Throughout the summer the barbeque is the king of dinner. As the weather cool the crock pot comes out and the beef stew start too cook.
This is just a basic recipe but it is easy enough to modify to suit your own taste. Once you have this basic version mastered you can change it up as you need to.
The first thing is to heat up the crock pot with some hot tap water. Fill the pot with hot tap water and start to heat it up. I don’t like to heat up the crock pot without liquid in it. I don’t want to crack it.
Add some oil to a large stock pot and and let heat before adding meat. The goal is to seer the meat and lock in the juice. Keep turning the cubes so all the sides get browned. Keep an eye on the heat , you don’t want to burn the beef to the pan. I generally use about 6 on my stove. Cook the meat about half way and then remove from heat and set aside.
Before adding the carrots and other veggies add a bit more oil to prevent the veggies from sticking. Get everything moving around so everything gets covered in the oil. You also want to scrape off the bits left on the pan from seering the meat. Cooking Tip: There is a ton of flavor left in the “pan drippings”.
Allow these veggies to start to cook down. You don’t want the saucepan to get too hot or to have the veggies start to dry out and stick. You can add a half a cup of soup stock to cool things down. Add the meat once the veggies have heated and started to cook through. Add about a half teaspoon of salt now also.
Time to add a liquid to this~Now you can add some liquid}. It is ideal to use beef or vegatable stock for this but hot water will work also. Add enough liquid to cover all the veggies and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid and reduce heat. It can simmer away for about 20 minutes.
By this time the crock pot is ready. Pour out the water and add the soup, be real careful. I have been splashed and it hurts so I have started to use a laddle until almost all of it is in the crock pot.
I let the stew cook for an hour or so on high and then I taste it and start to season. Add some salt pepper and even some ground garlic. The flavor can be enhanced with some beef stock cubes or onion soup mix. At this point you can also add some frozen corn and green beens or whatever else you want.
Let cook in the crock pot for about 5 hours on low and 2.5 or on high. Just before you serve it will need to be thickened. I use about 3 table spoons of flour mixed in 3/4 of a cup of milk. Pour in and stir. Let cook for another 20 minutes or until thickened.
Let leftovers cool and put into the fridge or freezer and enjoy when ever you fell the need for some comfort food. More Great Cooking Tips
One of the secrets of making great pancakes is learning the secret of starting with the proper temperature of your pancake griddle and maintaining that temperature while cooking the pancakes.
It’s important of course to start with a good pancake recipe or mix. You can make your own pancake batter from scratch and there are many excellent recipes online that you can try. And while some may look down their nose at ready to make pancake mixes, it is usually the cooking that spoils the pancakes and not the mix.
When the kids are begging for pancakes on a weekend morning, and time is of the essence, a good premade mix and a little water will have pancakes on the table in record time. Poor preparation rather than the poor quality of pancake mix is usually the reason box mixes are looked down upon.
Start out with a cast iron pancake griddle:
If you want to make excellent tasting pancakes consistently with the least amount of mess and cleanup time, the perfect answer is a cast iron pancake griddle. Using this properly on an electric or gas stove converts your kitchen into a grill just like the ones in a commercial restaurant. Cast iron griddles heat evenly and because of their weight and mass they maintain their temperature much more evenly while you cook.
Other types of cookware such as lightweight Teflon coated frying pans or electric fry pans or griddles are notorious for having rapidly fluctuating temperature control and uneven heating. A time tested cast iron griddle is the perfect answer to take care of these problems.
The main reason people have trouble making good pancakes is that they do not have a good method of determining the proper heat of the griddle before they start cooking. If pancakes are cooked at too low a heat they turn out tough and chewy. If cooked at too high a heat, the outside become crisp and burnt while the insides are raw and doughy.
The next time you make pancakes, take a few minutes to determine the proper settings for heating your pancake griddle with the following method. The trick to this method is known by many cooks but most probably don’t know the science behind it.
The Leidenfrost effect:
When you let a drop of water fall onto a hot pancake griddle, the water drop will dance around and stay in its droplet shape while it skitters across the surface. The scientific name for this is the Leidenfrost effect. When the drop hits the hot surface the water that comes in contact is immediately vaporized and the steam created pushes the remaining water in the drop up and away from the heated griddle.
This will not happen on a surface that is merely warm. In normal cooking situations it is agreed that the Leidenfrost effect occurs when the temperature of the griddle is at approximately 325 degrees F.
