3 drops Winery

• November 2009

  Goulash: The ultimate comfort food Zinfandel: The ultimate comfort wine Nostalgia is a powerful thing, especially when it comes to food.  Having grown up only blocks away from some of the best German restaurants in New York City, many of my nostalgic... Read more Goulash: The ultimate comfort food Zinfandel: The ultimate comfort wine Nostalgia is a powerful thing, especially when it comes to food.  Having grown up only blocks away from some of the best German restaurants in New York City, many of my nostalgic memories from childhood are of German cuisine and one in particular, Goulash.  To this day, a rainy autumn afternoon or snowy winter night will always stir in me the desire for a warm bowl of goulash.  Its moderate heat is perfectly tempered by the rich sauce and natural sweetness of the onions.  When perfectly cooked the meat nearly melts in your mouth and becomes part of the sauce.  This is the ultimate comfort food.  The recipe included below may be very different from what a chef would learn in school, or what the typical cookbook may provide, but I assure you that it will create a Goulash of incredible depth and richness.  The ingredients are simple, but it requires a certain amount of patience from the cook, and passion for the food.  This preparation wasn’t taught to me by one person; instead it was constructed from an old traditional recipe and then fortified by the knowledge of a number of people that credit themselves as Goulash aficionados.  One may have wanted nutmeg, another to brown the meat, but in the end I took the knowledge of all of them and, through experimentation, constructed what you see below.  What to expect: Zinfandel Zinfandel is considered America's own great indigenous grape, even though its origins lie on the Adriatic coast. Planted throughout California and the Pacific Northwest, Zinfandel is at its best in warm regions with cooler temperatures during harvest. The wines can range from off-dry Rosés (aka White Zinfandel) and light bistro styled wines, to big, rich powerful wines - and even luscious dessert wines. The flavors range from plummy to raspberry, although deep blackberry fruit and brambly spice tones are most common. Find more Zinfandel However, there has always been one piece missing in this equation: what wine should I pair with it? Firstly, my experience with German reds is limited and most restaurants I’ve dined at consider beer to be the beverage of choice. Even the wine list at one of my local favorites, and possibly the best German Restaurant in New York City, has only a small number of Rieslings and one or two German reds. Secondly, a good Goulash will usually have a certain amount of heat to it, which poses another problem, where it might overpower the average red. Then it dawned on me: Zinfandel. A wine and food match pairing rich, earth partners. 2007 Ridge Vineyard Zinfandel Ponzo Priced from $29.99 This wine complimented the Goulash by standing up to its big bold flavors and providing a contrast of lush fruit and firm tannin between each bite of savory beef.  This Ridge Ponzo Vineyard was a big, structured, rich, full-bodied Zinfandel with a long red fruit finish.  It’s a wine that will age for years in your cellar but probably only moments in your glass. Hungarian Goulash This recipe can be made the same day you plan to serve it; however I highly recommend making it the night before so that the sauce and meat can truly come together and develop a deeper, richer flavor.  This also frees you up to better entertain your guests, while also impressing them by how effortlessly you are able to produce such a wonderful meal I choose to pair two wines with this dinner because, like most varietals, Zinfandel is made in many different styles.  The one style I wouldn’t recommend with this dish is the heavily fruited and almost sappy sweet Zinfandels that sometimes cross your path.  Instead I went with one of my most trusted producers, Ridge, and a bit of a wild card that I discovered this year while in Napa Valley, Trespass.   2006 Trespass Zinfandel, from Napa Valley was, surprisingly, a light ruby red color with aromas of bright red fruit, cranberry sauce and a bit of chalk dust. With time the fruit became darker with clove spice and plum, providing beautiful contrast to the heady, rich, beefy aromas of the goulash. On the palate it showed dark blue fruit, cedar and clove, adding complexities to the dish’s earthy flavors of rosemary and paprika.  It's full-bodied and zesty acidity worked wonders, carrying the fruit through the spicy heat of the goulash to end in a long finish reminiscent of sour cherry cough drops. This was a beautifully nuanced and complex zinfandel that ended up as the majority favorite of the night.   2007 Ridge Zinfandel Ponzo Vineyard was in many ways the yin to the Trespass Zinfandels yang.  The wine was a dark purple color in the glass and wafted aromas of black cherry fruit followed by confectioners sugar, sage, and a bit of nail polish remover (I mean that in a good way) which added a floral perfume and kept me with my nose to the glass for minutes on end.  On the palate it delivered big, lush brambly fruit with spicy vanilla and dark chocolate flavors.  The wine complimented the Goulash by standing up to its big bold flavors and providing a contrast of lush fruit and firm tannin between each bite of savory beef.  The Ridge Ponzo Vineyard was a big, structured, rich, full-bodied Zinfandel with a long red fruit finish.  It’s a wine that will age for years in your cellar but probably only moments in your glass. In the end, I have to say that both wines performed equally well but for totally different reasons.  Each wine is, in my opinion, a superior expression of Zinfandel and while the Trespass will capture your soul in its web of elegant fruit and spice, the Ridge will quicken your pulse with its racy perfume and palate of rich bold flavors.  