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Archive for the ‘Paso Robles’ Category

A Week in Sonoma

28 Jan

Rosie (my pup) and I recently spent a fantastic week in Sonoma County with Pop and SM, and I finally found a few moments to upload my photos and share some of the highlights with you.  So, sit back, relax, and enjoy!

We left LA on December 30 (Pop’s birthday) and headed north, Pop at the helm, me playing co-pilot, and Rosie and SM cuddling in the backseat…

Because our vacation rental just outside of Guerneville wouldn’t be ready for us until January 1, I arranged for us to spend a couple of nights at my good friend JSo’s family’s vacation cabin in Morro Bay, which is perfectly situated about halfway between Los Angeles and the Bay Area.  Rosie absolutely loved being right on the golf course…

Rosie enjoying the sunset in Morro Bay.

and the rest of us enjoyed the view as well as the proximity to the wonderful wine and food in and around Paso Robles.  Indeed, we had a fantastic dinner for Pop’s birthday at Il Cortile in downtown Paso Robles (try the fresh pasta with wild boar ragu!) and followed it up with a full New Year’s Eve day of wine tasting at L’Aventure (really amazing and unique red blends), Denner (awesome Rhone-style wines),* Turley (Zinfandel done right), Villa Creek (awesome wine all around and really great staff), Tablas Creek (more great Rhone-style wines AND they’re dog-friendly), and Justin before grilling up a little surf and turf back at the cabin for our own private New Year’s Eve celebration.  Perfect if you ask me.

New Year’s Day we arrived at our rental in Guerneville, a quirky three-level built into the hillside in the Redwoods just west of town, and settled in for our week of exploring the area.

The Guerneville Tree House

We started our wine tasting extravaganza the following day, sticking at first to the Russian River area nearest Guerneville, and stopping at Korbel (because who wouldn’t want to start the day with a little bubbly?), Gary Farrell, Arista, Hop Kiln and VML.  Though there were some solid offerings all around, we all agreed that Gary Farrell’s wines were by far the best of the day, not to mention the absolutely stellar view from the tasting room.  Arista and VML, of course, get props from Rosie, as they were both dog-friendly and allowed her to come inside rather than hang out in the car.

Pop and SM enjoying the view from the Gary Farrell tasting room

The next day, Pop and I got up early to take Rosie on a walk along the Russian River where the silly pooch managed to fall in trying to chase a duck.  Ah, the endless entertainment a dog provides….

Rosie, pre-dunk, along the (very cold) Russian River

With Rosie dried off and SM finally awake, we headed south to Santa Rosa, where I had set up an appointment for us to barrel taste with John and Sharon Westerhold (of Westerhold Family Vineyards) and their winemaker, Russell Bevan (who also has his own label – Bevan Cellars).  My regular readers might remember these names from my adventures in crush in 2010.  We tasted through several vintages of the Westerhold’s award-winning Syrah, and while the wine was, as always, fantastic, the company was even better.  We followed that visit up with a delicious lunch at Santa Rosa’s Pizzeria Rosso before heading back out on the road and hitting Sonoma-Cutrer and DeLoach.

Tasting through the Chardonnay flight at Sonoma-Cutrer

The following day, we decided it was time for a break from our marathon of wine tasting, so we headed to the coast, first making a quick stop in Bodega Bay and then venturing south along the Pacific Coast Highway to Tomales Bay for a picnic at the Hog Island Oyster Farm, which, the phenomenal wine aside, actually ended up being my favorite part of the entire week.  Indeed, I don’t care if you think that there is nothing more disgusting than oysters, a picnic at Hog Island is a MUST – just bring yourself something else to eat and leave the oysters for people like me who could and would eat dozens if left to our own devices.

Mmmmm.... Oysters.....

A few pointers, however…. First, be sure to reserve a table ahead of time.  We were there on a Wednesday, and it was packed.  Luckily, we had made a reservation and got one of the tables along the outside closest to the bay.

Pop, SM, and Rosie

Second, be sure to bring wine (or whatever beverages you want) as well as glasses/cups.  There’s a little bar, but why would you not take advantage of free corkage?

