Molino Teorema Barbaresco
You may have heard of Barbaresco but you most certainly have heard of Barolo…..Both are the names for the DOCG and are big red wines from the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy. The wines are produced from 100% Nebbiolo grapes. Many say that Barolo is the more masculine of the two and Barbaresco being feminine. One of the main differences between Barolo and Barbaresco are the soils. Barbaresco’s soil has more nutrients so the wines don’t show as much tannin as Barolo. Both wines explode with aromas of roses, perfume, tar and cherry with a very long finish. Another difference is that the tannins are more powerful in Barolo. Barolo alsoo requires wines be stored for 3 years before release, whereas Barbaresco requires just 2 years. Azienda Agricola Mauro Molino is a relatively young winery in comparison to the rest of the Piedmont region. The story begins three generations ago, at the beginning of the 1900s, when Tommaso Molino cultivated a small plot of land and traded grapes in San Damiano d’Asti, making homemade wine. In 1979 Mauro Molino established Molino, a lifelong dream of his to create beautiful wines in the land that he grew up in. Formally trained at Alba Winemaking School and through experience at wineries in Emilia Romagna, he was able to pursue his dream. Today the winery is being run by the third generation of the Molino family. The wines reflect their care and respect for the terroir and their personal involvement in each step with high quality always in mind. It explodes with sour cherry, leather, tar , pepper, violet, licorice. On the palate big cherry, plum, licorice, graphite rosemary, earthy, tobacco, medium acid and body, medium+ tannin, ruby color, medium+ intensity. fresh and balanced. Oh so delicious and beautifully comforting on a cold fall night Barbaresco is best served with roast meats, game birds or powerful cheese. I paired the wine with a comforting Portobello & Cremini White Truffle Risotto.
Portobello & Cremini White Truffle Risotto
1 1/2 lb. cremini & portobello mushrooms, sliced 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 onion, minced 1 celery stick, minced 3 tbsp. olive oil 2 tbsp. unsalted butter 3 sprigs fresh thyme 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice 5-6 cups (about) chicken or vegetable stock 1 cup dry white wine 2 tbsp white truffle cream (optional) 1 lemon 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, for serving Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add the 2tbsp. olive oil and warm it up for 2-3 minutes till shimmering. Add in the garlic, cook for 1 minute till it starts to soften. Add in the mushrooms and thyme. Cook till the mushrooms are done, about 4-6 minutes. In a small saucepan keep the stock on low heat. It’s important that the stock be warm to help activate the starch in the rice and create the creamy texture. Melt butter with 1 tbsp. olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and celery, sprinkle with salt, and sauté until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add rice and increase heat to medium. Stir until edges of rice begin to look translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add white wine and stir until liquid is absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 3/4 cup warm chicken broth; stir until almost all broth is absorbed, about 1 minute. Continue adding broth by 3/4 cupfuls, stirring until almost all broth is absorbed before adding more, until rice is halfway cooked, about 10 minutes. Continue adding broth by 3/4 cupfuls, stirring until almost all broth is absorbed before adding more, until rice is tender but still firm to bite and risotto is creamy, about 10 minutes. Stir the truffle cream. Transfer risotto to serving bowl. Top with the mushroom mixture and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Pass additional Parmesan cheese alongside, if desired. Serves 6 Pairs beautifully with a Mauro Molina Winery Barbaresco – cherry, rose petals, leather, tar and red licorice, earthy fresh and balanced. Oh so delicious and beautifully comforting on a cold fall night.
Pumpkin Turkey Chili
1 pound 93% fat free ground turkey 1 tbsp. ground chili or smoked paprika (Pimenton) 1 1/2 tbsp. ground cumin 1 tbsp. ground coriander 1 tsp. dried oregano 1 tsp. sweet paprika 1 (28oz) can fire roasted tomatoes 2 tbsp. olive oil 1 onion, chopped fine 2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces 5 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup unsweetened pumpkin puree 2 cups water 2 tbsp. brown sugar 2 (15oz) cans black beans, rinsed Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add oil, onions, bell peppers, 1/2 tsp salt and cook until softened, 8 minutes. Increase heat to high and add in the turkey. Cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 4-6 minutes. Stir in the spices and garlic. Stir in pumpkin, tomatoes and water, bring it to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.. Stir in beans and brown sugar and cook until thickened, 30 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Serve with Sour cream, cubed avocado and brown rice. Serves 8 Pair with a California Zinfandel or Washington Cabernet Sauvignon.