Determining the best settings for your stove:
Since the ‘dancing water’ or Leidenfrost effect occurs at 325 degrees F, and the best accepted temperature for cooking pancakes that turn out perfectly is 375 degrees F, you can use a simple method to determine the setting for the burners on your stove. Start by warming up your pancake griddle to a very warm, but not hot temperature. Make sure it is preheated well but it is not hot enough to exhibit the Leidenfrost effect.
Then slowly increase the settings on your burners until you determine the point where a drop of water landing on the pancake griddle will ‘dance’. Work your way up slowly and give the griddle time to heat between each change in your burner controls. You will want to make sure that the pancake griddle has reached the maximum temperature of your current settings before you test with a few drops of water.
When you see that the Leidenfrost effect is taking place, make a note of your burner settings so that in the future you can start right off and heat the griddle precisely. By knowing these settings you will always be able to reheat your griddle knowing that you have an exact point of reference.
According to some cooking guides, the temperature of 325F or 160C correlates to the ‘medium-low’ setting on your stove or range. The pancake cooking temperature of 375F (190C) is closer to ‘medium-high’.
Record the settings that work best for your stove:
Since the dancing water effect might be a little low for perfect pancake frying, you should now increase the temperature a little before your pour out your first pancakes. Try a small increase at first for one or two test pancakes and if you feel that it takes too long for them to finish increase the setting and give the pancake griddle time to adjust to the new heat setting before trying again.
Once you have determined the best pancake setting for your equipment make a note of it. You will now find that it is extremely easy and fast to make pancakes in the future. All you will need to do is put the best of your cast iron griddles on the stove, turn the burner settings to these predetermined marks and give the griddle a little time to heat up.
And by using your knowledge of the Leidenfrost effect you can test if the griddle is ready for pancakes by using a drop or two of water. You’ll be able to turn out great tasting and most importantly properly cooked pancakes in less time than it will take you to finish your first cup of morning coffee.
Wine refrigerators/coolers are made specifically to keep your wines at the desirable temperature to conserve taste as well as prolong its life. Using other means to store wine can be problematic.
Problems can arise with the use of a regular refrigerator to store your wines. When the refrigerator door is opened often the temperature can go up and down, often throughout the day and evening. This is combined with the normal colder temperature setting.
Storing wine in a closet, garage, etc. is contraindicated as it allows the wine to be exposed to higher temperatures that fluctuate continually.
Both can lead to deterioration of the wine’s integrity due to chemical reactions.
different varieties and types of wine call for assorted storage temperatures. Light bodied sweet dessert wines and white sparkling wines call for the lowest temperatures (41-50 degrees F); light bodied aromatic white and full bodied dessert wines need 46-54 degrees F; red sparkling, medium body whites and light bodied reds require 50-54 degrees F; full bodied white wines about 54-61 degrees F; medium bodied red wines call for 57-63 degrees F; and full bodied red wines require 59-64 degrees F.
Because of the disparity of temperature requirements a 2-Zone wine cooler is better.
Another advantage to weigh is that wine chillers can control the humidity, another detriment to wine storage. The cooler will also help protect your wine from the various odors that exist in normal refrigerators, like food and other beverages.
It also is a good idea to store wine on its side so the cork can remain moist.
Be sure to attend to the reputation of the company and the quality of the model of wine cooler. Look at how it cools (thermoelectric helps reduce unecessary vibration and does not use ozone-depleting chemicals like CFC’s or HCFC’s, which is better for the environment), whether ts has at least 2 zones (to give more flexibility in storing different varieties of wines), and if it is backed by a complete satisfaction guarantee.
A great Wine Refrigerator is a fantastic investment if you value your wine and your tasting experience.
Chocolate is of the food that many of us enjoy. The chocolate’s sweet, unique and creamy taste is the reason why it has become the world’s favorite. Children are especially fond of it and adults, especially men, love to give them as gifts to the most important women in their lives. Though this treat has been every-ones favorite, there are still a few misconceptions about it.
But not all of these myths are true and some have been busted. Below are the few myths that have been busted.
Myth # 1 – Chocolates cause zits.
In reality, it’s not the chocoalte itself that causes breakouts and pimples. What does cause acne is the milk that goes with the chocolate. The truth is pure chocolates which may taste really bitter has a high level of anti oxidants which is know to perserve cells and of course makes your skin healthier.
