Much of the country the last few weeks have been gripped by high heat temperatures yet summer weather has been slow to arrive in Northern California.   Like a pot rolling to a slow simmering boil, temperatures only just this week have reached into the 80’s throughout the Bay Area and may even flirt with the 90 degree mark.  

Whether you have been enduring hot temperatures for weeks or suddenly find them waiting outside your patio door, your tastes for wine change immediately.  No longer do those complex heavy cabernet sauvignons carry the same lure and they certainly do not taste the same in hot weather.   The white wines that have waited patiently in your cellar all winter and spring almost call your name.  The usual suspects sit in your cellar:  Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvingon Blanc and sparkling wines.   But what if you want something dry, acidic and . . . different?

For the more adventurous palate, wait no more and hop in the car to head up valley along the Silverado Trail.   There nestled under a grove of shady trees and among grape vines that seem to move with the groove of a laid back summer’s breeze sits Casa Nuestra Winery (“Casa Nuestra”).   Casa Nuestra commenced its winemaking decades ago with a commitment to preserving various Old World varietals, some of which are not commonly found in the tasting rooms that populate the sides of Highway 29.   Slowing pulling up the gravel road, the small friendly farmhouse welcomes visitors to enter “Our House” to taste the wines (many of which are estate grown).  Outside are goats and dogs, a vegetable garden that donates its produce to the local food bank and organic farming throughout the premises completes the picture.   Finding out that the entire winery is run on solar energy confirms the sense of sensitivity that Casa Nuestra readily conveys and for which it has historically prided itself.

Of the varietals that Casa Nuestra works to preserve and enjoy, one is Verdelho.   For those who were early and subsequent loyal readers, the first year’s worth of articles on this site were dedicated to educating about a specific varietal, vineyard or American Viticulture Area (in addition to demonstrating the nuances of sustainable casual food pairing).   Rather than create a pattern of redundancy, the past year’s worth of articles has veered from this format to focus more on the food and nuances of a certain bottling.  This week, with a unique bottle being opened, it is fitting to commence with a bit of wine education.

Verdelho is a thick yellow-skinned grape from which a white wine is made, primarily originating in Portugal since the 1400’s.   This varietal can be made either into a dry or off-dry style but nevertheless, is readily recognized for its racy acidity.   While in the United States, Verdelho may seem like a unique or exotic grape, it is actually considered one of the “noble grapes”, meaning a classic grape.   Prone to disease, many of the vines in Portugal were ripped out at one point but it has since returned with popularity.   In neighboring Madeira, Verdelho is one of its most widely planted grapes.

Despite the varietal’s blatant acidity, its sugar content is higher than initially expected rendering it terribly refreshing on a hot summer day.   The varietal is harvested early on and subject to frost.    The longer the varietal stays on the vine or the warmer the vineyard is, the grape will exhibit a varying range of notes.   If the vineyard is in a cooler location, more herbaceous notes will come forth and the wine will maintain a loyalty to traditional lemony or lime flavors.   Add some heat to the vineyard and the flavors will become more tropical in nature and the alcohol content in the wine will rise (as it does in a Viognier).   If Verdelho does not find its way to oak barreling, any significant aging of the varietal is questionable.   Just as summer’s days are fleeting and meant for savoring, if you pick up a bottle of Verdelho, it is best to plan to consume it the same year of purchase to ensure enjoyable drinkability.

Casa Nuestra’s Verdelho is quick to let you know of its presence as a bottle opens and a glass is poured.   The 2010 Verdelho hails from a vineyard in the Sierra Foothills so it oddly is one of the noble grapes that is not actually grown at the St. Helena estate winery.  The wine’s nose is representative of California summers exhibiting aromas of lemongrass, lime and citrus blossom.     Taking a sip, it is as if your favorite home-made limeade meets a crisp, freshing white wine.   The Verdelho hits the palate with a serious punch of flavor and what is unexpected is that despite the wine’s quick exit, its flavor profile still lingers at the front of the palate long after the wine is gone.   Further exhibiting the unique attributes of the varietal, you can swallow after the wine is gone and taste softer, juicier notes of sugared lime on the palate without the piercing acidity of its natural counterpart.   This would be most attributable to the higher level of residual sugar in Verdelho.

