Here are some quick ideas to twist up old family classics…

Mashed Potatoes

Rather than just adding cream, butter, salt and pepper… be creative! Melt butter and cream (50/50 ratio) on the stove gently with springs of fresh rosemary, thyme, and whole garlic cloves gently until the flavors have infused. Then carefully strain and set aside. When you mash your potatoes, add in the infused cream and season to taste. The hint of garlic, potato and savory herbs enhance the turkey and compliment Grandma’s gravy beautifully…

Brussels Sprouts

A classic dish that could be the first one gone from the table! Start with browning small pieces of bacon in the pan. Remove the bacon, leaving the fat to use when you cook the Brussel sprouts. Add the halved sprouts to a hot pan and sear with the flat side down, turn over and cook until crispy brown. Our secret at the end is to add a splash of apple cider vinegar and a big squeeze of honey and toss. Finish cooking and toss back in the bacon bits just before plating. The earthy Brussel sprouts, sweet honey and salty bacon could make this a new family favorite!

Stuffing with Mushrooms

Our west coast stuffing incorporates thick cut bacon, foraged mushrooms and sourdough bread. Such a versatile side dish for Thanksgiving the options are endless… spicy sausage and apple, cornbread and caramelized onion, Italian sausage and kale. If you are hosting a large family gathering, make a few different kinds with these simple twists!

We hope you have a happy and delicious Thanksgiving!

Each year various turkey trends and tricks pop up throughout social media, television and email. With the pressure to cook a flavorful, moist and delicious turkey, some of us are willing to try anything once! In 2001, Emeril Lagasse suggested cooking the turkey breast side down for the 1^st hour to make sure all the juices flowed into the breast meat guaranteeing a juicy bird. In theory, this was a fantastic idea… I followed the recipe to a tee by brining, stuffing and trussing it perfectly and gently placing it breast side down in my roasting pan. After 1 hour, I carefully pulled it from the warm oven and proceeded to drop a hot, partially cooked turkey on the floor…

Thankfully, my ever-prepared mother had a backup turkey and off to the deep fryer it went… Thanksgiving was saved…

Now, we follow these tried and true Thanksgiving Turkey guidelines.

Choosing the Turkey – I grew up getting a turkey from the farmer down the street each year. They were amazingly flavorful heritage birds with a rich, intense taste with a firm texture. They are a little more expensive but well worth it the extra money. Contact your local butcher to assist you in navigating the heritage turkey market.

Take the Time and Brine – The brine of salt and water ensures a moist turkey. Adding aromatics, spices and herbs only builds the character and flavors. I recommend purchasing a kit if it’s your first time brining a bird but there are some great recipes online. Stay close to a 6% salt content, touch of sugar and away from brines that call for an acidic beverage. Also, it can be quite cumbersome to store the bird but I have always found a cooler with plenty of ice on each side works extremely well and does not take up valuable refrigerator real estate.

Forget the Basting - The days of mom leaning into a warm oven, hovering over the turkey with the iconic baster are gone. Opening and closing the door constantly lets the heat out of the oven, lengths the cooking time and dries it out even more… Instead, rub the bird with lots of olive oil or butter and resist the urge to baste.

From Napa Valley, the hope & grace crew wishes you a Happy Thanksgiving with moist and delicious turkeys in your future…

Embrace the season and re-use uncarved pumpkins from Halloween.  From fairytale, casper and baby boo to turban squash, incorporating pumpkins into your tablescape builds layer and depth.  Leave some larger pumpkins whole and use smaller stable pumpkins as candle holders with 9 in candles lit throughout. Paired with a simple table cloth and dinnerware and a few rustic branches, you will create an elegant festive holiday table guaranteed to delight your friends and family!

Bring in elements of nature for a rustic and outdoorsy tablescape by using pinecones, moss, logs and a natural burlap runner. Various mason jars as votive holders will wow your guests.

