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Domaine de L'Olivette Bandol with Herb Roasted Leg of Lamb and Saucy Mediterranean Veggies.


I must confess to you all that I’m going a little stir crazy.
The rain has been pretty relentless in the Bay Area for the last few weeks. While it’s pretty typical for it to rain a lot in the winter here (and I know we need it), sometimes we get little breaks of lovely weather to provide periods of relief. That hasn’t been the case this year.

Even worse, I’ve had an annoying cold for the last weeks that refuses to leave me alone once and for all. I fully blame the weather for this obnoxious yoyo-ing effect. This cough is really not cute!

I’ve been trying to mentally escape as best I can. Whenever possible, I’ve been hiding out under the covers reading. Wendy over at A Day of Life on the Farm got a round of copies of Peter Mayle’s A Year in Provence sponsored by Blue Vase Book Exchange.  to serve as inspiration for this month’s French Winophiles exploration of this region. While I’m only halfway through at this point, the book has been a pretty perfect mental vacay.


The truth is that from Mahle’s description, things are probably much bleaker in Provence around this time of year, with the famous Mistral wind pummeling the region. Admittedly, that’s probably way worse than the rain here. However, the difference is that I can move on in the book to enjoy months with more placid weather conditions. 

Mayle, who passed away last year, released his memoir about the first year he and his wife spent in Provence in 1989. The book rolls out an idiosyncratic cast of characters living, working, and most importantly to my mind, eating, against the backdrop of this famously beautiful region in the southeast corner of France. Via Mayle’s descriptions, you join him at the teeming tables of his neighbors, perhaps enjoying a rabbit stew and many, many sides. You stop into the local restaurants to meet the proprietors and maybe have some lamb after spending the morning at the market. There’s even a recipe for how to prepare fox, should you ever need one, volunteered by one of the more colorful locals. 

However, I’ve got to say that one of my favorite bits so far is the description of a child Mayhle meets at a restaurant, who “showing remarkable promise for a six-year-old gourmet, said he preferred this pâté to the one he ate at home, and asked his grandmother for a taste of her wine.” I want this to be my kid, should I ever have any. 

I haven’t had the chance to visit Provence yet, but my friend Molly got to up and move there last year, much as Mayle did, if only for a semester. I asked her to send me a few pics to help live vicariously through her experience. They don’t disappoint!


I opened a bottle of Bandol to help continue this imaginary journey. This small appellation is famous for its red wines, in a region that's usually recognized for its rosés. Bandol does also make rosé and white wines as well. Their reds put Mourvèdre in the starring role, resulting in rich, meaty wines, that are also often flecked with herbal notes – perfect for this time of year! Mourvèdre must make at least 50% of the blend, with Grenache and Cinsault in supporting roles, and Carignan and Syrah making cameo appearances – these last 2 can make up to 10% of the blend.


It’s not a coincidence that this is one of the only regions in France to shine the spotlight on Mourvèdre, along with neighboring Cassis. This grape likes to be warm and dry – that makes two of us! These sections of Provence are protected from the harsh, cold winds by mountains that surround and shield them: the Montagne Sainte-Victoire and the Massif de la Sainte-Baume are to the north, and the Chaîne de Saint-Cyr is to the west. The vines, therefore, stay warm and happy.


This location has served Mourvèdre well over the years. When phylloxera ravaged France in the 1880’s, it took down Mourvèdre in many of the areas it had been planted. However, Bandol has sandy soils, and the nasty louse hates sand; therefore, Mourvedre continues to make this area its main French residence.


Map courtesy of Wine Folly. 


It’s a thick-skinned grape and so tends to make wines with deep color and high tannin levels. Those mouth-drying tannins earned it the French nickname Etrangle-Chien (the dog strangler).

Mourvèdre has several aliases including Monastrell in Spain, and Mataro in Australia and sometimes in California. It’s becoming increasingly popular, so can expect to see more of it.
 
I've shared this pic from Molly's collection before, but it's just so evocative. 
  

