Mari Wells Coyle

Mari Wells Coyle
Mari Wells Coyle, Winemaker l photo by Freda Banks photography

CABERNET SAUVIGNON AND ROSEMARY SEA SALT CRACKERS



The holiday season! It’s loaded-that’s for sure. I try to slow down to enjoy a few short weeks of holiday magic, but it can be pretty challenging.  When I need an escape or simply some time to recharge, the kitchen feeds me. I celebrate the quiet moments-did I just say that? There’s nothing quiet about our house. I must have been dreaming!-the moments where I can focus amidst the busy-ness of life and think, create, and finally share and enjoy with the ones I love.





During the low light of winter, I crave invigorating flavors of Rosemary. The hardy properties in this evergreen kitchen herb complement the big wines that keep me warm and cozy all season long.




This is the perfect wine snack to bring out when friends stop by with a bottle of wine or just to enjoy while wrapping gifts and putting the final touches on holiday decorations. Yeah-when I made these and kind of over indulged (just a LITTLE bit) because they were so yummy straight out of the oven! Grab a glass of wine and settle into this easy recipe that would be a great gift for the wine lovers in your life.


ROSEMARY SEA SALT CRACKERS


Additions:

1 C all-purpose flour
¾ C whole-wheat flour
½ t salt
5 T olive oil
¾ C water
2 T finely chopped Rosemary
sea salt to top

Protocol:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large kitchen mixer with paddle attachment combine flours and salt.

Next, add olive oil, water, and rosemary. Mix on low speed until dough forms.

Remove promptly to avoid overworking and divide dough in half.

Place one piece of the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or Silpat. Roll out dough evenly and as thin as possible.

Use a knife to cut the dough into squares or rectangles. You could also use a cookie cutter to make special cut outs

Use a fork to pierce each cracker shape.




Sprinkle with sea salt

Bake for 15-20 minutes depending on thickness of crackers.

Enjoy with a glass of Cabernet, goat cheese, and sliced roast beef.

Winemaker’s Notes:

Rosemary flavors are intense and the texture is rich. There isn’t much that’s delicate about this pungent herb. I enjoy a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon with slightly peppery flavors that range just beyond green bell pepper into cracked paprika. Rosemary brings out the botanical aromatics that lie beneath these big beauties full of texture and complexity.







COLOR THE TABLE WITH FOOD AND WINE



A colorful Thanksgiving table is gorgeous. This recipe for roasted brussel sprouts, persimmons and cranberries brightens the holiday and tastes amazing with Thanksgiving wines. We open a lot of bottles at Thanksgiving to taste with the abundance of flavors. I love every color of wine to make the  holiday tablescape complete.  Most of the wines we open have flavors of cranberry, pomegranate, dried herbs, spice, and an earthiness that echoes the time of year.





I have been buying the stalks of brussel sprouts at the store and loving the beauty they bring to my kitchen.  When they are roasted, we all eat them like candy. They have such an earthy flavor and awesome texture.  This season I am combining them with cranberries and persimmons to get caramelized flavors drizzled with balsamic glaze and served with a Petite Sirah. This dish is perfect to add variety to my Thanksgiving table.






The fuyu persimmons have been so abundant this year. I picked a basketful from a neglected tree. This type of persimmon is great for eating, like an apple, and can be found in grocery stores as well.






Fresh cranberries! The best! But, how do you eat them? Roasting cranberries dehydrates them just a touch and concentrates the flavor. The sweetness comes out while the acidity remains. I keep the ingredients pure when possible and combine them together to create a well rounded flavors. I don't like to add sugar to these babies. They are so good just they way they are! It's a philosophy I've adopted in the kitchen from my winemaking style.  Nothing added, just delicious flavors and textures.




                            



Placing thinly sliced persimmons on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper, dries the persimmons and they taste like candy (and look beautiful too!) They dress things up a touch for the festivities and are delish with a bite of stuffing. Yum!


ROASTED BRUSSEL SPROUTS, CRANBERRIES, AND PERSIMMONS

Additions:

1 lb. brussel sprouts, halved
1 C cranberries
2 fuyu persimmons, chopped
4 T olive oil
Trader Joe's balsamic glaze
salt

Protocol:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. 

Place brussel sprouts, cranberries, and persimmons in a large bowl. Add olive oil and salt and toss thoroughly. Spread evenly onto a baking tray. Place in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until brussel sprouts are soft. Remove from oven and drizzle with balsamic glaze. 

CANDIED PERSIMMONS

Additions:

Fuyu persimmons, thinly sliced into rounds 

Protocol:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Place persimmons onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cook for 20 minutes on each side. Remove and let cool to room temperature.