For a classic holiday, embrace the red, brown and pumpkin table by visiting the market for winterberries, orange dahlias, orange lilies and additional green and brown foliage. Orange napkins draped over a plate with a rustic name tag-adorned pumpkin for each guest will provide the perfect Thanksgiving touch.

Thanksgiving chic is a real thing… purples, rich greens and browns with persimmons and magnolias is the new elegant chic trend of the season. Forgo the traditional tablecloth for a natural wood element with a vibrant table runner instead. Several small arrangements with large votive candles placed at random will add an effortless and chic finish to this Thanksgiving.

Break out the silver and fine china! Classic white flowers and roses overflowing a stunning silver bowl will make for a beautiful centerpiece. Finish the table with silver spray painted miniature pumpkins, your grandmother’s crystal candle holders, crystal glassware and a simple white linen table cloth to bring elegance to your favorite holiday.

We hope this types motivate your inner hostess this Holiday Season!

Misunderstood in the past as only being a “sweet,” winemakers in Napa, and around the globe, are changing the way people enjoy Riesling.  Charles Hendricks, winemaker of hope & grace Wines in Yountville, loves the versatility of Riesling.  He meticulously watches over the grapes, checking the sugar levels every week to ensure the hope & grace Dry Riesling stays bone dry.  It is his passion and commitment to winemaking that sets the Riesling into a class all its own.  With bright citrus, tart apples and just a touch of honeycomb, hope & grace Dry Riesling compliments most any dish… or just to sip on your front porch, and enjoy the warm weather before Autumn rolls in!

 SIZZLE, SIZZLE (on the grill…)

On these warm days in Napa, we spend almost every evening in our backyards.  As grills have become a staple in most every home, it is easier than ever to come up with an excuse to fire up!  Of course, there are countless ways to enjoy the entrée portion of your meal from the grill, but what about an easy, stress free appetizer?  Grilled Peaches are a fantastic way to tap into the fresh fruit at the Farmers Market, or from your own backyard.  They require little preparation and cook in a flash, which allows you time to be the perfect host.  You may also glam them up with a simple garnish, such as lavender or mint.

 PEACHES & RIESLING RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 firm, ripe peaches
• 1-2 c  fresh ricotta cheese
• Sourdough bread
• Extra virgin olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Pull a perfectly chilled bottle of hope & grace Dry Riesling from the fridge and pour yourself a nice glass.
2. Brush some slices of sourdough bread (or the baguette from last night) with olive oil and place on the grill for just a couple of minutes.
3. Cut the peaches in half and remove the pit.  Brush the flesh side with some olive oil and grill, just until they are tender.
4. Spread fresh ricotta cheese on the toasted bread and top with a grilled peach half.
5. Sit back, relax and enjoy a blissful evening with hope & grace Dry Riesling.

ARE YOU READY FOR YOUR SOLSTICE PARTY?

We are approaching the Summer Solstice, this coming Sunday, June 21.  At hope & grace Wines, we can’t think of a better way of celebrating the day that gets the longest amount of sunlight with a little elegant outdoor dining.  Regardless of how much space you have in your backyard, there many ways to enjoy some al fresco dining.

• Natural candlelight always glams up your parties, so grab a variety of sizes and colors.
• Place strategically around the space, so as to eliminate any unnecessary big lights.  LED light strands are readily available at many stores (ex: Pier One Imports) and come in great shapes and figures (and don’t require electricity)!  Dress up a tree, an umbrella or piece of patio furniture to add some fun, whimsy to the experience.
• If you are lucky enough to have a flower garden, raid it for the most colorful, beautiful stems, and don’t worry about matching vases.  You can always make a trip to the local Farmer’s Market (www.localharvest.org for a listing in your town) where not only a stunning bouquet is most likely to be found, but you can always discover some local flavors to enhance your party.
• Choose your favorite playlist to keep everyone energetic and upbeat.  Use a current poppy blend or stick with a classic Frank and Dean.  If you don’t have speakers, place your smartphone into an empty, dry wine glass.  You’ll be amazed at the sound!

