WTN: My 2nd best food-wine pairing for 2008

Granted, my number one food-wine pairing experience for 2008 is also my best I can recall as long as I've been drinking wine, so my number two for 2008 may not be all that shabby.

I had picked up a southern Italian white on the way home, but research on the internet indicated that it might not be the best pick to match a yet-to-be-prepared Thai spaghetti dish, the base of which I had assembled the evening previous (the über-spicy Krung Kaeng Phed/classic red curry paste--think lots of Japanese dried chilies and New Mexico chilies). What to do? Aha, but I had a recently acquired Baco Noir--I had a taste at my retailer, and from that, and from what I've heard (never having had a Baco Noir myself before) this could be a robust match that could stand up to the dish, no? Did. It. Ever!

2006 Henry of Pelham Ontario Baco Noir (Ontario VQA, Canada) cork closure, 13% - imported to USA by Bock Wines, San Francisco, California - appears black, reflective purple, smell bacon, funky, socks, small bit of volatile acidity, yet still quite likeable (for me), taste tasty acid upfront, then upripe blueberry, blackbery, flavorful, earliest impression was that this was likeable, now impression has moved on—this is good, wow, flavorful, with light elegant finish, crisp buttery blueberry jam that doesn't linger, my initial impressions were positive indeed, but once I moved on to food, the battle was over, paired with a spicy and sweet and delicious (but oh-so spicy) Spaghetti Nam Phrik Ong (spaghetti with country-style tomato sauce with ground pork and red curry) this wine soared, I mean soared, stood up to all the challenges the spicy, hearty dish had to offer and answered with increased delicacy, softening fruit, interesting tang, I could not, could not have asked for a better wine answer to my food, an absolutely astounding pairing. The $16 I paid seemed steep at the first taste, doable once I got a sense of the wine, and an insane value once the food entered the mix. Bravo!

This Baco Noir stood up very favorably (in an admittedly very different way) in comparison to the first poulsard I recently enjoyed. Environment/conditions are big factors, but I was indeed floored by this wine. Bring it on!

Rock on Keith. Man, you are finally drinking some great juice! Have this vintage in half bottles for $9 Cdn.

Just wait till PaulB sees this.

Rock on Keith. Man, you are finally drinking some great juice! Have this vintage in half bottles for $9 Cdn.

Doing what I can, Bob, doing what I can.

Half bottles would be even better!

Keith,

I'm so glad you liked one of our flagship reds from Ontario.

Although there have been other Ontario Bacos that I've liked more than Henry of Pelham's, I do hold this winery in very high esteem for being so totally committed to raising the Baco name above the masses of mediocrity - and for keeping it steadfastly there.

I haven't tried anything like the pairing that you report on here, although with Baco being a wholly different animal compared to most red viniferas - save, perhaps, Barbera, which also has "tangy" acidity - I am not surprised.

Again, many thanks for the great note, and thanks to Bob for his comments

Although there have been other Ontario Bacos that I've liked more than Henry of Pelham's, I do hold this winery in very high esteem

Paul,

Although this is the first Baco Noir, I've seen in my retail travels (and kudos to my retailer for actually pouring it to potentially capture an audience) I'd be interested to hear the names of your preferred Ontario Baco producers and if any of them make it further afield. And thanks for the comment!

kudos to my retailer for actually pouring it

What retailer?

I don't remember seeing this in the Bay Area, but then there are so many shops.

What retailer?

Vintage Berkeley, a new branch of which (conveniently located 3/4 of a block from my residence) has opened since you departed. In any case, small quantities tend to come and go from their shelves rather quickly. They were also my source for the Puffeney poulsard--which is now gone (I having bought half of it).

What retailer?

Vintage Berkeley, a new branch of which (conveniently located 3/4 of a block from my residence) has opened since you departed. In any case, small quantities tend to come and go from their shelves rather quickly. They were also my source for the Puffeney poulsard--which is now gone (I having bought half of it).

Nice. Glad to hear it.

Where is the new shop?

Do they still adhere to the $25 and under rule? That made it difficult to get wines like the Puffeney in the past, and limited my interest in stopping by for more than just the occasional Muscadet.

Where is the new shop?

Do they still adhere to the $25 and under rule? That made it difficult to get wines like the Puffeney in the past, and limited my interest in stopping by for more than just the occasional Muscadet.

College and Ashby.

The under $25 applies to the large front room, but they have a smaller alcove room in the back where a smaller number of pricier wines are stashed--that's where the Puffeney was. I was told they had a cabinet for that purpose at the Vine location, but it was out-of-sight/out-of-mind.

College and Ashby.

