This Blog has Moved!

We have a new website for Fidelitas Wines! Among the many cool new features, we now have our blog embedded in the site: www.fidelitaswines.com
Head on over and tell me what you think!

A Week in Review

I have just had one of the busiest, but most fun weeks filled with wine events around Western Washington. Since there are so many, I am going to do just a recap of each one...

#1 - this is not a Fidelitas event, but was one of my favorite things from the past week. If you have not gone already, do visit the Thursday evening Farmer's Market at the Olympic Sculpture Park. Unique vendors, chef demonstrations, live music in the amphitheater, yummy food and reasonably priced wine from the SAM Taste crew. So much fun.

Braised greens panini with sweet onions and a wheat berry salad, along with Oregon Pinot Gris and a view of the band below.

#2 - Pour on the Plaza at El Gaucho Bellevue: this is a great event in it's second year. Last year it was drizzling and cold all day. This year, it was HOT. People loved the Fidelitas Optu White, which I was keeping on ice. Red Mountain Red is always hard to turn down, but didn't compliment the heat as well. This has consistently been an event with some hand-picked, top wineries from Washington and Oregon. I would definitely recommend attending next year.

#3 - Red Mountain AVA Tasting at DeLille Cellars: this was technically a trade tasting for restaurant folks, distributors and wine buyers. The wineries pouring are all part of the Red Mountain AVA Alliance, and were pouring their best wines from Red Mountain. It was a great opportunity for people to taste the unique characteristics that come from Red Mountain terroir. We showcased the Red Mountain Red, Ciel du Cheval Cab, and Red Mountain Cab Franc. Again, the weather was WARM for showcasing red wines, but I think everyone had a great time.Just before the event began - the beautiful tents at DeLille Cellars in Woodinville.

#4 - WINE CLUB PARTY! We had our annual club event for Seattle-area wine club members on Wednesday evening at the Palace Ballroom. Top Fidelitas wines, Tom Douglas tacos, and a few of our closest Fidelitas fans...it was a great night. I don't have any pictures (guess I was running too much!) but remember seeing a few people with cameras. If you have any shots of the night, send them along!

#5 - Auction of Washington Wines Barrel Auction and Picnic with the Winemakers: finally the weather cooled a bit and made for a very comfortable evening at Chateau Ste Michelle. We featured samples from the barrel of our 2009 vintage of Red Mountain Merlot (to be released spring 2012) and poured tastes of our 2007 Red Mountain Merlot (released last April). It was really fun for people to taste these two wines side by side. Bidders competed to wine a case of the 2009 vintage, to be shipped to them in two years. By the end of the evening, our five cases of future wine made $3250 for Children's Hospital.

A pouring table filled with barrel samples, current releases and...Jag?

The final barrel auction winning bids are up on the board.

Needless to say, I am excited for a quieter week ahead...

Next big events to come: Winemaker Dinner with Charlie at Bin 20 in Pasco on August 25th, Optu Vertical Dinner at the winery on September 17th (sold out!), club shipment to go out September 20th, Crush Weekend (details TBD) September 24 - 26.

Fidelitas Tasting Party

As much as I enjoy working with wine submissions, website updates and product development, my favorite part of my job is working with our club members. These are the people who remind me why I do all of the other things. They are the ones that I have fun with, and ultimately, share my passion for Fidelitas with. There are tons of things that I do for and with our members (one member wrote the most flattering post on her blog, Northwest Cork and Fork) but one of the most fun is to host private tastings with our wines.

Earlier this month, a few members invited me into their home to for a tasting of Fidelitas wines paired with food. It was really fun for me, because they requested that the menu be mainly vegetarian, which is how I usually eat. These are long time members (club number 4!) who invited several of their friends, including some other Fidelitas fans (numbers 19 and 28!!!). Below are a few photos of the evening...

She's not a member yet, but after tasting the Champoux Cabernet, I think she will be!

Dara (who is always willing to help at a party) with a platter of raspberry fudge brownies. I always state that I don't believe in the "red wine and chocolate" concept, but I am really trying to find a recipe that will make me change my mind. I may fiddle with this one a bit more and then share it.

Our hosts! David is originally from BC and so generously sent us home with some amazing Okanagan wines: Burrowing Owl and Osoyoos Larose.

Vineyard Pics

I left (way too) chilly Seattle to visit (almost too) warm Red Mountain earlier this week. What a great time to come! Beyond warming up a little, it has been great seeing all of my friends and coworkers at Fidelitas. As an added bonus, we had an event here with our favorite taco wagon, so I got to gorge myself on yummy food. Does life get any better?
I was also delighted to see our thriving little vines in our year old vineyard. The grow tubes recently came off, with the exception of some bright pink and purple ones that Mr. Boushey is experimenting with. They are growing so well that they even received a little pruning this week. (for those that don't remember the beautiful dirt vineyard we had for awhile, visit last year's post here) Here are some pictures of their progress:

Beau guarding the vines

Not a part of the vineyard, but I had to share this crazy clematis that is growing on my porch. How cool is that!?!?

June

Here I am, nearly one month after I last posted about how quickly time goes by. While I generally try to keep this blog about Fidelitas, I have to share just a few items from this month that just flew by!

