White Bordeaux Blanc
Are you a Sauvignon Blanc lover? Do you race to the New Zealand or Sancerre section of your local wineshop in search of your favorite bottle? I’m about to let you in on a little secret – Bordeaux Blanc will be your new best friend. What is Bordeaux Blanc? It’s an INCREDIBLY valued white wine for you Sauvignon Blanc fans out there or crisp, lively white wine lovers for that matter. The grapes that make up a Bordeaux Blanc are mainly Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Muscadelle. It’s a “ready to drink” light and fruity wine with with big delicious flavors of citrus, grapefruit, lemon, gooseberry and lime plus grass, wet stone, passionfruit and honeysuckle. It’s a citrus and floral type of Sauvignon Blanc with slightly less acid than Sancerre but not as tropical as a California SB. Pezat Blanc – Bordeaux Blanc Sec 2018 Pezat is the entry level wine of “garagiste” vigneron/winemaker Jonathan Maltus of Chateau Teyssier in Saint Emilion. He is a “strong believer that a bottle of wine should be judged by the taste of its contents over the ‘big name’ label slapped on the front.” Dare to be different, make it well and make it better than anyone else. The vineyards are in a mountainous region south of the Dordogne River. The beauty of Pezat is that the vineyards are literally planted a step, yes one single step outside of the Saint Emilion Appellation border. What’s the big deal? Well, he makes these hidden gem wines under the label “Bordeaux Blanc” while applying the same standards as the Saint Emilion Grand Cru. Boom! The grapes are handpicked and vinified as the other wines of the Chateau – to the standard of a Saint Emilion Grand Cru. Lower yielding, hand harvested at night, gentle press to ensure purity of the aromatics and flavors of the varietals shines through. JCP Maltus Pezat Bordeaux Blanc Sec 2018 is a dry white Bordeaux produced from 95% Sauvignon Blanc grapes a smidge of 5% Muscadelle. Pale lemon color. Aromas of freshly cut pink grapefruit, lime, gooseberry, melon, grass and minerality. Flavors of fresh pineapple, nectarine, white peach, pink grapefruit, green apple, pear, ripe yellow plum, honey, gooseberry, honeysuckle, grass, crisp mineral kick with soft yet crips acidity. Pair it with grilled lime swordfish kebabs, pan seared scallops with lemon beurre blanc or poached chicken with basil sauce. This is a steal deal – stop what you are doing and buy it, now! It’s the perfect quaffing wine you want on hand ALL THE TIME.
Lemon Herb Salmon Cakes
1 1/2 cups panko crumbs, divided 1 pound skinless salmon, cut into 1-inch pieces 1/2 shallot, minced 3 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley 1 tsp. grated lemon zest + 1 tbsp. lemon juice, plus extra wedges for serving 1/2 tsp. each sea salt and ground pepper Salt and pepper 2 tbsp. olive oil For the sauce: Combine all ingredients in bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until serving. For the salmon cakes: Working in 2 batches, pulse salmon in food processor until coarsely ground, about 4 pulses; transfer to bowl with remaining ingredients and toss to combine. Divide salmon mixture into 4 equal portions and gently pack into 1-inch-thick patties. Heat a nonstick skillet to medium heat. Add olive oil and cook cakes until well browned on each side, about 3-4 minutes each side. Transfer to a plate, serve with lemon wedges, homemade tartare or lemon herb sauce. Tartar Sauce: 1/4 cup mayo 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice or white balsamic vinegar 1 tsp. sweet pickled relish 1 tsp. rinsed capers, chopped 1 tsp. minced shallots Pair with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or a Champagne Salmon
Matthiasson Cool Climate Chardonnay
Making wine is a labour of love. This wine almost didn’t happen….the husband and wife team, the Matthiassons saw the potential in the land and were determined to make something amazing. Through backbreaking work of clearing the insanely stubborn rockiest soils they had every seen themselves as well as planting the vines. They knew they could make a lush, mineral driven wine with weight and richness. It’s a cool climate chardonnay which reflects the minerality power of the vineyard characteristic. This winemaker of the year winner, natural farming practices and world class Chardonnay produced in very small quantities, 273 cases were made. The fruit is picked in two batches. The first batch 80% is picked early to persevere the naturally high acidity and moderate alcohol. The remaining 20% is harvested a little bit later to capture the richness and power of the vineyard site. The fruit from each are lightly whole-cluster-pressed, settled for 24 hours, then barrel fermented. The wine goes through 100% malolactic fermentation in older neutral barrels and a few new French oak barrels. It is given 18 months of barrel aging, with no topping or sulfur added until bottling. There is also no battonage (stirring of the lees) — the wine rests on the gross lees undisturbed. Matthiasson Michael Mara Vineyard Sonoma Coast, California Chardonnay 2017 👁 Pale lemon color 👃 Intensely fresh aromas of lemon, just picked pineapple, pear, green apple, grass, coconut, nectarine, white peach and minerals. 👄 Refreshing acidity that carries the mineralty and lushness, balanced with 13.1% ABV which is an achievement in Sonoma, and oh so sensuous flavors of lemon, pineapple, pear, green apple, grass, nectarine, coconut, white peach, white pepper, vanilla, marshmallows,caramel, cream, acacia and crushed stone that carries forward in length. Such a beautiful Chardonnay, Burgundian like with a Sonoma twist finishes on a musical hum. My pairing of Lemon Basil Cod Cakes – normally I would pair a California Chardonnay with Cod but as I mentioned above this is not your typical Napa Chard. These two were harmonious together and created a new tune – happy Monday!
