Inspired by the end of a “winter”(I use this term loosely as not to offend anyone) season and the beginning of a new growing season, I dished out a can of Urbani Truffle products to each of the hope & grace team members. The assignment? Concoct the perfect, decadent and soul-warming pasta recipe… Let’s say goodbye to “winter” and welcome spring! Use either season as an inspiration…

Here are two of my colleagues unbelievable truffle/pasta recipes…. Special Thanks to VICKIE AND CINDY!!!!!

Vickie’s White Truffle, Porcini and Lamb Risotto

Braised Lamb
1 ½ lb  lamb shanks, not trimmed
½ cup dry red wine (or more)
2 heaping T Dijon mustard
2 t sea salt
1 t freshly ground black pepper
½ head of garlic
½ yellow onion
olive oil to brown onions, garlic and lamb
Chop garlic and onions, add to olive oil in frying pan, brown.
Remove lamb shanks from pan and deglaze pan with red wine, adding mustard as well.
Place lamb, and sauce from frying pan in slow cooker.  Cook approx. 3 hours high, 3 hours on low.  May take less time.

Risotto
6 tablespoons butter, divided
16 oz Arborio Rice
4 cup hot vegetable broth
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
6.1 oz can Urbani White Truffles and Porcini sauce

Melt 3 T butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add rice, stir 1 minute. 
Add 1 cup hot broth.  Simmer until broth is almost absorbed, stirring often.  Repeat, using remaining broth, 1 cup at a time.  Stir and simmer until mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes longer.  Stir in remaining 3 T butter, parmesan cheese, and Urbani White Truffles and Porcini sauce.
Add braised lamb to risotto, garnish with parsley and serve with 2008 hope & grace Russian River Pinot Noir.
PS.  I would add asparagus next time!

Cindy’s Truffled Pasta

1 can Urbani Tomatoes Truffle Thrills
4 Tbsp. Tomato paste
3 Tbsp. finely sliced shallots
3/4 cup sliced shitake mushrooms
1/4 cup sliced baby portobello mushrooms
1/4 cup dry red wine
1 tsp fresh chopped oregano
1/2 tsp fresh chopped rosemary
3 Tbsp Olive oil Plus  additional to finish
1/2 cup water or stock

Heat olive oil until shimmering, add shallots and sauté until barely tender, add shitake and portobello mushrooms, sauté until they release their liquid. Sauté until pan is almost dry, kick up the heat and deglaze the pan with the wine. Sauté 4 minutes, add the oregano and rosemary, let cook 3 or 4 minutes. Add Urbani tomato Thrill, and tomato paste. Stir together, add 1/4 water or stock if very thick, bring to a simmer. Simmer 12 minutes, watching thickness and adding water or stock for desired thickness.
Serve over warm parmesan polenta or cooked pasta of your choice! Enjoy with hope & grace 2009 Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir.

As we swap books and recipes we are always looking for great staples that can be tweaked to our fancy to elevate the delicious elixir in our glass in hopes of reaching “Napa Nirvana”. The ‘Seasons in the Wine Country’ features recipes from the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone provides wonderful recipes that ensure perfect results from their easy to follow directions. With a few practice rounds(yes my job is soooo hard… haha) you can start to elaborate and unleash that creativity and make it your own….

This recipe was perfect with our 2009 hope & grace Santa Lucia Highlands Doctor’s Vineyard Pinot Noir… Sweet, savory, salty and succulent! So delicious the dogs won’t have a chance to taste even a morsel!

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with apple bacon compote-Recipe by The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, Cate Conniff, Seasons in the Wine Country -

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Mince 8 of the sage leaves and reserve until needed.

2. Bring the tenderloins to room temperature and dry completely with paper towels.

3. Place a roasting rack on a baking sheet. Season the pork with 1 teaspoon of the salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. In a large sauté pan or skillet over medium-high heat, heat the 2 tablespoons of oil until a sheen develops and oil begins to separate. Add the pork and brown well and evenly on all sides, turning occasionally, about 2 minutes per side.