First...a few items of business:

• For those who haven't heard, Fidelitas blends are awesome! Wine & Spirits Magazine recently awarded the 2007 Boushey Red Wine with 92 Points and the 2007 Red Mountain Red Wine with 93 Points. Wow!
• Our new website is still in the works. When that happens, this whole blog will be a part of that site! We're moving a little slow, but I promise it will be great once it gets going.
• And...mark your calendars! The Fidelitas club event in Seattle is scheduled for August 18th. I have to secure a few more items before I can release any more details but be sure to save the date!

Okay, and now here is my favorite news for the month of June. I just got married! Charlie was kind enough to allow Ben and I to have our wedding at Fidelitas earlier this month. We were blessed by gorgeous weather, and surrounded by our closest family and friends for this special day. Here are few shots taken by friends of ours.

the gorgeous table settings, later filled with yummy food from Picazo717.

calming our (my) nerves prior to the ceremony with bubbles in front of Cooper Wine Co.

must be excited...

Ben's parents built the arch using vines from Red Mountain.

Time Flies...

I just realized that it has been ages since I posted anything! For those who do check in, here is a brief description of my whereabouts and Fidelitas updates from the past month...

• I am now less than three weeks away from getting married! While I try to not let this get in the way too much, we are definitely getting down to the wire now.
• We have released a few new vintages: 2008 Semillon (just in time for summer!), 2007 Columbia Valley Merlot (unbelievable chocolate and spice notes), along with the Champoux Cab, Merlot and Ciel du Cheval Cabernet.
• We're getting a new website! I am so excited about this, and have been working to get all of the details together.
• Finally, I'm learning all about how to maintain my new yard during a sunny/then hot/then rainy Western Washington spring.

I promise to have more to come very soon!

Riedel Tasting at Anelare Winery

Our friends at Anelare are hosting an incredible tasting class at their tasting studio in Kennewick. What a cool class - and you get glasses at the end of it! Here is some more information from the wonderful Kahryn at Anelare:

Join us... for a "journey through Riedel's world of glasses and senses." On the following evenings, "you will learn detailed information about Riedel glass creations and their unique philosophies on the ultimate enjoyment of wine."

"The finest glasses for both technical and hedonistic purposes are those made by Riedel. The effect of these glasses on fine wine is profound. I cannot emphasize enough what a difference they make." (Quelle: Robert M. Parker, Jr. The Wine Advocate)

Classes will be held at our tasting studio, there is room for 20 people each evening. Trained representatives from Riedel will be taking us though the course. Each person will receive 4 crystal glasses to take home; we will taste though wines and enjoy appetizers after class. Cost is $100 per person, value of stemware alone is worth over $100!
Wednesday, May 12th 6:30 pm- sold out
Thursday, May 13th 6:30 pm

Call Kahryn at (509)521-8926 to reserve your seat- or contact via email at info@anelare.com.

Recipes for Two Great Cabernets

Generally, I love to gather a group of friends together when I am working on the recipes for our new releases. However, after a wild spring, I realized that what Ben and I really needed was a quiet night in with just the two of us. The recipes for these new releases are fairly simple and quick, yet were special enough for our much deserved dinner at home.

For the Ciel du Cheval, I really wanted to capture the classic notes of this Red Mountain Vineyard. Coffee and spice seemed to be the perfect match. I've also heard of this rub being used for "cowboy steaks" but for the fun of it, we'll call them "Red Mountain Medallions". On the side, we served some braised baby bok choy that had come in my CSA box and heavenly smashed potatoes, sans the parmesan cheese.

Coffee and Chile Rubbed Tenderloin Medallions
1 tsp ancho chile powder
1 tsp instant espresso
1 tsp brown sugar
¼ tsp dry mustard
¼ tsp dry oregano
¼ tsp coriander
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 lb tenderloin medallions
Combine all dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Spray a cast iron skillet with non-stick spray and heat over medium-high heat. Press the coffee rub into both sides of the medallions, coating well. Add the steaks to the skillet and cook for about 6 minutes on each side, to preferred doneness. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before slicing.

Getting ready to go in the pan with plenty of rub.

A little on the done side, but so tasty.

As many of you know, I am one of those people who do not think that red wine and chocolate is a good idea (gasp!). The theory is that if your dish is sweeter than your wine, it will make the wine appear thin and tart. However, to satisfy everyone who loves red wine and chocolate together, I decided to give it a shot. This vintage of Champoux Cabernet offers such bold fruit with a touch of vanilla, that I felt like it could stand up to this not so sweet chocolate torte.

