Whoda thought rotted grapes would create magic??

Been a busy last few days! I said that I would have back to back post and I lied. I am sorry to my adoring public, all 3 of you. Tonight I had two different  tasting, the first one was at a grocery store and I sold a few boxes but it was hard, the second was a wine store and it was dead. While at the wine store I spied a magical little bottle. The gold label glimmered in the light and almost blinded me. I walked over and found a 2005 GrandVin de Sauterns from Cru d'Arche-Pugneau. So most of the time I will be talking about wine that is of good value, everyday wine, wine that in no way would be the difference between rent and a bottle. This is not one of those nights. This bottle of wine is a 375ml that is a half bottle of wine. A 375 you say, there is no way a half bottle of wine could cost a lot. False I say. Sauternes are a magical wine. They turn rotting grapes into the WORLD BEST SWEET WINE. This one was cheap, cheap at $37 a bottle, they can go for hundreds of dollars for a 375ml. WHAT??!!!?? Hundreds of dollars you lie you say. NO, sadly it is true.

Sauternes is a region in Bordeaux, France. In order for a wine to be labeled Sauternes the grapes Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Muscadelle MUST go through Boyrytis cinerea better known as Noble Rot. What a way to make something so gross sound so good Noble Rot, it's the king of rot.

VINCYCLOPEDIA

BOTRYTIS CINEREA is a fungal disease that can blight many species of plants, including flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Depending upon weather conditions, Botrytis can take one of two forms in grapes, one as destroyer, the other as enhancer. As "grey rot" it appears and grows during lengthy periods of humidity early in the season. Settling in on immature grapes, it multiplies rapidly. The bunches seem covered with a grey powder and the berries eventually darken and drop. Yields are greatly reduced and wine made from this fruit will taste moldy and oxidize easily. In some climates, grey rot is a severe problem with most all grape varieties. In certain white grape varieties, such as Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Furmint, an infection of Botrytis can be so beneficial, even critical, to the production of dessert wines like Sauternes in France, Tröckenbeerenauslese in Germany, or Tokaj in Hungary, that the mold is called "Noble Rot" in these locales (La Pourriture Noble in french, Edelfaule in German). Dessert wines made with botrytised grapes are prized and somewhat rare, because weather conditions must be just right for "Noble Rot" to occur. Ideally, a short period of humidity or rain in mid to late season, when the grapes are more ripe than green, will be followed by a sustained period of cool, dry weather, where daytime temperature hovers near 60° F. Under these somewhat rare conditions, the Botrytis fungi penetrate the grape skins with mycelia to feed and take water from the grapes, which shrivel. Overall acidity decreases. Gums form, along with glutinic and citric acids, and the grape sugars become very concentrated. This intense sweetness partially inhibits yeast and fermentation can be very slow, lasting for months. High concentrations of glycerol develop during these extended fermentations and the resulting wines can be fragrantly enticing, exceptionally smooth, and extremely long-lived, cellaring well for decades.

This wine has great sweet apricot, toasted honey and fig flavors. A little young ( a white wine of this style can age decades) showing a little more syrup and stronger acids that will calm down with age but still delicious. This helped make my week. I bought it in mind of drinking Easter but decided to drink it by myself, well I tried to get Noel to have some but she said she hated the smell. WHAT A SIN!!!! 

So the other day I said I would have back to back salad post. I missed my post and I am sorry. I had a busy Thursday and came home just in time to make a quick meal and run to a wine tasting. I did make a salad but it was nothing special. It was a seared tuna salad. Yummy but then again as long as you only sear the tuna and leave a lot of pink it's going to be good. I seared the tuna about two minutes a side then added a can of Italian diced tomatoes (had some Italian herbs blended with tomatoes). After about two more minutes a side I took the tuna out of the pan and added enough balsamic vinegar to change the color of the juice in the pan. I then reduced by half. I cut the tuna into slices plated over a salad mix and topped with the tomato mixture. It was pretty tasty but had I had more time I would have added a few more things. I enjoyed every bite as I stuffed it into my face as quick as I could before my tasting. Not only was this good for me but it only took about 12 minutes to make. Quick easy and tasty I have to say I liked this salad better than the taco salad. 

Tonight I kept up with the need to lose weight and I made a very healthy meal. Baked chicken breast and steamed broccoli. Sound boring but I bought some cumin and pink pepper corns today so I was itching to use them. I took white,black,green,and pink pepper corns, grey sea salt and cumin seeds put them in the pestle and mortar, ground them up and covered the chicken breasts. Baked them at 375 till chicken was 160 (I use a digital thermometer that you can read from outside the oven, best $12 ever!!), as the chicken reached 140 I started steaming the broccoli so it would be done with the chicken. It was tasty!! So good and I could tell it was good for me! I did have a wine other than the Sauternes with my meal. I was tasting Stolpman La Coppa Sangiovese. This wine is very tasty and a lot different from the Chianti style. Lots of bright fruit and layered texture. But not a value wine, it's a little pricey at $19.99. If you have the money this vineyard is great but if $19.99 is your special day wine I know a few wines I'd tell you to try first.