I’ll Drink to That!

To quote Sid Goldstein, author of “The Wine Lover’s Cookbook”, “Pinot Noir is, in a word, a wonder. It is a mysterious and seductive wine that echoes the smell of the earth from which it comes.”

Sometimes referred to as the “heartbreak grape”,  it is difficult to grow, and demands great attention both in the vineyard as well as the winery. It is the coveted grape of Burgundy, and currently widely planted in Oregon and California. Although I enjoy a bottle of Pinot every so often, I don’t drink a lot of it. Pinot Days, held here in Los Angeles for the first time last weekend, was a real eye opener for me, introducing my palate to many different styles of Pinot ranging from dry and austere to fat and juicy. I was happy to meet and learn from producers from many prime pinot growing areas including Washington, Oregon, New Zealand and California.

My Pinot adventure started with an impromptu winemakers dinner held at Upstairs 2, the restaurant that is, you guessed it, upstairs over the Wine House wine shop. I had received an e-mail from Lisa and Steve Rigisich, the producers of Pinot Days, informing us that they and several of the winemakers in town for the festival were going to put on a small winemakers dinner a few days before the festival and limited reservations would be taken on a first come, first serve basis. Well the dinner sold out in half an hour - we were among the 80 or so lucky ones that secured a reservation.

Each table was set for 8 with a “winemakers chair” at the head of the table - winemakers would be rotating to a different table with each course so we would have the opportunity to speak with a number of them before the night was through.

Our first course was a salad of Arugula, Frisee and Belgian Endive with Duck Confit and a Pinot Noir Lingonberry Dressing. With that we were poured 2007 Inman Family Russian River Valley. Owner, winemaker and all around lovely lady, Kathleen Inman, also shared with us her 2006 Olivet Grange Vineyards Pinot Noir. Both were my favorite style - dry, earthy, elegant and well balanced with bright natural acidity. The second estate wine served with this course was the  Suacci Carciere Wines -  Suacci Vineyard - 2007.

The second course was a wonderful dish of Wild Mushroom Crusted Halibut with a red wine sauce. Mushrooms are so delicious paired with Pinot Noir and the first of two wines served with this course was the Lachini Vineyards Cuvee Giselle - 2007, Chehalem Mountains, Washington. Ron Lachini explained to us the intricacies of  bio-dynamic farming techniques and the reasons he and his wife chose to go that route. Oddly enough his wine had a very strong grassy aroma. Both his and the Willamette Valley Vineyards, Tualatin Estate 07 paired nicely with the fish.

Next up was Grilled Free Range Veal Chops with Herbs du Provence and Veal Demi-Glace.  The first wine poured was a Fess Parker Winery - Ashleys Pinot, Santa Rita Hills 07. This was one of the biggest pinots I have ever had, having even Syrah like qualities.  I figured this one would pair nicely with the chops, but obviously it did not behave like a Syrah and it flattened with the food.  A better choice was the 07 C. Donatiello Winery - Maddie’s Vineyard. Still a bigger and bolder style of Pinot than I normally choose, it held it’s own with the grilled meat and potatoes.

The dessert course was two cheeses served with fig bread and candied walnuts. Ana Keller of Keller Estate joined us at our table for this course and shared with us her family’s history in the wine industry. I enjoyed her 07 “El Coro” , a fleshy wine redolent of cherry, plum and currant flavors mingled with spice and tobacco. Also enjoyed with this course Perception Wines Russian River Valley 07.

This would have been a nice enough event by itself, but it was just a prelude for so much more Pinot yet to come.

Trade tasting gets under way

The festival was held at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, a venue I had visited once before for the Make-a-Wish annual winetasting fund raiser. It’s big and roomy offering plenty of elbow space for thirsty tasters. So much Pinot, so little time as there were over 75 wineries represented and the walk around trade tasting was a mere 2 hours. A quick perusal of the offerings and off we went. A couple of  producers had Chardonnay or Pinot Gris tucked away under their tables and I was glad I had a bottle of SanTasti palate cleansing beverage with me - yes you really can go back and forth from red to white with optimum enjoyment and appreciation. Highlights for me included:

Carr Vineyards & Winery: 07 Pinot Noir, Three Vineyards, Sta. Rita Hills and 07 Turner Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills

Clouds Rest Vineyards: Tried and enjoyed 4 vintages from Sonoma: 02,03,04,05

Bouchaine Vineyards: 2006 Carneros

Demetria Estate: 2006 Cuvee Sandra, Sta Rita Hills

Kindred Wines: 2007 Pinot Noir Amber Ridge Vineyard, Russian River Valley

Papapietro-Perry: 2007 Russian River Valley

Kindred Wines,member of SFWA

Besides tasting some very interesting wines and meeting the creative men and women behind those wines, it was nice to catch up with friends. Eve Bushman of Eve’s 101 and Denise Lowe, the “goddess of vino”, were on hand for a photo op.