Chocolate Port Torte with Blueberry Cabernet Sauce
serves 4
for the torte
¼ c unsalted butter (plus a bit more to butter the pan)
5 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 tbs tawny port
4 large eggs, separated
½ c sugar
small pinch of salt
1 tbs orange zest
Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly butter the inside of a 9” springform pan and line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper. In a small saucepan, melt the butter but do not let it foam. Add in the chopped chocolate and whisk until fully melted. Stir in the port, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks with ¼ cup of the sugar. Stir the chocolate mixture and set aside.
In a large bowl or electric stand mixer, beat the egg whites with a whisk attachment. Mix in the salt, orange zest and remaining sugar and beat until the whites hold stiff peaks. Carefully mix in a small amount of the whites into the chocolate and yolk mixture, blending thoroughly before folding in the remainder of the whites.
Pour the batter into the prepared springform. Bake for 35 minutes. The top will appear cracked when it is done.
for the blueberry cabernet sauce
1 ½ tbs unsalted butter
2 c frozen blueberries
½ c cabernet
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter then add the blueberries. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes, until the berries are soft and beginning to pop. Add the cabernet, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 more minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
To assemble, cut the cake into small wedges, top with a generous amount of blueberry sauce and garnish with mint.

I'll admit it - the results were good!

The Fidelitas Gnome

A few of you may remember Dane from a few posts back (see the original post here). Dane is one of my favorite club members because he travels to wineries wearing his Fidelitas gear with pride. This is now turning into a "where in the world will Fidelitas go next?" type situation. Charlie recently gave Dane a new Fidelitas shirt for all of his promo work, and I just found out it made its winery debut all the way out in North Carolina.

Where next, Dane?

On an entirely different note, I PROMISE to have recipes out in the next day or two. I am so excited about what I came up with for the new releases: Ciel du Cheval and Champoux Cabernets. Yum!

Happy Wine Country Travels

If you are anything like me, you are probably not only a fan of wine, but also of visiting wineries. In the past year, I have been able to visit tasting rooms in Santa Barbara, Napa and Willamette, in addition to all the great areas in Washington. Below are a few of my favorite hints to maximize your wine country experience, while avoiding hiccups along the way:
· Plan before you go. Several wineries have limited hours, tasting fees or special requests in regards to groups, especially on busy weekends. Check websites or call for the most up to date information. I make appointments if I’m travelling with a group of any size, which often leads to a more personalized experience while I’m there. Also think ahead about dinner reservations, as most restaurants will fill up quickly during event weekends.
· Travel at a leisurely pace. Plan to visit just a few wineries each day, taking the time for rest and food in between. My palate is best for three or four wineries at most.
· Be aware of tasting versus drinking. To make the most of your trip, keep a clean palate and clear head by spitting when necessary and drinking plenty of water.
· Use a designated driver. Take advantage of a limousine service, hire a friend or switch tasting days with your travelling buddies.
· Watch out for hot weather! Purchasing as you go is great, but warm temps in your car can ruin your new wines. Pack a cooler for the day and bring your wines inside with you in the evening.
· Pack cash. Many tasting rooms have minimal tasting fees (and many are refundable with a wine purchase). It can be helpful to bring plenty of cash for these occasions.
· Talk to the tasting room staff! We at Fidelitas love to talk about wine and our winery, and we are certain that others do too. You can learn a lot!

A trip across the border (to Oregon, that is)

I joke around that being a part of a winery means that you tend to just visit that one tasting room. Rarely do I travel up Sunset Road and turn into any driveway but our own. So, I was really excited when I found out that I got to go to Portland and Willamette Valley for my bachelorette party. (Don’t get any wrong ideas here. We had multiple people claim that we were the calmest bachelorette group they had ever seen…at least in the tasting rooms.) To avoid rambling on too long, I am going to just highlight the places that we visited.
In Portland, a few favorite places include Oregon Wines on Broadway (of course, great Oregon selection, but also with some Washington slipped in and GREAT champagnes), Noble Rot (awesome view of the city even in the rainy weather, fun selection of international and domestic wines) and Serratto (incredible halibut with harrissa and gigantes beans).

Dizzy? The staircase at Domaine Serene

Our trip out to Willamette was awesome. We were lucky enough to have Leland at the wheel, giving us an amazing amount of information about the area. Our first stop was at Domaine Serene, one of the fanciest places in the area and home of one of my favorite white wines – the Cote Sud Chardonnay. We had a wonderful tour of the entire facility and tasted some awesome wines. Next was Penner Ash, recommended to us for the view. While cloudy, it was quite impressive. We had a Riesling that was (mistakenly) labeled at $218, but found that it was quite tasty for the real price of $18, and an interesting, smoky Pinot Noir/Syrah blend. Our last stop of the day was at Arbor Brook, which my parents insisted we try since they enjoyed their visit last fall. The facility definitely was not as upscale as the first two (it is in an adorable, but chilly, old barn) but in some ways we felt more at home. The Pinots were tasty (especially the 07…yum!) and they also had a Red Mountain Wine – a late harvest Semillon from Klipsun Vineyard.
We stayed at the swanky Nines Hotel, right in the middle of downtown and loved looking into the sim city-esque Urban Farmer restaurant below our room. All in all, a great trip that I would recommend to anyone looking for a weekend away. Thanks, girls!

Leland and the ladies outside the Nines.