Myth # 2 – Chocolates cause tooth cavities.
This myth has been encircling chocolates for a very long time already but it’s always been just that – a myth. Truth is, while chocolates contain fermentable carbohydrates, which causes cavity, the amount in a regular chocolate bar is not enough to cause tooth damage because the cocoa butter in chocolate itself that the teeth. Chocolates may also be high in sugar, but the time it takes for the chocolate to melt inside your mouth is too short to have bacteria attacking your teeth.
Myth # 3 – Chocolates cause heart disease.
Pure chocolates are not factors that facilitate heart disease. In fact, the high level of cocoa butter in the chocolate can reduce the levels of cholesterol. It is also said that these chocolates have vitamins and minerals like magnesium, iron, calcium and potassium. These are vitamins that can help our muscles, joints and nerves to function properly.
Myth # 4 – Eating chocolates cause insomnia.
Many people think chocolates contain high levels of caffeine but this is so wrong. A cup of coffee has up to 200 mg of the stimulant while a cup of hot cocoa only has 5 mg.
Myth # 5 – Chocolates may cause cancer.
This is so not true, in fact, dark chocolates are a great source of antioxidants which can protect against cell damage. We expose ourselves daily to different free radicals which are harmful for our cells. But with antioxidants such as the ones found in chocolates, this damaging effect is balanced or reduced.
Chocolate is of the food that many of us enjoy. Its unique, sweet and creamy taste makes it the number one favorite candy by people from all around the world. Men love to give chocolates as gifts to the women in their lives and children especially are fond of them. Though this treat has been every-ones favorite, there are still a few misconceptions about it.
The good news, however, is most, if not all, of these myths have been busted, the following being the top five:
Myth # 1 – Chocolates cause zits.
Fact is, the real cause of pimples, acnes and breakouts isn’t actually the chocolate itself. The real culprit is the milk that is mixed with it. In fact, pure chocolates, which may taste bitter, contain high-level of antioxidants which will help make your skin look and feel better and healthier.
Myth # 2 – Chocolates cause tooth cavities.
This myth, thankfully is just a myth. Though chocolates have fermentable carbohydrates, the amount in chocolates are not enough to cause tooth damage. Because chocolates takes a very short time to melt in your, it would make it impossible for bacteria to attack your teeth.
Myth # 3 – Chocolates cause heart disease.
Pure chocolates do not cause heart disease. In fact, chocolates can reduce cholesterol because of its high levels of cocoa butter. It is also said that these chocolates have vitamins and minerals like magnesium, iron, calcium and potassium. These are vitamins that can help our muscles, joints and nerves to function properly.
Myth # 4 – Eating chocolates cause insomnia.
Many people think chocolates contain high levels of caffeine but this is so wrong. A cup of hot cocoa only has 5 mg of the stimulant whereas a cup of coffee has about 180 mg.
Myth # 5 – Chocolates may cause cancer.
This myth has long been busted especially as dark chocolate is now proven to be a great source of flavanoids or antioxidants which protect against cell damage. We expose ourselves daily to different free radicals which are harmful for our cells. Nevertheless, this impact can be lowered with antioxidants which are found in chocolates.
Craving for something sweet? Chocolate bars will surely quiet those cravings, now that you know they’re no longer sinful to eat. Chocolate truffles are great indulgence to enjoy without the guilt.
It seems incredible to realize that about one-third of human diet plan comes from bug pollinated plants and that honeybees are responsible for 80% of the pollination. In combination with their pollination benefits, honeybees produce honey, that is the only food human beings ingest that’s created by an insect. Natural honey is created by bee apiaries within habitats which are alot more controlled than are habitats which produce typical honey.
Organic Honey Standards
For honey to become certified as natural and organic it must be made by honeybees whose exclusive sources of nectar, honeydew, or plant pollen come from organic and natural resources. Because bees usually travel up to 3 kilometres, about two miles, for collecting the nectar for honey creation, the apiary must be placed on land which is organically maintained without having insecticides, pesticide sprays, and antibiotics. In addition, there must be a buffer zone in between the natural and organic habitat and nearby land on which chemical substances widely-used. Any substitute bees introduced to the apiary should come from naturally preserved hives. Treatment should be taken when handling the honey comb, and any areas that come in contact with the honey must be coated with beeswax or made of food-grade material. The honey shouldn’t be heated above 35 degrees Celsius and only gravitational settling should be employed to remove solids from the honey.