THE WINE & PAIRING


I grabbed the Domaine de l'Olivette Bandol 2009 from our “cellar” (i.e. the wine racks in the guest bedroom) for this occasion.


Domaine de L'Olivette Bandol with Herb Roasted Leg of Lamb and Saucy Mediterranean Veggies.


The winery has been in Jean-Luc Dumoutier’s family for over 200 years. Originally, the family used the land to farm a variety of different things, including wheat and olives, as well as vines. They gradually transitioned increasingly to wine grapes over the year, particularly after the Bandol appellation was created in 1941 – that estate was a pioneer in the endeavor. Recent generations, Jean-Luc included, have worked to modernize the estate.


This wine really spoke to me of the place. It painted a picture that went along with the images described in the book. It had both hints of rusticity and elegance. It also showed flavors akin to those I associate with Provence in my imagination, like lots of bramble and garrigue.


On the day we opened this bottle we picked up notes on the nose of bruised strawberries alongside traces of darker berries, cassis, light licorice, and a smattering of mixed grilled herbs. On the palate, there were baked berries, light smoke, with savory hints of olives and that blend of grilled herbs. Greg also got hints of rhubarb and plum skin. We opened the bottle the night before we intended to drink it and these flavors all evolved with time and air, gaining tomato leaf and other savory notes in the mix.


It was medium in body; actually, it was a little lighter than I’d expected. There was a little bit of grip to the tannins, but they were pretty moderate. I’d guess they’d had a chance to ease up over time. There was a warmth to the alcohol on this wine, but it also had plenty of freshness.


This was a savory wine and we wanted a savory dish alongside it. I also wanted a dish that could bridge the wintry weather we have now and the warmer seasons I’m pining for. Lamb seemed like it would make a perfect match for the meaty smokiness of the wine. I decided to roast a boneless lamb leg seasoned with herbs and garlic. I tossed a mix of Mediterranean vegetables in the pan, along with some stewed and cherry tomatoes to cook along with it and get saucy – seemed only appropriate since an olivette is a type of tomato. To mirror the flavors of the olive in the wine, I added black olives and used their brine as a cooking liquid.


Finally, I tossed in whole, unpeeled cloves of garlic to roast and sweeten in the pan. They got nice and soft so that you could squeeze out their contents and spread it on the meat. I really liked this added bonus, but it is easy for them to get lost in the sauce. If this worries you, slice or crush garlic cloves and add them to the saucy vegetables during the last 20-30 minutes of cooking.




This was a seamless match with the flavors in the wine and food comingling as happily as could be. We thought it matched particularly well with bites that had olives, as the flavors matched deliciously well. Best of all, this is a complete one pan meal!

Domaine de L'Olivette Bandol with Herb Roasted Leg of Lamb and Saucy Mediterranean Veggies.



OTHER POSSIBILITIES



Gamey meats and stewed dishes are pretty classic pairings for Bandol. Wine Folly recommends spicing dishes with cumin and white pepper match to with Bandol.


Other big red wines from the south of France should match easily with this dish. I think this dish would also work well with Italian red like Chianti or a Barbera, but I just switch up the herbs to match their profile. Similarly, a Tempranillo such as a Rioja Reserva or a Ribera del Duero would work as well, but I might try spiking it with a little smoked paprika. 

Check out Good Luck Lentil Soup for another Provençal red wine pairing.
This 8 & 20 recipe for Braised Lamb Shanks and Lentil Stew was originally paired with a wine from Southern Rhône, but I think it would also be wonderful with a Bandol.

 If you're feeling the need for more summery fare, check out these posts for Provençal rosé options:  
  • Cooking to the Wine: Ultimate Provence Urban Rosé with Herbed Sous Vide Chicken Breasts and Roasted Eggplant Sheet Pan 
  • 8 & 20: Turkey and Strawberry Salad with Baked Goat Cheese
  • 2 oz Pours: Warm Weather Vibes  

THE GEEKY DETAILS


There aren’t many details available for this wine on their website, but they do mention Carignan and Grenache are in the mix. They manually harvest the grapes (which is required under the AOP regulations) and then sort twice to ensure the best quality grapes are used.  The recenlty updated winery has automated temperature controls. They use a variety of oak containers in different sizes in their program (casks 30 hl and 50 hl and half muits 500 liters) and adapted to the profiles of each wine.

