Some people will probably think this is a sacrilege, but this is a good recipe for Bordeaux pork chops.

Ingredients:
4 Loin Pork Chops
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 1/4 cup Bordeaux
1 sliced apple

Preparation:
Season the pork chops with salt and pepper or a pork rub, then grill or broil them about 7 minutes each side. Combine the wine and the brown sugar in a casserole dish. When the pork is finished cooking, sprinkle them with the nutmeg and cloves, place them in the casserole dish and top them with the apples. Place the cover on the dish.

Cooking:
Place the covered dish in the oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove the cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

One of the side benefits of going to many wine festivals is getting to sample a variety of food. I don't mean the concession stands, but wine festivals tend to attract interesting vendors with food that matches up well with the local wines. This has been my experience not only in Virginia, but also in California, Indiana and Pennsylvania. Some of the highlights from last weekend's expo:

Cabot Cheese: Not local, but a staple at almost every wine show I have been to, and thank the gods for that. Rounding a corner and running into the Cabot Cheese booth always brings a smile to my face, not only are the cheeses good, but they also always seem to place the booth right when I need some protein (and the generously handed-out coupons don't hurt either).

Wine-Ohh: I actually don't like their name all that much, but most people thought it was cute. The jams listed on their site were good, the highlight, though, was their wine salsa (not listed on their site). A fantastic alternative to grocery store salsas.

Carriage House Products: Another staple at local wine festivals their Cheese Straws are like crack. I always pick up a couple of tins, they are a great evening snack with a bottle of red.

Simply Cheddar: A yummy cheddar ball mixed with onions and a pecan crust. An interesting alternative to standard cheeses.

Velatis: If you are like me, your only experience with caramel was wrapped around an apple around Halloween. This is nothing like that, these caramels were amazing, but I have to warn you, if you get the chewy ones, make sure your teeth are firmly attached. Wondering what wine goes well with Caramel? Try a Seyval Blanc.

Wine: 2000 Horton Stonecastle



Review: Why is it that, despite the fact that Horton is a large operation with many great wines, their website is so ugly?

Fortunately, their wines are not. This is a very soft wine, it is a blend of 32% Mourvedre, 27% Carignan, 25% Syrah, 5% Tinta Cao, 5% Touriga Nacional, 3% Tannat, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec, and 1% Nebbiolo. It has aged very well, producing a very complex wine with hints of cherry and plum. A very drinkable wine, which surprised me given the apparent kitchen sink method of adding varietals to this wine. I guess I should know by now not to underestimate Dennis Horton :).

Price: $12

Grade: 85

I've spoken about Meritage wines before and I knew that there was an association a winery had to join prior to using the Meritage name, but I never knew exactly what the standards were. I also did not know that you could make a white Meritage.

It is kind of cool to know what the rules (such as they are) for a Meritage wine are and to know what wineries in your state are Members. It is kind of a challenge, like trying to taste all of the Chateaus in Margaux, sampling all the Meritages in Virginia :).

I spent most of Sunday at the Virginia Wine Showcase helping a friend celebrate her birthday. The expo itself was nicely done, it was not too crowded, we never had to wait more than a minute to taste at any of the booths and the wineries were well spread out.

There were quite a few new wineries on display, several of note:

Acorn Hill Winery: Out of Madison, this is a winery that I have wanted to visit for while, so I am glad I got the chance to hit their table. They had an excellent Pinot Gris and their 2006 Cabernet Franc was excellent, blended with a little Merlot to take the edge off the tannins. It was a little young, but should be very good in 6 months to a year.

Vino Curioso (the website is not up yet): Out of Winchester, this is a fun winery. The tasting room is still under construction, but they have a good compliment of wines. Highlight was also the Cabernet Franc (they call it Franc the Tank). A peppery wine, low tannings and a lighter finish than what I am used to in Virginia Cabernet Francs, but still a nice wine.

Vault Field: Part of the Northern Neck Wine Trail, this winery has two good blended wines: Conundrum a blend of several whites...none listed and their Reserve Red a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. The Reserve Red is a deep red wine with hints of Cherry and Blackberry. An excellent wine.

I'll put up a second post discussion the food vendors...but enjoy some pictures from the show.

The Wine and Chocolate tasting at Breaux was amazing. The room that they were holding the tasting in was lit by candles and was filled with wine barrels making a very romantic setting. The chocolates came from a local farm and paired nicely with the vertical tasting of Cabernet Sauvignons from the Breaux Library.

After the tasting, we grabbed a bottle of the 2003 Lafayette and sat on the patio while we watched Bruce play. I did a brief review of the 2001 Lafayette in 2006.

The 2003 is 100% Cabernet Franc and it makes a different wine. The wine has a strong peppery taste with hints of plum and aromas of tobacco. The wine has been in the bottle long enough that it has mellowed nicely but it still has strong tannins and a nice finish. A good value at $18.00, I would rate it a 90.

Wine: 2006 Chateau des Bachelard Beaujolais




Review: I know this will sound odd but the taste that jumped out at me with this wine was "new". I don't mean that in the normal pejorative sense. It is not that the wine was too young to drink, or hadn't had a chance to age, it just had a fresh taste to it, one that I haven't experienced previously.

This is a Beaujolais from Georges Duboeuf, the king of Beaujolais. Not to be confused with Beaujolais Noveau, Beaujolais wines are made from the Gamay grape.

The wine was deep purple with aromas of raspberry and black cherry. It was medium bodied with layers of flavor that spent a lot of time on my tongue. Overall, an excellent wine and a good value.

Price: $16

Grade: 90

I know a lot of people plan on being at the Virginia Wine Showcase this weekend, but don't forget Valentine's Day is next week, which means chocolate and wine tastings at several local wineries:

• Swedenburg Winery is doing it right with a chocolate fountain and plenty of fun things to dip in it.


• Veramar is also having a chocolate fountain, plus a chance to win a diamond ring (a plus for many, but it makes those of us who are engagement-adverse a little nervous ;)).


• Of course, I wll be at Breaux with the wine club. Truffles and their excellent Cabernet Sauvignon are perfect pre-Valentine combination.

Some Bordeaux videos to keep you busy today, because who wants to work the day after the Superbowl. The English version of the site is a little rough, but the videos there are good as well. In the meantime, you may want to take Buck 65's advice and "Been thinking about brushing up on my french."

Doug Fabbioli, a local winemaker I have often mentioned is in the hospital. Please keep him in your prayers.