4. Remove the pork from the pan (reserve the pan) and place the pork on a roasting rack. Place the pork on the middle rack in the oven and roast until the center of the meat reaches and internal temperature of 145°F for medium-rare( pink in the middle), about 25 minutes, or 150°% for medium, 30 to 35 minutes.

5. While the pork roasts, add the bacon to the reserved pan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes, stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until aromatic. Stir in the onion, minced sage, and thyme and sauté stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan for browned bits, until the onion is tender, about 4 minutes. Add the apples and sauté, stirring often, until lightly caramelized and tender, about 5 minutes.

6. Turn the heat to high and add the cider to deglaze the pan. Scrape any remaining browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat to medium-high and reduce the liquid to a thick glaze, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and the ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Remove from eh heat and keep warm.

7. Remove the pork from the oven and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let stand 10 minutes. The internal temperature will continue to rise by 5 to 10 degrees.

8. While the pork is resting, hear the 1 cup canola oil in a small sauce-pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is warm enough so that the sage sizzle without smoking, fry the remaining 16 sage leaves until crisp, 10 to 20 seconds. Remove the sage leaves and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

9.Cut the pork into ½-inch-thick medallions. Arrange the medallions and border with about ½ cut apple and bacon compote per serving. Place 2 sage leaves on each plate and serve immediately.

As always, we encourage you to try this recipe than make it your own… we always like to go a little barbeque with everything. Throw together some cayenne, smoked paprika, dry mustard, salt and pepper and add something extra to your pork. It’s great with the apple bacon compote…

You won’t stuff this pork into the couch cushions that’s for sure! Bon Appetit!

More often than not a huge garden will be planted and all summer long friends are generously dropping off baskets of tomatoes by the variety, jalapeños, padrone peppers (not as spicy as Kung Pao chicken), habaneros, red and green bell peppers, corn, zucchini and squash, swiss chard and kale, carrots and more, which are offered over a neighbors’ balcony with a smile. The abundant crop yields also make us creative as we strive to make use of every piece of produce provided…

As a child, summer vacation meant at least 1-2 weeks commitment in the production line of my mother’s kitchen helping with canning and freezing. When the tomatoes were in, they would get blanched, peeled and then frozen in quart containers to use all year long (My favorite part was the BLT lunch around mid-day)…The blackberries and raspberries meant jam and jellies(although we tried to eat as many berries as possible)… and then there was the Red Pepper Jelly…

The plethora of jalapeños, red bells and green bells would be sliced, seeded and finely chopped… For us kids that was the extent… The picking, seeding, and then thorough hand washing in an attempt to make sure my brother didn’t burn his face…. Again… from there Mom would take over…

The Red Pepper Jelly was sweet, a little spicy and delicious on cream cheese and crackers, roast meat sandwiches and more… The best was the last jar of the season we saved for Easter. So simple, delicious as it basted our Easter Ham and perfect with pinot noir….

Red Pepper Jelly

My mother followed the science of canning and still uses the SURE.JELL® Hot Pepper Jelly recipe…it’s a keeper.

Ingredients

2 medium red peppers, seeded, finely chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)

2 medium green peppers, seeded, finely chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)

10 large jalapeño peppers, seeded, finely chopped (about 1 cup)

1 cup cider vinegar

1 box SURE-JELL Fruit Pectin

½ tsp. butter or margarine (optional)

5 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl (See tip below.)

Directions

1. BRING boiling-water canner, half-full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.

2. PLACE peppers in 6- or 8-qt. saucepot. Add vinegar. Stir in pectin. Add butter to reduce foaming, if desired. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn’t stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.

3. LADLE immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with 2-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 min. Remove jars and place upright on towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lid with finger. (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

Roasted Red Pepper Jelly Easter Ham

Cook time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 (5 pound) ready-to-eat ham

1 jar of Red Pepper Jelly (recipe above)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

2. Score ham in not pre-sliced and place ham in foil lined pan.

3. After 40 minutes, pull the ham out and spread/brush the ¾ of the Red Pepper Jelly generously all over the ham and bake for an additional 35 minutes.