They currently operate 55 hectares and are a member of the Vignerons Indépendants group, which set standards for its members based the values ​​of authenticity and respect for the terroir. They’re also farming sustainability, intervening only when needed, putting an emphasis on the biological fertility of the soil, and they have a High Environmental Value (HVE) certification.

MONEY TALK


Bandol prices can get up there, but the average price per bottle on Wine-Searcher.com across all vintages on this wine is $22. Wine Spectator has the original suggested retail price of the 2009 vintage at $28. Either way, I think was an Overachiever, since this wine delivered a lot of complexity and elegance at the price point. We really enjoyed this wine.



dinner, lamb, one pan
Mediterranean, roast
Mediterranean, French
Yield: 6 to 8Author: Nicole Ruiz HudsonPin it

Herb Roasted Leg of Lamb and Saucy Mediterranean Vegetables

prep time: 15 minscook time: 55 minstotal time: 70 mins
Roasted leg of lamb with a mix of saucy vegetables makes a hearty one-pan meal.

ingredients:

  • 3.5 lb boneless leg of lamb, ideally remove from the fridge 30 minutes to 1 hour before cooking
  • 14 total garlic cloves, 4 peeled and minced, 10 unpeeled
  • 4 to 5 sprigs of thyme, ½ of it picked and chopped
  • 4 to 5 sprigs of rosemary, ½ of it picked and chopped
  • ½ cup pitted black olives, plus the olive brine
  • 1 shallot, diced
  • 2 zucchini, cut into medium-sized chunks
  • 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 14 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1 lb cherry tomatoes
  • Olive oil, as needed
  • Cooking twine

instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Pat the lamb dry with paper towels and score the fat with a knife. Open up the lamb so to it lies as flat as possible, with the meat side facing you and the fat-side down. Season with salt and pepper, then distribute the minced garlic and the chopped thyme and rosemary over the lamb meat. Roll the lamb back up and tie with kitchen twine to secure. Season the outside of the lamb with salt and pepper. Lightly grease a roasting pan and place the lamb in the pan, and the pan in the oven.
  3. After 30 minutes, degalze the pan with the olive brine. Add in the olives, shallots, zucchini, cauliflower, season with salt and pepper, and add the sprigs of rosemary and thyme. Return to the oven and continue cooking for another 30 to 40 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat registers 130°F for medium-rare.
  4. Once the lamb reaches the desired temperature, remove the lamb from the pan, transfer to a cutting board and tent with aluminum foil. Allow the lamb to rest for another 10-15 minutes – the final cooking temerature will come up another few degrees as the meat rests. In the meantime, raise the temperature of the oven to 400°F, and add the diced and cherry tomatoes to the roasting pan to cook as the meat rests.
  5. When you’re ready to serve, remove the pan from the oven. Taste and adjust the seasoning of the sauce. Slice the lamb into rounds and serve with the saucy vegetables spooned on top.
Nicole Ruiz Hudson
Created using The Recipes Generator

Domaine de L'Olivette Bandol with Herb Roasted Leg of Lamb and Saucy Mediterranean Veggies.
Photo credit on all plated images with wine: Greg Hudson.

Here are a couple more of Molly's pics  . . . all in all, REALLY want to go.



*****

This month's French Winophiles was sponsored by Blue Vase Book Exchange.  They provided some of our members with a copy of "A Year in Provence" by Peter Mayle. You can find Blue Vase Book Exchange on Amazon and on Facebook. 



