Jake’s on Greentree
Jake’s is located on Greentree Road in Turnersville, thus the name. We have ordered from here in the past a couple of times and always been happy with our meals. This was no exception. But before I share more about our meal from Jake’s, my wife and I had a happy hour, utilizing a wonderful antipasto we had gotten from Duffield’s Farm Market.
Our Home Happy Hour
When you’re well-stocked with wine and food, it can be fun (and less expensive) to create your own happy hour at home. During the pandemic many of us have had Zoom Happy Hours, sharing our conversations (but not our food and wine) with our friends. One day this past week, we really enjoyed an antipasto we picked up at Duffield’s (a local farm market) and a glass of wine. Unfortunately, I had to limit my intake due to meds I have been taking for a back injury.
The antipasto consisted of salami, cheese, roasted peppers, olives, and grape tomatoes, with a vinaigrette dressing/dip. It was terrific.
The Wines (we enjoyed these wines with our antipasto and our entrees from Jake’s)
- Turdo Vineyards Turis Persara-A wonderful red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot. Syrah, and Sangiovese. This current vintage has a bit more Cab and a bit less Merlot, yielding a little more structure and slightly more tannic (though still smooth). Delicious notes of raspberry and vanilla.
- Hawk Haven Vineyards 2020 Pinot Grigio-An easy drinking, favorite that pairs with nearly anything, but is great on its own, as well. There’s just a hint of sweetness, but lots of acidity in this light, refreshing Pinot. Aged in stainless steel with subtle notes of grapefruit and lemon.
The Entrees
Our entrees are pictured at the top of this post. My entree (above left) was one of their specialties- sweet sausage with olives, capers, bruschetta tomatoes, and roasted peppers in a spicy garlic parmesan sauce over penne pasta. Totally delish with sips of the Persara (and also with the Pinot Grigio).
My wife’s choice was their Chicken Francaise (above right). She ordered it with capellini. This was the classic medallions of chicken dipped in egg batter and sautéed with capers in a lemon butter white wine sauce. Another winner!
Note: The portions shown above were about half of what we received. We ate the other half on Sunday evening.
The Turdo Persara and the Hawk Haven Pinot Grigio served double duty, pairing equally well with our antipasto and our entrees.
Tasting Notes
Many of my social media colleagues who write about wine share their tasting notes and I often enjoy reading their posts. There is a wide range of what folks describe as their tasting notes. This variance is a function of subjective experience, wine knowledge, the sensitivity of one’s palate, and philosophy of what details to share.
While my palate is not bad and I pursued and obtained a sommelier certificate, I am envious of those who can legitimately recognize and describe a dozen or more aromas and tastes in a glass of wine, after a swirl and a sip. But we are all so different in so many ways (including how we respond to any stimulus). This is also true of stimuli introduced to our senses of smell and taste. Did you know that women are generally better at identifying smells and tastes than men and therefore are considered to have better palates? Of course this is assuming the men and women have equal exposure to wine and training in wine knowledge. My wife can smell a corked wine from a few feet away, while I generally need to hold the glass near my nose.
My philosophy about tasting notes is this: Share the most important qualities of the wine (color, body, acidity, tannins, and one or two of the more obvious aromas and/or tastes). I also avoid using terminology that is still utilized in the wine industry, but which may turn off some readers and wine drinkers. For example, the term, “barnyard” is often used as one of the signatures of Pinot Noir. “Earthy” is certainly a preferable term here. I generally avoid using “leather” (even when detected). It is an aroma and/or taste often found in red wines aged in oak.
Coming Attractions
- An interview with Larry Coia, a key wine grower in Vineland
- A Wine-Paired Dinner at Autumn Lake Winery
- Horizontal and Vertical Tastings
- Unionville Vineyard Updates
New Jersey Uncorked: A Snob-Free Taste of NJ Wine
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