The most difficult part of this pairing was deciding what to do next, eat or drink. The Hungarian Goulash captured us all in our own way.  For me it was nostalgia while, for one guest, it was a wild and new experience, and another saw it as a taste of home.  And for a fellow chef, it was trying to figure out how it was possible to achieve such complexity with so few ingredients.  I think it’s time you try it for yourself. Hungarian Goulash To download a printable pdf file of this recipe please click here. The first thing to understand is that this recipe is all about patience and low, even temperature.  The best cooking vessel to use depends mainly on how much you want to make.  The recipe below is made to serve 7 – 8, and the reason I choose this high yield is that you can always use the extra as leftovers and, due to the time it takes to make it, you might as well have extra.  For the 7 –8 servings I suggest using a heavy stainless steel roasting pan that can span across two burners on your stove.  However, if you were to choose to cut this recipe in half for a small group then I would suggest a cast iron or earthenware vessel such a Le creuset. Secondly, this recipe can be made the same day you plan to serve it; however I highly recommend making it the night before so that the sauce and meat can truly come together and develop a deeper, richer flavor.  This also frees you up to better entertain your guests while also impressing them by how effortlessly you are able to produce such a wonderful meal. 5 pounds beef chuck (fat trimmed, cubed or cut about 1 ½ inch long, ¾ inch thick) 5 large yellow onions (sliced thick wedges) 8 Tbls tomato paste 3 Tbls hot paprika (Go for real Hungarian paprika) 1 Tbls sweet paprika (Go for real Hungarian paprika) 2 tsp dried oregano ¾ tsp fresh grated nutmeg 3 branches fresh rosemary about 4 tsp salt Pepper to taste 5 cups water 2 Tbls AP flour Extra Virgin Olive Oil (as needed) 4 Tbls sweet butter (for the finish) 1 lb fettuccini (Can use egg noodles; serve with potato dumplings or even rice) Place roasting pan over two burners on your stovetop and pour enough olive oil to coat entire bottom of the pan. Set burners to low-medium flame. Once the oil is heated, add onions with a healthy pinch of salt and toss to coat in the oil. Cook over low-medium flame until onions turn translucent but do not allow them to take on any color. Reduce flame to low. Make sure the onions are evenly spread out on the pan bottom and add the beef slices by placing them on top of the onions in an even layer. The beef should cover the onions completely but make sure that none of the pieces touch the side of the pan. The onions should create a cushion between the pan bottom and the beef. Sprinkle another pinch of salt over the beef. Next, sprinkle all the paprika over the beef evenly (I like to use a sifter for this to create a fine and even layer.) Now add the oregano and nutmeg again, evenly over the beef. Lastly, place two (of the three) rosemary branches on top of the beef. (Do not disturb the layers you have created.) Cover the roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil. Check to make sure that the flame is on low. After about 3 – 5 minutes you should hear the mixture bubbling. Allow the mixture to cook like this for 35 minutes and then loosen the aluminum foil to allow a little steam out of the pan. After another 5 – 10 minutes remove the foil (do not discard) and turn all the pieces of meat over. Check to make sure the onions are not burning. You should notice that the meat and onions have released a lot of their juices. Place the foil back on top of the pan (loosely) and allow the mixture to cook over low heat for another 45 minutes. Now place a saucepot on the stove over medium-low flame, add the five cups of water and whisk in the flour slowly, making sure that no lumps form. Now add the tomato paste and again whisk until it is combined. Allow this mixture to come up to a gentle boil but make sure to whisk regularly. Remove the foil from the roasting pan, remove the two branches of rosemary from the pan and add the boiling water-tomato paste mixture. Turn the beef and onions over in the sauce. The cooking liquid should just barely cover the beef and onions. Bring this mixture back to a simmer over medium-low flame and cover loosely with the foil so that steam can escape from the pan. Cook this mixture for an hour to an hour and a half, and stir gently once or twice to make sure that the mixture is cooking evenly. It’s at this time that you should taste. Check to make sure that the beef is tender. Season with salt and pepper. Then turn off the heat. If you want to serve the same day, let this mixture sit for about an hour before going to the next step. If you want to use this for the following day, move the mixture to a bowl and place in an ice bath to cool it quickly, then cover it tightly and place in the refrigerator. When ready to finish, place the Goulash in a pot and set over low heat. Bring another pot of well-salted water to boil for the pasta. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the instructions on the package. While waiting for the pasta, set the butter out on the counter and cut into cubes. Strip the last branch of rosemary for its leaves and chop them. By the time the pasta is finished, the Goulash should be perfectly heated through. Taste for seasoning one last time and then add the butter and stir gently until combined. Strain your pasta and toss in olive oil. Set the pasta on a plate and hollow out a circle in the middle. Pour one or two (depending on the party) ladles of goulash into the center of the plate and sprinkle with the fresh chopped rosemary. Clean the rim of your plate with a warm, moist paper towel and serve. Be prepared for praise.    (hide)