4. Baste ham every 10 to 15 minutes with a little more jelly.  If it doesn’t have a nice glaze and a little crisp, turn on broiler to caramelize the jelly for the last 4 minutes. The ham should read an internal temperature of 140 at this point. Remove from oven, and let sit a few minutes before serving.

So simple for a large crowd or fabulous for the family and leftovers the rest of the week. We love it paired with the 2008 hope & grace Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir…

The ham and cheese sandwiches the next day will be a treat for the family… no complaints!

We understand that each and every wine tastes different and has a unique aroma, mouth feel, texture and expression. We understand the role that the soil, climate, vintage and élevage all have on this elixir…. Yet, we have never had a concrete visual expression of wine.

Our winemaker, Charles Hendricks passion for the science of the wine industry lead him to Sondra Barrett, a Bay Area artist, who explores the molecular expression of vitamins, minerals and even wine! Sondra has used a microscope with a prism to capture the molecular expression of our 2008 hope & grace Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir and our new 2008 hope & grace Cuvee Amor…

Sondra Barrett, PhD, a biochemist, first used the microscope to photograph human cells while developing diagnostic tools for human leukemias when on the faculty at UCSF Medical School. However, an exhibit of brain chemicals photographed with a microscope enticed her to explore the artistic beauty of molecules. Soon she began photographing chemicals of life – vitamins, minerals, and hormones – to teach science with art and give “inner space” slide shows to children with cancer.

Applying for Sterling Vineyards’ artist-in-residence program, she photographed her first wine – a 1978 Sterling merlot.  When the winemaker said the ‘picture looked like the wine tasted’ she became intrigued with the many possibilities of the inner world of wine. Working with winemakers and looking at Napa Valley wines she began documenting winemaking from the inside out uncovering distinct shapes and patterns that wine maestro Andre Tchelistcheff called ‘the jewels in wine.’

She has photographed thousands of wines, worked as a harvest intern and released her first book Wine’s Hidden Beauty. Sondra’s compelling photographic portraits visually capture moments in time of the personality, character and expression of a wine’s exciting life stor

(The pictures above are more of her amazing photographs of our Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon)

Please visit us at the hope & grace tasting salon at 6540 Washington St, Yountville, Napa Valley to see the exhibit and explore this new world….

That was the case for me last week, the Yountville Kiwanis Annual Crab Feed Fundraiser  packed up the town community center with a whopping 350 people for this annual fundraiser. As a prominent winery here in Yountville and a supporter of our community, we of course found a way to make this a company outing by getting a table and gorging on salad, pasta, Dungeness crab and fabulous wine. We enjoyed several bottles of hope & grace 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, 2009 Chardonnay, 2010 Dry Riesling and our 2008 Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir…and we all had an absolute blast. I would tell you more but the story now goes, “What happens at the Yountville Crab Feed STAYS at the Yountville Crab Feed”. Just this once… I will break the rules with a few pictures (our secret)…

OHhh… You thought it was going to be incriminating?! (Chuckles)

After such a wonderful evening some of us desperately need sustenance in our bellies for obvious reasons. My biggest craving is a cup of Joe and some piping hot donuts* from the Boon Fly Café located at the Carneros Inn.

When I was younger it was all about the Krispy Kreme Original Glazed donuts. They would turn on the “HOT NOW” red sign which meant that at that very moment fresh original glazed donuts were coming off the belt glistening from a recent bath in that sugary glaze….

In California, there were trucks which would go around to each neighborhood offering fresh baked treats from the back of their vans such as bread, muffins, cookies and donuts. I hear the Helms Bakery Truck in Southern California would charge a nickel per original glazed!…”Three Times Around the World Everyday”…

The only place to go for donuts near Napa is Boon Fly Cafe…These delectable treats are a must for any table. A perfect softness and lightness, these little donuts are smaller and more elegant in size(makes it okay to eat more) with a good dusting of cinnamon sugar. This is a much more adult like treat than what I gorged on in college… These perfect little treats can be ordered individually for a dollar each or as an little starter… 4 donuts and a cuppa joe for $6.75(some of my favorite coffee). If you have a large group or even a partner in crime just get the baker’s dozen for $9.75…

Joe DiMaggio wasn’t there… but in his honor…

Perfect breakfast the morning after all that beautiful wine and dungeness crab… Ready to Start the DAY! Make it a great one!

