There’s a special release of the first Marsanne as a single varietal this month, definitely a treat.
Marsanne is known as the white workhorse grape of the southern Rhone and much of southern France, and is widely planted in Australia as well. Marsanne is a sturdy, hardy grape that produces a full-bodied wine with the heft of a good Chardonnay. Its relatively simple fruity flavors make it a natural candidate for a blending base, though interesting varietal Marsanne can also be produced.
The principal white Rhone varietals are Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne, each found throughout the Rhone Valley, and Grenache Blanc a widely planted, but less well known, contributor in the southern Rhone. The other white grapes include Bourboulenc, Clairette Blanc, Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, Picardin, Picpoul/Piquepoul Blanc, and Ugni Blanc.
The Marsanne grapes came from Borra Vineyards in the Lodi region of California, located in the Central Valley. The Lodi region is quickly growing into a grape growing area. There are three factors that create a great grape growing region: climate, soil and technology and Lodi is blessed with the perfect blend of the three for grapevines.
The grapes were harvested in the fall of 2010 and were pressed out upon their arrival in the Lynfred cellar. The wine was aged in new American and French oak barrels.
The 2010 vintage Marsanne has an enticing tropical nose and oaky characteristics attributable to having used the best new barrels. Enjoy this beautiful white with curried dishes, smoked fish, crab and chicken.
Taste Profile
Aroma: Peaches, tropical, toasty
Palate: Cinnamon, toffee, tropical
Body: Medium
Finish: Succulent, oaky, toasty, elegant
Foods: Curry dishes, chicken marsala, crab cakes
Technical Notes
Aged: American & French Oak
Vintage: 2010
Residual Sugar: 0.1%
Alcohol Percentage: 13.5
Titratable Acid: 4.51 g/L
pH: 3.65
Release Date: January 1, 2012
Total Cases: 249 cases
Club Release Price: $19.00
Winery Release Price: $22.25
Aging Potential: 1-3 Years
Serving Temperature: 55
The wine of the month is an unfiltered, reserve batch of Syrah. The Syrah grape is quite well known, but many seem quite confused when they see bottles with the names Syrah, Shiraz and Petite Sirah (also spelled ‘Syrah’)
The Syrah grape is capable of producing wines of immense complexity. Its origins derive from the Rhone Valley of France where it is somewhat worshipped. Syrah has the oldest charted geography, as well as history, of any of the grape varieties. It is known for its ‘spicy’ and ‘peppery’ qualities and is also noted for its ability to produce roasted and smoky, blackberry flavors.
The most popular wine in Australia, grossing 40 percent of vine growth, is Shiraz; however, it is said to have truly originated in the Shiraz region of Persia. The difference in terroir (soil geography) creates a product somewhat different than its French version, Syrah. Shiraz produces a strawberry flavor with smoky, earthy aromas. Its soft peppery qualities are less than that of Syrah, but smoke persists.
Finally, Petite Sirah has somewhat of a murky origin. Petite Sirah was planted in California in the late 1800’s, named Petite because of its much smaller clusters than Syrah. It was also confusingly known as the Durif grape as it was promoted in France by Dr. Durif. Petite Sirah produces an inky dark wine, robust and rich in tannins. Hopefully this will clear up any confusion between the three grapes.
The grapes for this vintage of Syrah came from two states; Washington and California during the harvest of 2009. 60% off the batch was from Jones Vineyard in the Columbia Valley of Washington, and the other 40% came from Olagaray Vineyards, located in Lodi, California. The wine was aged in new American and French oak barrels and was left unfiltered.