Grilled Turkey Sage Burgers
2 lbs. 93% lean ground turkey 1 large egg 1/3 cup instant oats 1 1/2 tsp. dried sage 1/4 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg 2 tbsp. ketchup 1 1/2 tsp. sea salt 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper Mix all of the above ingredients in a large bowl till combined. Shake into patties – whatever size you like. 2 lbs of turkey meat generally makes 10 fair size burgers. Refrigerate till ready to grill. Heat the gas or charcoal grill – charcoal in my case – to 350F (medium-high heat). Cook the burgers till done, about 10-15 minutes. Makes approximately 10 burgers. Pair with a Spanish Garnacha or Chilean Carignan.
Brazil Sparkling Rosé? YES!
Brazil is making award winning sparkling wines and I am here to tell you why. Top reasons: Semi-arid climate, good average rainfall and a long growing season Good slope & aspect – slope’s importance affects airflow to the vines and and aspect is the direction which the sunlight hits the vines, which affects the amount of sunlight that hits the vines/soil Ancient Juro-Crustacean era basaltic, volcanic soils = excellent drainage and minerality Brazil is best know for making sparkling white wines, mainly in the traditional method with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. They also produce still wines from Chardonnay and Semillon for whites, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot for reds, with some Italian varietals Barbera, Moscato and Trebbiano. Brazilian wines are generally easy-drinking, light and fresh, fruit-forward, and lower in alcohol. Keep in mind Brazil’s country is largely covered in rainforest. Most of the vineyards will be in the southern state of Rio Grande Do Sul, then divided into 6 major wine regions. The most significant is Serra Gaúcha with 5 sub appellations: Vale dos Vinhedos, Pinto Bandeira, Altos Montes, Farroupilha, and Monte Belo. Familia Geisse is a boutique style sparkling wine producer located in the southern Pinto Bandeira region of Brazil. Mario Geisse, a Chilean agronomist engineer and enologist, moved to Brazil in 1976 to run Moët & Chandon’s Brazil company. Knowing the potential Pinto Bandeira region had for quality sparkling wine, 3 years later Mario Geisse began Familia Geisse winery. Fast forward 15 years …. their wines were receiving worldwide notice and recognition. The winery focuses on family, environment, micro-terroir and micro-production. The vines are trained using a trellis system to control vigor and maintain high quality grapes. Preserving the environment is top priority to the winery – zero pesticides, Thermal Pest Control, organic and sustainable farming. They also treat their staff like family and provide housing for all. Cave Amadeu Brut Rose is made using the traditional, or champenoise, method. The wine is 100% Pinot Noir, with minimum 12 months aging. The wine is a lovely salmon/rose gold color. Aromas of citrus, red berry and spice. Crisp refreshing acidity with flavors of lemon, strawberry, raspberry, cherry, peach, pastry, cream and toast. It has a fine, delicate bubbles. This is a quality wine & exceptional value at $19. Pair with strawberry compote topped Brie, duck paté with croutes, smoked salmon sushi, caviar or seafood paella. Video review available on Instagram Familia Geisse Sparkling Wine
Smithereens Red Blend
Skinner Winery history dates back well into the 1800s. In 2006 Carey & Mike Skinner established Skinner Vineyards after discovering that Mike was the great-great-great-grandson of James Skinner, a Scottish miner who in 1861 established one of the Sierra Foothills’ first wineries. James Skinner hit it big during the gold rush in the Sierra Foothills and decided to use his gold money to establish on of the first wineries in the region, J. Skinner Native Wine & Brandy which was functional up until the 20th century. Since then the Skinner family have reclaimed the site as a historical part of their winery. The Smithereens wine series past tribute to the Gold Rush miners who used to blast out gold deposits with dynamite. Chris Pittenger is their winemaker and is an integral part of the winery. The family’s wine vision is to produce great wines that are expressive of place with zero harm the environment in the process. Some examples of their environmental conscious practices – drought resistant plants and shrubs to minimize water needs, the use of solar power for the winery, recycling water for the winery, use of reclaimed materials to build the winery and so on. Smithereens Red Blend 2016 is a blend of 51% Grenache, 31% Mourvedre, 12% Syrah, 5% Counoise, 1% Petite Sirah The grapes are organically farmed. The grapes are aged for 21 months in 95% Seasoned French Oak and 5% New French Oak. This wine is a beautiful ruby color. Aromas of ripe cherry, plum, blueberry jam, warm baking spices (cloves, nutmeg), vanilla, tobacco and sage. The palate is full bodied with smooth tannins and good acidity. Flavors of blueberry, cherry, red plum, green bean, pepper, mint, vanilla, savory meat, tobacco, cloves, nutmeg and sage. Well balanced Rhône style blend. Pair with Mediterranean spices including red pepper, sage, rosemary, and olives, grilled sirloin steak, roast prime rib, braised chicken.
