Name: Filet Mignon with blackberry Pinot Noir sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 2 tbs oil (neutral or olive); 2 bacon wrapped Filet Mignons; ½ pint of fresh blackberries; ¼ cup Pinot Noir; 1 small shallot (finely chopped); 2 tbs butter

Vineyard’s and Winery’s

Sidra from Asturias in Northern Spain – its culture and traditions #WorldWineTravel

Jul 23, 2021

Asturias, Spain

We are doing a bit of virtual travel to Asturias, which is in Northern Spain on the Cantabrian Sea, tucked in between Cantabria and Galicia.

This is part of Green Spain so exiting the tunnel that brings you north from Madrid plunges you into a sea of green pine trees, which lead to rocky cliffs and the tumultuous Cantabrian sea. (pretty magical, right?)

This month the World Wine Travel Group is pivoting a bit and exploring hard cider or sidra from Spain. Led by Cam of Culinary Adventures with Camilla we are being creative as sometimes Spanish Sidra can be difficult to find, so you may find some of my Colleagues’ discussing and comparing other hard ciders from around the world. You can read Cam’s invitation post here.

We will be gathering on Saturday, July 24^th on Twitter at 8 am Pacific Time to discuss the ciders we tasted and potentially the pairings we settled on. You can join us! Just hop on Twitter at the appointed time and use and follow the hashtag #WorldWineTravel!

You will find a list with links to my Colleagues’ pieces below!

Going into this I did not have a great knowledge of hard cider, other than a fascinating session in the Yakima Valley with Marcus Roberts of Tieton Cider Works. You can read about that here!

Sidra from Asturias

This is the land of Sidra or hard cider, made from apples. Cider making here is thought to date back to 60BC (source).

Apples are pressed and then ferment in large chestnut barrels for at least 5 months.

These ciders are low in alcohol and are strong, bitter, and acidic. The Council of Asturian Sidra mentions the benefits, including improving imagination and empathy. Many exalt its health benefits and it does indeed contain vitamin A.

They are served in cider bars called a “Chigre” in Asturias or “Sidreria” in the rest of Spain. There are cider houses that will also serve directly from the barrels called “Llagares”. (source)

Llagar de sidra asturiana (Photo Adobe Stock by Santiago)

The culture and rules of drinking Sidra

They are proud of their cider here, it has a deep culture with lots of fascinating “rules”.

We did the Basque High Pour last month with our Txakoli from Basque Country. Here in Asturias, they take that up a notch. The ciders Sidra Naturel are typically flat, the foam and effervescence is added by the pour called “escanciar”. It is higher than the Basque High Pour!

The method is to stand with your feet hip-distance apart. Hold the glass (the glass is thin and about 5 inches tall and 3 to 3.5 inches in diameter) in your left hand low (next to your knee) and at an angle. Your right-hand holds the bottle at full extension. You pour allowing the sidra to hit the side of the glass causing it to froth and create bubbles. Here’s a link to see how it is done https://youtu.be/m6CCLB7dOJU

You only pour a small bit (2 fingers in scotch terms) and drink it in one sip, called a “culin”.

Mind you this glass is not your own. It is customary to share one glass among the group. So when you finish your sip of sidra, you leave a little bit in the glass. This way the next person can “throw” the remaining sidra out of the glass on the side that you sipped from to essentially clean the glass.

The person who pours may spill a bit at first then move the glass under the stream, even the pros do that, so don’t try this on a rug! Then the glass is handed to a guest, the pourer always drinks last.

Sidra is sold by the bottle, not by the glass, and in restaurants, they will often pour for you, so don’t reach for the bottle to refill, unless, they have left a spout or a cut cork for pouring in the bottle. That would indicate that they were not coming back and you were on your own!

El escanciador de sidra (Photo Adobe Stock By Rafa Rivera)

Bodegas Mayador

Our Cider came from Bodegas Mayador, who have been making sidras since 1939. The orchards are close to the coast near the small town of Villaviciosa. They ferment in traditional chestnut barrels then mature for 14 months in these very large barrels.

The company was founded by Manuel Busto, when he retired at 80 (well, he didn’t retire really, he just focused on planting apple trees), his youngest daughter Consuelo Busto Alonso, took over the running of the company. One of few women in this field, she was a pioneer, traveling to bring her sidra to more markets around the world. They now export to almost 50 countries across the globe.

You might notice that Mayador is not the family name. It comes from the Spanish term “Mayo” which is the name for the person who crushes the apples for fermenting.

Cam worked with Winesellers Ltd who offered samples for this tasting. (Thanks Cam and Thanks Winesellers Ltd!)

These were media samples, but rest assured all opinions are our own.

Mayador Sidra Natural 2017

This is a dry cider. Descriptions from Winesellers Ltd, that I read before opening this included: cloudy, golden yellow, no head, blossoms, lime, lemon zest, grapefruit, ferns, grass. Sour with a thin body. They say to match with Valdeon or Cabrales blue cheeses $7 SRP, 6% abv

The Sidra Natural was funky, tart, dry, sour, and tasty. I understand how the bit of aeration makes it much more lively on your palate. If you had a whole glass of this that didn’t have the aeration, it would be a little tougher to drink.

Sidra Asturiana Mayador limited production Sidra Espumante 2017

This sidra is medium-dry, so a bit sweeter and it is sparkling. (coppery yellow, clear. Aromas of heavy apple, tart apple, apple skin, and oaky scents. They suggest pairing with salt cod in tortillas, steak, and Spanish blue cheese. SRP $8 5% abv

The Espumante was sparkling and sweeter, still with that funk on the nose, but much more approachable, if you are not used to hard cider.

Both of these sidras had a bit of fermented funkiness when you stuck your nose in the glass, but it was not unpleasant.

What to pair with Sidra?

The Sidra is often accompanied by food, things like Tortilla (omelet), fried cod, or other fish, chorizo cooked with cider, or grilled meat. Or as Mayador mentions, with Valdéon or Cabrales blue cheeses.

Dessert is cheese with nuts and quince jelly.

For our pairing, I wanted to go for bar-style food. I picked up a Valdéon cheese from Cured and Whey and found some chorizo, Marcona almonds, and Membrillo, which is the Spanish name for quince paste. We added some manchego cheese and sliced apple.

Valdeon, membrillo, marcona almonds, chorizo, manchego adn slice apple to pair with a Sidra from Asturias

A riff on Tostada con Tomate, Aceite y jamón

I had found a recipe for a “Tostada con Tomate, Aceite y jamón” which is basically, toasted bread with garlic, olive oil, crushed tomato, and ham. This seemed in the spirit of grilled cheese, I mean everything is better with cheese right? So we riffed on the theme.

I toasted sourdough slices in the broiler with a little olive oil, rubbed them with garlic, spread a bit of crushed tomatoes on that, topped with prosciutto (I looked everywhere and could not find Iberico or serrano ham!), a bit of manchego and sliced apple, topped with another piece of bread and put it in a rod iron skillet with butter and olive oil to melt together. Well…manchego did not have the ooey gooeyness I was craving, so on the 2^nd sandwich, I tossed in a bit of brie (sorry, I couldn’t help myself).

The Espumante went best with the brie and apple in the sandwich. And both were delicious with the Valdéon blue cheese. But quite honestly nothing paired poorly and this is the perfect kind of food to munch while you chat and sip Sidra with friends.

I will admit, I chickened out of doing the high pour. Instead, we used the trick of the cut cork to add the aeration to the Sidra Natural. I wonder if one of those wine aerators would work too?

Wineseller’s Ltd generously sent two other ciders one from Normandy France and another from Herefordshire England that we look forward to sharing with you in the future. I would do a side by side, but these ciders really should be enjoyed with a proper pairing, so a plowman’s lunch for the British cider and sausage and roasted root vegetables for the Dufresne from Normandy. You will have to watch for that coming up soon!

In the meantime let me offer you a couple of last photos of this stunning region.

#WorldWineTravel

The World Wine Travel group is traveling virtually to Spain this year and you can join us every 4^th Saturday of the month as we virtually visit a new region. Below you will find the pieces by my Colleagues on the stories, ciders, and pairings they discovered this month.

A BBQ Party Featuring Spanish and French Ciders by Chinese Food & Wine Pairings
A Crash Course in Hard Ciders by Somm’s Table
Anna’s Ciders and Pier City Ciders by Wine Predator … Gwendolyn Alley
Bodegas Mayador – A Taste of Asturias Cider by ENOFYLZ Wine Blog
Cider Glazed Rotisserie Chicken and a Sampling of Hard Ciders by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Divide and Cider: Conquering Spanish Sidra with Mire by Asian Test Kitchen
Falling In Love With Cider by Avvinare
I am Cider Curious by Food Wine Click!
One glass, Many ciders by Children of the Grape
Pollo Con Ajoy y Limon and Spanish Hard Ciders by Our Good Life
Put This Basque Beverage on Your Drink List! by Savor the Harvest
Traditional Spanish Sidra, a Tipsy Trickster, & Tanuki Cider by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

As always be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and sign up for our monthly newsletter to keep up to date on all of our posts.

Robin Bell Renken I have always loved people’s stories. I spent a career in Theatre helping to tell stories, as a Stage Manager. Daily enabling artists to freely and safely tell stories through their art. Then I fell in love with wine. There are so many details, so many nuances, not just in the glass, but in the vineyard, the region and the people. As I met winemakers and vineyard owners and even the people in the tasting room excited to pour me a glass and tell me the story of this wine, I knew these were stories I wanted to share. I completed my study and became a Certified Specialist of Wine and continue learning daily as I meet and interview people in this industry.

Robin Renken is a wine writer and Certified Specialist of Wine. She and her husband Michael travel to wine regions interviewing vineyard owners and winemakers and learning the stories behind the glass.

When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.

More on Spain from Crushed Grape Chronicles

Women of Alsace – conversations with 4 Women on their family wineries in Alsace #Winophiles

Jul 16, 2021

Alsace, it’s that sliver of a region in Northeast France that borders Germany. There was a time it was Germany. In fact, the French/German border has moved several times. The region has a tumultuous history, changing hands with empires and dynasties.

First planted to grapes by the Romans when they conquered in 58 BC, the wines quickly grew in acclaim. Today the region is known for its aromatic white wines which are, unlike most of France, labeled by variety.

Four of these varieties are considered Noble: Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, and Muscat. Other varieties that are grown and do well here include Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner, Chasselas, and Pinot Noir. You will also find Auxerrois and Chardonnay planted, much of that for the sparkling Crémant d’Alsace.

The region is a tapestry of soils, with over 20 major types. In addition, the Vosges Mountains catch the clouds coming from the West creating a rain shadow making this one of the driest areas of France. The mountains also create multiple microclimates within the region with valleys and a variety of aspects.

Overall the climate is sunny and warm, with the slopes creating the best wines and the flat areas closer to the Rhine suited to grapes to pick early for the sparkling Crémants.

In June we had the opportunity to do a virtual tasting with 4 different wineries in the Alsace region, which I thought would be perfect to share with the French #Winophiles deep dive into the region this month.

Led by Rupal of Syrah Queen the French #Winophiles will explore Alsace, its wines, people, soils, and perhaps pairings. You can read her invitation post here.

You can join the #winophiles to discuss the region on Twitter on Saturday, July 17^th (8 am Pacific or 11 am Eastern). Just use and follow the hashtag #Winophiles to join the conversation.

At the bottom of this post you will find links to all of my Colleagues’ pieces on the subject, so prepare for a bit of Alsace immersion!

Millésimes Alsace 2021 Digitasting

Vins d’Alsace organized a beautiful Digitasting. The site provided information on each of the 100 wineries participating in the show. I received tasting boxes with 2 ounce pours from 4 different wineries, then had the opportunity to schedule an online video meeting with them to taste through the wines and ask questions.

We met with 4 Domaines:

Domaine Sohler Philippe
Sipp Mack Vins D’Alsace
Domaine Saint Remy Ehrhart
Agathe Bursin.

All have women who if they not running the winery, they very close to the helm.

These estates sit North and south of Colmar. If you drove from Domaine Sohler Philippe in the north to Agathe Bursin in the south, passing through the villages where Sipp Mack and Domaine Saint-Remy Ehrhart are located, it would take you just over an hour.

The wines we received as media samples. All opinions remain our own.

Map of Alsace with the vineyards mapped out (courtesy Google Maps)

Domaine Sohler Philippe

Lydie Demangeat Sohler

Lydie is the 3^rd generation on this estate, started by her grandfather. Her father began the winery Domaine in 1995, which is why it bears his name. She is now the winemaker having taken over from her Father Philippe and runs the winery with her sister Marine.

Located in Nothalten, Alsace, their vineyards cover 60 parcels in 5 towns with very diverse soils. “We are at the service of our terroirs, we reveal it,” they say on their site.

They are careful with their soils, allowing the living creatures in the soil to work the ground, the earthworms, and micro-organisms. They take pride in their soils and work to allow them to speak through the wines.

They have 7 different soil types. Lydie shows me the hard grey rock from the Heissenberg plot and the volcanic subsoil on the Meunchberg Grand Cru that you can see in the photos here.

From top right to bottom left: Famille Domaine Sohler Philippe, Grand Cru Muenchberg au pied de l’Ungersberg, Lydie & Marine récolte la reine des prés, Lydie en cave, Marine & Lydie, roche volcanique Muenchenberg, sous-sol Heissenberg, and Lydie vendages (harvest).

Domaine Sohler Philippe Alsace collage (photos courtesy Domaine Sohler Philippe)

Gaia 2017 Assemblage

The first wine we taste is their Gaia 2017 Assemblage. First known as the Cuvée de la Reine de Vins, it was the wine created in 2014 when she was elected the Queen of Alsace at the Colmar Wine Fair.

They liked the blend and so they continue it, now under the name Gaia, a more philosophical name, graceful and referring to the energy of the sun, the moon, the rocks…all these things that are a part of their story.

Gaia is a blend of 60% Riesling from The Grand Cru Muenchberg on volcanic rock and Heissenberg on sandstone rock, then 20% Muscat from very old sandstone that is a light pink when dry, and 20% Pinot Gris from Zellberg on a plot of marl sandstone.

Lovely white florals waft out of the glass at you with this wine.

