Summer continues to perplex much of the nation.   The majority of the country continues to belabor under the stronghold of a crippling heat wave; yet California’s Bay Area and Napa Valley pass each day with cooler than average temperatures.   No matter the weather that you may be experiencing, Colombard can be delightful in any summer setting.

Colombard, or “French Colombard” as it is referred to in California, is a white wine that may sound exotic but is far more familiar to the palate than one may originally think.  In the 1970’s, when California discovered that French Colombard would grow well in its climate due to the grape’s ability to thrive in heat increased its plantings and continued to do so well throughout the 1980’s.    While the grape can be made into its own singular varietal, today it is commonly found in California as a blending grape in other white wine.   The grape itself produces a wine that is moderately dry, has well-balanced acidity and is often described as spicy with floral qualities.   Its qualities are not as showy as other white wines, yet nevertheless, if it is made well it can be the perfect dining companion during hot trying summer months.

In addition, if the grapes hail from old vines in addition to the wine later being made well, then the connoisseur’s palate is in for a poetic treat.  Casa Nuestra Winery (“Casa Nuestra”) in Napa Valley is fortunate to have old vines of French Colombard on its vineyard estate and to add a unique twist to this misperceived obscure grape, the winery produces it in the form of a late harvest dessert wine.   “Late Harvest” is a wine term which means (as it implies) that the grapes are picked towards the end of the harvest, when they are very ripe and have a high sugar content (with a minimum of 24˚ Brix).   This sugar content can be even higher if the grapes have been infected with a desirable fungus known as Botrytis Cinerea, which causes the grape to shrivel but in doing so concentrates the sugar (note, “Select Late Harvest” will have a minimum 28˚ Brix and “Special Select Late Harvest” will have a minimum 35˚ Brix).   The higher the sugar content, the more likely that the Late Harvest dessert wine in question will have a rich, deep honey flavor.   Again, Casa Nuestra’s dessert wine is a “Late Harvest French Colombard”, made from old vines located at the winery’s Oakville estate, which denotes that while the wine will have a higher Brix, it will not be characterized by an extremely honeyed quality.

Pouring the 2008 Late Harvest French Colombard into a small dessert wine glass, the nose is aromatically floral with notes of fresh citrus or nectarine blossoms.   While some white wines may have a floral bouquet reminiscent of spring, this floral nose is more in line with fruit tree blossoms and compatible with summer months.   Taking in the aromas, images of outdoor brunches on sunny lazy Sunday afternoons are invoked.   The palate is greeted by a sweet white wine that is not overly sugary, but instead akin to light white peach (or even apricot) nectar with gentle spiced notes offering subtle richness in flavor (yet devoid of blatant deep honeyed notes, as the wine should be).

Given that the wine offers a distinct sweetness, its food pairing must be taken into careful consideration.  The wine offers a lovely present balanced acidity which also factors into the planning of the pairing’s recipe.    As a result, this week’s menu hosts:

·        Strawberry-Pecan Chevré Pizza

Ginger kissed strawberry slices adorn a honeyed whole wheat pizza crust.   A delicious honeyed chevré embraces warm strawberries with bits of warm pecans as the pizza bakes.

Once ready to serve, slices of the Strawberry-Pecan Chevré Pizza are dressed with julienned slivers of garden-grown chocolate mint.

Is it dessert, is it brunch or is it just plain “good”?   The answer is simply, “all of the above” as the dish successfully proves to be light summer entertaining fare.    Romantically aromatic, the pizza surprises the taste buds of guests as its honeyed whole wheat pizza crust adds a bit of depth and an earthy quality with a dash of simple commonality to help keep the sugar content of the dish in check.   It is sweet, yet not overly sugary, as concentrated fruit flavors spill forth.  Fruit alone paired with the 2008 Late Harvest French Colombard might overpower the wine (unless it is a medley of certain melon), so in this respect, again, the honeyed whole wheat pizza crust adds an essential component.

This creative pairing surprises guests and delivers pleasant reactions.    It is a terrific showpiece dish which captures the beauty of summer strawberries yet demonstrates creative versatility in how they can be served.   Served alongside a pleasantly floral Late Harvest French Colombard satisfies a sweet tooth without saturating the palate.   Accompany this fare with summer weather (no matter the temperature) and all smile with a slice of summer splendor.

