If you're in the mood for a big south Australian red, you can rarely do better than D'Arenberg. Well, perhaps you can do better, but this producer is so consistently good and well-priced, that you rarely have to wonder if you've picked up a shallow wine. Tough to screw this up. It's always solid. At under $20, the High Trellis is one of my go-tos.
The High Trellis vineyard was planted in the late 1800s and picked up its nickname as its vines were the first to be trained above knee-height. 'That's one high trellis, it is, Mr. D'Arenberg.' I know, quite the impressive historical re-enactment. But it probably happened. The McLaren Vale region is pretty impressive, as it is composed of a complex range of soils. Sand. Sandy loam. Loamy sand. Limestone. Red Clay. D'Arenberg's goliath line-up of offerings reflects this tricky geological diversity. Not only do we find Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, but also Grenache, Tempranillo, Petit Verdot, Cab Franc, Viognier, Sargentino, Cinsault in a variety of blended efforts of cosmopolitian craftiness. Efforts with names like Dead Arm, the Galvo Garage and the Cenosilicaphobic Cat. Well, I'm going with the High Trellis. Based on my historical re-enactment. I sold myself with that trellis observation bit. It was gripping. Also, I'm in the mood for cab. I'll be matching it with a roasted pork loin - bone in, baby - with honey balsamic glaze.
Slow-Roasted Pork Loin with Honey Balsamic Glaze (lifted from The Main, Sedlack)
What you will need to pull off this particular piece of culinary wizardry (If I can do it, you can do it - trust me on this):
- a 2 pound pork loin roast with the bone-in. French trimmed.
- 3 springs of rosemary
- 3 sprigs of thyme
- salt and pepper
- 1/8 cup of balsamic vinegar
- 1/8 cup of white wine
- 1/8 cup of dijon mustard
- 1/8 cup of honey (1/8 cup is 2 tablespoons, by the way. You could use this measurement strategy with no ill-effect)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For deglaze:
1/4 cup of white wine
1/4 cup of beef stock
1) Preheat oven to 350 F.
2) Score skin of pork roast. Cut along the bone, following bone down into the loin. Stuff pork with rosemary and thyme and salt and pepper season. With kitchen twine, tie roast in between each bone. Choose your own knot. I used a half-hitch, favourite of merchant marine sailors and lobster fisherman.
3) In a small sauce pan, combine balsamic vinegar, white wine, Dijon mustard, and honey. Stir over medium heat until mixture has reduced by half. It is now a glaze. Set aside.
4) In a large roasting oven-proof frying pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add meat and sear on all sides until golden brown. 8 minutes or so. Baste pork with reserved glaze.
5) Place roast in pre-heated oven. Cook for 60 minutes or until meat temperature reaches 145 degrees F, basting meat every 10 minutes or so. If pan appears dry, add generous splashes of wine. Use a similar technique with dry people you're hanging out with. It works.
6) Remove from oven and deglaze pan with white wine and beef stock, making quite certain to scrape up all those luscious brown bits. Let rest for ten minutes. Serve with whatever your heart desires. I would take off the kitchen twine though. Bad for the enamel.
Did the D'Arenberg High Trellis Pull-through on the 'Tough to Screw Up' Challenge?"
Yes, it did.
What, you want more from me? No one even writes a comment and you're demanding further litanies. Shall I dance for you, too? No. I won't. It's degrading. Well, okay, just this once. But don't get used to it, and don't think I'm caving. Because I'm not. Here goes: on the nose, classic Australian cab notes: Black fruit, roundness, a suggestion of chocolate, herbs, mint and a distant dusty vegetal quality like summer rain on a gritty backyard garden. On the palate, quite solid as well. Tannins are a little bit grippier than expected, dirtier, but obviously nothing in the league of Bordeaux. Nice acidity. It works quite with with the slow-roasted pork loin. Again, I've rationalized this match on the principle that it is the sauce I am working with instead of the protein. This caramelized, sweet and savoury deglaze is a winner with a well-built McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon. Thank you, goodnight.
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