So what does one pair with such an acidic white wine?  Simply stated, seafood is paired best.  The more briny the flavors, the better; thus opens the door for capers or salty fare.  With this in mind, this week’s menu seeks inspiration from both Portuguese and Spanish dishes:

1)      Baked Tilapia Dressed in Meyer Lemon Zucchini and Capers With a Red-Sherry-Garlic Sauce;

2)     Roasted Vidalia Onions with Red-Sherry-Garlic Sauce and Shreds of Manchego Cheese; and

3)     Artichoke-Shallot-Manchego Risotto dressed with baked julienned Zucchini.

Capers are terribly briny and unique in its flavor profile.   If there is a tough ingredient to pair with a wine, capers would be it.   Tilapia also has a unique flavor to it, making it slightly stronger than other white fish.   Similarly, mussels or oysters with their strong unique flavors would pair well with the Verdelho.  A Meyer Lemon is picked from my backyard tree to use its juice in order to toss the zucchini and capers before placing atop the fish to bake.   When a white wine is acidic like Verdelho (or Sauvignon Blanc) it is an easy foregone conclusion that lemon juice in a recipe will tie the plate to the wine with a nice neat bow.   Once baked, the fish is placed atop a puree tomato, onion, garlic and sherry.   A bite of this with a sip of the Verdelho makes you feel as if you have stopped along a sea port and that salty marine air should be within reach.

Wines with an acidic profile love tomatoes.   Tomatoes are equally acidic.   The simple tomato sauce featured in this week’s menu tames the brash acidity of the wine and allows softened flavors of lime and lemongrass to step forth.

Manchego cheese is prevalent in Portugal’s neighboring country, Spain, and found as an ingredient in many dishes.  Made from sheep’s milk, Manchego cheese has a certain tangy bite to it that pairs naturally with the acidity of Verdelho.   It is fascinating to taste a varietal that is native to a particular part of the world and pair it with a cheese that famously hails from a similar area and taste how seamlessly they meld together.   In this case, the acidity of the wine and the tanginess of the cheese both mellow.   The cheese becomes creamier and the wine becomes readily embraceable.   Manchego cheese becomes an ingredient with the roasted onions and in the risotto.

Artichokes, shallots, garlic and manchego cheese are combined with a white wine infused risotto and with one bite anyone can understand why this dish will become a personal favorite.   To serve the risotto a bit differently, it is placed as a scoop and topped with baked julienned zucchini.   In many areas, zucchini is starting to appear in backyard gardens or nearby produce stands.  It is a summertime favorite when fresh and incorporating it into this week’s menu makes the dish seasonally sustainable.

This season’s newest produce arrival is that of Vidalia Onions.   Vidalia Onions are uniquely sweet and when roasted, its flavors caramelize and are heavenly bites.  Roasted wedges are dressed with a bit of the red sauce and shreds of manchego cheese.   The soft flavors of the combination pair naturally with the wine and evolve into savory delights in the mouth.

A sip of the wine after the meal is all said and done clears and cleanses the palate such that it wonders, “What’s next?”   As we collectively sit one week away from the official start of summer, many of us similarly wonder with excitement and anticipation.

While the rest of the nation has been enduring waves of high heat, the Bay Area and Napa Valley have been subjected to unseasonable weather with colder than average temperatures and precipitation ranging from rain to hail.   Even though in other parts of the country a summer rain storm might be welcome, the Bay Area has had more rain than normal and this does not always bode well for the grapes in Napa Valley.  Growers watch carefully, some already noting that 2011 will yield a smaller than average harvest and the wine community anxiously holds its breath waiting to find out if this summer will be a repeat of the chilly temperatures of 2010.   Yet while many sit nervously, to the average eye the landscape of Napa Valley does not show a hint of worry to the casual eye as leaves have begun to adorn the vines in a seemingly never ending sea of vibrant green and rose blooms burst from unexpected corners.

As the vines fill with healthy green leaves and expanding grapes, increased variety in produce begins to arrive weekly at the local farmer’s market.   A lover of fresh produce (particularly that which I grow), there is one fruit that I will wait fervently for each year and its seasonal span arrives with fan fare and ends before anyone is ever ready.   This fruit is the beloved California apricot.