Champagne Goerg Brut Rosé
Champagne Goerg Brut Rose Premier Cru Vertus, Champagne Can you imagine a freshly baked red berry galette hot out of the oven or being wrapped in a silk robe after you have just had a 90 minute massage – that’s this champagne. Champagne Goerg is a grower producer founded in 1950 by 8 families of winegrowers that banded together to make superb grower champagne. Families Collard, Faucherert, Férat, Rogué, Grégoire, Doquet, Gallois and Pougeoise formed an alliance through their mutual passions to create beautiful champagne. They principally make champagne from Chardonnay, Premier and Grand Cru only. They are meticulous in their selection of grapes from small parcels, and craftsmanship of their champagne. This Brut Rosé is a blend of 85% Chardonnay & 15% Pinot Noir, aged a minimum of 3 years on the lees. Pretty salmon pink color. It has a silky texture, energy and oh so lovely concentrated aromas and flavors – red fruits (strawberry, raspberry, red currant), blood orange, white peach, pear, hazelnut, cream, chalky minerality that carries into a long pastry finish. After a long day, pour yourself a beautiful glass of rosé champagne as a apéro. Delicious with Salmon tartare, fried chicken, beef carpaccio or grilled lamb chops.
Tomato & Grainy Mustard Tart
2 Tbsp crème fraîche 2 Tbsp grainy mustard A few handfuls of grated gruyere cheese – I used Gouda as a substitute and it was wonderful About 3 tomatoes, cored and sliced Salt and pepper A handful of chopped, fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried thyme Olive oil or melted butter, for drizzling 1 disk savory galette pastry Heat the oven to 400°F. Roll ut the pastry on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle or circle 1/8 inch think. Lay on a baking sheet and bake until lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Remove the tart base from the oven and set aside. Stir together the cream and mustard, and smear over the tart base (see “Savory Pastry” recipe). Sprinkle cheese and lay the tomato slices on top. Season with salt and pepper, and scatter over the herbs. Drizzle over the olive oil. Bake until the cheese has melted, and the tomatoes are hot and soft. Serve warm with a green salad. Serves 4 or 8 as an appetizer. Savory Pastry: 2 1/4 cup all purpose flour 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup butter, cut into pieces, kept in the freezer till ready 1/3 cup ice-cold water Put the flour and salt in a food processor. Add the cold butter in pieces and pulse a few times till the butter is the size of peas. Pour in the water while running the machine till the dough starts to cling together, 30 seconds to 1 minute. You don’t want to overman the dough as it will toughen up the texture of the dough. Divide into 2 disks, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 15 minutes before rolling out. Dough can be stored in the freezer for a few months or in the fridge for a week. The key to match a wine with the dish is choose a wine that has enough acidity to hold its own with the tomatoes and the grainy mustard. The wine needs to a zesty vibrant edge. Chateau Teyssier Pezat Bordeaux Blanc Sec 2019 Courtesy of Laura Calder French Taste Cookbook
Heidi Schröck Blaufränkisch Klum
Am I a musician? No…Is this my guitar? No… Am I a lover of music? ABSOLUTELY …. I have a huge appreciation for the artistic expression that goes into creating a song – the lyrics, the melody, the story behind the song, the experience, ALL OF IT …. It’s exactly like my appreciation for wine – the story behind the wine, the creativity and artistry. Music and wine are both big parts of my life – I always have music on – working out it’s 100% needed to push me beyond my limits, cooking with music inspires my creativity, all the while dancing to the music at the same time …. music sets a mood. So does wine – it’s an