I’ll Drink to That!

About 40 miles south of Monterey, lies the wine region know as the Santa Lucia Highlands, an area as yet, somewhat undiscovered by the wine tourists. But, thankfully, winemakers know the region and are making  beautiful Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, as well as some Syrah. The area provides the weather conditions suitable for both the Bugundian varietals as well as those from the Rhone region, reflecting the styles of the cooler northern Rhone.

Most of the vineyards of the Highlands are planted on the elevated terraces of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range overlooking the Salinas Valley. These vineyards take advantage of the morning sunshine while still experiencing the cooling fog and ocean breezes coming off nearby Monterey Bay and are perfect for growing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The slightly warmer, more wind-protected canyons and slopes provide an area more suited for Syrah to flourish.

The area is small with about 46 vineyard properties comprising approximately 5,900 acres under cultivation. The wineries are family owned  and most have a long history in agriculture in the area. Their goals are passion driven with the desire to make small amounts of great wine.  Indeed case production, for the most part, is low, and I found the quality of the wine to be quite high. These producers have a strong sense of the land and are innovators in all areas of production. New clones, trellising systems and farming techniques are constantly being explored, and many are employing sustainable, organic and biodynamic regimens in their vineyards.

This week I attended a tasting event sponsored by The Wine Artisans of the Santa Lucia Highlands. This event not only provided me with the opportunity to taste wines from a region I was unfamiliar with, but I also was able to meet and talk with many of the owners and winemakers themselves. This is where their passion and knowledge of wine making shines, and their enthusiasm is tangible. Dan Morgan Lee of Morgan  excitedly enlightened me about the dozens of clones he is experimenting with and how he farms organically to protect the land.  Joe and Penny Alarid of Tondre lovingly described their family and the multiple generations participating in “the dream”. Chris Weidemann the self-proclaimed “pilgrim” of Pelerin Wines, spoke soulfully of his journey into winemaking. And let’s not forget Gregory Peebles, the wholesale manager representing La Rochelle Winery that day. He speaks about wine with such enthusiasm and passion, that one is compelled to buy whatever he’s sellin’.

And then there is the wine. I was not disappointed on this day. For the most part I was quite impressed with the range of styles represented by the Pinot’s and the quality of all the wines I tried. I’ll list here a few of my favorites, and encourage you to get to your favorite wine store and seek out some of these gems from the Santa Lucia Highlands.

• August West - Pinot Noir, “Rosella’s Vineyard” - 09 - $42 (315 cases)
• Boekenoogen - Pinot Noir, “Estate” - 07 - $40
• Hahn SLH Estate - Chardonnay, “Estate” - 07 - $25
• Lucienne - Pinot Noir “Lone Oak” - 07 - $50
• Morgan - Chardonnay “Double L Vineyard” - 09 - $36
• Pelerin - Pinot Noir, SLH - 08 - $36
• Pisoni - Lucy Rose of Pinot Noir, SLH - ‘10 - $18.00
• Novy - Syrah, “Garys’ Vineyard - 08 - $33
• Tondre - Pinot Noir, “Tondre Grapefield” - 08 - $40 (500 cases)
• Tudor - Pinot Noir, SLH - 06 - $40

I’ll Drink to That!

One of my all time favorite meats is pork tenderloin. There are so many ways to prepare it and it is always tender and juicy whether you grill or roast them whole or pan fry slices. This last Sunday I had to be out all day so it was the perfect opportunity to try a recipe that called for marinating for a few hours. It was ready for cooking when I got home with only the sides to get prepared.

HONEY-MARINATED PORK WITH GREMOLATA

CORNBREAD DRESSING

GREEN BEANS WITH RED ONIONS AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR

Honey-Marinated Pork w/Gremolata on a bed of Cornbread Dressing

CORNBREAD DRESSING:

Ingredients:

4 cups cubed cornbread, toasted - (1 box Trader Joe’s Cornbread Mix can be used instead)

1/4 cup butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 large brown onion, diced

5 ribs of celery, sliced

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, sliced and diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp minced sage

about 1/4 tsp Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning

1/4 cup white wine or 3 Tbsp Jack Daniels

2/3 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Approx 4 cups chicken stock

Method:

In large saute pan over med high heat, sweat onions in butter and olive oil till opaque. Add celery and apple and continue to cool till just tender. Add garlic and saute for 2 more minutes. Add sage and seasoning mix from TJ’s mix, if using. If not, along with sage and Creole Seasoning, add salt and pepper to taste and 1/2 tsp dried thyme and 1 Tbsp dried parsley. Add wine and about 2 cups of chicken stock, cranberries and pecans and simmer about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

In large mixing bowl, mix bread cubes and vegetable mixture along with enough additional chicken stock to moisten, but not too mushy. Season again to taste with salt and pepper and more Creole Seasoning. Place in buttered casserole baking dish and bake at 375 degrees along with pork till heated through and slightly crusty on top.

GREEN BEANS WITH RED ONIONS:

2 12 oz bags of frozen french style green beans

1 lg red onion, thinly sliced

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp butter

1 tsp honey

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

In medium saute pan with olive oil and butter, slowly cook onion till deeply browned, about 15-20 minutes. Add honey, balsamic and pinch of salt and cook 1 minute more, stirring. Season with pepper. Can be prepared ahead and set aside.

Cook green beans in boiling salted water just till heated through. Drain immediately and well and add to pan with onions, mixing well. Cook over med heat till warmed. Season to taste with salt, pepper and a bit more Creole Seasoning. ( I put this stuff in everything!)

Presentation: Slice tenderloins and lay overlapping on top of cornbread dressing in casserole. Pour juices from pan over meat then sprinkle with gremolata. Serve with green beans and some really good fresh bread. Pour a full bodied Zinfandel.

I’LL DRINK TO THAT!

Tobin James Fatboy Zinfandel, 2007 - ($55) - The name says it all. This wine is full-bodied, rich and jammy with flavors of star anise and blackberry, and a velvety vanilla finish. This is Paso Zin, folks, not for the meek and mild. Made from grapes sourced from some of the most famous Zinfandel vineyards in Paso Robles, with some being from 50 year old or older vines.  Cheers!