We also tasted the Riesling Heissenberg 2018 which has grassy notes and lemon with complex mineral notes, from the Hessenberg Vineyard.

The Grand Cru Meunchberg Riesling 2017 grows on volcanic subsoil which is an amazing purple and green color. The nose is smokey with saffron and brioche. It is large and round in the mouth with a wonderful texture, an interesting comparison to the linear Heissenberg.

Lastly, we tasted the 2017 Mateo Pinot Noir. There is a tradition in Alsace to make a wine and name it after the children in the family. This wine is named after Lydie’s son Mateo.

Sipp Mack

Carolyn Sipp

Sipp Mack sits in the village of Hunawihr. Carolyn Sipp and her father Jacque met with me. Carolyn will be the 10^th generation, and she has the 11^th generation on the way.

Hunawihr is picturesque and small, with just around 600 people Carolyn tells me. They have one shop (a bakery), a few restaurants, and a fortified church, that was previously a castle. Centuries ago when the castle became vacant, the people of the town turned it into a church. Catholics and Protestants have shared this church since 1680.

The family has 25 hectares of vineyards in Hunawihr, Ribeauvillé, and Bergheim, including plots in the Grand Crus Rosacker and Osterberg. Their vineyards sit in limestone, you will find no granite here.

We begin our tasting with the 2019 Tradition Pinot Blanc. Meant for everyday drinking, this wine comes from younger vines and is released faster, but still retains complexity. The blend, Jacque tells me, is 70% Pinot Blanc Auxerrois for fatness and 20% Pinot Blanc for straightness. To me, it tastes like springtime in a glass.

We move on to the Riesling 2018 Vielle Vignes, 50-year-old vines, from 4 lieu dits that could become Premier cru in the next 10 years. Different vineyards, same elevations which Carolyn says brings a balance, one plot gives the richness, one the structure, another acidity, giving consistency and complexity to the wine.

We move on to the Grand Cru Rosacker Riesling 2016, which spends one year in tank and then 3 to 4 in bottle before release. The nose on this wine is reminiscent of beeswax. They find there is a precision of minerality that gets smoother and stronger as this wine ages.

Their plots sit at the top of the Rosacker Grand Cru sees and cold winds from the forest above at night that keep the acidity in this wine.

We finish with the 2018 Gewurztraminer Vielle Vignes, which is sweet at 42 g/L of residual sugar balanced by acid and with tremendous aromatics. It comes from heavy clay soils. You get all that you expect from a Gewurztraminer, lychee, and roses with other tropical fruit notes.

We speak a little about the weather and Jacque mentions that last year’s harvest began on the 25^th of August. This year they expect to be back to a more normal 20^th of September, but nothing is routine. Climate change has been great for the quality of Pinot Noir, but Riesling needs the cold for acidity.

On the property, they have 5 guest rooms. Carolyn’s grandfather was ahead of his time, creating the guest rooms to attract people to the small village, creating vineyard experiences in the 70ss and 80s.

When I ask if there is anything else I should know, Jacque tells me “That you should for the rest of your life, don’t forget to enjoy a Sipp of Mack.”

Sipp Mack Jacques Laura & Carolyn (Photo courtesy Sipp Mack)

Sipp Mack Wines Alsace (photos courtesy Sipp Mack)

Domaine Saint Remy/Ehrhart

Margot Ehrhart

The domain has been in the family since 1725! Margo is part of the 8^th generation in this family working these grapes. Her father and her brother take care of most of the vinification, but she sometimes helps. With a family winery, they all must do a bit of everything.

When her father took over, they became organic and purchased 7 additional hectares of vineyard from a cousin. Based in the village of Wettolsheim just 5 km west of Colmar, they are now much bigger with 24 total hectares over 12 villages, but they still focus on quality.

They are also Demeter certified and her grandfather has taken charge of making the biodynamic preparations.

Primarily, they make Cremant d’Alsace, those bubbles that are in such high demand, but also quite a bit of still wine with 28 different wines in their portfolio.

They are quite lucky to have parcels in 4 different Grand Crus, Hengst, Brand, Goldert, and Schlossberg.

We began our tasting with the Riesling JADE 2019, a cuvée named for her brother’s daughter. Grown in alluvial soils on the La Fecht River, a tributary of the Turckheim river, this sandy alluvial soil with clay allows for nice minerality and acidity in the wine. Margo suggests pairing it with seafood or oysters. It is made in Stainless Steel and sits for 8-9 months on the fine lees.

We moved on to the Riesling 2019 Grand Cru Hengst made from their 5 hectares on this Grand Cru. The soil is rich with limestone and marl and sits at 300 meters on a mostly south-facing slope.

This wine, while vinified in the same way as the JADE, is so different, heavier and rounder in the mouth. They make all the wines, in the same way, so the difference is from the soil and the land that the grapes are grown on. Margo loves to eat this with sushi and I can see where the umami of the soy would be brilliant with this.

Next up was the Pinot Noir “H” 2017 also grown in the Hengst vineyard. It is called “H” for the first letter in “Hengst”. The Grand Cru vineyard name cannot be on the label, as Pinot Noir is not a noble grape. They are hoping that a Pinot Noir Grand Cru will be approved, but for now, they wait.

The “H” is linear with great fruit and spice.

We finish with the Gewurztraminer Rosenberg Reserve 2019 from the Rosenberg Lieu-dit. This vineyard sits just below the Grand Cru Hengst and has a bit of sweetness with 7 g/L of rs, that is balanced by acidity. It is elegant and Margot suggests pairing it with spicy foods or spicy cheese.

Domaine Saint Remy/Ehrhart is located close to Colmar and they have a beautiful cellar that they built just 8 years ago, that is open daily for guests. Their annual production is 150,000 bottles.

Agathe Bursin

My meeting with Agathe Bursin was enchanting. I was enamored by her expressiveness and while I did not understand all of the words, the energy she spoke with carried much of the meaning. We recorded the conversation and translated it afterward, as she had answered questions that I emailed her earlier.

Agathe was born to a family of vintners. Her mother passed her plots to Agathe and in 2000 she settled down on these 3 hectares of vineyard in Westhalten about 15 kilometers south of Colmar.

Her land is divided into 40 plots around the village, which sits at the intersection of two faults. The village is surrounded by the famous hills Zinnkoepflé, Strangenberg, and Bollenberg and is famous for its Mediterranean-like climate.

Agathe tells me the two-fold story of why she got into wine. First, she remembers her grandparents making wine. At just 3 years old she was drawn to the clack, clack of the press and would press her fingers between the slats to taste the sweet juice. Later her grandfather gave her a taste of the fermented wine to her grandmother’s dismay. But the die was cast, this was the beginning.

The second reason might have been peer pressure, she was one girl with 4 boys in kindergarten, drawing pictures of tractors and grapes with them, all of them planning to become grape growers.

I savored the wines as I tasted through them. Agathe does not have a website and she notoriously sells out of her wines quickly, so this was a rare tasting.

The wines we tasted through include: the Riesling 2019 Bollenberg from 72-year-old vines on the SW facing slope of the Bollenberg, the Grand Cru Zinnkoepfle Riesling 2019, which comes from a 1200 foot elevation plot, and the Pinot Noir 2018 Stangenberg which does a brief 8 days of maceration then spends 18 months in barrel.

Finally, we finish with the Grand Cru Zinnkoepfle Gewurztraminer 2018 Vendage Tardives They leaf-pull by hand, creating airflow without exposing the berries to too much sun, allowing them to keep their acidity. Humid mornings with fog are followed by sun to dry out the grapes creating beautiful noble rot, giving those beautiful aromas and sweetness.

Agathe Bursin Alsace Collage (photos Courtesy Agathe Bursin)

She is a huge proponent of this Sylvaner and I was sad not to have the opportunity to taste hers. Sylvaner has been pulled out in Alsace in favor of the noble varieties and relegated mostly to the flatter lesser vineyards. If it is planted in beautiful soils, she says, it will surpass all other grape varieties. Her grandfather told her if she one day became a winemaker in another country to not forget to put Sylvaner in her suitcase, he is the one who will tell you if it’s a vineyard or potato terroir.

Truly, the conversation with Agathe was wonderful, she is so passionate and as I go back through the translation I find gems. She spoke of global warming, here is my approximate translation.

“This winter we had a beautiful cool winter and the spring was not that hot. So I say to myself, we are still talking of global warming? We must not hide our face, you must not have blinders. If everyone was making efforts, maybe nature would have the strength and so we could reverse the trend. It’s true I believe in man and the ability to change their habits and then to ensure that nature is more and more beautiful. I am always hopeful.”

These women are all continuing family legacies of grape growing and winemaking in Alsace. Holding to traditions, while innovating for the future. It seems the vineyards of Alsace, at least with these four women, are in good hands.

The French #Winophiles

Here are those promised links to all of my Colleagues’ pieces on this wonderful region of Alsace! Don’t forget to join us on Twitter Saturday July 17th at 8 am Pacific time (3 pm GMT). Just use and follow the hashtag #Winophiles!

3 Riesling from Alsace by Gwendolyn at Wine Predator
All About the Wines of Alsace by Jennifer at Vino Travels
Alsace Wine and Cold Poached Salmon with Sauce Verte (Green Mayonnaise) by Terri at Our Good Life
Alsace Wines’ Heart and Soul – Land Sustainability, Family Tradition and Food Compatibility by Pinny at Chinese Food and Wine Pairings
Alsace Wines Shine with Summer’s Bounty Risotto by Jeff at Food Wine Click!
Blending Innovation and Tradition with Wines of Alsace by Jill at L’Occasion
Butternut Squash Chickpea Curry with Wine from Alsace by David at Cooking Chat
Domaines Schlumberger 2018 Pinot Blanc: A Delectable Grape Mutation + Criques de Pommes de Terre by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Five Winemaking women of Alsace by Linda at My Full Wine Glass
Once Upon a Wine in Alsace – a Riesling rekindling by Wining With Mel
Shrimp Louis Sandwiches paired with an Alsace Pinot Blanc by Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm
Summer Food Pairings with Alsace Wines by Jane at Always Ravenous
Wines of Alsace Bring the Wow Every Time by Liz with What’s in that Bottle?
Zind Humbrecht Pinot Blanc with a Leek & Bacon Tart by Nicole of Somm’s Table
Our Host Rupal of Syrah Queen shares Alsace Rocks with Paul Blanc Rosenbourg Riesling and Summer Shrimp.

Txakoli

Okay, I know at first glance if you are unfamiliar with this wine or with the language of the Basque region of Spain, you might wonder, how in the world do you say this? It’s easier than it looks. “tx” is the “ch” sound in this language, so “cha – koli”.

The word makes me think of chocolate, but the wine is far from that. Bright with lemon and strong mineral notes with a slight effervescence, this is the perfect wine for the warm days of summer.

When the World Wine Travel group of writers settled on the Basque region for this month’s topic, I knew this was the wine I wanted to find.

The #WorldWineTravel group will be exploring this region led by Jill Barth of L’Occasion. You can find her preview post here. You will find links to my colleagues’ writings below. If you are interested in learning more or want to share your love of this region, we will be gathered on Twitter on Saturday Morning June, 26^th at 8 am Pacific or a more reasonable 11 am Eastern time in the US, to discuss the region and it’s wines.

Join us by using and following the hashtag #WorldWineTravel

Basque Country (País Vasco)

Map of Spain with the Pais Vasco Basque Country highlighted (Adobe Stock)

Often when I see maps of Spain, it is in isolation, just an outline of the country. I know in my mind where the Pyrénées lie to the North East that borders France, I picture the Mediterranean to the East and the Atlantic to the West, but for some reason, my brain forgets about the Bay of Biscay and the Cantabrian Sea.

The Bay of Biscay is a wide inlet that dips into the side of Europe on the Atlantic from the Northern Coast of Spain and up the western coast of France. It has some of the fiercest weather on the Atlantic causing severe harsh winters.

The bay has long been feared by seamen. There are Atlantic swells near the coast and being out on the water can be like being inside a washing machine.

The Cantabrian Sea is the Southern part of the Bay of Biscay, that buffets the Northern Coast of Spain. With a coastline dotted with stunning cliffs and colorful fishing villages this region is colorful and filled with traditions.

It is believed that the Basque people have been in this region for over 5,000 years. They fought off invasions from the Arabs, Romans, Visigoths as well as the French and Spanish. It wasn’t until 1516 that the Basques on the Spanish side of the Pyrénées agreed to join Spain, provided, they could be self-governing. In 1876 the Basque region finally came under the rule of Spain south of the Pyrénées and France to the north.

The language here is ancient, one of the oldest still spoken today. It was almost stomped out by Franco when he banned the language, but it is making a revival. This language predates the Latin-based romance languages. It is called Euskara and has eight modern dialects.

The region itself begins on the coast north of Bilbao in the Spanish Province of Biscay and follows the coast to Biarritz in Southern France.

Txakoli (or Txakolina)

The grapes for Txakoli (or Txakolina) are grown on hillside vineyards with high elevation, which gives them high natural acidity. Proximity to the sea often elevates mineral or salty notes in the wine.

There are three regions or DOs for Txakoli

Getariako Txakolina DO
1. Established in 1989, this is the oldest of the three DOs.
Bizkaiko Txakolina DO
1. Established in 1994 the vineyards of this region are planted close to Bilbao, along the coast and inland, where they can get to 500 feet.
Arabako Txakolina or Txakoli de Álava DO
1. The youngest of the regions was established in 2001 and sits further inland than the other two. This is also a region for Rioja wine which has vineyards in the south part of the region.

We are going to focus on Getariako Txakolina DO.

Getariako Txakolina DO

This is the largest of the three DOs which is located near San Sebastián. There are 433 hectares of vineyards, of which 90% are in the coastal area. Here vineyards are close to the coast but are planted on south-facing slopes for maximum sunlight and protection from the coast.

The grapes allowed here are Hondarribi Beltza which is a black grape that is often mistaken for Cabernet Franc. The other grape, which is much more often used for Txakoli is Hondarribi Zuri.

