Bordeaux- the name evokes status and maybe Old World class. The region rests on the 45th parallel and the prime meridian. This, being spring, could be the perfect time to enjoy soft, elegant reds and crisp, vibrant whites. Exchange rates are not so good, but genuine values still exist.
The Bordeaux Wine Bureau has announced "Today's Bordeaux", a list of 100 classic, contemporary, affordable wines. The list of 100 wines offers cool whites, balanced reds, and even a sweet wine, all priced between $8 and $25. "Today's Bordeaux's 100" wines are readily available across the country and offer value and a wine that fits perfectly on the American table, with balance and finesse.
Pick up one of these 18 crisp Sauvignon Blanc blends:
2004 St. Savin, Bordeaux, $8.99
2004 Mouton Cadet Blanc, Bordeaux, $8.99
2006 Dourthe Barrel Select, Bordeaux, $9.99
2005 Premius Sauvignon Blanc, Bordeaux, $10.00
2005 La Vigne d'Argent, Bordeaux, $10.00
2006 Château Bonnet, Entre Deux Mers, $11.00
2006 Château Lamothe de Haux, Bordeaux, $11.99
2005 Mascaron, Bordeaux, $11.99
2005 Château Jacquet Cuvée Prestige Entre Deux Mers, $12.00
2005 Dourthe No 1, Bordeaux, $12.99
2005 Château Sansey, Graves, $13.00
2005 Château Ducla, Entre Deux Mers, $13.00
2005 Château Tour de Mirambeau, Bordeaux, $14.99
2005 Vieux Château Gaubert, Graves, $16.99
2005 Château Chantegrive, Graves, $17.00
2004 Chateau Villa Bel-Air, Graves: $21.00
A good shopkeeper can find other value priced Bordeaux wines, given the chance.
If grilling some burgers, open one of the 83 balanced versatile Cabernet/Merlot blends offered on the website list. Or pair the sweet white wine Castelnau de Suduiraut from Sauternes ($18.99) with a bowl of fresh fruit on a spring day. Visit www.bordeauxwinebureau.org to view the "Today's Bordeaux" list.
Grills gone wild
Are you still making grilling mistakes? Tom Perini, a cook for current Presidents and Kings (as in the King Ranch), based at the Perini Ranch Steakhouse in Buffalo Gap, Texas (ten miles South of Abilene) has a few secrets.
First, too many amateurs come in below the heat radar. Inflame your coals or wood chips (his favorite, dried Mesquite) then let the fire subside. "Hold your hand one inch above the grill", says Perini. "If you can keep your hand there for three seconds, the grill is not hot enough."
His biggest secret is the herbal rub applied to, in this case, a sirloin steak. Combine one tsp. (teaspoon) dried oregano, one tsp. dried thyme, one tsp. paprika, one tsp. salt, half a tsp. garlic powder, half a tsp. onion powder, half a tsp. white pepper, half a tsp. black pepper, and a quarter tsp. ground red pepper. Combine the ingredients and then rub this upon the surface of the meat before grilling. Serve with grilled peppers and seared green onion.
"Once you have the proper heat, you must factor in hangover heat," adds Perini, referring to the other end of the heat spectrum, "Meat keeps cooking after removal from the grill. Take the steak off a couple of minutes before you think that it looks done." Otherwise, you are just serving leather.
For further culinary success, serve this sizzlin' sirloin with Fess Parker Winery's Syrah, Santa Barbara ($18-20), or their complex, blackberry laced "Rodney's Vineyard" ($38-40). The coonskin cap is, of course, optional.