Denise Lowe, Xochitl Maiman and Eve Bushman catch up at Pinot Days in Los Angeles

At 1:00 sharp Los Angeles Pinot fans, and there are thousands of them, converged on the festival, not letting the approaching storm keep them from the task at hand. I left with a new appreciation for this intriguing grape, respect for the fortitude of those who make the wine and a strong craving for a steak. However, one of my favorite recipes to go with Pinot Noir is this one shared by Chef Douglas Keane of Cyrus in Healdsburg, CA. Kathleen Inman likes this one too.

Truffled Red Wine Risotto with Parmesan Broth

I’LL DRINK TO THAT !

Traditionally, Champagne, or sparkling wines as they are called from anywhere outside France, seem to be relegated to “special occasions” and celebrations. Case in point, last Thursday night I made farfalle with salmon, asparagus, Gorgonzola and walnuts in a light cream sauce. After some thought, I decided on serving the dish with a Prosecco, sparkling wine from Italy. Both my husband and my daughter upon seeing the flutes arrive at the table, wanted to know, “what’s the occasion?” Simply put,  I just thought this was the right choice. It is after all, just wine, but with “frizante”. And besides, isn’t every day a celebration of something?

So with that in mind, the tasting at this month’s “I’ll Drink to That“, networking for wine enthusiasts event featured four sparkling wines from different countries. We started with a Prosecco, (Prosecco being the grape varietal), from Borgo Magredo in the Friuli region of Italy. Light straw-yellow in color, this sparkler offers a delicate balance of acidity and fruit, with hints of green apples on the palate.  Proseccos are generally modestly priced making them affordable for anytime drinking, this one retailing for about $18.00.  Paired with Pecorino Ginepro, a sheeps milk cheese from Italy, we were off to a good start.

In Spain, sparkling wines are called Cava, and that was next on the line-up. Aria, made by  the French methode champenoise , is from the Segura Viudas Estate in Torrelavit, in Spain’s Alt Penedes region and is styled after the popular Segura Viudas’ top-of-the-line cava, Reserva Heredad. (Yes, that’s the one with the cool pewter coaster attached to the base of the bottle). Aria is a blend of the Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo grapes.  Together they produce a wine with a honeyed aroma with flavors of fresh pineapple, almonds, honey and pears.  Tapas anyone?

Next up was a Brut Rose from Marquis de la Tour located in the Loire Valley of France.  Some of the attendees thought this wine was a bit too “sweet” with it’s long red fruit finish. I thought it was a wonderful wine that could easily be enjoyed with a summer lunch or a light dessert maybe with a bit of milk chocolate. The bright salmon pink color of this wine adds to it’s festiveness.

The last of the sparkling wines was a wonderful offering from Laetitia Vineyards located in southern San Luis Obispo County. This Brut is made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc, and is creamy with an abundance of very tiny bubbles and notes of warm bread and ripe apricots. Paired with a creamy Friesian sheep’s milk cheese from Rapidan, Virginia, it was just delicious!

Just for fun, the evening’s tasting ended with a dessert wine from Martin & Weyrich of Paso Robles, California. Their Moscato Allegro is made from Muscat Canelli in the style of northern Italy’s muscat, and is even bottled in the traditional, long and sleek “Renna Punto” bottle used only for the finest Moscato d’Asti.  The wine is fresh and spicy, with exotic floral and fruit aromas of orange blossoms, honeyed apricots and peaches. We were served a stilton with this wine and the pairing was perfect. Dessert in a bottle.

So whatever the un-occasion may be, don’t forget to consider a sparkling wine to add fun and festivity. Try Champagne or sparkling wine with smoky or salty foods such as lox and eggs for brunch. As an aperitif, it sets the mood for a celebration. Try some with Asian food - great contrast between the bold, often salty flavors of the food and the brisk acidity of the wine. Always serve Champagne and sparkling wines well chilled and in flutes to best appreciate all those tiny bubbles.

I’ll Drink to That!

Someone asked me the other day if Petite Sirah was considered a Rhone varietal.  I suppose when thinking about the top red Rhone varietals, we tend to remember most  Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache, the three members of the very popular GSM blend. But there are many other red Rhones grapes - many of them vital components of the coveted wines of Cateauneuf-du-Pape. That list would include Carignan, Cinsault, Counoise, Muscardin, Picpoul Noir, Terret Noir and Vaccarese. And  yes, Petite Sirah. Petite Sirah, also known in France as Durif,  is a cross between two grapes, Syrah and Peloursin, developed in France in 1880 by Dr. Francois Durif.

