Mother’s Day & NJ Wine

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there! You’re probably thinking that I’m a day late (and a dollar short). But, I don’t like dealing with crowds and long waits for dinner (especially during a pandemic). With that in mind, I decided to prepare a nice dinner for my wife. Consequently, I am writing this post on Monday. I had done some shopping in Hammonton earlier in the week at one of our favorite Italian grocery stores, Bagliani’s, and picked up a couple of small fillet mignons, lobster ravioli, and some Spanish Manchego cheese with truffle.

At Tomasello Winery (a stone’s throw away) I was able to pick up a bottle of their Palmaris Reserve Chardonnay and 2016 Palmaris Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (both at 20% off). I already had a bottle of their Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Pinot Noir in my cellar. This nice group is pictured above. More on Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Cab later.

If anyone out there has not been to Tomasello Winery in the past four years or so, you don’t know what you’re missing. The Palmaris line has fundamentally changed the quality of their best wines, winning numerous awards and high ratings from critics near and afar. I was introduced to them three and one-half years ago. Jack and Charlie Tomasello invited my wife and me to visit with them at the winery and taste their new Palmaris label wines. That was a revelation for me. You can read about that experience here: https://wp.me/p74VSa-iY.

The Appetizer

For a small, but tasty appetizer, I cut some pieces of Spanish Manchego cheese with truffles. This was part of my bounty obtained at Bagliani’s Market in Hammonton (a very short drive from Tomasello). Truffles kick the Manchego cheese up a notch (as Emeril Lagasse used to say). The bonus is that Manchego is made from sheep’s milk, so if you are lactose intolerant-no worries, no pills necessary. Pinot Noir is a natural pairing for me. If I lived in Burgundy, I might pick some wild truffles, not too far from where some Pinot Noir grapes were growing. Okay. So much for that fantasy!

This was a simple and delicious appetizer (my photo below won’t win any awards) that I paired with the Pinot Noir, with great results. I love the taste of truffles. It is said that a small amount of this ingredient can so dramatically improve the taste of food that it was outlawed as an ingredient in some of the Food Network challenges (true story).

The Palmaris 2017 Pinot Noir Reserve was a medium-bodied version with notes of black cherry and oak. It was the winner of a Gold Medal from the American Wine Society.

                                             

The Main Course

I decided to go with a variation of the classic Surf and Turf. In this case, the surf is contained in the raviolis. The lobster ravioli were topped with my wife’s pesto sauce and served next to the Filet Mignon (topped with my wine-infused mushroom sauce) and a few spears of asparagus. See below.

The Wine

To pair these, I chose two more Tomasello wines: Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Palmaris 2018 Chardonnay Reserve was a medium-bodied version with subtle green apple notes, that paired well with the ravioli, not overpowering it.

The wine highlight, however, was the Palmaris 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve. It is a full-bodied, deep ruby-colored Cab with notes of raspberry and oak. This Cabernet Sauvignon is 75% Cab; 20% Petit Verdot; and 5% Cab Franc. In my opinion, it is one of the best produced in the state and may surprise those new to this wine. While it has ample structure, it is surprisingly smooth. Though I’m certain I could cellar it for several years, it was in the right place at the right time for me (my glass).

Cheers!

Looking for a good introduction to New Jersey wines in a convenient format and at a great price?

The answer is on the Apple iBook app. Right now you can download a copy for only $8.99 using the coupon code WineNot.

Coming Attractions

• Heard it Through the Grapevine (Music in the Vineyards)
• Send in the Clowns (Wineries offering Comedy)
• Road Trip (a Central NJ trip along the Jersey side of the Delaware River, perhaps even the PA side)
• Laurita Winery Delivers (Tasting some of their wines without leaving home)
• Chilling out in the Newly Opened Autumn Lake Winery Tasting Room

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