For those readers in the rest of the country, the above photo is simply cruel.   Most of the apricots for sale in markets throughout the nation are grown in California.   Once apricots come into season, the season is far too short and ends quickly.   Yet the season of the apricot is symbolic as it marks the first of the various stone fruit to ripen and once it arrives at a farmer’s market, truly fresh apricots lace the air with an undeniably sweet mesmerizing perfume.  If you sit in another part of the country and wrinkle your face in displeasure, it very well may be because the apricots are picked early in California in order to arrive in your area.   The earlier that the apricot is picked, the less fragrant and flavorful it shall be.   It is a fate that is sadly destined for the apricot because like most stone fruit, once picked its shelf life is fleeting and they can mold or spoil quickly.   Nevertheless, if you walk into your local store or market and smell that romantic perfume of apricots or stone fruit, act quickly and hurry home to enjoy.

Right at the moment that this web site was ready to celebrate its second birthday, apricots came into season.   As cliché as it may be to celebrate with sparkling wine, after two years of religiously writing, photographing, tasting, cooking and pairing a bottle of Schramsberg Vineyards’ (“Schramsberg”) sparkling wine was undoubtedly merited.   Reviewing my collection of sparkling wines, I was torn.   There was not a brut rosé in sight and of those that remained, which would pair best with that unique blend of sweet and tart of the apricot?   Ultimately I decided easily on one of my favorite bottlings, Schramsberg’s Blanc de Noirs.    This was actually the first sparkling wine that captured my heart and since then it has held special affection.   While I have a preference to pair this wine with authentic Mexican fare, it pairs incredibly well with a diverse variety of cuisine.    It is made with 90% of the Pinot Noir varietal and 10% of Chardonnay.

The 2006 varietal of Schramsberg’s Blanc de Noirs reflected brighter notes of fruit.   For those who recall, 2006 was a rainy winter and spring in Napa Valley and neighboring Sonoma County.   Cold temperatures and rain lingered in the areas until late May and by June warm weather graced wine country.   Cooler temperatures are friendly to a variety such as Pinot Noir and while 2006 might have been a lackluster flavor year for later ripening varietals, it was a bright year for sparkling wines.    Taking a sip of the 2006 Blanc de Noirs, there are distinctively delicious notes of Meyer Lemon zest and ripe raspberries.    These characteristics combined with the wine’s fine effervescing bubbles would create a perfect match to sweet ripe, recently picked apricots.

With apricots on hand, most people immediately rush to create a dessert and I cannot fault them.   Knowing that the wine would do well with a more creative pairing, this week’s menu hosts:

1)      Spring Salad of Garden Picked Mixed Lettuce with Snap Pea Leaves, Chives, Grilled Apricot, Chevré and Balsamic Vinaigrette; and

2)     Apricot-Dijon Basted Grilled Chicken Breast with Sautéed Almond Slices.

Choosing to grow your own produce is rewarding on a variety of levels.   Picking produce in the backyard only moments before consuming it introduces a caliber of flavors that is unparalleled.   Having the freedom, however, to wander out into the backyard and pick produce at your whim, is creatively empowering.   Sweet green and red lettuces are thriving still in my garden and my chives are tall, strong and full of flavor.   Sugar Snap Peas are healthier than ever but moonlight in the form of greens as well.  A plant that provides double nourishment, the leaves of the sugar snap peas are edible.   These leaves have a spicy flavor reminiscent of mustard.  Add these leaves to a salad and suddenly the salad has a unique twist of spice.

Apricots, like any other stone fruit, can be grilled.   Sliced in half, barely brushed with a bit of honey, the apricots are placed face down on a hot charcoal grill for a few minutes.   Quickly they emerge, ready to pair with cheese, adorn a salad or both.

Chevré is a goat cheese that can at times be bitter, tangy or creamy.   If you are fortunate enough to be in St. Helena, look for the local goat cheese’s made by Goat’s Leap and be prepared to have your taste buds impressed.   Selecting “Hyku” by Goat’s Leap, the chevré is delicately feather light with an accompanying creamy outer layer akin to crème fraiche.  Extraordinarily creamy, the cheese equates to sea foam as it intermingles with the delicate fine bubbles of Schramsberg’s 2006 Blanc de Noirs.  A small wedge of this included with the salad makes for an impressive seasonal showcase of fresh produce.  

The salad itself is simple but it impresses your palate immediately.  Fragrant apricots from the farmer’s market are also sweet and tangy.  Brushed with a bare essence of honey, the apricots emerge from the grill having taken on a slight smoky aroma and flavor while the heat of the grill sweetens them.   Dressed in chives from the garden and balsamic vinaigrette the whole ensemble sit upon a seasonal bed of sweet lettuces mixed with flavorfully robust leaves from the sugar snap peas.   The snap pea leaves add flavors of pepper and mustard to add unexpected pleasing depth to a side salad.

