30 Days of Local Wine

Sprucewood Shores Estate Winery, 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

Just as a side note, for some reason this post didn’t go out yesterday (Dec. 11, 2010) like it should have. So here it is now, a day late, but still a great wine.

The Cabernet Sauvignon from Sprucewood Shores Estate Winery is a full-bodied, full-flavored and absolutely sensational red sure to be loved by the big red wine drinker. The wine’s body is complemented with hints of blueberry and the bold tannins make this a perfect meat pairing. Expect aromas of chocolate and bold blueberry. This pairs perfectly with your favorite cut of peppercorn steak or a treat of decadent chocolate. Enjoy tonight, or as it ages well over the next two years!

“Special occassions deserve a good wine like this,” says Gary Killops of Essex Wine Review. “This wine has some good cellaring potential, and I actually believe it will be even better once the tannins have had time to soften. Yes, you can drink this one now, but if you can hold off for a few years I think you will be rewarded with a much better tasting wine.”

Try this wine with the recipe below for a perfect pairing:

Blue Cheese & Bacon Steaks

Ingredients

  • 2 (8 ounce) beef rib-eye steaks, cut 3/4 inch thick
  • 1 teaspoon steak seasoning
  • 3 thick slices bacon
  • 2 teaspoons butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
  • 8 ounces small mushrooms, quartered
  • 2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese

Directions

  1. Prepare an outdoor grill using charcoal briquettes stacked 2 to 3 deep. Season the steaks on both sides with steak seasoning.
  2. While the charcoal heats up, fry the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove from the skillet and drain on paper towels. Leave grease in the pan.
  3. When the charcoal is covered with gray ashes, put the steaks on the grill. Cook for 12 minutes, turning once, or to your desired degree of doneness. (Yes, I believe we just created that word.)
  4. While the steaks are cooking, stir the butter, Worcestershire sauce and mustard into the bacon grease. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until butter has melted. Add the red bell pepper and mushrooms; cook and stir until tender.
  5. To serve, place steaks onto plates. Top with bacon, then blue cheese and then the vegetables. Serve immediately.