Uh, no. I don't think so. I was excited about this wine too, and eager to introduce it to my friends Pete and Jen who had invited me for dinner last night. On my way over, I stopped at our local wine shop and noticed a bottle of Westport Winery's Reserve blend of Cabernet and Merlot. I knew we were having Prime Rib, and was after either Merlot or Cab, so this fit the bill perfectly. Plus, I went to a wine dinner/cooking demonstration just last Saturday featuring wine and food from Westport Winery, which is one of Massachusett's only wineries. Wine is not exactly something we're known for here, so my expectations were low. But, I was pleasantly surprised by how good the wine was at the tasting, especially the chardonnay and champagnes. The 'reddest' wine we had there was a Rose, so I hadn't had this one before, but figured it had to be good, it was a reserve. And, even better, it was on sale, marked down from $17 to $13.50. Right next to it, also on sale, was an old favorite of mine, Columbia Crest, also a cab/merlot blend, and only $6.50. I thought it might be fun to compare the two, figuring the Westport Reserve would blow the Columbia Crest away. Well, let's just say it's a good thing I brought both bottles.
Pete and I took the first sips. I leaned in and sniffed in anticipation, expecting something delicious. Instead, I got olives. Yes, earthy olives. Now, don't get me wrong, I actually love olives. I'm just not used to finding them in my wine. So, then I tasted slowly, a careful, small sip. I was afraid. With reason. Pete and I looked at each other.
"Does this taste funky to you?" I asked.
"It's a little off, not bad, just different."
He tasted olives too. But, the wine wasn't vinegary like it would be if it was really off and bad. But then he noticed something.
"Wow, this wine is old. It's a 1995."
Oh. I hadn't even noticed the year. I'm sure that had a lot to do with the wine being 'off''. However, as it sat out, and 'breathed', the olive flavor settled down, and smoothed out a bit. I still declined seconds, but Pete and Jen happily finished it off, and Jen thought it was fine to begin with, so go figure.
But, we all agreed that the cheap little Columbia Crest, was far better.
So, onto food....here's a super easy, and oh so impressive appetizer that comes together in less than 20 minutes! You assemble it quickly, pop it in the oven, and serve it ten minutes later. And it will look like you slaved over it. My favorite type of dish...
This one is an adapted from a very fun cookbook that I gave, and received this Christmas, The Best Recipes 2004. It's a collection of favorite recipes from a variety of sources, other cookbooks, online, even Whole Foods, which is where this one originated.
1 package puff pastry, flat sheet
fig spread
fresh thyme
goat cheese
proscuitto
Check instructions on puff pastry box for baking, and set oven accordingly, I believe we used 350 degrees.
Unroll puff pastry, spread a thin layer of fig spread across top. Now the fig spread is not a jam or jelly, but rather a spread, and Whole Foods carries it, and I just recently discovered another brand, Dalmatia, at my local Stop and Shop, in the cheese and deli section. Drop small chunks of goat cheese over the top. Use as much or as little as you like. Then sprinkle chopped proscuitto over that. I used 5 slices, chopped fine. Finish with a dusting of fresh thyme, again as much or little as you like. I used two sprigs.
Bake according to package directions, then slice into wedges and enjoy. The end result is like a savory pastry, that people look at with curiosity and a touch of suspicion. Until they take a bite, then there's smiles all around, and within minutes, every piece disappears.
Enjoy!
Comments