Photo courtesy of Road 13 Vineyards.
All is calm. All are welcome.
The power of a diverse mix of varietals, blended with precision, and bottled in good time is a tradition centuries in the making. We love a good single varietal wine that showcases a specific grape in all its glory but we’re also huge believers that a blend of just the right grapes can take a wine from good to great.
"Blended wines tend to be more consistent vintage over vintage,” explains Winemaker, Barclay Robinson. “Although the growing conditions and fruit composition may be different, blending gives me the freedom to adjust based on balance and flavour profile ensuring we hit the mark every time.”
We caught up with Barclay right before the start of harvest to get his take on our lineup of newly-released blends and what he is loving about being a shepherd for these wines.
Photo courtesy of Road 13 Vineyards.
Q. What does GSM stand for and what do you love about this blend of grapes?
A: “The GSM is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre. The 2019 vintage is a very elegant wine right out of the gates. The tannins are very approachable and there is such a great balance between the fruit, oak, and acidity. This is a wine that’s drinking really well in its youth but if you are patient, you will be rewarded with this one — this is a wine that’s going to age very, very well.”
Q. What is the big difference between the Seventy-Four K and the Jackpot 5th Element?
A: “The 2019 Seventy-Four K and 2019 Jackpot Fifth Element are two great examples of big, bold red blends that really go the extra mile. The Seventy-Four K, a blend of Merlot, Malbec, Syrah, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc, spends a solid amount of time on the skins to give it that great concentration of flavour. It is a wine that’s ready to drink now but it will also age well because it has more tannin structure and time in barrel.
The 2019 Jackpot Fifth Element has even more time on skins, giving this wine some really nice firm tannin. This bold tannin structure is balanced by an elegant and smooth mid-palate and finish thanks to new oak and a longer time in barrel.”
Photo courtesy of Road 13 Vineyards.
Q. What makes this vintage of the 2019 Jackpot 5th Element different from previous vintages?
A: “This vintage of the Jackpot 5th Element showcases the power of diversity. The 2018 vintage was a blend of Merlot, Cab Sauv, and Syrah but this latest release saw the addition of Cab Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. The result is a wine with great complexity and plushness.”
Q. How does this kind of blending translate in the kitchen?
A: The blending of cooking spices is just another great way to play with a diverse amount of flavour. In fact, I have it on good authority that the Two Rivers Meats Coffee Seasoning Rub and Barnyard Seasoning Rub are guaranteed to be a one-way ticket to flavour town. Our resident Chef, Phil Tees has an amazing rib recipe for the coffee rub blend that makes a dynamite pairing with our full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon.
Go ahead, rub it in!
What you'll need
- 5 lbs. bone-in short ribs
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp Coffee Rub
- 750ml red wine
- 3 tbsp Canadian canola oil
- 8 sprigs thyme
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 4 sprigs rosemary
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 3 dried bay leaves
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 7 cloves of garlic, smashed
- 3 tbsp gluten free flour
Let's get cookin'
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut short ribs into 2 inch pieces and toss in 1 tbsp of oil & coffee rub seasoning. Rub until meat is covered.
- In a Dutch oven, sear the short rib sections on high heat until browned all over without crowding the pan.
- Transfer short ribs to a plate. Reserve 2 tbsp of drippings.
- Add onions, carrots, celery, and cook, stirring often until onions start browning.
- Add the flour and tomato paste. Keep cooking, and stir to combine (3-4 minutes). Stir in the wine and bring to a boil.
- Add the short ribs one by one, as well as the herbs and the garlic. Simmer until the wine is reduced by half (20 minutes). Add the stock and transfer to the oven.
- Cook ribs for 2.5 hours. Remove the short ribs, strain sauce, and adjust seasoning.
- Pour sauce over the ribs and serve alongside your favorite side dishes and a juicy glass of Cabernet Sauvignon or Seventy-Four K.