This is not as it might seem a white version of Hondarribi Beltza. According to the Oxford Companion of Wine, this is a name used for 3 varieties in the Pais Vasco region: Coubu Blanc, Crouchen & a hybrid called Noah. (Zuri actually means “white” in Basque (source)

Bodega Hiruzta

The name comes from Hiruen Uzta, which means a “three-person Harvest”. The Rekalde family, father, Asensio with his sons Txarli, and Angel built this winery in Hondarribia. When the Getariako Txakolina DO opened to plantings in the Gipuzkoa in 2007, they planted their vines. They opened their winery in 2012.

This region of Hondarribia had long been know for grape growing, with archives of vineyards dating to 1186. The region on the coast and the border was battered by battles and the enemy would often raze the gardens and pull up the vineyards. Many were permanently lost in the siege of 1638.

Hiruzta looks to recover and revitalize this grape named for this village and the cultural wine heritage of the region.

Their 17 hectares of vineyard are trellised on a south-facing slope, with great sun and cool breezes from the Jaizkibel cliff (as seen above)

The region is beautiful and when we researched with found so many beautiful images! The Northern side of those Jaizkibel is pretty beautiful also. As is the nearby village of Hondarribia, a medieval town that allows you to step back in time.

Hiruzta Bodega in Spain's Basque Country where Txakoli is their specialty (photo courtesy Hiruzta Bodega)

Hiruzta 2019 White Txakoli

This wine is 100% Hondarribi Zuri.

To make this wine they harvest the grapes and carry them in small crates to the winery. Small crates ensure that the berries on the bottom do not get crushed. At the winery, they destem and crush, then rinse and gently press, then let the juice settle at a cool temperature. They preserve the naturally occurring carbonation and do a gentle clarification and stabilization process then filter at a low temperature.

The resulting wine is effervescent, and the first thing that hit my nose was the scent of wet stones. Under this minerality, you find notes of lemon and lime, pear, and saline. This wine is bone dry with bright acidity and notes of bright rich lemon and mineral on the palate, maybe a bit of grapefruit in the background giving a just slightly bitter note of grapefruit pith.

12% abv – $19.99 SRP

Hiruztya Txakoli from the Getariako Txakolina DO in Spanish Basque Country

Now to make this a truly Basque Celebration, I needed to master the Txakoli high pour.

Mastering the Basque High Pour

Now to make this a truly Basque Celebration, I needed to master the high pour. I thought it would be pretty easy. LOL! After drenching the dining Room table, I finally wised up and worked over the sink.

The high pour is great for presentation, but more than that, it released the carbon dioxide and gets those bubbles moving, which also increases the reléase of the aromatics in the wine.

The glasses for this type of wine are different also. These are short squatty glasses, similar to a rocks glass. My rocks glasses were too small for this so I opted for a taller glass.After a bit of practice with an empty Riesling bottle (which is a similar shape) and a few gallons of wáter, I found a few tricks to help my consistency.

First, using a wine pourer, one of those little silver circles of mylar that you curl up and use as a spout, helped keep the flow steady.
Second, elbow lifted! If you start with your elbow lifted, as you raise the bottle you have fewer moving parts in your arm and it makes it easier to stay on target!
Lastly, perhaps it is my height, but I found that it was easier when I held the glass, rather than placing it on a table or counter.

So those are my cheats. I intend to practice and look forward to becoming more impressive with this parlor trick.

Pintxos to pair

We wanted to do classic Pintxos for our pairing. Pintxos (or pinchos) are like tapas but are a single bite. You find them in all the bars in the region.

We prepared 6 pintxos and did them in 2 styles, one-bite pintxos in a spoon and the traditional way on bread. I was excited to finally use this beautiful spoon tray that my dear friend RuBen gave me.

The first 4 I found on Spain on a Fork He has great step-by-step videos for these.

Tortilla de espinacas con queso manchego (Spanish egg with spinach topped with manchego cheese)

Pan con Tomate y Manchego (Spanish tomato bread with Manchego cheese)

Atún con Anchoa (Tuna and anchovy pintxos)

Pintxos de camarones al ajillo (Garlic shrimp)

I was craving something lighter, so we created a

Pintxos de salmón y pepino (Salmon with cream cheese and dill in cucumber)

and as I had dates in the house, we did our favorite

(bacon-wrapped dates) which would be Dátiles envueltos en tocino in Spanish

Pintxos - top to bottom - •Pintxos de salmón y pepino •Atún con Anchoa •Pan con Tomate y Manchego •Tortilla de espinacas con queso manchego •Pintxos de camarones al ajillo •Dátiles envueltos en tocino

How did they pair?

The pairings were delicious and each a bit different. With the cucumber and salmon, the flavors seemed cooler and brighter with the wine and the wine was less bitter with a sweetness like clear fresh Spring wáter. The tortilla (keep in mind tortilla here means omelet) with the wine made the bite less heavy. The garlic shrimp seemed sweeter.

With the tuna and anchovy, the wine seemed to intensify the flavors. I overdid the garlic in the tomato bread and it hit my palate hot! The wine seemed to tone this down. Lastly, we had the bacon-wrapped date, which has always seemed like a red wine pairing to me. I wasn’t expecting this pairing to be very good, but as I like this bite, I made them anyway. I took my first sip of the wine with this and it wasn’t bad but wasn’t great, then quickly sweetened and was better than expected.

Overall these were great pairings! Keep in mind that this is for my palate. Everyone’s palate is different and some people are much more sensitive to bitter or sweet and that can make pairings different for them.

Pintxos and Txakoli (or Txakolina) from Bodega Hiruzta in Spanish Basque Country

#WorldWineTravel

Okay, that was my Venture to Basque Country. I can’t wait to read what the rest of the #WorldWineTravel Group discovered! You will find the links to their pieces below! These will go live on Saturday, June 26th, 2021!

Basque Country Means Pintxos and Txakolina by Jeff at Food Wine Click
Fish Friday in the USA with a Spanish Txakolina Rosé by Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm
Two Versions of Txakoli, Perfect Summer Wines from Susannah at Avvinare
Almejas en Salsa Verde (Clams in Green Sauce) + 2019 Zudugarai “Amats” Getariako Txakolina from Cam at Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Basque Country Wines for Beginners and Great Food Pairings from Teri at Our Good Life
Recalling Spain: Ameztoi Getariako Txakolina Rubentis and Shrimp from Martinat ENOFYLZ Wine Blog
Tasty Txakolina from Basque Country calls for fish by Linda at My Full Wine Glass
Basque’s Effervescent Txakolina #WorldWineTravel from Gwendolyn at Wine Predator
Cooking to the Wine: Ulacia Blanco Getariako Txakolina and Crispy Cod with Garlic, Jalapenos, and Lime by Nicole at Somm’s Table
The History of the Basque Culinary World Prize by Jill on L’Occasion

Sources and Resources

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When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.

BBQ and a Titan from Bells Up

Jun 23, 2021

Bells Up

They identify as “Micro-boutique and un-domaine”. Bells Up Winery was born from leaving stress behind and blowing their own horn!

The name comes from a term in classical music composition as a note for French Horns. When it says “bells up” it means to play with gusto, with the bell of the horn up to allow the music to be heard.

That’s an allegory for how Dave and Sarah feel about their winery.

We tasted two of their wines, the Bells Up 2020 Prelude Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir Chehalem Mountains AVA and the Bells Up 2020 Rhapsody Pinot Blanc Willamette Valley Paired with a backyard feast for Memorial Day.

Celebrate Memorial Day with Bells Up Winery

Today we move on to the…

Bells Up 2018 Titan Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley.

Let’s first address the name. Titan refers to Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 in D Major(all of their wines are named for Musical pieces)

This piece was considered unusually grand and ambitious for the time, by a young composer. Perhaps this mimics this wine, Dave coming into the Willamette Valley where Pinot Noir is revered and jumping in with both feet in a bold way when he was so new to the industry.

This symphony evoked the heroic ideals of the day for Mahler and was originally called “Titan: a symphonic poem”. The title alluded to a popular novel where the protagonist uses only his inner strength to defend against evil.

The wine is their flagship Pinot Noir. It is a blend of 3 Pinot Noir clones from 2 different sites.

The largest part of this wine is the Pommard clone of Pinot Noir and is from 10 year old vines in the Chehalem Mountain AVA. The vineyard sits at 800 feet and has wind-blown loess soils that give this wine bright fruit notes.

Then there are two clones 115, 777, grown in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA with vines that are 18 years old. The elevation here is between 460-520 feet and the soils here are Willakenzie. The oldest soils in the Willamette valley, the Willakenzie soils come from marine sediment from when this part of Oregon was a seabed.

The soils are well drained and the roots have to work hard to find water, which creates a spiciness and structure in the wines. The structure and tannins need time to integrate and will help the wine age.

The 2018 growing season was consistently warm and dry with cool nights, which adds to the structure and balance of this wine.

While this bottle was delicious, it will continue to get more delicious as it ages in the bottle. Get more than one bottle and taste it on its journey. It will be maturing for the next 7 or so years.

The details:

41% Pommard, Chehalem Mountains AVA

29.3% 115 clone & 29.3% 777 clone, both from Yamhill-Carlton AVA

Harvested October 4^th, 2018, aged 12 months in 38% New French Oak. Bottled in December of 2019 and released Sept 2020.

111 cases produced – 13.7% abv – $40 SRP

Bells Up 2018 Titan Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

What to pair with a Titan?

Michael decided we should pair BBQ with this Titan Pinot Noir and set out to pick up a Feast for us. I was mid studying for a Wine Certification and cooking was the last thing I wanted to do. He ordered from Famous Dave’s and returned with a feast that all we had to do was plate it and open the bottle!

We headed to the rooftop deck to enjoy, St. Louis-Style Spareribs, BBQ Chicken, Texas Beef Brisket, Georgia Chopped Pork, Burnt ends (my favorite), Sweetwater Catfish, Garlic Red-skinned mashed potatoes, creamy coleslaw, Firecracker Green Beans and Corn Bread Muffins.

The 2018 Titan Pinot Noir from Bells Up had notes of red cherry, raspberry, cooked fruit, cola, nutmeg, forest floor, & tobacco on the nose. In my mouth it was more like cranberry, red cherry and candied fruit with a bit of baking spice.

Michael mentioned getting a bit of cherry Jolly Rancher, and the wine did have a juiciness about it.

It blended beautifully with the fruit and spice notes in the BBQ.

With full tummy’s and the rest of the bottle of wine, we headed downstairs to watch out beloved Vegas Golden Knight play a bit of Hockey. (We are still in the playoffs, feel free to send some love the VGKs way!)

Do you need some of this?

If you are interested in getting of a bottle of the Titan or any of the Bells Up Wines, head to their website for the details at http://bellsupwinery.com/ Then you can reach out to place your order by phone at 503.537.1328 or email [email protected].

More on the Willamette Valley by Crushed Grape Chronicles

As always be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and sign up for our monthly newsletter to keep up to date on all of our posts.

When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.

Kill Hill Pinot Noir – struggling vines making concentrated wine from Lenné Estate

Jun 2, 2021

Steve Lutz didn’t start out planning to be a winemaker. Wine found him.

He grew up in Colorado and planned to be a lawyer. In college at the University of Oregon, he had his first real experience with wine. He applied to law school and worked for a bit for an oil company, but always came back to that wine. Learning about wine was his calling. He packed up and moved to Napa.

He worked at Beringer, Franciscan, Inglenook, and Merryvale in the tasting rooms and cellar for a decade. Needing a change (and likely having that entrepreneurial spirit) he opened a pizza place in Santa Rosa. It was then that he met his wife Karen.

Four years in he sold the pizza place and he and Karen spent a year in England. Then returned to Oregon where Steve went back to work in the wine industry. That entrepreneurial urge was still there, and they started looking for a property where they could build a house and start a vineyard.

The origin of the name Lenné Estate

“People often ask about the French origins of Lenné. Then, I tell them it was born from a chicken farm west of London, England, in the small town of Wokingham.”

The Estate is named, in a fashion after Steve’s father-in-law. Karen’s father Lenny, passed away shortly before they purchased the property. It’s a much more complicated story than it initially sounds.

Originally the winery was to be named Nashgrove Lane, after the Lane that passed by Lenny’s chicken farm. Then one day Steve was looking at a photo of Lenny, it is the profile shot that you see now as a sketch on the label, “Lenny,” he thought, no “Lenné”! As he says he “French-fried” the name. He could not wait to tell Karen when she came home.

Karen was not as enthusiastic as he had anticipated. Her father was a difficult man and they had not had the best of relationships. But, he had stowed away some money that upon his death became an unexpected inheritance for her and her two siblings. It was that inheritance that allowed them to purchase the property in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. It took some time, but Steve convinced her, and today the bottles of Lenné bear a sketch of Lenny’s likeness.

Lenné Estate 2018 Kill Hill Pinot Noir

This wine is the smallest production wine that they make at Lenné Estate, sourced from the highest elevation block with the poorest of the poor soils on the site. When we talk about poor soils, these are soils that make the vines dig deep to find nutrients. The name Kill Hill is because many vines don’t make it. The mortality rate on this block is the highest on the estate. In the first year, they lost 30% of the vines.

Luckily this mortality rate is only for the vines, although early on there is a story of Steve rolling their tractor on this steep section of vineyard. I guess there are multiple meanings here.

These vines are clones Dijon clones 114 and 667. You’ll find here in Oregon, that Pinot Noir clones are blended to build out the complexity of a wine in the same way that they blend Cabernet and Merlot in Bordeaux. Pinot is a transparent grape that shows off the place it is planted so a variety of Pinot Noir clones allows a winemaker a bit of room to play.

Lenne Estate 2018 Kill Hill Pinot Noir and pairings

Steve notes that the Dijon 114 is all about red fruit with bright acidity and the 667 is more structured and intense.

The grapes coming from these tortured vines tend to be small, which gives you a greater skin to juice ratio when making wine. They are also very concentrated. You might think of Pinot Noir as a light to medium-bodied wine. Here at Lenné Estate and especially here on Kill Hill, they tend to have a bit more body.

My notes:

The 2018 Kill Hill Pinot Noir hit my nose with dusty cocoa powder, then black cherry, raspberry, and blackberry. There was a bit of bramble, a whiff of fresh eucalyptus leaves on a tree, wet stone, and a bit of steaming coffee. Behind that was a bit of cedar then savory notes and a bit of tobacco.