#WAMerlot Recap and Recipes

I have to admit that I had a ton of fun with the #WAMerlot event last night. I didn't know what to expect going into it, but ended up really enjoying myself. Beyond seeing all of the awesome Washington Merlots that people ended up tasting, I loved how many people from out of the state ended up joining in. There were people from all over the country that searched out Washington Merlots to taste and tweet about. I even saw someone from New Zealand that was bummed because she couldn't find anything down there, but still wanted to join in. A big thank you to everyone who helped to coordinate this event. I would consider it a big success!
After my poor Huskies were defeated last night, I set in to my fun task of the evening. I had some friends over and we made a dinner designed just for Washington Merlot. The Fidelitas 2007 Champoux Vineyard Merlot I was tasting is a great example of a complex, rich Merlot. Tons of earthiness, herbal tones and bright fruit make it an excellent pairing for a dish with the same qualities. I decided to make a Red Wine, Mushroom Risotto to highlight that earthiness and added a ton of fresh herbs to compliment those notes in the wine as well. The match was phenomenal! We were all floored. On the side were Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts, a rich vegetable dish, powerful enough to stand up to the wine, and a simple green salad with pears and toasted hazelnuts to cleanse our palates.
All of these recipes were fairly simple, and worth the stirring time over the stove. Enjoy!


Red Wine, Mushroom Risotto
adapted from AllRecipes

serves 4 as a vegetarian main course

1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
2 cups boiling water
4 tbs butter
1 ½ lbs cremini mushrooms, wiped clean, trimmed and quartered
¾ c chopped onion
1 tbs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tbs fresh sage, finely chopped
1 ½ c Arborio rice
1 c dry red wine
4 cups vegetable broth, brought to a simmer
2 tbs fresh parsley, chopped, plus more for serving.
1 c grated parmesan, plus more for serving

Place dried porcinis in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to stand until softened, about 30 minutes. Drain porcinis, reserving the soaking liquid, and roughly chop.
Heat butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add cremini mushrooms and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add chopped onion and herbs, cooking until herbs are fragrant and onion is softened. Stir in rice and cook for about 1 minute. Add red wine and cook, stirring constantly, until completely absorbed. Add porcinis and soaking liquid and stir until absorbed.
Begin to add simmering broth ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly. Be sure that each cup of liquid is absorbed completely before adding the next. Continue until the rice is tender and creamy, about 20 minutes.
Stir in parsley and parmesan cheese. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with additional parmesan and parsley.



Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts
adapted from Smitten Kitchen

serves 4 as a side

½ c fresh bread crumbs
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil, plus ½ tbs
2 tbs unsalted butter
1 lb small brussels sprouts, trimmed but left whole
2 tbs minced shallot
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ c balsamic vinegar
1 ½ vegetable broth
2 tbs chopped parsley

Heat ½ tbs olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add bread crumbs and thyme. Toast bread crumbs until lightly golden and set aside.
In a large skillet, heat remaining olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Allow butter to foam slightly, then add whole brussels sprouts. Sauté, tossing frequently, until browned and slightly softened, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the shallots and garlic. Sauté until softened, about 2 minutes.
Increase heat to high, then add the broth and balsamic vinegar. If you have an overhead fan, now is a nice time to use it. Cook the brussels sprouts, tossing frequently, until they are glazed and tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and stir in parsley. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with toasted bread crumbs.

Slightly large pieces of shaved parmesan but oh so good.

Preparing for the #WAMerlot Tasting

What is #WAMerlot? Good question!
This evening, hundreds of wine lovers (everyone from winemakers to bloggers to winery staff to just plain ol' winos) are coming together on Twitter to all taste Washington Merlot at the same time. Why? First of all, it's just fun. This is promising to be a neat way to learn about a lot of different wineries all at one time. The Twitter tasting also serves as a great way to reach beyond Washington's borders to teach people about the great wines that we have to offer here. The organizers of this event are also hoping that by giving Washington some extra attention, we may see a few extra visitors in wine country this year. I also think that this event will highlight one of Washington's greatest varietals. Merlot, which has fallen out of favor in recent years, is one of the best grapes grown in Washington. Our warm days and cool nights produce Merlots that are earthier and a bit more austere than those coming from a few states south of us. Charlie also claims that this is his favorite varietal to work with.
I am going to be tasting two Washington Merlots this evening: the Fidelitas 2007 Champoux Vineyard Merlot (to be released in May) and Stevens Winery 2007 Yakima Valley Merlot (which I've never tried before). I have a feeling that these are going to be two very different, but very good wines. A few buddies are coming over and we are going to prepare some very Merlot friendly dishes - a Red Wine Mushroom Risotto and Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts. You know this makes me happy! I'll post soon about how it all turns out.

A Wonderful West Seattle Day

Like everyone else in the city, this gorgeous Seattle weather has been putting me in the best mood recently. Earlier this week, I was lucky enough to break out of my office a little early and head to West Seattle for a meeting with our designer, Joe (exciting things coming soon!). After my meeting, I decided to explore California Avenue a bit and visited a few great shops.

If you haven't been to West Seattle Wine Cellars, and are ever in the neighborhood, definitely take the time to stop by. Go slow as you drive down California, or you might drive right past it. Inside the tiny store front are some of the most fun wines I've seen in while. Beside a great selection of Fidelitas wines, they feature several other small Washington wineries, some great selections from Spain and Portugal, really great French finds (including lots of yummy bubbles) and much more. They also offer some very interesting looking classes that will take you beyond just the basics of wine. As you all know, I am a big fan of small independently owned shops like West Seattle Wine Cellars, and would highly encourage you to check them out.

