I stopped in to my local LCBO outlet and started picking thru the release to get the wines I thought would offer the best value and quality. I was told by a consultant, whose palate is probably more educated than mine, that the Structura was spectacular. Hmmm, it made my list of ones to consider but was not in the Top 6. Should I go for it? Only one bottle left in this huge store (it was 9:45 on Saturday morning). Why not? Then, when I stopped at another store to get some Two Hands Brave Faces they also had a few more of the Structura. The consultant there said nothing but made a kissing impression and put her fingers to her mouth in that universal Italian gesture of ‘Mama Mia, atsa good’. How could I resist that? So I grabbed a couple more. I had already figured out the weekend menus at that point. One of the Structuras was now to be sacrificed on Sunday and be served with one of my favourite things, a pork rib roast.
There is something about a cold, damp fall day that just screams for a long roasted, crackling covered, piece of pork. Originally, the pork was to be served with small, new potatoes roasted in the meat’s drippings, green beans, and a red cabbage braised in wine. But halfway through the cabbage's cooking time something went terribly wrong. I say ‘something went terribly wrong’ to protect the guilty, because the reality is I fell asleep in front of the Lions and 49’ers. As it gently reduced the wine was to steam the cabbage but actually it quickly reduced and then left the building completely, leaving the cabbage to begin to burn to the bottom of the pan. Luckily, the doorbell rang to wake me out of my sleepy reverie. It was a good friend delivering a big pan of homemade eggplant parmesian! What a delight! And the timing could not have been better! My pork roast had a brand new accompaniment. Forget the cabbage, taters and beans. It was to be pork roast and spatulas of homemade Parmigiana di melanzane! Minimalist cooking at its finest! Fresh, simple ingredients, cooked to perfection, served piping hot. And the wine? In a word, amazing. Upon first pouring, intoxicating aromas of grape lept from the glass followed by more black fruit scents. First mouthful? A viscous cornucopia of mouthcoating flavours – earth, fruits, hints of tabacco and anise. Wow. One mouthful and I was out the door to see if the store still had more. Seriously, I was! Equally seriously, the store didn’t. Back home, finishing prepping supper and sipping the wine, these are the times when I wish the LCBO had 375ml bottles of all their wines. I knew this one bottle of Structura was going to leave us wanting at least one more glass. By meal’s end, the fruit was still there, anise (or was that now sweet basil?), and hints of nori, cedar, and tar were all prevalent. 95 points from Neal Martin. Neal, you nailed it. This was a beautiful wine. Now, where is that 375?
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