The month of May brings optimism and hope to wine country each year as the weather starts to warm, farmer’s markets commence a new season and the grape vines fill with leaves.   Yet as the sun’s rays begin to warm, Mother Nature can be terribly fickle and send clouds and cold winds from the coast and causes vintner and wine connoisseur alike to experience doubt.   Whether May is characterized by sun, wind, fog or remnants of rain, combine these elements and one varietal will succeed due to its own compatibly temperamental nature:   Pinot Noir.  

Joe Wagner, proprietor and winemaker of Belle Glos’ Meiomi Pinot Noir, is passionate about this varietal.   So passionate about Pinot is Joe, that he has made bottling the varietal an art with his concept regarding his 2008 Meiomi Pinot Noir (“Meiomi”).   Selecting multiple vineyards in three regions of the California Coast, Joe creates a Pinot Noir blend of a single varietal.   Selecting 65% of the fruit from the Sonoma Coast (which is known for its cooler temperatures), he ensures that bright ripe berry flavors will dominate the flavor profile of his wine.  Looking to Monterrey County’s coastal vineyards, Joe next adds 20% of the fruit to give this bright wide-eyed wine with some experienced backbone and an air of mystique with flavors of earth and smoke.   Finally, lingering yet farther south, 15% of the Pinot Noir fruit is collected from Santa Barbara County which reliably receives enough sunshine that the grapes will traditionally exhibit spice in wine.   All of these vineyards are designated Region I vineyards and by UC Davis’ standards, each vineyard is an ideal location to grow the Pinot Noir varietal.   Given their unique terroir and climate subtleties, these vineyards equally create unique Pinot Noir grapes.

While certain white wines can represent California in a bottle because of their bright flavors and golden sunshine hues, the Meiomi Pinot Noir captures a different aspect of California’s culture as it represents several hundred miles of its rugged coast.   The name “Meiomi” also pays tribute as it means “coast” and is the native coastal dwelling of the Wappo and Yuki tribes.

Despite being a great conversation piece, the wine is best when consumed.  Open a bottle of the Meiomi Pinot Noir and let a bouquet of fresh fragrant raspberries and strawberries tumble down to your glass.   As your nose inches forward, decided notes of smoke waft upward and invoke thoughts of warm wood fires and homey hearths on coastal cool, foggy May evenings.  Just as the smoke of a fireplace beckons you, the Meiomi Pinot Noir similarly extends its hospitality and invites you to take a sip and stay awhile.

Raspberries, smoke and final scent of vanilla and toffee tempt your nose with aromatic heaven, perhaps serving so captivating that you are inclined to linger longer with this coy Pinot Noir’s bouquet.

On the palate, red currant, white pepper and a lingering finish of bacon fat smoothly roll across the palate, not overstaying its welcome but demonstrating an easy confidence.  Despite the initial light mouth feel, the palate quickly recognizes a solid structure that could please any palate in your dining crowd.   Easy drinking with an element of sophistication, this Pinot Noir keeps the palate’s interest and culinary pairings abound.   This week’s menu hosts:

• Kristin’s Rad Risotto-Stuffed Radicchio

Despite entertaining alliteration, this dish could suffice as an appetizer or a delicious meal capable of holding its own with the 2008 Meiomi Pinot Noir.  

First, as summer has not truly arrived in Northern California, lettuce and greens are thriving in backyard gardens and making Radicchio obtainable in supermarkets.  Outer leaves can be soaked in an ice water bath to reduce the inherent bitter flavor of Radicchio.

Next, a risotto mixed with herbs, sweet onion and a medley of mushrooms is prepared and in the final moments, crumbled risotto is worked into the rice.   Simmering into a delicious glazing sauce on the stove top is balsamic vinegar and red wine.   Once the risotto and the glazing sauce is complete, the Radicchio leaves are filled with the risotto.

If serving the Radicchio open-face, the balsamic red wine sauce is drizzle over.   Otherwise the Radicchio wraps the risotto and dressed with the sauce before being garnished with seasonal chopped chives freshly abducted from the backyard garden.