Petite Sirah for Four Vines Heretic

Petite Sirah, by itself, produces a massive,dark, inky wine, full in the mouth, peppery and spicy.  When blended with other varietals it adds depth of color, body and big fruit flavors.

A big Petite Sirah with a juicy grilled steak is a pairing that’s hard to beat. But it would also be great with slow braised meats in hearty sauces.

One of my very favorite Petites is Four Vines Heretic made from old vine Petite Sirah with big, rich layers of black fruit and spice. Another producer whose wine I am anxious to try very soon is Aaron Wines - they make just Petite Sirah from Paso Robles fruit.

So while the weather is still chilly, think big and enjoy a bottle of Petite Sirah with some hearty winter comfort food, start a roaring fire and hunker down to enjoy one of the awards shows or the premier of “24″. (Yeah!)

I’ll Drink to That!

What a girl won’t do for a glass of wine….It all started with a conversation with a friend of mine about  Crushpad, a custom crush facility in San Francisco and the San Francisco Wine Association, whose members all produce at that facility.  Of course I’d heard about Crushpad many times before, but had only tried a very few wines from some of the winemakers producing there. He said about 20 members of the SFWA were holding a holiday tasting event at Crushpad and it would be a great opportunity to see the place and meet some of the wonderful and creative people behind the wines.  Well it didn’t take too much cajoling to convince me that I should attend this event, check this  place out for myself, meet some of these winemakers and taste their wine.

So…I called my dear friend who lives in Fairfax and she said she’d be happy to pick me up at the airport, schlep me to Crushpad, have me for the night and take me back to the airport the next morning. It would be a fun and fast little adventure. Well it did turn out to be fun, but not so fast.

I always fly Burbank to Oakland when I visit SF. Well, because of the short notice and crazy ridiculous rates on that route, this time I would fly from Los Angeles International to San Francisco International. Thursday I arrived at LAX  with just a bit over an hour to make my 10:55 AM Virgin America flight. I took a quick look at the departures monitor and learned that my flight was on time. I proceeded directly to the security line where I patiently stood for over 30 minutes before beginning the process of disrobing. Think about it…here in this globally public place and with hundreds of strangers, everyone takes off all coats, scarves, hats, belts and shoes, empties their pockets of all their valuables, keys, wallets, phones, removes large pieces of jewelry, puts their personal sundries in little ziploc bags for public viewing, and walks cautiously across the cold and dirty floor through the screener, hoping all their “stuff” will be waiting for them on the other side - all the while worring if they remembered to take the Swiss Army knife they usually carry in their purse out to be left at home. Travelling sure isn’t glamouous anymore, that’s for sure. Anyway, now I’m rushing a bit to get to my gate and hit the restroom once more before boarding. As I approach the gate an announcement is made that due to bad weather at SFO our flight has been delayed for one hour. Shortly thereafter the pilot comes out, (that’s a first), and says it’s his experience that these weather delays don’t take as long as they say, so sit tight and he’ll try to get an accurate update.

About 40 minutes later we board. I have secured myself an aisle seat and from this vantage point I watch as late boarders scramble to find overhead space and one woman tries in vain to shove her oversized “carry on” in what clearly was too small a spot. After dropping it finally into the lap of the person unfortunate to have the seat underneath, she finally yanked the valise out and moved on to find new digs for her belongings. I introduced myself to my seat mates, and luckily they were very nice people who I would have the pleasure of getting to know…..very well. After we had left the gate and taxied somewhere, the captain said we would be waiting…in the plane for another hour before being able to take off.  I call my friend who happily answers her phone expecting me to be calling her from my arrival gate. I explain the situation. I later found out she pursued some retail therapy while waiting for me, and that Sephora would probably be delighted by further delays.

We finally arrive SFO a little after 2:00, to the announcement by someone on the plane who already has their Blackberry turned back on, that the outside temp is 41 degrees!  Aargh!! I’m from LA. I don’t have clothes for this kind of weather! My friend is happily waiting for me and we’re finally off, lunch being a priority. We leave the parking lot, paying our $16.00 ransom, off to the Ferry Building in search of warmth and sustenance.

It’s cold and gloomy outside, but at least it’s not windy! As we approach the area where the Ferry Building is located, I notice vintage streetcars that I’m told by my friend are actually working streetcars. How cool - only in San Francisco. We search for 15 minutes for a place to park. Even if we could find a spot on the street, who has $3.50  an hour in quarters just hanging out in their purse?? So we opt for another parking lot, which after 2 hours will cost us another $15.00. And….this lot is a half mile from our destination so we walk…in the cold…by the water. Did I mention I’m from LA. We don’t walk! And especially not in the cold! And in heels!