  From the article Goulash, The ultimate comfort food

  
  

• November 2009

  Two Chefs Compare Notes One's a little country, one's a little big city. I’ve read a lot of cookbooks in my life. Some are indispensible reference works, some are entirely dispensable regifts, and some are just plain fun and inspirational. Down home:... Read more Two Chefs Compare Notes One's a little country, one's a little big city. I’ve read a lot of cookbooks in my life. Some are indispensible reference works, some are entirely dispensable regifts, and some are just plain fun and inspirational. Down home: downtown, which compares the recipes of two of wine country's best Chefs, is one of those cookbooks that you actually want to read. Published by Rodney Strong Vineyards, down home:downtown represents the essence of wine country cooking. Wine friendly dishes that draw on the bounty of local farms in all their seasonal glory. Each chef has carefully crafted a set of recipes based on the same basket of main ingredients. It’s Iron Chef on paper, and a blast to read. It would make a great gift for your favorite foodie/wine geek. The recipes are clear, easy to follow, and precise, though these are restaurant recipes so some involve quite a few steps.  I love the way the dishes are presented, and the photos, of the dishes, the respective restaurants, and the Sonoma countryside are gorgeous.  I had to pop a bottle of Rodney Strong’s 2006 Knotty Vines Zinfandel to enjoy while reading down home: downtown, and just happened upon a wonderful foil to this fine wine. What to expect: Zinfandel Zinfandel is considered America's own great indigenous grape, even though its origins lie on the Adriatic coast. Planted throughout California and the Pacific Northwest, Zinfandel is at its best in warm regions with cooler temperatures during harvest. The wines can range from off-dry Rosés (aka White Zinfandel) and light bistro styled wines, to big, rich powerful wines - and even luscious dessert wines. The flavors range from plummy to raspberry, although deep blackberry fruit and brambly spice tones are most common. Find more Zinfandel Two great recipes. Which one is right for you? Apple Wood Smoked Pork Chops with Fresh Applesauce By:Jeff Mall Jeff Mall, the down home half of this duo of Chefs, hangs his hat at Healdsburg’s Zin Restaurant and Wine Bar.  His version of Pork Chops and applesauce exudes classic country cooking style Pork Chops with Fennel-Apple Salad and Potato Pancakes By: Josh Silvers Josh Silver’s Syrah bistro, located right off the plaza in downtown Santa Rosa, bring an international flair to his dish, pairing the pork with fennel, crisp potato pancakes, and a sophisticated Aioli. Zin Restaurant & Wine Bar (Jeff Mall) 344 Center St. Healdsburg, CA 9544 707.473.0946 Apple Wood–Smoked Pork Chops with Fresh Applesauce, Braised Rainbow Chard, and Corn Bread Stuffing follow this link for a printable pdf file of this recipe For the pork chops: In a large bowl, combine the beer, salt, sugar, molasses, Sriracha hot sauce, garlic, peppercorns, and thyme. Add the water and stir until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Add the pork chops, cover, and refrigerate for 12 hours. For the applesauce: In a large, heavy skillet, melt the sugar over medium-high heat, shaking the pan frequently, until it just begins to turn golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the apples, lime juice, and salt. (The caramel will clump, but will melt as the applesauce cooks; add a little water to melt it if necessary.) Cook, stirring often and adjusting the heat as needed to prevent scorching, until the apples are soft and caramelized a light brown color, about 15 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in the cinnamon. Set aside. For the corn bread stuffing: Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, turning, until well browned on all sides, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the onion, celery, and green pepper and sauté until the onion is translucent and soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the parsley, sage, and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Put the corn bread in a large, shallow 8-cup baking dish and pour the onion mixture over the corn bread. Stir gently to coat and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the oven and bake until browned, about 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and keep warm. While the stuffing is baking, prepare a charcoal grill for indirect-heat cooking, mounding