RJ Spagnols 2007 RQs are awesome!

[Dean]

I know that probably not many of you have any RQs left from the 2007 lineup, but I've been leaving mine alone as every time I tried one, it just seemed a little raw. Well, last night I was making a Hungarian Goulash and needed some red wine to start in the stew. So I picked the Montepulciano Cabernet Merlot from the RQ series. It was my least favorite from the whole series. Until now that is...this wine is fantastic! It took a whole lot of time to come into its own, but all I can say is wow! Very complex nose on this wine and the taste and structure is out of this world! Very concentrated, and earthy tones, followed with silky tannins for a very long finish.

Moral of the story...if you don't like a wine that much, wait it out and try it again. I'm just happy I have about 24 bottles of this left!

 

[Bartman]

So did you put some of this "liquid gold" in the stew? Seems like a waste of wonderful wine.

 

[fivebk]

It probably made an excellent Goulash!!!

BOB

 

[ibglowin]

Moral of the story is never give up on a batch of wine!

 

[Dean]

yep, I did use it in the stew. I usually make it a point to cook with wines that I will also drink. If it's not good enough to drink, it's not good enough to cook with.

 

[Bartman]

yep, I did use it in the stew. I usually make it a point to cook with wines that I will also drink. If it's not good enough to drink, it's not good enough to cook with.

Well, I have to disagree with you on that one - at the risk of over-complicating it, I think there are wines that are just too good to put in a stew or reduce for a sauce, because the nuances of the wine get cooked or boiled away. On the other extreme, there are "wines" that are not good enough for drinking or cooking with. For me, it generally ends up being a small "gray area" of wine that is appropriate for cooking but that I don't miss drinking on their own.

Plus, drinking the balance of the wine you cook with is usually a guaranteed pairing!

 

[Wade E]

Glad to hear that Dean and wish I had bought that one!

 

[Dean]

Bart, I will somewhat agree. It's not like I'm going to put a 1982 bordeaux in my stew, but usually wines that I make from kits will work just great with cooking. I agree, that some of them would lose too much in the process, but those to me are usually whites. For a red in cooking, you are looking to concentrate that goodness. Besides, all a person really needs is usually a shot of vodka in the cooking. The alcohol acts as a solvent for oil based spices like pepper, paprika, cayenne, coriander, etc. That solvent like effect does wonders for making a sauce or stew taste very well blended/melded and not separate tastes. The only wine that I use exclusively for cooking is chinese cooking wine, and that's because it has too much salt in it. I just use it for the alcohol effect on spices.