Party Tricks

Wow, the holidays blustered by and we totally dropped the ball on keeping everyone updated with what to drink, what we drank, and what to eat with what you drink. Eek! But before we get back to business, I wanted to share a few of my favorite party tricks of the season.

Bigger is Better: We're talking magnums, baby! 'cause nothing goes better with a celebration than a super sized bottle of wine! Whether you're the host of the party or a favored guest, arriving with a huge bottle is a sure-fire way to impress. We also love gifting large format bottles for weddings and birthdays---never fails to bring a smile!

Sabering bubbles: for greatest impact, grab the biggest knife you can find (though even a butter knife will do) to pop that bottle with a bang. It's probably the most amazing party trick and its not as hard as you'd think! Just be sure to aim far, far away from breakable windows and unaware party guests...

Home-made eggnog: I have no idea where this über-decadent holiday tradition came from, but it sure does pack a wow-factor when you've made it yourself; not to mention it's far less-terrible on the gut than the synthetic stuff in cartons. Plus you can substitute half the ingredients with low/non-fat options and it'll still taste like melty-boozy-ice cream! So rich, my nog limit is 1 per 5 years or so...

Heaven is a Slice of Cheese

New cheese-faves!

Mt. Townsend Creamery Seastack (WA): luscious and complex with a subtle salinity and soft tangy zing. Creamy, spreadable, electrique.

Bellwether Farms San Andreas (CA): the I-can't-believe-it's-not-butter of semi-firm sheep's cheese. Also featuring a hint of lovely saltiness. Flaky, rich, sexy. More please!

If you haven't tried these heavenly cheeses, I highly recommend they make it on to your next charcuterie board. Seriously, so obsessed.

de la Garrigue

The sweeping limestone hills of France's Mediterranean coast are home to many a shrub and herb. Chateau's call this landscape-terrior "Garrigue," and from it comes brilliantly ambrosial wines saturated with the scents and textures of freshly picked Provençal herbs.

I picked up a friendly little Garrigue by Chateau St Martin; a vibrant Syrah/Carignan from the Languedoc, whose fragrance nearly leapt out of the glass upon first pour---sultry raspberry syrup, soft suede & almond skin, decadent white chocolate, and perfumed boysenberry. After savoring the aroma, I half expected to open my eyes and find myself sitting in a Lamborghini... because that's what I'd expect the Gallardo LP 550-2 to smell... high-end sports car: $280,000. Luxury scent of Chateau St. Martin: $16. Dreaming your road-bicycle were a luxury vehicle: priceless.

St. Martin's 2009 Garrigue is playful and funky, rich and fully balanced. Pure poetry from the very town Molière resided. A pretty every-day drinker ♥

Thanksgiving

Ah, Thanksgiving. A celebration of... well food. We enjoyed a day of snacking, chopping, sautéing and roasting with the smallest group ever this year! For our lovely group of three, we rocked a cocktail pre-party, 2 cornish game-hens, 7 bottles of wine, 7 hours of cooking, 1 home-made pumpkin pie, too many buttery mashed potatoes, brussels salad, crane-sauce n'gravy gravy gravy. Not to mention a divine charcuterie/cheese board to munch on while preparing dishes.

Secrets in the Sauce

I am notorious for having a poor memory, but one of my fond few from childhood was "being in charge" of making holiday cranberry sauce with my dad. These days, with the family far off in the land of the rising sun, I am left to fend for myself in this delectable Thanksgiving tradition. Not to worry, the process is incredibly simple and fun. Since youth I've varied my recipe to balance sweetness and acidity for optimal pairing potential---Pow!

Boil following magic ingredients in a saucepan for around 20 minutes, until berries have ruptured and liquids have thickened. Can be served immediately or refrigerated overnight.

• 12oz (1 bag) fresh cranberries (these guys smell just like Burgundian Pinot---give 'em a sniff!)
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup "regular" sugar
• 1 generous glug Triple Sec (secret weapon!)

Triple Sec is an amazing clear liqueur distilled from Curacaoan oranges. It's affordable, great for cooking & cocktails or chilled on it's own, and has fancy big brothers: Cointreau, Curacao, and Grand Marnier. I had a little locally distilled Triple Sec leftover from summer's fun with sangria, and decided it had to be included in this year's cran-sauce.

