100 Perfect Pairings: Main Dishes to Enjoy with Wines You Love helps you prepare main dishes that will perfectly complement the wines of your choice. An ideal resource for both casual dinners and special occasions, this handy book presents 100 main dish recipes that pair deliciously with favorites like Chardonnay (Roast Chicken with Potatoes) and Merlot (Mixed Mushroom Pappardelle), as well as new varietals like Viognier (Lobster Tails with Vanilla Drawn Butter), and Syrah (Rib Eye Steaks with Green Olive Butter).

Organized into 12 chapters (six for white, six for red) and illustrated with 40 lush color photos, 100 Perfect Pairings makes it easy to match a variety of main dishes with your favorite wines.

• Features 100 tempting recipes to suit many occasions from weekday dinners to celebration brunches.
• Offers simple pairing guidelines for white wines from Sauvignon Blanc to Gewürztraminer and red wines from Rosé to Cabernet Sauvignon.
• Packaged in a small format that’s great for gift-giving and for taking with you when you shop for food and wine

Whether pairing with a white or red wine, these 100 delicious recipes offer exciting options that will make every meal an occasion to remember.

Then I’ll be talking to Andy Titus from Mid-Western Meat Processing and Equipment Supplies about a great line of seasonings that I had the chance to taste at Johnsons’s Garden Center on West 13th.

Good Life Guy’s Wine of The Week:
2009 STRUB Riesling Kabinett Niersteiner Bruckchen

The name of this wine is a mouthful but don’t let that stop you from enjoying this excellent Terry Theise selection. The Niersteiner Brückchen vineyard is part of the Rheinhessen region located at the crook of the Rhine River between the Nahe and the Pfalz. While the Rheinhessen used to be known primarily for Liebfraumilch, Terry Theise is now calling it “Germany’s most interesting wine region.” Strub’s 2009 Riesling Kabinett is a well balanced wine with a pleasantly mild sweetness. It has notes of apricots, citrus, herbs and a distinct minerality which is true to the Rheinhessen. It pairs perfectly with Thai food (my favorite is Thai Green Curry) because the refreshing sweetness and acidity cut through the spice. The 2009 Strub Riesling Kabinett Niersteiner Brückchen is delicious, and I think you’ll love it, even if it is a mouthful to say. – “The Living Grape”

For 28 years, the FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen has been the premier culinary and wine event of its kind. Each June, FOOD & WINE magazine hosts 5,000 highly targeted consumers, members of the restaurant industry and press in Aspen. The three-day weekend brings FOOD & WINE to life with cooking demonstrations and wine tastings. Seminars led by wine and food superstars such as Mario Batali, José Andrés, Jacques Pépin, Gail Simmons, and Joshua Wesson provide a world-class experience. 

I’ll be chatting with  Viña Carmen head winemaker Sebastian Labbe.
Carmen, the oldest of the Chilean wine brands, was founded in 1850 by Christian Lanz, who named it in honor of his wife. The Claro family acquired the brand in 1985 and began the process of transforming it into a world-class winery. A new winery was completed in 1992, located in the foothills of the Andes Mountains, just one hour from Chile’s capital city of Santiago. Today, the winery seamlessly blends state-of-the-art technology with traditional winemaking processes.

The Carmen team firmly believes in terroir and is continually reevaluating regions and plantings in a quest to produce super premium wines that can stand shoulder to shoulder with the world’s finest. Carmen’s vineyards are located throughout Chile’s prestigious Central Valley in the premium growing regions of Maipo, Casablanca, Apalta, Rapel and Maule.

Carmen takes pride in its pioneering history. Carmen was the first winery in Chile to cultivate grapes organically (released under the Nativa label) and the first winery to identify and cultivate Carmenère, a variety that originated in Bordeaux but is no longer largely cultivated in France.

In the second half I’ll be talking to Steve Russell about some of the new and innovative plastic items to make indoor or outdoor entertaining great fun.   From wine stemware, food storage containers, even plastic wine bottles, there are some great products that are eco-friendly, durable and of course; recycleable!
Learn more at www.plasticsmakeitpossible.com

Don’t forget…Jeff Bramwell’s new book VinoBurger is available at Jacob Liquor Exchange and you can try one of his burgers (thanks to Chef Jamie Stratton) when you buy a book from the Cigar Chateau at Jacob’s on N. Rock Road this Saturday June 18.  VinoBurger is also available at Watermark books. 