A little later on, I met a good friend at Fresh Bistro, the restaurant attached to local catering company Herban Feast. Their focus is on local, sustainable foods, but they also feature a fun, global wine list. We just sampled a few of their appetizers, but loved everything that we tried. If you are looking for an uncrowded happy hour spot in West Seattle, this is it. Bites are $5 and all glass pours are half off - a good time to try something new and fun! The deep fried gnocchi with chanterelles, cippolinis, lemon and sage was amazing. Something about being deep fried, I guess.

After all this fun, I got to cruise along the Alaskan Way Viaduct to enjoy the bright, beautiful sunshine at 6:30(?!?). A perfect spring afternoon.

Winemaker Dinner at Russell's in Woodinville, March 23

Charlie is going to be eating well next week! I just received the final menu from Russell's in Woodinville, where he'll be hosting a winemaker dinner next Tuesday night. Everything looks amazing! What a great menu with tons of seasonal touches.

Wild Mushroom Bisque
Ramps, forest mushroom, micro arugula

Seared Halibut Cheek
Frisee, manchego, avocado, champagne vinaigrette, dried apricots

Duck Confit Risotto Cake
Machѐ, roasted garlic, butternut squash, duck natural

Spring Rack of Lamb
White Cheddar Gratin, Yakima asparagus, braised chippolini onion, heirloom carrots, bing cherry demi glaze

Warm Dark Chocolate Torte
Marcona almond crust, white chocolate amoretto

Just a few seats left! For more information, visit http://rdlcatering.com/events.html

Winemaker Dinner March 25 at Dockside Bistro in Olympia

There are a few wine club members who have been pushing me forever to get a winemaker dinner organized at their favorite restaurant in Olympia. Well boys, the day has arrived and the menu looks amazing! I've been drooling about this since it showed up in my inbox...

Quinault Razor Clam Ceviche, Vermicelli Salad, Papaya Vinaigrette
2007 Semillon ~ Columbia Valley
Hazelnut Finished Pork Belly, Stinging Nettle Soup & Hazelnut Tuile
2006 Merlot ~ Columbia Valley
Columbia River King Salmon, Huckleberry Butter & Lavender Gastrique
2006 Cabernet Sauvignon ~ Columbia Valley (91 pts WS)
Sorbet
Anchovy Stuffed Ellensburg Lamb, Winter Purslane & Kalamata Olive Tapenade
2006 Optu Red Wine ~ Columbia Valley (91 pts WS)
Crepes Grilled Plums with Amarena Cherries Chocolate Ice Cream
2006 Boushey Vineyard Red Wine ~ Yakima Valley (91 pts WS; 93 pts WA)

Menu Prepared by Chef Cedar Martin and Laurie Nguyen

Check out more details at: www.docksidebistro.com

I think the dessert alone might be enough to make me drive to Olympia!

Winemaker Dinner at The Stone House, March 24th

Charlie will be hosting a Winemaker Dinner at the Stone House in Redmond on Wednesday, March 24th. I just got a peek at the lovely menu...

Seared Sea Scallops, Artichoke and Morel Risotto, Meyer Lemon Buerre Blanc
2008 Optu White
English Pea Soup, Dungeness Crab Cake, Piquillo Pepper Foam
2007 Semillon
Grilled Quail, Wilted Dandelion Greens, Corn Bread Crotons, Lardoons, Bourbon Jus
2007 Malbec
Braised Beef Cheeks with Leek-Brioche Bread Pudding Tomato Confit
2006 Champoux Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
Espresso and Coco Nib Pot de Crème
2006 Merlot

I believe that there are still seats available for this dinner (if Dane hasn't reserved them all), and am thinking I might have to go!

I'll post the menu for the Dockside Bistro soon.

French Themed Dinner Recipes

I've been so excited about the release of these new wines that I never posted the recipes! Looking at them again, I really am pleased with the way this whole dinner turned out. I originally tested them on a fairly large group and was amazed at how simply the whole thing came together. I was actually sitting with a glass of Optu White in mind hand (and a clean kitchen) when my first guests arrived. Pretty much everything can be done in advance and reheated before serving, with the exception of the lamb, which doesn't need too much attention. Additionally, several of the ingredients overlapped from course to course, making the grocery shopping pretty simple.

The inspiration for this dinner was to create a menu for our Bordeaux-styled wines that you might actually eat in Bordeaux. I wanted to keep everything simple, yet elegant, and as seasonal as possible. We went to the University Farmer's Market that day and purchased our cheeses, some herbs and produce, and the amazing lamb from Sea Breeze Farms who raise their animals on Vashon Island. Really, I give all credit for the lamb dish to the folks at Sea Breeze. It was so flavorful and tender, avoiding the gaminess that sometimes comes with lamb. And, they de-boned it for me right there at the market, which was awesome since I really didn't want to deal with that.

If you missed the original menu, you can find it just a few posts down...

Now - on to the recipes! I'm including the full recipes for the featured wines this month. The other items from the menu are pretty simple, but if you want a full recipe for any of those, just let me know.