Taste Profile
Aroma: Cloves, spices, vanilla, cinnamon
Palate: Velvety, dried fruits, menthol, oak
Body: Medium to full
Finish: Bright, hot, complex
Foods: Spicy foods, pork chops, sausages
Technical Notes
Aged: American & French Oak
Vintage: 2009
Residual Sugar: 0.2%
Alcohol Percentage: 14.0
Titratable Acid: 4.0 g/L
pH: 364
Release Date: January 1, 2012
Total Cases: 723 cases
Club Release Price: $20.00
Winery Release Price: $30.00
Aging Potential: 3-8 Years
Serving Temperature: 65
And we’re back! It’s only been a couple of months since we actually made a recipe, but it feels like way longer than that. As usual on the new year I’m gonna try slightly different ways of posting because I bore easily. I’m gonna start posting in-line pictures throughout the recipe, make more notes, and take more step-by-step pictures. Also coming soon is some wine info and other things…I just discovered the queue functionality. I’m slow on the uptake.
Anyways, this month we have Mango & Garroxta Empanaditas, served with a Lynfred American Syrah Reserve 2009!
These things were delicious. The recipe calls for mango but I believe almost any fruit would work with these. These tasted basically like pie right out of the oven, which is a good thing.
RECIPE
Mango and Garroxta Empanaditas
From the Private Kitchen of Lynfred Winery Chef Janaki
Makes about 12 empanaditas (at least for us it did)
Ingredients
1/2 c. lard
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
Ice water
1 1/2 c. flour
1 egg
1 mango, not quite ripe
Small wedge of Garroxta cheese (pronounced “gah-ROTE-cha”)
Substitute if Garroxta cannot be found: Manchego
[We couldn’t find either cheese, so we used Gruyère, it worked really well]
Method
Preheat oven to 350F. Cut lard into pieces and bring to room temperature if not already there. Mix lard with salt, sugar, and egg until thoroughly combined.
[The below pic shows about as “thoroughly combined” as we could get it, but it turned out just fine]
Begin stirring in flour a little at a time, making sure to mix it in thoroughly each time. After all flour is added, mixture should be slightly dry and crumbly.
Drizzle in about 3 tbsp ice water and continue working the pastry dough, just until it comes together into a soft, pliable ball.
Cover dough ball with plastic wrap and either refrigerate for half an hour or freeze for 10 minutes before proceeding. While waiting for the dough, peel and seed your mango. Cut into small chunks. Shave small pieces off the wedge of garroxta cheese.
When dough has thoroughly chilled, roll out to no more than 1/4” thickness and cut 3 to 4” circles out of it using biscuit cutters or a drinking glass. Re-roll dough scraps and repeat process. If the ambient temperature in your kitchen is very warm, you may need to chill the dough again before re-rolling.
[don’t forget to flour your rolling board and pin!]
Fill a small bowl with water and keep it next to your stuffing area. Place a couple pieces of mango and a few shavings of garroxta cheese in the center of each circle of dough.
[Feel free to put tons more cheese than this. As you will see in the last picture, it all melts down…I would say stuff as much cheese/fruit as you can without breaking the dough when you fold it over.]
Wet your forefinger with water and run it around the edge of the dough. Fold one side up and over the filling, being careful not to break the pastry. Smooth the edges together to form a half-moon shape. Press the tines of a fork all around the edge for a pretty look. Repeat with remaining dough and filling ingredients.
Bake for 20-30 minutes on a parchment paper lined sheet pan. Empanaditas are done when dough is crispy and lightly brown all the way around.
ENJOY!!
EK & LK
The next recipe is flatiron steaks with shallot and chive Boursin. Boursin can be found in the specialty cheese aisle usually, but might only have a few flavors. We’ve found the garlic and herb one works well for any recipes calling for Boursin. “Flatiron” steaks are also known as chuck steaks (anything that comes from the shoulder) in case you’re looking for the right cut of meat. Didn’t find any good shots of this recipe online so I posted the picture from wikipedia of the cow cuts.
Flatirons w/ Shallot Boursin
Recipe from the Private Kitchen of Lynfred Chef Joe Hetman
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 tablespoons fruity olive oil, divided
6, 10-ounce flatiron steaks
1/2 of small package Shallot and Chive Boursin cut into 6 wedges
1 1/2 cups Lynfred Merlot
1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces
2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives plus whole chives for garnish
Method
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in each of 2 heavy large skillets over medium-high heat. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. Add 3 steaks to each skillet; cook about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to platter; top each with 1 cheese wedge. Tent with foil to keep warm.