Me and Pop enjoying some Sauvignon Blanc with our sliders at Hog Island Oyster Farm

Third, if you want to eat anything other than oysters (e.g., sandwiches, cheese, burgers, etc.), bring it with you.  Fourth, if you’re a fan of barbecued oysters, bring your own charcoal.  Each table has its own little charcoal grill, but they do not supply the charcoal.  Pop, SM and I all prefer our oysters raw on the halfshell, but there were some other folks doing some pretty interesting stuff with theirs, like grilling up bacon that they then broke up and sprinkled on their grilled oysters, for example.  Uh, yum!

Me getting my shuck on

Fifth, bring a camera, as Tomales Bay is absolutely picturesque, and it is sure to be a day you’ll want to remember.

Gorgeous Tomales Bay

Finally, if, like us, several dozen oysters simply isn’t enough to sate your appetite for seafood, stop on your way home at Nick’s Cove, just up the road from the Hog Island Oyster Farm.  It’s a cool old restaurant right on the bay with phenomenal views, fresh Dungeness crab (when they’re in season), and some pretty awesome clam chowder.  You can dine in, of course, but we took our crabs and chowder to go, covered our dining table back at the rental with newspaper, and had our own little crab feast.  Perfect.

Having given our livers a little rest, we resumed our wine tasting extravaganza the following day.  We headed up to Healdsburg, where we had breakfast at a great little local spot called the Singletree Café (awesome chorizo breakfast burritos for me and SM and corned beef and hash for Pop), then worked our way up to the Dry Creek Valley, an area I’d definitely been looking forward to exploring, with its rows and rows of gnarled old vines…

Dry Creek Valley Old Vines

And explore we did.  We started at Zichichi, where we had a chance to barrel taste a couple of nice selections, then headed over to Dutcher Crossing, where Rosie had a chance to get out and stretch her legs a bit, and I enjoyed the wines so much that I couldn’t resist joining the club.

Rosie and her "Grandpaw" playing fetch at Dutcher Crossing

We also hit up Ferrari-Carano, where we went downstairs for the reserve tasting (not my favorite, but SM loves their Chardonnay), Papapietro Perry, which has a pretty amazing array of Pinot Noir, and Truett-Hurst.

The following morning, we headed out again, stopping first at Rochioli (which had been closed earlier in the week) before heading in the direction of the Anderson Valley.  I had hoped to be able to taste at Jordan, where they have had a chef on staff since the winery opened in the 1970s, and tastings involve pairing small bites with their delicious Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.  Unfortunately, one must apparently make reservations a couple of months in advance, so that will have to be part of my next trip to the area.  We did, however, manage to taste at Stryker Sonoma, Robert Young, Stonestreet, Soda Rock, Mauritson and White Oak.  Though Rosie preferred the fireplace at White Oak…

Rosie making herself at home at White Oak

and her new besties at Mauritson….

Rosie's new goal in life - to be a winery dog

it was probably the HUGE flights at Stonestreet that we humans enjoyed most.  There’s just something about being able to taste all of a winery’s offerings side by side, jumping back and forth as needed, that not only makes for a fun experience but, I think, allows you to really appreciate the sometimes subtle differences between the wines.  Plus, it makes for a great photo…

The world's biggest flight at Stonestreet

Our final day of tasting upon us, we decided to head over to Carneros, a region that actually spans the Napa-Sonoma county line.  Its location near the San Francisco Bay makes it ideal for growing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and therefore gives it a special place in the hearts of the Lyman clan.  We started once again with some bubbly, this time at Domaine Carneros.  Though I’m not a huge fan of the ostentatious tasting room designed to look like a French chateau, I do like that they have tables outside overlooking the vineyards where you can taste through several flights while nibbling on some cheese and charcuterie.  (Yep, give me some cheese, and I’m a happy girl.)  We also stopped in at Cuvaison, whose thoroughly modern tasting room was much more to my liking, and Acacia, where they were trying to do a wine pairing event but may have been a little overwhelmed by the crowd.  That said, they were having some specials on several of their selections, and SM and I both bought several bottles at a steal.  From there, we headed to Bouchaine, which not only had absolutely delicious wines (I joined the club) but is also dog-friendly as long as their winery dog and your dog get along (he wasn’t there that day, but I’m pretty sure Rosie gets along with everyone).  Finally, we stopped in at Artesa, a truly modern tasting room/art gallery built into the side of a hill.  Unfortunately, this place was a bit of a zoo, which always seems to negatively affect my perception of the wine, but I do have to say that I’ve had positive experiences here as well in the past.  With sunset rapidly approaching, we hopped back in the car and dashed back up the 116 through Guerneville all the way to Jenner, where we wrapped up our week with a fabulous dinner and breathtaking view at River’s End restaurant.