Winemaker's Notes: When I am putting flavors together, I'm always thinking about making them bring out the flavors in wine. The cranberries and persimmon add depth and fruit to the dish that makes it perfect to bring out bigger wines for the table. 

Cheers!

PUMPKIN HUMMUS DIP WITH BARBERA






Pumpkin everything! It's the time of the year. A few of my favorite pumpkin recipes-using the puree-are pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin pie OF COURSE! and this spicy pumpkin hummus. Pumpkin puree is a staple in our house from first rain to Thanksgiving. It's one of those cozy foods that is perfect for fall.  

This spicy hummus recipe is perfect to nosh on while planning the rest of your holiday meals. You know, creating calendars and a timeline for shopping, do ahead recipes, and tracking guest counts. Aye aye aye!  Carving out time to plan festive family celebrations is critical to having a great day. I have a Thanksgiving countdown guide coming out next week. I hope it will help all of you who love to cook for your friends and family. (I'll be including wine tips too!) 






Spicy Pumpkin Hummus Recipe


Additions:

1 C dried garbanzo beans
1 t baking soda
16 oz. pumpkin puree
3 T tahini 
2 cloves garlic
1 t cayenne pepper
1 t cumin
3 T lemon juice
3 T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Protocol:

Place garbanzo beans in a bowl. Cover with water and 1/2 t baking soda. Soak overnight.

Drain and rinse beans. Add beans to a large stockpot with enough water to cover beans plus 2 inches and 1/2 t baking soda. Cook until soft, approximately 1 hour. 

Drain beans and add to food processor. Blend garbanzo beans and pumpkin puree until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and blend until creamy. Serve with sliced vegetables and warm pita bread.








Coincidentally, I was tasting my friend’s Barbera which was delicious with this dip. I added thinly sliced lamb shoulder and some greek dressing to make a Mediterranean meal.



Winemaker’s Notes: 

Barbera is a really dense wine with a profile of brambly fruit. When made to my liking it also has a firm structure and bright acidity. The earthiness of the pumpkin, garbanzo beans, and cumin spices show off the fruit in the wine. The combination of flavors is delicious. Cheers!


RUSTIC APPLE GALETTE RECIPE WITH THYME




One thing you should know-I’m not a baker. So if you are thinking that you aren't either, keep reading because you HAVE to try this. I just don’t enjoy cooking in the oven, I prefer cooking over a fire (which really means a grill) and hanging outside with the guys. But, this is so easy that even I can do it. I make this pie crust ALL the time for sweet and savory desserts or pot pies. I’m more of a savory girl, as you know. To my palate EVERYTHING tastes better with chopped herbs from my kitchen garden.

Another roadblock to baking- 6th grade home economics.  Making pie crust by cutting butter with 2 forks chopping butter into those TINY pieces. I SO didn’t love it! I didn't think I would ever make a pie.  But, alas!  I found a quick crust using olive oil (my favorite staple) and it’s also vegan for those of you out there! This crust is so easy and delicious. It’s inspired from my friends at Winterhill  in Placerville.



One of my favorite things about cooking is using my hands. I like to feel the textures and build an intuitive sense. A nice heavy duty wooden spoon will do too and I use one in this recipe.





Baking spices! Yum!  These are some of my favorite flavors this time of year. I like to add them all and I very specifically will only use fresh ground nutmeg since it was introduced to me.

Putting together this recipe makes me giggle because it mirrors my winemaking process in a funny way. It starts out simple,-like apple pie. But, it becomes uniquely my own by carefully choosing a process that fits my taste and style. My winemaking and recipes have a lot of intention and I love sharing it with you so you can create these easy recipes in your home.


Additions:

Olive oil crust

2 C all-purpose flour
1 C Meyer lemon Winterhill olive oil
8 T ice water
1 T champagne vinegar
dash of salt

Pie

4 apples, mix of granny smith, fuji, and red delicious. Thinly sliced.
2/3 C sugar
3 T lemon juice and zest
1 T cinnamon
1 T fresh ground nutmeg
1 T fresh ground cardamom
2 thyme sprigs, leaves removed
1/2 C Quadrello cheese, grated

Protocol:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Prepare the apples by mixing with the sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg.

For the crust: Mix olive oil, water, vinegar, and salt. Add flour and stir with a large wooden spoon until dough forms and completely mixed. Divide the dough into 2 balls. Roll each ball out between two pieces of wax paper. Remove the top paper and place the dough side onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

Place the cheese in the center of the dough. Scatter thyme leaves over the cheese. Add the apple mixture. Wrap the dough around the apple mixture until the edge is sealed.

