August 2024 Delectable Reviews

I slowed down a bit with my Delectable reviews in August plus my day job has consumed a lot of my time and energy last 3 weeks. Here's a catch-up post.

Really solid wine for the price, but it was a touch out of balance for my taste. There are so many great bold red wine options available from the Kirkland Signature brand under ~$20.

Recommended Pairing: Picanha
The second red of that evening was a treat. This is the second wine of the Bordeaux 5th Growth Château Cos Labory. Second wines from the historic Bordeaux producers can often be a great bargain, though they may not age quite as well as the pricier first (main) wine. While this one was a bit past its prime after 29 years, it was still an interesting and delicious accompaniment to the meal.

Recommended Pairing: Picanha
Our friends are fantastic home cooks. I tasted the traditional Brazilian-style Picanha which is simply seasoned with a generous amount of coarse salt and grilled. Excellently-prepared red meat like this pairs with really any nice red wine so this 8-year Brunello worked well enough but I've had much better ones at the same $30 - $50 price range.

Recommended Pairing: Panko Fried Oysters
I first discovered Picpoul with my WSJWC subscription which I've written about. It's got that screaming high acidity and a light body which is absolutely delicious in the Houston summer heat. This ended up being a great start to a lovely home hosted by our close Brazilian family friends.

As sometimes happens, I remember this tasting much more interesting on our Spring Break family vacation to Barcelona and Priorat at Cellar Atavus. The experience is often more interesting than the wines!

Recommended Pairing: Vegetable Paella
Most casual wine drinkers probably don't know Sancerre also features a red and rosé categories, though of course they are best known for their Sauvignon Blanc white wines. This one is made from 100% Pinot Noir.