The world's most amazing sunset where the Russian River meets the Pacific in Jenner

Let me just say this about Jenner – if I won the lottery tomorrow, I would build a small bed and breakfast/inn in Jenner and spend the rest of my life watching those sunsets.  In fact, anyone interested in investing?  Seriously.

And there you have it, a week in Sonoma well spent.  I came home with a case of my favorite wines from throughout the week, so stay tuned for some new recipes and pairings!

Cheers!

* Note that tastings at Denner are actually limited to their own club members these days and require an appointment.  I am not a club member, but my great friend LoSo is, and he was kind enough to set us up with an appointment.

 
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Posted in Anderson Valley, Bennett Valley, California, Carneros, CorkPopper LocaPour Project, Dry Creek Valley, Food Porn, Paso Robles, Russian River Valley, wine tasting

 

The CorkPopper LocaPour Project: What to Eat with the 2010 Tablas Creek Rose and the 2008 Hammersky Estate Grown Zinfandel

09 Nov

Admittedly, it’s been a while since I’ve done a proper CorkPopper post, especially a CorkPopper Dinner post, and I’m not going to even try to pretend I have a legitimate excuse.  I’ve just gotten out of the habit of writing every day – something I plan to remedy.  Promise.

In any event, I did manage to prepare a CorkPopper Dinner over the weekend for my best childhood friend’s brother, DM (who also happens to be one half of the team working on totally rebranding this here website – stay tuned!), and his fantastic girlfriend (who also happens to be an amazing baker/pastry chef), KC.

Though my regular readers know that I ordinarily start with a wine and design a recipe around its flavor profile, I must admit that for the first course of this dinner I started with the protein.  Before you scream, “Blasphemy!”, however, please allow me to explain.  DM’s family owns a “fish camp” up on the Northern California coast in an area well-known for its red abalone diving.  Now, I grew up eating fresh abalone that Pop would gather during our summers on the boat, but, due in part to overfishing and in part to a foot disease that wiped out a significant portion Southern California’s abalone population, there has been a moratorium on diving for abalone in Southern California for well over a decade.  When DM and KC found out how much I love abalone, they offered to bring me some – an offer I obviously couldn’t pass up, as it has literally been years since I had any.

Growing up, my favorite preparation for abalone were what Pop called “ab rolls” – thin abalone steaks pounded with a tenderizer, soaked in milk, dipped in egg, dredged in breadcrumbs, rolled around Monterey Jack cheese and an Ortega chile and roasted on the grill….. yum.  I was curious to try something a little different for this CorkPopper Dinner, however, which brings me to the recipe for Pan-Fried Abalone with Lemon-Caper Sauce.  I elected to pair this dish with the 2010 Tablas Creek Rose because the dry but fruity and bright wine is an excellent foil for both the slight sweetness of the abalone meat and the briny capers.

Pan-Fried Abalone with Lemon Caper Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients

-       4 abalone steaks, each approximately ½ thick

-       1 pint whole milk

-       1 egg

-       ½ cup panko breadcrumbs

-       Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

-       2 tablespoons olive oil

-       2 lemon wedges

-       3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

-       1 tablespoon capers, rinsed

-       ¼ cup dry white (or rose!) wine

-       Juice of ½ lemon

Preparation

Lightly pound the abalone steaks until tender but not so much they fall apart.  Soak the pounded steaks in the milk.  Crack the egg in a small bowl and beat lightly.  Place the panko in another small bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Dip each steak in the egg and dredge it in the panko, then allow to rest on a plate for about 10 minutes.

Preheat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat.  Add the oil and 1 tablespoon butter.  Add the abalone steaks and cook about 1-2 minutes on each side, until golden brown.  Squeeze the lemon wedges over the steaks before removing them to a paper towel-covered plate while you prepare the sauce.

Quickly wipe the same pan with a clean, dry paper towel and add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.  Once melted, add the capers and sauté about 2-3 minutes.  Add the wine and lemon juice and continue to cook until reduced slightly.

Place a steak on each of four plates and spoon some sauce over each.  Serve immediately.