Bonus points for making your own: it's quick and easy, can be made a day prior to festivities, often gains an "OMG, you made that?" and is versatile enough that a signature "secret ingredient" or variation---liquor, nuts, apples---is easy to whip up.

Possible cons of home-made cranberry sauce: A dear friend of mine is obsessed with the canned stuff, and insists on eating sliced rounds of jelly directly from the tin. Could result in anger in the absence of canned gelatinous cranberries. Everybody has a vice.

Urban

Brrr! The streets are all a chill in the rain, but tonight I'm lucky to be comfy and warm inside. Some of my foodie-cohorts joined me for a fabulous coursed dinner at Urban Farmer. Thanks to our lovely server designing his "dream menu" for us, we didn't even glance at a menu! It really is the best way to eat. We were happy to get lost in a menagerie of plates and flatware. There was scrumptious shrimp, elegantly plated cheese & charcuterie, gargantuan scallops, an intermezzo (!), juicy steak, perfectly roasted veggies... and my personal favorite, a stunning cut of foie gras over sweetbreads and soft peach. On and on and on! Don't even get me started on the deserts.

Did you think we forgot about the wine? No way! We grabbed a bottle of 2004 Chablis to kick it off, and moved with leisure on to a few weighty reds: a supple 1995 Mondavi Reserve and the oh-so-steely-love-fest of 2003 Clos de Capucins Chinon---this is, after all, a steakhouse. After ordering a fourth bottle came a lovely Amarone for a grand finale of sweets, and a post-feast shot of espresso paired with Fernet (a tradition I plan to uphold whenever the opportunity presents itself!)

Gaga for Gamay

Gamay Noir is one of my favorite grapes-turned-wine (remember by birthday party?!). It's a rare find in the states, having first been imported through California just 40 years ago, but is an historically important variety in the old world. In France Gamay is somewhat of a versatile muse. In Beaujolais, we find an array of styles ranging from deliciously effervescent "Nouveau," to the best Cru vineyards creation of serious and strong dry wines. Elsewhere in France, the grape is conspicuous in the Loire Valley, Jura, and Savoie---each of which showcase particular styles from dry and partially carbonic Gamay. 

Beaujolais had a bad rap for a time, mainly due to the American palates' preference toward intense, full-bodied, heavily oaked red wines. Beaujolais Nouveau is the extreme opposite to a hefty Aussie Shiraz. It is airy, fruitilicious, and made for immediate consumption via carbonic maceration for harvest festival every year. What is carbonic, you ask? Simply put, it's the process of breaking down whole berries in an atmosphere of carbon dioxide (carbon-ic!) instead of oxygen. While sugars and acids soften, all the little polyphenols from the skins start transferring color and boosting flavors and aromas inside the fruit. When the berries reach a low alcohol point they burst open, producing refreshingly light and fruity juice that is ready to ferment further!

Another common practice for---but not limited to---Gamay is semi-carbonic, in which some of the fruit is crushed to allow a more usual oxygen-rich, yeast-induced fermentation, while remaining whole grapes continue anaerobic style, without oxygen. For those interested, I found an amazing carbonic maceration "game" by Eric Pearson which makes learning the process super quick and fun.

For the coming winter I'll cozy up with a nice Cru, and dream of warmer days when we're ready to pop open a chilled bottle of Beaujolais. Mm mm.

Label Lust

While I never buy wine solely for the label, I certainly get giddy over a great design. Check out a few of our recent bottles---featuring stylish and clever branding with juice just as tasty to match (pleasing tongue, nose and eyes!):

"The Raven"

the Bourgeoise gentleman of Bugey.

a toast, to "the little April wine"

Cook it, Chill it, Drink it!

I am all about Sherry right now. It's great to cook with---both in the pan and in your mouth---is super affordable, easy to keep around, and is super versatile. I baked a pie with a dry sherry this week, and it was phenomenal! Even this cheap Lustau Amontillado (slightly sweet) tastes delish as a chilled apéritif while marinating mushrooms to juicy perfection. I often prefer sherry over the use of white or red wines throughout the cooking process due to it's amazing viscous texture with complex sweetness and salinity that makes for some kick-ass deglazing. Yummy!

And, though I've never owned a proper ice bucket, I find my french press looks quite dapper as an alternative for chilling split bottles. Cute!

