Casillero del Diablo Carmenére 2010 Versus Primus Blend 2008
What a fun night!
My husband is definitely enjoying being my guinea pig! Okay, so let’s cut to the chase. I tasted both wines without food and
both wines with food. I have to be
honest by telling you that I did not expect to like the Carmenére. I was wrong. Without food, the Carmenére was fruit forward and tasted
of cherries and raspberries.
The flavors were fresh and bright, not jammy, and with a nice amount of
acidity. I liked the fruit and
could see it pairing nicely with our meal but it is not the kind of wine I
would open if a friend stopped by for a glass or two. This wine begs for food!
The Primus was what you would expect out of a blend. It was much bigger and smoother in the
mouth. It was still fruit forward
but without the acidity. It was
delicious: perfect to drink on its own.
Adam (who is a big cab guy) really liked this wine and definitely
preferred it to the Carmenére.
Evan Goldstein, a master sommelier and the author of Daring
Pairings really nailed it with his pairing recommendations for Carmenére. The Rack of lamb with Rosemary and Garlic
(meat with herbs) was a huge hit, as were the brussel sprouts braised with bacon
(smoked foods). The salmon, on the
other hand, was a bomb. The
preparation was too simple and it just didn’t hold up to the wines. The roasted Carrots and Parsnips were absolutely delicious but didn’t work either because they were too sweet for the
wines. A savory mashed
potato would have been a better choice.
The Perfect Menu for a Carmenére
- Rack of Lamb with Rosemary and Garlic
- Brussel Sprouts braised with Bacon
- Mashed Potatoes or a Potato Celeriac Purée
Adam and I both agreed that the Castillero del Diablo Carmenére was
the winning wine with this meal.
The acidity of the wine contrasted perfectly with the fattiness of the
lamb. The fruitiness of the
sprouts and the smokiness of the bacon coaxed out even more of the fruit and
smoke flavors in the wine. It really
was the perfect pairing and at $11 a bottle, you can’t go wrong. The Primus on
the other hand was just too much.
It made the meal seem heavier and richer than it was OR could it be that the Castillero del Diablo made the meal seem lighter than it was! Don’t get me wrong, I would still serve
the primus again but with a different menu, a cheese plate or just on its
own. The Primus retails for $18 a
bottle.
RECIPES
BRUSSEL SPROUTS
BRAISED WITH BACON (serves three)
1 pound brussel sprouts, halved
1/3 cup chopped bacon
1 shallot, diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 ½-2 cups of chicken stock
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Salt & pepper
In a large pan over medium heat, add bacon and cook until
the fat renders for 2-3 minutes.
Add the shallot and crushed garlic clove and cook for an additional 2-3
minutes. Add the brussel sprouts
and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the
thyme and the chicken stock until the stock covers half of the brussel
sprouts. Bring to a boil then
cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the sprouts are just about fork
tender. Remove cover and turn heat
to high. Add the vinegar and
reduce the cooking liquid until there are just a few tablespoons left in the
bottom of the pan. Season with
salt and pepper.
RACK OF LAMB WITH
ROSEMARY AND GARLIC (serves 3)
1 rack of lamb
3 tablespoons of garlic flavored olive oil
3 teaspoons chopped rosemary
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
Salt & Pepper
Make the garlic flavored olive oil by placing 1/3-1/2 cup of
olive oil in a small Pyrex glass bowl.
Add two crushed cloves of garlic and place in the microwave for 25
seconds. You can use the leftover oil all week to
sauté veggies in or to roast fish and meats with.
Combine 3 tablespoons of the garlic oil with the rosemary, thyme and salt & pepper. Rub the herb/oil mixture all over rack of lamb and place on a
baking sheet. Cover with saran
wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Remove lamb from refrigerator 2 hours before cooking time so
the meat can come to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Bake lamb for 25- 30 minutes. Remove from oven, tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice chops between the bones and serve
2-3 chops per person.