  • "A Book, An Inspired Braise, and A (Surprise!) Bottle of Red from Provençe" by Culinary Adventures with Camilla. 
  • "At Last! A Provencal Rouge-2006 Domaine La Bastide Blanche Bandol" by Enofylz Wine Blog
  • "Beef Daube Provençal with Bandol Red Wine" by Cooking Chat 
  • "Bellet: Provence’s Urban Appellation" by L’Occasion 
  • “Blanc de Bellet: Like a Bouquet of Spring Flowers!” by Keep the Peas 
  • "Curled up with a Bandol and a book." by Crushed Grape Chronicles 
  • "Dreaming of Provence with a Rabbit Lasagna and a Clos Cibbone" by A Day in the Life on the Farm 
  • "Halibut with Meyer Lemon Olive Salsa and Bandol Blanc" by Always Ravenous
  • "Lamb Shanks Provençal with Les Baux de Provence and Cassis" by Food Wine Click 
  • "Pissaladiere and a Provence Red" by Our Good Life 
  • "Provence: Beyond Rosé" by Kate’s Recipe Box 
  • "Provence: Viewing the World Through Rose Wine Glasses" by Side Hustle Wino
  • "Say Oui to a Glass of  Provence Rose and Succulent Seafood" by Chinese Food & Wine Pairings
  • "With Love From Provence. A Biodynamic Red and a Kosher Rose with Tritip, Quiche, Soup, Salad  by Wine Predator

 Additional Sources used for this post and additional reading:

 Wine-Searcher.com
The Oxford Companion via JancisRobinson.com
Vins de Bandol 
GuildSomm.com 
BandolWines.com
SeeProvence.com
Traveller.com: "20 Reasons to Visit Provence" 
The World Atlas of Wine, 7th Edition

 

Bodega Garzón Tannat with a Chivito Sandwich.


We are all about the antioxidants at the moment! Today’s featured grape, Tannat, is full of them. Much like Sagrantino (featured in the last two posts) this is a grape that is high in tannins, which are polyphenols, which are antioxidants. So if you’re looking for wines most likely to serve as an elixir of life, this is another good candidate.


Ok, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration. Maybe.


Tannat’s history is an interesting one, in many ways comparable to that of Malbec and Carménère, as all of these grapes emigrated from region’s in France and found new homes in the New World in South America. Malbec landed in Argentina, Carménère in Chile, and Tannat in Uruguay. Much like Malbec, Tannat started out in the South West region of France. Tannat’s French stronghold is in Madrian, but it also contributes to the blends from Irouléguy, Saint-Mont, Côtes du Brulhois, Béarn, and Tursan.


This is Basque country. The area lies on the border between France and Spain spilling out from the the Pyrenees Mountains. As was often the case, settlers longing to bring a taste of home with them as they moved to a new land would bring their vines with them. In this case, a Basque settler named Don Pascual Harriague was likely the first to bring over Tannat when he crossed the Atlantic to settle in Uruguay in the 19th-century. For a long time the grape even bore his name in Uruguay.


What’s particularly interesting about this grape’s journey is that the oldest Tannat vines currently in Uruguay are actually closer to the original Tannat from Madiran, than what it currently found in Madiran today. Phylloxera, nasty bug that it is, wiped out most of the vines in France, so their grapes had to replanted. The oldest vines in Uruguay, however, are directly descended from vines that existed before the bug wreaked all its havoc in their home country.


The two strains differ in that Tannat from Uruguay tends to be a little lower in tannin and the tannins tend to be smoother than those from Madiran. Of course the climate has its role to play as well, and Tannat seems to be quite happy in Uruguay. Things are only getting better as winemaking techniques improve.


Either way though, the tannins is Tannat are undeniable and they need taming. These wines take well to techniques that help to soften ‘em up and smooth ‘em out, like oak aging or micro-oxygenation–a technique where tiny amounts of oxygen are sent through the wine to help those feisty tannins chillax. Not surprisingly, this technique also originated in Madiran. The grape also tends to be pretty high in acidity. With all that structure, you might be able to guess that wines also tend to keep well in the cellar for a long time.