experience, a pleasure, it transcends you…. They go hand and hand. Period. Enter Heidi Schröck’s Blaufränkisch ….. Her wines are like a song. Seriously, I hear music in my head when I drink her wine. My perfect pairing for this wine is not with food but with music, specifically with guitarist who play a Fender Stratocaster. Maybe you have heard of a few of these musicians who made these guitars their own – John Frusciante (The Red Hot Chili Peppers), The Edge (U2), David Gilmour (Pink Floyd), Jimi Hendrix, Richie Blackmore (Deep Purple), Bob Andrews (Generation X), Ron Asheton (Iggy Pop)??? All infamous in their own right, all individualistic in their styles. That’s who Heidi – she stands amongst the very best. I wonder what music she was listening to when she made this wine? My guess is Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – Bad Reputation Heidi Schröck Blaufränkisch Ried Kulm 2018 Burgenland, Austria Blaufränkisch has rich black fruit is contrasted by peppery flavors and energetic acidity that makes it such a food-friendly wine. Blaufränkisch is a parent grape of both Gamay and Zweigelt. Medium bodied, medium fine tannins, medium/high acidity. I find it a very crown pleasing, easy to drink wine, with or without food. Medium purple color. Bright aromas of black cherry, blackberry, bramble, raspberry, strawberry, eucalyptus (medicinal), earthy minerality. Lively acidity with soft tannins with ripe flavors of black cherry, raspberry, strawberry, eucalyptus, mushrooms, earthy, minerals, violet, finishes on a pepper and anise note. It’s such a pleasure to drink, all bright, juicy fruit and spice. Pair it with grilled rosemary pork sausages, roast duck breast with raspberry and pepper sauce or a hard cheese plate.
Avinyo Cava Reserva 2017
Avinyó can trace the lineage of its estate in the Catalan countryside in the remote village of Avinyonet del Penedès, where the Esteve family traces their history to 1597 with the building of their Masia (Catalan farmhouse) named “Can Fontanals”, the traditional family home. They have an enormous respect for traditions, striving to continuously improve and maintain a high quality standard, they set themselves apart from other Cava producers. Through education, time and experience in France, the first Avinyó Cava was produced in 1979 in very small quantities and the family gradually became known to locals as a go to for incredible high quality sparkling wines from traditional grape varieties. Most bulk production Cava producers age the wines for the minimum requirements of 9 months. The Avinyó estate sets a high quality standard to set themselves apart from th rest and has a minimum aging for their “entry-level” Reserva cuvée of 24 months, with many of their bottlings receiving at least 36 months of time on the lees. The wines are disgorged on demand in order to maintain the fresh and vibrant flavors of the wines. Quality is top priority. In addition to being produced solely from organically certified (since 2019) estate-grown grapes and with extended lees-aging in bottle, all Avinyó Cava is from a single-vintage, clearly labeled on the bottle. No reserve solera wine is used here to alter either the expression of the vineyard or correct for a “house-style”. Avinyó is about transparency. This wine is a blend of 60% Macabeo, 25% Xarel-lo and 15% Parellada from 50+ year old old vines which are planted at altitudes of 250m to 275m. This freshness, zippy acidity and lively flavors. It’s a fun, easy drinking any day of the week with zero pretention sparkling wine. Avinyó Cava Riserva 2017, Penedes, Spain Pale lemon color. Medium intensity aromas of green apple, lemon, pear, peach, toast, minerals, fennel and grass. Lively acidity with fine bubbles and flavors of green apple, lemon, pear, peach, toast, minerals, fennel, grass, stone, honey, saline and cream. Such a great value.
