Zinfandel is burly, opinionated, up in your face, intoxicating and - in the end - pretty gripping company. I'm not talking about white Zinfandel. That stuff is mostly criminal. But true Zinfandel is satisfying and honest. Blackberry and strawberry patch. Surges of pepper, oregano, thyme. Moderate tannins. High, high alcohol and uppercuts of fruit. Zinfandel didn't originate in the United States, however. DNA testing has traced its origins to Croatia and has also revealed that it is the same grape as Italian Primitivo. The Seghesio Family is Italian. Piedmont Italian. Their California vineyards lie where three important Sonoma Appellations meet - Dry Creek Valley, Russian River Valley and Alexander Valley - and the family has been making Zinfandel since the late 1800s. Some of the Sonoma's finest Zinfandels. Their 2007 vintage made the Wine Spectator's Best 100 Wines of 2008. #10 on that list.
In pairing terms, Zinfandel is fairly flexible - it can be indulged on its own, is complex enough at its higher end to add nuance to haute cuisine, or can be matched with the backyard grill. It seems to sing with heavy sauces seasoned with herbs and slightly sweetened. I've got something in mind.
Braised Baby Back Ribs with Maple and Apple Cider BBQ Glaze
(adapted from Chuck Hughes, Chuck's Day Off)
Things you will need for 2:
- 1 rack of baby back ribs
- 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 1 carrot, roughly chopped
- six cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 apple, un-peeled, quartered
- flour to dredge
- 1/4 cup Worchestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 cups dry red wine
- water to cover
- tablespoon corn or potato starch
- salt and pepper
1) Heat oven to 350. Cut your rib rack into 2 or 3 pieces. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dredge with flour and sear on medium to high heat. About 4 minutes. Don't mess with them. Let them peel away naturally from the Dutch Oven. Once seared, remove and set them aside.
2) Add vegetables, apples and herbs to the same pan or Dutch Oven. Let them caramelize and pick up any flavour left by the ribs. Return the ribs to the pot and lay them over the veg.
3) Combine Worchestershire sauce, cider vinegar, soya sauce, maple syrup and ketchup in a bowl. Stir. Add liquids to the pot, along with red wine and enough water to just cover the ribs. Bring to a boil. Cover. Put in the oven for 1.5 hours.
4) Remove meat from the pot, and cut ribs into sections. Strain out the vegetable and reserve the liquid. Return liquid to pot and simmer until reduced by half (approx. 15 minutes) to make sweet, sweet glaze. When almost done remove a 1/2 cup of liquid and stir in corn or potato starch until smooth. This will give sheen and thickness to the glaze. Return it to the pot.
5) Return the ribs to the glaze. Goodness me. Serve with something green and healthy.
Pairing Notes on the 2009 Seghesio Zinfandel
On the nose, the 2009 Seghesio Sonoma County has lots of dusty black fruit, like being pushed into the ground under a raspberry bush. Your face tilling that soil a little. Lets say it's reminiscent of face-tilled earth. On the palate, there was less richness than I've come to expect from Zin. I got a strong impression of smoky earth, like burnt leaves or charred herbs. Peppery. Tarter than expected. The high alcohol was a little evident as well. It did seem to have a more acid and balance, which suggested it would work better once matched with food. With the ribs and glaze, the Seghesio became something else. It was a great pairing. The smoke elements of the wine worked very well with the caramelized sauce. It's a great recipe. The structure and quality of wine complemented it very well. Just remember to breath between ribs and mouthfuls of Sonoma juice. And check your teeth. This one's a stainer.
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