News and Wine Blog
Vino Mas November 2024 Wine Club Wines from Armenia
11/06/2024
The staff took on the pairings this month. Deb, Angi, AJ, Brenda and Chuck all got together, enjoyed the wines and had an amazing meal that they prepared to go with the wines.
Deb tackled the main red for the month: NOA Areni. "I love when we showcase wines I would probably not experience if not for our wine club. This is our second time highlighting Armenian wines and it is amazing to taste their complexity, lusciousness, wonderful dark fruits, herbal notes and baking spice characteristics. As I have stated before, I am a lazy cook, and I like to find recipes where I can walk in the door and the food is done via crock pot. Tuscan chicken is such an easy recipe and can be made many different ways. For our Noa wine this month, I went with a recipe that was more concentrated with spices (Za’taar totally the Mediterranean vibe) and sun-dried tomatoes rather than a cream-based recipe. The Noa mastered the simple ingredients of the recipe, and we added a couple of mashed potato cakes (see AJ's recipe) as a creamier side dish, it brought out everything this wine has to offer. Enjoy family and friends this November and remember that your time is valuable and easier recipes allows you more time for what is really important!"
AJ paired the red complemnet, which is also an Areni. "The Shofer Areni from Armenia is a fantastic wine for November, especially now with our weather starting to turn a bit cooler. With notes of cherry, plum and peppery spices, pairing it with Thanksgiving leftovers was a no-brainer! The foods and festivities of the season are fun, hearty and delicious. Many people celebrate a long weekend, and typically have lots of leftovers for football games and gatherings, so I decided on a fun, easy meal – leftover turkey sliders with mashed potato cakes. I layered Hawaiian rolls with stuffing, turkey and cranberries and topped them with some cheese. The Areni drew out the spices of the stuffing and is so good with the cranberries! The mashed potato cakes are my favorite leftovers, ever – and of course had to be topped with gravy, it is Thanksgiving, after all! Enjoy!"
Angi took on the white for this month which is a Voskehat and Khatouni blend. "You are going to love this White Blend! Our first sip of this delightful wine from the southeastern region Vayots Dzor which is the most sparsely populated region in Armenia and ranges between 3100 – 4000 ft above sea level was crisp with notes of lemon and apple, the acidity and subtle minerality left an invigorating aftertaste. Pairing with the chicken, the acidity complemented the savory flavors of the herbs and spices while balancing the eggplant with the crispness of the wine. Together, the wine elevates the dish, creating a harmonious balance that enhances both the chicken and the eggplant."
Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: Classic Napa Valley Cabernet aromas of ripe blackberry and red currant are underpinned by an alluring dark forest floor earthiness and a high note of red licorice/candy shop. Valley floor fruit brings mouth-filling plushness to the palate, while concentrated mountain fruit drives through the core.
Deb tackled the main red for the month: NOA Areni. "I love when we showcase wines I would probably not experience if not for our wine club. This is our second time highlighting Armenian wines and it is amazing to taste their complexity, lusciousness, wonderful dark fruits, herbal notes and baking spice characteristics. As I have stated before, I am a lazy cook, and I like to find recipes where I can walk in the door and the food is done via crock pot. Tuscan chicken is such an easy recipe and can be made many different ways. For our Noa wine this month, I went with a recipe that was more concentrated with spices (Za’taar totally the Mediterranean vibe) and sun-dried tomatoes rather than a cream-based recipe. The Noa mastered the simple ingredients of the recipe, and we added a couple of mashed potato cakes (see AJ's recipe) as a creamier side dish, it brought out everything this wine has to offer. Enjoy family and friends this November and remember that your time is valuable and easier recipes allows you more time for what is really important!"
AJ paired the red complemnet, which is also an Areni. "The Shofer Areni from Armenia is a fantastic wine for November, especially now with our weather starting to turn a bit cooler. With notes of cherry, plum and peppery spices, pairing it with Thanksgiving leftovers was a no-brainer! The foods and festivities of the season are fun, hearty and delicious. Many people celebrate a long weekend, and typically have lots of leftovers for football games and gatherings, so I decided on a fun, easy meal – leftover turkey sliders with mashed potato cakes. I layered Hawaiian rolls with stuffing, turkey and cranberries and topped them with some cheese. The Areni drew out the spices of the stuffing and is so good with the cranberries! The mashed potato cakes are my favorite leftovers, ever – and of course had to be topped with gravy, it is Thanksgiving, after all! Enjoy!"
