Spotlight on Southern Stars

This August Merchant's would like to focus on a few wineries from the southern hemisphere. Villa Maria from New Zealand, MAN Vintners from South Africa, and Goats do Roam from South Africa are three wineries that we find exciting. They're exciting as they provide quality, value, good marketing, and an optimistic outlook to the vinuous future.

2005 Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc
$13.99

This delightfully refreshing sauvignon blanc from New Zealand is bracingly crisp with aromas of tropical fruit and gooseberry. Notes of lime, lemon, tropical fruit, and subtle grass are evident on the palage. Fantastic with ceviche, grilled citrus-marinated scallops, Oysters Rockefeller, or steamed mussels.

www.villamaria.co.nz

2004 Villa Maria Private Bin Pinot Noir
$22.99

A delicious, soft, ripe pinot noir from the south island of New Zealand. It has aromas of dark cherry, plum, and spice with rich and smooth notes of cherry and raspberry on the finish. Great with grilled or broiled salmon, wild mushroom pate, tournadoes of beef, or roasted chicken with tarragon.

www.villamaria.co.nz

2005 MAN Vintners Chenin Blanc
$9.99

This is a refreshing, DRY, and crisp chenin blanc from South Africa. It has lovely aromas of tropical fruit and melon with crisp, bold citrus and tropical fruit flavors. This is not to be confused with a sweeter chenin blanc. Very refreshing on a hot summer day! Try with scampi, halibut with lime butter, grouper with mango salsa, or as an aperitif with your favorite summer fare.

www.manvintners.co.za

2004 MAN Vintners Shiraz
$9.99

This is a rich, dry South African red with aromas of ripe plum and spices. It's very smooth with notes of sweet red berry and subtle vanilla with gentle tannins. Perfect for a summer cookout! Fantastic with burgers, lamb kabobs, grilled pork chops with a balsamic glaze, or your favorite pizza.

www.manvintners.co.za

2006 Goats do Roam White
$10.99

This is a refreshing unoaked blend of chenin blanc, clairette blanche, riesling, viognier, and grenache blanc. This South African white offers notes of tropical fruit, apple, straw, and spice on both the nose and palate and finishes crisp. Amazing with roasted chicken stuffed with apples and apricot, pork loin with a marmalade glaze, snapper with citrus-scented rice, or scallops with a vanilla-scented citrus cream sauce.

www.goatsdoroam.com

2005 Goats do Roam Red
$10.99

Another unique South African blend, but this one is made from shiraz, pinotage, cinsault, grenache, gamay noir, merlot, and cabernet sauvignon. It has aromas of ripe red fruit and spice with flavors of raspberry, cherry, plum, and subtle spice on the palate. Great with grilled lamb chops, marinated skirt steak, lamb burgers, or Mediterranean-spiced tenderloin.

www.goatsdoroam.com

Recipes 

Grilled Scallops with Pineapple Salsa

15 large sea scallops
1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary leaves
Extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt
Teriyaki or barbecue sauce, optional
Pineapple salsa, recipe follows

Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes.

Place the scallops on paper towels to blot dry. Thread 2 skewers through 5 scallops. Repeat 2 more times. Sprinkle mint and rosemary over the scallops. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil generously over the skewered scallops. Grind black pepper over the skewered scallops. Drizzle more olive oil over top and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Season scallops with salt. Oil a hot grill and place the skewers over high heat for about 2 minutes on each side. At this point, you may brush on teriyaki or your favorite barbecue sauce. Serve immediately over pineapple salsa.

Pineapple Salsa:
1 pineapple, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices
2 red onions, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices
3 green jalapenos
2 red jalapenos
Extra-virgin olive oil, for coating
1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves
1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley leaves
1 lime, juiced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Oil your grill. Place pineapple slices onto hot grill for 4 minutes on each side. Gently toss the onion slices and jalapenos in olive oil. Place onto the hot grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove from grill. Peel skin off of jalapenos. Cube the pineapple, removing the inner core. Cube the onion and mince the jalapenos. Combine all of them with the chopped herbs in a large bowl. Add lime juice and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

Grilled Lamb Chops with Garlic and Lemon

1/2 cup Greek olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons for lemons
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup thyme leaves, roughly chopped
2 racks of lamb, 8 chops each, trimmed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 lemons, cut in 1/2 crosswise
Sprigs oregano and dill, for garnish

Whisk together oil, garlic and thyme in a shallow large baking dish. Add the chops and turn to coat. Cover and marinate for 1 to 1 1/2 hours in the refrigerator.

Remove the chops from the refrigerator 20 minutes before grilling. Heat grill to high and grill the chops for 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium doneness. Remove and rest for 2 minutes. Slice into individual chops.

Brush the cut side of the lemons with the oil and grill, cut side down on high for 1 minute. Turn lemons 45 degrees to make hatch marks and remove.

Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over the platter of chops. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with fresh sprigs of oregano and dill. Serve the remaining grilled lemons on the platter with the chops.

Marinated Grilled Halibut

3 tablespoons dry white wine
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
Four halibut steaks, (6 ounces each)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Whisk together the wine, lemon juice, olive oil and rosemary in a small shallow baking dish. Add the halibut and turn to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour, turning once. Preheat grill. Remove fish from marinade and season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill the steaks for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or to desired doneness.

Grilled Citrus Marinated Chicken Thighs

2 1/2 to 3 pounds chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on, trimmed of excess fat
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 to 1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 orange, zested and juiced
1 lime, zested and juiced
Few dashes cayenne pepper
10 sprigs fresh thyme

Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper. In a non-reactive baking dish large enough to hold all the chicken to marinate, whisk together the vegetable oil, citrus zests and juices, cayenne pepper and the thyme. Add the chicken thighs and turn to coat. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to a couple hours in the refrigerator.

Preheat the grill. Remove the chicken from marinade and let excess drip back into dish. Place chicken on the hot grill, without overcrowding the pieces. Grill until fully cooked through, turning occasionally, about 15 minutes total, depending on how hot your grill is. Serve immediately.