In my mouth, I found black cherry and blackberry with more of those mocha notes.

125 Cases Produced – 14.1% abv – $60 SRP

Finding a Pairing for the Lenné Estate Kill Hill Pinot Noir

The winery noted “blackberry, raspberry, and mocha” in the aromas and flavors of the 2018 Kill Hill Pinot Noir, so I ran with that as I composed my recipes.

Pinot Noir is often subjugated to lighter meats, chicken, pork, and fish. I knew this wine would have more body than a typical Pinot Noir, so we went with beef, but kept it light doing a bacon-wrapped filet, then doing a pan sauce with a bit of the wine and blackberries.

For our side, I wanted to play on the coffee notes in the wine. We roasted carrots in salt and coffee…well, coffee, and coffee grounds (reduce reuse recycle people!).

We finished with a super simple salad of spring greens and sliced almonds that I dressed with olive oil, balsamic reduction, salt, and pepper.

Did the pairings work with the Kill Hill Pinot Noir?

Hell to the Yeah! These were not complicated dishes, but they stayed true to the notes in the wine and the pairing was delicious.

The coffee salt-roasted carrots had this great sweetness that worked with the wine and the coffee notes blended the food and wine seamlessly. The Pinot has enough acid to cut through the fat in the bacon on the filet. The savory notes in the wine elevated the beef and then the berry notes in the sauce bringing it all together

We finished the evening with some store-bought brownies, that also were wonderful with the wine.

We also had an unexpected dinner guest.

Lenne Estate 2018 Kill Hill Pinot Noir with pairings

Lenné Estate produces between 1500-2000 cases annually. The poor soils give the wine concentrated flavors. The wines see around 35% new French Oak and are filtered before bottling.

Their wines are available primarily through their website and in their tasting room. As you can see these wines are not available in huge quantities. They are special wines and worth seeking out. When you have one, you have something special in your hand.

You can visit their website https://www.lenneestate.com/contact to schedule a tasting. They are typically open from Thursday to Monday. They also have vineyard tours and as the world opens up again, they will likely be back to doing some seminars and other events that you can find on their site. You can also reach them in the tasting room at 503.956.2256.

They are located at 18760 NE Laughlin Road, Yamhill, OR 97148

Not too long ago we tasted the Lenné Estate 2018 Scarlett’s Reserve Chardonnay. It was a beautiful wine. You can read more about that at

Lenné Estate – Poor Soil, Hardworking Grapes and a Beautiful Reserve Chardonnay

More on Oregon Wines from Crushed Grape Chronicles

Filet Mignon with blackberry Pinot Noir sauce

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Filet mignon is a decadent meal, but it's worth a splurge. We did a blackberry Pinot Noir pan sauce to drizzle over the filets and make this a perfect pairing with an Oregon Pinot Noir from Lenne Estate.

Ingredients

2 tbs oil (neutral or olive)
2 bacon wrapped Filet Mignons
½ pint of fresh blackberries
¼ cup Pinot Noir
1 small shallot (finely chopped)
2 tbs butter

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425° F
Put the blackberries in a blender and puree
Pour the berries into a fine-mesh sieve. Press through to remove the seeds. Discard the seeds and save the juice for your sauce
Heat a rod iron skillet over high heat.
Add 2 tbs of oil and swirl to coat
Sear the filets for 3 minutes per side.
Do a quick spin to sear the bacon, (think of rolling a tire around your pan)
Place in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes to finish cooking
Remove the steaks from the pan and let rest under tented aluminum foil for 5 minutes, while you make the sauce
Pour all but 1 tbs of the oil from the pan, but keep all the crunchy bits that will add flavor to your sauce.
Return the pan to medium-high heat
Add the shallots and the wine to deglaze the pan stirring up the crusty bits in the bottom
Reduce by half (3 minutes)
Add the blackberry juice/puree reduce slightly
Turn the heat to low and whisk in 2 tbs of cold butter
Serve over the rested filets and garnish with fresh blackberries

Nutrition Information

Yield

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 463Total Fat 37gSaturated Fat 12gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 22gCholesterol 83mgSodium 311mgCarbohydrates 11gFiber 5gSugar 5gProtein 17g

Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.

Salt and coffee roasted carrots

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Roasted carrots get an earthy update, roasted in salt and coffee. This recipe is great for reusing coffee grounds! The carrots are roasted, buried in a combination of coarse salt and coffee grounds. The mixture also makes for a fun presentation, the carrots on top of the coffee and salt, looking as if they were just pulled from the dirt.

These went beautifully with the Lenne Estate 2018 Kill Hill Pinot Noir, which had notes of coffee also.

Ingredients

6 carrots, remove the green (use that for pesto)
1/3 cup of coffee grounds
¼ cup of course salt
2 tbs Olive oil

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450°F
Toss the carrots in olive oil
Mix the salt and coffee (grounds) in a small bowl
Place the carrots in a glass dish side by side
Cover with the salt and coffee mixture
Roast the carrots for 15 minutes
Reduce the heat to 275 and continue to roast for another 35 to 45 minutes
Spoon the coffee mixture onto a dish and plate the carrots on top

Notes

I did not save enough coffee grounds for my recipe. No worries, I just added some freshly ground coffee to fill it out.

I also am decaf these days, so my coffee (and grounds) were decaffeinated. It does not affect the flavor.

I happened to have some pink Himalayan salt pebbles that I used. I also added some freshly ground salt and some Pinot Noir salt I happened to have. You can do this with almost any kind of salt, but I do think the coarser, the better.

And don't forget to save those carrot greens! While this is in the oven you have plenty of time to whip up a carrot top pesto!

Nutrition Information

Yield

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 168Total Fat 14gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 0mgSodium 14228mgCarbohydrates 11gFiber 4gSugar 5gProtein 1g

Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.

As always be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and sign up for our monthly newsletter to keep up to date on all of our posts.

When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.

Lenné Estate – Poor Soil, Hardworking Grapes and a Beautiful Reserve Chardonnay

May 27, 2021

Poor soils – great wine

Steve Lutz is extremely proud of the soil in his Lenné Estate vineyard. He brags that his vineyard has the poorest soil in Yamhill County. Vines here must work hard and prove themselves to survive.

The Lenné Estate Vineyard covers 20.9 acres of steep hillside with Peavine series soils. This soil is ancient marine sediment and lacking in nutrients so the vines have to dig deep to survive. They don’t always make it, but those that do, well they make some tasty grapes. Small and concentrated these grapes turn into delicious wine.

Steve Lutz of Lenné Estate (photo courtesy Lenné Estate )

The Lenné Estate Vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA

Located on the East side of the horseshoe that is the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, the vineyard sits between 420-575 feet in elevation. After founding Lenné Estate in 2000, Steve planted the first vines here in 2001. They produce between 1500 and 2000 cases each year.

The style here is mostly minimalist, with the goal to showcase the site with the fruit, letting it develop in bottle.

We received 2 wines from Lenné Estate, one of which was a Chardonnay and we felt it was appropriate to share with you today, which happens to be Chardonnay Day! Now you may have seen some posts earlier about Chardonnay Day, but the official day is not a “date” it is set as the Thursday before Memorial Day in the US. Oh, and it is still Oregon Wine Month! So…

The steep vineyard at Lenné Estate (photo courtesy Lenné Estate)

Lenné Estate 2018 Scarlett’s Reserve Chardonnay

This is only the 2^nd vintage for the Lenné Estate Scarlett’s Reserve Chardonnay. It ages 9 months in oak puncheons then does an additional 8 months “sur lie” in Stainless Steel. That “sur lie” aging gives a creaminess to the wine and a bit of bread or brioche on the nose added to the underlying notes of pear, apple, and something tart and tropical.

The wine is clean, bright, and elegant. Not flashy, but casually poised, and authentic, like a baby grand played in a cabin.

They are primarily a Pinot house, the Chardonnay in the vineyard is just a few rows on the edges. Several rows were planted in the eastern part of the vineyard in 2005 and then more grafted on the eastern side in 2015.

*This wine was received as a media sample. All opinions remain our own.

Vineyard map Lenné Estate (courtesy Lenné Estate)

Lenné Estate 2018 Scarlett's Reserve Chardonnay

Pairing Aromatic Compounds

As I looked for a pairing for this Chardonnay, I wanted to play on the apples on the nose and tie in saffron.

*Geek break: Carotenoids, aldehydes, and terpenes are volatile compounds that give saffron its aroma.

Chardonnay and apples have carotenoids also, so these things work together well.

Baked Basmati Rice with Apple and Saffron

We made a side dish of basmati rice with apples and saffron. This bakes in the oven adding crispy bits and amping up the aromas of the apple and saffron. This dish makes quite a bit! We had rice for days, so luckily it was really delicious. The apples and saffron paired beautifully with the wine. (the recipe is at the bottom)

Sea bass on white beans, cherry tomatoes, and spinach

For our main course, we splurged on sea bass, which pairs well with a crisp white wine. The Lenné Estate Chardonnay was crisp, but it also had some depth from that “sur lie” aging that seemed to call for something a little richer.

We plated our sea bass on a mixture of white beans, cherry tomatoes, and spinach cooked in chicken stock, with fresh thyme and a splash of lemon. The beans gave just the right weight to the dish and worked beautifully with the creamy notes in the Chardonnay.

We did a dessert pairing also. Well, not everything can pair perfectly. Sadly the sweetness of the dessert made the wine too acidic. (Keep in mind, it is the food that changes the wine, not the other way around. You should also make sure the wine is sweeter than the food, to avoid the wine being perceived as too acidic).

Nonetheless, this dessert did pick up on all the notes from the dinner and the wine, it stays thematically in line, just don’t sip the wine while you enjoy it.

Stuffed apples with rabri

This recipe by Tarla Dalai played to both the apple and saffron that I wanted and they are beautiful. Apples are cored and cooked in a simple syrup with saffron, stuffed with a sweetened mixture of cottage cheese (or paneer) and pistachios, and served on a lake of rabri, a North Indian sweet of milk sugar and saffron.

This evokes the flavors of this Lenné Estate Chardonnay, with the tartness of the apples and the richness of the rabri.

Want to know more about Lenné Estate?

Feel like you want to know more about Lenné Estate and its wines? No worries, we look forward to sharing more of this winery’s story with you soon, as we taste the Lenné Estate 2018 Kill Hill Pinot Noir.

Until then, you can visit their website at https://www.lenneestate.com to order wines and learn more about them. If you happen to be in the Willamette Valley and want to visit, you will find details on reserving a tasting and their current hours here.

It’s Oregon Wine Month!

We did not drink nearly enough Oregon Wine this month, there are so many amazing wines in Oregon to enjoy! Check out what is still happening in the Willamette Valley to celebrate, as well as what is happening beyond in the rest of Oregon at the Oregon Wine Board Site! (check out their #PourItForward campaign on Instagram & Twitter, where you can find videos of Winemakers paying it forward, tasting and describing another winemaker’s wine!)

10 servings

Baked Basmati Rice with Apple and Saffron

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

This dish beautifully combines tart apple and apricot with the aromas of the fragrant basmati rice and saffron. Sliced almonds and chopped pistachios add crunch. This cooks briefly on the stove, but most of the time is in the oven, where the rice will crisp up on the edges adding another texture to the dish.

It is based on a recipe from FoodandWine.

Ingredients

¼ tsp saffron threads
¼ cup warm water
7 tbs unsalted butter
1 medium white onion
2 cloves of garlic
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
2 ½ cups basmati rice
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 tsp salt
2 green onions
1/3 cup of sliced almonds
1/3 cup pistachios
8-10 apricots
1 Granny Smith apple
¼ tsp Fresh ground black pepper

Instructions

Finely chop the onion
Mince the garlic
Slice the green onions thinly (only the white parts)
Quarter the dried apricots
Set aside
Preheat the oven to 375°F
Crumble saffron into ¼ cup warm water and let it stand for 5 minutes
Heat a large skillet
Melt 4 tbs butter
Cook the onions and garlic on med heat for about 7 minutes
Stir in the cinnamon
Add the rice & stir to coat
Add the chicken stock
Add the saffron & its liquid
Season with salt
Bring to a boil
Transfer to a 9 x 13 glass baking dish
Cover with foil and Bake for 45 minutes
When the rice is done, set aside with its foil still on to cool slightly
Core the apple and slice it into 1-inch pieces, leaving the peel on. (I know this seems big, but trust me it works in the final dish)
Melt 3 tbs of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat
Add the green onions and cook for 30 seconds
Add the almonds, pistachios, and apricots and cook for 2 minutes. The apricots will just be starting to brown.
Add the apple and cook just for 1 minute until it is warm.
Stir this into the rice in the baking dish, scraping down the sides where the rice has browned.
Place in a large bowl and serve family-style.

Nutrition Information

Yield

10 servings

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 231Total Fat 13gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 24mgSodium 275mgCarbohydrates 23gFiber 2gSugar 7gProtein 6g

Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.

2 servings

Sea bass on white beans, cherry tomatoes and spinach

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

This recipe marries the freshness of the fish with the warm savoriness of the beans. It is quick and easy to make. We went with 2 larger sea bass fillets, but you could easily cut these in half and serve 4.

This paired beautifully with an Oregon Chardonnay from Lenne Estate.

It is based on a recipe from Cooking Light.

Ingredients

2 (8-oz.) sustainable skinless sea bass fillets
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
5 garlic cloves, sliced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
12 cherry tomatoes, quartered
2/3 cup unsalted chicken stock
1 (15-oz.) can unsalted white beans (Great Northern White, Cannellini or Navy Beans any will do), rinsed and drained
5 ounces fresh baby spinach
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Heat a non-stick skillet big enough to hold your fillets of seabass over medium-high heat.
Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper
Add 1 tbs of olive oil to the skillet and swirl to coat
Add the fish cooking 3 minutes per side
Remove the fish and tent with foil to keep warm
Heat 2 tbs of olive oil in the skillet again over medium-high heat
Add the sliced garlic and cook until golden brown, stirring often (about 1 minute)
Add the thyme and tomatoes and cook for 1-minute stirring often
Add the chicken stock and beans and bring to a simmer.
Add the spinach a handful at a time, stirring until it wilts.
Squeeze in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper
Plate the beans in the bottom of a serving dish, and serve with the seabass on top
Garnish with extra sliced cherry tomatoes and fresh thyme

Nutrition Information

Yield

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 428Total Fat 23gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 18gCholesterol 31mgSodium 607mgCarbohydrates 33gFiber 9gSugar 4gProtein 26g

Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.