The Ferry Building turns out to be a foodies paradise. We choose to sit at the counter of a little sandwich shop where we both order the egg salad with tarragon and truffled artichoke pesto on toasted brioche.  Ahhh…things are looking up. We then go on to explore the gourmet market, the wine shop,  the cheese shop, the mushroom shop, the herb shop, the pork shop,(ha ha), and the antique shop  before heading out into the cold, (which I whine about incessantly) and on to…..Crushpad. I am really ready for some wine at this point.

The bay looks foreboding as we travel south past the new baseball stadium. AT&T Park  just sits there in the middle of everything without acres and acres of parking lot buffering it from the rest of the city like our beloved Dodger Stadium. But what this stadium lacks in parking, it more than makes up for in personality. It’s vintage brick veneer reminds me of the old stadiums in New York that used to draw their fans from the surrounding neighborhoods. The sun has set by now, and all of San Francisco seems to be lighting up. I’m told that all those  lights are always up and not just for the holidays. And since we are downtown amongst all the tall buildings, the lights seem to ascend straight into the heavens. We can see the lit bridges in the distance. Gorgeous!

Crushpad is located in an inconspicuous warehouse building, with, you guessed it…no parking! At this hour we are able to find an un-metered spot on the street and only a couple of blocks away. Finally at “the event”, we were delighted to see the vast area with the perimeter lined with racks and racks of wine barrels, was decorated in the holiday spirit, a lavish cheese buffet had been set up, and of course the tables were set with the wines, their proud winemakers poised and ready to delight us with their wares. We picked up our glasses and the list of offerings and decided to start at the beginning.

Aver Family Vineyards was first, and his excitement and enthusiasm were immediately contagious. We clicked glasses and toasted his Rhone Blend and Syrah. Bartz-Allen had an 07 Pinot Noir, Split Rock Vineyard, that was wonderful. Their were more Pinot Noirs at this tasting than any other I had previously attended. And represented by so many different styles. Jazz, Joelle and Think Tank Wine Co. were just three more of the many vineyard designated Pinot offerings. I particularly enjoyed the 06 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley from Guy Riedel Wines, and the 08 Sauvignon Blanc, Galleron Road Vineyard, Napa Valley from Damian Rae Winery was deliciously unique and the bottle my friend took home for later.

My family would later ask me if I thought it was worth the trip to attend this event. I answered emphatically, yes. A bold statement, considering that I was in for yet another long journey the next day to get home.  Much to my chagrin, my Southwest flight scheduled to leave SFO at 12:00 pm was delayed, due to weather and construction, for 2 hours. We were told that if we wanted to go on standby on another flight scheduled to leave at 11:30AM, we’d have to hustle over to another gate and get in line. Well, before the announcement was even finished I was already on the move. There was no way I could wait for 2 more hours! Well I was third in line and was thrilled to be handed a boarding pass with a B-2 boarding position only to find out shortly thereafter that this flight had been delayed until 1:00PM. At 1:00, we finally board and I am once again on the aisle with a “front row center” position to watch the female flight attendant do the lifejacket and oxygen mask demo. We pull away from the gate and then…..we stop! Where is the female flight attendant? She’s….leaving with the paramedics?!!! Our captain announces that our attendant is unable to complete this flight, and apparently they travel in pairs, because I see two sets of luggage carted down the aisle and off the plane. We are to wait for a plane to land from which two of their flight attendants will be re-directed to our plane. At 1:26PM my cell phone, which is supposed to be turned off, rings. It’s Southwest calling to inform me my flight’s updated time of departure is now 1:30.???? At this rate, my original flight will probably leave before I do. Two new attendants arrive at 1:40 to a rousing round of applause. At this point I am becoming really grateful for the large bagel I had eaten for breakfast, as lunch was once again going to be late. By 2:00 it looked like we were good to go, but alas, it was not to be. By 2:10 the plane had moved but only into a queue that would leave us on the tarmac with fuel fumes filling the cabin until about 2:30.  Finally with the now falling rain running in sideways streams along the windows, we are wheels up.