In the 1940’s, a phone would ring on the outskirts of the town of Napa and on a party line, a voice would greet Aldo Biale with a seemingly simple request, “Please send produce, a dozen eggs and a black chicken.”    A delivery would then be made within Napa, with the items requested but hidden therein a bottle of zinfandel.    Today, as the Robert Biale Vineyards (“Biale”) holds out, “Black Chicken” was Aldo Biale’s secret code for requesting wine during a time when it was otherwise difficult to obtain.   While the Prohibition ended in December of 1933, many vineyards previously had been transplanted with table grapes or Alicante Bouschet, and many wineries had gone under.   While some California wineries survived Prohibition, many did not and wine that might have been previously made for home consumption might have tentatively been sold “under the radar”.   Since that time, the Biale Family continues to make quality Zinfandels (and now other varietals), but commercially and legally, and as a tribute to the winery’s origins, features one Zinfandel wine in particular aptly named, “Black Chicken Zinfandel”.

Biale’s zinfandels typically sell out quickly but when you are able to either share or obtain a bottle of the Black Chicken Zinfandel, you are in for quite a treat.   Everyone loves a little Napa folklore with their wine and, given the tale above, this is no exception.   What is the exception, however, is that lore or not this wine stands on its own for its extraordinary quality, structure, fruit and spice.

As previously mentioned, Biale’s Black Chicken Zinfandel typically sells out quickly but once you have your hands on a bottle, you will not want to let go and you will instantly recognize what all the fuss was about years ago.  Pouring the 2008 Black Chicken Zinfandel into the glass, the wine is rich in color like it is rich in history.  Before the nose even truly begins to explore the wine, it is evident that gorgeous deep dark aromas are slowly wafting forth.   Taking the first inhale of the bouquet, the imagination is enchanted with such rich diversity that one wonders where to begin descriptively and similarly where that description should end.   Characterized by aromas of earth, allspice, cola, black cherry, anise, raspberry, a wisp of cedar and a caress of leather, it is easy to get sensually lost in the nose of this wine.   Taking a sip of wine, the wine slips across the palate smooth like silk with a twist of cherry on the front followed by flavors of toasty oak, cassis and blackberry.   As the wine continues to open, a slight nuance of pipe tobacco saunters forth along with a semi-chewy note of roasted plum.

Even though the wine is young, it is extraordinarily rich in the mouth and earthy reflecting a true product of Napa soil.   Given these characteristics and summer produce continuing to abound in the garden, this week’s menu hosts:

1)      Baked Breaded Zucchini Sticks With a Homemade Tomato Sauce; and

2)     Parmesan Couscous With a Basil Heirloom Tomato Caprese Relish.

With plenty of zucchini ripening daily in the garden, constant creative ways to use it help it grace the table for enthusiastic guests.   To add some depth to the Breaded Zucchini Sticks, a combination of freshly grated Parmesan and Italian Cheese with Black Truffle is mixed with texturally light Panko Bread Crumbs.   Also abundant in the garden are now Heirloom Tomatoes Black from Tula and Carmello.   A combination of these varieties make a quick robust sauce to place beneath the zucchini sticks.

With the wine, the Italian Truffle Cheese accentuates the earthiness of the 2008 Black Chicken Zinfandel.   Similarly zucchini and tomatoes from the garden pair beautifully while paying homage to the agricultural nature of Napa Valley and the Italian heritage of Biale.   Enjoying each bite with the wine triggers visions of toiling on the land by day and enjoying its fruits by night.  

To accompany as either another side dish or to make a vegetarian meal, the Parmesan Couscous with a Basil Heirloom Tomato Caprese Relish counters the earthiness of the zucchini sticks by setting forth gentle rich, sweet flavors.  The sweet flavors can be attributed to a medley of Thai and opal basil, minced sweet onion from the garden and a combination of Sungold, Sweet Baby Girl and Green Zebra cherry tomatoes.  Chunks of fresh mozzarella add a subtle creaminess to the dish.  Selecting a fine grained couscous is a lighter summer alternative to pasta on warm nights.

When paired with the wine, the sweetness of the couscous and basil heirloom tomato caprese relish allows the zinfandel’s dark berry flavors to tumble forth, embracing the acidity of the tomatoes.   Similarly, the use of Thai basil in the dish mimics the wine’s notes of anise as that type of freshly grown basil has a similar black licorice smell.  The soft texture of the couscous shows off the wine’s silky nature.

Both dishes are so simple, yet so deliciously flavored that if you have not grown your own tomatoes yet, you will going forth.   The flavor of home-grown tomatoes is unparalled; even a local produce stand’s fare cannot quite parallel.   For vegetarians, this can be a delicious meal on its own; for those who cannot go with “meat”, slices of basil-black pepper grilled chicken would pair well alongside.