4 servings

Stuffed Apples with Rabri

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Sweet rabri (a milk sweet from Northern India) makes the bed for these saffron poached apples with a sweet filling of paneer and pistachios. These are the perfect balance of tart and sweet, crisp and creamy. This is based on a recipe from Tarla Dalal.

Ingredients

4 small apples
1 2/3 cup sugar (divided)
1 cup water
10 saffron strands (divided)
¼ cup crumbled paneer (or cottage cheese)
¼ cup chopped pistachios
2 tbs powdered sugar
2 2/3 cups of milk

Instructions

Dissolve 5 saffron strands in 1 tbs of water
Combine sugar and 1 cup of water in a deep pan, mix and boil stirring constantly
Add the saffron mixture and mix
Pull off the heat
Core the apples
Add the apples to the syrup and mix well
Simmer 5-6 minutes till apples are soft, turning twice
Remove and drain apples
Mix the paneer or cottage cheese with the pistachios and powdered sugar
Divide the filling into 4 portions and stuff each apple
Heat the milk in a non-stick pan and simmer stirring constantly until reduced by 1/3
Add the sugar and saffron and mix well.
Simmer 15 min until the sugar is dissolved and the milk is thick and creamy
Just before serving heat the rabri and place the stuffed apples in the mixture and heat
Serve immediately.

Notes

Ideally you would have an apple corer for this job. If, like me, you don't have one (and I couldn't find one at the grocery store!) you can use the old school method my husband taught me that his grandmother used. From the top of the apple make 4 cuts with your paring knife straight down through the apple. Turn the apple over to be sure you can see your cut in the bottom. Push the core out (you might have to check and see if the square is bigger on the top or the bottom, push from the smaller side toward the larger side, if this is the case).

Nutrition Information

Yield

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 574Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 18mgSodium 185mgCarbohydrates 120gFiber 5gSugar 103gProtein 9g

Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.

Bells Up

Typically when you see a French horn being played, you see the bell (the horn part where the sound comes from) pointed down and to the side of the musician. Typically also they have their hand and perhaps a cloth in the bell to soften the sound.

Upon occasion, like in Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring”, the composer will add a note in the music “Pavillons en l’air” or “Schalltricter auf” which means “Bells Up”.

The idea is that the bell of the French Horn at this point is pointed up so that more of the sound is sent straight out to the audience.

At the same time, you can’t keep your hand in the bell here, so the sound is louder and meant for hearty passages!

So why would you name a winery Bells Up?

Dave Specter had played French Horn throughout high school and college. He then went on to become a corporate tax attorney. Yeah, that is as horrible and stressful as it sounds. So, he escaped and turned to something he loved and that was winemaking. It began with making wine in the basement. After working at Henke Winery in Cincinnati and then winning a couple of amateur winemaking competitions he and his wife Sara up and moved to Newberg Oregon, in the Willamette Valley.

Bells Up Winery is Dave’s “Bells Up” moment. He has found what he loves to do and he is doing it loudly and proudly!

It’s also a nod to Bell Road where their winery is located.

Bells Up Winery

The winery is in the Chehalem Mountains AVA where they have a 9-acre estate vineyard, planted to Pinot Noir and Seyval Blanc. Established in 2013 their winery is young. Their first vintage release was Memorial Day 2015 and we are celebrating their 6^th anniversary of releasing wine with a Memorial Day feast! We are also celebrating Oregon Wine Month!

First, let me tell you about the wines

*These wines were received as media samples. All opinions remain our own.

Bells Up 2020 Rhapsody Pinot Blanc Willamette Valley

The wine is named for George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. I have fond memories of this piece. (I can hum it to you in its entirety). You perhaps know it as the music from those old United Air Lines commercials. When Gershwin wrote this piece, it was groundbreaking.

He combined jazz with classical music. That clarinet glissando that introduces the piece is unmistakable.

The 2020 Rhapsody Pinot Bland is a new wine for Bells Up. This 100% Pinot Blanc came from a difficult vintage (well, a difficult year all around for all of us). The fruit comes from Plum Hill vineyard in Gaston Oregon.

This vineyard sits on the other side of the Tualatin River from the Chehalem Mountains AVA and these Pinot Blanc vines are 13 years old.

2020 delivered a cool wet June, right at the time of flowering, and meant fewer grapes at harvest. Then there was the fear of smoke taint from the fires, which luckily these grapes were free from.

They found this fruit “Lithe and Lively” and call this a jazzy white (so it is aptly named!). They aged it sur lie in Stainless Steel for 6 months. This adds body to the wine, rounding it out, but it still retains wonderful crispness.

46 cases produced – 12.5% abv – $28.00 SRP

Bells Up 2020 Prelude Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir Chehalem Mountains AVA

The name of this wine comes from one of Franz Liszt’s 12 Symphonic Poems, a genre that he created. Liszt was originally a performer, he was one of the greatest piano virtuosos of his time.

In his middle age, his mistress, the unhappily married Princess Carolyne Sayn-Wittgenstein, convinced him to stop performing and compose full time. He dedicated this piece to her.

The piece is a series of passages which used dissonance for harmonic color.

Hmm… so do we see this reflected in the wine?

We’ve mentioned the difficulties of this season of 2020, we mention the dissonance in the music. We often think of rosé as a cheerful wine.

There is not a lot of depth in a typical rosé it doesn’t sit on the skin very long, it comes out bright-eyed and a bit naïve, not having touched all the difficulties that the skin of the grape endured throughout the year, being made mostly of the juicy protected pulp of the grape. This wine is different.

This wine did a cold soak for 24 hours and then was lightly pressed. This gave the skins time to impart some of the lessons learned over the year to this wine. It is joyful despite adversity, not because it was sheltered from it.

The nose is at first dusty with bright red fruit beneath it as well as bramble, you know, the prickly part of the bushes that create such delicious fruit. It is a blend of light and dark.

So while joyful, this wine has depth and a sense of seriousness to it.

109 cases produced – 13.5 abv – $24 SRP

Bells Up 2020 Prelude Rose of Pinot Noir from Chehalem Mountian AVA

A Memorial Day Celebration

So to pair with the 6^th anniversary of their first release and these two lovely wines, we put together a small feast to enjoy in the backyard with friends. Yes, Memorial Day is a few days away…we celebrated early to bring you ideas for your own backyard pairings!

Halibut sliders with garlic parmesan aioli

So simple. Michael threw these on the grill in some foil and then they were dressed with an aioli sauce of grated parmesan, garlic, and mayo and topped with fresh thyme. (our thyme came from the backyard and Michael picked it as we plated since the plant was only 5 feet from the table!)

These were PERFECT with the Pinot Blanc!

Halibut sliders with garlic parmesan aioli with the Bells Up 2020 Rhapsody Pinot Blanc

Mexican Street Corn

Street corn is new to me! I know, I’m behind the times here. I made a quick sauce of mayo, sour crème, lime zest, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, and salt and pepper.

This is painted onto the corn after it is grilled, then you roll them in crumbled cotija cheese. So good!

With the Pinot Blanc, the cotija cheese was so flavorful!

Watermelon balls with kiwi and basil

With it just being two of us, a whole watermelon is just too much. I picked up one of those tiny watermelons. We made watermelon balls, sliced up a kiwi, and added some fresh basil.

Bahn mi inspired sausage dogs

I was determined not to have plain hotdogs or your typical topping. Michael found brioche buns and grilled up some sausage, we used a honey mustard dressing (stone ground mustard, mayo, and honey).

A smear of the dressing goes in the bottom of the bun, then we added thin ribbons of carrot and cucumber, the sausage, and topped it with more of the mustard mixture and fresh mint. YUM!

I decided it was worth trying this with the Pinot Blanc and was rewarded. The Pinot Blanc brought out the smokiness in the sausage in a wonderful bright way. This was an unusual pairing, interesting and delicious.

Hamburger sliders with bleu cheese and fig jam

I mean really how can you go wrong. The ingredients are all there in the title, juicy little burgers topped while they are hot with bleu cheese and finished with a dollop of fig jam, all sandwiched in a Kings Hawaiian Sweetbread roll. We did do these healthier by using the wheat rolls. LOL

The rosé really made the bleu cheese pop!

Hamburger sliders with bleu cheese and fig jam

Prosciutto wrapped cantaloupe

Simple, sweet, and savory. I find making these almost a meditation in the midst of cooking a bunch of dishes. slice the canteloupe and gracefully wrap each slice with a delicate thin piece of prosciutto.

The savoriness of the prosciutto and the sweetness of the canteloupe made this go well with the rosé

BBQ sliders with purple slaw

I cheated here and picked up BBQ, it was smoky and sweet and delicious. We topped it with slaw from purple cabbage, apple, cucumber, and carrot, with a dressing of mayo, honey, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper.

This was stunning with the rosé, the wine picking up on those sweet notes in the bbq sauce.

BBQ with purple slaw of cabbage, apple, cucumber & carrot in a sweet dressing, to pair with the Bells Up 2020 Prelude Rose of Pinot Noir

Salt & Pepper Potato Chips for our Memorial Day Feast

Oh and potato chips. Michael picked up salt and pepper crinkle chips that were the perfect crunch.

I encourage you to find a bottle of these wines, to pair for Memorial Day or any day this summer. Perhaps tune into these pieces of music and see how they pair. I’ll leave you with links.

George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue Leonard Bernstein conducting the New York Philharmonic (1976)

Liszt: Les Preludes, Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan

We look forward to tasting the Bells up 2018 Titan in the not to distance future and sharing with you more about this winery and its story.

Until then, you can find them online at Bells Up Winery.

If you will be in the Willamette Valley and want to book a tasting, you can do that! They are a micro-boutique winery (ie. really small). The best part about that is the personal service. Call and schedule a one on one tasting with Dave himself! You can reach them at 503.537.1328 or email them at [email protected].

It’s Oregon Wine Month!

More on Willamette Valley Wineries from Crushed Grape Chronicles

As always be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and sign up for our monthly newsletter to keep up to date on all of our posts.

When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.

Exploring the Kingdom of Aragon and its wines #WorldWineTravel

May 21, 2021

The Kingdom of Aragon, that’s quite a starting point. It springs from Navarre when Sancho III left his third son the small country of Aragon. The kingdom grew and grew expanding into Catalunya through marriage and into Valencia through conquering. At one point they ruled Sicily.

Today the Aragon region is in North-East Spain. It is smaller than it once was and now is an autonomous community within Spain, rather than its own kingdom. Its eastern border is Catalunya and Valencia, which keep it from touching the Mediterranean Sea. To the North is France and the Pyrenees. To the West Castilla y Leon and Navarra.

Landlocked and large this region spans from the foothills of the Pyrenees where temperatures can dip below zero to the Monegros desert and the climate throughout the region can be dramatically different.

It is reported that settlers were cultivating grapes in the Ebro Valley in 500BC, so winemaking in this region goes back a bit historically.

This month the World Wine Travel group is exploring this region virtually. You can scroll to the bottom to read my colleagues’ pieces.

If you want to learn more about the region or have a favorite producer or DO, come join us on Saturday, May 22^nd on Twitter! You can join the conversation by using the #hashtag #WorldWineTravel at 8 am Pacific time (11 am Eastern time).

Designations of Origin in Aragon

There are 4 DOs (Designations of Origin) in Aragon.

DO Somontano

Somontano means “at the foot of the mountain” and that is where this area sits, at the foot of the Pyrenees in the northeast part of Aragon. Wine has been produced here since the Romans. Monks took up the caretaking of the vines in the middle ages.

This DO was approved in 1984. It is well recognized in Spain for high-quality wines. The region has over 4,000 hectares under vine with altitudes ranging from 350 to 1,000 meters.

For more information on the DO Somontano visit D.O.P. Somontano

DO Campo de Borja

This small district in the northeast province of Zaragoza focuses on Garnacha. They call themselves “The Empire of Garnacha” with 5000 hectares of Garnacha planted. Some of the Garnacha vineyards here are said to date back to 1145, although the Foods and Wines of Spain site only date the oldest vineyards to 1890.

The region sits in the northwest part of Aragon and shares a bit of border with Navarre.

Vineyards here sit at between 350-750 meters and are broken into 3 areas. The Northeast region is low with elevations of 350-450 meters and the wines are notably aromatic. The middle area is higher at 450-550 meters, making wines that are complex and structured. The third area is the Southwest portion of the region and has the highest vineyards sitting between 550 and 700 meters in the foothills of the Moncayo mountain. Wines here are subtle and elegant.

You can learn more at the DO Campo de Borja site.

DO Cariñena

The name was originally Carae and was a Roman city. The DO here was established in 1932. This is the oldest and largest of the DOs in Aragon. It gave its name to the grape here “cariñena” which is known as Carignan in France and Mazuelo elsewhere in Spain.

Vineyards sit between 400 and 800 meters in elevation. There is quite a bit to this DO I invite you to visit the DO Cariñena site for much more information.

The last DO we will speak about is Calatayud, because these wines are the most accessible and were the wines I was able to easily locate to taste.

DO Calatayud

The region contains the cities of Calatayud and Maluenda the Jalón river and its tributary the Jiloca River flow through the region. It brushes the border with Castilla y Leon to the west and comes close to the Castilla – La Mancha border to the southwest.

Vines have been cultivated here since the 2^nd century BC. The ancient city of Augusta Bilbilis flourished here and the Moors founded the city of Calatayud in the nearby area. Wine cellars in the region are over 250 years old.

Garnacha is again the focus here. There are two main types of soils that produce different styles of wine. The slate and quartzite of the Cambrian period make wines with spice and mineral notes. The clay soils of the Miocene period produce more fruit-forward wines. You can find more details on the Calatayud site. The region has a very dramatic video that they share on the site that is worth checking out.