Ratatouille
2007 Fidelitas Red Mountain Merlot
serves 4 as a first course

I love this recipe because I feel that it is a great example of a possible vegetarian dish/red wine pairing. It's great as a first course, but can easily be a main dish served over some creamy polenta. This is adapted from Julia Child's ratatouille recipe...just made a little more simple.

INGREDIENTS
1 large eggplant
2 zucchini
1 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
1 orange bell pepper, cut into strips
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large can diced tomatoes, with liquid
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
baguette
DIRECTIONS
To prepare the eggplant and zucchini: peel the eggplant and cut into 2” long matchsticks. Trim the ends of the zucchini and cut into similar size pieces. Spread the eggplant and zucchini on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Let stand for 30 minutes, then blot dry with a paper towel.
Heat 4 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add eggplant and zucchini to skillet and sauté until light golden, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Add the remaining oil to skillet, then the onion and peppers. Sauté until just tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour the canned tomatoes over the onion and pepper mixture, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Begin to layer the tomato, onion and pepper mixture in a medium size pot. Add a third of the mixture to the bottom, then half of the eggplant and zucchini, continuing to layer until all of the vegetables are in the pot. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of parsley. Cover and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. Uncover, bring the mixture to a simmer and baste the mixture with accumulated juices, cooking until only 2 tablespoons of liquid remain. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to individual bowls before serving. Top each dish with fresh parsley and serve with warm, fresh baguette.

Oh Julia, I love how you manage to use every dish in my kitchen...

Roast Leg of Lamb with Herb Jus and Cepes a la Bordelaise
2007 Fidelitas Red Mountain Red Wine
2007 Boushey Vineyard Red Wine
serves 6
I already raved about the lamb enough. The herb jus is wonderfully aromatic and accents the rosemary from the marinade. The crowd on my test evening loved it with the Boushey, but I think it is a great pairing with both of the wines. The cepes a la bordelaise is a great way to serve mushrooms on their own. Even the non-mushroom lovers liked this dish. With butter, shallots and lemon, how can you not?

ROAST LEG OF LAMB
INGREDIENTS
⅛ cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs fresh rosemary, minced
salt and pepper
5-pound leg of lamb (bone-in or boneless)
DIRECTIONS
Make a simple marinade with the olive oil, garlic, rosemary and ample amounts of salt and pepper (a splash of white wine is good here too). Place the lamb in a plastic bag, and pour the marinade over the top. Get as much air out of the bag as possible, seal the bag, put into a dish to catch any leaks. Allow the lamb to marinate, turning the bag occasionally, for at least 3 hours.
Preheat the oven to 425˚. Prepare a roasting pan by adding about an inch of water in the pan, under the rack, to catch any drippings. Place the lamb on the roasting rack with the fattiest side up. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, not touching the bone if the leg is bone-in.
Roast at 425˚ for 20 minutes, then lower the heat to 300˚. Continue cooking for another 50-60 minutes until the thermometer reads 130˚ for medium rare. Allow to sit for 20-25 minutes at room temperature before carving and arranging on a platter.

HERB JUS
INGREDIENTS
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
½ tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ reduced chicken stock
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced to 1 cup, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and strain through a mesh sieve into a small serving dish or drizzle over the platter of lamb.

CEPES A LA BORDELAISE
INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 pound fresh wild mushrooms (porcini, cremini), wiped clean with stems removed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon lemon zest
DIRECTIONS
In a large skillet, melt the butter with the lemon juice over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Add the olive oil, increase the heat, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Lower the heat and simmer until mushrooms are soft, about 20 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.
Remove from the heat and transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle with the parsley and lemon zest.

The lamb platter with a hefty garnish of thyme and a small dish of cepes a la bordelaise.

March Shipment Coming Soon!

The first Fidelitas Wine Club shipment of 2010 is scheduled to go out Monday, March 1st!
I am so excited about the release of the 2007 Boushey Red Wine and 2007 Red Mountain Red Wine that I can barely stand it. Shipments to be sent via FedEx will be sent March 1st. Those to be picked up are available now at our Red Mountain tasting room.
If you, like many others, have trouble being at home to sign for your shipments, see my list of shipping suggestions HERE.
Also, it's After Hours on Red Mountain next Wednesday, February 24th from 5 to 7pm. Come by to taste the new releases, pick up your shipment and visit with other members.
I look forward to seeing everyone soon!

Sneak Peek: French Themed Menu

For our next round of releases, I decided to create a menu with French flair. We say that our wines are "Bordeaux-style", which refers to the grapes we use and Charlie's style of winemaking. With that in mind, I thought we would try a few French recipes that are meant to be enjoyed with Bordeaux wines. The result was fabulous. The food was all so simple, so yummy, and really showcased the wines.
A few friends and I made a day of it, visiting the farmers market to get the outstanding lamb from Sea Breeze Farms (from Vashon Island - even non-lamb eaters agreed this was incredible), along with some fresh herbs, cheeses and veggies. We took our time making dinner and really enjoyed the whole experience.