By now a good many of the passengers had fallen asleep, including, thankfully, the 2 year old boy sitting to my right. He has been a real trooper through all this, eating his french fries, playing with crayons, and now sleeping with his head on his mom’s lap and the red soles of his black sneaks turned up on his dad’s lap. The girl in front of me, although she looks about 18, has sudccessfully convinced the flight attendant that she is old enough to order a Bloody Mary - it looks really good. The young couple next to  me are headed to Las Vegas to celebrate their 8th wedding anniversary and are now confident they will indeed arrive in time for the 6:00pm event they are scheduled to attend. The little boy awakens and is not happy to discover he is still confined to the seat and restricted by his seat belt. Out comes Dr. Seuss and the crayons. I keep my fingers crossed.

After the obligatory gold bags of honey roasted peanuts and drinks are passed out, we begin our descent. The chilly cabin air is now punctuated with the mingling aromas of nuts, food and……. And since we are now back in the clouds, turbulence. It just keeps getting better. I’m back in LA by 4:30 and thrilled to see my husband waiting for me. But it would be another hour and a half until the San Diego freeway would release me from my travels. I was clearly back in LA again.

What a girl will do for a glass of wine….I’ll Drink to That!

A couple of years ago I was treated to a wonderful weekend driving through the beautiful Sierra foothills, just outside of Sacramento, trying some of the wines of this historic area. Once busy with gold mining towns and prospectors anxious to become rich with their gold discoveries, this  is now a 14K area perfect for growing grapes and turning them into liquid gold - premium wine.

Boeger Winery sits on an 1850’s site that was homesteaded by the Fossati-Lombardo family. The original house, cellar and distillery are still used today. Greg and Sue Boeger purchased the ranch in 1972 and started planting vineyards and built a new state-of-the-art-winery the following year.  The old Fossati-Lombardo house was converted into a tasting room and was opened to the public in 1974. For over three decades the Boeger family has dedicated themselves to crafting some of the Sierra Foothill’s finest wines.  The old cellar has recently been restored and is now used for special events and private gatherings.

While there tasting, I picked up this recipe for Red Wine Cake and I think it would be a great dessert for any  holiday dinner. Enjoy with some red dessert wine or Port.

RED WINE CAKE

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp baking powder

2  1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup Boeger Red Wine

4 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon (optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla

12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a bundt cake pan. Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and cocoa. Set aside. In a large bowl cream butter and sugar till smooth. Add eggs, one at a time till incorporated. Add vanilla. In two parts each, alternatively add flour mixture and red wine,  till just mixed in.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Pour into prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes to one hour or till tester comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Remove and finish cooling on rack.

Cake is great like this, but I have also added the following embellishments.

While cake is cooling, reduce in small pan, the liquid from 1 jar of Morello Cherries (available at Trader Joe’s), with 1/3 bottle (375ml) of red dessert wine or Port. Cool. Poke holes in cake with toothpick. Carefully drizzle from a spoon red wine/cherry liquid reduction over cake and into holes.

To serve: Warm cherries in remaining reduction. In separate pan warm hot fudge sauce. Pour a bit of each over cake slices and serve with more of the red dessert wine or port.

I’LL DRINK TO THAT!

The hills of Paso Robles are alive with the sound of music.  It seems everywhere you turn there is either a musician orchestrating a wine making venture or a winery treating their patrons to the talents of  local musicians. Jazz, country,  rock and roll and even classical all have a place in this sprawling wine making community.

Just this last weekend Paso Robles played host to the Paderewski Festival with concerts and competitions honoring Ignacy Paderewski, virtuoso pianist and composer from 1879-1941. He purchased land in the Paso Robles area in 1914 and for the next 25 years planted almond trees, fruit orchards and Zinfandel grapes. Friday night  Cass Winery played host to a classical piano recital of Paderewski’s works performed by William Koseluk  and on Saturday welcomed their club members to a “pick-up” party featuring the sounds of “Funk 30″, a local band playing funk, R&B, blues and rock.

Funk 30 playing at Cass Winery pick-up party

Since music has been an integral part of my life, and since I’m always anxious to try new wines, I set out to visit a couple of wineries where music and wine are the perfect pairing.  My first stop was at the D’Anbino Vineyards and Cellars tasting room located in the historic train depot in downtown Paso Robles.

There we were warmly greeted by Joannne Rubino, one of the owners of the winery. Her husband, Carmine Rubino, and his partner John D’Andrea both have had long successful careers in the music recording industry, film and television. The walls of the tasting room, which looks more like a very hip nightclub, are lined with photos and awards including a couple of gleaming Emmys in a glass case.  Career memorabilia also adds character to the space, including a Bay Watch pinball machine and a Roman helmet given to Carmine from HBO as a gift for his work on the series “Rome”.  Most of the family are musicians and when everyone’s schedules line up just right, D’Anbino fans are treated to concerts in the tasting room often paired with their wines and a generous helping of Italian comfort food.