To serve, the Risotto-Stuffed Radicchio is placed in a wave crystal dish and garnished with seasonal aromatic fresh lavender (which is also grown in the backyard).   Pinot Noir is well-recognized for its delicate layers of aromas and flavors which gently unfold and garnishing a plate with lavender will prep the palate to experience all that a wine has to offer.   Looking at the serving dish, my mother was so moved that she poignantly noted, “who needs a box of paints, that in itself is art.”   As I carefully carried the dish to the table, I found myself thinking the each same sentiment.

The gorgonzola mushroom risotto filling is heavy in its flavors (despite being comforting) when served alone. Yet when the softened radicchio is part of the bite, the dish’s flavor profile is suddenly livelier and brighter. The drizzle of balsamic red wine reduction glaze sweetens the ensemble and wins over any heart.

When paired with the wine, the mushrooms readily chase after the smoky notes and bacon fat flavors in the wine.  The creaminess of the cheese and sweetness of the caramelized onions coupled with the bright nature of the radicchio bring forward the bright berry fruit in the Pinot Noir.  Factor in the sweet balsamic red wine glaze and the palate captures a quick savor of chocolate toffee as the wine finishes.  

The 2008 Meiomi Pinot Noir proves that it is destined for this dish as both come recognizably alive when paired together.   Both the wine and the recipe prove seasonally appropriate as clouds, fog and cooler temperatures grace the coast.   In cooler temperatures, crops of lettuces, radicchio, onions and mushrooms thrive.   As Pinot Noir excels in these conditions it is magical to taste how these ingredients show off a natural destiny with such a historically finicky varietal. 

While these three regions represent the cooler harsher aspects of the scenic majestic California coast, they produce Pinot Noir grapes that when taken together create a delicate artful tribute to the various coastal climates of California.

We lost:  only in the very limited sense, however, in that we did not receive a shiny medal from Hall Winery and that none of the proceeds would go directly to my team’s chosen Napa Valley non-profit, the Napa Valley Opera House.   So, in what sense did we win?

By simply participating, we helped our chosen non-profit receive increased marketing and public exposure.   A large number of locals attended the event at Hall Winery on Saturday and as I worked the table with the Napa Valley Opera House’s Director of Marketing, Julie Dalrymple, I was impressed at the number of people who did genuinely want to know what events were scheduled at the Napa Valley Opera House and wondered about how things were going there.   We had made sure to place some literature on our table to show that we were committed to our non-profit and interestingly enough, I did not see many other tables including that information.   Nevertheless, that was the reason that all of the teams (professional or amateur) embarked on making food for 350 folks in order to win monies for a non-profit of our choice.

The goal of the event, aside from raising money for non-profits in Napa Valley, was also to create a dish that was organic and seasonal that would pair with Hall Winery’s 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.   My team took this aspect quite seriously.  Visits to the winery happened as early as February to taste the wine and start noodling on what to pair.   Initially the wine was quite tannic this past spring and yet over two short months it evolved to become increasingly fruity (namely blackberry fruit) with anise and baking spices.   Nevertheless, I created a menu and a few weeks before the competition, my team did a test-run of the food over a sit-down dinner and tasted it alongside the wine.   Eyes widened, smiles spread and excited, “We’re going to win” exclamations were exchanged as we plotted to serve at the event:

1)      Spring Salad Bouquets:   Spinach, Red Butter Lettuce, Microgreens, Pear, Pecan and Gorgonzola with a homemade Berry Vinaigrette;

2)     Caramelized Shallot-Lemon Thyme- Gorgonzola Polenta topped with Lavender Braised Shredded Beef with a Blueberry-Plum Red Wine Reduction Sauce; and

3)     Chocolate Lavender Truffles.