I'll share the recipes later this week, but was excited to show off the menu today. Please ignore any mistakes with my French - I tried my best!

hors d’oeuvres
la brie cuite avec le miel
(filo, brie, honey and thyme)
crudités
2008 OPTU WHITE WINE
1
ratatouille
baguette
2007 RED MOUNTAIN MERLOT
2
rôtir l’agneau
(roast leg of lamb)
jus de herbes
(herb jus)
pommes de terre
(fingerling potatoes)
cepes a la bordelaise
(Bordeaux mushrooms)
2007 RED MOUNTAIN RED WINE
2007 BOUSHEY VINEYARD RED WINE
3
cours de fromage
4
tartes aux pommes, glace à la vanille
(apple tarts, vanilla ice cream)

Our yummy tartes aux pommes waiting to go in the oven.

Beating the (shipping) Blues

In general, I think that I am very lucky to have one of the best jobs around. For the most part, I really do get to sit around and chat about wine all day long (I try to stick with chatting about it rather than drinking it while I'm trying to be productive). This really is a fun, fast paced industry, and it's great to be a part of. However, if I were to list one un-fun part of the industry, it has to be the shipping of wine from point A to point B.
With a wine club shipment just around the corner, it led me to think just a little bit about shipping, and how we can all make this process a little easier. To start, we have to remember one thing: in this country, wine is always going to be a tricky thing. The Washington State Liquor Control Board will be the first to admit that we are still stuck with many laws from the prohibition...many of which just seem silly at this point in time. Because of that, and the fear that someone under the age of 21 might get their hands on your wine club shipment, shipping itself is always going to be a bit of a problem. Here are my favorite ways to make it better:

• Ship to a business address: This is by far the easiest solution. Generally, someone will always be around to sign for your package. If we need to make any special notes on the box - let us know! We can do it! I suppose the only problem here is if you don't trust your coworkers to not drink your wine...
• Ship to a FedEx location: I'm not talking about the big depot that always seems to be at least an hour from every one's house. Most FedEx locations will hold a package for you. I would be more than happy to help you select a location that is close to your home or work. In-state shipping, the cost is about the same as regular Ground or Home delivery. Out of state may be just a few dollars more, but seems to save on some stress, so it may be worth it.
• Use Sip and Ship: Live in North Seattle? This is a great option. With locations in Ballard and Greenwood, Sip and Ship is able to receive your packages for you, and they have coffee and a cute gift shop right there. I'm not sure of the cost involved, but I know a few members use this and really like it.
• Ship to your Wine Storage location: If you have off-site wine storage, many of these storage places will accept your packages for you and deliver directly to your storage locker. I keep some wine at Seattle Wine Storage and love the facility. If you don't have off-site, you may be surprised at how reasonable it actually is.
• Ask for Saturday delivery: If you are generally home on the weekends, but not during the week, ask us to get your package delivered on Saturday. Again, FedEx does charge a dollar or two more for date specific delivery, but if it saves you from driving to the depot, isn't it worth it?

Hopefully some of these suggestions will make your next shipment a little more stress free - for the both of us. If you have any questions on any of these options, feel free to contact me!

Oh So Excited

Finally! The time has come for my annual installment of "I don't play favorites, but...". Yep, the next vintage of Boushey Red Wine is almost ready to be released! I love the intense, earthy tones that I always find in Boushey wines, and find that they are so lovely to pair with food. In the 2007 vintage, the composition is more similar to the 2005 than the 2006 vintage, with merlot being the more prominent varietal. The blend is 53% merlot, 40% cabernet sauvignon and 7% cabernet franc. Yum!

Also in the upcoming releases come two wines from the Red Mountain AVA: the 2007 Red Mountain Red Wine (which will be in the club shipment with the Boushey) and the 2007 Red Mountain Merlot (an extra special treat that club members will be able to purchase). Both of these wines come from Red Mountain Vineyard. The Red Mountain Red is 62% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot and 13% cabernet franc, while the Red Mountain Merlot is 100% merlot.

In preparation for the release, I am planning a Bordeaux inspired menu with recipes to go with the wines. I haven't totally decided on what to do yet, but am going to start playing around with Sauce Bordelaise recipes, lamb dishes and possibly cassoulet. If anyone has a recipe that I must try, please pass it along!

Napa, Day 2

Day Two
We started the day with a tour of the Seguin Moreau Cooperage at 8 am. After being in our hotel rooms for less than ten hours, I was expecting to be really tired, but this was a great way to wake up. For those of you who made it to the Seattle wine club party in 2008, these are the same guys who did barrel toasting demonstrations for us that night. The whole room smelled like baking bread (actually toasting oak) and I really wanted a marshmallow to roast over a smoldering barrel.


Above is the room where the barrel construction takes place. Through a process of applied heat and moisture, the barrels are shaped into form. Below, Charlie talks toast.
After the barrels are put together and toasted to perfection, they go on to be tested, tested again, fitted with new bands, sanded and hit with a laser. With less than 20 guys working, they average 50 barrels per day. Chris (our tour guide of sorts) said that if they have a big order, they can make it up to 100 barrels, and during really busy times, they'll be around 150. That's a lot of handmade barrels!