Cab Franc: on Trend this Fall

I've noticed Cab Franc has been all the rage this year, and it seems the hype will lead us straight through Autumn. Some of my favorite expressions of this grape come straight-up from France---no blending necessary---more specifically Bourgueil. The region, besides being one of my favorite words to say [pronounced: bore-goy!], is one of roughly six sections in the Loire Valley known for the variety, and is perhaps the greatest "French-drinker's" Cab Franc, featuring less fruity, angular characteristics of gravel and spice. Our recent faves:

Domaine du Mortier Boisard et Fils - 2008 St. Nicolas de Bourgueil Graviers

This soul-satisfying wine is latent with iron, slate, & steel, though manages quite well in keepin' it funky-fresh with some rustic blueberry & wintery spices. Mortier's wines are wild and beautiful, and besides sporting très cute labels (they know how to get me!) become ever more charming through the magic of Google Translate: "we find in this wine quite pronounced fruit notes and then move to more complex notes of spices and often type 'animal.'" Adorable and delicious.

Domaine Bruno Dufeu - 2008 Cuvée Grand Mont Bourgueil
Oh, oh, oh!---am I drinking Spanish coffee? It's got all that fresh, voluminous pizzaz with mineral, slate, and caramelized sugars, & a hefty dose of meaty texture. My palate is pleased.

À la Sofia

Ah, Coppola's Sofia Mini! Très chic, oui?!

I've been constantly amazed by the growing accessibility of wine to consumers. While I agree that the de-snobbifying of the seemingly esoteric wine world has been fabulous, I can, on occasion, get a little miffed with unnecessary gizmos that look like they came straight off an infomercial (see also: The Hip Sip... don't even get me started.)

Enter Francis Ford's answer to grocery store ease: single-serve cans [with straws attached!] of California bubbles. Eating pizza and don't want to get those Reidels smudged with finger grease?! Crack open a 6 pack of these bad girls to compliment those PBR tallboys. The mini is perfect for a covert picnic operation ('cause hey---they look like petite Coca Cola cans, and who'd drink bubbly with a straw anyway?!) and certainly an entertaining party novelty. The mini is an easy-sipping 11.5% alcohol from a non-traditional "blanc de blanc" blend of Pinot Blanc, Riesling & Muscat. The big-kid's bottle features the same grape varieties in variant percentages. Now this is a de-glamification I can get behind!

Red Wine Time!

Autumn! My brain just flipped the switch from white to red. I literally woke up yesterday with a changed craving (because, you know, who doesn't think about wine first thing in the morning?) The sunlight is fading as summer slips away, and soon I will be enjoying a luscious glass of Cabernet Franc by the space heater fireplace. 'Tis the season for comfy scarves, red meats, fabulous films, and warm sweaters. I love sweaterrrs! These things combined with the atmospheric charm of Fall are best paired with gripping red wine and close friends.

Happy Autumn.

Matchmaking: Pinot + Coho

Always a debacle when you're craving fish and red wine. Lucky for us, we live in Pinot-land, Salmon-country! After summer-mania, it had been a while since we last dined at home. I whipped up some savory faro with spring vegetables (one of my favorite rare-to-find repeat recipes) which I've adapted from Brigit Bins' The New Slow Cooker. And Braun's on fish duty, which before reading some kick-ass tips, seemed quite daunting (something always goes wrong!) Ah, but how lovely the dinner turned out! The fire has been rekindled on my previously waning salmon enthusiasm!

To compliment some gorgeous Coho filets (and for Braun's blind tasting exercise), I chose Sineann's 2009 Schindler Vineyard Pinot Noir. A fabulous flavor team, indeed! We also popped a 2011 Comm G.B. Burlotto Verduno Pelaverga for a little pairing experiment, since we are in no way convinced that Pinot can be the only red with enough lightness and finesse to balance a cut of salmon. We remembered this Piedmontese wine as being a light & spritely, peppery wine, flush with the flavor of nasturtiums. Alas! The food and drink were nary a compliment, as the wine greatly overpowered the delicate dish. The search for a non-Pinot, salmon-worthy red continues!

mmm...

*also, fun fact: Coho salmon is the official animal of Chiba, Japan, and October is salmon-season! I had buckets of fun joining a salmon festival in Northern Japan around this time in 2008. Among the many fish races, various meats on sticks, dancing, and milk drinking competitions, there was also: the catch-your-own-salmon-free-for-all.

Freisa Fresh!