The snap pea leaves also tie the salad to the chicken.   Chicken breasts are basted in an apricot-dijon sauce that I created.   The sauce included lemon thyme and minced shallots from the garden.   As the chicken is flipped on the grill, more of the sauce is brushed on before the lid is lowered to help smoke and retain moisture in the poultry.

As the chicken is plated, it is topped with gently roasted almond slices in sea salt and butter.

The result is an exquisite array of flavors that highlight the best of California seasonal fare.

Flavors of both chicken and salad are so savory that this is one of those meals where the protein and the side dish somehow move closer to one another on the plate as the meal progresses.   Suddenly you may naturally be taking a bite of chicken with the greens, but your palate will not seem to mind.

And when paired with Schramsberg’s 2006 Blanc de Noirs, bright ripe fruit flavors rush forward to celebrate all that the garden and the local farmer’s market has to offer.   Whether it is a celebration of the seasonal produce arriving on the scene or a toast to yet another year of articles done, Schramsberg has a well-earned place at the table.

Elyse Winery’s (“Elyse”) 2005 Syrah may be long gone from the tasting room, but it is not forgotten:  particularly if you had the foresight to set some aside to cellar.

Months ago, I brought a bottle of this gem to work on a Friday for an end of the day impromptu happy hour.  A co-worker the day prior had insisted that I try a bit of cheese wrapped in nettles and wondered what wine I would pair.  Nettles have a grassy, nutty flavor and when combined with a creamy buttery brie cheese, Syrah immediately leaps to mind for pairing purposes.

Syrah is a varietal that California vintners passionately embrace as it continues to become exceedingly popular and equally unique both in winemaking style and flavor profile.   The grape itself seems to soulfully search the soil from which it grows to augment its flavorful identity and with California vintners seeking to put their own thumbprint of individuality, varied styles can (and often do) take this varietal to new heights.

Elyse makes a lovely array of varied wines and is particularly successful with Rhone-style varietals.   When made well, Syrah can reflect art in a bottle and Elyse readily meets this challenge.  Easily four years have lapsed since I first tasted the 2005 Syrah and quite frankly, Syrah is not a varietal that I reach for on a regular basis.  Knowing that the varietal’s flavor profile would fare well with the nettle-wrapped cheese, I brought the 2005 Syrah with an almost cavalier spirit and wondering how it had aged in the bottle.  

How well did the 2005 Syrah fare?  It fared so well that it was gone in 40 minutes among eight of us.   As I watched my colleagues smile and their eyes glisten in delight of discovering a velvety smooth Syrah, I knew that the other bottle sitting at home needed to be featured in an article and more importantly, I knew exactly what to pair with it.

This past weekend included Memorial Day and as tradition holds, the charcoal barbeque grill was fired up.   The first true barbeque of the season was about to unfold and in the kitchen, I was measuring, tasting and creating a new sauce to baste with.   I had been contemplating this sauce ever since the impromptu work happy hour and largely because of the wine’s attributes.

Elyse’s 2005 Syrah flaunts gorgeous, expressive, voluptuous aromas of blackberry, red plum, raspberry, bits of bacon fat and roasted fennel with intoxicatingly herbal touches of mint and thyme.   A nose not to beguile, the mouth is not disappointed as heaven coats the palate with an utterly perfectly smooth velveteen of roasted raspberries and gently woven herbs.  Despite being easily enjoyable on its own, the wine begs for herbs, charcoal grilled meats and savory dark barbeque sauces.   During the happy hour, the nettles and brie show off the perfection of the wine’s luscious fruit.   While nearly no one has nettles readily available to him or her, more often than not rosemary can be found growing on a patio or nearby.  If you include a woodsy herb like rosemary in your dish, you will be rewarded by a seemingly never ending Syrah, allowing you to discover the gifted touch of a knowledgeable vintner and the indescribable value of patience coupled with time in a bottle.

With these notes in mind, this week’s menu hosts:

1)      Grilled Rosemary Zucchini Medallions;

2)     Spinach Wild Rice Quinoa; and

3)     Bacon Wrapped Chicken Skewers in a Maple-Balsamic Blackened Barbeque Sauce.

