A New Vintner for #WinePW

I received this lovely bottle of wine as a hostess gift this Christmas season. I had never heard of this Argentinian Vintner but I am a huge Cabernet Sauvignon fan so I was anxious to try it.

A google search shows that this winery is located in the Maipu section of Mendoza which is the largest wine growing region in Argentina.

Wine Searcher gives this particular wine an 88 scoring based on a score of 91 by James Suckling and 84 from Wine Enthusiast.  Median cost of the bottle in the US is $12.

I think for a very reasonably priced bottle of Cabernet, I agree whole heartedly with James Suckling who considers it an outstanding value.

It is much milder than the California Cabernets that I normally drink.  More reminiscent of the French Wines that I have been exploring and enjoying.  I will definitely be serving up this wine again in the future and would have no qualms about giving it as a hostess gift.

I served this wine with a Spice Crusted Standing Rib Roast that I served my family at a gathering the Sunday following Christmas.  I was busy entertaining and enjoying my time with my kids and didn't take many photos of the roast but it was delicious and I am happy to share the recipe with you. The wine paired very well with the roast and was enjoyed by those of us who love wine.

Spice Crusted Rib Roast

adapted from Cuisine at Home Issue #102

1/2 c. Dijon Mustard

1 T. minced garlic

1 t. kosher salt

1 t. freshly ground pepper

1 t. ground coriander

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. allspice

1/2 t. cumin

1/4 t. ground cloves

1 (4 bone) rib roast, 8-10 lbs. (I have the butcher remove the roast from the bones and retie it onto the bones for roasting

Preheat oven to 450* with rack on bottom 1/3 of oven.  Allow roast to come to room temperature. Combine the mustard with the spices and set aside.  Place the roast in a shallow pan, bone side down and roast for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and reduce heat to 325*.  Rub the roast all over with the mustard mixture, reserving 1 T. for the marinade. Place roast back in oven and continue baking until and instant read thermometer reads 125* for medium rare. This should take about 2-3 hrs. Remove to a cutting board and tent with foil allowing to rest for 30 minutes.

For Sauce:

3 c. red wine, divided

3 T. butter

1 T. tomato paste

1 T. reserved mustard rub

1 pkg. Demi glace powder

Discard drippings from roaster, leaving the brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.  Place the roaster over a burner set to med-high heat and allow the bits to dry for a minute.  Add 1 c. of the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up the bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.  Whisk in the tomato paste, reserved rub and demi glace powder.  Add the remaining two cups of red wine and bring to a boil until reduced in half.  Strain into a clean sauce pan, discarding any solids.  Whisk in the butter until thick and glossy.  Serve alongside the roast.  Print Recipe

Here's what the #WinePW Bloggers poured...
These are listed alphabetically by post title and I'm excited to see new vintners, new countries, and wines from Turkey, Croatia, and even Lebanon.

• A New Vintner for #WinePW by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Exploring English Sparkling Wine by Confessions of a Culinary Diva
• Something New for #winePW: Faire la Fête + Dinner to Go by Pull That Cork
• It's Time to Wine Something New by Dracaena Wines
• Lubyee Bi Lahmi + Château Musar Jeune by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Middle Eastern Chicken Orzo and Croatian Wine by Cooking Chat
• Out with the Old, In with the New by Rockin Red Blog
• Wine and Dine: Turkish Wines and Zucchini Patties with Feta by Grape Experiences

Join our live Twitter chat on Saturday, January 9, from 11 a.m. to noon, Eastern Time. Just tune into the hashtag #winePW. If you’ve come to us after January 9, consider joining us for #winePW on February 13, focused on a Valentine's Day theme, hosted by Christy at Confessions of a Culinary Diva. You can get a full listing of past and upcoming Wine Pairing Weekend events here.