This 2011 Cantina del Pino "Langhe Freisa" is playing to my weaknesses right now...

sniffings: raspberry-caramel white chocolate topped with crushed rosemary.

the tasty bits: gently tannic and lifting--nearly effervescent--on my tongue. Is this fresh, light, blackberry liquer muddled with charred, sultry pepper bacon? With rosemary and lavender garnish?!! I'll have another, please and thank you! I ran across another interesting blogger who described it as "black cherry ice cream that gets you drunk." Note to self: make Langhe Freisa ice cream...

what it's all about: nestled in the hilly Piedmont region of Northern Italy, we find Langhe. The place is known mostly for bubbly wines made of Freisa grapes; wouldn't ya know it, our red Freisa is brilliantly tingly (aka "frizzante")! Did I mention it's totally affordable?

I hate that I discovered this wine on what is literally the last week of summer. Then again---hello perfect thanksgiving wine! And we even caught this in time for Canadian Thanksgiving (10/8/12; also featuring the general harvest foods of turkey & potatoes). Huzzah! I'm going to let this bottle chillax in the fridge for a few while you're carving the turkey!

Game Hen Smack Down

For every food, there is a perfect wine to pair, and we need to taste a lot to find it! On tonights table we've grabbed two Pinots to test out with roasted game hen and warm faro salad.

The wines:

Olivier Jouan "Les Bussieres," 2007 old vine Chambolle Musigny > Burgundy > France.

Spicy cherries and tart persimmons. Soft pomegranate. A nice little wine, but perhaps not the perfect Pinot for our dish!

J. Daan, 2009 Willamette Valley > Oregon.

The clear winner! A brilliant food wine across the board, this wine perfectly balanced each bite with savory herbaceousness. The best part is, I wasn't into the wine on it's own, but the pairing made the best flavors and textures shine. The pairing had Brent's tastebuds tingling: "I feel like I had a cupcake, ate it in bed, spilled it all over my pillow and ate it." I guess... he likes it!

Ah, pairing. It's like super fun, self-imposed homework.

Wine into Bottle

Look how much fun we're having with all these tools and gadgets! Coming soon to your mouth: Counoise, Mourvèdre, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Malbec, etc etc etc. You're welcome.

A Pretty Scene from the Back Yard

The sunshine is waning on our little Belmont corner. I horridly mentioned to a friend that I'd readily welcome the dreary rain of January, if only it meant there could be moments to catch my breath. It's bottling time at the winery as the busy harvest season approaches, and there's less and less room for contemplation and leisure. So what do drink? Liquor? Occasionally; we're not trying to drown our sorrows yet... Beer? Sure, a little Budweiser or delicious draught IPA to quench the thirst from time to time. But sometimes there can be unexpected moments of quiet serenity, gifted from a little sassy Chardonnay. A fleeting brain relaxant---don't think, just drink. And breath in your last few breaths of inappropriately-busy, over-stimulated, visitor-centric summer.

Simple Pleasures from the Italian Country

I've always longed for the Italian life, where everyone in the family gathers for boisterous summer days spent cooking, eating, and drinking together long into the night. There's an excess of comforting food, abundant sunshine, not a care in the world. The wine is free flowing; a product of years spent cultivating the backyard vineyard, syphoned into bottle only when it's time to drink. I tasted a bit of this idealist-life in a humble and simply quaffable Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.

Abruzzo's wine is a labor of love. Their simple Italian country wines, coming from a long history of poor culture, feel most comforting and romantic sipped from a tumbler, paired with a little nonchalance and carefree whimsy. The perfect wine to not demand attention at a high energy dinner party. Eric Asimov (Chief Wine Critic, NY Times) loves his on restaurant lists wherever he can find them: "I'm always happy when I find [Montepulciano d'Abruzzo] because I know it's gonna be a solid, dependable, moderately priced wine that is content in its role as a supporting player to food." Cherries, flowers, earth, and all things gulp worthy!

Bad Luck Monday

A looong day of racking at the winery?! Whew, exhausting! Somebody get me a good glass of wine, ASAP!

Sometimes, all you could ever want or need is a simple glass of red wine to refresh the soul. It's just my luck that when this is my utmost desire, it's the hardest thing to come by.

The first wine we opened was sad and flabby and cheap tasting; major flop! So the wine key squeaked it's way into bottle #2.