Joanne Rubino at D'Anbino tasting bar

Paying homage to the family’s musical background the bar is embedded with a half  dozen piano soundboards, genius idea of Mike Rubino, a composer working in the Los Angeles area. The large space, comfortably appointed with couches, and some high rise cocktail tables and chairs, is perfect to accommodate the crowds that gather when the family band plays or when they bring in a guest artist. (Check the Events page for their upcoming dates.)

The lineup of wines all feature the D’Anbino family band depicted in a colorful watercolor image on the label. We tried them all, but a few were standouts for us. The Syrah Rose had plenty of rich color to it and good body to go with. Full flavored, this is one of the nicest roses I’ve had in a long time. Four varietals make up Quadraphonic, a juicy wine with Cabernet Sauvignon as the lead grape, accompanied by Merlot, Cabernet Franc and earthy rich Syrah. Wonderful layered finish. Their 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, a bronze medal winner, is fruit forward with smoke in the mid-palate and vanilla in the long finish.  For those of you whose favorite wine pairing is port and chocolate, their Cabernet Port is a must. (Pun intended) It is not syrupy or over sweet and is delicious all by itself. Pair it with a chocolate mousse or just some good dark chocolate and you have the perfect ending to a special occasion or holiday meal.  Speaking of entertaining - their Cabernet Wine Jelly is delicious with a little goat cheese on a salty cracker. What wine would you pair with some cool jazz?

What would you pair with “roots and blues”? Something with a little mojo perhaps? Domaine Degher is offering both. Denis Degher started writing songs as a teenager. Attaining  recording and engineering skills was the natural progression and brought Denis  successful careers in the music and recording industries. For the last decade he has been recording under the Sleepy Guitar Johnson moniker, and it is under that name that he performs with his trademark red Gibson in and around Paso Robles  when he is not tending to his new-ish winery located in the north-western part of the area.  Denis, after being bit by the wine-making bug and  with a growing appreciation for wine, decided to purchase land in the rolling hills of Paso Robles to plant his small organic vineyard. There, with his young black lab, Coltrane, Denis  has created a horticultural symphony with the vineyard section accompanied by a colorful ensemble of trees, shrubs, herbs and flowers. To walk the estate with Denis is to truly understand this man’s commitment to heartfelt and intelligent farming.

Denis Degher

By day, Denis is a gracious host, proudly pouring a tasting of his small but impressive lineup of red wines. His 2005 Mojo is my favorite - a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Sangiovese.This is a lush wine with soft tannins and a wonderful long finish. We also took home a couple bottles of the 2007 Cabernet. Although a little young right now, the beautiful fruit and tannins will clearly meld into a fabulous wine with a little cellaring.

That night, Denis performed at Vinoteca, a cozy popular wine bar located right across from the park in downtown Paso. We met up with some old friends and made some new ones as we sipped one last wine for the evening and listened to the sounds of  Sleepy Guitar Johnson. With roots firmly planted in music and terroir, Mojo is the perfect pairing of wine and music.

Denis Degher at Vinoteca Wine Bar, Paso Robles

Friends share a nightcap at Vinoteca Wine Bar

On the other side of the park from Vinoteca is the tasting room for Vihuela Winery. Vihuela, (also the name for a Spanish Renaissance guitar), offers up some big spicy red wines, one of which is named after the hot and spicy musical group, Incendio. Vihuela’s association with the group inspired this firery Syrah based blend and recommends enjoying this wine with the Incendio cd, a blend of the  exciting sounds of 3 spanish guitars. Incendio wine and Incendio the group - whip up some tapas and it’s a party. Vihuela shares digs with Vivant Fine Cheese, so it’s easy to find all the gourmet goodies needed for an impromptu gathering of friends. Their location also has an inviting patio where patrons can enjoy a glass of wine and cheese plate along with live music, often featured on the weekends.

Cheese selection from Vivant

Music, wine and friends - it’s all there in Paso Robles!

I’ll Drink to That!

This recipe was sent to me from Opolo Vineyards in Paso Robles. I’ve been a fan of their line-up of zins for a long time so this recipe sounds really good to me. I’ll be adding it to my Thanksgiving menu this year. I’ll let you know what I think of it - please let me know if you try it and what you think.

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups Opolo Mountain Zinfandel

2 cups sugar

2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar

12 whole cloves

12 whole allspice

4 cinnamon sticks

2 - 3×1 inch strips orange peel

2 - 12 oz bags fresh cranberries

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients, except cranberries, in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced to 3 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Strain syrup into large saucepan. Add cranberries t syrup and cook over medium heat until berries burst, about 6-8 minutes. Cool. Transfer sauce to medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until cold. (Can be made 1 week ahead. keep refrigerated.)

