Winter

 Our girls are busy composting for our spring vegetable and herb gardens.  I'm looking forward to planting our garden later this winter and early in spring. For now, I've been using the sage and rosemary that does quite well outside my kitchen door. It holds up in winter, blooms beautifully in the spring, and the deer don't eat it! In winter, many of my dishes are flavored with these herbs. I love the bold flavors that they add to winter vegetables and hearty roasts. Both Sage and Rosemary have warm characteristics that pair well with red wines and a cozy fire. You can find these herbs in seed form or buy a small plant to get started (I recommend the latter). Winter can be a great time to get these herbs going while there is water for their root development in preparation for the summer heat. Sounds like a good weekend project to me! Once you have your herbs, I will be posting some recipes to get you warmed up this winter. I've got to get back to tasting wines this afternoon.  Ciao

Citrus Season

These lemons were given to me from a friend's family tree and they have been inspiring me all week.  They are perfect for a salad that's always on my table, Kale Caesar.  Everyone loves eating Kale when it's prepared in this salad and many versions have popped up on trendy restaurant menus over the past few years. The most important part about preparing it is the order of operations. Pretty similar to most of my winemaking techniques, actually. Follow these steps in this order and enjoy a salad that celebrates the winter season of Citrus.

Kale Caesar

3 C finely chopped Kale with stems removed
3 T olive oil
1/2 t sea salt
2 cloves pressed garlic
Juice from half of one lemon
3 T grated Parmesan cheese

1. Make the dressing as far ahead as possible. This could mean 10 minutes or overnight. The longer it develops flavor is best. If 10 minutes is all you have, then add more garlic and salt.

2. Blend together Olive oil, pressed garlic, and salt. Stir and let sit.

3. Add dressing to Kale and toss thoroughly.

4. Add juice from half a lemon and toss thoroughly.

5. Add Parmesan cheese and toss.

Since this salad is a staple at our table, occasionally I like to mix it up and add pomegranate seeds or avocado. Pumpkin seeds and local mandarins would be great too. Topped with bacon would be delicious for an afternoon football game with the guys.

The Citrus in this salad is so vibrant that it really livens the earthiness of the Kale. Which brings me to wine pairings.

This time of year I walk through cellars full of citrus aromas from the new vintage. Citrus is one of the components that dominates very young wines after fermentation, especially whites. After time, the high note of lemon or grapefruit, even blood orange, dissipates and further aromas of the wine emerge. Wines that are bottled early retain a prevalent citrus component. It's so refreshing, crisp, and delicious. Look for a new release wine to pair with this salad in the coming months. Some producers are already bottling their 2013 whites for release. If you can't find one, check out the Southern Hemisphere for their 2013 bottlings. Sauvignon blanc, stainless fermented Chardonnay, and white blends are most common to find early. Rose should be released soon too!

New Year's Traditions

Reaching toward the new year is always invigorating and inspiring. I sat in a small cafe this past week with a good old friend as we created our individual intentions for the new year. We were surprised how many we each checked off this past year! So much reflection and anticipation needs meaningful food and wines right?

I'm celebrating New Year's Eve with with bubbles-of course! and small bites to accompany them. I like an appetizer buffet so friends can stop by throughout the evening and participate in the excitement.  I use green foods for life, health, and prosperity in the new year. I'm serving a pesto torte with beautiful basil flavors and a variety of cheeses to accompany the 'yeasty' characters in the wine. I will also make my Mother-in-love's (preferred phrase to Mother-in-law)  Italian lentil soup. I love the lentils and so does my family, so I will have a pot of those warming. I like a big fruit driven red wine to pair with the lentils to compliment their earthiness-I'm going to pair a California mountain Zinfandel tonight! For something sweet, I will make some pears poached with thyme and a hint of caramel. This dish can be made anytime throughout the evening and the pears can stay warm in the liquid until the perfect moment to serve.

Enjoy a wonderful celebration and Happy New Year from The Winemaker's Table!

Italian Lentils by Loretta Coyle and Keri Crane

2 T  olive oil

3 minced garlic cloves

1 bag lentils ( 12 to 16 oz)

3 qts low sodium chick broth (water works too)

2 C chopped onions

2 C chopped garlic

1 C chopped carrots (I do not always add but yummy)  "I never measure anything except the liquid to bag of lentils and if it is too thick  near the end  I add more liquid." 

1 lb cooked Italian sausage mild or hot.  I crumble and add to soup after the lentils and veggies are tender. 

Saute garlic, and veggies in 6 qt or a bit less pot or dutch oven.  Do not let garlic turn brown. 