Pour off drippings from 1 skillet; add wine to skillet and boil over high heat until reduced to generous 1/2 cup, scraping up the browned bits, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; add butter and stir until melted. Mix in parsley and chopped chives. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over steaks. Garnish with whole chives.
Serve with a fresh baguette.
![Aaah, the holidays. Every November and December, we are completely swamped and find it difficult to find the time/funds to make the last two months’ tasty goodies. This year we didn’t even try but both of them sound really tasty so I’m still posting them.
First up, Fennel Tarts. I can say that if you aren’t into the black licorice flavor, avoid anything with fennel in it…along with anise. The tarts mentioned in the recipe below should be able to be picked up at any local grocery store (should be same aisle as puff pastry sheets).
[picture from http://peasepudding.files.wordpress.com]
Fennel TartRecipe from the kitchen of Lynfred chef Joe HetmanIngredients6 heads baby or young fennel4 garlic cloves1 tablespoon olive oil2 cups Lynfred Black Muscat wine2 cups chicken stockThyme bouquetSalt and sugar1 tablespoon black peppercorns (tied in a cheesecloth)6 tablespoons butter12 tablespoons sugartart pastries MethodTrim fennel and cut off the 2 outer ends of the fennel then slice directly in half the long way. Sweat the garlic cloves in olive oil to infuse garlic flavor. Deglaze with Black Muscat, and chicken stock. Add the fennel, thyme, salt, sugar, and peppercorns. Cover with parchment paper and braise until tender. Drain, cool and reserve juice (use to poach fish, if desired).While the fennel is cooling, place 1/2 tablespoon of butter in each of the cast iron pans. Put 1 tablespoon of sugar on top of the butter and sprinkle in a pinch of salt. Place 1 piece of fennel in each pan and cook over direct heat until caramel forms.Place a piece of semi-cooked tart pastry on top of each fennel and finish in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes. Turn upside down and serve warm.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lwim4buZpY1qzkz6lo1_500.jpg)
Aaah, the holidays. Every November and December, we are completely swamped and find it difficult to find the time/funds to make the last two months’ tasty goodies. This year we didn’t even try but both of them sound really tasty so I’m still posting them.
First up, Fennel Tarts. I can say that if you aren’t into the black licorice flavor, avoid anything with fennel in it…along with anise. The tarts mentioned in the recipe below should be able to be picked up at any local grocery store (should be same aisle as puff pastry sheets).
[picture from http://peasepudding.files.wordpress.com]
Fennel Tart
Recipe from the kitchen of Lynfred chef Joe Hetman
Ingredients
6 heads baby or young fennel
4 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups Lynfred Black Muscat wine
2 cups chicken stock
Thyme bouquet
Salt and sugar
1 tablespoon black peppercorns (tied in a cheesecloth)
6 tablespoons butter
12 tablespoons sugar
tart pastries
Method
Trim fennel and cut off the 2 outer ends of the fennel then slice directly in half the long way. Sweat the garlic cloves in olive oil to infuse garlic flavor. Deglaze with Black Muscat, and chicken stock. Add the fennel, thyme, salt, sugar, and peppercorns. Cover with parchment paper and braise until tender. Drain, cool and reserve juice (use to poach fish, if desired).
While the fennel is cooling, place 1/2 tablespoon of butter in each of the cast iron pans. Put 1 tablespoon of sugar on top of the butter and sprinkle in a pinch of salt. Place 1 piece of fennel in each pan and cook over direct heat until caramel forms.
Place a piece of semi-cooked tart pastry on top of each fennel and finish in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes. Turn upside down and serve warm.
(coming this month - 2010 Black Muscat and recipes Fennel Tart and Flatirons w/Shallot Boursin!)
