Ask me what I like to discuss and I realize wine and good food is a very safe topic. Especially in the current state of the United-divided States of America. When it comes to food we can all be on the same page, eating the same Australian Lamb with a good blended zinfandel from California.
We learned that the secret to The Prisoner Wine Co is their partnerships with small growers and the ability to blend them together as one in the various vintages. We really like to meet new people and share Pittsburgh stories while experiencing some of the finer chain restaurants in town. This time around we met a couple who was celebrating their 51st wedding anniversary.
The wines for the night from The Prisoner Wine Co. dinner:
- Unshackled Chardonnay
- The Prisoner Chardonnay
- Saldo Zinfandel
- The Prisoner Red Blend
The food pairings for the night from our friends at Eddie Merlot’s:
- Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad
- Ahi Tuna Poke
- Lamb Lollipops with a great Peppercorn Sauce
- Petite Filet Mignon Espresso BBQ Glaze
- Nutella Creme Brûlée
Tasting notes.
- Temperature of the Chardonnays are key. If either is sipped after pouring and are still chilled, you will likely miss the full bouquet of the blends. Unshackled had a little more time at room temperature and tasted smoother that The Prisoner. The pairings were perfect with both wines. They both could be served with shrimp, popcorn, a cheese plate or more sushi grade tuna.
- Understanding the complementary nature of the crunchy peppercorn sauce with the Saldo and lamb really created a WOW moment.
- The Prisoner Red Blend was very subtle with the many flavors going on around the Espresso BBQ filet.
- I would definitely keep the Saldo for fireside nights and s’mores during the summer.
If you are following corporate M&A’s The Prisoner is part of Constellation. You may be familiar with their very low end California Sparkling wine that we can’t officially call a Champagne. You may have also tried Meiomi, Mt. Veeder, Robert Mondavi, Ruffino, Simi, Empathy or Woodbridge. The 2023 Annual report can be found here.