Chrismont La Zona Sangiovese 2010 + Slow cooked Lamb Shanks

The history of Sangiovese is Australia doesn't take long to read as the variety has only been in the country for  approx 30 years. Currently there is 14 different varieties of Sangiovese with the Brunello clone being the best regarded. If left alone Sangiovese is a weed so selecting the right soil type and the right viticultural practices is paramount when producing quality wines. The King Valley seems to be producing the best value and highest quality across the board. Only time will tell if there are any other spots that can rival its dominance.

I decided to pair this wine with slow cooked lamb shanks as I could throw it on in the morning before I headed off to work. You will need a slow cooker machine but they are easy to find.

 Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks

4 large lamb shanks

2 tins of diced tomatoes (2 x 400 g)

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 carrots, sliced

1 zucchini, sliced

1 handful of button mushroom

half a glass of wine

a handful of fresh herbs, chopped

Throw all ingredients in slow cooker and turn on to high. It will be ready when you get home.

Chrismont La Zona Sangiovese 2010 

The La Zona label is the Italian arm of the Chrismont winery, well actually it is the Mediterranean arm with a focus on all things Italian. This wine does taste like an Aussie wine but there are nice whiffs of earth and tartness that remind me of the varieties roots. The flavours of sour cranberries and Christmas cherries are medium bodied, while the light tannins kick in and march hand in hand with the flavours. The length of the wine is very good and it seems so easy to drink at this stage of its development. Could I drink this for lunch on a warm summers day? Hell yes and a little more.

Alcohol: 13%

Price: $24

Rated: 87

Drink: Now or over the next 5 years

Politini Sangiovese 2008 + Smashed Potato & Chicken Bake

Politini is one of the new breeds of wineries that wants to promote the region as a wine and food mecca so they have workshops that people can attend. Ever wanted to make salami? Well Politini has many workshops that run you through what to do. I have done such a workshop and it it amazing how easy it is. My mate and I can't keep our hands off the things so we make more sausages than salami's but really it is the same process with some different ingredients and a bit extra time. Sausages you can eat straight away and you have to be patient with salami's.

With this wine I didn't know how big it was going to be so I decided to pair it with a medium bodied earthy style of dish.

Smashed Potato & Chicken Bake

1/2 kilo chicken thighs
400 grams kifler potatoes
1 punnet cherry tomatoes
olive oil
4 garlic cloves, whole
salt and pepper
garden herbs (I have rosemary and oregano in mine), chopped
4 stripes of bacon, sliced (optional extra) cook before adding to the large dish

Bring a pot of water to the boil and add in potatoes. Heat pan and cook chicken thighs until they have a blackened edge. Once done remove and allow to cool then pull apart. When potatoes are almost cooked remove from water and set aside. Once they start to cool push down in them until they start to split.

Heat oven to 180 degrees celcius. Place all ingredients in large dish and mix, making sure that all ingredients are covered with oil. Place in oven and cook for 20 - 30 minutes. Serve with a nice glass of Politini Sangiovese.

Politini Sangiovese 2008

Boy this is really light weight but the flavours of wild herbs and cherries keep my attention. This is the sort of wine that I would drink over lunch or during the week after a hard day at work, as it satisfies without challenging too much. The tannins and flavours are melded together which means that this is ready to go in a primary sort of way. This is the sort of wine that points towards Australia becoming a grown up wine society.

Alcohol: 14.4%
Price: $22
Rated: 86
Drink: Now to 2017

Prosciutto crudo

Everyone needs to try this at least once in their life.

1 pork leg tunnel boned

20 k cooking salt

Make sure ever inch of the leg is covered with salt, both inside and out.

Place in plastic container with 5 cm of salt underneath and over the top. Leave for 1 week per kilo of pork in a cool place such as a fridge.  Remove pork and wash salt off and hang for 6 months in a cool place such as a fridge. 

My plastic container. Don't use the lid as the gases need to escape.

Tucked away!

Home Cured Bacon

I'm making my own home cured bacon.  It is so easy and they say will change your buying life.  I'll tell you how it goes but here is the recipe so you can give it a go.

1/2 Pork Belly
1 Kg Fine Salt
200g Brown Sugar
25g White Pepper pounded in a mortar and pestle
A handful of Juniper Berries
6 Bay Leaves crushed

Mix salt, sugar, pepper, berries  and bay leaves together then lightly rub mixture into pork belly. Cover every inch. Let sit in an air tight container in the frig. for a day.  Drain liquid and rub again for 5 days.
Mmm bacon!