Our menu was brilliant.  It was to be a small plate “mini-meal”.   It even anticipated accommodating the vegetarian judge or patron.  Our seasonal ingredient was lavender as it is blooming everywhere in Napa Valley.  Blueberries were coming into season in places and herbs and salad greens were abundant, even in my backyard.   We were ready.

What we were not ready for was the reality of working with 10 bags of polenta and 35 pounds of beef.   We are amateurs, after all.   But sleeves were rolled up, piles of herbs were chopped with a bag of onions, shallots and garlic.   A case of wine was corked to braise this much beef and a full bottle was used to make the blueberry-plum red wine reduction sauce.   Eight containers of blueberries were opened and cleaned.  Anyone who thought that this much food could be prepared in less than four hours was just not realistic.   A full business day was devoted to prepare this mass of food and between using the commercial kitchen at Markham Vineyards and at the Napa Valley Opera House, my team successfully emerged at 5:00 p.m., wiping our brows, blinking in the warm and bright Napa Valley sunlight and ready for the next day.

Did our food turn out?   Absolutely and deliciously, too:

At the end of the event, after spending a day in the bright Napa Valley sunshine, proudly boasting funky tan lines and slight sunburns, nonprofits won.   In this respect, everyone wins.   As intuitive as that may sound, the swelling of one’s heart in the moment of hearing which nonprofits will receive the proceeds and knowing that you perhaps are a tiny part in helping make that happen and touching others’ lives is, indeed, priceless.

For those readers who have been following the Facebook Fan Page and the articles on this site closely for the last month it is not a secret that I and my team are competing in Hall Winery’s Cabernet Cookoff this Saturday, April 30^th, with the hope of winning monies to benefit the Napa Valley Opera House.  Creating a small plate dish for 350 people is no small accomplishment and purchasing ingredients in volume is a constant reminder of the daunting task looming ahead of me.   Yet it begs the question, “why?”  The answer is simple and stems from a combination of altruism and philanthropy. 

Nearly two years ago, this web site was launched for a variety of reasons but one reason in particular was to give a helping hand to family-owned wineries and in turn contribute to my local economy during one of the most trying economic times in Napa Valley since the Prohibition.   Good deeds and charity abound in the small close-knit community of Napa Valley and Markham Vineyards in 2008 also launched a unique way to give back to others.

Markham Vineyards (“Markham”) commenced its own program “Mark of Distinction” to inspire and spark positive change across the United States in which it annually selects two organizations in the country that each receive a grant of $25,000.00.  The purpose of the grant is to assist the recipient organization with the furtherance of its tangible projects with the vision of improving neighborhoods, communities, cities or towns.   To raise further awareness for these projects and causes, Markham has released two special single vineyard bottlings of Cabernet Sauvignon.  These vintages are appropriately named “The Altruist” and the “The Philanthropist” and are respectively dedicated to the organizations that receive the Markham Mark of Distinction Awards.  

In the fall of 2010, Markham released the 2007 vintage of “The Altruist” Cabernet Sauvignon and dedicated the vintage to the 2009 Mark of Distinction winner, Island Sled Hockey, of Lynbrook, New York.   Island Sled Hockey of Lynbrook, New York, is for physically and mentally handicapped athletes and is the nation’s largest and most inclusive sled hockey program.   Turning the bottle around to the back, the dedication to and information about the Island Sled Hockey, of Lynbrook, New York, is prominently displayed.

Furthering charitable initiatives is always rewarding, yet when involving wine there is an obvious additional delicious component.   The Altruist Cabernet Sauvignon does not disappoint on any level.   The 2007 vintage consists of 100% single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon yet also separates itself from the pack as it hails from Napa Valley’s newest American Viticultural Area (“AVA”), none other than “Calistoga”.   The Calistoga AVA was the 15^th AVA approved in the greater Napa Valley appellation.   The area, located north of St. Helena, is long recognized for its unique attributes as its soil is uniquely volcanic and rocky at the base of Mount St. Helena and has a warmer climate despite sitting at the northern end of Napa Valley.  While being the most recent AVA to be recognized in Napa Valley, winemaking in the region has been present since 1857 when the town of Calistoga was founded.