Champagne Gardet
Many of us wine lovers know the big Champagne houses by heart – Veuve Cliquot, Tattinger, Bollinger, Ruinart …. the list goes on. But many aren’t aware of the hidden gem, the smaller producers that producer equally extraordinary Champagne. One fine example is Maison Gardet. Maison Gardet was founded in 1895 by Charles Gardet, a wine merchant, in Epernay. He later moved his house to Chigny-les-Roses, in Montagne des Reims to continue the tradition and build the Gardet brand. Currently the house is owned by the Prieux family who continue the Gardet tradition through the use of traditional methods and technology in their winemaking in order to produce the finest quality champagne. For more information on how Champagne is made visit Traditional Method. Champagne Gardet Blanc de Noirs Premier Cru is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Meunier. Blanc de Noirs is one style of Champagne that means It is only made from black grapes. The grapes are cool fermented in stainless steel. The wine is bottle aged on the lees for a minimum of 3 years with an additional 3 months bottle aging after disgorgement. The wine is a pale lemon color with aromas of strawberry, raspberry, lemon, cream, white blossom and brioche. The wine has a typical lively acidity, fine creamy mousse and is Brut style (8 g/L of sugar). The flavors are typical of a Blanc de Noirs – acacia flower, pear, lime, cherry, brioche, toast, pastry, butter, cream, lemon, strawberry, apple, lemon, wet stone. A lovely Champagne for any occasion. Pair with oysters with mignonette sauce, foie gras, duck with prunes, soft cheeses such as brie or goat cheese …. it is such a versatile food pairing wine. Don’t limit yourself to appetizers only – the higher acidity makes it ideal for salty, fatty and fried foods. Enjoy!
Chateau Ste Michelle Riesling
The Columbia Valley AVA was established in 1984 and is located on the eastern side of Washington State and a small part of Oregon. Washington State/Columbia Valley represent the perfect grape-growing climate, from the weather to the soil to the vineyard sites. Arid, micro climates, mediterranean/continental Columbia Valley soils are predominantly loess (wind-blown silt and sand soils created by the Missoula Floods) and result in wines with increased aromatics. Chateau Ste Michelle is the oldest winery in Washington State. Built in 1912 estate owned by Seattle lumber baron Frederick Stimson, the winery’s roots date back to the Repeal of Prohibition. Since then, they have combined Old World winemaking traditions with New World innovation. Chateau Ste Michelle is one of the few premium wineries in the world with two state-of-the-art wineries, one for red and one for white. The whites are made at the Chateau in Woodinville, WA, while the reds are made at our Canoe Ridge Estate winery in Eastern Washington. They strive to respect the varietal characters and individuality of each location, yet still craft each wine to give you a pleasurable, food friendly experience Chateau St Michelle Dry Riesling Columbia Valley 2018 is 100% Riesling. It has aromas and flavors of nectarine, peach, apple, pear, lemon, minerals honey , honeysuckle, flint, grapefruit. The acid is crisp, lively and refreshing. This is a great introduction to Washington State Riesling for those who have never tried it – it’s a great representation and under $12. Pair with crab cakes, oysters with mignonette sauce, pan seared scallops, mild cheeses, Asian dishes, Indian curries
Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore DOCG
Prosecco DOCG is located in the northeastern Italy in the Veneto wine region. It is Italy’s most widely produced sparkling wine made from the Glera grape. To buy the best wine for your budget and occasion here are some important things to know about Prosecco when reading a label: There are 5 main quality levels : Prosecco DOC, Prosecco Conegliano Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG, Colli Asolani DOCG, Prosecco Conegliano Valdobbiadene Superiore Rive DOCG and Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze DOCG. The base level sparkling wines are labelled Prosecco DOC. The higher hillier areas, stricter quality standards are