Nice. I can see that area also being fertile for their business model. But what does that do to Vino. Is that still in the area? I'm guessing they are in direct competition.

The under $25 applies to the large front room, but they have a smaller alcove room in the back where a smaller number of pricier wines are stashed--that's where the Puffeney was. I was told they had a cabinet for that purpose at the Vine location, but it was out-of-sight/out-of-mind.

Aha. Yes, I used to look at the above $25 cabinet at Vine, but it was often just expensive CA zinfandel and champagne. Maybe I didn't check regularly enough..

Anyway, sounds like good stuff.

But what does that do to Vino. Is that still in the area? I'm guessing they are in direct competition.

Indeed Vino is still there. Which means between Paul Marcus, Vino, and Vintage Berkeley, I've got plenty of choices as a consumer on College.

But what does that do to Vino. Is that still in the area? I'm guessing they are in direct competition.

Indeed Vino is still there. Which means between Paul Marcus, Vino, and Vintage Berkeley, I've got plenty of choices as a consumer on College.

There used to be a shop, Rockridge Wines IIRC, located in the shadow of the Rockridge BART station. I remember buying a few years' worth of Ridge Lytton Springs and Geyserville there back in the late '80s. I have no idea if they still exist, nor if their selection is at all of interest, but that might be yet another option for you. Vino! is an eclectic operation, since they're basically the retail arm of a single importer (gee, where have I heard of that model before?), but they certainly have a good selection of under-$25 wines, too.

Mark Lipton

I'd be interested to hear the names of your preferred Ontario Baco producers and if any of them make it further afield. And thanks for the comment!

Keith,

Colio Estate Vineyards' Baco Noir from Southwestern Ontario is always a great buy at $9.35 and is mainly available at the Colio retail outlets across Ontario; I have no clue whether they export the wine out of country and if so, where to. This wine used to be bottled as "Harrow Estates" in years past and at the time was made with a touch of American oak - it was my go-to wine for ribs and pork roast for years and years. Now, they have deleted the oak (new winemaker) and I think this was an error; I have written to the winery. However, the wine itself, even sans oak, is still a very solidly made Baco and worth its price. Colio's website

Traditionally, Hernder Estate's Baco Noir from Niagara has had beautifully complex smoky-cherry/spicy-oak interplay; I believe that the oak was either Slovenian or Hungarian back in '97 - can't remember which - though later they went to American oak. There wasn't too much of a difference between their regular Baco and their Baco Reserve, except that the latter one was aged for longer in oak. Both were very nice. I'm not sure what availability is like or what their recent releases have been like ... or, frankly, even if they still make it. Many wineries have been pressured, it seems, to streamline their offerings only to international varieties. (Note: I just checked the Herner website and they do still make a Baco, and it's only $7.95 a bottle. But I haven't tried it by this new winemaker, so I can't vouch for it until I do. Hernder's wine list)

Best of luck tracking them down!

I love the VIntage Berkeley shop on Vine! My sister lives in the Oakland Hills (way at the top) and when i visit, we often hit College Avenue!

also good to see another source for Poulsard. Now I need to find the Mondeuse again!

I did not take any notes last night as I had had a very busy day and was a write off! I had a split of the `06 Baco Noir which I decanted for an hour. Keith`s notes are pretty well spot-on, the vintage however was problematic (see Paul B`s notes).
This `06 is definately a tamer version of BN and I quite enjoyed it. Lots of blueberry, soft tannins, long finish, quite drinkable at this early stage which is unusual as I prefer some bottle age. Blind, I would not have guessed BN. I will be picking up some more and will have some other details later on.

Sounds good, Bob.

Yeah, I had some beef stirfry with leeks and parsnips in a tomato sauce.

Thanks for the post Keith,

This makes me look forward to drinking my 2004 Henry of Pelham baco noir reserve. Now I have good food suggestion to pair it with. This wine was given to me by none other that the hybrid guru himself, Paul B. Thanks Paul. I was instructed to let it age for at least a year before drinking it because Paul thought it was not quite ready yet. Well, it has been in my cellar for a little over a year now, so it is time.

This makes me look forward to drinking my 2004 Henry of Pelham baco noir reserve. Now I have good food suggestion to pair it with. This wine was given to me by none other that the hybrid guru himself, Paul B. Thanks Paul. I was instructed to let it age for at least a year before drinking it because Paul thought it was not quite ready yet. Well, it has been in my cellar for a little over a year now, so it is time.

Tom,

Enjoy it! I hope to read your impressions when you do open it.

Yup, should be drinking nicely! I will be keeping my eyes open here as I have 2 bottles.