Fruit for “The Altruist” Cabernet Sauvignon comes from Markham’s vineyard in Calistoga at the base of Mount St. Helena, located in a canyon and surrounded by wild Bay Laurel trees.  While the site was difficult to plant because of its rocky attributes, the lack of water ironically served as a resource in the sense that the vines grown here produce small berries/grapes capable of providing intense flavors in the wine.  Despite the readily perceived struggle for growth, the grapes grown from this estate create a beautifully balanced and more accessible wine.   On the nose, there are floral aromas of violets and bay laurel, coupled with distinct scents of anise spice.  From a fruit profile, smoky rich scents of blackberry chutney drift upwards to greet one’s nose.   Taking a sip of the wine, the palate finds a wine that is smooth as silk which graces it with juicy blackberries, black plum, roasted fennel and caramel-crème kisses on the finish.  

This is a wine that blatantly romances the senses with its distinct sensuality.  While long following readers will remember an early article that I wrote featuring Markham’s Cabernet Franc and mentioned that as a favorite varietal of a certain “wine industry cowboy”, The Altruist Cabernet Sauvignon ranks right up there with him.   When not barbequing in the rain and once the El Dorado is parked safely in the garage, on a Friday night that member of Markham’s hospitality staff likes to take the phone off the hook and make this wine his “Friday night date”.   Open a bottle of the 2007 The Altruist Cabernet Sauvignon on an evening where there is no rush and you will quickly understand why.

Cabernet Sauvignon food pairings typically sit squarely with steak given that the tannins that frequent the palate.   Yet, Cabernet Sauvignon is certainly not relegated to the tradition steak pairing (as I have demonstrated in prior articles).   By selecting a Cabernet Sauvignon from a particular AVA, the consumer has a sense of the standard attributes that are unique to that winemaking region.   This in turn assists with determining what to cuisine to pair.  Taking this into consideration, this week’s menu consists of:

·         Roasted Pasilla Chiles Stuffed With Caramelized Steak, Maui Onion, Garlic and Jack Cheese With a Sweetly Spiced Tomato Sauce

There is a notable (yet not invasive) acidity with The Altruist and given this unique characteristic, this makes this wine a unique Cabernet Sauvignon candidate to pair creatively with naturally acidic tomatoes.   The filling for the pasilla chile is made in stages (jack cheese, caramelized steak, maui onion, garlic, tomato, golden raisin, marjoram and lime thyme) and simultaneously, the tomato-based sauce is simmering on the stove top.   The sauce consists of tomatoes, maui onion, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, golden raisins and almonds. Once the sauce is completed, the chiles are gently placed in the sauce and rosemary is added at the last minute before being tucked into the oven to thoroughly cook the chiles.   Emerging from the oven in a covered pan, the chiles are revealed tenderly cooked in all their savory glory.

Fresh white corn tortillas are toasted in the interim and sliced to create a lattice beneath the chile on the plate.

Pasilla chiles have a mild gentle flavor.   When paired with the wine, aromas of violets and smoke come tumbling forth as rich bright flavor of blackberries merrily greet the acidity of the tomatoes in the sauce.   The food pairing shows off a cheerier side of Cabernet Sauvignon, hinting that the varietal can be fun and flirtatious as opposed to rigidly structured, heavy and burdensomely tannic.   It is easy to see why this wine would turn the head of any wine industry cowboy and make any desperado commit his Friday night to this bottle of wine.

For the rest of us, the brighter side of “The Altruist” Cabernet Sauvignon invokes optimism and a dreamy desire to improve our immediate surroundings.   Knowing that the small berries put extra effort into the wine to concentrate its flavors easily inspires one to want to do more and to be better.

*If you think that this pairing with Cabernet Sauvignon is the limit, attend Hall Winery’s Cabernet Sauvignon Cookoff this weekend to sample my fare and vote for my team.  In order to help my team prepare for the event, Markham Vineyards has generously allowed us the use of its kitchen to prep our potentially winning dish for 350 attendees.  A special thank you to Markham Vineyards and its continued commitment to the charitable acts of others!