Chicken is wrapped in center-cut bacon and loaded onto skewers with alternating pieces of sweet red bell pepper and sweet Vidalia onion.   Prior to being placed on a hot charcoal grill, the skewers are basted with my newly created Maple-Balsamic Blackened Barbeque Sauce.   Barbeque Sauces are highly proprietary but with a combination of ingredients to create a dark mingling of sweet and spice, this sauce is a winner.   As the balsamic vinegar has higher sugar content, reduced sugar maple syrup is used.  The marinade based on basic ingredients in the cupboard will be plenty sweet and does not merit additional sugar.   Coming off the grill, these skewers are a sultry medley of caramelized sweet odors and flavors with that of charcoal and bacon fat.

Normally I am not a fan of carbohydrates or starchy rice or potatoes.  But after discussion with my sibling, his prodding won over and realistically the skewer need to be plated a top something.   Brown rice, wild rice and quinoa are combined and mixed gently with cooked chopped spinach.   Using some meyer lemon from the backyard, the medley is dressed before being adorned with the skewer.

Taking a bite of the bacon wrapped chicken with the spinach and the quinoa medley equates to a “come to papa” or (“come to mama”) reaction that only intensifies with a sip of Elyse’s 2005 Syrah.   One sip in conjunction with this bite of food unleashes huge berry notes, smokiness and herbaceous flavors.   These flavors almost race forward in the wine as if they are ready to aggressively embrace the savory layered flavor profile of the food.   Because the wine has had the opportunity to age in the bottle its texture is sensually smooth yet despite aging, flavor profile has not dissipated as it continues to be intensely savory.

While the perfect bite could be constructed with a piece of pepper, onion and chicken, the onion slices should be enjoyed on their own.   They are truly like a side dish when eaten separately as during grilling they have taken on a dash of bacon fat, the rich flavor of the marinade and the smokiness of the charcoal grill.   Perhaps the “casual glutton” reading this will wrap wedges of Vidalia onion with bacon and baste with an inspired version of this marinade and write with the results.   One can only hope.

As for the slices of sweet red bell pepper, these initially were included to add color to the plate.  The 2005 Syrah softly tames the red pepper as if with an older and wiser knowing touch.   The peppery bite subsides and smooth fruit glides forward to waltz with the sweeter and caramelized aspects of the red pepper pieces.

The grilled zucchini medallions look benign but it has been marinated in minced fresh rosemary and olive oil prior to being grilled.  Rosemary is herbaceous in a forest-like sense and it triggers the desired effects that nettles would solicit from the 2005 Syrah.   Fruit flavors in the wine seemingly turn somersaults across the palate with explosions of rosemary.

I resisted topping the zucchini with a fine grated dusting of provolone.   While that would be good, I really wanted to test the merits of the zucchini, rosemary and this particular Syrah.  I am not sorry in the least.   When paired with this Syrah, something as simple as farm stand fresh zucchini, backyard harvested rosemary and olive oil is a pairing that is just flat out sexy and can stand confidently and definitively on its own.   The empowerment of using simple, fresh ingredients is mind blowing to anyone who is a guest at your table.

Continuing to nibble, the wine is romantic with bacon-wrapped chicken bites and the spinach quinoa mix.   Each bite is distinguishingly earthy, smoky and dramatic all at once.  It is something that you would expect from a cottage tucked among the redwoods on Spring Mountain where the temperatures are slightly cooler where a fire is lit on a late May evening and a charcoal grill slowly seductively would smoke outside on a stone-laid patio.  A glass of this Syrah would be sitting outside, waiting patiently for the culinary goodness destined to be paired with it.   With an image like that, if your Memorial Day weekend was even remotely inclimate regrets would instantly be dispelled.

Over seven years ago, on a warm summer’s afternoon, I sat shotgun in my friend’s convertible Saab as we meandered down gravel roads in search of good Tuscan inspired wine in Napa Valley.   The sun shone famously that day, nurturing the grapes that adorned the vines that surrounded us.   We rode along listening to Getz/Gilberto with smiles permanently affixed to our faces and the air was pungent with aromas of lavender, rosemary, roses, ripening grapes and dust.   Our senses primed, it was an environment off of the traditional wine hospitality beaten path yet undeniably representative of California wine country.   As we pulled into Benessere Vineyards, cloudless powder blue skies crowned the day overhead and on the horizon were the redwood dressed mountains of St. Helena.   Surrounded by tangible beauty at every angle, nothing would compare with the Tuscan styled varietals that waited for us indoors. Not yet a true red wine lover, that day Sangiovese was the varietal upon which I successfully cut my previously staunch white-wine-loving palate. 