THE WINE & PAIRINGS
This is a grape that is very much still on upward trajectory both in terms of quality and recognition. As such, you can find solid bottles at reasonable price points. Today’s wine – the Bodega Garzón Tannat Reserva Uruguay 2015 – was the first Tannat to make it onto Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list, and that just happened in 2017. The winery was also named New World Winery of the year by Wine Enthusiast in 2018. Not that awards and accolades are everything, but I do think it’s cool when an underdog grape or region breaks through to gain recognition. The also retails for under $20. 

Bodega Garzón Tannat with a Chivito Sandwich.

The winery puts a lot of focus on sustainability. It’s apparently the first winery to be LEED Certified (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) outside of North America.


The winery is named for the small town of Garzón, which is near Uruguay’s Atlantic coast and has recently become something of a culinary destination. Wine, food, and ocean views – I’m so ready to go!


Actually, in researching this bottle I was confronted with the fact that I knew very little about Uruguay’s cuisine. My family is Venezuelan. My parents have lived in quite a few places in Latin America. I’ve traveled a good bit throughout Latin America, and to some degree have explored the cuisines of quite a few countries on top of that. Still . . . Uruguay’s food was pretty much a  blank. I wanted to rectify the situation, in some minor way at least.


Most sources compared the food to that of Argentina, thanks in part to the fact that both had a lot of influence from Italian immigrants that moved to the countries. One distinctive dish kept coming up though–the Chivito. Uruguay’s Chivito is a beef sandwich that can be topped with a variety of ingredients, but egg, bacon, ham, lettuce, tomato, onions, mayonnaise are common. (Argentina also has a Chivito, but in their case, the sandwich is made with goat.)


This sounded freak’n awesome! Even though I hadn’t tasted the wine yet, it seemed like it would be a good match. I used this recipe by Chef Ignacio Mattos I found on Saveur.com as my guide. (Other recipes I looked at topped it off with Chimichurri, so feel free to use some here as well.) I didn’t really change anything major other a few minor details to make use of items available on hand, and I sliced the steaks once they’d had a chance to rest to make them easier to eat. I did decide to top the sandwiches with fried eggs instead of hard-boiled, simply because we really love a runny egg.

Chivito Sandwich.


The sandwiches were in fact, 100% freak’n awesome. The wine, however, was corked. Wah, wah. It was only lightly corked, so I could still get enough from the wine to pretty confidently think that it would have been a good match. Between the steak, the fattiness of the bacon, and the richness of the egg, I’m pretty sure it would have tamed the tannins nicely.


It’s not a huge deal. TCA happens. However, I was bummed as I was still curious to try the wine since it had been a couple of years since I’d had a Tannat from Uruguay. I decided to go for round two and I had Greg pick up a second bottle for me.


Bottle two was a whole different ball game. We picked up notes of blackberries, smoked plums, maybe even a hint of blueberry. There were also lots of spice notes: coffee, spice cake, and a hint of star anise. It was full bodied; very dense and rich, with strong but rounded tannins, and enough acidity to hold it all together. We definitely decanted this big, burly wine to give it plenty of time to open up.


For this second dance with the wine, I decided to revisit one of the very first recipes I ever did for 8 & $20 on Wine Spectator: Flank Steak with Chipotle-Coffee Sauce.  The only thing I changed this time was that I used coffee grounds as part of the rub for the flank steak, as well as using coffee in the sauce. I figured this wine would be able to handle it and it did. The extra char and flavor coming off of the steak played up smokey notes in the wine. The wine and food made a delicious match with the spice notes in the sauce and steak melding easily with those in the wine, and of course the meatiness was a great match for the tannins in the wine.
 

Chipotle-Coffee Flank Steak.


OTHER POSSIBILITIES



This is a great wine to try if you’re a California Cab lover looking to branch out. The wine has similarly smooth tannins, and an even fuller-body. When I originally wrote the flank steak article, I recommended a fuller Malbec and a Cab (both from Mendoza) and all of these wines would certainly make good options for anything charred and meaty like these two dishes. Rich, deep, stews and braises would be delicious in combination with this wine as well.