Though the weather in Southern California has been all over the map in the last couple of weeks, I’m definitely finding myself in an Autumn kind of mood, craving hot apple cider, braised meats, and red wines.  As such, I elected to focus on a completely different wine from a completely different winery for the night’s main course.  The 2008 Hammersky Estate Zinfandel is everything the Tablas Creek Rose is not – dark and earthy and a wine that just screams for a cool Autumn evening and a big meaty meal.  My solution?  Wild Mushroom-Stuffed Leg of Lamb with Red Wine Mushroom Reduction – a big hit even though I learned that neither DM nor KC are fans of mushrooms!

Wild Mushroom-Stuffed Leg of Lamb with Red Wine Mushroom Reduction

Serves 4 (with plenty for leftovers!)

Ingredients for the Lamb

-       1 bunch fresh spinach (you can also substitute chard, if desired), roughly chopped

-       Extra virgin olive oil

-       1 tablespoon unsalted butter

-       5-6 large shallots, finely minced (about 1 cup)

-       1 pound mixed wild mushrooms (e.g., portabella, shiitake, crimini, morel, chanterelle), stemmed and finely minced

-       1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (or ½ cup purchased breadcrumbs)

-       1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely minced

-       1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely minced

-       Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

-       1 egg, lightly beaten

-       1 5- to 6-pound boneless leg of lamb, butterflied and trimmed of extra fat (ask your butcher)

-       3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Preparation for the Lamb

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Heat about 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet.  Add the spinach (or chard) and sauté until soft.  Remove the greens from the skillet and set aside.

Add the butter and about 3-4 more tablespoons of olive oil.  Add the shallots and sauté until translucent but not browned, about 5-7 minutes.  Add the mushrooms, stir, and cover.  Allow to cook until mushrooms are soft, stirring regularly, about 15-20 minutes.  Remove the mushrooms from the heat, stir in the greens, and allow to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, rosemary, and thyme.  Stir in the cooled mushroom mixture, and season to taste with salt and pepper before stirring in the beaten egg.

Lay 4 6- to 8-inch lengths of kitchen twine out on a cutting board.  They should be parallel to each other and about 2 inches apart (depending on how wide your lamb leg is).  Lay out the butterflied leg of lamb on top of the twine with the ends of the twine showing along the edges that will be rolled.  Season the surface of the lamb generously with salt and pepper, then spread the mushroom mixture all over the top of the lamb.  Take one side of the lamb and begin rolling it like a roll of wrapping paper toward the other end.  Secure the roll using the twine, tying it tight enough to make the roll as compact as possible without squeezing out all the yumminess inside.

Season the outside of the rolled up lamb with more salt and pepper and then rub with the Dijon mustard.

Roast on a rack in a large roasting pan for approximately 1 hour, until cooked to 135 degrees for medium rare.  Be sure to turn the lamb over about halfway through the cooking process and allow to rest at least 10 minutes before slicing into 1-inch slices.  Serve over your favorite mashed starch (I did mashed garnet yams) and drizzle with a generous amount of sauce (recipe below).

Ingredients for Sauce

-       3 tablespoons butter, divided

-       1 medium carrot, peeled and roughly chopped

-       1 large celery stalk, roughly chopped

-       1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped

-       1 cup mushroom trimmings (peels and stems)

-       1 teaspoon tomato paste

-       3 sprigs fresh thyme

-       1 bottle dry red wine (I used an inexpensive Zinfandel to compliment the wine I planned to pour with dinner)

-       2 cups low sodium beef stock (plus more to taste)

-       Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation for the Sauce

In a medium sauce pot, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter.  Add the carrot, celery and onion (this trio is known as a mirepoix) and sweat over medium heat until slightly softened but not browned.  Add the mushroom trimmings and continue to stir until the mushrooms have also softened, about 7 minutes.  Add the tomato paste and thyme and stir another 2 minutes or so before adding the wine.  Bring to a boil to cook off the alcohol then add 2 cups of the beef stock.  Bring to a boil again and then turn the heat down and simmer until reduced by about half, or until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.  If your sauce becomes too thick or too salty, you can always thin it out with a little more beef stock.

Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve, pressing on the solids to squeeze out as much flavor as possible.  Rinse the sauce pot and return the sauce to it.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and finish just before serving by whisking in the remaining tablespoon butter (this is what gives French sauces their lovely glistening look).

Cheers and enjoy!!