The history of the Merlot grape begins in the Bordeaux region of France, which is known for blending its wines. In fact, a true Bordeaux wine is made up of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot, Malbec and Merlot. It is fabled that the Merlot grape is what gave the blackbird its name because the bird was known to always eat the Merlot grape first (which is properly known as Merlot Noir, henceforth, ‘blackbird’). Another possible reason for the name is that the color of the blackbird’s feathers is the same color of the grape!
The Merlot grape tends to be plum and blue in color, and ripens in early fall. Due to its thin skin, it offers less tannins to a wine; therefore, it does not have to age as long before it is luxurious enough to drink. In fact, most critics quote the wine as being a ‘real drinking wine’.
The Merlot vine may have originated in the Bordeaux region of France, but is grown in such countries as: South America, New Zealand, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Hungary, Romania, Australia and America. For the most part, the varietal was often grown for blending, not as a single variety wine. In the 1980’s California began branching out and producing Merlot as a single variety wine for those looking for a smooth red. By 1990 the trend had picked up, and bottles of ‘Merlot’ are always seen on the shelves. After the movie ‘Sideways’ Merlot had a little trouble competing against its glorified cousin Pinot Noir, but it’s time to put that aside and taste what you’ve been missing the past few years.
This 2008 vintage of Merlot contains 75% Merlot from the Lodi region of California, along with 12.5% Syrah and 12.5% Tempranillo. The wine was aged for 30 months in both American and French oak and had extended maceration time offering more depth of flavor.
We won’t be doing the November meal this year, but the recipe is below.
And if you’re looking for recipe ideas, here’s the fantastic meal we made last year!
If you’ve never made a turkey before, I’d highly suggest doing it at least once. It seems intimidating but there is TONS of help online and really it just takes time and it’s not overly complicated.
Happy Thanksgiving everybody!
Roasted Turkey with Pan Juices
Recipe from the archives: November 2001
by Lynfred Chef Chris Smith
INGREDIENTS
vegetable oil
1 18-20 pound turkey, thawed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (1/2 stick butter, softened)
Lynfred Cabernet wine
apples, cinnamon sticks, thyme & rosemary sprigs (for aromatics)
PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Rinse the turkey well, inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels. Rub salt and pepper into both the neck and body cavities.
Stuff the inside of the turkey with the aromatics (sliced apple, cinnamon sticks, thyme & rosemary sprigs). Close both cavity ends with trussing skewers and string. Place the turkey breast up on a rack in a large roasting pan. Rub the skin lightly with softened butter. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone.
Place the turkey in the oven and roast about 12 minutes per pounds, basting every 30 minutes with pan juices.
The turkey is done when the thermometer registers 180 degrees or when the juices run clear when the thigh is pricked with a fork.
Remove the turkey to a warm platter and cover loosely with foil. Let it rest for 20-30 minutes before carving. Scrape all the particles from the bottom of the roasting pan and stir them into the pan juices to give it a deeper color and heartier flavor. Add a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon wine and salt and pepper to taste; simmer for a few minutes on top of stove. Remove to a warmed gravy boat.
Massaman Curry, served with a Lynfred Riesling!
[ed.note: It’s a little bit late, but congrats to Kris and Amber! That’s good people!]
Ok, I admit that we we slacked on making the curry from scratch, but in our defense as you can see from the below recipe it has about 10 thousand ingredients and we didn’t want to screw it up. A store-bought curry did the trick just fine though, because this whole recipe was delicious. It says to use just 3 tablespoons of the curry but we threw 4 or 5 in there I think, because that’s how we roll.
I also included the picture of what coconut milk looks like right after it’s poured out, because I wasn’t expecting it. It doesn’t look like it’s going to cook down but it does very well. The jasmine rice cooked up pretty easily as well, pretty comparable to normal white rice but requires a lot more simmering to cook off the water.
All in all, a great meal! And it was nice to have something “normal” to cook. Check this one out!
Also I want to note that there was also a recipe for Grilled Pork Sausages w/ Spiced Figs, which we’ve already tackled…great meal, in fact it’s in the top 20.