Note from the winery: Unless your family really loves cranberry sauce, you might want to cut tis recipe in half.  The best part about doing that is that you’ll end of with half a bottle of Mountain Zinfandel left over to drink while you cook!  Happy Holidays!

I wish you all a joyful Thanksgiving - there is so very much to celebrate and be grateful for. I am thankful to all of you who have come along on this writing journey with me the last 5 months - I look forward to many more things to raise a glass to. I’ll Drink to That!

Opolo Mountain Zinfandel - 2007

The ‘07 Mountain Zinfandel is loaded with gobs of boysenberry, wild cherry  and blackberry. Rustic anise and ripe velvety tannins on the finish.

This last Sunday really got away from me…shopping, cleaning, cooking, social media updating.  Are our lives really simpler with computers? Are they a distraction keeping us from things we should be doing? An addiction to hard to resist? Are we hiding behind our user names in a world where we are more “out there” than ever? All the more reason I say to get into the kitchen and cook that special dinner for friends or family.

This last Sunday, I went for a version of pasta and meatballs. Basic idea, but tweaked just enough to feel “special”.

MENU:

Muhammara (Red Pepper and Walnut Pesto) with Pita Chips

Florentine Meatballs with Wild Mushroom Sauce

Mac and Cheese with Broccoli and Prosciutto

Salad

Meyer Lemon Budino

The Muhammara is a delicious pesto like dip and any leftovers can be served over steamed broccoli, pasta or roasted chicken.

The meatballs are a version of a Rachael Ray recipe, and I added the rich mushroom sauce.

I didn’t include a salad recipe - use your favorite and be creative.

Recipe: Meatballs

1 box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and completely drained by pressing with a fork in a small strainer

1 pkg ground turkey (about 1 1/3 lb)

1 small onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 egg

1/4 cup milk

3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan

Salt and pepper and olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine first 8 ingredients in bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Form into large meatballs, about 3 tablespoons each, and place on cookie sheet lined with foil and sprayed with non-stick spray. (Alternatively, a Silpat silicone liner is great if you have one) Drizzle with olive oil and roast about 20 minutes, or till cooked through. Meanwhile make the mushroom sauce.

Mushroom Sauce:

1 (.88 oz.) pkg Mixed Wild Mushroom Medley (Trader Joe’s )

2 Tbsp butter

1/2  cup chicken stock

1/2 cup reserved mushroom liquid

1/2 can condensed roasted garlic cream of mushroom soup

3 Tbsp cream or milk

1/4 cup sherry or dry Marsala

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp dried basil

Rinse mushrooms and re-hydrate in bowl by pouring boiling water over to cover. Let soak for about 10 minutes. Drain reserving liquid in measuring cup. Chop mushrooms and saute in butter till softened and just starting to brown. Add chicken stock and reserved mushroom liquid. Bring to simmer and stir in soup. Add milk or cream. Bring to simmer and add Marsala and herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Arrange meatballs on platter and pour sauce over.

Florentine Meatballs with Wild Mushroom Sauce

What can I say about Mac and Cheese, except that I think it is the ultimate comfort food. This version is extra creamy, pretty with the broccoli and a little smokey from the prosciutto. Of course you could use bacon instead or leave it out all together.

Recipe:

1 lb pasta (I prefer DeCecco Galletti, looks like half moons, but any kind of shell- like pasta will do)

4 cups of broccoli florets

2 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp flour

4 cups whipping cream

1 cup Quatro Fromaggio, about 4 oz. (shredded 4 cheese blend includes parm, fontina, mozzarella and provolone - found at Trader Joes)

1/2 cup additional Quatro Fromaggio for topping

1 cup (about 4 oz) grated cheddar cheese

5 oz chopped prosciutto

Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Add broccoli and cook just till crisp tender. Drain well. While pasta is cooking make sauce. Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Gradually whisk in cream. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes, stirring often. Add cheeses and stir until sauce is smooth. Add to pasta and broccoli along with prosciutto and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour into oven proof casserole and top with additional shredded cheese. Broil just till slightly browned.

Mac and Cheese with Broccoli and Prosciutto

Meyer Lemon Budino

I’LL DRINK TO THAT!

Bridlewood Central Coast Viognier - Reserve - 2007 - $24.00

I love white Rhone varietals, especially blends, with so many of the Fall foods we like to eat. Even this wine, although it is 93% Viognier, there is also 3% Rousanne, 3% Chardonnay and 1% Marsanne blended in. This full bodied wine opens with aromas of honeysuckle and guava giving way to flavors of peach, honey and tropical fruits with a creamy texture. Also great with lobstser and crab, or as an accompaniment to fruit and cheese.