OK, HERE’S THE PLAN….

Pop a few bottles of 2013 hope & grace Pinot Gris into the fridge a few hours before your party.  You’ll enjoy aromas of apple, honey and fresh melon, with hints of lime zest and pepper.  It’s a great balance of citrus, apple and minerality.  Enjoy glasses of this crisp Pinot Gris with a simple Scallop, Mango & Avocado Salad (recipe below).

And, when the sun finally does set, enjoy the rest of your evening under the stars!

Scallop, Mango and Avocado Salad

Serves 4

(from Williams Sonoma Cookbook)

Chile Lime Vinaigrette

½ jalapeno chile, seeded and minced

Juice of 2 limes

¼ c olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1 mango

1 avocado, pitted, peeled and cut into ½” cubes

Juice of ½ lime

2 T unsalted butter, melted

12 sea scallops

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

6 c mixed salad greens

2 green onions, including tender green tops, sliced on the diagonal

1. To make the vinaigrette, in a small bowl, combine the jalapeno and lime juice.  Whisk in the olive oil.  Season with ½ t salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside until serving.  The vinaigrette can be made up to 2 hours in advance.
2. Stand mango on one of it’s narrow sides on a cutting board.  Using a sharp knife, cut slightly off center, slicing all of the flesh from one side of the pit in a single piece.  Repeat with the other side.  Hold 1 section, flesh side up, in your hand.  With the tip of the knife, score the flesh lengthwise, then crosswise, forming  ½ inch cubes and taking care not to cut the peel.  Press against the center of the peel to force the cubes upward, then run the knife against the base of the cubes to free them, allowing them to drop in a nonreactive bowl.  Repeat with the remaining section.  Add the avocado and lime juice to the mango cubes and toss together.  Set aside.
3. Preheat the broiler (grill).  Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Put the melted butter in a shallow bowl.  Add the scallops and turn to coat lightly.  Arrange the scallops on the baking sheet, spacing them evenly.  Season with salt and pepper.  Slip the scallops under the broiler about 6” from the heat source and broil until golden on top, about 1 ½ minutes.  Turn the scallops over and broil until the tops are golden and centers are nearly translucent.  Remove from the broiler.
4. In a bowl, toss the salad greens with ½ of the vinaigrette and divide among chilled individual plates.  Divide the mango and avocado cubes evenly among the plates.  Place 3 scallops on each salad.  Add any juices from the scallops to the remaining vinaigrette, stir to mix, and then drizzle the vinaigrette on and around the scallops.  Garnish the salad plates with green onions and serve at once.

My wife is giving me a sour look over the table as if I’ve offered her something inedible instead of a virtuous and interesting wine with a story to tell. I implore upon her to taste it. It’s Charles Hendricks’ latest effort to expand the palates of us common folk with a varietal of hope & grace not found in your local grocery store.

She tries it, savors it, smiles, and so a relationship with something new emerges. Now mind you, Lagrein is something unusual, something to be savored and appreciated. It’s not a cab, not a merlot, it’s something else entirely. Entrigued? I was, so I started to dig further. Ask a sommelier what a Lagrein is like and you’re likely to get a mouthful of other Germanic wines that most in the United States have never heard of. The Legrein is an unusual breed, rarely making the jump across the pond to take root in an entrepreneurial vintners vineyard, yet here hope & grace is making this wonderfully new adventure.

Lagrein is a Tyrolean Wine. Wife gives me a blank stare as if I’m speaking another language… because I am. Tyrol is a historic region that spans Northern Italy and Austria squarely in the Eastern Alps and Dolomites. The region is now called Alto Aldige (www.altoadigewinesusa.com). The language spoken in the region is primarily German and not Italian and the white wine grown there will sound familiar; riesling, gewürztraminer, pinot grigo. Lagrein doesn’t grow in the Alps of course, but clinging to the hills and walls of the valleys of the southern region of Alto Adige. The grape is related to Pinot Noir, and Syrah.