*(National Doughnut Day is the first Friday in June…throwing it out there)

• Kansas City (Kansas or Missouri, it doesn’t matter)
• Football (only good things about the Broncos)
• Beer(IPA)
• Smoking
• The letter G
• Ribs
• Trucks, Cars, Camping ( No idea how this progresses but it never ceases to amaze me)
• Sunday (Matt’s BBQ day, comes out about 1pm… FYI neighbors)
• Malbec or Pinot Pairings
• The French Dip(come in and just see what comes up)

*please note this list is not nearly cumulative, just merely a start….

We do all love to talk about food here at hope & grace wines, but Barbeque has a particular place in our hearts. The 2008 hope & grace Malbec has inspired us…. Or Matt at least… with dark berry fruit, ripe black cherries, notes of milk chocolate, cola and peppery spice it wasn’t hard.. a 100% Malbec from the Fore Vineyard in Oak Knoll, this wine has spent 24 months in French Oak and has a luscious, rich and velvety texture…

After several weeks, or months, of hearing how amazing the traditional Sunday barbeque was and seeing mouth-watering pictures… we would like to proudly present BBQ Brisket with Dry Rub a la Matt…

BBQ Brisket with Dry Rub A la Matt– serves 4 non-southerners

Total time: Overnight +12hrs

Ingredients

2 tsp. – Onion Powder

2 tsp. – Granulated Garlic

1 tsp. – Paprika

2 T – Dark Brown Sugar

1.5 – 2 Lbs. Beef Brisket (This particular rub is best with beef… trust us… it is what’s for dinner)

2 tsp. – Sea Salt

2 tsp. – Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

Smoking chips (I prefer Apple or Hickory…feel free to use your favorite, though…)

Soaking liquid for smoking chips (Beer, Coffee and Wine to provide amazing flavor…. Please don’t use water, especially tap water)

Directions

The night before – Combine all dry ingredients in medium size bowl and set aside.

Then rub the rub, and I mean massage, dry rub onto and into the brisket. Use dry rub liberally. Place rubbed brisket in a covered dish, place in refrigerator overnight.

The next morning- Take the brisket out of the fridge and set aside. Fill a 2 quart mixing bowl with the smoking chips of your choice. Add enough of your chosen soaking liquid to cover the chips and set aside. Fire up the smoker next, I prefer the “natural” charcoal from whole foods (it lights faster, burns cooler and longer than briquettes and doesn’t impart a chemical taste in the meat). Fill the coal pan half to 2/3 full, ignite, and let the coals heat up Next, add about a cup of soaked chips to the coal to get the smoke going. Put the rubbed brisket, fat cap side up, on the upper most portion of your smoker… put the lid on and let it go. Monitor the smoker periodically, add more chips to the coal as the smoke slows down and don’t allow the cooking temp. get above 225 degrees. Low and slow is the name of the game. Continue the process for about 4 hours, or just long enough for the Broncos to lose to the Pat’s. After 4 hours, set your oven to 215 degrees, remove the meat, place it in a baking dish, loosely cover with foil and put into the oven for approx. 8 hours. Remove the brisket from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing and serving with the all the fixings’.

*If you want to try this while the brisket is smoking. Pour sea salt on to an oven safe plate and put it next to the brisket on the smoker, to make your own smoked salt. It makes a great “finishing” condiment. Here are some pictures of the process from top to bottom…

Little bit of pork lovin’’ and sea salt smokin’’… please serve “delicious” with…

Baked Beans –serves 4 savages

Total time: Overnight +2 hours prep and cooking

Ingredients

1 Lb. dried beans of choice (I went with red Kidney, with the thicker skin they offer a better texture)

2 bay leaves

1 C – ketchup

½ C – molasses plus extra to taste

2 T – dark brown sugar

1 tsp. – dry mustard

1 tsp. – chili powder

1 tsp. – onion powder

1 tsp. – garlic powder

Salt and pepper, to taste

5 slices thick cut bacon diced

½ C – Dark Beer (I chose Pipeline Porter from Kona Brewing Co.)