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2005 Carmen Reserve Syrah
Dark red cherry color. Stony, minerality, full of jammy black cherries. Ripe fruit notes blended with eucalyptus. Very rich, concentrated, soft and velvety. You can feel the smoky and tobacco notes along with black cherry fruits, prunes and dark chocolate aromas that opens to violets. All of this framed by mocha and spicy aromas. Live acidity and nice tannins.

VinoBurger is more than a cookbook. It is a vinous and culinary travelogue intended to provide the home chef and wine enthusiast with a fun and unique approach to learning about the world’s greatest wine regions. Recipes feature ingredients authentic to each wine region, presented in the familiar, unpretentious form of America’s favorite food: the hamburger. Wine education is served up in easy-to-grasp portions, providing the reader with a snapshot of what each region does best. VinoBurger takes a global approach to exciting, new wine and food pairings, best enjoyed over the course of a leisurely evening, shared with friends and family.

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week, as seen in VinoBurger:
2007 Montepeloso Eneo
The 2007 Eneo shows remarkable detail, clarity and freshness in its red cherries, flowers, sweet tobacco and licorice. In 2007 Eneo is surprisingly open, perfumed and accessible, with a seamless quality that softens some of the linearity that the wine typically shows at this stage. The finish is best described as long, pure and exceptionally silky, with subtle nuances of sweet tobacco, earthiness and crushed flowers that linger on the palate. Eneo is 40% Montepulciano, 25% Sangiovese, 25% Marselan and 10% Alicante Bouschet that was aged in used French oak barrels.

Robert Parker WA91-93

Create fresh and easy meals any night of the week with Simply Zov: Rustic Classics with a Mediterranean Twist By Zov Karamardian. Every home-cook hopes to create fresh and inspiring dishes for every meal. But what most of us lack is time. With Zov Karamardian’s new book, the tempting world of garden-fresh cooking is easier than ever without spending hours in the kitchen. As a follow up to her best-selling cookbook, Zov: Recipes and Memories from the Heart, the acclaimed chef and restaurateur has come up with a simple and easy approach to cooking, Simply Zov provides clean and satisfying meals for busy people.

“My philosophy is convenience, quality and healthy ingredients and quick preparation,” she said. “We’re all busy, so there is really little time left to cook and shop. All the ingredients in the book are available in any market, except for some spices which you can easily find in a Middle Eastern market or health food store.”

In the second half We’ll be talking about a great new book; Essential Wines and Wineries of the Pacific Northwest, with author Cole Danehower.

Home to more than 1,200 wineries, the Pacific Northwest is North America’s second largest wine region, and with the publication of Essential Wines and Wineries of the Pacific Northwest (Timber Press) there is for the first time a comprehensive guide to understanding the unique wine character of Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Idaho. Essential Wines and Wineries of the Pacific Northwest is the first book to profile all 29 appellations of the Northwest – regardless of political boundaries –from Oregon’s renowned Willamette Valley, Washington’s famed Walla Walla Valley, and the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, to less widely-known, up-and-coming wine countries such as Lake Chelan, Umpqua Valley, Snake River Valley, and Similkameen Valley.

James Beard Journalism Award-winning writer Cole Danehower has distilled a decade’s worth of Northwest wine experience into a single volume that describes what makes the region distinctive for wine – from soils and climate to topography, and geology – while providing insightful profiles of 160 wineries that he feels best represent the character of each Northwest appellation. “I wrote this book for wine-curious consumers who want to understand what makes the Pacific Northwest one of the most exciting wine regions in the world,” said Danehower in the introduction to the book. “Wines come from, and reflect, specific places. To appreciate the character of Northwest wines, we need to understand the nature of the places – the wine countries – they come from.”

The Good Life Guy Wine of the Week:
Something special from the Pacific Northwest!

2009 Bergström Old Stones Chardonnay, Willamette Valley AVA
This Chardonnay went through full malolactic fermentation and was aged in roughly 40% new oak. Medium straw-colored, it reveals an expressive nose of smoke, toast, baked apple, pear, and hazel nuts. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has ample ripe, savory, layered fruit, excellent volume and concentration, a smooth texture, and a lengthy finish. Although it can be enjoyed now, it is likely to unwind for another 1-2 years and drink well for 5-6 thereafter. Robert Parker WA-92, WS-91

Georg & Good Life Guy

I had the pleasure of speaking to Mr. Georg Riedel, 10th generation head of the Austrian glassware giant that has essentially revolutionized how we enjoy all beverages, especially wine.  Mr. Riedel was in Wichita to conduct both a trade tasting and a very special Sommelier series wine tasting at the Hereford House.