Listening To: The Crane Wife by The Decemberists
Massaman Curry
Serves: 4. Recipe by Lynfred Chef Janaki
Time required: 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces (we used about 2 pounds cause we like chicken)
3 tbsp Massaman curry paste (homemade or store-bought; recipe for homemade below)
1 can coconut milk
2 c. fresh pineapple, cubed
1 c. sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 c. fresh okra, chopped roughly
Massaman curry paste recipe:
10 dried chilies, chopped
1 tbsp whole coriander seeds
1 tbsp whole cumin
1 tsp whole white peppercorns
6 cloves
4 whole cardamom pods, crushed
3 whole star anise
1 stick cinnamon, cut into pieces to expose more surface area
8-9 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
8-9 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tsp shrimp paste
1 small knob of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 small piece of lemongrass, roughly chopped
Lime juice
To make curry paste:
Toast all ingredients above the line in a dry skillet until browned and fragrant. Do not burn. Allow to cool to room temperature and combine all ingredients both above and below the line in your food processor. Blitz to a fine pulp.
PREPARATION
Heat medium saucepan and add a tiny bit of oil; fry curry paste until fragrant, then mix in coconut milk and all other ingredients. Allow to simmer (but not roughly boil) and cook until all ingredients are done. Serve immediately over steaming hot jasmine rice.
![[I completely forgot to post the latest wine. This month’s recipe is Massaman Curry…it’s done, and it was pretty delicious. Post coming this weekend hopefully.]
Riesling is a white grape variety grown historically in Germany. Dr. Ferdinand Regner, grapevine breeding and genetics expert, suggests Riesling wine history starts with one parent of Riesling, the Gouais Blanc (known to Germans as Heunisch Weiss), brought to Burgundy from Croatia by the Romans; the other parent being a cross between a wild vine and Traminer (Sauvignon Blanc). This is believed to be the start of Riesling wine history.
Riesling vine history traces back to the year 1435. Reportedly there were other “first plantings” in Rheinhessen and the Alsace region with dates 1402 and 348 respectively, to name a few. Riesling wine history presumes the Riesling was born somewhere in the upper valley of the Rhine, but with parents from either side of the Adriatic the cross could have happened along the way.
The grapes for our 2010 vintage of Riesling came from Jones Vineyard in the Columbia Valley of Washington. Washington is arguably the best Riesling growing region in the United States & certainly the largest producer.
Most of the Washington Riesling acreage is grown in the rain shadow of the Cascade Range on the east side of the state within the Columbia Valley appellation. One particularity of the viticulture in this region is the quasi absence of rootstocks. Classic soils of the Columbia Valley of Washington are wind-blown loess on the top of granitic deposits from the Missoula floods sitting above the basalt bedrock. The wines are usually ripe, often slightly sweet (though not necessarily so), with notes of peach and expressing excellent minerality.
Our grapes are grown in the same area as classic Riesling producers such as Chateau Ste. Michelle/Eroica, Pacific Rim, Hogue, Columbia Winery, Poet’s Leap, Owen Sullivan and Woodward Canyon.
The 2010 vintage of Riesling is a blend of 87% Riesling and 13% Sauvingon Blanc. Enjoy this pretty wine with all the flavors of fall! Stock up because this wine will be perfect with Thanksgiving dinner!
Aroma: flowers, peaches, honey, tropical fruits
Palate: floral, fruity, spicy
Body: medium
Finish: clean and acidic
Foods: pork, sauerkraut, Asian cuisine, pumpkin, turkey, blue cheese
(Staff Note: It’s the perfect hot tub wine!)](http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ltsedgqbYt1qzkz6lo1_400.jpg)
[I completely forgot to post the latest wine. This month’s recipe is Massaman Curry…it’s done, and it was pretty delicious. Post coming this weekend hopefully.]
Riesling is a white grape variety grown historically in Germany. Dr. Ferdinand Regner, grapevine breeding and genetics expert, suggests Riesling wine history starts with one parent of Riesling, the Gouais Blanc (known to Germans as Heunisch Weiss), brought to Burgundy from Croatia by the Romans; the other parent being a cross between a wild vine and Traminer (Sauvignon Blanc). This is believed to be the start of Riesling wine history.