Sangiovese, known for its easy drinkability, is a wine upon which many a friendship has been made, if not strengthened.   It is the wine that is quickly selected for any gathering.   Benessere Vineyards’ (“Benessere”) Sangiovese is the varietal that is most often brought to restaurants when my friends gather to share a meal and catch up.  Clear across the country, on the other coast, my youngest brother sits upon a modest cellar of this varietal.   Sangiovese has become his favorite “stash” in his collection and if it is not commonly found in his wine glass, it is in that of his friends.

Sangiovese is a wine with meaning.   It is easily enjoyable by one and all.  No matter the vintage, year after year Benessere’s Sangiovese will not disappoint the consumer.  While it is made with remarkable consistency and quality, each year it manages to artfully capture the distinct influences of that specific growing season and extends a solemn nod to Mother Nature.  In fact this was the wine that I wrote about first on this site two years ago this very week.  At that point I had not yet made the brave leap to put my cooking on display for the world to not only see, but judge.  Fortunately, now two years later, your discriminating tastes have been in my favor.

2007 was a special year in Napa Valley where a grape seemingly just could not grow wrong.   Early in the spring of 2009, my brother and I returned to Benessere early on a Sunday morning after having attended a spring event at the winery the afternoon before.  Arriving early that day with an unmanipulated palate, we were fortunate enough to taste Sangiovese from the barrel and compare to the then 2006 vintage in the bottle (which was available for purchase).   In the quiet of the chilly winery, the wine loudly splashed into our waiting glasses and upon a mere sip, our eyes bulged as we swallowed in shock.   We had tasted the 2007 Sangiovese from the barrel and we were speechless until our exclamations of joy could not be contained any further.

Knowing what waited for us in that barrel, it was not difficult to exert patience and wait for the 2007 Sangiovese to be bottled.  In the meantime, anyone who was sharing a bottle of the 1999, the 2005 or the 2006 vintages with us had to endure listening to my brother, myself and another wine industry veteran exclaim repeatedly, “But wait until you taste the 2007!”   It could very well be that a single vintage of a particular varietal had never received such word-of-mouth anticipatory press.

Now in May of 2011, Benessere’s 2007 Sangiovese makes its rounds to tables of friends here and across the country.  Tumbling into the glass it shows off typical plum coloring but with ruby jewel tones that catch the late afternoon sun and wink back at you.  Liltingly smooth with delicious plum and anise spice, this wine continues to age well in the bottle and if you can set some aside it will continue to please your palate for years to come.   Made from over fourteen different clones of the Sangiovese grape, this wine has impressed colleagues who never knew that Sangiovese could be so delicious in a single 100% varietal bottling.  If you read last week’s article, this is the same varietal that makes the port that I recently featured.

While wine can be enjoyed on its own, when paired with food it becomes a conversation piece.    And when a good wine like Sangiovese and a good meal are combined with good friends, time slows and no matter where you are, you will feel as though you are gathered around a familiar table sharing that which matters most.  With this in mind, this week’s menu hosts:

• Caramelized Onion and Roasted Garlic Stuffed Pasta Shells with Sweet Marinara Sauce.

As two years worth of articles on this web site have demonstrated, gourmet food pairings do not have to be overly pretentious let alone have to involve unobtainable ingredients.  If one is resourceful, seasonal herbs and produce coupled with standard ingredients in the cupboard at home can quickly combine to create savory delights that will entertain any group of friends stopping by on a late Saturday afternoon. 

Here seasonal sweet onions are slowly caramelized in butter to naturally sweeten and soften.   Once almost done, razor thin slices of fresh garlic are gently added with chopped lemon thyme and marjoram (previously picked from the backyard garden).   Within a minute the mixture is overtly fragrant.   Ricotta and grated parmesan is folded into the mixture and cooked pasta shells are filled with this mixture before being placed in a pot.  Prior to covering the pot, the shells are dressed with a sweet marinara sauce and a sprinkle of grated provolone and fontina cheese.  Tucked into the oven, within thirty minutes, the shells will emerge ready to tantalize your friends.

