GSM a STELLAR RED BLEND

Becky Stahley

My mission is to inspire you to make wine a part of your daily life.  To accomplish this I want to expose you to new wines and deconstruct the complexity of wine.  I hope you learn something new along the way.







 Grenache Syrah Mourvedre

We discussed Syrah in my first post but I wanted to follow up with a bit more wine education with the other two varietals in this blend.

Grenache: This grape ripens late so it needs hot, dry conditions.  This grape is typically found in Spain, south of France, and California.  It is typically used as a blending grape and is spicy, berry flavored with a high alcohol content.

Mourvedre:  This grape prefers hot sun but adequate irrigation.  The typical region for the grape is Spain, France, California, and Washington State.  It is also used as a blending grape and may have flavors of wild game, earthy notes, and red fruit flavors.

While I can not find any of these blends in the $8 - $13.00 range, I do have a few recommendations for this wine.

Linne Calado

Paso Robles, California is coming on strong with the GSM blend.
Check out GSM wines from some of my favorite wineries:

Tablas Creek ( A French wine maker who came to Paso Robles)
Tolo ( small boutique winery)
Linne Calado (reservations required for visiting)

Southern Rhone Valley also boasts excellent GSM blends.






Food Pairings would be identical to the Syrah suggestions.
Here is a comfort food recipe to try out, just in time for fall.
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Sweet Potato Chili

 Sweet Potato Chili:

Ingredients:
2 Tbs olive oil
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
salt and pepper to taste
1 large sweet onion
1 large red bell pepper
3 garlic cloves
2 Tbs tomato paste
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tsp each ground cumin and dried oregano
2 cans diced tomatoes with juice (14oz)
1 lbs dried red beans, soaked overnight
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped in 1/4" pieces
2 cups beef broth
2 cups water

Instructions:

In dutch oven warm oil and add ground turkey and stir until browned, season with salt and pepper
Add chopped onion, red pepper, garlic and stir until softened about 5 minutes
Add tomato paste, cumin and oregano and stir 1-2 minutes
Add tomatoes, beans, sweet potatoes, stock and water and bring to simmer
Transfer to slow cooker and cover and  cook on high 4 hours or continue cooking in dutch oven on high heat for at least one hour or until beans are cooked.
Garnish with green onion, shredded cheddar cheese.
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Mid Month Red Wine Finds:

Worth an extra splurge for the weekend

Michele Chiarlo Barbera d'Asti
#47 Top 100 Wines 2012, 90 Points Wine Spectator
$15.99 (BevMo)

3 Rings Shiraz

3 Rings Shiraz
Barossa Valley, Australia
91 Points, Editors Choice, Wine Enthusiast
$11.97 (BevMo)


Columbia Crest H3 Chevaux Red
90 Points Wine Spectator
$11.99 (BevMo)

Shoofly Shiraz '10
90 Points Wine Spectator
$9.99 (BevMo)

Peirano Estate Immortal Zinfandel '11
91 Points Beverage Taste Institute
$9.99 (BevMo)


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Mid Month White Wine Finds:

Bex Riesling '10
90 Points Tasting Panel Magazine
$8.99 (BevMo)

Peirano Estates Chardonnay '11
90 Points, Best Buy Beverage Institute
$8.37 (BevMo)

Luisi Moscato d'Asti '12
92 Points Wilford Wong
$19.00 for 2 bottles (BevMo)

Stateland Cellars Chardonnay '12
93 Points Wilford Wong
$20.00 for 2 bottles (BevMo)

Crios Torrontes '11
90 Points Wine Advocate
$12.99 (BevMo)
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