Wine Spectator 2011 Ratings

Well, it's here! I went to Gary's Wine & Marketplace yesterday to replenish my wine supply from this past week and the new Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines has been released. I don't usually buy the publication; however, when I was strolling down the aisles picking out some of my favorites, I noticed that they had a tag on some of them stating which ranking they received. So, I bought a copy and thought I'd share some of the info with all of you.

Here are the Top 5(in order of ranking):
1. Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2009 95 Points $52
2. Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Kathryn Hall 2008 96 Points $90
3. Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleus Clos du Bourg Premiere Trie 2009 96 Points $69
4. Campogiovanni Brunello di Montalcino 2006 96 Points $50
5. Dehlinger Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2008 95 Points $50

I love that they have all different categories in the magazine, including the Top 100 Outstanding Values. These wines scored 90 points or higher and are $18 or less. To see all of them, you'll have to buy the publication. But here are the ones that meet this criteria AND are also on the Top 100 Wine List. I can't wait to try them and if they pass my "no headache test" the morning after, I'll add them to my list. :) I would also like to add (uh hmmm) that the most outstanding wines by region come from Tuscany. SEE, another reason to go back!

Red
~Georges Dubouf Morgon Jean Descombes 2009 $15 Ranking=93 Points
~Bodegas Resalte De Penafiel Ribera del Duero de Restia Crianza Selected Harvest 2004 $15 Ranking=93 Points
~Chateau Tanunda Shiraz Barossa Grand Barossa 2008 $18 Ranking=92 Points
~Buehler Zinfandel Napa Valley 2009 $18 Ranking=91 Points
~Quinta de Cabriz Dao 2008 $9 Ranking=90 Points
~Bodegas Dinastia Vivanco Rioja Seleccion de Familia Crianza 2008 $18 Ranking=90 Points

White & Sparkling
~Bodegas Godeval Valeorras Vina Godeval 2010 $18 Ranking=90 Points
~Gruet Blanc de Noirs New Mexico NV $14 Ranking=90 Points
~Ravines Riesling Finger Lakes Dry $16 Ranking=90 Points

I've also added some of the new wines I have tried recently to Carrie's Wine List and I was pleasantly surprised when a couple of them made the Top 100. Argiano Toscana Non Confunditur 2009 was ranked 46 and Allegrini Veronese Palazzo della Torre 2008 was ranked 60. I highlighted the newest wines I've tried in red.

White Chocolate Oatmeal Banana Cookies

I don't even know why I buy bananas. Half of the time I buy them, and I wind up with 3-4 rotten ones a week. I even tried buying a smaller bunch. But then when I don't buy them guess what happens? Murphy's Law of course..the family complains that "Yes, we have no bananas!" Sorry, little joke there, but in all honesty, as much as they love my banana bread, how many times can I make it? So with this weeks rotten bananas, I wanted to make some cookies and my husband's favorite is oatmeal. I figured I'd just throw in some mashed bananas, but when I started making them, I realized I didn't have any vanilla extract left (what a surprise, I have to go to the store...again!) so I used almond extract instead. I didn't have any almonds so I chopped up some white chocolate pieces I had left from when I made the football chocolate lollipops last month but you could use the white chocolate chips instead. I also use salted butter in my baking for several reasons. 1. I don't bake cookies often, really just around the holidays. 2. I can't tell the difference in a baked product one way or the other.  And 3.  If you're going to add salt to the mixture after using non-salted butter, it just doesn't make sense to me. Ok, all of you bakers can comment...NOW!! :) These cookies were so tasty and "puffy" more like a cake than a cookie. The kids devoured them, well at least the ones I left out for them to eat. (Shh...I hid some in my freezer downstairs for the holidays!).

White Chocolate Oatmeal Banana Cookies

1/2 c. Salted Butter, softened

3/4 c. Light Brown Sugar

1/4 c. Granulated Sugar

2 Eggs

1 tsp. Almond Extract

4 Overripe Bananas, mashed

2 1/4 c. All-Purpose Flour

1 tsp. Baking Soda

3 c. Old Fashioned Oats (I use Quaker®)

1/2 c. White Chocolate, chopped

In a bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Add the eggs, almond extract and bananas and mix together. Add in the flour, baking soda and oats and mix together using a spoon. Then, fold in the chocolate. Using a kitchen teaspoon, drop cookie dough onto a greased baking sheet about 1" apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool on a rack. Makes 4 dz.

Points+=3 per cookie

Enjoy!

Martini Chicken Thighs

For those of you new to my blog, I live in Northern NJ. I love living where I do, as I get the best of both worlds. My home is in the country about 20 minutes from the ski slopes and only a 45 minute drive to Manhattan. We don't go into the city very often, but when we do it's usually around the holidays. About 10 years ago we started a tradition of taking the girls (well then it was only my oldest daughter) in for dinner and a Broadway show to celebrate their birthdays. Sometimes we'll even head into Central Park with family and friends to go ice skating too. It's just a fun place to be around the holidays. Anyway, this past Sunday, we made our trek in and ate an early dinner with the kids, my Mom and her husband at an Italian restaurant called Trattoria Trecolori before heading to our show. We found this place a couple of years ago by accident and decided to eat there again. The food is good, prices are reasonable, they have a great wine list and make great suggestions AND it's close to the theatre district, so it was geographically convenient as well. We all liked our menu choices but I had ordered this one dish that they called Chicken Martini. It was delicious but I was anticipating that it would have olives. I don't know why, it didn't say that they were in the dish but it sounded like it would go well.


So the night before last, I decided to make my own twist on their Chicken Martini and made Martini Chicken Thighs. This dish was INCREDIBLE and definitely one I'd make again! All of the flavors combined nicely without being too overpowering. I did make quite a bit, as I was cooking for 6pp but also wanted to have some leftover to send to my in-laws (Rehabilitation Center food is NEVER as good as homemade!). 

Martini Chicken Thighs
10 Chicken Thighs, bone in, skin removed
2 Cloves Garlic, chopped
2 tbsp. Canola Oil
1-5 oz. Jar of Stuffed Spanish Manzanilla Olives (I think next time I'll go to Corrado's and use their garlic stuffed olives to make it even better!)
1 Lemon, zest and juice
1-14oz. Can Artichoke Hearts, quartered
1/2 c. Scallions, chopped
1/2 c. Vermouth
1/2 c. Vodka (I used Kettle One...shhh...don't tell hubby!)
1/2 c. Chardonnay Wine
3 c. Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
2 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
Kosher Salt, to season chicken
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to season chicken


In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides and lightly brown on each side for 8-10 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside (You may need to do this in 2 batches). Add the garlic, olives, artichokes, scallions, lemon zest to the Dutch oven then add the wine to deglaze the bottom of the pan and scrape up any bits. Add the flour to thicken, then one at a time add the vermouth, vodka and lemon juice; stirring to thin out the sauce. Next, add the chicken broth and the par-cooked chicken thighs. Bring to a boil, cover then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 30 minutes. Transfer chicken to an oven safe dish, top with the sauce, then bake at 425 degrees for another 20 minutes so that the sauce thickens and the chicken browns. Serves 10. 


Points+=7 per chicken thigh


Enjoy!