While the garlic initially was briefly sautéed to soften, once tucked in the pasta shells, it continues to heat and as garlic continues to cook it becomes sweet and roasted.  As a result, the stuffed shells are so sweet and layered in flavors that they bring forth explosive blackberry, plum, smoke and more in depth flavors from the 2007 Sangiovese.   Since floral fresh marjoram is used, it is as if the Sangiovese puffs up its proverbial wine chest to stand out from the shells with a dash of machismo.  Topped with a sweet marinara sauce and subtly blended provolone and fontina, this is a stuffed shell destined to be savored and like none other.

Flavors in the stuffed shells are naturally sweet and softly balance together to make each bite exquisite and on the level of gourmet.   It will surprise your friends who have called a few hours before to let you know that they are dropping by.  To feed is to nurture, so it is only fitting that this wine finds itself most often present when breaking bread with family or good friends.   With luck, they will bring a bottle of Benessere’s Sangiovese with them.   If not, with better luck, you will be prepared as this wine will be a staple in your own wine collection.

Benessere’s 2007 Sangiovese is consistent.   It is balanced, it does not try to dominate the scene.   It is reliable and conveys a steady confidence.  Perhaps it is due to these qualities that Sangiovese is frequently shared with one’s closest of friends.   No matter the reason, Benessere’s Sangiovese inherently belongs in your pack.

This article is for the love of port, and dedicated to those loyal readers with an undeniable sweet tooth.    Truth be told, I am not a dessert person.  Nor am I a baker for that matter.  In fact, it is a given that any time baking is involved, the activity will yield guaranteed brow perspiration, some sort of spilled flour disaster and a general sense of “how did I “ f ” this up anxiety”.   Humility and self-deprecation set aside, it is undisputable that port belongs with a dessert so into the kitchen I went.

While port is sweet, it is not always overly sugary sweet.   Rather than specifically seeking out various ports in Napa Valley, I instead base my search on a combination of criteria:  (i) having personal strong knowledge of the winery; (ii) knowing a varietal that the winery excels in; (iii) that said varietal is estate grown; and (iv) that the winery’s offerings are overall consistently balanced.  

While not always available for purchase by the public, Benessere Vineyards (“Benessere”) makes a small production of a Sangiovese Port each year.  Benessere is known for a steady consistency in how its wines are crafted and similarly the overall quality that is bottled no matter the varietal.   Most any varietal can be made into a port, some faring better than others.   When it is a winery that is as gifted as Benessere, you can be assured that its estate Sangiovese Port is going to knock your socks off.  In particular, Benessere (which specializes in Tuscan styled wines) is well-recognized for the Sangiovese that it makes given the numerous clones of the varietal that are grown on its Napa Valley estate winery.   Couple that with Benessere’s reputation for well-balanced quality wines and it is assured that any port produced will follow suit.

If you are fortunate enough to obtain a bottle of Benessere’s Sangiovese Port, you are in for a treat.   Complete with a bouquet of red plum, raspberry, hints of clove and traces of vanilla the 2006 Sangiovese Port reveals itself as one smooth cat on the palate.  It slinks past like fine silk.  Gentle and not overbearing, it similarly is not cloyingly sweet leaves a lingering finish of roasted plums.   While the alcohol level is a common 18%, there is no noticeable heat off the port and any additional fortification is artfully blended in like a fine woven tapestry.

A port such as Benessere’s Sangiovese Port is destined not only for a dessert pairing but a match made for chocolate.   With this in mind, this week’s menu hosts:

• Grilled Chocolate Pecan Sandwiches with a Cherry Glaze.

Grilled Chocolate Pecan Sandwiches are a simple-created sheer decadence.   Milk, cinnamon and chocolate mingle to create a spreadable chocolate which readily settles onto thin slices of cinnamon bread.    Chopped pecans and chocolate chips are placed on the smooth melted chocolate to be topped with the remaining cinnamon bread and gently grilled on the stove top.   Just as the sandwich finishes, a cherry glaze emerges from the range to drizzle over each piece of the sandwich.

Melted chocolate oozes forth with each bite and the cherry glaze (as expected) brightens and livens each bite before encouraging the plum notes of the wine further forward.   Cinnamon adds a layer of depth and subtle complexity to compliment the more traditional aspects of a port.

Grilled Chocolate Pecan Sandwiches with a Cherry Glaze are easier to make than a croissant yet are far more dynamic and creative on the palate and plate.   As rain continues to dominate much of the country this May, take advantage of the unseasonable cool weather and let a port warm you until the summer sun can.