 
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Posted in 3.5 Corked Forks, 3.5 corks popped, 4 Corked Forks, 4 Corks Popped, 4 Forks, 4.5 Forks, California, CorkPopper LocaPour Project, Food Porn, HammerSky, Paso Robles, Rose, Tablas Creek, recipes, red wine

 

The CorkPopper LocaPour Project: What to Eat with the 2010 Denner Theresa

15 Sep

What is better than a picnic with friends on a gorgeous day?  A picnic with friends on a gorgeous day… when there is wine involved!  Whether your picnic involves the all-American cold fried chicken, watermelon, and creamy salads (e.g., of the pasta and/or potato variety); sandwiches; or a selection of cheeses and charcuterie, along with some marinated olives, mushrooms, and artichokes, the simple act of eating (and drinking) outside feeds, in my opinion, not just the body but also the soul.  As such, going wine tasting with me always involves not only massive amounts of imbibing, but also a fair amount of eating, as LoSo, JSo (and now BabySo) can now tell you.

It was over a spread such as the latter that I recently tasted the 2010 Denner Theresa ($32/bottle), a tasty blend of four white Rhone varietals – Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne and Viognier.  While I am not a member of the “ABC” (Anything But Chardonnay) crowd and can certainly appreciate and enjoy a well-made Chardonnay, I must admit that my taste in white wines does tend toward the non-Chardonnay variety.  There are just so many white grapes out there that make such interesting (and food-friendly!) wines that I can’t help but want to try them – and try them ALL!  The Denner Theresa is just such a unique wine.  Its notes of stone fruit and white flowers (typical of many of the Rhone varietals but especially Viognier) are tempered nicely by limestone and something else earthy (mushrooms, perhaps?), along with a delicate briny quality that seemed to whisper to me, “Shellfish….”  Enter the following recipe, which combines some of the flavors of bouillabaisse (see recipe here), that most amazing of traditional Southern French fish stews, with, what else?  Fresh pasta, of course!  Heaven in a bowl and a perfect accompaniment to a delicious wine…..

Fresh Linguine with Spicy Shellfish

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 pound fresh linguine (purchased or homemade – see recipe here)
Extra virgin olive oil
3 large shallots, thinly sliced
3 large garlic cloves, minced
12 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 cup dry white wine (I recommend using something similar in flavor profile to the wine you’ll be drinking with dinner)
1 cup vegetable broth
3-4 strands saffron
A dash of crushed red pepper flakes
Freshly ground pepper and sea salt to taste
12 Manila (or Littleneck) clams
12 New Zealand Green-Lipped (or Black) mussels
4 Santa Barbara Prawns (or other head-on shrimp/prawns)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Freshly grated Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese (optional)

Preparation

Scrub the clams and mussels and remove the beards from the mussels.  Discard any clams or mussels that have broken shells and/or do not snap shut when tapped.  (Be sure to ask at the fish market/grocery store for only live ones to begin with.)  Soak the remaining mussels and clams in a large bowl of cold water with a handful of flour.  (They suck up the flour and spit it out, along with any sand they’re hanging onto.)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.

While the water is coming to a boil, heat about 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet, saucepan or wok.  Add the shallots and season with a dash of salt and pepper.  Saute, stirring often, until translucent, about 4 minutes.  Add the garlic and stir until aromatic, about 1 minute.  Add the tomatoes and cook for about 2 minutes, until they begin to become juicy and soft.  Add the wine and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes.  Stir in the broth, saffron and red pepper flakes and season with another dash of salt and pepper to taste.

At this point, your water should be boiling.  Add the pasta and cook until just tender, about 3-4 minutes.  (Note: If you are lame and are not using fresh pasta, you’ll need to start cooking your pasta sooner, as it will take longer.)  Drain and return the pasta to the same pot.  Add the butter and toss until coated.  Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

Immediately after adding the pasta to the water, add the clams, mussels and prawns to the sauce.  Cover and cook until all the mussels and clams have opened and the prawns are bright red, about 6-7 minutes.  Remove the shellfish from the pan and set aside.  (Discard any that didn’t open.)  Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.  Add the pasta to the sauce and turn the heat to high to finish the pasta and marry the flavors, stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes.  Add the parsley and toss to distribute.

Place equal amounts of pasta and sauce in 4 large pasta bowls and arrange shellfish on top.  Sprinkle with a small amount of cheese, if desired.  Serve immediately with a huge piece of crusty grilled bread (‘cause there’s no way you’re going to want to leave any of that sauce in the bowl!).

Cheers!