Garnacha from Calatayud

I found several wines from this region easily. Wines from the other regions, I would have had to ship in, and time was not on my side. So I will wait to explore wines from Somontano and Campo de Borja and Cariñena another day.

In the meantime I found two wines from DO Calatayud to try, both were extremely affordable at under $15 each.

Tres Ojos Old Vines 2018

This wine is produced by Bodega San Gregorio, a co-op founded in 1965, located north of the city of Calatayud in the Ribota River Valley.

This co-op was founded in 1965 in Cervera de la Cañada in the foothills of the Iberian Mountains. They have vineyards in the Ribota and Manubles valleys, in the west of the Calatayud appellation. Their 700 hectares of vineyards surround the Sierra de Armantes.

From their site

” The cultivation of the vine in the area dates back to at least the second century BC, documented after the discovery of a press in the Celtíbero de Segeda site, located between the municipalities of Belmonte de Gracián and Mara, just 20 km from Cervera. The first written reference to the high quality of the area’s wines dates back to the 1st century and its author is Marco Valerio Marcial, a satirical writer who was born in Bílbilis Augusta, a Roman city located near Calatayud. In the 12th century, the Cistercian monks founded the Stone Monastery, and increased the vine planting in the area.”

This wine the Tres Ojos “Three eyes” is named for the ancient walking bridge in the city of Calatayud. (close up label shot)

85% Old Vine Garnacha and 15% tempranillo the vines are between 40 and 50 years old. It is whole berry fermented which is typical for the region. It ferments at a warm 30° C for 7 days, then 14 days of skin maceration (which gives it a deep ruby color. It ages 12 months in Stainless Steel before being lightly filtered and bottled.

For me, it had a full nose of Blackberry, raspberry, black cherry, and bramble with some black pepper. This wine is big at 15.5%.

Tres Ojos 2018 Old Vine Garnacha from DO Calatayud Aragon Spain

Intruso 2019 Calatayud Garnacha

This wine is made by Bodega Juan Gil. In 1916 Juan Gil Gimenez built his first winery in Jumilla. The company is now run by the 4^th generation and it has expanded to 11 family wineries in 10 appellations. They export to 50 different countries.

The bottle has a story on the back label

“Pepe Sáez, after a lifetime dedicated to the care of vineyards throughout the Spanish geography, decided to undertake his most ambitious project: the selection of the most special vineyards from “emerging” regions and native grape varieties to create a range of wines with a character unique and an unbeatable value for money, capable of satisfying the taste of the most demanding consumers.

“Intruso” is the name chosen for such a special project, born without prejudice, with the illusion of challenging the status quo and the sole objective of allowing the consumer to taste the fruit of the best vineyards.

Intruso is the affectionate nickname to call Pepe Sáez, meaning the outsider in Spanish.”

We enjoyed the wine. But I will say, I could not find this vintage online anywhere except Total Wine. I tried looking this up on the Bodega Juan Gil site to no avail. It is imported by Saranty Imports, which seems to bring in quite a bit for Total Wine, so perhaps this is a private bottling.

The wine itself had a bit of wet hay on the nose for me and I had to dig to find the fruit. Michael had a different experience and enjoyed the fruit forwardness of the wine. My glass eventually opened up for me with notes of black cherry and black plum. This wine sits at a little more reasonable 14.5 % abv and you could tell the difference. This is 100% Garnacha and ran $12.99.

Intruso 2019 Garnacha from DO Calatayud in Aragon Spain

Pairing with Spanish meats and cheeses

These wines were both very deeply colored and flavored wines. They were big, not deep, and will pair well with friends and conversation. We paired ours with Spanish cheeses; Iberico, Cabra al Vino, and Manchego and meats; Salchichon, Del Duca Jamón Serrano and Chorizo Cantimpalo plus heirloom tomato slices, Red pepper slices, blackberries, raspberries, truffled Marcona almonds, olives, and black cherries.

Garnacha from Calatayud in Aragon Spain with Spanish Cheeses and meats

#WorldWineTravel

My colleagues at World Wine Travel have been visiting Aragon virtually also and I am sure discovered many more wines! I can’t wait to see what they tasted.

2015 Vinos del Viento Cariñena + Pulled Pork Sandwiches by ENOFYLZ Wine Blog
A Tale of Garnacha, Exploring Aragon by Avvinare
Aragon by Tabletop: Arroz Aragonés + 2015 Vinos del Viento Cariñena by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Aragon’s Carinena and Castles + Olive Anchovy Sammies by Wine Predator
Calatayud, Aragon Wines: Evodia + Fully Loaded Pork Taquitos by Our Good Life
Campo De Borja: The Empire of Garnacha by My Full Wine Glass
Cooking to the Wine: Vinos del Viento Cariñena with Smoky Octopus, Bacon Smashed Potatoes, and Romesco Sauce by Somm’s Table
Exploring Aragon via Plate and Glass by Food Wine Click!
Fountains of Wine in the Land of Kings by Children of the Grape
Heading to Aragón and Valdejalón with Bodegas Frontonio by Savor the Harvest
Learning Spain – Aragon’s Four Wine Regions: Carinena, Somontano, Calatayud, and Campo De Borja Through Eight Wines by Chinese Food and Wine Pairings
Two Bottles of Lovely Wine from a Lovely Area by A Day in the life on the Farm

Sources and Resources

The history of Chenin Blanc in the US and Washington

First, you must know that in Washington in the late 70s and early 80s there was quite a bit of planting going on. People were trying out multiple varieties trying to see what would stick. In the 80s this grape was very popular as a high acid and high yield variety that could be blended, often into jug wines some of which were actually labeled “Chablis” (of all things LOL)! As palates changed many of these vines were ripped out.

Jean Ferguson of L’Ecole No. 41 loved Chenin Blanc, in particular the style from the Loire Valley in France known as Vouvray. In the 70s many thought the climate in Washington would be suited to Chenin, due to their similar latitudes (The Yakima Valley is 46.32° and Vouvray in the Loire Valley is 47.41°) and many vineyards in the Yakima Valley were planted to Chenin Blanc.

So in 1987 they sourced fruit and made their first Chenin Blanc at L’Ecole. This wine has become a standard at L’Ecole, sourced from old vines planted in 1979 in the Yakima Valley.

These old vines come from Upland Vineyard in the Snipes Mountain AVA as well as Willard Farms and Phil Church Vineyard both of which sit high into the foothills of the mountains north of the Valley.

Here is a shot of the old vines from Willard Vineyard.

Willard Vineyard - 1979 Old Vine Chenin - photo Courtesy LEcole No 41

As vines age, their roots dig down into the subsoil and find water. At this age, they don’t stress easily. Older, wiser, they can take loads more than their younger siblings when it comes to weather or drought. You have considerably less vintage variation, these old vines are consistent. They are also putting out fruit with more balance and concentration.

The love affair with Chenin Blanc in this country and Washington has changed. Once a darling, it fell out of favor for Riesling and Chardonnay. I went to look for a list of Washington State White wines to see where Chenin Blanc ended up. Chardonnay is the most planted white wine grape with 7,403 followed by Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc. Then you get to “Other Whites” with Pinot Gris (1,779 acres), Gewürztraminer (222 acres), Viognier(115 acres), and Semillon (95 acres). Chenin Blanc comes in under the next sub-category of “More:” so I am assuming there is not much. I found a 2017 report that had it listed at 67 acres.

So these are vineyards that are cooler due to altitude and it allows the grapes to ripen slowly and retain their acid. This is a late-ripening variety and it’s often mid to late October before they harvest the Chenin Blanc.

Jean Ferguson, is surely responsible for saving some of those Chenin Blanc vines from being pulled out. L’Ecole No. 41 currently has 14% of the market share for Chenin Blanc in the State of Washington. Thanks, Jean!

2020 Chenin Blanc Old Vines Yakima Valley

The 2020 Vintage was ripening during the fire season. While there were no fires in the Yakima Valley, they did see smoke. Luckily the Gulf Stream pulled the smoke out over the Pacific before pushing it back over this part of Washington.

What does that mean? Well, smoke taint comes from early smoke. Once it has been in the atmosphere for a while and blown around over the ocean, you still have air that is not the healthiest for humans, but no longer holds those volatile compounds that will mess up the grapes.

The haze from the smoke meant less sunlight which extended the growing season and the hang time. So when it was clear and safe for the vineyard workers to get back out there, the grapes were ripe and happy and ready to be picked.

This wine did partial malolactic fermentation to round out this high acid wine, giving it just a bit of roundness in the mouthfeel.

The wine has notes of nectarine, honeysuckle, citrus zest, yellow apple, elderflower, and chalk. On the palate, it adds some tropical notes like kiwi (which informed one of our toppings for our French Toast).

They made 3,200 cases of this wine, it sits at 13% abv and it sells for an amazing $17 per bottle!

L'Ecole No. 41 2020 Chenin Blanc Yakima Valley

On to the pairings!

So as we mentioned, we took Marcus’ mention of French toast as a challenge! But we wanted to do something savory also. Riffing on the breakfast for dinner theme we ran with shrimp and grits.

French toast with honey thymed ricotta and fresh fruit

So our French toast was topped with ricotta mixed with honey and fresh thyme then raspberries, kiwi, white peach, and nectarine then a wee sprinkle of powdered sugar.

So you might wonder about this sweet dish with this wine. Constance did when Marcus mentioned this in our chat. But we did not over-sweeten the dish and the eggs, bread and fresh fruit were lovely with this wine. (Thanks Marcus!)

L'Ecole No. 41 2020 Chenin Blanc Yakima Valley with french toast topped with honeyed ricotta and fruit

Shrimp cooked in bacon fat with cheesy grits

On to the Shrimp and grits. Our grits were adorned with butter and cheddar. I know, seafood and cheese? Yep, in this case, it really works. We first fried up some bacon, then cooked the shrimp in the bacon fat and finished it with chopped parsley, green onions, garlic, and lemon juice. That bacon gets crumbled and sprinkled on top.

The dish is just gorgeous to look at and it is delicious. With the wine, the shrimp are sweeter. Not a wow moment pairing, but comfortable and delicious.

L'Ecole No. 41 2020 Chenin Blanc Yakima Valley with cheesy shrimp and grits

You can find this Chenin Blanc on their site, or…if you are ready to travel, you can head to Walla Walla (the city so nice, they named it twice) and visit the beautiful L’Ecole No. 41 tasting room in the old schoolhouse just outside of Walla Walla.

41 Lowden School Road, Lowden, WA 99360 | 509.525.0940 | [email protected]

Check before stopping by on their hours and requirements for reservations as these things are changing as we open back up.

L'Ecole No. 41 Schoolhouse (photo courtesy L'Ecole No. 41)

More on the Wines of L’Ecole No. 41 and on wines from the Yakima Valley

Shrimp cooked in bacon fat with cheesy grits

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Breakfast? Dinner? Who cares, it's delicious. The grits get a good dose of butter and cheddar cheese and the shrimp cook in bacon fat to really amp up the flavors. We do add a little green with some green onions and parsley.

Ingredients

1 cup yellow grits
4 cups of water
Salt
Pepper
3 tbs butter (unsalted)
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
6 slices of bacon
½ lb peeled, deveined shrimp
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
3 green onions chopped
1 clove of garlic minced
½ lemon juiced

Instructions

First things first, start the grits.
Get 4 cups of water boiling in a medium pot.
Add salt and pepper then add the grits.
Give this a good stir so it doesn’t clump.
Cook 20-25 minutes stirring occasionally with a kitchen mitt (this will blurp and burn you if you are not careful!)
While that is cooking
Crisp up the bacon in a skillet
Pull this out to drain on a paper towel
Add the shrimp and cook in the bacon fat until it is pink.
Add the parsley, green onions, and garlic, cook for about a minute.
Pull off the heat and squeeze in the lemon juice and stir.
The grits should be ready, add the butter and cheese and stir it to its happy gooeyness!
Put this in a bowl, top with the shrimp mixture, and sprinkle with the chopped bacon.

Nutrition Information

Yield

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 335Total Fat 23gSaturated Fat 12gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 144mgSodium 952mgCarbohydrates 9gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 22g

Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.

French toast with honey thymed ricotta and fresh fruit

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 18 minutes

Breakfast, brunch, or even dinner. French toast is simple, delicious, and filling. Top it with a honey thymed ricotta and loads of fresh fruit!

Ingredients

½ cup ricotta
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 tsp honey
½ cup fresh raspberries
1 kiwi sliced
½ nectarine
½ white peach
½ lemon
½ loaf fresh French loaf (use challah if you can find it) about 8 thick slices
4 eggs
¼ cup milk
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp fresh ground nutmeg
1 tsp honey
1 tbs butter
1 tsp olive oil
1 tbs powdered sugar

Instructions

Mix the ricotta, honey, and thyme leaves stripped from the stem. Set aside.
Slice the kiwi, peach, and nectarine mix with the raspberries, squeeze the lemon on top and cover with a wet paper towel. Set aside.
Mix the eggs, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and honey and whisk until blended.
Start the butter and oil on a griddle pan on medium-high heat.
Dunk the bread and brown on the griddle on both sides.
Pop it in the oven to keep warm until ready to serve.
Top with the ricotta and then the fruit mixture and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Nutrition Information

Yield

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 215Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 204mgSodium 134mgCarbohydrates 17gFiber 3gSugar 11gProtein 11g

Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.

Sources & Resources

As always be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and sign up for our monthly newsletter to keep up to date on all of our posts.

When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.

Celebrating Sauvignon Blanc Day at the table with St. Supéry and easy Middle Eastern Dishes #WinePW

May 7, 2021

Celebrating St. Supéry on Sauvignon Blanc Day

Today, May 7^th is Sauvignon Blanc Day. We have enjoyed quite a bit of Sauvignon blanc in our glasses this spring. This one from St. Supéry in the Napa Valley comes with a story that we will get to shortly.

This is also the month for Middle Eastern Food & Wine Pairings with the #WinePW Crew. I was excited to tie in this Sauvignon Blanc with my community-style Middle Eastern dishes.

You can join us for a conversation on Middle Eastern Food and Wine Pairings on Saturday, May 8^th at 8 am Pacific time on Twitter. Just follow and use the hashtag #WinePW to join the conversation. You’ll find links to all of my colleagues’ articles below.