the hot coals on one side of the grill. Remove the pork from the brine (discard the brine) and pat dry. Soak the apple wood chips in warm water for 10 minutes; drain. Sprinkle the apple wood chips over the coals and place the pork chops on the indirect-heat area of the grill (not over the coals). Cover the grill and smoke the pork chops for 20 minutes. Remove the cover and open the vents to increase the heat; if needed, add a few more coals. Move the pork chops to the direct-heat area of the grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side for medium. Transfer to a plate and tent with aluminum foil; let rest for 5 minutes. For the rainbow chard: Coarsely chop the chard leaves. In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the onion and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Working in batches, add the chard and cook until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vinegar and chicken broth, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the chard is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside and keep warm. To serve, reheat the applesauce over low heat. Spoon a mound of corn bread stuffing into the center of each of 4 dinner plates. Top each with one-fourth of the chard. Lean a pork chop against each mound and add a spoonful of applesauce. Makes 4 main-course servings Syrah Bistro (Josh Silvers) 205 Fifth St. Santa Rosa CA 707.568.4002 Pork Chops with Fennel-Apple Salad and Potato Pancakes follow this link for a printable pdf file of this recipe For the pork chops: In a medium saucepan, combine the water, salt, vinegar, sugar, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat, then remove from the heat, and let cool completely. Pour over the pork chops in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours. Meanwhile, for the fennel-apple salad: Using a mandoline or very sharp knife, cut the apple and fennel into paper thin slices. Put the slices in a bowl, cover with ice water, and soak for 30 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, sugar, lemon zest, and olive oil together. Season with salt and pepper. Drain the fennel and apple well and toss with the vinaigrette. For the aioli: On a cutting board, mince the garlic with the salt and mash with the flat edge of the knife until it forms a paste. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolk, lemon juice, and mustard together. Whisk in the garlic paste. Combine the oils in a measuring cup and, whisking constantly, add them to the yolk mixture a few drops at a time until the mixture is emulsified and all the oil is incorporated. (If the mixture separates, stop adding the oil and continue whisking until mixture comes together, then resume adding oil.) Whisk in the fennel pollen and season with salt and pepper. If the aioli is too thick, whisk in 1 or 2 drops of water. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. For the potato pancakes: Using the large holes on a box grater, shred the potato and onion into a bowl of hot water. Drain, cover with more hot water, and drain again. Cover with cold water, rinse, then drain very well. Spread the shreds on a clean kitchen towel, roll it up, and wring to squeeze out as much water as you can. Empty the shreds into a bowl and add the egg, flour, salt, and pepper; stir to combine thoroughly. Gently shape the mixture into 4 equal cakes. In a large, heavy skillet, heat 1⁄2 inch oil over high heat to 375°F (a shred of potato will sizzle and brown almost instantly), and add the potato pancakes. Flatten each gently with a metal spatula and fry until golden brown on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip over and cook until golden brown on second side and tender throughout, 3 to 4 minutes more. Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. Drain the pork chops and pat dry. Grill for 6 or 7 minutes on each side for medium. Place a potato pancake on each of 4 dinner plates and top each with a pork chop. Add a spoonful of aioli and the fennel-apple salad. Garnish with fennel fronds if desired and serve. Makes 4 main-course servings   down home:downtown makes a great gift and can be ordered directly from each restaurant. Support these two fine chefs by making a reservation at either Zin Restaurant or Syrah Bistro during your next trip to wine country. If you can't make it to Sonoma, bring their cooking home. Purchase a copy of down home:downtown and share the bounty of Sonoma with friends and family alike. Zin Restaurant & Wine Bar      Syrah Bistro    (hide)

