THE WINE-O-FILE

September 2009

The Monthly Newsletter from Four Corners

HOT OFF THE VINE...

Soft sweet sibilant susurrations sound so sensuous as autumnal airs allegorically and alliteratively allow anticipation of fall's appearance- That is to say, it was breezy this morning, and I drove to work with the windows down, thoughts fixated on the world of wine, and, more specifically, wine and eggplant.

Why, discerning minds may hasten to inquire, eggplant? Simple- in the fullness of time, that which we sow we reap- and this year at my house we reap eggplant, and plenty of it, so it looms large on the menu. Fortunately, eggplant is a staple in many cultures and their cuisines. Hereinafter are a few serving suggestions(not really recipes- you're on your own there):

Lots of people (I'm one) like Eggplant Parmagiano - As with any tomato sauce dish, look for a softer Red wine- Nero d'Avola, Primitivo, Salice Salentino - or, if you'd prefer New World wines, a Calif. Zinfandel or Aussie Shiraz.

Many Middle Eastern dishes cook the eggplant thoroughly and reduce it to a paste, spiced subtlety and served barely warm- I like white wines with these dishes- I'm swimming a bit against the tide on this, but what cares I for praise. The specific wine I'll leave to you, but, since these dishes tend not to be acidic, crisp, bright whites-NZ Sauvignon blancs, Spanish Albarinos, Argentinian Torrontes -all these fill the bill.

I've got a tendency to mix up too much olive oil and olive paste with my eggplant, and to force it on guests cold. When I do, I make them drink Rosé- Something from the South of France(Les Jamelles Cinsault, Guiot's Costieres,etc.) or perhaps on of the great Spanish Rosés (Valleclaro [Prieto Picudo-what a grape!], or Katas-all Tempranillo and all good).

Another manifestation of eggplantosity (I made that up) is to just dredge slices through olive oil and grill'em (or bake 'em) 'til they're crisp- big slices I wedge- and use them as scoops for Hummus and stuff like that- oddly enough, I've found a great affinity for Bordeaux with this serving- Look for St Emilions , or other Merlot-based offerings, or, if you prefer, perhaps a Malbec from Argentina or a Spanish Garnacha. I could go on, but now I'm hungry, so I'll leave the rest to your fertile imagination- If there's something I oughta know, email me- I've still got plenty of Purple(and white, actually) in the garden.

CELLAR NOTES...

Not yet time for the big buy-ins of new Fall wines, so, in truth, there's not a lot of new news(a phrase brought to you by the Department of the Office of the Bureau of Redundancy Department)- I think I mentioned last month that the MollyDookers are in - same prices as last year, and some serious Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate scores. We're still well-stocked on Rosés, but we won't replenish them, so if you want 'em come and get 'em.

I should point out that we've greatly expanded our "6 for $50" section, partly because we're able to wheedle our suppliers a little bit since it's slow this time of year. The big hitters in that section? Monte degli Angeli Sangiovese, Laforge Pinot noir, and the Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon blanc. Let me reiterate our pledge that there are no clunkers in the "6 for $50s"- they're wines we ordinarily sell at $11-$15 which get in the store on their merits- we taste them, argue about which ones fit, and put 'em out for sale- if we can wangle a deal, we'll offer them in the "6 for $50" for as long as we can get it.

WINE-O-FILE DATEBOOK...

October 2, 2009
Living Classrooms Foundation - Maritime Magic

www.LivingClassrooms.org>>

November 14, 2009
Hunt Valley Rotary Club - International Wine Tasting Event

www.HuntValleyRotary.com>>

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