Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Report from … Wines of Brazil Lunch and Tasting – September 27, 2010

You love their wax (or what it does), now you can love their wines (and what they does).  Three years ago on these very pages I told you about Brazilian wine – while I attempted to write eloquently about their fermented grape product I can honestly say that for the most part the wine was barely passable and many of them were cooked – don’t get me wrong, some were very good, but the majority were not (I wrote about 8 wines out of a possible 40-50).

Fast forward some three years later and it has made a world of difference – the wines not only taste and smell like real wine they’re actually pretty good across the board; instead of being hit and miss they are more hit than miss, especially when it comes to sparkling wine and big red blends.

Today, I find myself at Caju Restaurant (922 Queen Street West) where a lunch and pairing are being presented.  Appetizers include Cassava cheese bread (mini bread rolls with baked in cheese – they kinda look like they have nipples – see picture below) and an organic mixed green salad with dried berries, roasted pumpkin seeds, and passion fruit dressing.  

Choice of entrée was chicken, halibut, or beef … folks, this is a Brazilian tasting so the only way to go was beef (grilled striploin steak, cassava chips, collard greens, farofa, pepper vinaigrette), you’d be a fool to get something else, especially when trying to match up with these big, bold reds … halibut and Tannat just doesn’t pair well – I assume.

Dessert was a dark chocolate fondant with a delicious Moscato doppelganger.

Wines of Note …
Santo Emilio 2009 Sparkling Stellato (3.5 stars)
Salton NV Sparkling Brut Reserva Ouro (4 stars)
Don Guerino 2010 Sparkling Moscatel (4 stars)
Lidio Carraro 2005 Grande Vindima Quorum – a Cab Sauv / Merlot / Cab Franc / Tannat blend (4 stars)

Read the rest of my comments and wine selections in the February 2011 edition of Tidings Magazine.

 

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