Santa Ema Reserve Merlot Maipo Valley 2004
>
> In recent years, my responsibilities as a 25 hour a day caregiver to
> a semi-invalid have obviated my indulging in much wine pleasures.
> Last night, I bent the rules and pulled something out of my little
> cellar to accompany a USDA Prime rib steak that I unearthed in my
> freezer. This morning, I looked at my wine spreadsheet/database and
> discovered that the last new entry was in July of this year!
>
> When I first tasted this wine, one of my notes stated that this was
> one of the most complete Merlots in recent memory. Getting it out of
> the bottle proved an unexpected challenge. My Leverpull type opener
> shredded the cork into a jagged half remaining in the neck. Next, I
> tried to remove the remains with a two bladed wine tool. It was of no
> avail, and the only alternative was to push downward, sending a small
> shower of cork bits where they were not wanted. On my top shelf, I
> retrieved a decanter, which required some fast scrubbing before it
> could do service. Fortunately, I knew the whereabouts of some
> cheesecloth, having utilized it to wrap a Bouquet Garni the previous
> week. Wine filtered and breathing, I heaved a quick sigh of relief.
> Maybe I will live long enough to see most wine producers switch to
> sturdier synthetic corks or quality screw caps instead of the
> traditional but troublesome bark of a certain species of Oak tree. > Maybe.
>
> Tasting it at half hour intervals for one and a half hours before
> serving time, my previous notes still stand. The primary overtone was
> of ripe Blackberries, with a little earthiness and still present
> rounded Tannins. The body was full and syrupy, and the sensations
> lingered until I was finished scrubbing pots and headed for
> dreamland.
>
> My most recent kitchen acquisition did double duty. It is a digital
> thermometer with a metal wire shielded stainless pointed probe.
> Inserted into one baking potato in the 375F oven, it rang at
> precisely the moment the the internal temperature reached 210F. Off
> to the warming drawer the potatoes went, while I increased the oven
> temperature to 425F. A quick browning of the steak in some Olive Oil
> in a cast iron skillet, was followed by inserting the probe, now set
> to ring at 140F when the skillet with steak went into the oven. While
> the steak was reaching the desired internal temperature, I quickly
> sautéed some sliced almonds in butter and added the fine young
> Haricot Verts that I had blanched for five minutes earlier in the
> day. A most successful dinner.
>
> Godzilla