2 tsp. – Bourbon (Makers Mark…of course)

Directions

Pick through the beans and remove any pebbles. Place beans in a colander and rinse under cold water. Transfer the beans to a large pot or bowl, add water to cover by 2-inches and let soak overnight. The beans will rehydrate and swell to twice their size. Drain and rinse the beans, then put in a saucepan. Add the beer and bourbon with fresh water to just cover the beans and place over medium heat. Add the remaining ingredients and three strips of diced bacon. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 25 minutes or until the beans are tender but not breaking apart. Transfer the beans and broth to a 2-quart Crock-Pot set to low. Meanwhile, cook remaining bacon in a small fry pan and to beans just before serving.

Pinot has always been there with its approachable, fruit-forward, and fleshy (sometimes even a little dirty) self; my only complaint about this cherished varietal is the deviations. From season to growing-region, winemaker, vineyard, row and clone the possibilities are endless… maybe that’s part of the reason I like it so much…

In a quest to understand this desirable creature, I had to opportunity to learn about it from vine to wine with Andy Mitchell, our Pinot Noir grower in the Santa Lucia Highlands, and Charles Hendricks, our very own winemaker at hope & grace wines. Andy Mitchell, the vineyard manager for the Hahn estate, grows the fruit for our signature wine, the hope & grace Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir… He and Charles worked together in selecting 3 clones for this wine… (Drumroll please)… May I introduce the Swan, 777 and Pommard Pinot Noir clones…

Definition in the Oxford Companion by Jancis Robinson: “Clone in a viticultural context is a single vine or a population of vines all derived by vegetative propagation from cuttings or buds from a single ‘mother vine’ by deliberate clonal selection.” This may be to achieve a certain characteristic, promote a clone that is not perceptible to a certain threat or it might just be as Charles so eloquently states, “We are searching for a new clone to plant in what we’ve come to know, from our intergalactic search for other potentially inhabitable planets, as the Goldilocks zone; where everything is just right… or in this case where the clone fits its environment.”

The following questions were very generically asked to both Charles and Andy and here are a few of their answers… (I offer my opinion too, no need for worry)

Any thoughts on today’s Pinot Noir clones?

Charles Hendricks: “When we talk of Pinot Noir clones it’s a number stew. Each clonal selection, usually from the French viticulture development and selection is assigned a number. Some of the early ones started as 103, then 105. They moved onto 115, then 667, 777, and now the numbers are somewhere in the 800’s. It takes time to see how these new clones play out in the climate of California. Remember, these were selected in cooler France, not sunnier California. We had to wonder…Will the fruit drop its acidity too soon, and leave a ho-hum boring flavor? Or will it be zippy and racy?”

Let’s get to specifics, what about the Swan clone can you tell me?

Charles Hendricks: “There was Pinot Noir before the numbers game began. Individuals selected material from their own vineyards or brought back material from their travels abroad. The more promising stayed in use, and got planted by more growers. Conversations could be had about the success or failings of these clones. Joseph Swan, an early pioneer in Pinot, made such a selection, and the success of the material came to bear his name. The ‘Swan’ clone stands up to the heat of California, and produces a wine with a finely scented bouquet. It doesn’t have much color, but then again some of the best Burgundies look like rose.”

Andy Mitchell: “The Swan clone is one of the more fragile Cholera clones and it can have some virus issues as it is a smaller berry with a thinner skin making it more susceptible to sunburn. It also does not need as much stress as an already delicate and low yielding clone with minimal drought tolerance.”

What about 777 (pronounced ‘Triple 7’)?

Charles Hendricks: “After some discussion, we took a chance on 777. It is much denser than the other two, and we like because it is said to add backbone to wine. This is exactly what it did for hope & grace. It is a bit of a late bloomer in the barrel but by bottling time, it smoothed out and beautifully integrated in the blend. It is a great component clone.”

Andy Mitchell: “The 777 much darker in color. It stems from the Dijon clones in variation and has been known to add a dark, rich and velvety characteristic to the wine.”