Fun fact, Shofer is the Armenian word for “chauffeur”, the car on the label is used near-exclusively by the countries cabbies who love to share their land and cities with newcomers.
Angi took on the white for this month which is a Voskehat and Khatouni blend. "You are going to love this White Blend! Our first sip of this delightful wine from the southeastern region Vayots Dzor which is the most sparsely populated region in Armenia and ranges between 3100 – 4000 ft above sea level was crisp with notes of lemon and apple, the acidity and subtle minerality left an invigorating aftertaste. Pairing with the chicken, the acidity complemented the savory flavors of the herbs and spices while balancing the eggplant with the crispness of the wine. Together, the wine elevates the dish, creating a harmonious balance that enhances both the chicken and the eggplant."
Recipe links below. ENJOY!
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NOA Areni:
NOTES: This wine is complex yet harmonious, expressing rich flavours of red cherry, raspberry, blackcurrant, subtle violet notes with a touch of spiciness and lingering finish.
Recipe to pair with NOA Areni:
www.vinomas.com/Crock-Pot-Tuscan-Chicken-paired-with-Noa-Areni-red-wine
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Shofer Areni:
NOTES: A medium-bodied wine with a radiant red and violet robe. It has an aroma of freshly picked strawberries, cherries, and plums. The palate is smooth and charming, with a fine texture and soft tannins.
Recipe to pair with Shofer Areni:
www.vinomas.com/Leftover-Turkey-sliders-and-mashed-potato-cakes-paired-with-Shofer-Areni-red-wine
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NOA Voskehat:
NOTES: Masterfully structured white wine with aromas and flavors of ripe apple and pear, zesty yet ripe lemon, nectarine and notes of honeysuckle. The wine has a crisp acidity and marked minerality on the finish. This is a truly authentic wine and a genuine expression of our terroir.
Recipe to pair with NOA Voskehat:
www.vinomas.com/Pollo-alle-Melanzane-Braised-Chicken-and-Eggplant-paired-with-Noa-white-blend
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High Tier Wine Club Wine:
Pahlmeyer is defined by mountain fruit, possessing the soulful character born of demanding terroir and meticulous farming. We work with some of the most esteemed vineyards in Napa Valley, dramatic mountain terrain in the rugged foothills and ridgelines of the Vaca Mountainstremendous. Elevation, sun aspect, and soil types yield small, concentrated berries with structure and intensity.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOA Areni:
NOTES: This wine is complex yet harmonious, expressing rich flavours of red cherry, raspberry, blackcurrant, subtle violet notes with a touch of spiciness and lingering finish.
Recipe to pair with NOA Areni:
www.vinomas.com/Crock-Pot-Tuscan-Chicken-paired-with-Noa-Areni-red-wine
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shofer Areni:
NOTES: A medium-bodied wine with a radiant red and violet robe. It has an aroma of freshly picked strawberries, cherries, and plums. The palate is smooth and charming, with a fine texture and soft tannins.
Recipe to pair with Shofer Areni:
www.vinomas.com/Leftover-Turkey-sliders-and-mashed-potato-cakes-paired-with-Shofer-Areni-red-wine
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOA Voskehat:
NOTES: Masterfully structured white wine with aromas and flavors of ripe apple and pear, zesty yet ripe lemon, nectarine and notes of honeysuckle. The wine has a crisp acidity and marked minerality on the finish. This is a truly authentic wine and a genuine expression of our terroir.
Recipe to pair with NOA Voskehat:
www.vinomas.com/Pollo-alle-Melanzane-Braised-Chicken-and-Eggplant-paired-with-Noa-white-blend
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
High Tier Wine Club Wine:
Pahlmeyer is defined by mountain fruit, possessing the soulful character born of demanding terroir and meticulous farming. We work with some of the most esteemed vineyards in Napa Valley, dramatic mountain terrain in the rugged foothills and ridgelines of the Vaca Mountainstremendous. Elevation, sun aspect, and soil types yield small, concentrated berries with structure and intensity.
Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: Classic Napa Valley Cabernet aromas of ripe blackberry and red currant are underpinned by an alluring dark forest floor earthiness and a high note of red licorice/candy shop. Valley floor fruit brings mouth-filling plushness to the palate, while concentrated mountain fruit drives through the core.
Post By:
Deanna Albertson