Eric Asimov of the New York Times describes Lagreins as  “wines that can be deliciously plummy, earthy and chewy, dark and full-bodied but not heavy, with a pronounced minerally edge” The bright flavorful wine carries some acidity making it a perfect pairing with red meats, game, aged cheeses, and speck a regional version of a cured ham slightly smoky with a low salt content.

It’s another hope & grace wine that one happy club member explained, they would bring to a party put on the table among other standard “party wines” and watch people drink, just to see their faces go through the exploration of something new. Then almost always look at the bottle, and ask “what is this?” “where can I get some?”

Wife is on glass number two as I ramble on. What might she ask if she were more interested in historical references than purely enjoying an excellent glass of wine? She might ask “why haven’t I heard of Tyrol?” But, the answer is we probably all have. The Tyrolean Hat (Included image) is something that might look like a common hat from the Alps, paired with lederhosen , and so it is. Most have just never heard it referred to as Tyrolean. The Tyrolean hound, while cute, is also a breed rarely seen state-side.

This mysterious and interesting bottle of wine is now poured completely, my wife and I enjoying the new flavors we find. My wife asks if we will be getting more, will hope & grace wines continue to make this great new wine… to that all I can answer is, the future is uncertain, but we can enjoy the wine now. 

Dr. Rob Morgan

(Interested in trying some? Get hope & grace Lagrein Here)

The weather is nice, not warm, but that delicate spot between uncomfortable extremes where wine grapes like to live. I’m meeting Charles Hendricks (CH), the winemaker and co-owner of hope & grace wines for the past twelve years at a renowned local restaurant, steps from the Yountville tasting room, a perk of the tasting room location.

I always identified with Maverick from Topgun. There is a natural knowledge of how to do things… I joke that I come stupid to each vintage without pre-conceived ideas of what’s going to happen.

Charles Hendricks arrives promptly, dressed in a clean black t-shirt and tan cargo pants. He elicits a comparison to Dr. Drew from TV, crisp, and casual. His attire is functional while still expressing a clean aesthetic. He informs me he’s primarily working in the cellar today and won’t be in the vineyards.

He approaches the lunch confidently, he’s familiar with the menu, the dishes, and most importantly the wine; his Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir graces the list at this restaurant.

RM: When you eat somewhere where your wine is on the wine list do you order it?

CH: Not usually, I like to try something else, see what other people are doing.

So he selects a Russian river Pinot Noir as a comparison. After the initial pleasantries are completed and orders made I continue.

RM: Not taking into account any wine you personally have made, what is the best wine you’ve ever had?

Charles stops only for a second and responds with surety.

CH: ‘78 Domaine de la Romanee Conti Grands Echezeaux I think it was in 1992.

RM: Where were you?

CH: I was in San Francisco at the restaurant of a friend and I was bemoaning the fact that I couldn’t find any good pinot noir and I was going to write off the whole category, and the chef goes ‘no you’ve got to try this.’ She pulls something off the shelf in their wine cellar and it’s this bacon fruit bomb that overtook my whole system from mouth to belly, everything was echoing those flavors; it was ethereal and I still remember that… and I said ‘ok I’ve got it now’ and it laid out where I want to be.

RM: And nothing has stood up to that since then?

CH: Nope (no hesitation).

RM: You talk passionately and eloquently of wine, is that what you want to be since boyhood?

CH: Growing up all I knew was veterinary medicine… my dad was a veterinarian and when an animal was injured in the middle of the night he’d wake me up and we’d go down to the veterinary hospital and I’d be doing treatments with him or helping with a surgery… I liked it, I liked to make them better and work in the animal hospital. It was very fulfilling.

RM: And how did you go from that to the wine world?

CH: Coming from Anaheim, CA there wasn’t a wine culture at that time. And UC Davis was the only school with a veterinary medicine program so I applied there and got in. In college everyone took ‘Introduction to Winemaking’ because you got to drink the wine… but after I took the class it struck me.

RM: What was your favorite part of the class… besides drinking wine?