  From the article down home: downtown

  
  

• September 2009

  Experiments in the Vegetarian Kitchen: Green Beans & Pinot Noir     Pairing vegetarian dishes with red wines is often like being dropped at a random lot in Tbilisi (true story).  Wine writers, tasters, and critics always scream, Meat! as the first red drop hits their tongues,... Read moreExperiments in the Vegetarian Kitchen: Green Beans & Pinot Noir     Pairing vegetarian dishes with red wines is often like being dropped at a random lot in Tbilisi (true story).  Wine writers, tasters, and critics always scream, Meat! as the first red drop hits their tongues, leaving me and nearly ten million other vegetarians in the US, with nowhere to turn.  And while I get the bits about tannins and proteins and fat, as a vegetarian, I see no reason to condemn myself to a life of white grape imprisonment.   As the temperature drops, the contents of my glass evolves from white and pink to red, while I reach for my Russian and Georgian cookbooks, in search of something transitional, that’ll lead me through the change.  And though not oft associated with vegetarian fare, these regions, along with the Mediterranean and Middle East, inspire the meatless meals that set our dining room table throughout the year.  With Georgia on my mind, I walk through the farmer’s market and stop before a display of green beans--dark in color, glistening, and piled high.  It’s been almost a year since I last cooked “Georgian Green Beans”, a dish that includes cilantro, onions, garlic and eggs, and so I buy a pound or so and take it home.  Before cooking or uncorking a bottle, I thumb through What to Drink with What you Eat, a brilliant tome by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, curious to see their suggested pairings for green beans and cilantro.  Locating my ingredients, I am not surprised to find only white wines.  And since I have none in my fridge and starving is not an option—nor is dinner without wine—I have to think quick and experiment with what I’ve got. Georgians traditionally use a lot of walnuts in their dishes, and walnuts, with their oily proteins and bitter finish, tend to pair well with the tannins in red wine.  And so, I turn to Please to the Table—the Russian Cookbook by Anya von Bremzen and John Welchman, in search of some inspiration and find it in a recipe for a green bean and walnut salad. Sifting through a lifetime of pairings, I consider the fact that green beans are often served at Thanksgiving, as are sometimes walnuts.  With this in mind, I pull a bottle that had just arrived in the mail (courtesy of the winery itself)—Sokol Blosser Pinot Noir Dundee Hills 2007, because I think it might work, with the wine assuming the role of a mouth-watering enhancer, like Thanksgiving dinner’s cranberry sauce.  Light red fruit, tangy, and slightly sweet—the flavors I expect from a Pinot from Oregon—fruity but not as ripe as one from California, where the warmer climate yields riper grapes and wines with big fruit. I pop the cork and pour a glass and sure enough, there it is—tart fruit on the nose, red cherry, raspberry, and cranberry; a little earth and spice.  At 14.5% abv, there is a slight burn at the back of the throat, but not the full-on-blaze that I’d expected.  The finish is slightly bitter and astringent, like cranberry sauce, and after a few sips, I bite into a walnut, roll the flavors around my mouth, and…Yes.  The wine’s fruit and acidity tempers the walnut’s bitter finish…but cilantro?  I pull a few leaves from a sprig, take a sip, and tear into the herb with my teeth.  Suddenly two great waves rise in the midst of my kitchen, one cresting cilantro, and the other bright red fruit.  Opposite one another, the waves peak, fall into each other and crash—leaving a sopping wet mess on my floor.  Cilantro is out. Snapping a raw bean in two, I sense earth and herbal spice.  Raw, it is not a perfect match with the wine, but perhaps cooking might temper the flavors, or in the end, they might just pair better with an Old World Syrah.  Finally, since garlic=acidity, of which the wine has plenty, the recipe is adapted and I am ready to cook.   Green Bean Salad with Walnuts 1/2 cup ground walnuts 2 medium garlic cloves crushed 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon water 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound of trimmed green beans, cut in half 1/4 medium-sized red onion, sliced thin salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste --Combine walnuts, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, water, and oil.  Mix thoroughly and let stand for 30 minutes. --Boil enough salted water to cover the beans when added; then boil for as long as you like, no longer than 7 minutes.  Drain and cool in ice water. Drain and pat dry. --Toss beans with onion and add the dressing.  Season with salt and pepper, and toss again. (Adapted from Please to the Table—the Russian Cookbook by Anya von Bremzen and John Welchman.) Pairing is a two-way street.  One route reflects how the wine affects the food and the other how the food alters, enhances, or neutralizes the wine.  My immediate reaction to this particular pairing is Yes. I love how the Pinot coaxes the acidity of the red wine vinegar from the dish, encouraging the salad to shine, until it’s so full of life that flavors are popping like fireworks in my mouth.  The green bean salad is suddenly illuminated, but in reverse, the walnut dressing coats the tongue, like a pair of shades on a sun-dazzle day.  It somehow reduces the wine’s fruit and acidity, which works if you, like me, are one who prefers your fruit with the volume turned down.  In this particular pairing, the sweet fruit of the wine is transferred to the dish, which establishes a relationship that involves a little sacrifice.  It’s an interesting and fun experiment that anyone with a little time on his or her hands can conduct at home.  It’s a pairing that serves to strengthen my resolve—this commitment to keep searching through ingredients, aromas, textures, and flavors until I find pairings that enhance both vegetarian dishes and red wines. By: Karen Ulrich Imbibe New York      (hide)

  From the article Experiments in the Vegetarian Kitchen: Green Beans & Pinot Noir

  
  

• June 2009

  This is my new Favorite Cocktail, for my introduction to which I copiously thank Nicholas Jarrett[1], Apothecary[2], and Plymouth Gin[3]. It's a wonderful middle point between the Aviation and the traditional Martini (the one that's closer to the Martinez, not the "dry" version that... Read moreThis is my new Favorite Cocktail, for my introduction to which I copiously thank Nicholas Jarrett[1], Apothecary[2], and Plymouth Gin[3]. It's a wonderful middle point between the Aviation and the traditional Martini (the one that's closer to the Martinez, not the "dry" version that now horrifies me). !http://eclipsed.net/~gr/Pictures/2009-06-10/Attention.jpg! 2½ oz Plymouth-style gin (the easiest obtainable version in the US is Plymouth-brand Gin, see also [3]) ½ oz Crème de Violette ½ oz dry vermouth (I recommend Noilly Prat or Dolin; substitute LIllet Blonde for a sweeter, softer taste) 2 dashes orange bitters (although I don't think much of it generally, I actually like Fee's for this. I think Angostura's and the Bitter Truth's may also work well but, regrettably, I don't have any of either at the moment to try. Regan's is too assertive for this.) ½ barspoon (about one sixteenth of an oz) absinthe Optionally: 2 drops (use an eye-dropper, really) vanilla extract (I recommend Penzeys[4]) Stir all ingredients well (30 seconds or longer) on ice, strain into a cocktail glass, garnish with a lemon twist. Should you have the bar equipment available[5], don't mix the absinthe in, but mist it over the top. That tip's shamelessly lifted from Nick and [2]'s new bartender, Preston. [1] Formerly of [2], now of the Franklin Mortgage & Investment Company -- http://www.thefranklinbar.com/ [2] http://www.apothecarylounge.com/ [3] http://www.plymouthgin.com/ [4] http://www.penzeys.com/ [5] http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004SPZV    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Recipe: the Attention by gr