Finishing the meal and still lingering with the wine, each taste is like a bit of Napa heaven.   The 2008 Black Chicken Zinfandel truly embodies the character of the earth and soil.   While easily enjoyed this summer, admittedly I cannot wait to see where this will go in a year or two.   And while it will take marked discipline to set it aside, a further aged 2008 Black Chicken Zinfandel will mesmerize some fortuitous unsuspecting guest in the future.

Proprietary Reds in Napa Valley arrive in varying grape combinations and consistencies.   Their tannins can be refined or firm and they can easily be overly influenced by the climate of each growing season.   As discussed earlier this year, some proprietary reds will actually meet the rigorous standards of Meritage, others will be called Claret and some will just simply be referred to as “proprietary red”.   Yet there is still another technical classification that merits special discussion and that is of the Super Tuscan Reds.  

Italy, like other countries, has its own system of set rules and regulations to categorize wine by quality, caliber and appellation:  denominazione di origine controllata (“DOC”).   In the 1980’s, a trend in red wines emerged and received international acclaim for their superlative quality, yet without an official DOC classification, these wines were left to be referred to merely as “table wine”.    Given the term “table wine” gave a distinction of commonality to otherwise uniquely special red wines, a new terminology emerged informally among Italian wine connoisseurs to distinguish these wines: “Super Tuscan”.   These wines could vary in consistency and combination.   For example, they might consist of a blend of red grapes which included perhaps unauthorized grapes (such as Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon), unapproved methods (size of barrel, type of oak, etc.), or an unauthorized consistency (which could even mean that the wine could consist of 100% of Sangiovese yet hail from an area that was not officially designated for such production).    These “Super Tuscans” broke the barriers of traditional regulation in Italian winemaking and did so most frequently reflecting extraordinarily high quality and attracting premium prices.   Today most “Super Tuscans” are still sold as table wine, but in the 1990’s, Italian authorities decided to extend a special DOC to certain individual Super Tuscan reds in recognition of the distinct, phenomenal quality that said wine presented.

Benessere Vineyards (“Benessere”), located in Napa Valley, prides itself for crafting Italian and Tuscan inspired wines.   Benessere is exceptionally regarded for its Sangiovese, yet also uniquely steps to the forefront of the wine community with a red Super Tuscan, which is aptly named, “Phenomenon”.

The 2005 Phenomenon creatively blends 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Sangiovese, 14% Merlot and 12% Syrah.   Given the ability of all of these grapes to grow well in Napa Valley, it is no surprise that the winery refers to the 2005 Phenomenon as its “Super Napan”.   2005 was a terrific year for most grapes in Napa Valley given that the year experienced an early bud break, followed by nurturing spring rains and then finished with a lingering summer to encourage a late harvest.

Pouring the wine into the glass, it is dark and brooding with glints of ruby jewel tones to meet the eye.   Characterized by a rich nose, the wine sets forth aromas of blackberry, spice, cloves, plum and leather, with a trace of dark chocolate.   Drinking well now, the palate experiences rich, round dark fruit of blackberry preserves and warmed plums, with gentle bits of olive, black cherries and spice.   Texturally the 2005 Phenomenon is smooth (which is a trademark of Benessere wines), has refined tannins and has just turned the corner in aging with hints of velvety sensations.   Add a finish that lingers and seduces, this truly is a majestic wine which at first blush merits fancy culinary fare yet also should not be feared to be enjoyed with something simpler or even alone.

Seeking to pay tribute to the creativity of the origin of Super Tuscans, I elected to veer away from the traditional big beef or steak pairing for the 2005 Phenomenon.   This week’s menu hosts:

·         Pesto Zucchini-Tomato Gratin Atop Basil Pesto Rotini

Given that it is mid-July, the vegetable garden is bursting with more zucchini than one readily knows how to use and heirloom tomatoes have quickly started to fully ripen.   One of the terrific joys of cooking in the summer is being able to walk into one’s vegetable garden, see what is available that evening, pick it right off the vine and head directly into the kitchen.   This week I am seemingly picking 3 zucchini and 3 slicing heirloom tomatoes a day.   Of unique surprise was a ripe Black fromTula heirloom tomato (known for perhaps being the ugliest of the heirlooms with a dark burgundy skin yet also recognized for being one of the most richly flavorful).   The Black from Tula heirloom tomatoes are frequently the last to ripen and often are not harvested until September.    Nevertheless, my plant wished to keep up with the neighboring Carmelo heirloom tomato plants and a combination of the two were picked for this week’s recipe.   Each offer their individual flavors but both are outstandingly rich which ultimately provides flavor dimension.  