 
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Posted in 3.5 corks popped, 4 Corked Forks, 4.5 Forks, California, CorkPopper LocaPour Project, Denner, Food Porn, Paso Robles, fresh pasta, recipes, seafood, white wine

 

The CorkPopper LocaPour Project: What to Eat with the 2010 Tablas Creek Vermentino

13 Sep

Tablas Creek

Tablas Creek, located in the westernmost reaches of the Paso Robles American Viticultural Area (“AVA”) along California’s Central Coast and formed as a partnership between a well-known wine importer and Chateau de Beaucastel, a famous estate in the Chateauneuf-du-Pape area of France’s Rhone Appellation d’origine Controlee (“AOC”), boasts a broad range of fantastic wines made from mostly Rhone varietals.  With BabySo fast asleep in his stroller, JSo, LoSo and I sidled up to the bar as Cindy, our guide, poured us two glasses (JSo was our designated driver for the day) of the first wine of the day, the 2010 Vermentino ($27/bottle).  Though Vermentino (also known as “Rolle”) can be found in Southern France, it is most widely recognized as an Italian varietal, making it feel like a bit of an oddity among Tablas Creek’s decidedly Franco-centric tasting list.*

2010 Tablas Creek Vermentino

Crisp and cool, this wine was a welcome initial offering on a warm, sunny day, with a nose and palate dominated by citrus zest and limestone but with more acidity and fruit (passionfruit?) on the tongue than would be presented by its Italian cousin, the Pinot Grigio.  Though this wine intrigued me in a way I still cannot pinpoint, I was initially reluctant to purchase a bottle for a CorkPopper Dinner because I couldn’t immediately identify what I would cook with it.  As our tasting wore on, however, I kept wanting to return to the Vermentino, a sign, as LoSo pointed out, that I should probably just get a bottle anyway.  How funny, then, that it is precisely this wine that ended up inspiring my first Paso Robles CorkPopper Dinner – Lemon Risotto with Summer Squash, Zucchini and Seared Scallops.**

Lemon and scallops are, of course, an obvious pairing with a wine that presents as much citrus and mineral as the 2010 Tablas Creek Vermentino.  But it is the slight sweetness of the squash and zucchini, which temper the tartness of the wine, and the creaminess of the risotto, which compliments the wine’s acidity, that really make this pairing sing.  Best yet, with scallops purchased from the local fish market*** and summer squash and zucchini perfectly in season, it is a meal that just screams for a warm summer evening on California’s Central Coast.  Done and done.
Lemon Risotto with Summer Squash, Zucchini and Seared Scallops

Serves 6

Ingredients
7 cups well-seasoned chicken broth, as needed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 1/3 cups)
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
3/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 pound yellow summer squash, diced into 3/4-inch pieces
1/2 pound zucchini, halved and sliced into 3/4-inch pieces
8 large diver scallops
Freshly ground pepper and sea salt
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese
Zest of 1 lemon (about 2-3 teaspoons)
1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian Parsley

Lemon Risotto with Summer Squash, Zucchini and Seared Scallops

Preparation

Warm the chicken broth in a medium pot over low heat.  In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat until it begins to ripple but before it smokes.  Add the onion and garlic and saute until fragrant and translucent, about 6 minutes.  Add the rice and continue to stir until the grains begin to make a crackling sound.  Add the wine and stir until the liquid is almost fully absorbed.  Turn the heat down to medium, add the squash and zucchini, and stir to combine.  Begin adding the chicken broth 1/2 cup at a time, allowing the rice to absorb each 1/2 cup before adding more.  You want the broth to just barely cover the rice each time and for the mixture to gently bubble.  Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to stand there stirring the risotto the entire time.  Just give it a stir every couple of minutes to ensure that the heat and liquid are being evenly distributed among the rice grains.

While your risotto is bubbling away, pat the scallops dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper.  Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat, again until it ripples but before it smokes.  Add the scallops and sear about 2 minutes on each side until they have a nice caramel colored crust but are just barely cooked through in the center.  Cut the scallops into quarters and set aside.

After about 25-30 minutes, your rice should be tender all the way through but still slightly al dente.  Add another 1/2 cup of chicken broth and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Add the cheese and stir to melt.  Add the scallop pieces and stir gently to combine.  Remove the pan from the heat and add the parsley, lemon zest and lemon juice to taste.  You want it to taste fresh but not tart, so add the juice slowly, tasting as you go.  Your risotto should be creamy and should spread out when ladled into a large bowl rather than stand in a mound.  Serve immediately.