Red wine:  there are so many varietals and so many personal preferences.  Yet if red wine has one common denominator it is that it is good, pure and simple.   Whether your preference is Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Grenache, Pinot Noir or other varietals, when red wine grapes are made into a blend, the wine has the potential to take an otherwise simple red table wine to a level of notable unique character and increased proprietary goodness.

Elyse Winery (“Elyse”) in Napa Valley confidently bottles a red table wine each year called “C’est Si Bon”.   For those who speak French, a mere glance at the wine’s name will draw a wry smile for the meaning conveys “It’s So Good”.   Fruit sourced from three vineyards in the Sierra Foothills is combined to create a red wine consisting of 38% Grenache, 29% Mourvedre, 18% Syrah, 6% Cinsault, 4% Counoise, 4% Carignane and 1% Valdiguie.   For those who are fans of the traditional “GSM” blends (meaning Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre), this is a wine that will add a little dash of personality and charm on the palate.

The wine’s bouquet is varied ranging from raspberries and pomegranates to leather and smoke.   On the palate, predominant flavors of baked plums, black raspberries and apple give way to an undeniably smooth texture and notable light acidity.    Not as tannic as some of its red varietal cousins, Elyse’s C’est Si Bon wine can pair with a diverse range of food.   With this in mind, this week’s menu hosts:

·         Hoisin Marinated Pork Chops with Blueberry-Plum Red Wine Reduction Sauce atop Cauliflower Puree with Broccoli Florets

Frankly, pork is not a favorite meat of mine.  Whether it is because it is often pumped full of chemicals, its texture or taste, it takes a lot for a piece of pig to turn my head.   Yet, create a hoisin honey soy marinade with garlic and red chile pepper flakes, and pork becomes succulently delicious.   Unlike red meat or chicken, pork takes a long time to marinate.   After eight hours of marinating in the refrigerator, the hoisin glazed pork chops are placed upon a hot charcoal grill and emerge not only making you salivate, but your neighbors on the other side of the fence.

Wanting to keep carbohydrates in check and using seasonal spring vegetables such as cauliflower and broccoli, a puree is decorated with chopped chives from the garden and gently blanched broccoli florets.   A perfectly grilled pork chop is placed on top, yet the plate is not finished being dressed.

For simmering on the stove is a Blueberry-Plum Red Wine Reduction Sauce.   Sugar is kept in check and instead spices and herbs are incorporated with reduced red wine and fruit.

This savory sauce is drizzled over the pork chop presentation and now not only is pork edible by my tastes but pretty.

Paired with the wine, the pork and blueberry-plum red wine reduction sauce bring forward brighter fruit flavors and lively notes of pepper on the palate.   The smooth texture of the wine goes well with the texture and consistency of the meal.  As one glass finishes and another is sought, it is ever so easy to know why Elyse titled this red wine blend, “C’est Si Bon”.

*Like what you see?  Contact Hall Winery to purchase tickets to attend its Cabernet Cookoff on April 30th, 2011, where some of my recipes will debut and attempt to win money for a Napa Valley non-profit.  Make your dollar (and your palate) vote!   Cheers!

Cooler temperatures continue to taunt the Bay Area this month as the wind whips residents into shape and renders them fully cognizant that summer is two months away.    While residents long for warmer temperatures, the late wintery spring rains have seemingly subsided and have allowed the sun to cast its rays upon Napa Valley.   With slightly warmer temperatures and nurturing rays of the sun, low and behold, those tiny bits of green festive hope broke forward from otherwise winter dormant vines:   bud break.

In wine country, bud break brings a lighter, if not festive, mood.   Given the contagious nature of this mood, it is only fitting this week to feature a varietal that is characterized by liveliness:  Barbera.  