Why Pommard? (I also asked Andy where it was on the property and what’s going on in the vineyard…)

Charles Hendricks: “Another early selection was the Pommard clone; you can guess its origins. Pommard, for me, is the wine brut of Burgundy. It has none of the ethereal charms of a Musigny, or Romanée-Conti. It does, however, have a rich density and color. I don’t really enjoy French Pommard, but bring it to California and it does wonderful things. If I had one stand-alone clone to make, this would be it. It has the power and weight, but, also, it has great depth of fruit.”

Andy Mitchell: ‘The Doctor’s Vineyard is a 400 acre parcel with 80% planted to Pinot Noir. The F Block where the hope & grace fruit is sourced is the 3 clones(Swan, 777 and Pommard) on a non-drought tolerant 5C rootstock. The block is on an ancient alluvial fan which is extremely well drained but can also act as a reservoir on the Santa Lucia Highlands bench. Of the three clones, the Pommard is the clone of choice by all winemakers and it just flourishes in this spot. It can be a touch meaty but always has these beautiful intense and pure fruit characteristics. In the vineyard right now, everything is almost dormant and we are getting ready to prune so we can anticipate budbreak in March.”

Why all three? How did you get there? (I know what you are thinking… I am a great interviewer!)

Charles Hendricks: “With this little history, we tried to make an informed decision of what clones hope & grace wines would like to source from the Hahn Estate in the Santa Lucia Highlands. I had worked with several of the new numbers, and wanted a third to flesh out our Pinot. Most of the other numbered clones produced an overlap of the characteristics that I found in the Pommard and Swan selections. So we decided to add the 777 as our third to round out the wine and add a new dimension to the structure. For three vintages now, we blended all three clones to produce our Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir. Each clone has played beautifully off the other. This is why, I believe, our Pinot has the lushness, the fruit, and the density that it does. These pinots have the staying power of the great wines of Burgundy. Enjoy them now, or don’t. They’ll be there when you’re ready.”

Thank you Andy and Charles!

2008 hope & grace Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir

I now know why growers and winemakers can refer to Pinot Noir as the “heartbreaker”. This thin-skinned, delicate varietal needs everything just right… I am thrilled we have such an experienced grower and winemaker who have done their homework, taken the time and put in the hours to make sure that Goldilocks liked her porridge… if you haven’t tasted our Pinot Noir you really should… come by and see us anytime! Cheers!

Finished gravlax: Cured and ready to slice.

“What!?! What do you mean you are out of smoked salmon?! It’s part of my gluttonous holiday tradition!” (that’s me on the phone with the Dean and Deluca guy, the day before Christmas, sorry…)

Ten deep breaths later… No problem, I can make gravlax. Not quite the same, perhaps, but my loved ones will still enjoy… A classic Nordic dish, gravlax translates to mean “buried salmon” because traditionally it was buried on the beach to allow the natural salt and fermentation process to take over. I prefer to use the modern recipe with salt, sugar and dill to prepare my own version.

Variations on this recipe are endless, and you may have to tweak this recipe to satisfy your own palette. Mine usually heads towards wine most nights. Go figure.

• Salmon Gravlax Recipe •

1 whole salmon fillet (2 to 3 lbs. of sushi quality salmon with skin, double check for pin bones)

1 cups salt (kosher)

1 cup sugar

citron vodka (one shot for you and one shot for the salmon… Happy Holidays!)

1 tbsp. pepper, coarse

fresh dill (mince a healthy handful and don’t bother picking it…)

2 lemons (zest)

1. After the pin bones are removed, place the salmon fillet on a large sheet of plastic wrap.

2. Assemble your salt and sugar mixture and place it off to the side.

3. Allow your salmon to enjoy the shot of vodka then sprinkle the pepper, lemon zest and then dill on the flesh side.

4. Coat the salmon with the sugar/salt mixture and wrap tightly then place it in a Pyrex dish or sheet pan and leave on counter for a few hours (4) so the salt and sugar can react with the fish and begin the curing process. If not, just place it in the fridge for 12-24 hours depending on the thickness of the fillet.