Benefits of Organic Honey
Most people try to be careful when eating foods or supplying food products to their family. Organic and natural honey is free from potentially harmful insecticides, drugs, as well as various other chemical compounds generally utilized in the creation of non-organic honey. Additionally, the habitat as well as hives preserved by organic and natural beekeepers add to a much healthier earth.
Absence of Pesticides
Countless individuals are sensitive to commercial pesticides as well as insecticides that are often used on flowers and flowering crops. Honey can come to be contaminated by pesticide sprays in a number of ways. For one, in the event that plants are sprayed the actual honeybees can get it while they visit the plant. Also, honeybees may be sprayed directly when the vegetation is sprayed. Further more, the actual water close to the vegetation could be polluted and the honeybees can pick up the pesticide through the water. Within an organically managed field pesticide sprays are generally not used and the honeybees will never pick up contamination any time they leave the hive and visit the field.
Lack of Antibiotics
In non-organic apiaries medications are given to the bees to protect them from illnesses. However, the regular veterinary antibiotics which are utilized like chloramphenicol, streptomycin, and sulfonamides are usually potentially harmful to many people. Huge doses of these antibiotics may trigger cancer as well as aplastic anemia. In European countries all three antibiotics are forbidden while only chloramphenicol has been forbidden in the US. China, for instance, still utilizes chloramphenicol. In organic apiaries the queen, the workers, and the drones are kept healthy to ensure that antibiotics are not needed.
Lack of Pasteurization
Good organically produced honey is known to include antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and even to consist of antioxidants and a selection of phytonutrients. Nonetheless, the heating involved in pasteurization dissipates the advantages of the actual antioxidants and phytonutrients. The honey that is produced by the actual hives of leading organic and natural beekeepers will be generally so fine that it doesn’t need to be strained or treated.
Bees Are not Regularly Killed
Producers of conventional honey usually kill the bees in the hive as soon as they harvest the honey since it is easier to do so and due to the fact it becomes an added cost to be able to maintain the hives over the winter. Natural beekeepers, on the other hand, usually keep their particular bees rather than to start over every single year with an expensive new population of certified natural and organic bees.
The only true disadvantage to natural honey against the standard manufactured kind is that people will see a substantial price increase for it at the store. This is actually understandable nevertheless as soon as you consider the preceding benefits as well as the additional care that goes into the manufacturing of organic and natural honey. In the event that you choose to purchase natural and organic honey the next time you’re at the grocery store you might want to consider taking advantage of these printable kroger coupons in order to help counteract the greater price.
Where to find Organic Honey
At least 16 states inside the U.S. can easily create reliable organically produced honey. Additionally, Canada, Germany, Argentina, Brazil, Zambia, and New Zealand have ranges where organically produced honey is manufactured.
Wherever you buy organically produced honey you can feel assured that the product is generally safer compared to non-organic honey and also that the live beehives and also their habitat are adding to a better earth. We suggest you make use of these kroger coupons as an extra bonus to make the switch today.
Wine making supplies are generally inexpensive and often pay for themselves. After all, every bottle of wine you make is a bottle of wine you do not have to purchase! And, keep in mind you do not have to make the wine for your own self consumption. Often, you can make and bottle your own wine to give away as wedding, birthday and Christmas gifts. Often, there will be those people who do not see the need for wine making supplies due to having a “what am I going to do with all that wine” attitude. When one examines the gift giving value of wine making supplies then these individuals see the proverbial light of the extra value associated with them.
When people think about wine making items, they usually only think about the equipment needed to make the wine. You also must think about the other wine making equipment such as bottles, stoppers and labels. You can choose from clear bottles, green bottles and blue bottles. The sizes of the bottles are usually standard with a size large enough to hold 750 ml. The stoppers must be new every time to prevent the wine from spoiling. It is not just about making the wine as it does include bottling the wine. The wine making supplies will also include the labels to give your wine a name.
Some Equipment Is Optional
Measuring the acid in the grape squeezing can be done with litmus strips, but a more accurate content can be determined with an acid titration kit. A hydrometer is necessary for measuring the natural sugar to determine how much needs to be added. Other wine making supplies that will be needed include wine bottles for the finished product, corks and a hand corker. Clear plastic tubing is needed for transferring the wine into bottles and a nylon bag is required for filtering the fermented wine before it is bottled.