Oregon’s Illahe Viognier
Facts About The Columbia Valley Oregon is one of the United States’ most important non-Californian AVAs. Oregon’s Willamette Valley is an ideal site for growing cool-climate, aromatic white varieties, much like Northern Alsace in France. Think cranberries and earth, not a CA fruit bomb. Sub AVAs: Dundee Hills, McMinnville, Eola-Amity Hills, Yamhill-Carlton, Chehalem Mountains, Ribbon Ridge, Van Duzer Corridor The best Oregon Pinot Noirs are regularly compared to their significantly more expensive counterparts from Burgundy. Pinot Noir plantings 77% in Oregon The valley follows Willamette River: East are The Cascade mountain range and West are Oregon Coast Range – runs between the Willamette and the Pacific Ocean. Climate: Maritime Coast Range blocks a lot of the Pacific influences but ocean breezes seeping in through a series of gaps in the mountains. Rain in the winter, hot dry summers with cool evenings Illahe Viognier 2019 from Willamette Valley, 🇺🇸 👁 Pale watery lemon color 👃 Aromatics jump out of the glass with honeysuckle, orange blossom, pear minerals, peach, saline- musty low tide 😂 👄 Rich in flavor yet fresh and creamy in texture, honeysuckle, orange blossom, pear, minerals, peach, mango, beeswax, saline , nectarine, apple all enveloped with soft acid and body with medium alcohol.
Poesia Malbec Beauty
Malbec is a star blending varietal in Bordeaux, it shines in Cahors as a single varietal or as a superstar in Argentina. Let’s not forget how well it’s doing in Washington State and Uruguay. Malbec is known for its intense purple color (dead giveaway it’s a Malbec), fragrant and rich tannins. Malbec struggles to maintain acidity which is why the higher elevations (hello Argentina) with big diurnal temperature shift (cold nights and sunny days) really helps the grape develop it’s acidity to perfection. It does very well with long ageing in barrels. It is lovely on it’s own but also plays well with other varietals which adds color, black fruits, floral and earthy notes. Bodega Poesia 2012 – Poesia means Poetry – this wine is pure poetry in a glass. Organic and sustainable beauty. “Poesia is the story of what happens when they are given their chance. The chance to create something exceptional, with the greatest respect.” – Bodega Poesia Located in Mendoza, Argentina, where Malbec grows exceptionally well. Why? It has all the right ingredients to make an incredible wine – 900m altitude in Lujan de Cuyo, soils mix of sand, clay and gravel plus the sun and the water from the permanent snow melt work in harmony to make the vines flourish. The 13 hectares of vines were planted in 1935, on their original rootstocks (phylloxera was never an issue in Argentina). It’s a project of passion from Patrice Levesque and his wife Helene Garcin-Levesque (owners of Clos L’Église in Pommerol and Chateau Barde Haut in St. Emilion) who instantly fell in love with the terroir of Argentina. This wine is a blend of 60% Malbec and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 18 months in new french oak barrels. Dark fruit (blackberry, blueberry, cassis, dark plum), violets, earthy, herbal, chocolate, mocha, licorice, leather, tobacco leaf, silky tannins, smoke, savory, it’s power just lingers. Rich in aromatics, smooth in texture. It’s full bodied, medium acidity and soft tannins. This is a ROCK YOUR SENSES wine – pair this wine with your favorite poet or if you are hungry grilled rosemary lamb chops, provolone bison burger or skirt steak with roasted sage mushrooms. Happy Malbec Day!!
Sicilian Fish Stew
1/4 cup each pine nuts, toasted and chopped fresh mint (or parsley) 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp. grated orange zest 2 tbsp. olive oil 2 onions, finely chopped 1 celery rib, mned salt and pepper 1/4 tsp. dried thyme pinch red pepper flakes 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 28oz can whole peeled tomatoes, drained with juice reserved, coarsely chopped 1 cup clam juice 1/4 cup raisins 2 tbsp. capers, rinsed 1 1/2 lbs skinless swordfish steaks cut into 1 1/2 inch thick pieces Combine pine nuts, mint, orange zest, 1/4 of the garlic in a bowl, set aside for serving. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions, celery, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper, cook until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in thyme, pepper flakes and remaining garlic, cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the wine, reserved tomato juice and simmer till reduce by half, about 5 minutes. Add clam juice, raisins, capers and tomatoes, simmer for 15 minutes to meld the flavors. Season the swordfish with salt and pepper. Add the swordfish, nestling them into the broth and spoon over some liquid over each piece of fish. Bring to simmer and cook for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and cover, let stand till swordfish flakes apart when gently prodded with a knife, about 5 minutes. Season and serve. Sprinkle with pine nut mixture. Pair with a sparkling Rose or a bright Nerello Mascalese