2009 Parlay "The Bookmaker"

With all that’s going on today, who wouldn’t want to occasionally dine at home in a comfort food kind of way. Not every day of course, but when the blues descend, or  you’re in the mood for hugs,  then hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, meatloaf, and  steak-off -the grill hit just the right note.  So it’s quite a delight when I am able to find and share  a wine and recipe that matches that comfort state of mind.

Parlay, “The Bookmaker, “a  2009 California red wine certainly hits the spot and deserves your consideration as a go to wine for your collection.   The 2009 vintage of The Bookmaker is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, with Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot providing a cheerleading squad in the background.  It’s a fat  wine  with a nose of vanilla, , cedar, oak and a sort of…get ready for it… root beer note.  I think you’ll agree this wine is a jammy goodness of blueberry pie, vanilla bean, with  a touch of allspice in the mouth.  I certainly loved the unique root beer vibe  going on… and  the  caramel notes   are  both  appealing and sweet  without going overboard.  Not much tannins here, just a rich and  smooth mouthfeel.  Killer cheeseburger or patty melt wine.

You’re going to have to like jammy wines to truly enjoy this. I am giving two thumbs up to it, feeling it shows better than similar wines in the $15 -$20 range.  It’s a featured wine at Back Room Wines  in downtown Napa (so you know if they like it, you’ll like it).

Mom’s Old Fashioned Patty Melt

1 slice American cheese

1 slice Swiss cheese

¼ lb ground sirloin beef

¼ cup onions, sliced

3 tablespoons butter

2 slices marbled rye bread

Directions:

Sauté onions until golden in 2 tablespoons butter until translucent and lightly golden.

Remove from the pan.

Form the meat patty so it will fit the bread.

Grill to desired doneness.

Butter bread on one side; put buttered side down on hot griddle, put  one  slice cheese followed by onions then cooked patty, followed by cheese.

Butter one side of the other slice of bread and place on top buttered side out.

Fry until bread is crisp but not burned, turn over and do the same thing on the other side. Cheese should be melted and gooey.

Slice in half – on the diagonal is best.