Add broth and rinsed lentils to pot. 

Bring to a boil and simmer for as long as you like 30 min to 1 hr.  Lentils need to be soft.

Cook sausage in a pan if links remove casings crumble sausage no matter what the original form.  

Drain and add to soup .

Poached Pears in Thyme

3 Bosc pears, peeled and halved, and cored

Fresh Thyme sprig

1 qt water

1 C sugar

In a large saucepan, heat the water and sugar until dissolved. Add the fresh Thyme sprig.

Place pears in water and keep covered in the liquid. Add a touch more water if needed.

Continue simmering the pears until soft, approximately 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool in the liquid. Once cooled, remove the pears and enjoy with a touch of Caramel sauce or vanilla bean ice cream. Delicious with bubbles! 

Note: Method Champenoise is the traditional method that is used in the Champagne region of France. This method adds yeast and sugar to the bottle to ferment in the bottle, producing CO2.  The yeast can remain in the bottle for quite sometime, producing this 'yeasty' flavor component essential to pairing with delicate and rich flavors. More about Champagne

My Sparkling wines are going to be California grown this holiday. Technically bubbles made from any other parts of the world, outside of Champagne, are called Sparkling Wines. 

Perfect Pairings

I love attending winemaker's dinners in local restaurants. I feel that it's the best way to fully express the intentions for the wine when they are paired with food. I especially enjoy the intimate setting where new friends are made and new revelations are manifested as the food and wine are absorbed. However, last night I attended a very special winemaker dinner. While I had my wines with me and talked about the winery and our vision for the Rhone varietals and blends as I usually do, something unusual occured.

The quaint group had a chance to hear from Chef Christophe from the kitchen of his old world Alsacian restaurant, Bistro La Petite France. Christophe described how his old world method of cooking isn't just in the recipes, it's the ingredients. Similar to boutique winemaking, Christophe enchanted guests as he talked about the meyer lemons that were traded for his house salad dressing and eventually were served in our Meyer Lemon Mousse. Christophe used Wild Boar 3 ways with his Sausage from a local purveyor that uses no preservatives or other ingredients. Consistant with his message, he talked about using ingredients that are in season, never pushing a dish to be something that nature hasn't intended.

His words echoed close to my heart because of the similarities with our winemaking philosophy.  We choose varietals that are meant for the climate and soil type, we harvest according to flavors, and we won't press a wine until it tastes perfect. At the end of the evening I realized that this was a perfect pariring of winery and restaurant.

An introduction was made with a traditional crispy lump crab cake with carrot, tarragon, and fuji apple slaw, topped with Spanish Smoked Paprika garlic aioli. Served with DGV 2008 Viognier Roussanne.

Followed by a golden frisee salad with Muscovy smoked duck medallions, grilled pineapple and cilantro vinaigrette. Served with DGV 2008 Grenache.

We then arrived at the wild boar 3 ways with his sausage, apple cider braised red cabbage and fennel ragout, and bacon butter spaetzle. Paired with DGV 2006 Coeur Rouge. This was my favorite pairing because of the feelings that were evoked when a pairing is so seamless that it truly brings comfort. In comfort we can begin to make new friendships and fully enjoy our experience.

Lastly, the local meyer lemon mousse with sparkling wine sabayon and a spicy caramel bridle was served with our 2009 Late Harvest Viognier.

So many flavors worked so well together.  Many of our classic flavor pairings were incorporated. The cilantro and the Grenache, the tarragon and our viognier-roussanne, and the lemon with the Viognier.

In this pairing, the protein was equally paired well. Crab with Viognier-Roussanne, smoked duck with Grenache, and Wild Boar with Coeur Rouge. These are also pairings that we know work well.

However, it's always the secret ingredients that the chef incorporates that make the dishes so special at winemaker dinners. In this case, each dish was paired so well and I think the guests really enjoyed a perfect pairing.

Seasons I

Mid fall season, to the South are the lights

Leaves are expressing brilliant hues

Warm days and chilly nights

Which wine do you choose?