  
  

• March 2009

  When the guys at Snooth recently introduced the concept of page ownership on the site, I felt that I should step up and take on the ownership of Sonoma Valley. It is a very cool feature (find more info here) which, I believe, will help people understand what the region brings from... Read moreWhen the guys at Snooth recently introduced the concept of page ownership on the site, I felt that I should step up and take on the ownership of Sonoma Valley. It is a very cool feature (find more info here) which, I believe, will help people understand what the region brings from the basis of what Snooth is about … a community based review. As the curator of the Sonoma Valley I thought I should share with you what makes Sonoma Valley special. Sonoma Valley History The thing that surprises me the most about Sonoma Valley or Sonoma particularly, is that no one knows the origin of the word ‘Sonoma’. Some people suggest that it originated from a Native American word. The Native Americans that resided in the area referred to Sonoma Valley as the Valley of the Moon, which, Sonoma Valley is often referred to and there is a winery using the name (Valley of the Moon Winery). In fact, using the name Sonoma as place you are going to visit could mean three different things: 1. Sonoma County - which is a huge region that incorporates a number of great wine regions including Russian River Valley, Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma Valley and more 2. Town of Sonoma - which is a fun little town that is very much oriented to the wine business. In fact BottleShock was filmed in the town of Sonoma because it resembles Calistoga in 1976 more than Calistoga does. 3. Sonoma Valley - which is an incredible diverse wine appellation with a great number of wineries. According to a number of websites Sonoma Valley was one of the first areas in California to be planted with grapes. Franciscan monks were the first to do so in 1823. One of the first commercial wineries in California was also started in Sonoma Valley, Buena Vista Winery, in 1853. Buena Vista is still around today but source most of their grapes from what is Carneros now. Where is Sonoma Valley? Sonoma Valley is just 45 miles north of San Francisco. It borders Napa Valley (to the east) and in many ways Sonoma Valley resembles Napa Valley in many ways. Both Sonoma and Napa are long narrow valleys that are bordered by mountains to the east and west. Mayacaymus Mountains to the east and Sonoma Mountains to the west for Sonoma Valley. The both valleys open up to San Pablo Bay in the south and in the north they both open up into other valleys, Russian River Valley for Sonoma and Alexander Valley for Napa. Sonoma Valley is protected from excessive coastal rainfalls by the Sonoma Mountains but gets substantial cool air and moisture from the bay. I can personally vouch for the temperature drops as I have ridden my motorcycle home from work on summer’s evening and felt the chilling air. The mountains and valleys and air channels allow for a large number of microclimates to exist. The weather from one end of Sonoma Valley to the other is often very different. From an appellation stand point: • Sonoma Valley is part of the Sonoma County appellation • Borders with Napa Valley Sonoma Coast and Carneros • Sonoma Valley actually has three different appellations: o Sonoma Valley o Sonoma Mountain o Bennett Valley • Sonoma Valley extends into the west end of Carneros What does this mean? Well, simply, there is a ton of diversity in Sonoma Valley. There are 25 different varieties of grapes grown in Sonoma Valley including: Alicante Bouschet, Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignane, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Grenache, Malbec, Merlot, Mourvedre, Muscadelle, Muscat Canelli, Nebbiolo, Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Silvaner, Syrah, Tempranillo, Viognier, Zinfandel. This shows is a wide diversity in climates and soils that permit so many different grape varieties to be grown. The soil content varies dramatically throughout the valley but is mostly a volcanic base. Unlike European laws, there is no restriction to what can be grown in Sonoma Valley and the vineyards in the area take advantage of that to see what works. What makes Sonoma Valley Great? Each region in California has something it excels at; Napa is known for Cabernet, Russian River for Pinot Noir, Dry Creek for Zinfandel, and, for me, and the thing that Sonoma Valley excels at is diversity. There are great Cabernet vineyards like Monte Rosso. There are great zinfandel vineyards like the Pagani Ranch (planted in the late 1800s) and awesome Chardonnay, Pinot Noir & Syrah from Les Pierres, Durrel Ranch and Parmalee-Hill. The remarkable thing is that all these grapes are grown within 5 miles of each other. There are two main events in Sonoma Valley each year. There is the Holiday Open House which happens the two days after Thanksgiving and there is Barrel Tasting Weekend which takes place the third weekend in March. The first event is very much like a celebration of the year’s harvest as well as a celebration of Thanksgiving and Christmas. The second is a celebration of the New Year and new wines. The wineries will have barrel samples available to try and a chance to buy futures on those wines. Both events are highly attended and a lot of fun. Working in Sonoma Valley I have a true affinity for it and I truly believe that Sonoma Valley has something for everyone. There are wineries and wines that appeal to everyone. The valley is anchored by a few big producers and supported by numerous small and medium producers. It is not unusual that the wine maker of will be pouring wines in the smaller tasting rooms. It is home to numerous great restaurants and lodgings. There is diversity and character. It is a lot slower passed than some of its neighbors. It can offer a much different experience. To me best of all, when you visit Sonoma Valley you feel like you are a part of the family, a local and not just some visiting. To find out more, consult the websites below or simply drop me an email. Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce                                                                                                 Sonoma Valley Vinters & Growers John Andrews is a software product manager during the week and is a professional Tasting Room staffer at Loxton Cellars in Glen Ellen, CA on the weekends.    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Sonoma Valley by HondaJohn