What to include in our Middle Eastern feast?

When I think of middle eastern food I am taken to my days right out of college when my palate expanded and falafel and hummus became a regular part of my life.

I was excited to get back to these flavors and create a meal (mostly from scratch) with dishes meant to share at the table. Meze if you will.

The Middle East covers a large area and multiple countries. Hummus likely came from Egypt and spread across the Middle East where chickpeas are abundant.

Tzatziki you will of course find in Greece, but there is a variation in Turkey known as Cacik.

Naan is known in India and comes from the old Persian word for bread. It can be found in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikstan, and Iran.

Falafel’s origins are contentious, Israel claims it as one of their national dishes, Palestinians think of it as an Arab specialty. In Lebanon and Yemen, they also claim to have invented it.

It most likely originates from Egypt and was likely first made with fava beans and it is from those beans that it takes its name.

Baba Ghanoush is of Lebanese origin. Whew, so that is quite the gastronomical trip around the Middle east.

These were the dishes that would grace my table today. I will leave the tabouleh for another day, although it would have been lovely with the Sauvignon Blanc.

St. Supery Sauvignon Blanc and Middle Eastern Meze

What wines pair with a Middle Eastern Meze?

If you want to search for a Middle eastern Wine to pair with these dishes I would suggest perhaps an Emir from Turkey, which is a fresh white wine with notes of green apple and lemon and sometimes a mineral note or a Narince which can be crisp and saline.

Or perhaps a Merwah from Lebanon (which may be a version of Semillon).

My colleagues with Wine Pairing Weekend are bound to have many more suggestions!

Less far afield you could go with an Albairño from Spain or an Assyrtiko from Santorini in Greece.

Our Sauvignon blanc was a good pairing as it picked up on the garlic and lemon in many of the dishes. The falafel worked with the acid in the wine as did the creamy baba ghanoush and of course the green cucumber notes in the tzatziki again just called for a Sauvignon blanc.

Simple Easy Dishes?

I thought of this as a simple meal, that would not take much time to whip up. Well, I was partially right.

Each of the dishes were fairly simple, but…I was making several of them.

This ended up being an afternoon in the kitchen, going from one dish to the next and back again but it was all well worth it.

I started with making the naan. It is simple, just water, sugar, yeast, oil, flour, salt, and yogurt. Mix it up and let it rise for an hour. I found my recipe at Rasa Malaysia

Then there were eggplants to roast for the Baba Ghanoush, hummus to make with my recipe from Inspired Taste

Cucumbers needed to be shredded and drained for the tzatziki with a recipe from The Mediterranean Dish

Then back to the Baba Ghanoush now that the eggplant was roasted and cooled with another recipe from The Mediterranean Dish.

Now it was time to toss together the falafel. I did cheat, and I picked up a box of falafel mix. While these drained after frying, I cut and rolled my naan and fried it up in the rod iron skillet, topping it with a brush of clarified butter.

I added a dish of feta and olives and some almonds to finish off our table.

These are community dishes, meant to be eaten with your hands and to be shared. Which leads me to our wine.

St. Supéry

If you have visited Napa Valley you may have visited St. Supéry. They sit on the east side of Hwy 29 in Rutherford. I remember visiting one early morning, more than a few years ago before the tasting room was busy.

We had the space to wander and enjoy an exhibit on wine aromas and then take up all the attention of the gentleman running the tasting room, who was so generous with his knowledge. These are fond memories, and it reminds me that I need to get back and visit again.

Dollarhide Ranch Vineyard

Around the winery, you will find the St. Supéry Rutherford vineyards, but they also have vineyards in the northeastern hills of the Napa Valley. East of Howell Mountain before you reach Lake Berryessa you will find Dollarhide Ranch.

The elevation here runs from 600 to 1,100 feet with 7 different soil series and some unique microclimates.

The Dollarhide Vineyard is full of biodiversity, with over 1,500 acres and only 500 planted to vines. Far from the main roads in Napa the ranch, the property has 7 different lakes and they encourage wildlife corridors and bird corridors. Much of the native wildlife and plants have not been disturbed.

They mention ducks, geese, egrets, owls, bees, foxes, otter, and largemouth bass among other animals who call the ranch home.

They also have 1,200 heirloom fruit trees on the property (if you get to the St. Supéry tasting room you can pick up preserves!)

St. Supéry Sauvignon Blanc 2019 and the story of the 2020 vintage

Sauvignon Blanc I received from St. Supéry in Napa Valley was their 2019 Vintage. It is delicious and brighter than most California Sauvignon Blancs, with notes of lime zest, grapefruit, floral notes, and a bit of wet stone. SRP is $22 abv is 13.5%

(I found this available on wine.com).

*This wine was received as a media sample. All opinions remain our own.

But here is where the story comes in.

They have released their 2020 Vintage of this wine. The Sauvignon Blanc is the only wine they produced from the 2020 vintage. It was just the second day of harvest with the fires converged on the Dollarhide Ranch.

Neighbors pitched in helping the team to protect the ranch with firebreaks, bulldozers, and water trucks.

The grapes for the 2020 vintage Sauvignon Blanc were harvested before the fires. Once the fires began they could not guarantee that the grapes they pulled in would not have smoke taint. They made the decision not to bottle any of the post-fire wine.

The amount of Sauvignon that they had already picked amounted to 2% of the normal vintage.

The 2020 vintage is available in their tasting room. $5 from each bottle goes to the Napa Valley Community Disaster Relief Fund. They do this to honor the neighbors who came to their aid and made this wine possible.

St. Supery Sauvignon Blanc and Middle Eastern Food

This is where we return to the idea of community and our shared dishes. Humbly eating with my hands and sharing food while enjoying this wine, seemed right.

The #WinePW Crew

I am so excited to see what the Wine Pairing Weekend Crew has put together. A shout out to Wendy of a Day in the Life on the Farm for leading us into this exploration.

While I didn’t find a Middle Eastern Wine, I expect that in these peices my colleagues have written, I will find new wines to explore and new dishes to try…

Pinny of Chinese Food and Wine Pairing is Drinking Serious Wine from Israel’s Domaine du Castel and Eating Causal Israeli Food
Nicole of Somm’s Table is “Indulging My Lebanese Cravings with Chateau Musar Jeune Rouge”
Susannah of Avvinare shares Israeli Wine From the Judean Hills and Tabbouleh Salad
Terri of Our Good Life talks about Kofte Kebabs and Ben Ami Cabernet Sauvignon: a BBQer’s Bliss.
Andrea of The Quirky Cork visits Lebanon and Syria, a Crossroads of Wines and Flavors
Cam of Culinary Adventures with Camilla is sharing Man’oushe + Château Musar Lebanon Jeune Red 2017
Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm made up a Mezze Platter with Middle Eastern Wines
Jane of Always Ravenous is “Pairing Middle Eastern Flavors with Wine”
David of Cooking Chat is serving Sesame Free Hummus with Wine from the Middle East
Gwendolyn of Wine Predator shares So Africa’s Organic Reyneke Syrah and Chenin Blanc with Instant Pot Persian Lamb Shanks

Sources and resources

More wine and food pairings

As always be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and sign up for our monthly newsletter to keep up to date on all of our posts.

When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.

Sokol Blosser Celebrating 50 years – an inside peek at the family behind this pioneering winery in Oregon’s Willamette Valley

May 4, 2021

“I remember that story just slightly differently…”.

A family gathered, reminiscing, telling stories. It’s a joyful place to be, as a guest listening as a family shares their stories, with joy and fondness. It’s especially joyful when the family sharing the stories is one of the pioneers of wine in the Willamette Valley.

I was lucky enough to attend a virtual tasting with the Sokol Blosser family. Susan, Bill, Alex, and Alison (assisted by the wonderful Liz Barret), invited a group of wine writers to taste through 4 of their wines as they shared stories of the history of their winery and celebrated 50 years in the Willamette Valley.

When I first became interested in wine, we planned a trip to the Willamette Valley. Before going, I had picked up the book, “At Home in the Vineyard: Cultivating a Winery, an Industry, and a Life” by Susan Sokol Blosser. She shared both the trials and tribulations of being one of the first handful of winemaking families to plant in what is now such a well-known region. I was completely taken in by her story.

The family at Sokol Blosser, Susan, Alex, Alison and Bill (photo courtesy Sokol Blosser)

The story of Sokol-Blosser

The Sokol-Blosser story begins as Bill says with “Dreamers who loved wine.”

Susan’s father had a cellar and many amazing bottles of Burgundy, that the two were lucky enough to experience. Bill spent a year in France. When the two graduated from Stanford and married, both with liberal arts degrees they had the feeling that they could do anything. What they decided to do was move to Oregon and grow Pinot Noir. They began planting in 1971 in the Dundee Hills, 34 years before the area became its own AVA.

In 1977 they had their first vintage. There was no wine industry in the region at that time. As to sustainability? Well, they were farmers first, so sustainability just seemed common sense. You take care of the land if you want it to produce well, and you avoid chemicals because you are raising kids on this land!

The property they found in the Dundee Hills, was the closest thing to a Burgundian climate in the new world. It was an abandoned prune orchard and they bought it just 2 weeks after the birth of their son Nik.

They got in at the right time for land prices. The family joked that while they would love to buy more property to expand the vineyard now, they are priced out of their own backyard. The Dundee Hills when they started had a handful of growers, today there are close to 65.

Not only did they get in at the right time for land prices, but they were also starting as the local Oregon bean farms were converting to bush beans! This meant a plethora of leftover wire and posts were available for grape trellising!

As they shared vintage photos with us Bill was teased about his beret, which he brought back from France. Susan said he would only take it off to shower or sleep. Bill claims

Bill Blosser in his beret (photo courtesy Sokol-Blosser)

“I had to wear it in the vineyard because the vines demanded it!”

They pushed forward, planting vines, welcoming Alex to the family, building a winery, opening a tasting room (the first in Oregon), gaining international recognition, and then having Alison join the family!

Susan became the President of the winery in 1991 and Bill returned to using his Stanford degree for urban planning.

The 2nd Generation of Sokol Blosser

The children were raised to choose their own path and of course, none of them thought that included working at the family winery. Bill and Susan knew first-hand how tough this business was and wanted their kids to have a life! They had not planned the business as one to hand down, they were just doing their thing. Nik really did escape, and Alex with his BS in Philosophy (don’t laugh it is a Bachelor of Science degree from Portland State) and Alison were determined not to come back.

Nonetheless, the vineyard drew them back in. (Really, where can you find a cooler job?) In 1998 Alex returned, and in 2004 Alison did also. Finally, in 2008 the two took over the daily operations. They joke that their mom always says it took two of them to replace the one of her!

The Historic Accolades and Firsts

But that’s just the short story, of course, they skipped many of the accolades, so I’ll give you a quick list here:

1979 International recognition at the International Wine & Spirits Competition in London.
1983 honored by the US Soil and Water Conservation District for Susan’s work with experimental cover crops to control erosion on hillside vineyards.
1996 The first winery to be certified “Salmon-Safe”
1997 joins LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology) through Oregon State University
2002 their underground barrel cellar is the first winery building in the country to be LEED-certified and they start to transition to organic farming.
2007 they add solar which provides 1/3 of their total energy needs.
2015 they become B Corp Certified

Of course, there is more. Bill was active in the Development of the Oregon Winegrowers Association, the Oregon Wine Board, the Yamhill County Wineries Association, the International Pinot Noir Festival, and the Yamhill County Tourism board.

Susan led on the environmental front with her work on cover crops and leading the business into the triple bottom line concept of people, planet, and profit.

Okay, you get the idea…they have been leaders in the wine industry in Oregon, a state that leads the nation when it comes to wine industry standards for quality and sustainability.

Alex is now the winemaker, a position he took over in 2013 when their previous winemaker Russ Rosner retired after 15 years with Sokol Blosser. Alex was also involved in the process of submitting the 6 sub-AVAs Dundee Hills, Eola-Amity Hills, McMinnville, Yamhill-Carlton, Chehalem Mountains, and Ribbon Ridge, beginning in 2002.

Alison is the person guiding the winery strategically. She puts to use her knowledge of PR and marketing. She led our tasting as only a little sister could, sharing photos of Alex asleep in the sandbox as a child and commenting on his numerous baseball analogies. We left feeling like we had been sitting around with the family for a bit of nostalgic storytime, and what a story it is.

Of course, there were also the wines!

As if enjoying the stories of the history of Sokol Blosser, straight from the mouths of the people who lived it was not enough, we were also sent 4 wines from the vineyard. Their Sokol Blosser Bluebird Cuvee Sparkling Wines, the 2018 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir, the 2018 Old Vineyard Block Pinot Noir and the 2012 Big Tree Block Pinot Noir. So we were able to taste a bit of the history with them.

(*These wines were received as media samples, but all opinions remain our own)

Sokol Blosser Bluebird Cuvée Sparkling Wine 2018

We toasted with this traditional method sparkling wine at the top of the session. Sokol Blosser has long supported the Prescott Western Bluebird Recovery Project. The Western Bluebird artwork on the label was designed by Jared Tuttle. If you visit Sokol Blosser you might see the 15 bird houses around the property providing shelter and a breeding habitat for these beautiful birds.

The wine is a blend of grapes from Oregon and Washington including Pinot Noir and Chardonnay of course, but also, Müller Thurgau and Riesling as well as a bit of Early Muscat.

Alex told us that the idea is to blend the best of Germany and France and then the Early muscat is added to lift the aromatics (just 2 to 3 %). They like freshness in this wine, with purity of fruit.

The wine is definitely aromatic, those notes of Riesling and Early Muscat giving the sparkling wine fruit notes. We paired this with an early dinner of spring rolls, fried chicken, and mac & cheese (all great pairings for sparkling wine.)

1,000 cases produced, SRP $32

Pairings for the Sokol Blosser Bluebird Cuvee

Sokol Blosser Bluebird Cuvée Sparkling Wine 2018

Sokol Blosser Dundee Hills Estate Pinot Noir 2018

This wine is sourced from the 90 acres around the winery in the Dundee Hills, all certified organic. They did a lot of ambient yeast in 2018 because the fruit was so clean. They do punch downs for cap management and ferment in open-top fermenters then press off into barrel for about 16 months.

