30 Days of Local Wine

2007 Mastronardi Estate Winery, Cabernet Sauvignon VQA

Winner of multiple awards, the spectacular 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon VQA from Mastronardi Estate Winery has aromas of sweet, smoky raspberries and dark chocolate truffles. Flavours of black currents and roasted vanilla coffee bean dance along the palate. The well structured tannins will ensure graceful aging.

This Cab. Sauv. has a sugar code of 0 and can cellar for 7-10 years. It retails for $18.00 a bottle.

“I like this wine and do expect that the tannins will allow it to age well and it will get better after a few years in the cellar” says Gary Killops of the Essex Wine Review who also deserves credit for the photo on the left. “Certianly not a sipping wine, needs to be paired with beef.”

He also says it has a “good balance,with enough acidity to make it interesting.”

This wine is perfect paired with roasted leg of lamb, prime rib and sharp cheeses.

Chef Scott Edmunds of Centro has provided WindsorEats with this recipe that includes this wine:

Roasted Prime Rib of Beef with a Pink and Green Peppercorn Crust.

Ingredients

  • a 4-rib standing rib roast (about 7 1/2 to 8 pounds trimmed)

For crust

  • 2 teaspoons whole allspice berries, crushed
  • 3 tablespoons pink peppercorns, crushed lightly
  • 3 tablespoons freeze-dried green peppercorns, crushed lightly
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

For sauce

  • 2/3 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
  • 2 cups low-salt beef broth
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Garnish: rosemary sprigs

Preparation
Let rib roast stand at room temperature 1 hour. Preheat oven to 500°F.

Make crust:
In a small bowl combine crust ingredients, stirring to form a paste. Pat beef dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a roasting pan roast beef, ribs side down, 30 minutes. Transfer beef to a platter and discard remaining drippings.

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Return beef to roasting pan, ribs side down, and spread with peppercorn paste. Roast beef 1 to 1 1/4 hours more, or until a meat thermometer inserted in fleshy section registers 135°F. for medium-rare meat.

Transfer beef to a cutting board and discard strings if necessary. Let beef stand, covered loosely, at least 20 minutes and up to 30 minutes before carving.

Make sauce:
Skim fat from drippings in roasting pan. To pan add wine and deglaze over moderately high heat, scraping up brown bits. Boil mixture until reduced by about half and transfer to a saucepan. Add broth and boil 5 minutes.

In a small bowl dissolve cornstarch in Worcestershire sauce and water and add to pan in a stream, whisking. Bring sauce to a boil, whisking, and boil 1 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Garnish rib roast and serve with sauce.