In Italy, Barbera is the second-most-planted grape in the country.   It produces wines which can be either medium or full bodied.   Barbera’s flavor profile is that of juicy berries, yet, unlike many of its other red wine counterparts, this varietal is known for a consistent pleasing acidity.  To date, however, I have yet to sample a 100% Barbera in Napa Valley that captures my full attention and that of my wallet.  Crossing over the Mayacamas Mountains to neighboring Sonoma County, a pleasant and fun Barbera caught my attention at B.R. Cohn Winery (“B.R. Cohn”).

B.R. Cohn produces a 100% Barbera called “Boater’s Barbera”.   While the name may at first seem a bit goofy, off-beat or trendy, there is reason for its naming: as simple as the fact that Bruce Cohn restored his 1963 Century Resorter as the family ski boat.   Fun imagery readily ensues of a V8 powered mahogany ski boat skimming summer waters while bright sunshine beams above. Add a red wine, such as Barbera, with its lively bright fun acidity and the picture sharpens and “Boater’s Barbera” is apt. 

Pour the wine into the glass and the coloring is that of lustrous ruby gems and aromas of cranberry, red raspberry and strawberry reach up to entice the nose.   On the palate, the wine shoots straight from the hip with no-nonsense bright flavors akin to freshly picked berry fruit with juicy cranberries.   There are no readily detectable tannins but instead the wine is readily enjoyable and easily accessible even to palates which many generally have trouble with red wines.

Given that Barbera pairs well with acidic produce, this week’s menu involves the challenge of using spring seasonal produce but in a manner to pair with the lighter more acidic red wine:

·         Marinated Chicken With Strawberry Salsa Atop Grilled Tortillas.

Chicken breasts marinate in a combination of red raspberry vinegar, olive oil, garlic and cilantro sprigs.   Slices are gently made into the top of the chicken so when flipped on the charcoal grill, the chicken can be easily stuffed with shredded jack cheese.

Strips of Maui Onion are gently grilled and once removed a medley of fresh corn tortillas are added to the grill to quickly warm and take on the smoky flavor of the grill.

Waiting however at the table is the true star of this meal, my Strawberry Salsa.  Big, meaty fresh strawberries are roughly chopped.  Chiles are fire roasted and chopped.   Maui onion, cilantro, red raspberry vinegar, cumin and other spices are added to the strawberries.

To assemble the plate, the tortillas are laid as a simple foundation to be topped with fresh microgreens, a chicken breast, strips of Maui onion and finally dressed with the Strawberry Salsa.  Seasonal Maui onion from the farmer’s market is intentionally used due to its juicy incomparable sweet flavor.   Microgreens also have a sweet flavor and a delicate texture which does not overpower the wine and instead ties the meal together.

The wine pairs perfectly with the chicken and other components of this menu, the Barbera pairs exceptionally well with the Strawberry Salsa.  The wine ultimately is like a cranberry reduction sauce adding to the festivity of berry flavors, chilies and spices on the palate.

Generally the bright acidity can make Barbera a challenge to pair with food until the warmer months of summer arrive with its varied bounty of local fresh produce.  However, think outside the culinary box this spring and dress up seasonal fruit and vegetables with some spice to pair with predictably fun Barbera.   Seasonal at its best:   Barbera embraces spring produce readily and confidently, beckoning summer forward with its best come hither stare.

* “Dicing for Dollars” to Get Its Sauté on for Operatic Sound

Kristin Hanson, author of The Casual Connoisseur, and a team of amateur cooks will be competing on April 30th in the Hall Winery Cabernet Cook-off to raise money for the Napa Valley Opera House.   Kristin’s team called “Dicing for Dollars” will be cooking a meal made from organic seasonal food items, including produce and meat donated by Bay Area organic and biodynamic farmers and ranchers, to be paired with Hall Winery’s 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  For just $55 you can come enjoy some delicious food and spectacular wine and help support the future of the arts in Napa Valley at the same time.  Come root for the “Dicing for Dollars” team and put your money where your palate is!  (Contact Hall Winery for tickets!)