It is is a blend of Pinot Noir clones including 115, 667, 777, Pommard UCD4, Wadenswil 2A, and Gamay Beaujolais (which is a weird name for a type of Pinot Noir). This saw about 20% New Oak. 2018 was a great vintage with a balanced of ripe fruit, good acid, and good tannins. 2012 was similar.

This wine has notes of black cherry and cranberry and wonderful notes of mushroom and forest floor.

4,798 cases produced, SRP $42.

Sokol Blosser Dundee Hills Estate Pinot Noir 2018

Sokol Bosser 2018 Old Vineyard Block Estate Pinot Noir 2018

This 50^th Anniversary wine has a retro label, an ode to the original Sokol Blosser label from the 70s.

The vineyard was replanted on to new rootstock in the mid-90s, due to phylloxera (they were the 2^nd to get it in the region).

After replanting, they looked at the blocks which had been producing stand-alone wines. This the Old Vineyard block which was their first planting. It is a combination of Wadenwil 1A (the Lett clone)& 2A, Pommard and Pinot Droit. Pinot Droit is an upright clone of Pinot Noir. This has a bit more weight and intensity with more color from the Pinot Droit, red fruit from Pommard, and density and spice from the Wadenswil, when it gets ripe.

You’ll find notes of cherry, pomegranate, spice, and leather.

There were just 496 cases made of this wine, and the celebration bottling retails at $60.

Sokol Bosser 2018 Old Vineyard Block Estate Pinot Noir 2018

Sokol Blosser 2012 Big Tree Block Pinot Noir

2012 was like 2018 in that it was an amazing vintage. It was also Alex’s first vintage as winemaker and he didn’t think he would see another like it.

Alex had a baseball analogy (Alison teases him about these analogies, but she also does give him props, that they are all unique, he doesn’t repeat them!)

“The winemaker, he or she, they are the batter and Mother Nature is the pitcher…as a batter, you have to make adjustments every year, because you are never going to see the same pitch twice. And if you see the same pitch, you make the pitcher pay. In a vintage like 2012 and 2018, that’s a pitch we’ve seen before, so you hit it out of the park.”

One sip of this wine…it is complex and you can taste the age, but there are still plenty of fresh primary fruit notes. In 2012 they went without rain for a month. From the end of September, they were dry and could pick whenever they wanted. Alex says it was like being in California! They had the ability in this vintage to ripen the grapes as much as they wanted to, there was no rushing to pick to avoid the rain.

The Big Tree Block is 5.27 acres at 450-500 ft elevation in Jory soil. The clones are 115, 777, and Pommard. Just 300 cases were produced. It spent 17 months in 42% new French oak.

$70 upon release, this library wine now retails at $95, and it is worth every penny. This is a magical wine. Tart cherries, blueberries, baking spice, and those beautiful notes of wet leaves…I savored this glass.

Sokol Blosser 2012 Big Tree Block Pinot Noir

The next 50 years at Sokol Blosser

Now they get ready for the next 50 years. The goal is to keep Sokol Blosser family-owned and operated and that means continuing to make wines that consumers seek out.

Quality and sustainability are at the forefront. Last year they started distributing the Evolution wines in box! These are more sustainable than glass., and they can share this at an accessible price point! Recently, they were recertified by B Corp for the 3^rd time and their score went up 25%. (Congrats!)

They are experimenting with new varieties for them, like Gamay and Sav Blanc, and continue to move forward with their Sparkling wine program.

As they plant they are looking at new rootstocks which will be helpful with climate change. They planted a test block this spring, putting the same Pinot Noir clone on a bunch of different rootstocks that they do not already use, to see how it does. They want to set the next generation up for success as they will deal with more of the effects of climate change than we are currently.

As they slowly reopen they look forward to increasing the quality of the wine/food/hospitality experience. So if you find yourself able to travel, you might consider a trip to the Willamette. Stop in for a glass of sparkling and stay to enjoy the Pinot!

Currently they are open Thursday to Monday 10 am to 4 pm by reservation only. Call ahead or visit the website to see what their current hours are for tastings and if you need a reservation, as these things are changing as things reopen.

Sokol Blosser Winery

5000 NE Sokol Blosser Lane
Dayton, OR 97114 USA
503-864-2282

Sokol Blosser Vineyard Fall 2018 (photo courtesy Sokol Blosser)

More on Oregon wine Country from Crushed Grape Chronicles

As always be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and sign up for our monthly newsletter to keep up to date on all of our posts.

When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.

Tea smoked tuna and roasted beets with an aromatic plating paired with a Utopia 2017 Pinot Noir

Mar 17, 2021

We received this beautiful Pinot Noir from Utopia Vineyards as a media sample. What to pair with it? Tea and umami are notes that are often present in Pinot Noir, it is also noted for its earthy notes. The tasting notes from the winery mentioned rosemary and spice notes, so I wrapped this all up in a dish that made me excited to get cooking.

Lavender Earl Grey Tea Smoked Tuna with Roasted Golden Beets and Rosemary

Rather than salmon, we decided to go a bit bolder with tea smoked tuna. I looked for ahi but was only able to find Yellowfin, which worked beautifully.

I riffed on a recipe by Feasting at Home, for tea-smoked five-spiced salmon, using the Chinese smoking technique she describes. We plated this on a bed of rosemary roasted golden beets.

Utopia 2017 Pinot Noir with Lavender Earl Grey tea smoked Yellowfin Tuna with roasted golden beets with rosemary

It’s easier than you think

I know this dish sounds fancy, and it is! It looks like something they would cook on one of those fancy cooking competition shows! The truth is, this is not hard to do at home. Quite honestly it was easier than most recipes I put together.

You do need a few pieces of equipment: A wok, a metal vegetable steamer, aluminum foil and a set of bowls that you can nest one larger than the other, for individual serving.

The tuna needs to marinate for 30 minutes and while it is doing that, you can get everything else prepped. Start to finish you can do this dinner in less than an hour. Perfect for a romantic dinner!

Tea smoked tuna ingredients with a Utopia 2017 Ribbon Ridge Pinot Noir

Start with the marinade

We began with a marinade of garlic, ginger, olive oil, soy sauce, honey, blood orange juice, and zest with some brewed tea. I incorporated my lavender earl grey tea here. All the ingredients mix up quickly in a blender, then go into a zip lock bag with the tuna steaks. This heads to the refrigerator for 30 minutes (or more).

Preparing your wok for smoking

So let’s get to this smoking in the wok. It’s genius. I love smoked foods, but I am not a big griller, so the idea of a smoker for the patio is just not for me. The idea that I could cook tea smoked tuna and other foods on my stove inside, was very appealing.

In this method, you line the bottom of your wok with aluminum foil. I did an 8 x 8 square that was 4 layers thick. This is important to contain the mess and protect your wok.

In the center of the aluminum foil, I placed my mixture of sugar, tea, rice, and spice (I used 2 broken star anise) This should be in a 4-inch diameter pile. On top of that, you place a metal vegetable steamer. You know, the cute little ones with the feet that fold open like a flower. The feet keep the steamer above the tea mixture, you don’t want this touching the bottom of the steamer.

On to the beets

Ingredients for the rosemary roasted golden beets to pair with the Utopia Pinot Noir

Once this is prepped, you can move on to the beets. I like the golden beets because they are beautiful and have a slightly more delicate flavor than red beets. They are also decidedly less messy.

I preheated my oven to 450 degrees F, then scrubbed and sliced the beets into ¼ inch thick rounds on a mandoline. These get tossed with olive oil, fresh chopped rosemary, and salt and pepper. Lay these out on a baking sheet. I used a silicone mat under them for an easy clean-up and to keep them from browning too much. I wanted them soft, not crispy. Before these go in the oven go back and get your tuna ready to smoke.

Making the tea smoked tuna

Pull the tuna out of the marinade and discard the marinade (after having raw fish in it, it’s no longer safe to eat unless you boil it). Blot just the bottom of the tuna and place them in the steamer basket so that they are not touching.

Cover the pan with aluminum foil and top with a lid (ideally a glass lid).

Now you can put your beets in the oven for 20 minutes, but set your timer to start checking on them after 15 minutes.

Place the wok on the stove over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. You should start to see puffs of smoke. *Tip: turn your vent on! I did not and was watching and watching and not seeing smoke. After 5 minutes, I turned on the vent, and then I could see the smoke. This caused me to slightly overcook my tuna from where I had originally wanted it.

Once you see the puffs of smoke, turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for 5 to 8 minutes (5 gets you rarer tuna).

Prepping your plates

While that is cooking, prep your dish for plating. Turn on your kettle with some water to boil. Pull out bowls that you can nest one inside the other for plating. In the larger bottom bowl place sprigs of fresh rosemary and one or two star anise. Place the bowl for your beets and tuna on top in the center.

When your tuna is done smoking, sear it on each side in a rod iron skillet for 30 seconds to 1 minute per side.

Pull the beets from the oven and layer them in your bowl, place the tea smoked tuna on top.

*While I did not do this, I would suggest adding a drizzle of sauce to the top of this. A mixture similar to your marinade with a bit of miso, warmed on the stove, that you can drizzle on top. Finish this with some julienned strips of orange zest.

The magic of serving this

To serve, put your hot water in a teapot and gently pour the water into the bottom bowl with the rosemary and anise. This will create lovely aromatic steam which will enhance the dish and add to the wine pairing.

Utopia 2017 Pinot Noir with tea smoked tuna with rosemary and anise scented steam

Additional pairings

With this Pinot Noir, we also enjoyed a cheese plate with camembert macerated with ground clove and five-spice topped with black cherry and rosemary and a dessert of mini-pineapple upside-down cakes topped with the same compote. The cherry and rosemary, as well as the caramelized notes on the pineapple, worked wonderfully with the wine.

About the Utopia 2017 Estate Pinot Noir Ribbon Ridge

The Utopia 2017 Estate Pinot Noir is 100% Pinot Noir but from multiple clones (variations on the Pinot Noir variety). This gives winemaker Dan Warnshuis the ability to make a beautiful blended Pinot Noir. You can read more on this wine and winery here.

You can visit Utopia located in Washington’s Willamette Valley, more specifically in the Ribbon Ridge AVA, by booking an appointment on their website https://www.utopiawine.com/visit-us. They also have a cabin on their property, which is perfect for a bit of a getaway!

Lavender and Earl Grey tea smoked yellowfin tuna on roasted golden beets with rosemary plated with steamed aromas of rosemary and star anise

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Stick with me here. This sounds really fancy (and it looks really fancy too), but it is really not difficult! A little marinade, a bit of time with a pretty simple stovetop smoking technique. The fancy steam plating? You can make hot water, right?

You do need a few kitchen items to make this work, a zip lock bag, a wok, aluminum foil, a metal vegetable steamer, a skillet to sear the tuna, and a sheet pan for the zucchini. For the plating, you just need 2 bowls that will fit together, one larger than the other, for the rosemary, star anise, and hot water, under the dish holding your tuna and beets.

Cooking time is 20 minutes, add 30 minutes to marinate the tuna and 10 minutes for it to rest.

I've laid the recipe out to cook the beets and tuna simultaneously.

This is so elegant. The flavors and aromas are spectacular. I think I might be hooked on tea smoking tuna! This will also work on salmon.

We paired this with an Oregon Pinot Noir, from Utopia Vineyard that we received as a sample.

Ingredients

2-3 Yellowfin Tuna steaks
2 cloves of garlic
3 tbs fresh ginger sliced
¼ cup olive oil
2 tbs soy sauce
3 tbs brewed tea
3 tbs honey
¼ cup blood orange juice
1/2 tsp grated blood orange zest
3 tbs rice
2 tbs Lavender and Earl Grey tea leaves
2 tbs sugar
6 whole star anise
2 golden beets slice ¼ inch thick
¼ cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
¼ cup fresh rosemary
4 large sprigs of fresh rosemary

Instructions

Mix the garlic, ginger, ¼ cup of olive oil, soy sauce, brewed tea, honey, blood orange juice, and zest in a blender until mixed.
Place your tuna in the zip lock bag and pour the marinade in.
Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Prep the wok
Make an 8-inch square of aluminum foil 4 layers thick, place in the bottom of the wok
Mix the sugar, tea, rice, and 2 of the star anise together
Place the mixture in the center of the foil flattening to a 4-inch diameter circle
Place the metal vegetable steamer on top, being sure the bottom does not touch the mixture
Prep the beets
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F
Scrub the beets and slice into ¼ thick rounds on a mandolin
Toss with olive oil, chopped, rosemary, salt, and pepper
Place on a baking sheet
Smoke the Tuna Roast the beets
Pull the tuna from the marinade and blot the bottom of the tuna with a paper towel
Place the tuna in the steam basket so they are not touching
Cover the wok with aluminum foil and place the lid on top
Put the beets in the oven for 20 minutes, checking on them after 15
Place the wok on the stove over high heat for 2 -3 minutes (you should see puffs of smoke)
Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 to 8 minutes
Prep your dishes for plating.
Turn on the kettle to boil some water
Pull out your nested bowls for plating
Put two sprigs of rosemary and 2 whole star anise in each of the larger bowls
When your tuna is done smoking, sear each side in a rod iron skillet for about 1 minute
Pull the beets from the oven. Layer them in the bottom of your small bowls. Place the tuna on top.
Place the small bowls in the larger bowls with rosemary and star anise
Pour the boiling water into the larger dish
Enjoy immediately with a delicious Pinot Noir, letting the fragrant steam wash over you and add to the experience

Notes

***I did not have the vent hood on and was watching closely for the smoke. After 5 minutes and no smoke, I turned on the hood, and then I could see the smoke rising. As a result, my tuna was a bit more cooked than I would have liked, but it was still delicious.

*** I left mine smoking for 8 minutes and it was just slightly pink inside. If you would like your tuna steak to be closer to rare, go with 5 minutes.

A sauce might have been nice….

Looking back, I would have made a light sauce to pour on top of this. Use similar ingredients to the marinade and make a sauce on the stove. If you do this, I might suggest adding some miso to it for extra flavor.

Garnishes

I totally meant to top this with small curls or julienned slices of orange zest, but in the fray, I forgot.

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