Cheers!

* Unlike France’s AOC rules, the AVA rules in the United States do not dictate which grape varieties may be grown in any given region, giving vineyard owners the freedom to plant whichever grape varieties they believe will grow best in their vineyards’ particular soil and climate.

** This recipe was adapted from a New York Times recipe for Lemon Risotto with Summer Squash.

*** I got my scallops from the nice folks down at Giovanni’s Fish Market on the Morro Bay Embarcadero.  Look for the brown building with the line down the block of people waiting for either fish n’ chips or barbequed local oysters.

 
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Posted in 3.5 corks popped, 4.5 Corked Forks, 4.5 Forks, California, CorkPopper LocaPour Project, Food Porn, Paso Robles, Tablas Creek, Vermentino, recipes, white wine, wine pairing

 

The CorkPopper LocaPour Project: A Day in the Paso Robles AVA

08 Sep

It was after noon before LoSo, JSo, and I had managed to shower, dress, and wrangle 9-week old BabySo…..

BabySo (aka "Tiburon" because he's like a shark and always wants to be on the move)

And puppies Penne and Guido (who granted me permission to use their real names, provided I informed my readers that they are NOT Whippets but Italian Greyhounds)…..

Penne and Guido

The car loaded with our six souls and enough accoutrement to survive a natural disaster, we hit the road, heading northwest along the Pacific Coast Highway from our home base in Morro Bay…..

Picturesque but chilly Morro Bay

We turned east at Old Creek Road, one of those gorgeous old California roads that winds variously through oak stands and rolling hills, before hitting Highway 46W, our entree into Paso Robles wine country.  Though Morro Bay was  downright chilly on our departure, nestled under its standard mid-summer blanket of fog, the temperature rose steadily as we ventured inland, eventually arriving at a pleasant and sunny (thanks to the steady breeze) 84 degrees.

Located about 90 minutes north of Santa Barbara and just inland from California’s Central Coast, Paso Robles first became known for its hot springs, which the local Native Americans visited regularly.  When the Spanish missionaries began slowly working their way north from Mexico in the late 1600s, Paso Robles became a regular rest stop along the Camino Real.  It was these missionaries, in fact, who likely first introduced grape vines to the area as a way to produce the sacramental wine necessary for the missions established along the route.  Commercial wine production began in earnest in the late 1800s, though it was not until the late 20th century that the region’s true potential began to be realized.  Indeed, during the 1990s alone, the number of wineries in in the area nearly doubled, and today, there are over 180 wineries in and around Paso Robles.

Denner Tasting Room

The diverse microclimates and soils of the Paso Robles AVA make it suitable for the production of a vast array of varietals, and, indeed, according to the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, over 40 different grape varieties are currently grown by its members.  It is the Rhone varietals (Carignan, Cinsault, Counoise, Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah, and Petite Sirah, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier, among others), along with Zinfandel, that, in my opinion, truly shine in this area.

Enter the first winery of  our little excursion – Denner.

Former Coloradan and USC booster, Ron Denner, purchased the over 150 acres upon which Denner Vineyards now sits in 1998 and has since planted it with many of Rhone’s most famous varietals.  The tasting room is a modern architectural gem whose sloped roof echos the vineyards gently sloping hills.  With its 2007 vintage came a number of accolades, including scores in the mid-90s for several of Denner’s wines from both the Wine Advocate (Robert Parker) and Wine Spectator.  Though well-deserved, this attention also brought increased demand, and Denner has recently found it necessary (or at least desirable) to require appointments for tastings.  LoSo, a Denner Vineyards club member, was aware of this requirement and had scheduled a 1pm appointment for us – perfect timing for a picnic and some wine.

Denner Picnic Area

I laid out our picnic of prosciutto, salami, cheeses, olives, and marinated mushrooms and artichokes, and the lovely Denner staff brought out our glasses for our first tasting, a crisp and tropical 2010 Viognier ($34/bottle).  While not generally my favorite white grape varietal (it can be too floral for me), Denner’s is a pretty great expression and a very enjoyable sipper, though it didn’t necessarily inspire me to cook anything.

Next was the 2010 Theresa ($32/bottle), a blend of Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, and Viognier with distinctive notes of stone fruit and honeysuckle and a finish that lasted for days.  I was intrigued by this wine and, though I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what it made me want to cook, I couldn’t help but snag a bottle because it was just too unique (and too much of an interesting culinary challenge) to pass up.

