Alors, I like to pair wines and beers with foods pretty readily, especially since I grew up without the graces of any good libations beyond soda for all the incredibly and deeply rich Gujarat Indian food I enjoyed. My Mom puts the Indian restaurants to shame when it comes to Indian food, especially since she makes straight-up vegetarian Gujarati cuisine. Whenever she dives into meats, its also truly spectacular, mixing in all her know-how on spices and strange ingredients that work really well with the meat itself, as well as the gravy. secondly and most uniquely, her 10+ years exile in Zambia taught her how to meld locality availabilities with the her native flavors. Anyway, suffice it to say a good beer helps cool the spices down.
 
So, Wes, one of my favorite customers, is also a bow and and arrow hunter, who went out in November a 'pegged' a wild boar. He made sausage out of it through the processing graces of Hudson's on south Congress; a little beef was added to it to fill it out, which was fine by me. I made a red sauce with a can of peeled tomatoes, a little garlic and red pepper flakes and a bay leaf with a sprinkle of oregano and half a cup of leftover zinfandel. I cooked it for about two hours to reduce the sauce, and the end result reminded me of the incredibly yummy gravies I inhaled at a Pakistani restaurant in Berkeley California. Thick and rich and with the essence of the marrow, the wild boar gave it so much dimensionality I could only enjoy half a link to feel satiated. The disappointing part of the meal came from my pairing what should've been a good zinfandel. I guess when I was expecting something fruity and dense at the same time for this meal, I should've gone with something I already knew. But this bottle was a gift and i trusted the source, only to be surprised at how weak a quaff it was. I'm not going to mention who I got it from or what it was, and you can be sure you won't find this guy's bottle on my shelf only to be disappointed like me. Long story short, I should've popped open a French syrah from my cellar instead, cuz that wild boar deserved that special something-something for sure.

Anyway, I also enjoyed the item below at one of my favorite spots in town, D&L's Texas Music Cafe, with my wife for a Valentine's Sunday Afternoon Happy Hour in this INCREDIBLE weather we're having. Every time the climate turns to this pleasantness, I can't help but to compare it to a really fine pinot noir: delicate and cool and refreshing and yet warm basking, lets you breathe and enjoy smiles and light and love. Alors, the item below is ore than apropos and I get to enjoy it on my shelf that much more:

Mark West Central Coast Pinot Noir 2003:  starting with its awesome fruity nose, you encounter a dense palate of dark bitter chocolates mixing with cherries and spices. The supple and delicate finish lingers and smokes with hints of licorice and mint, opening up for more smiles and quaffing. I can't recommend this one more and hope to enjoy again.

BTW: I am pleased to note that every item on the wine menu at D&L's Texas Music Cafe is also available on our shelf, so if you enjoy it there, and want more for the take-home, Whip In for it!

more fun stuff soon,

~detox