A fruit-forward red wine with the juicy, jammy flavors of crushed blackberries, strawberries and raspberries swirled with chocolate nuance. These are approachable now. They truly complement molé and chocolate desserts like Mexican chocolate cake. Sally, I served my Easter rabbit with chocolate eggs, jelly beans and peeps nestled in Easter grass in a gaily colored basket. While I’m on it, one great joy in my life was the Easter egg hunt Barbara put on for our kids and extended family. Last year we had one for the grownup kids, significant others and pals. I think they had an even better time as grownups, only not so wide-eyed.

Mulderbosch provided a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc 2014 for review and I’m delighted they did. This SB is an 88-point lovely with an excellent QPR priced under $15. I have seen them for $173/case, add 1 price point.

Pale green-tinged, golden color leads to an aromatic bouquet of figs, grapefruit and lime with a nice flowery nuance and flint notes. The nicely balanced palate shows quince, more fig and grapefruit. The finish is long and clean and supported with firm mineral aftertaste.

Here are two aperitif wines that are wonderful to sip and discuss: Domaine du Tariquet Cotes de Gascon Classic White and LaQuintinye Vermouth Royal Extra Dry. The Classic White is from Gascony, home to D’Artagnan, a real historical person who was stylized by Alexandre Dumas when he was writing of the Three Musketeers. These are blended of Ugni Blanc, 45 percent and Columbard 35 percent, with 10 percent each of SB and Gros Manseng. Bring in a case for about $100, for those lazy, hazy days of summer and drink them cold, 88 points, 1 price point. Gascony is noted for its Armagnac, and these are the varietal wines that are processed to make it. Classic White is very bright and crisp, redolent of apples, pears, citrus and sage. The Manseng adds honey notes. One item of note, Domaine Tariquet is the largest family owned (since 1912) white wine estate in one appellation. All the juice comes from grapes grown on the estate.

La Quintinye Vermouth Royal comes from Charente. These are fortified wines made by mixing fresh grape juice with cognac to produce Pineau des Charentes, then steeping it with a combination of selected botanicals and spices. Although the exact composition of them is not divulged, it is known that wormwood, angelica, orris root, ginger, licorice, nutmeg, cinnamon, quinine bark, bitter orange and quassia amara are in the blend. Some 27 ingredients are used for the Extra Dry. It is lovely golden-colored, and the aromatics are mostly floral, some thyme and lavender, with spicy nuance of anise wafted by the alcohol (17 percent or 34 proof). On the crisp palate, bright acidity, and the bark and root flavors come into play with a clean citrus finish. This vermouth makes a great Brooklyn or Americano but is also a wonderful aperitif; $25 brings 87 McD points. BTW, the Americano calls for Sweet Vermouth or Campari but I prefer The Royal Blanc or the Exra Dry.


Email John McDonald at chjonmc@yahoo.com.

 

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