TN: Santa Ema Reserve Merlot 2004
> Santa Ema Reserve Merlot Maipo Valley 2004
> > In recent years, my responsibilities as a 25 hour a day caregiver to > a semi-invalid have obviated my indulging in much wine pleasures. > Last night, I bent the rules and pulled something out of my little > cellar to accompany a USDA Prime rib steak that I unearthed in my > freezer. This morning, I looked at my wine spreadsheet/database and > discovered that the last new entry was in July of this year! > > When I first tasted this wine, one of my notes stated that this was > one of the most complete Merlots in recent memory. Getting it out of > the bottle proved an unexpected challenge. My Leverpull type opener > shredded the cork into a jagged half remaining in the neck. Next, I > tried to remove the remains with a two bladed wine tool. It was of no > avail, and the only alternative was to push downward, sending a small > shower of cork bits where they were not wanted. On my top shelf, I > retrieved a decanter, which required some fast scrubbing before it > could do service. Fortunately, I knew the whereabouts of some > cheesecloth, having utilized it to wrap a Bouquet Garni the previous > week. Wine filtered and breathing, I heaved a quick sigh of relief. > Maybe I will live long enough to see most wine producers switch to > sturdier synthetic corks or quality screw caps instead of the > traditional but troublesome bark of a certain species of Oak tree. > Maybe. > > Tasting it at half hour intervals for one and a half hours before > serving time, my previous notes still stand. The primary overtone was > of ripe Blackberries, with a little earthiness and still present > rounded Tannins. The body was full and syrupy, and the sensations > lingered until I was finished scrubbing pots and headed for > dreamland. > > My most recent kitchen acquisition did double duty. It is a digital > thermometer with a metal wire shielded stainless pointed probe. > Inserted into one baking potato in the 375F oven, it rang at > precisely the moment the the internal temperature reached 210F. Off > to the warming drawer the potatoes went, while I increased the oven > temperature to 425F. A quick browning of the steak in some Olive Oil > in a cast iron skillet, was followed by inserting the probe, now set > to ring at 140F when the skillet with steak went into the oven. While > the steak was reaching the desired internal temperature, I quickly > sautéed some sliced almonds in butter and added the fine young > Haricot Verts that I had blanched for five minutes earlier in the > day. A most successful dinner. > > Godzilla |
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