Mike, anxious to get the next phase of his first wine making endeavor under way, called to let me know that the brix was down to nada and it was time to go press off the wine. Who knew that Woodland Hills is the location to  one of the only home wine making supply shops in the LA area? So last weekend I met Mike at the Home Wine,Beer,Cheese Making Shop just off the 101 freeway where he was to press his 130 pounds of Syrah grapes.  The store was mobbed with customers purchasing jugs, bottles, corks and wine presses so I had some time to look around. They have everything there, even a small de-stemming machine. Hmmmm….

When it was our turn, “the guy” went to the back to get the wine press out, took it out to the curb and instructed Mike on how to use the press to get the juice from his grapes. I found it amazing that after hundreds of years, the process and the machinery have changed very little. Very basic really. First Mike hosed off the machine - winemakers are apparently big on “hosing” everything, before and after using. I’ve seen plenty of video footage of people hosing off equipment this harvest season.

Then right to it. First the macerated fruit was poured by bucketfuls into the press, and the “free run” juice allowed to flow freely into another bucket. The color of the juice was an incredible deep raspberry color.

As the buckets filled up, the juice was poured into jugs. Mike kept this up until all the free run juice had been collected. Then it was time to press the grapes to get every last drop of his “wine” out of the must. He piled on the blocks and began to ratchet until no more liquid ran and the “cake” was pressed hard. The yield was over nine gallons!

Disassembling the press to remove "the cake"

Compost anyone?

Michael has a lot to show for his efforts.

And then more hosing…..

I’LL DRINK TO THAT !

Trueblood Syrah - Napa Valley - 2004 - $29.95 - Long legged beauty was my  first thought when I poured a glass of this blood red wine. The viscosity of the “legs” was incredible, slowly making their way down the inside of my glass after a good swirl. Dark, rich, lush, elegant…spicy with figs and licorice in a long finish. Bloody good wine.

The crowd excitedly gathered , willingly casting aside their silver stakes and ropes of garlic in exchange for wine glasses from which to taste the tantalizing wines of Vampire Vineyards. As the sun was setting and the darkness of night loomed, the  October networking/tasting event of I’ll Drink to That! was visited by Michael Machat, owner of Vampire Vineyards and Anthony Pescione of Mega Wine Distributors. Together they took eager tasters on a tasting frenzy of 9 wines, mostly made from grapes from the Paso Robles region of the Central Coast of California.

Tasting lineup....

Michael showed his “coffin” wine boxes he had originally designed in the early years of the brand, and dropped the names of some of his first victims, I mean clients, such as Alice Cooper and the Anne Rice Fan Club.

Michael casts his spell on Debbie Miller of Logo Woman

Anthony Pescione of Mega Wine

Anthony also brought two special vodkas to show our now satiated group of tasters. He explained, (we did not taste the vodka at this event), how the red Vampyre Vodka was the perfect vodka for making the ultimate “Bloody Mary”.  He also brought along Blavod Black Vodka, which I had tasted at another event mixed into a cocktail called “The Black Dahlia”. This is one delicious cocktail - perfect for greeting your guests when they come visiting on All Hallows Eve.

Ingredients for "The Black Dahlia" cocktail

Recipe:

For each cocktail, stir together in cocktail shaker or pitcher filled with crushed ice,  3 oz Blavod Black Vodka, 1/2 oz Chambord black raspberry liqueur, 1/2 oz Kahlua and a twist of orange peel. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a twist of orange peel.

Artisan created a sumptuous array of “finger foods” including these crostini with roasted pumpkin, roasted shallots and pepita garnish.

Melody Dosch, owner of Artisan Cheese Gallery

Vampire t-shirts were given as door prizes, but the big winner of the day was Debbie Miller of Logo Woman who won a basket of 5 bottles of Vampire wines.

The evening concluded with the IDTT Wine Swap, allowing guests the opportunity to do some networking and take home a new wine to try.

Wine Swap Networking

HAPPY HALLOWEEN !

I’LL DRINK TO THAT !

Vampire Vineyards - Dracula Syrah - Paso Robles - 2005 - $17.99

The bottle reads, “reminiscent of the Master’s true love, this wine is exquisite. This Syrah has black cherry and dark chocolate flavors that launch into an intense, dark, rich and flavorful wine. Its texture and balance of spices set up a silky texture and balanced jammy finish.”

I paired this wine with slices of rosemary roasted pork loin with a crust of onions, bread crumbs and parmesan along with fresh corn and pancetta bread pudding and haricots vert with thyme. Bloody good pairing.