Charles chuckles, he has a calm and friendly air about him. The staff have recognized him and we are graced with a salad compliments of the chef: Artichokes two ways, shaved and fried with an anchovy vinaigrette. He is gracious in his acceptance and he digs into the salad as we continue.

CH: The agriculture really appealed to me. I took a year and two thirds under my physiology major and I changed my major to viticulture… and then I was kinda one of the first that wrote my own major that included the viticulture and the winemaking courses. The programs had not yet been integrated because of politics. Back in the ‘70’s the grapegrowers and the winemakers were always fighting each other. The grapegrowers were trying to put the peddle to the metal and make the highest yields possible, to hell with the quality, and the winemakers were reading about Bordeux and low grape yields… so they didn’t understand each other.

RM: You were interested in the viticulture… what do you think drove the division?

CH: Back then the grapegrowers were paid on sugar points and the higher the sugar content the more they got paid, as opposed to now. It showed that there weren’t the common goals of today. Today when you contract with a grapegrower you contract for tonnage and you develop a relationship, some of my wines I’ve been sourcing from the same growers and the same vineyards since almost the beginning. The grower knows what you want and knows he has to provide clean fruit of high grade.

RM: You were at UC Davis which is now world-renowned for their Food and Wine Institute, but you were there before that… how did you learn what you know now?

CH: Yeah I was there in the dark ages… (Charles chuckles). In the California wine world back then it was an active time of experimenting trying to figure out what we had… it took us 5-6 years before we found out the Text Books had lied to us. Everything was technically correct but we discovered that it doesn’t work that way in real life.

RM: Where did you learn your secrets then?

CH: Trial and error… probably 10 years experimenting with different problems in wine. Working at different wineries that each had unique issues, barrel issues, cellar issues, etc. I got really good at working with difficult wines.

RM: You’ve worked in a lot of places with a lot of different people in the industry, how would other winemakers describe you?

CM: That’s a good question… probably a cowboy, (Charles smiles feeling comfortable with this idea)I don’t keep the best notes. I always identified with Maverick from Topgun. There is a natural knowledge of how to do things… I joke that I come stupid to each vintage without pre-conceived ideas of what’s going to happen. I’ve watched larger companies try to computer model when the grapes will be ready. I never made wine from a laboratory model… you just have to be out there in the grapes doing it. I don’t follow a textbook or a computer model and that’s where the cowboy comes in…

… to be continued.

The use of cover crops and legumes planted in the rows between the vines provides fertile, nitrogen rich soil allowing for healthy vine growth. Later in the season, the cover crop is tilled into the soil providing a second burst of nutrients in the mid-season. The promoted biodiversity encourages growth of beneficial flora and fauna and fosters a wildlife habitat for native animals. Ladybugs, beetles and lacewings which can call this habitat home thrive and consume potential natural pests to our vines. Any chemicals that are used sparingly in the vineyard are organic approved & considered reduced-risk pesticides. This results in a higher fruit quality thus allowing Charles to make a more natural wine.

This is a commitment that our growers make not just on earth day but all year. When you open the new 2010 hope & grace Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands, please feel good about the decision you made knowing that you are supporting the work, craft and respect of our winemaker and growers and their dedication to the environment.

Quick Tip: Two things to remember when buying and serving a large format bottle. First, part of the purpose of a large format is the drama, so pour straight from the bottle without decanting. Second, aim for a bottle in the double magnum size and never above a Joroboam, anything larger and you will be unable to suavely pour. 