It’s the perfect time of the year for layering. Warm days demand t shirts and sandals while night time chills down to flannel pajamas and an extra blanket on the bed. A period as small as the sliver of a moon this time is welcomed with pleasure. We are layering wines this time of year, moving from whites to reds, overlapping, exchanging acidity for tannins, and experiencing the chill of a white and the warmth from a gorgeous red. This season too is fleeting but best to be celebrated at Thanksgiving. It’s with thanks, pleasure, and gratitude that we can enjoy this layering of wines at our holiday table. The choices from thermals or vest, jacket or boots to who is coming to our holiday table? What wines should we serve? What flavors will we enjoy? The season of layering is upon us and choice is abundant. This is a wonderful time to appreciate the flavors of the season and pair them with a diversity of wines. Festivity invites a great selection of wines. For Turkey, I love to experiment with Grenache and its blends. Grenache has a wonderful way of accentuating the flavors of the bird. Grenache loves savory. Grenache also loves pepper spice. Any herb, vegetable, or spice with a peppery flavor will do well with Grenache. With Duck, Ham, and Pork we can layer whites of Viognier, Chardonnay, and Fumé Blanc. (When I refer to Fumé Blanc, it’s in the nature of the style of Sauvignon Blanc aged in oak barrels that has a round almost sweetness to it.) Rosé is the most festive beverage. Depending on the grapes used to make this wine blush it can be paired with a variety of dishes including Turkey. It also looks beautiful on the table and surprises guests. A beautiful Cabernet is always welcomed and often paired with beef, try pairings with lamb and cheesy wine risotto too. I like to layer a variety of wines at the holiday table where guests can pour a wine with each flavor and move seamlessly from whites to reds and back to whites. With so much abundance during the holidays, it’s nice to complete the meal with something light. Using the fruits of the season, try poaching pears, apple and lemon tarts, and cranberry crumbles with orange zest garnished with pomegranate seeds. These flavors are refreshing and will be beautiful with medium to light bodied reds, Rosé, Sparkling, and whites with a touch of tropical fruit and creaminess. Experience this pleasurable season of friends and family layered with flavors.

Food

Food is just as often the inspiration for wine pairings as wine. I have been enjoying wonderful summer dishes that create a thirst for wine. Recently, I attended a winemaker dinner with Il Fornio Restaurant. There was one pairing that I especially enjoyed. It was Prosciutto di Parma e Pere. Prosciutto di Parma topped with thinly sliced Red Bartlett pears, watercress, shaved parmesan; drizzled with a lemon infused extra virgin olive oil.  It was the best pairing that I have yet enjoyed with my 2008 Viognier from David Girard Vineyards. But, what makes it such a great pairing? A deconstruction will allow me to share how this worked so well.

First the primary flavor, Prosciutto. It's salty and has a flavor that resembles the parent pig. It's thinly sliced, translucent, so it doesn't conflict with the body of wine. It's also usually served at room temperature which is how I enjoy most pairings. The saltiness in the ham will enhance the flavors of minerality in the wine, while the touch of sliced pear will accompany the aromatic lift enjoyed in the Viognier. A slight sweetness to the pear compliments the dry style of wine. A hint of slightly bitter watercress provides a relief to the wine that allows it to be full and expand in the mouth. And cheese....yum. The Parmesan cheese actually enhanced the saltiness and added some earthy flavors that accentuated the floral aromas of the Viognier. The cheese also being fairly pH neutral, allowed the acidity of the wine to come forward. Lastly, the touch of lemon infused olive oil provided a punctuation that paired will with the citrus components in the wine.

When you can break down each step of the pairing in this way, it can help to understand how to build it up  and create the next pairing.

Wine in Food and Wine Pairing

Before I get to the good stuff, the meat of food and wine pairing, I would like to make some notes on wine. The thought of food and wine pairing is often an after thought or a convenience. Commonly it’s what we have on hand that will go best with what we are serving. Like wine and cheese, such a classic pairing, but as I’ve learned when I dive into wine and cheese pairing some wines and cheeses really don’t do each other justice. However, thoughtful pairings will melodically draw out subtle nuances in the other. As we discuss pairing food and wine we must think about both. I am a bit biased about the wine, given my livelihood. There are so many choices with wine and so many experiences that involve wine that make it difficult to begin. I have chosen to start with what seems natural to me, The Season. During the late summer I choose wines that will pair well with what is fresh in the garden, ripe at the farmers market, and too beautiful to resist.  For, it’s my love of food that has really made me fall in love with wine. Much of what I am drinking now in late summer season are beautiful whites, some Rose and very fresh reds. I have been enjoying Viognier on a hot weekend after a long day of chores around the house and I’ve been drinking Pinot Noir as the cool air begins to fall to the evening ground around me enjoying dinner near the lawn. I think choosing wines that will go well with fresh food that takes minimal time out of our busy summer day to prepare is the best place to start this time of year. I recommend that you find a few wines that you enjoy with fresh salads, grilled burgers and meats, and other fresh ingredients. Wines that I’m thinking about pairing this month: Rhone whites and blends, Rhone Rose, Sauvignon blanc, Grenache and Grenache based blends, Mourvedre, and Pinot Noir.