from Prosecco Conegliano Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG. Colli Asolani DOCG is another smaller hillside region across the river from Conegliano Valdobbiadene. Prosecco Conegliano Valdobbiadene Superiore Rive DOCG Rive means “bank” or “slope” in Italian and references 43 hilly area with lower yields within Conegliano-Valdobbiadene that produce exceptional grapes. Lastly Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze DOCG are a historical delimited 108 hectares area located right outside of the town of Valdobbiadene with lower yield and only made in the spumante style. Prosecco is made in what is called the tank method which is the complete opposite of how they make classic traditional method Champagne. Click the above link in my blog for more details on the process. In a nutshell the tank method is used for aromatic grape varieties to preserve their aromas, for large volume production and quick to market products. That does not mean that it’s cheap and not a good sparkling wine. Is it like Champagne? No because that would be like comparing apples and oranges. Both are delicious but completely different sparkling wines. Champagne has developed autolysis (biscuit, pastry, brioche) and tertiary (aging flavors like hazelnut or ginger) with delicate apples and lemon, whereas Prosecco is all about fruit flavors and aromas and zero to little autolysis. Santa Margherita was founded in 1935 by Gaetano Marzotto who saw the enormous potential in the land for agriculture. The winery was named after his beloved partner Margherita Lampertico Marzotto. Their philosophy is to respond to the needs of their community and to respect the land in every possible way. Wine production, varietal characteristics, and terroir should be in perfect harmony. Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore is a pale lemon color. The aromas have a good intensity of pear, lemon, honeysuckle, green apple, lime, white peach, pear drop and green grapes. The palate is off-dry, high acidity, med alcohol, medium body, medium flavor intensity. Flavours of pear, lemon, honeysuckle green apple, lime, white peach pear drop, green grapes are balanced with the creamy fine bubbles.. Pairs well with antipasto, cured meats, almonds, grilled octopus, tempura shrimp or Spicy Asian cuisine.
Freixenet Cordon Negro Cava
Cava is a protected designation, which means the type/name of the wine is legally protected, not a region like Champagne. For more information on the process of making Cava see the link in my blog. Cava is made from indigenous grapes to Spain – Macabeo, Xarello and Parellada, alone with Chardonnay is permitted. The grape varieties are indigenous to the region which is required by law – the blend is made up of 35% Macabeo, 25% Xarello and 40% Parellada. The Brut style is 9g sugar/L which makes it a dry wine easily paired with may foods.These grapes are hand harvested. The first fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperatures between 57°- 60°F for 10 to 12 days. The secondary fermentation of Cordon Negro in a temperature controlled environment for up to 18 months. Freixenet is one of the largest Cava producers in Spain, the other being Cordoniu. Freixenet was founded in 1861 after the union of two Spanish families (Ferrer and Salas) who both have long family histories in winemaking One of the main towns to produce Cava is in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, where Freixenet is located, and the other Vilafranca del Penedès. Freixenet is the largest producer of traditional method sparkling wine worldwide and the largest exporter of Cava. The company is currently owned by the Henkell & Co. Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards is Freixenet’s California based winery. Cordon Negro Brut is a crisp, clean and well-balanced sparkling wine. The fresh acidity & body, green apple, orange blossom, lemon, ripe peach, lemon zest, fennel, forest floor, minerality, flinty, biscuit, toasted bread, light almond, ginger, medium + length and a creamy mousse. Pair with anything from Eggs Benedict to seafood, such as lobster or bluefin tuna. It is also the perfect pre-dinner selection for oyster, caviar, or sushi appetizers.