Sautéed garlic is combined with chopped artichoke, fresh zucchini, freshly made basil pesto, a medley of varied basils and marjoram from the garden and is layered among slices of fresh mozzarella cheese and slices of heirloom tomatoes (among other ingredients).  Once baked, it is placed atop a Basil Pesto Whole Grain Rotini to create a filling Italian inspired summer meal.

Taken with the wine, the Basil Pesto does a dreamy dark seductive tango with the 2005 Phenomenon.   The sweet artichoke complements the wine’s mocha notes and softens its black fruit flavors.   The dish itself is savory and succulent given the lush flavorful freshly picked zucchini.   While filling, the meal is not overly heavy making it perfect for summer dining.

Whether your summer evenings are pleasantly cool or you retreat to a crisply air-conditioned dining room, the meal presents a terrific vegetarian way to creatively enjoy a well-crafted Super Tuscan red wine in otherwise warm summer months.

As temperatures rise and seemingly hang naturally in the 90 degree range and heavy humidity holds much of the nation hostage, each has his or her own arsenal to combat the dog days of summer.   In the world of wine, however, when long heat waves take hold, red wine is left to cellar and instead crisp white wines take their place amidst rosés in the parade of appropriate summertime wines.

Sauvignon Blanc leads the charge with its characteristic crisp acidity and refreshing citrus notes for summer white wines.   My personal preference is to select a Sauvignon Blanc which masters the delicate dance with the grape’s natural acidity such that it offers refreshing citrus notes, a perfect dash of crispness and by no means will make me (or my guests) pucker.   Once found, a beautifully balanced wine is sure to entertain.

Hall winery (“Hall”), located in Napa Valley, offers its “T Bar T Ranch Sauvignon Blanc” which is of such caliber that when served chilled, delightfully refreshes yet shows a bit more depth.   The grapes for this wine actually are not grown in Napa Valley, but Alexander Valley in a vineyard known as T Bar T Ranch.   Alexander Valley, located in northern Sonoma County, is an American Viticultural Area (“AVA”) which experiences warmer temperatures as it is not as prone to fog as other parts of wine country.  The region is versatile enough due to its microclimates to grow a range of grapes well (from Sauvignon Blanc to Cabernet Sauvignon).  The T Bar T Ranch vineyard specifically has its own microclimates and is located in the eastern mountains of Sonoma County in the Alexander Valley AVA.  Due to its own varied microclimates and volcanic complex soil composition, T Bar T Ranch is recognized for producing highly concentrated fruit. 

Knowing that the fruit from this vineyard will be highly concentrated, it is a given that its Sauvignon Blanc will show off more complexity than the average competitor’s.   Pouring Hall’s T Bar T Ranch Sauvignon Blanc into the glass, it is aromatic of Meyer Lemon, citrus blossom and cucumber.   Taking a sip, the palate is greeted by delicious minerality, lemongrass, soft tropical fruit and a delicate whisper of honey and marzipan on the finish.   The wine is characterized by notable acidity but not such that it overwhelms the palate.

While Sauvignon Blanc pairs magnificently with much seafood (in particular, oysters), it also pairs famously with tomatoes picked fresh from the garden due to its infamous acidity.   My vegetable garden is thriving this summer and is presently loaded with heirloom cherry tomatoes, various cucumbers, onions and zucchini.   All of these are prolific producers and provide for healthy summer meal combinations which intuitively pair well with Sauvignon Blanc.   Taking this into consideration and the wish to create a refreshing light summer meal, this week’s menu hosts:

1)       Parmesan Flan With Heirloom Cherry Tomato-Cucumber Relish; and

2)     Grilled Garden Zucchini With Garlic-Shallot Sauté.

Last summer when I featured another favorite Sauvignon Blanc, I stuffed large heirloom tomatoes from the garden to serve as a main course with the wine.  Those same tomatoes are presently on the vine, but will ripen later this summer.   In the interim, however, I have a variety of heirloom cherry tomatoes ready for use which include, among others, Sungold and Sweet Baby Girl.    The cherry tomatoes from my garden have a delicious sweet robust flavor and each type has a different acidity level.   Slicing them and combining them with minced cucumber from the garden along with a medley of finely shredded basil leaves creates a simple flavorful relish to top light, healthy Parmesan Flan.   Texturally, the light fluffy nature of the flan is compatible with the light nature of the wine; while the acidity of the Heirloom Cherry Tomato-Cucumber Relish pairs perfectly with the acidity typical of Sauvignon Blanc.

