Well I could not have picked a better time to throw my hat into the phenomenon that is Wine Blogging Wednesday. Not only is it the five year mark for this great idea but also a perfect theme, wine and BBQ. After the last year of reading other wine blogs during WBW, I hope that I will be posting through out its next five years. Well on to the show.
Foxglove 2007 Zinfandel
Oh how “I have Zinned”! But that is a long list of things we won’t get into here. However my latest Zin is one to definitely talk about.
Some people may think pouring wine with BBQ is a sin in itself, rather it is the wine snob holding their nose up at the BBQ or in turn the BBQ expert laughing at the wine, some people have a hard time thinking of the two together. Personally I have enjoyed many wines with various different BBQ dishes, from ribs and South African Cabs to beef brisket and Malbec. But in order to truly Zin, I had to reach deep into the bag, and bring out a Midwest tradition in the BBQ world, the pork steak.
For those of you unfamiliar with midwest BBQ practices, the pork steak is a staple of any outdoor gathering. The pork steak is a cut from the pork shoulder blade roast. Like the roasts, the steaks are flavorful and contain a significant amount of fat, which helps keep them moist while cooking. Because the pork steak is cut from an active muscle location on the pig, it is less tender than some other cuts which I believe lends itself to slow cooking methods followed by an open flame grilling. The secret to a Wineo pork steak is the slow cooking, place the meat in a large roasting pan, cover the meat with your choice of BBQ sauce, salt pepper, garlic, a touch of brown sugar and the secret ingredient, wine (in this case a half bottle of South African late harvest Cabernet, that had been saved for a few weeks for cooking). As I have posted before, when I cook I do not measure, it a pinch of this and a dash of that, so just make your simmering sauce to taste. Cook the steaks in the oven at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 -2.5 hours. Have the grill ready with a nice hot fire, remove the pork steaks from the oven, generously apply your favorite BBQ sauce and throw on the grill. Flip and apply sauce to the other side, turning as the sauce begins to char. I repeat this step at least twice per side to allow for a thick coating.
- mmmm..pork steak
It’s never fun to Zin alone so with the arrival of our friends comes time to open a few bottles. Tonight’s choice is a 2007 Foxglove Zinfandel out of Paso Robles. Over the last few years I have become a fan of most wines out of Paso Robles, especially the Zinfandel’s, they range from light and fruity to strong with lots of spice. I this case the Foxglove sits on the light fruity side but still contains a nice peppery spice on the front. A hint of alcohol twingeson the nose followed by very jammy raspberry aromas. The first sip brings black pepper, ripe berries, and a slight tart flavoring that reminds me of dried cranberries. The flavor of dried cranberries becomes the main flavor as you continue to drink it, but over time notes of plum and cedar (not oak, this was a group consensus) also appear adding to the wonderful blend of flavors. Pulling in at 14.6% alcohol, the only time it shows itself is on the initial aroma (well it also appears as a fuzzy effect in your head after a few bottles with friends). The light body combined with the jammy fruit flavors, hint of pepper and tart cranberries, made it a great compliment to the thick and tacky grilled sauce. At $16.99 a bottle this wine will become a new BBQ stand-by for the Wineo house. The next true test will be baby back ribs……its so fun to Zin!
Dee Wineo 