HammerSky Tasting Room

Transitioning from the whites, we next tasted the 2010 Rose ($20/bottle), a blend of Grenache, Mourvedre, Counoise and Carignan, a pleasant Summer sipper, especially on a day like the one we were enjoying, though not especially inspirational.

Though Denner produces a number of big reds, including single varietal Mourvedre, Syrah, Zinfandel and Grenache and several blends, the only reds they were tasting the day we visited were two vintages (2006 and 2009) of their Ditch Digger, a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, and Counoise.  Earning 90 points from both Robert Parker and Wine Spectator, the 2006 vintage was my favorite of the two, as the powerful berry and pepper notes had mellowed (as compared to the 2009 vintage), allowing the mineral and herb characteristics to come through and provide a more exceptional balance.

Our tasting and picnic at Denner complete, we headed further up Vineyard Drive to our next stop, HammerSky.  A relatively new winery for the area, the HammerSky tasting room actually just opened in March 2011.  The property also boasts an adorable farm house, which can be rented out, as it was during our visit by a wedding party preparing for their nuptials the following day.  Where Denner champions the Rhone varietals, HammerSky focuses on mostly Bordeaux grapes (plus Zinfandel), and we tasted our way through five different reds, my favorites being two single varietals – a big 2008 Zinfandel Estate Reserve ($39/bottle) and a wonderfully balanced 2008 “Red Handed” Merlot.  Though my tastes these days tend more toward the Rhone varietals, HammerSky is definitely making some nice wines from the Bordeaux grapes and is worth a visit.

HammerSky Inn

With the afternoon beginning to wind down, we headed further up Vineyard Drive to our last stop of the day, Tablas Creek, a winery that not only embraces the Rhone varietals but was, in fact, founded as a partnership between the Perrin family (of Chateau de Beaucastel in Rhone’s Chateauneuf-du-Pape region) and importer Robert Haas.  Its original cuttings were imported directly from Chateau de Beaucastel’s vines in France in the early 1990s (and have since been cultivated at Tablas Creek’s own grapevine nursery) and have been producing some of the best Rhone-style wines outside of France.

As we tasted through an amazing number of Tablas Creek’s available wines, including several not even on the day’s tasting list, our guide, Cindy, peppered us with fantastic little tidbits of information about the winery and its history, including the story of how a winery focused on Rhone varietals ended up with Vermentino, an Italian white.  It turns out that when the folks at Chateau de Beaucastel sent over the original cuttings, they snuck in some Vermentino, believing that it would do exceptionally well in the Tablas Creek soil and climate.  It turns out they were right, and the 2010 Vermentino ($27/bottle) turned out to be my favorite white wine of the day (and the inspiration for a delicious CorkPopper Dinner that weekend – stay tuned!).  Fruitier than its Italian cousins, the Tablas Creek Vermentino had, as Cindy put it, a tart and sassy personality that I just found intriguing.

Tablas Creek

Also unexpectedly delicious was the 2010 Tablas Creek Rose ($27/bottle), a blend of Mourvedre, Grenache and Counoise, that JSo, not a huge Rose fan, declared her favorite Rose ever.  Light cranberry in color with refreshing notes of watermelon and Rainier cherry, this is definitely a Rose worth trying and will undoubtedly make an excellent pairing for an Indian Summer meal.

Finally, though we tasted both the 2004 and 2008 Esprit de Beaucastel reds, blends of Mourvedre, Grenache, Syrah and Counoise, all three of us preferred the younger vintage, which, not surprisingly, was named one of the San Francisco Chronicle’s Top 100 Wines of 2010 and earned 94 points from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.  Ripe with notes of cherries, tobacco and spice, the 2008 Esprit de Beaucastel establishes why Rhone-style blends are truly my favorites right now, and I simply cannot wait to open up another bottle.

With our palates pleased and a tired baby, we headed back south toward Morro Bay, stopping first in Cayucos for a nice dinner at Hoppe’s Garden Bistro.  And though, with babies and dogs in tow, it was not my usual wine tasting trip, it was fabulous nonetheless, due, in no small part, to the company.  I can only hope that your next trip to Paso Robles will be as enjoyable as mine.

Cheers!

 
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Posted in California, CorkPopper LocaPour Project, Denner, HammerSky, Paso Robles, Tablas Creek