Another of the most important wine making supplies is the shrink cap. This is what can be put around the top of the bottle and cork for extra decoration. It helps to make your wine bottle look more professional and so although it is not one of the most necessary wine making supplies, it is helpful, especially if you are planning to sell your wine and want it to look as good as possible.
Despite the large list of wine making supplies that is needed, remember that most of the equipment and some of the materials can be used repeatedly. Ingredients will have to be replenished as needed, but the equipment, once cleaned and sanitized can be used numerous times as well as for making a variety of wines.
If you’re cooking in a wood fired DIY pizza oven, you need to know that pizzas need less time to cook than in a conventional oven – plus you get that unique natural smoky flavour.
With such delicious flavours and simple preparation and cooking, you’ll be wondering why it took you so long to serve up wood fired pizzas from your own backyard!
For starters
Quality ingredients are a must for any great meal. Make sure you buy fresh, tasty vegetables and meats.. The taste will be directly proportional to the quality of the ingredients!.
Mix and knead your own dough, it’s not hard, takes only a few minutes and tastes a lot better.
Have some fun experimenting with different cheeses. Mozzarella is the all-time favourite, but other traditional cheeses include provolone, pecorino, fontina, gorgonzola and parmesan. However, if you like experimenting, you can try out different types of cheese or make your own combinations, such as goat’s cheese or brie.
One handy tip is to use blocks of cheese rather than having it shaved or grated. This prevents burning and makes the topping bubbly and perfect.
Preparing your gourmet pizza oven
The fire should be started around one and a half hours before you want to start cooking the pizzas. Initially, the fire should be made in the middle of the oven floor, and then gradually eased outwards so that the entire oven floor is heated – you’ll need to keep adding wood as you do this.
Cooking perfect pizza
When the temperature is between 350-400˚c the dome of the oven will turn white, or clear and all the soot will burn away and disappear. Your oven is now ready to cook your pizza. Move the coals to one side of the oven and place your pizza in the centre of the floor. Your pizza should be cooked to perfection in approximately 3 minutes. And to ensure that all sides get that delicious, crispy crust, remember to rotate the pizza after about a minute so that each side gets to face the hot coals.
And there you have it – gourmet pizza that will delight your family and guests and make your home the most popular house in the neighbourhood
Ginger is such a great way to add flavour to any number of dishes. The strong flavour compliments everything from meat, poultry and fish to veggies and even friut.
The thing about ginger is that being an odd shaped root it can be tough to peel. I have seen people use a potato peeler and peel away half the ginger while they are at it.
This is the simplest way ever to peel ginger without wasting any, what a great cooking tip. This method take just the skin off the ginger and leaves a perfect piece completely peel free.
Simply use a tea spoon like a paring knife and scrape the peel off with the tip of the spoon. Hold the mouth of the spoon between your thumb and forefinger and scrape the edge if the ginger. Once you have the hang of it you will be surprised you had done it the old way.
Peeling garlic
Garlic, like ginger, is essential part of many meals. Garlic is similar to ginger and is also difficult to peel. You can go buy a garlic peeler. It is a small plastic tube that looks like a cannalonni noodle. I am not real big on gadgets so I prefer not to use one.
Peeling garlic is a simple as placing the blade of your knife flat on the clove and smacking it with your hand. A bit barbaric but sometimes it is fun to hit things.
My other method works perfectly for this also. Simply hold the garlic clove in between your thumb and forefinger and twist with both hands. This will loosen the skin enough for you to pull it off.
Preparing an avacado
Finally the avacado. I just love avacados. They compliment so many dishes and are fantastic in a simple avacado salsa.
Trouble is they are slimy and very tough to work with for those who don’t know how.
You will need a sharp knife to make this work otherwise you will just squash the avacado. Holding the avacado flat in one hand start to cut the avacado at the stem. Slice in until you reach the stone. Then simply cut around the avacado following the stone. Now just twist the avocado and it should break into two halves with one holding the stone. Just hit the stone with the knife to bury the blade into it and twist. The stone will lift right out. Then just twist the blade and the stone should come right out.
Being able to work with the most tricky foods will expand your cooking skills and allow you to branch out and try new things. Having simple ways to deal with tricky foods like ginger and avacado will help you create the most tasty meals.