Slicing zucchini from the garden and brushing them with a Meyer Lemon olive oil, the slices are then quickly and easily grilled to create a delicious side dish.   To give a bit of a zip to the dish, shallots from the garden are minced, to be combined with minced garlic and softly sautéed with freshly picked thyme.  The combination of flavors creates a degree of depth that is warm, semi-sweet and inviting.

Nearly all of the ingredients for this meal came directly from the vegetable garden, allowing summer seasonality to show off in its entire splendor.   While the recipes are relatively simple, the fresh flavors of vegetables and herbs from the garden take center stage to create a light yet vibrant display of flavors on the palate.

The meal and wine can easily be served as a starting course or as an afternoon lunch on a summer patio to entertain friends.   It is a blissful summer affair of light and fresh summer flavors which masquerade as gourmet on your guests’ palates while having ever simply been pulled moments before from the garden by your own hand.

As June winds to an end, our days are seemingly longer accompanied by rays of light painting the sky with varied warm hues until long into the evening.   Aromas of ripening stone fruit and strawberries fill the air and the garden landscape is dotted with brightly colored blossoms of various vegetables yet to come.  Flowers continue to burst into bloom seeking the warmth of the summer sun and seemingly everywhere one turns, the eye is met with a vibrant diverse color palette only known to summer. 

It is intuitive to spend more time outdoors and laze on backyard patios while savoring these longer days with the picturesque ambience that abounds from nearly every backyard.   With warm temperatures and plenty of summer culinary fare literally at your fingertips, the time is ripe for casual entertaining or simple relaxation with Rosé.

Rosé, as it has been previously featured on the site, can be made a variety of ways and from any number of red wine grapes.   To show the diversity of the pink wine, in the past I have featured Rosé wines made from Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc and Syrah, among others.   Veering away from obscurity to standard tradition, Girard Winery (“Girard”) produces a Zinfandel Rosé which captures the very essence of this point in summer.

Typically a Zinfandel Rosé does not fit my palate as they can be overly sweet or reminiscent of a standard strawberry flavored hard candy.   Girard’s Zinfandel Rosé dashes these perceptions away as instead it is remarkably clean in the mouth, showing off as refreshing and crisp.   With only 2% residual sugar, the wine is able to emulate a certain dryness while still showing off a lush strawberry flavor with a hint of watermelon.  Its fruit nuances are attributed to the 90% of Girard’s Zinfandel grapes used (the juice of which is only allowed minimal contact with the grape skins prior to stainless steel tank fermentation).   Later Girard adds 4.5% of Syrah, 3% of their amazing Sauvignon Blanc and 2.5% of Grenache.  Aromatic of rose petals from the garden, this wine is ideally suited for late June.

It is no secret that Rosé is the proverbial “party wine”.   By nature it is easy drinking and a great sidekick to appetizers or picnics.    Do not let the casual nature of Rosé fool you, however.   It saddles up well to summer dinner salads and seasonal fruit.  Keeping this in mind, this week’s menu hosts:

1)      Basted Poppy Seed Grilled Chicken Summer Salad with Fresh Strawberries; and

2)     Fresh Apricot Pie.

Putting together the Basted Poppy Seed Grilled Chicken Summer Salad is a simple flavorful fix on warm summer evenings.    Always seeking an excuse to fire up the charcoal grill, chicken breasts are basted with a homemade semi-sweet poppy seed salad dressing while a variety of fresh colorful sweet lettuces, delicate spring onions and strawberries are collected from the garden.   Adding some sliced almonds, bits of chevré cheese and sliced mandarin oranges, the salad is quickly put together and adorned with slices of the basted grilled chicken.   Pouring the wine into the glass, it is easy to visual how this wine serves brilliantly alongside.

Taken together, the wine and the salad are like festive summer flavors entertaining the palate on a warm late June evening.   Serving the Rosé chilled is like experiencing refreshing crisp iced strawberries.

By the time dessert rolls around, typically there is no Rosé left.   It is light, refreshing and easy drinking.    This actually works well when serving a seasonal summer dessert like Fresh Apricot Pie.   The pie does not pair well with the wine.   But after a meal of sweet flavors, the blend of sweet and tart found in the Apricot Pie serves as the perfect palate cleanser while remaining loyal to current seasonal summer fruit.

Wrapping up a meal such as this on the back deck in the late evening summer rays leaves guests feeling closely paired with this specific point in summer.   Lost in the surroundings of vibrant varied colors and aromas of vegetables, flowers and fruit growing all around us, Girard’s Zinfandel Rosé romantically seems almost equally organic.