Federalist Cabernet Sauvignon Paired with Westholme Wagu Filet of Ribeye from Gold Belly

It’s not every day you get to eat a piece of Wagyu steak. Wagu is the best type of cattle there is and they originated in Japan. It takes a special kind of rancher to raise these cattle and treat them properly with the TLC they deserve. A great wine to pair with the perfect beef is the Federalist Cabernet Sauvignon.

I received this wine as a sample along with a gift certificate to Gold Belly. I really didn’t know what Gold Belly was. Oh my, you can get food delivered right to your door from some of your favorite restaurants and chefs. For example, if you are doing a theme dinner and want Hot Chicken from Nashville, you can order up from Hattie B’s Hot Chicken. Need a cake for an occasion? You’ll find it on Gold Belly.

I decided to order something I’ve always wanted to try, Wagyu steak. I ordered the Wagyu Filet of Ribeye from Westholme. Let me tell you, if you are a steak lover, this steak just melted in your mouth. Look at that marbling! I had in mind a nice dinner and watch the Superbowl, just me and the hubby. Neither one of our teams were playing, but I didn’t order the meat in time so it came in after the game. It came from Australia. Westholme is located in Queensland, Australia, and brought the cattle from Japan to Northern Australia over 20 years ago. The cattle are born wild and roam free and feed on Mitchell grass. Perfect pairing with the Federalist Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Federalist happened to be a preferred sponsor of the San Francisco 49ers. We did watch the game with the wine, but didn’t open it until the beef arrived. An incredible dinner was had. The 2017 Federalist Cabernet Sauvignon just complimented the beef in ways I can’t explain. The wine had nice aromas of black raspberry, cassis and forest floor. It was smooth and silky on the palate and opened up to blackberry and dark berry with lots of cassis. The beef had incredible flavor and when you took that sip of wine, it was heaven.

The 2017 Federalist Cabernet Sauvignon retails for $17.99. The Wagyu Filet of Ribeye from Westholme $149.95. For $167.94 we had a nice romantic dinner for two with Wagyu and wine.

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

 

It’s Memorial Day Weekend and boy do we deserve to enjoy ourselves! We may have a new normal but we will always have our pastimes like baseball.

I grew up going to the “House That Ruth Built.” The next historic ballpark in my mind is Wrigley Field. Actually, Wrigley Field is older as it opened in 1914, nine years before the original Yankee Stadium. Back then it was Cracker Jax, Beer and Hot Dogs.

Today stadiums have really stepped it up. You can order wine, they have all kinds of different food items and specialty popcorn.

The Chicago native Terlato family spent time at Wrigley Field so it’s only natural for their wine The Federalist to be featured at select Wrigley Field restaurants, suites and stadium concessions. The Federalist is an American Craft Wine that fits right in with baseball, hotdogs, and popcorn you get at the stadium.

If you don’t feel comfortable heading to the stadium just yet, you can bring the ballpark home to you. Order yourself a Yeti with your team logo on it. Some Garret Popcorn which is Chicago’s original gourmet popcorn. The Garret Mix is a mix of CarmelCrisp and Cheese Corn and is amazing!! Grill yourself up some hotdogs and pour yourself a glass of the Federalist as you watch the game.

The Federalist wines capture the revolutionary spirit of our nation’s founding fathers. They pair well with America’s pastime, baseball, hotdogs and popcorn.

Let’s Play Ball!

The Federalist Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon SRP $23.99 - Notes of black cherry, cherry cola, plum and a mix of red fruit. Medium tannins with a hint of baking spice on the finish.

The Federalist Chardonnary & Bourbon Barrel Aged Cabernet Perfect for Surf and Turf

Right now is the perfect time for some surf and turf on the grill or smoker. The Federalist Chardonnay and Bourbon Barrel aged Cabernet Sauvignon are the perfect wines to complement your surf and turf.

“Crafted for liberty and deliciousness for all” as the website states, the wine will match any palate, personality and plate.

Fire up the grill and uncork the Federalist. Here are my suggestions.

Surf

Lobster is the first item I think of and the Federalist Chardonnay is nice and buttery so it will pair so well with the Lobster.

Scallops are great this time of year. Fresh off the docks, they are nice and sweet. Wrap it in bacon, or grill and brush with lemon butter and a glass of this Chardonnay will have you drooling.

Salmon with a nice lemon butter sauce will complement the wine.

Monk Fish which they call poor mans lobster. Wrap it in bacon or prosciutto with a glass of Federalist Chardonnay and you are set! You might want to add some clams and mussels to the dish too.

Turf

I immediately think of Filet Mignon, which will pair nicely with the Federalist Cabernet but I think there are other cuts of meats that will do better.

Try smoking a brisket. That with a glass of the Federalist Cabernet Sauvignon will complement the smokiness of the meat with the smokiness in the wine from the bourbon barrels.

Ribs will be fantastic with a red-based barbecue sauce, either grilled or better smoked. . Try adding a bit of the wine to the sauce and baste.The flavors that the bourbon barrel imparts on the wine will make the ribs stand out.

Hanger Steaks are great when you marinate them for a few days. Grill them 5 minutes each side and it’s very important to let them sit for about the same time when they are done.

Loin Lamb Chops grilled and the Federalist Cabernet Sauvignon, another good pairing. I would even add a butterflied leg of lamb in the smoker.

So fire up the smoker or grill and get pairing!

Federalist Chardonnay 2018 - This full bodied Chardonnay has a butteriness to it. Aged in 35% new Oak that is primarily American and Hungarian with a small amount of French oak. Flavors of lemon, pear, green apple with a long finish accompanied by a touch of butter and spice.

Federalist Bourbon Barrel Aged Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 - The grapes were sourced from Lodi, California. Full bodied, but easy to drink. Ripe plum, red and black cherry, fun and exciting. Hint of sweetness mid palate from the Bourbon Barrels and a nice finish. Perfect for the barbecue.

2 Faces of The Federalist

Federalist Wines were born to honor our founding fathers by three friends, John Grace, Mark Rafanelli and Philip Staley.

I recently tried two of the faces - George Washington (Zinfandel) and Ben Franklin (Cabernet Sauvignon)  I wonder what they would think of today political scene.  But I'm not going there.

2014 Federalist Cabernet Sauvignon (Ben Franklin) is sourced from the Lodi region of California.  This wine is full bodied and is 87% Cabernet Sauvignon with 6% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc 2% Petite Syrah and 1% Sangiovese. The little bit of Petite Syrah adds to the dark purple color. The wine was aged in 35% new Oak for 15 months.  The wine has aromas of black cherry and blueberry with a hint of pine forest and vanilla.  The wine is balanced with nice tannin structure.  The wine retails for under $20

2014 Federalist Zinfandel (George Washington) is also sourced from the Lodi region of California. This wine has a touch 7% of Syrah in it and clocks in at a high 14.5% alcohol. It was aged in 25% new American Oak for 12 months. With aromas of raspberry, cedar and clove on the nose I found the palate a little dull but with flavors of raspberry and the finish had a nice hint of black pepper flakes. This wine retails for under $20