Renaissance Blog
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This Week's Featured Value Wine: Coto de Hayas Crianza (60% Grenache and 40% Tempranillo)
Borja Coto de Hayas 2004 (84 points)
Juicy blackberry and raspberry fruit gives this red an immediate appeal. It's fresh and direct, with light tannins and enough acid to keep it lively. Grenache, Tempranillo, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now. 16,000 cases made.
--Thomas Matthews
Stop by the shop for your bottle today!
Malbec, Cribbage, and Pizza
3/27/08
The shop seems to get busier every night! We are pleased that many of you have made Renaissance your evening hang out, and we are grateful for the relationships we are making along the way.
As the wine bar portion of the business grows, we are continually searching for top-notch, interesting, and affordable wines to make your wine experience here more pleasurable.
Recently, a group of regulars opened up a bottle of the 2006 Pascual Toso Malbec to enjoy at the shop. We were all amazed at the bold beauty brought forth through flavors of smoky plumb, boysenberry, and spiced clove. This wine seemed to be the perfect compliment to the Hercules pizza from Garlic Jim’s, and the friendly game of Cribbage enjoyed by everyone hanging around the shop (we do occasionally keep it simple).
At only $12.25 a bottle, we understand why Wine Enthusiasts named this Malbec the #1 Best Buy of 2007! In fact, we liked the wine so much that we decided to feature it in this week’s tasting of South American terrior. Thank you to everyone who made the night such a memorable one. And for all of you who were not here, be reminded of how much fun you miss when you’re away!
Madeira: a wine with an unlikely history
12/5/07
Rich, lush, and seductive, Madeira is a stunning addition to the holiday celebrations. Virtually indestructible, these wines can last for several months after opening, and range from dry to sweet and everything in-between. Together with Port, they serve as two of the world’s leading fortified wines. Choose from rustic vintage Madeira’s, to young and vibrant ruby Ports – the possibilities are endless!
Rich in history, the story behind Madeira is intricate and complex – just like the wine. Grown on the island of Madeira (off the coast of Portugal), these wines mark a fascinating turn in the history of wine making. In the 17th century, Madeira’s wine was carried in small casks on ships bound for the Americas. During the voyage, the wines were rigorously exposed to oxidation, extreme heat, and constant motion.
Much to the amazement of the crew, the wines not only survived the journey, but evolved in a rather curious way; as the wine crossed the equator, it began to express more delicate, smooth characteristics than demonstrated prior to the trip. Interestingly enough, the same wine, after the journey back, proved to evolve even more, revealing secondary flavors such as maple brown sugar, toffee, and truffles.
Soon, word got out among Europeans that wine which crossed the equator twice, or “vinho da roda,” was among the most sophisticated wine of the age. Madeira’s popularity grew, and is known to this day as one of the world’s finest fortified wines.
The four “noble grape varieties” of Madeira are unique among the world of vineyards. They are said to make the very best Madeira. Learning these terms are a good way to know which style of wine you’re getting when choosing Madeira (the names are typically listed on the label):
Sercial: the rarest and the driest Madeira.
Verdelho: medium-dry, with a light sweetness.
Boal (or Bual): medium-sweet, reveal much of the most notable Madeira characteristics.
Malmsey: the sweetest Madeira, but contains high acidity which nicely balances the sweetness.
One of our favorite Madeira's is Rare Wine Company’s, New York Malmsey. A perfect after dinner libation, packed with flavors of burnt-caramel, honeyed toffee and scorched earth. Scoring a stunning 93 points in Wine Enthusiast, this wine is versatile and delicious - a perfect pairing for mild to medium bodied cigars, or as a compliment to your favorite dessert!
Only $46.25 a bottle!
If you haven’t had the pleasure of Madeira, this season is the perfect time to discover what you’ve been missing. Stop by the shop today for a bottle, or enjoy a glass in our wine bar and experience the wine that's been around the world!
See you at the shop!
Written by: Amanda Flaker
Andina
11/25/07
“A taste of Peru in the Pearl”
Colorful, lively, and sapid, Andina is a unique and unexpected culinary experience in the heart of the Pearl. Unlike many up-scale restaurants with white table cloths and stuffy, up-tight food snobs, Andina is warm and inviting - urbane, yet flirtatious. The atmosphere is spicy and salacious, with live Latin music, tantalizing scents, and seductive fare. Multi-colored cloth napkins larkishly adorn the tables with deep reds, rich saffron yellows, and exotic blues, evoking feelings of an animated Lima street festival. Yet, the service is that of a five-star hotel with prompt, knowledgeable staff, seamless dispensation, and exotic presentations. Andina is truly an aesthetic experience.
With a variety of diverse dishes and a gluten-free menu, it is easy to find something for everyone. Among our favorite dishes were the following (descriptions taken from the dinner menu):
ATUN CON TACU TACU Y AGUAYMANTO
”seared yellow fin tuna crusted with black pepper and orange zest, served with lentil tacu-tacu, orange-endive ‘salsa criolla’ and a cape gooseberry-aji-amarillo sauce.” $27
CONCHAS DEL SENOR DE SIPAN
”quinoa crusted diver scallops perched on top of wilted spinach and potato parsnip puree, with golden beet and crabmeat "cannelloni", and a duet of red beet and passion fruit reductions.” $24.
CORDERITO DE LOS ANDES
”a succulent double rack of grass-fed lamb grilled to order, and served with a peruvian yellow potato and three cheese timbale with a sublime roasted pepper demi-glace.” $26.
My personal favorite was the yellowfin tuna, although the scallops followed as a close second. The passion fruit reduction was an absolute perfect compliment to the scallops, and paired harmoniously with the 1996 Clos des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc.
In Mike’s typical over-the-top fashion, he opened a bottle of 2002 Domaine Drouhin Louise which paired beautifully with the luscious rack of lamb, drawing forth its delicate subtleties with the rich, savory essence of the Pinot. The union was simply stunning!
The wine list was diverse, plentiful and easy to navigate. I was pleased to find some of the smaller boutique Oregon wineries, such as Adea and JK Carrier, as well as some of the bigger names like Domaine Drouhin and Elk Cove. I would have liked a more impressive selection of sparkling, including the grower-producer champagnes, but they did provide some excellent Cava. Albert Mann Pinot Blanc was listed at only $9 a glass, and in my opinion is one of the most graceful Pinot Blanc’s on the market today.
One of the best parts of experiencing Andina is meeting “Mama.” As a family owned and operated business, the Rodriquez’s wants every guest to feel as if they are in their home. To help facilitate this feeling of closeness, at the end of night, Mama (the mother of the chefs and co-owner of Andina), comes out and greets every table - asking you if you enjoyed your meal and encouraging you to visit her homeland of Peru, for it is “the most beautiful country” according to Mama. She is truly enchanting, and completes the feeling of warmth and authenticity.
I hate to be overly flattering in a review but it is honestly difficult to find anything negative to say about Andina. It is fresh and exciting, not overly refined but delightfully charming and evocative. Articulate and delicious, Andina is the place to go for a truly ethnic experience.
Check out their website at www.andinarestaurant.com
Written by: Amanda Flaker
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