5. Remove salmon, unwrap and scrap away curing liquid. (Try it first before throwing anything away… depending on the thickness of the fillet you can achieve a firmer texture and faster cure with a smaller fillet or a little longer time in the fridge.)

6. Pat dry and slice very thin on a bias with a sharp knife.

Variation #1- Salt and Sugar- The salt/sugar ratio can vary from 1/1, 2/1 or 1/2. It depends on what you are looking for… equal amounts salt and sugar may speed up the process, more sugar at room temp for longer will ensure a beautiful texture and in the fridge for 2 days works or use more salt and make less of the curing component, i.e. 4 tbsp. total per lb.… endless variations on this. I like 1/1 because I use citrus and spirit…

Variation #2- Time- The longer the gravlax is in the fridge the stronger and more robust the flavors. I prefer mine delicate and served with crème fraiche, capers and a little lemon squeeze on a crispy croute. If I can’t finish it the night before… soft scrambled eggs with crème fraiche and fin herbs to finish…

Variation #3- Spices- Be inspired, go Moroccan with coriander, fennel, cardamom, caraway and cumin with a preserved Meyer lemon compote… Curry inspired by adding spicy curry and cumin to the salt and sugar… my mother brought back some interesting spices from her recent trip to Managua in Nicaragua. Something with Vanilla powder perhaps? Also, why hasn’t anyone done a gravlax line of product like those delicious kettle chips I am so addicted to?

We thoroughly enjoyed the results here in the tasting room with our Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc…

Marissa, Matt and Charles Hendricks, “the winemaker” aka Magic, enjoying the gravlax.

Christmas is not different. I always wait until the very last minute to buy gifts and then I am still racking my brain over what to get and trying desperately to summon the energy to drive to the store and battle a potential crowd. Then, what do you get for the someone who has everything or says “I don’t need anything”. For the first time in my entire life…. holiday gifts were easy.

Wine and wine and more wine. I sent a bottle to some and a case to others (Sorry, some were birthday/holiday/anniversary combined) but here are some of my favorite other wine-focused items that make awesome gifts…

Aerates as you pour...

The Metrokane Rabbit Aerating Pourer is such a wonderful gift. For years I would decant my wine in a beautiful glass decanter and pour a small glass as I patiently waited for the wine to open over the next several hours. I enjoyed the process and evolution… now, life is busy. Aerating a glass of wine saves me time each evening… I still decant wine for parties or special occasions but on a Wednesday when I want a glass or two and dread the idea of washing the decanter this is the perfect tool. I don’t have to worry about any mess as it goes right on the neck of the bottle. It opens the wine up and pulls out all the notes and complexities I would have waited hours for my Napa Cabernet to share. Pair this with….

Shatterproof and Biodegradable? why not!

So easy. I keep some in my car for impromptu picnics or when I choose to sneak a half bottle into the latest thriller! Have wine and will travel should be on the box… They are plastic, stemless, recyclable and oh so easy to wash. I refer to them sometimes as my “hot tub” glasses…

These are some of my favorite new glasses as well…

With very distinctive aesthetics, the Bottega del Vino glass company has been making these striking lead-free and dishwasher safe glasses by hand since 1890. Beautifully crafted as one solid piece of glass….

So Christmas shopping was easy this year and all about enjoying wine (in the hot tub). A bottle of Napa Valley Cabernet (or I like the 2008 hope & grace Malbec right now), an aerating pourer and a set of glasses… if you need any help or gift ideas you know where to find us…

Yet in the tasting salon we have to keep it a little bit more professional. This week we discovered a band, via our Pandora likes and dislikes, that embodies the classic beat that we love from our favorite songs yet… And the covers and talents are endless…

Bring in Vitamin String Quartet…

“Hey There Delilah” – homage to Plain White T’s

Tiffani loves this one… (insert large laugh)

“Don’t Stop Believing” – a Journey cover story…

“Wonderwall” – Raise your lighters…

We are having too much fun with this.. Thank you, Vitamin String Quartet… You are amazing… Finish on a high note, and with a classic…

“Sweet Child O Mine” – Guns and Roses