Georg Josef Riedel born 1949 joined the family business in 1973. Under his direction, the Riedel firm evolved into a world wide operating company. Georg founded a network of Riedel-owned subsidiaries, starting in 1979 by opening Riedel USA and continuing the expansions to Canada in 1992, Germany 1996, Japan 2000, UK 2001, and in 2006 he founded Riedel Development, specializing on private label offers.  In 2004, Georg bought the German-based companies Nachtmann and Spiegelau, operating the three brands (Riedel, Nachtmann, Spiegelau) under “Riedel Glass Works” one of the largest producers of quality glass in Europe.   

Starting in 1987 with the support of winemaker friends like Angelo Gaja, Christian Moueix, Robert Mondavi and the endorsment of wine publications such as Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, the Wine Spectator, Decanter Magazine and many others Georg was fortunate to lift “his Riedel glasses” onto the tables of the wine world. Under his leadership, Riedel became the world’s leading wine glass company.  Learn more at www.riedel.com

The Good Life Guy Wine of the Week:
2007 Open Range Proprietory Red Blend
From Casey Flat Ranch and the Capay Valley nestled deep within the rugged coastal mountains of Northern California comes this adventurous blend of 50% syrah, 40% cabernet sauvignon and 10% mouvedre.  Deep purple color with dark fruit aromas. Plum, black currant and fresh earth with a hint of cedar. Big entry, with a broad palate and silky core.  This is a rich red with lots of bells and whistles…now figure out which Riedel glass you will put it in? 

It’s on sale at Jacob Liquor Exchange on North Rock Road
Get some and join me this week!

My first guest, the man the put the famous tasting together; Mr. Steven Spurrier. 
In the early 70′s, hooked on fine wine after a grand tour of Frances most important cellars, he moved to Paris and purchased a tiny wine shop off the Rue Royale.  Being run by an Englishman, Caves de la Madeleine became increasingly famous and specialised in hand-picked bottles from only the finest growers.  Spurrier soon took over the premises next door to give wine classes in English at L’Académie du Vin.  To promote his wine shoppe he set up a comparative tasting of France’s greatest wines with some new unheard of Napa wines, inviting some of France’s most celebrated palates to judge them blind.  They promptly, much to everyone’s surprise, preferred California to France.  While not the intended outcome, these unknown Napa wines astounded the judges.  George Taber, Time magazine reporter and the only journalist who attended the tasting, spread the word with his article ”The Judgement of Paris.”  The Global wine market would never be the same.

Then I’ll be talking to the Producer/Director/Writer husband & wife team, Randy Miller and Jody Savin.  This is the couple who made the move “Bottle Shock.”   Not intended to be a documentary of the famous Paris tasting, but a slice of the fledgling Napa wine busines as seen through the  eyes of a few of the key players from Chateau Montelena.  Randy and Jody will be in Wichita for the May 28 “Bottle Shock – Judgment of Wichita” AIWF event at the historic Orpheum theatre. 

 Learn more about this event and make reservations.

We finish the program with the winemaker who made the 1974 Chateau Montelina Chardonnay that was the hit of the Paris Tasting; Miljenko “Mike” Grgich.  A legend in the Napa Valley, over the past 50 years, Mike’s wines, crafted in the classic Old World tradition, have won a stream of California and international prizes, establishing Grgich Hills Estate as one of the premier wineries in the U.S. and the world.

Check out this great video about Mike and his journey in wine!

Good Life Guy’s wine of the Week:
2008 Grgich Hills Napa Chardonnay
Crafted from grapes that were certified organic and Biodynamic, our Chardonnay did not undergo malolactic fermentation, preserving its wonderful acidity.  This wine displays aromas of orange blossom honey and toasted almonds with a hint of tropical fruit and crushed stone on the finish. Match this Chardonnay’s elegant style with poached salmon, roasted chicken, grilled pork, or creamy cheeses.

Pick up a bottle at Jacob Liquor Exchange…
…taste one of the finest chardonnays from Napa.