  
  

• December 2008

  1. Its a wind, cold and dry i think (although I thought it was in Europe) 2. Ontario 3. c,d,j 4. Brazil? Sounds like a Christopher Columus era kind of thing 5. ? 6. 70% - although its around 90% in Buenas Aires, but drops as you move into the mountains / patagonia 7. Iniskillin 8.... Read more1. Its a wind, cold and dry i think (although I thought it was in Europe) 2. Ontario 3. c,d,j 4. Brazil? Sounds like a Christopher Columus era kind of thing 5. ? 6. 70% - although its around 90% in Buenas Aires, but drops as you move into the mountains / patagonia 7. Iniskillin 8. Argentina 9. Argentina 10. Malbec    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic The American Wines not from... by Philip

  
  

• October 2008

  The North Fork of Long Island, New York is home to some 30 wineries, who, together, manage around 3,000 acres of vineyards. The climate is maritime in the summer (weather predominately comes from the Gulf) and continental in the winter (when the weather predominantly comes from... Read moreThe North Fork of Long Island, New York is home to some 30 wineries, who, together, manage around 3,000 acres of vineyards. The climate is maritime in the summer (weather predominately comes from the Gulf) and continental in the winter (when the weather predominantly comes from Canada). This results in a moderate summer, with a long growing season but a cold winter, which is fortunately moderated by the presence of water on three sides of the Fork. Mark and I were there yesterday to attend Lenn Thompson's Wine Bar, at Roanoke Winery where we tasted wines by Lieb, Roanoke, Wolffer Estates, Grapes of Roth as well as Lenns very own creations from Sonis Cellar (reviews on their way). On our way out there we stopped by Paumanok Vineyards, which is the Long Island winery with the best overall scores on Snooth and was given a tour by the owner, Charles Massoud. Charles is a real scientist in the way that he farms the vineyards and it was a real pleasure to hear him talk about the soil, the climate and the winemaking process. Here's an overview of what he told us: Paumanok Sauvignon Blanc The North Fork is a glacial moraine that was formed one million years ago and is part of the same system of moraines that stretch up and down the Eastern seaboard of the US - from Nantucket and Cape Cod, RI down to Long Beach Island in New Jersey. The soil is made up of sand and loam on a bed of gravel, and this is where the first, but certainly not the last, comparison with Bordeaux came out. The Bordeaux region of Grave literally gets its name from the gravelly soil. This means good drainage, a crucial element here given the high summer humidity and year round rainfall. The coastal influences and the maritime summers result in great seasonal variability in the growing conditions (again, like Bordeaux). However, this is New York and, unlike France, it can get brutally cold in the winter. The vines go dormant in the winter, but if the temperature drops below -15F then they will die. Although Upstate New York and even New York City easily gets colder than that, the ocean moderates the temperatures just a touch and with a little help from global warming the vines make it through the winter. Spring frosts are a huge problem out here, as well into April or May there's the chance for a sudden dip in temperature and once the vines have begun to bud they are extremely sensitive to cold (see an earlier post on how wineries combat frost). This year alone, Paumanok lost over 80% of their Chardonnay crop to frost. Chardonnay is particularly sensitive to this as it buds early. Of their 15 acres of Chardonnay they harvested 5 tonnes, instead of the 15 that they would have expected. Although they lost the crop, the vine did have some secondary and tertiary buds break later in the year - this doesn't result in good grapes for wine, but does keep the vine alive. By the time summer rolls around it begins to get really hot, and although the Ocean influence results in high humidity, it also keeps the temperatures slightly lower than what the rest of Southern New York sees. Here's where Charles's talk got really interesting, as he told us about the tactics specific to Long Island that winemakers use to optimize the sugar production of the grapes during the growing season. First, they defoliate the bottom 6-8 inches of the vine, which is where the grape clusters hang. This promotes good airflow and helps avoid mildew, rot and other problems that the humidity might create. Having just plucked a bunch of leaves off the vine, the next task is to ensure that there are enough leaves left to be able to produce enough sugar to ripen the clusters. 12 mature leaves are required per grape cluster, and as the vines tend to have around 30 leaves after the defoliation, this would allow the vine to ripen 2.5 clusters of grapes per branch. So, someone then walks every row and cuts off the extra clusters until there are only 2 clusters per branch maximum. Sauvignon Blanc Vines showing the defoliated 6" at the base of each branch At this point every vine has a maximum of 2 grape clusters hanging from it, with at least 24 leaves per branch, and thanks to the defoliation the grapes can survive the humidity and are also exposed to the sun which further allows them to ripen. Paumanok's science behind the farming, and the meticulous attention to fine tuning the crop were clear from Charles's explanations. He is a man obsessed with the production of the fruit. Someone who believes that winemaking can not make up for poor fruit, and that the best it can hope to do is to not ruin, what is otherwise, a perfectly ripe clean grape. Partway whole berrry fermentation, showing the ripe clean fruit    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Wine on the North Fork of... by Philip