The winery recommends “regional dishes such as local lamb. Cured cheeses like Parmesan or a duck cassoulet showcase the wine’s spicy notes. It pairs perfectly with traditional French cuisine.”


Joseph Swan, here in Sonoma, makes a good California version of Tannat. It would make a fun side-by-side comparison to line up these two, plus one from Madiran. Noted for future experiments.


Try them with this recipe for Pistachio-Crusted Rack of Lamb With Pomegranate-Mint Bulgur Wheat I paired with a Madiran for another 8 & $20. 

THE GEEKY DETAILS
From the Tech Sheet:


VARIETY: 100% Tannat
REGION: Garzón, Uruguay
ALCOHOL: 14.5%
RESIDUAL SUGAR: 3.5 g/L
ACIDITY (H2T): 5.2 g/L
PH: 3.71
FERMENTATION: 80 HL Cement Tanks
AGING: 12 to 18 months on the lees in French oak barrels and casks.
OENOLOGIAL CONSULTANT: Alberto Antonini
WINEMAKER: Germán Bruzzone
VITICULTURIST: Eduardo Félix



MONEY TALK


I picked up my bottle at Wine on Piedmont for about $18 and I’d say that’s totally reasonable. (The average price on Wine-Searcher is $19.) It’s definitely a Solid Value, and probably an Overachiever.


A couple more shots just to tempt you. 

Bodega Garzón Tannat with a Chivito Sandwich.

Chivito Sandwich.


Chipotle-Coffee Flank Steak.
Photo credit on the Chivito pictures to Greg Hudson. Flank Steak pics were me.

*****

The rest of the Wine Pairing Weekend group is also exploring wines from Uruguay this week. Check out their posts here:
  • Pinny at Chinese Food and Wine Pairings presents Uruguay’s Bodega Garzon Tannat Paired with Lamb Skewers and Beef Short Ribs.
  • Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla gives us Brined Quail with a NumberedBottle of Tannat.
  • Cindy from Grape Experiences provides Taste Uruguay: 1752Gran Tradicion Montevideo 2017 and Pasta with Caruso Sauce.
  • David from Cooking Chat stirs up BBQ Baked Steak Tips with Wine from Uruguay.
  • Wendy from A Day In The Life On The Farm presents Food and Wine of Uruguay: Chivito Sandwiches Paired with Garzon Cab Franc.
  • Jeff from FoodWineClick! offers up Picturing Uruguay with Lentil Stew & Aguara Tannat.
  • Kat from Bacchus Travel & Tours hints at a Hidden Gem: On the Hunt for Wine from Uruguay.
  • Jane from Always Ravenous stirs up Discovering Uruguayan Wine Paired with a Winter Plate.
  • Steven from Steven’s Wine And Food Blog shares Tannat and Brazilian Feijoada.
  • Linda from My Full Wine Glass asks Meatless in Uruguay –Is that Possible?
  • Deanna from Asian Test Kitchen says Relax Your Mussels with Uruguayan Albarino.
  • Sarah from Curious Cuisiniere pairs Tannat from Uruguay and French Cassoulet.
  • Nancy from Pull That Cork offers Uruguay: a Wine and Food Sampler.
  • Gwendolyn from Wine Predator shares Uruguay: Influenced by Immigrants Plus 7 Fun Facts.
  • Jennifer from Vino Travels presents Bodega Garzón Tannat with Sausage Stew.
  • Martin of ENOFYLZ Wine Blog writes A Taste of the Food and Wine of Uruguay
  • Rupal from Syrah Queen is ready with Tannat – The National Grape of Uruguay.
  • Jill at L'Occasion, this month's host, rolls out To All The Foods I’ve Loved Before: Pairing Uruguayan Tannat.


Additional sources and reading:

Wine-Searcher.com

Wine Folly

The Oxford Companion via JancisRobinson.com

Wine Grapes: A Complete Guide to 1,368 Vine Varieties, Including Their Origins and Flavours

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