There’s not a single thorny artichoke, scrawny quail, or roasted chestnut to be peeled in this book. What you will find in BITE ME are 175 dependably delicious recipes created for the urban and suburban, the aspiring and well-seasoned home cook. You won’t need an army of sous chefs, a pantry of guava paste, or a blowtorch in order to turn a bag of groceries into a satisfying meal. We’re all about making you confident in the kitchen and relaxed at the table.  www.bitemecookbook.com

A Stomach-Satisfying, Visually Gratifying, Fresh-Mounthed Cookbook

In the second half I’ll be talking to Scott Fore from Rocland Estate about some great Aussie imports that are on the shelf at jacob Liquor Exchange and need to be on your dinner table.

Good Life Guy’s Wines of the Week: 
I’ll be trying two wines from Rocland…

2007 Ass Kisser Red  ( 59% Shiraz/41% Grenache) 100% South Australian.
French oak maturation.  A beautifully balanced blend of two classic old varieties. Intense varietal fruit – plenty of body and well matched by the sweet oak and fine tannins.

2007 Chocolate Box Dark Shiraz
100 % shiraz from Barossa vineyards, generous aromas of blackberries, aniseed and coffee. The pallate shows vanillin oak, spicy and cigar box type flavours, smooth soft silky tannins perfectly round off this wine.

www.roclandestate.com 

Pre-empted by WSU baseball!  Sorry we’ll do it again soon.

We’ll be telling you all about the great products to make summer or anytime of year FUN…as they say; “When it Calls for FUN, call Ultra Modern!”

Ultra Modern Pool & Patio has been the place to find high quality casual living products from the worlds top companies for over 55 year in Wichita and all over Kansas! Ultra Modern Pool & Patio features Doughboy above ground pools, BioGuard and Baquacil water care products. Choose from high qualitiy hot tubs from Jacuzzi, Hot Spring, Caldera, Tiger River, Solana, Limelight and Hot Spot spas. Great game room items: pool tables and game tables from Legacy Billiards and Olhausen Billiards, game room accessories, barstools, patio furniture and more. Finish off your ourdoor living room with a custom barbeque grill island and a Big Green Egg.

www.ultramodern.com

There will be some Big Green Egg cooking demos going on with samples fresh off the grill and I’ll be offering some wine pairings to make your back yard BBQ a hit!

Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
Some great wines to go with your Big Green Egg BBQ

My first guest is Bonnie Aeschliman with her new cookbook “From Farm to France”  We’ll be talking about Bonnie’s book, her cooking school and her very active role in Wichita’s culinary scene.  www.cookingatbonniesplace.com

From learning to cook in a rustic, Missouri farm kitchen to teaching in a French culinary school, Bonnie Aeschliman’s journey as a culinarian is beautifully captured in her new cookbook, “Cooking with Bonnie: Farm to France.”

“Who would have thought a gal who grew up on a small farm in Missouri, picking and shelling bushels of peas from the garden, gathering blackberries in the woods while watching for snakes, milking a cow and churning butter would one day be flying off to France to teach the French how to cook American food?” said Aeschliman.

In the fall of 2009, Aeschliman was invited to teach a class at Atelier Cuisine de Laurence, a French culinary school in Orléans, France. At the request of her French host, Aeschliman taught American classics such as crab cakes with remoulade sauce, southern fried chicken, mashed potatoes with pan gravy and blackberry cobbler – all traditional farm food she grew up making in Missouri.  “The class was a huge hit,” said Aeschliman. “The students loved the food, even gnawing every last morsel of chicken off the bone. It just goes to show that good food knows no boundaries!”

After spending several years as director of The Kitchen, a prestigious cooking school in Oklahoma City, Aeschliman served as a regular guest of a cooking segment during the evening news on KAKE-TV, the ABC affiliate in Wichita. She has taken culinary courses at the Culinary Institute of America, studied in Italy and France and is a Certified Culinary Professional. In 2007, she opened “Cooking at Bonnie’s Place” in Wichita.  www.farmtofrance.com

In the second half I’ll be chatting with Jennifer Wall – Barefoot winemaker, the magic winemaker behind some of the best value wines on the shelf today.  Check out the scores below of just a few of the wines Jen sent to the Jerry Mead - New World International Wine Competition this year! 

Good Life Guy’s wine of the week:
From Barefoot Wines; some great value award winners for summer sippin!
Like…The NV Lodi Zinfandel

All Barefoot 1.5 liter wines are on SALE for only $8.99
April 20-28, at Jacob Liquor Exchange! 
Tell them you heard about it on The Good Life