Cook at 425 for 20 minutes. Turn oven down to 350 and cook for an additional 30 minutes. You may need to cover the top with foil if the apples start to brown. Top with fresh leaves of thyme. And more cheese if you wish.




Winemaker’s Notes:

To be honest, I’ve been enjoying homemade hard cider lately with a cinnamon stick. I can’t resist the urge to ferment cider pressed from nearby farms.  I also love those baking spices that often match those in Roussanne, a delightfully spicy and rich wine. 

Cheers!




APPLE CIDER THYME FRENCH ONION AND VERMENTINO



I am finally settling into home after a weekend trip to Seattle where I attended an incredibly inspiring food photography workshop (can you tell?) and visited one of my best friends and her family. She is six months pregnant and needed some down time from her regular life as an attorney.

Her husband, the cook in the family and artsy architect, was eager to share some wine-and the cooking duties. I was thrilled to be in their newly renovated kitchen to cook something seasonal and comforting. Leaving the extended indian summer in California and landing in Seattle was just the inspiration that I needed for one of my favorite fall recipes. Insert kitchen assistant here! Just kidding, but it was awesome to have help with chopping the onions. Thanks E!



This recipe can be made gluten free and vegetarian without sacrificing the flavor. If you love traditional french onion soup, I would top your oven safe bowl with a piece of crusty bread. Then smother with cheese. Pop that in your hot little oven on broil for 3-4 minutes while you sip on the wine you just poured to go with it.

I like to allow the flavors to come together for as long as possible and practical. It's similar to aging wines to allow the components of the fermentation and the grape to harmonize before bottling. You don't have to wait tha-at long to eat dinner, but the best comes to those who wait. I will make the soup and allow it to sit for as long as I need -to do just a couple more things around the house. Then I heat it up one last time and sit down with a great glass of wine to enjoy.


ADDITIONS

5-6 large yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced in rings
4 C chicken broth
4 C fresh pressed apple cider
4 T butter
5-6 sprigs of Thyme
salt and pepper to taste
shaved gruyere to top



PROTOCOL

1. Melt butter in large stockpot

2. Add sliced onions and cover. Saute on medium heat until soft, about 15-20 minutes. Stirring occasionally.

3. Add broth, cider and thyme and cover. Bring to simmer and heat for approximately 20- 30 minutes. The longer the thyme is infused, the more flavorful it will become.

4. Season with salt and pepper, remove the thyme sprigs.

5. Shave Gruyere on top and serve.



WINEMAKER'S NOTES:

October in Seattle reminded me of fall as a kid when the warm winds mixed with rainy showers gave life to the decomposing fall foliage (which I happen to think smells amazing! So I guess that's why I LOVE to use the description 'mushrooms from under [the forest floor] for wines that possess a unique earthy and spicy aroma). The thyme in this recipe hits similar notes that feel earthy and woodsy.

We enjoyed this recipe with a Vermentino from Italy. The crisp acidity in the wine complemented the slightly sweet soup. We found an inexpensive Vermentino in a local Seattle wine shop that was delightful. I love Vermentino because it has a very rich flavor from the skins, but remains crisp with lots of minerality. Perfect for this soup on an autumn day.

Cheers!











Harvest Salsa

The grape crush v. 2014



During the harvest season, I am so focused that all other aspects of life nearly cease to exist. I dedicate my full attention to the process and opportunity that comes just once a year, The Crush.

The harvest experience is fast paced as each sun-ripening day the grape flavors and maturity progress. The daily activities involve a sensory experience walking the vineyards in various soils tasting grapes. I love tasting wine grapes. I add their flavors to my reference log and file it away to later decipher the very source of the forthcoming wines.

There are grapes everywhere. Just last night, I found a skin on my bumper, seeds in my pant cuffs, and sticky juice on my elbows.  After a long day sun drenched day in the field, I love to enjoy this recipe with my family and a refreshing glass of chilled wine. 


Harvest Salsa

Additions: 

3 C. table grapes, halved
1 white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, finely chopped
1 T. olive oil
Juice of one lime
salt and pepper to taste

Protocol:

Mix ingredients together keeping the grapes chunky. Enjoy with a cool refreshing white wine and crispy tortilla chips. Great on tacos too!

Using the seasonal abundance, I love to enjoy this recipe with white wines with high minerality. I recommend a Vermentino, Grenache Blanc, or Gruner Veltliner. The recipe is simple and fresh for a fast paced harvest season.