VISIT TWO, DAY TWO: Grgich Hills. I wanted the group to come here to learn a bit about the history of the valley, but I think we all gained so much more than that. Sure, we learned about Mike Grgich, the judgement of 1976 where Chateau Montelena Chardonnay beat out all the Burgundy whites, and the progression to 70,000 cases from there. However, we also learned about biodynamic farming (to which Pam said, "you're doing what with the cows what?") and how a big time winery can still seem small and humble.
The barrel room wasn't quite as shiny as some of the others we saw on our trip, but they sure did have an impressive racking system. That's me below, checking out the balance of all these full barrels.

John led us on a great tour, tasted us on some fun wines (we all like the Chardonnay for some reason...), and after this, we started to worry about where all of our purchases were going to fit in the van.

After Grgich, we took John's recommendation and stopped at Taylor's Refresher for lunch. Getting there just before the high school kids, we snagged a picnic table in the sun (yea!) and all enjoyed burgers and sweet potato fries.

VISIT THREE: HALL, Rutherford. We finally left the St. Helena Highway and crossed over to the Silverado Trail. By this point in time, the sun was out, and we were loving it. We carefully followed HALL's directions up one of the steepest, windiest roads our rental van had ever seen and found ourselves at the beautiful estate overlooking the valley.

We were greeted with Sauvignon Blanc and left to soak in the views before getting a tour of the surrounding vineyards and the amazing production and storage facility.
The caves dug into the hillside are completely constructed with bricks from former Austrian palaces, laid by a team from Austria who specialize in cave design. All the way through the property and into the back of the caves were beautiful pieces of art, highlighted by the sculpture below. Made to look like the root system of a grape vine, this huge piece hung over a table for 32 (I counted after feeling so small at our one end of the table). What are all those sparkles? Oh, just 1500 Swarovski crystals. We tasted three cabs, and were all impressed by the warmth and hospitality that we felt during our visit.

VISIT THREE: Paraduxx

By this point in time, the sun had overtaken our moods and we were all overjoyed to be able to sit and do our tasting on the porch of Paraduxx's small, clean, tasting room. I swear, I am going to make this my house someday...

We tasted just a bit of wine while visiting Paraduxx. Three different vintages of their zinfandel based blends, a syrah-grenache blend and their sister winery's pinot noir, all with cheeses along side. We were a happy group.

What did I learn here? You can be a huge winery (or group of wineries) and still have a small, intimate tasting experience.For a lasting image of the trip...one of the most beautiful trees I've ever seen.

Oh, Napa!

This past week, a group of us left the cold temperatures of Washington state and headed south to Napa for a little educational field trip. I personally have not been to Napa in at least six years (except for a conference, where I got to hang out in the Napa Marriott), and was very excited to see what all the fuss was about. Here's how the trip went, and all of the fun things I learned:

Day One:

We land at the Napa airport just before noon, then head to lunch at Oakville Grocery. Such a cool shop with great food. However, this was one of the three rainy days per year in Napa so we got to eat in the van.

VISIT ONE: Benessere Vineyards in St. Helena

This is a pretty small winery (by Napa standards) that specializes in Italian varietals. We got to try some fun library sangioveses, dating back to 1998, and a very good muscat frizzante. We really enjoyed ducking out of the rain and touring their production facility. Here, I learned that it is possible to stay small and family owned in Napa.
VISIT TWO: Vineyard 29 on the St. Helena Highway

This was a special stop, made possible by our buddies at Cordon (thanks, Ken!). As our tour guide reminded us several times, they generally are never open for tours, so we were all made to feel very fortunate for our time at Vineyard 29. This is a winery that predominately sells just to their mailing list, and has some spectacular single vineyard wines. The one exception is a wine named "Cru" that sells just to restaurants. There is almost the same amount of Cru produced as our entire product line. Above are some impressive oak fermenters that are part of their gravity-flow (they use an elevator) system of vinification.

Down in the caves of Vineyard 29, we were able to meet their Director of Winemaking, Keith Emerson, who was great to listen to. Their winemaker is Philipe Melka, who has projects across the globe, including one with Long Shadows in Washington. Apparently, he has the ability to control a bit of the winemaking from his phone - how crazy is that!?! Below, Charlie sips Aida Cabernet in the library. I'm not able to pinpoint my main lesson from Vineyard 29, other than anything is possible, including winemaking via cell phone.

VISIT THREE: This was a non-tasting visit. We stopped by the gift shop at the Culinary Institute of America. My knuckles were white from attempting to keep my credit card in my pocket. How beautiful is this building?

Oddly enough, I don't have pictures from the remainder of the day. We visited Alpha Omega in the Rutherford AVA, also right on Highway 29. Coincidentally, they use Michel Roland (also a Long Shadows winemaker) as their consulting winemaker. I bought a lovely Chardonnay as a gift to my mom for puppy-sitting while I was gone. This is a winery that has only been around for about three years, but makes a ton of wine and pretty much sells it all direct. Pretty wild...

We had dinner at Bottega in Yountville. I wish that I could list everything that we ate, but that would take forever. My favorites were my hubbard squash tortelli and the "polenta under glass" appetizer that we shared. This was a beautiful restaurant where we procrastinated before going back out into the rain. Nedra and I spied on Michael Chiarello a bit while he worked in the kitchen before we finally braved the weather to go to the hotel.

I'm going to have to do Day 2 in just a bit, before I overload blogspot with my posts...