In wine bottles we mean. Did you know that the large sized wine bottles are primarily named after kings, royalty, and other notable figures of the Middle East? Those history buffs out there know who Methuselah (said to have lived 900+ years), Nebuchadnezzar, Rehoboam, and Balthazar are (For a brief history lesson), but for those of us in the wine world they hold more meaning as sizes of large-format wine bottles. To confuse things more, there are different standards if you’re referring to still or sparkling wine. So, for the purpose of this short post, we will be talking about still wines (hope & grace style!). For the airplane industry and the avid pic-nicker there are the small bottles. Most popular on your next flight or in your hotel room bar are the Piccolo or Chopine sizes that are 1/8 and ¼ respectively. You can pick up a bottle of the hope & grace Santa Lucia Highlands in a Demi, ½ bottle size at our tasting room and pair it with a couple Govino logo glasses for your next out-door adventure. Most people are familiar with the full bottle that is universally known as 750ml (Not a full liter). Then we start talking about the big-boys. Luca De Ferrari of Poderi Boscarelli noted “Producers and drinkers are always attracted by the larger formats of wine bottle, such as the magnum, for an added element of ceremony” and it has been observed that the large format bottles slow the aging process allowing the wine to age with elegance in comparison to smaller bottles. At hope & grace we keep a select number of magnums (double bottles) in the tasting room for discerning guests. Then we start getting into the names of old kings and leaders. A Jerobaom is equivalent to 6 bottles and an Imperial/Methuselah is equivalent to 8. Primarily bottles above that size are sparkling, although it has become more popular (and somewhat of a status symbol) for wineries to produce very limited large size bottles for events or publicity. Have you seen the one at Beringer? It’s called “Maximus” and holds 173 bottles of wine and in 2004, the Guiness Book of World Records dubbed it the world’s largest bottle.

Liters                         Name                                      Bottle Equivalent

0.375L                        Demi-bottle                           ½

0.75L                          Bottle (duh!)                          1

1.5L                             Magnum                                 2

2.25L                          Marie Jeanne                         3

3.0L                             Jeroboam                               4

4.5L                             Rehoboam                             6

6.0L                            Imperial/Methuselah          8

9.0L                            Mordechai/Salmanazar     12 (A Case)

12.0L                          Balthazar                                16

16.0L                          Nebuchadnezzar                  20

18.0L                          Melchior                                24

Most likely many early vintners found ways to protect their wines using oiled cloth or other means, but soon a thin lead sheet became popular to protect the cork of wines. Lead was used because of its malleability to the unusual shape of the neck of a bottle.

In the ‘90’s however in a major crackdown on heavy metals in the United States the FDA banned the use or importation of wines with lead capsules. Reasons range from the detrimental effects in landfills to the trace amounts that would be left on the lip of the bottle and potentially ingested during consumption. Regardless, wine producers started using other materials, Tin being another easily pliable material quickly took over. But between 2002 and 2008 the cost of a ton of Tin increased 250%. Capsule producers started turning then more and more to Aluminum, Plastics, and Aluminum-Plastic Hybrids.

Of course now other closures such as the screw top have removed both the cork and often times the classic capsule from use. When you pull the capsule off a bottle of wine it most likely is aluminum or plastic with some exceptions being Tin. They are heat-shrinked onto the bottles giving a nice feel. When you’re at your local wine store take a look around, do you see any “naked” wines. Some wine makers have started to go back to using no capsule at all (Since many wineries don’t cellar there wines in dank dungeons with cork weevils much any more), preferring it as more natural and interesting looking.

Some wine makers have also decided to dip the mouth of their wine bottles in wax, for example our special Cuvee Amor has been dipped. The rest of our wines you will find have a Tin capsule. Nate, one of our local tasting salon experts at hope & grace notes that “you can tell the difference between capsules most easily when you cut them.” He explains an easy way to identify what the capsule on your next wine is… “First, if it’s a bottle of hope & grace it will be a tin capsule, that’s easy. You can tell because tin will leave a smoother cut when cut with a wine key or similar straight blade. It will also feel heavy when removed from the bottle. Aluminum tends to cut with a more jagged edge and if you compare it to a tin capsule, it’s much lighter. Plastic and plastic hybrids are generally easy to identify because they don’t cut very well, often times the entire capsule comes off when cut, and it feels thin and more brittle than the metals.” Check out more information on local capsule producer Lafitte USA’s website. They have more information about polymer capsules and cutting edge new options.