  
  

• August 2008

  (Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 and a bottle of a 90+ pt Napa Cabernet Sauvignon) Musical heroism at it's finest, Beethoven's Eroica is quite possibly one of the finest expressions of Romanticism in music ever created. This 50+ minute opus blends seamlessly with a bottle of Napa... Read more(Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 and a bottle of a 90+ pt Napa Cabernet Sauvignon) Musical heroism at it's finest, Beethoven's Eroica is quite possibly one of the finest expressions of Romanticism in music ever created. This 50+ minute opus blends seamlessly with a bottle of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon (think Caymus or Shafer). Give it a try - you'll either agree with the pairing or find yourself questioning it's relevance. Either way, you'll be better off for having tried the wine, and for having listened to the symphony. If you haven't decanted (personal preference shall prevail in this particular detail), cork the bottle just as the first movement of the symphony is underway. The first movement, the Allegro con brio, is vibrant and full of energy. The excitement and anticipation of the first sip is highlighted by the sweeping exclamation of the horn solo. Indeed, the bright, spirited march creates a unique balance with the vibrant fruit that is apparent both on the nose and the pallet. The beautiful dark purple color essentially radiates a unique energy that is offset beautifully as the first movement descends almost violently, but with expert pacing, toward the second movement, the Marcia fenebre or funeral march. The funeral march, while often labeled as a dirge, is far more lively than one would expect. Slow & stately, it never falls into the sorrowful - and it is this unique aspect of the second movement that emphasizes the more subtle aspects of the Cabernet. The complex structure of the wine, held together with a medium, not overpowering acidity, is smoothed by a helping of lush tannins - this is a moment to revel, to exalt. Beethoven teases you in the Scherzo, the third movement. Again, the brighter, more lively tempo raises spirits and allows you to suddenly take in all the grandeur of the powerful, full bodied wine. Here you will discover the elaborate underpinnings, the rich herbal hints, and the dark fruit as it reveals itself in a glorious build up to a landmark finish. It is now, in the Finale, the powerful finish of the piece, that the true essence of the wine is revealed. The long, silky, and often expressive finish of the wine will captivate, and leave you longing for the next sip. Indeed, as the symphony ascends toward the heroic crowning achievement of the Allegro molto, and the horns sing toward the heavens, the palate rejoices in the reminiscence of a nearly perfect wine. As the extravagant, almost triumphant mood takes hold, and the emotions of the piece reach heights unthinkable, the true essence of appreciation will encompass and enrich you. The piece ends, and as with the last drops of wine, there is a subtle mourning tinged with hints of celebration. Of course, Beethoven would likely suggest a pairing with a vintage of the French lineage - after all, he did intend the symphony to be named in honor of Bonaparte, that diminutive general cum revolutionary cum emperor. And while the wine certainly speaks of revolution, it can hardly be described as diminutive. It is, rather, the heroism and grandiose temperament of the Corsican where the true likeness resides. Listen, sip, and enjoy. This nonpareil experiment just may leave you wondering how you ever enjoyed a glass of Cabernet without the seemingly necessary accompaniment of Beethoven's 3rd, and vice versa. *Disclaimer - Rates of consumption obviously differ from one person to the next. If you find yourself taken in by the music, sharing a single bottle may be recommended. If, on the other hand, the wine moves faster than the fastest of musical virtuoso, a second bottle may be compulsory. Next wine/music pairing experiment: An Ausie Shiraz meets Radiohead's "The Bends".    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Wine/Music Pairing Experiment... by davidrey

  
  

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