Simple cooking is best. You can create a complex looking meal with far less effort then your guests will think. For more great cooking tips and free recipes visit http://kitchen-helper.com.
There are certain occasions when the desert of choice is cake. A cake says, ‘Let’s celebrate’. Whether you are celebrating a wedding, anniversary, birthday or other special occasion, the cake is the queen of desserts. Fortunately, you can learn to bake and decorate your own cake for these special times.
Learning how to decorate cake can take an ordinary cake and turn it into one fit for almost any special event. If you have never decorated a cake, consider taking a class at your craft or hobby store. The class can give you experience in cake decorating but also lets you know the tools needed for effective decorating.
Cake decorating books may help to inspire your as you go about your work. You might begin by following the patterns in the book exactly, but eventually you can branch out into your own designs. You will also find that the books can give you even more instructions for more intricate decorations.
As with many other skills, someone who is more experienced can give you cake decorating tips to make your work easier. Check with friends that have more experience or with your instructor if you are stuck. If you do not have access to live tips, try searching online for experienced cake decorators who may give expert advice to help you through the first few cakes.
Beginning cake decorators will want to stick with smaller cakes for the first few tries. In fact, you may want to bake and decorate cakes for the immediate family before your big debut. Then you can graduate to very forgiving birthday cakes and finally you may want to use your skills to bake a fabulous wedding cake. Along the way, if there are mistakes, you should have no problem in finding plenty of people willing to eat the mistakes.
When planning for a larger cake, remember that the freezer can be your best friend. You can begin the cake several days before it will actually be needed and freeze it for freshness. If you make an irreversible mistake, you will have time to prepare a replacement cake. Just remember to give the cakes plenty of time to thaw completely.
When told that the people had no bread to eat, the queen said, ‘Let them eat cake’. Indeed, life is short so have dessert first. Just make sure that that dessert is cake. For those special occasions, center your celebration around a beautifully decorated cake.
I love the Wine Regions of Western Australian. I especially love the majestic beauty of the Margaret River. The pristine white beaches that disappear into the horizon. Envisage, if you can, the rolling sand dunes sitting next to a vibrant native forest. Come and see it for yourself. There is nothing like a western sunset that gently glimmers and falls into the lazy Indian Ocean.. It’s no wonder this place is home to so many acclaimed wine makers. This is a beautiful place that produces some of Australia’s best wine.
The Margaret River region is without doubt one of our greatest fine wine areas boasting over 120 wine producers. Local names such as Moss Wood, Cullen and Leeuwin Estate sit comfortably among the greatest Australian producers. Their wines are now highly sought after both domestically and overseas.
The winemakers here aspire to not only make wines that match up to the best from Australia but stand up as great wines of the world. They deliver brilliance in each and every bottle they produce.
Quality Wines have been coming from Leeuwin Estate, Moss Wood, Vasse Felix, Cullen, Cape Mentelle, Howard Park and Pierro for a long time. They have collectively been responsible for producing the region’s greatest wines.
These guys should be keeping a close eye on the wine coming from Woodlands and the newly revitalised Xanadu wineries. Another rising star is Voyager Estate.
The original vines of what is now Voyager Estate were first planted in 1978, under the name of Freycinet Estate. In 1991, these vineyards were bought and significantly expanded on. The area has since become known as the ‘Golden triangle of Chardonnay’ due to the quality of the wines from producers in the area.
The current releases from Voyager Estate include three absolute knockouts. I recommend you try them all:
1. The Voyager Chardonnay 2006 ($35) has powerful white peach and citrus fruit on a taut and youthful palate with a little creamy leesy complexity and brilliant length. It’s one of the best 2006 Margaret River Chardonnays.
2. A favourite, at least for enjoying now, is the 2005 Shiraz ($35). The Margaret River is generally not known for making a standout Shiraz, but this is a wonderful example of a dense cool climate Shiraz with clove and blackberry fruit trimmed with hints of wild violets. In the mouth there is a youthful feel yet there is plenty of vitality that it will only get better with time.
3. Best known of the wines from Voyager Estate is their Cabernet Merlot ($60), with the 2004 release one of their best to date. This wine is really built for the long term with gravelly cassis and blackberry fruit rounded out nicely with some subtle notes of olive and oak. In the mouth there is great generosity of fruit that is currently bound up in its significant structure. In ten to fifteen years it will be a wonderful drop, so keep it sleeping for a while, if you can.