Riesling vine history traces back to the year 1435. Reportedly there were other “first plantings” in Rheinhessen and the Alsace region with dates 1402 and 348 respectively, to name a few. Riesling wine history presumes the Riesling was born somewhere in the upper valley of the Rhine, but with parents from either side of the Adriatic the cross could have happened along the way.
The grapes for our 2010 vintage of Riesling came from Jones Vineyard in the Columbia Valley of Washington. Washington is arguably the best Riesling growing region in the United States & certainly the largest producer.
Most of the Washington Riesling acreage is grown in the rain shadow of the Cascade Range on the east side of the state within the Columbia Valley appellation. One particularity of the viticulture in this region is the quasi absence of rootstocks. Classic soils of the Columbia Valley of Washington are wind-blown loess on the top of granitic deposits from the Missoula floods sitting above the basalt bedrock. The wines are usually ripe, often slightly sweet (though not necessarily so), with notes of peach and expressing excellent minerality.
Our grapes are grown in the same area as classic Riesling producers such as Chateau Ste. Michelle/Eroica, Pacific Rim, Hogue, Columbia Winery, Poet’s Leap, Owen Sullivan and Woodward Canyon.
The 2010 vintage of Riesling is a blend of 87% Riesling and 13% Sauvingon Blanc. Enjoy this pretty wine with all the flavors of fall! Stock up because this wine will be perfect with Thanksgiving dinner!
Aroma: flowers, peaches, honey, tropical fruits
Palate: floral, fruity, spicy
Body: medium
Finish: clean and acidic
Foods: pork, sauerkraut, Asian cuisine, pumpkin, turkey, blue cheese
(Staff Note: It’s the perfect hot tub wine!)
Maytag Stuffed Figs w/Greens, served with a Lynfred 2008 Syrah!
Before I start, yeah, that’s a lost half cork in the bottle that you’re seeing http://sadtrombone.com/
The string of, let’s say “interesting”, recipes continues. Figs stuffed with Stilton and thyme, wrapped in prosciutto? Say what? Taken separately you wouldn’t think that this would work at all. However, put together, the ingredients all fit, kinda like the goat cheese and beet salad.
Additionally, the port vinaigrette itself was really good and can be used on anything, but make sure to strain the onions out before serving. Maybe we didn’t cut them small enough, but the onions in ours really took away from the vinaigrette as a whole…after straining, all was well.
Listening To: The Most Metal Thing in the World A.K.A. NOTHING!
(that’s for all your Dethklok fans out there)
Maytag Stuffed Figs w/ Greens
Recipe from the Private Kitchen of Lynfred Chef Joe Hetman
12 fresh figs, quartered halfway down from the top
4 cups spring greens
8 ounces Stilton, crumbled
4 sprigs thyme, pulled from stem
12 slices prosciutto crudo
For the Port Vinaigrette
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
2 cups Syrah
1 tablespoon molasses
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoon walnut oil
With the figs quartered, press inward from the bottoms to allow figs to “blossom” open. Stuff the centers with Stilton and fresh thyme, and wrap each in a piece of prosciutto crudo. Arrange 6 figs onto each plate, leaving the center open for the salad greens.
Heat sauté pan to medium-high. Add olive oil and onion and cook until tender. Add the Syrah and reduce by half. Transfer reduced wine mixture to a blender or large mixing bowl (with whisk) and add the molasses, balsamic vinegar, thyme and salt and pepper and blend until combined. With the motor running (or wrist twisting away with the whisk), slowly add the olive oil and walnut oil and blend until emulsified. Check your seasoning. Drizzle the vinaigrette into a large bowl to coat, and then add in the spring greens. Toss to coat and place in the center of each plate just inside the fig arrangements.
Sprinkle the salad with the Stilton and drizzle with some of the vinaigrette.