...and straight toward continued misfortune. What should've been a mouthwatering 1er Cru Fixin (old vine Pinot Noir) smelled of pungent, sweaty cardboard. Totally corked. *sad face*

Attempted beverage #3 smelled kinda funky... whoops! Somebody wiped the glasses with a stinky dish rag. Let's try a freshly polished Reidel---GAH, this Fronsac is completely over-the-hill. Seriously?! My quick glass of something delicious has turned into an absurd hunt through the cellar.

But then, redemption! Beautiful aromas of blue flowers, white pepper, and cherry liqueur instantly emanated from the fourth freshly popped bottle. Sweet, sultry reparations to my palate. Thank you Domaine Dupeuble for your revitalizing 2010 Beaujolais.

Now if only this could prevent the inevitable soreness I'll be feeling in the morning!

Hosting Family Vacation

It's not often we get to open a fabulous Bordeaux, and it's equally rare the sun will roast Portland to a crisp. This week we had excessive amounts of both vintage prestige wines (literally vintage; these bottles had all been on the earth longer than I have) and overpowering rays of heat. Maybe not the best combo, but, well, heck.

With our lovely visiting family in tow, we ate and drank our way through town, and toted fabulous bottles to some of our favorite eateries.  I'm very proud to say we tackled numerous beautiful bottles, glass pours and dishes. Including the infamous:

This city has completely spoiled me... For Beaker & Flask there was Bordeaux. After cocktails at Irving Street, it was Bordeaux round 2. Threw some saucy Italians into the mix for pairings at Nostrana, a couple local faves for the out-of-towners, and a bottle of Provence rosé for good measure. Staycations are the best!

. . .

Weekend's Bottle List & Perfect Pairs

1975 Château de Pez (Saint-Estephe, Bordeaux) + house cured salumi @ Irving Street Kitchen

1979 Château Montrose (St. Estephe)

1982 Château Phelan S (St. Estephe)

1985 Castello di Gabianno Ania (Tuscany) + tagliata aged flat iron steak @ Nostrana

1997 Sassetti (Brunello di Montalcino)

1998 Léoville Baton (Saint-Julien, Bordeaux) + smoked beef shortribs @ Beaker & Flask

1998 Les Forts de Latour (Paulliac, Bordeaux) + Liver Mousse @ Irving Street Kitchen

2008 Podere le Boncie Le Trame (Chianti Classico)

2010 Rex Hill Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley)

2011 Rex Hill Pinot Gris (WV) + chicken-bacon-garlic pie @ Straight From NY Pizza

2011 Bélouvé Rosé (Côtes de Provence)

La Couleur de l'Amour

If love has a color, it's crème de cassis. If love has a smell, it's that of champagne. And if love has a flavor, it's kir royale... Ah, the Kir Royale...

Big surprise, the stunning cocktail was originally crafted in France (see also: French, the language of love.) It's simple & elegant; champagne + crème de cassis---basically the recipe for a love potion. If you just can't bare to tarnish that beautiful champagne that's been chilling in your fridge, use instead any nice little bubbly and you have love potion no.2, the Kir Pétillant. Hold on to your butts my friends, this' gonna be a passionate summer. Use with caution. ♥

Into the Realm of the Gentleman Nerd

Designer Martin Jakobsen is making some pretty silly glassware that really turns my geek on. A sideways glass! How adorable. WANT. Sure they look cute on the table---almost like little Japanese teapots---but as far as party-functionality? Definitely not mingling-grade. Not to mention we'll have to completely relearn the swirl-n' sniff.

So I may be a little crazy about designer glassware, but hey, it's functional ART! Check out what else is up in futro-luxe:

FLOAT by Molo | Piant-Forte-Mezzoforte by Chiara Onida | Carafes by Etienne Meneau

a-lotta-Garnacha

Ah, summer 'neath the grape vines. Tonight we're rocking' Grenache, whether it be new world, old world, flamingo pink or garnet red. While we set out to ruminate on wine, our minds were rightfully distracted by nibbles---kick-ass cheeses, spicy cured meats, gorgeous leg of lamb with chimichuri... Over brilliant bottles from Chateauneuf du Pape, Priorat, California's central coast*, and Oregon's Rogue Valley, we chatted about everything from forthcoming travels to local eateries and approaching summer happenings. 

Can't get my mind off vacation! Some of us, myself included, are saving pennies for a rosé sipping, brie-filled tryst in Provence, but when Heather announced she's booked a trip to Malta, I'm thinking what, exactly, do the Maltese drink? Apparently there are just 5 wineries on the tiny Mediterranean island, dedicated mostly to one red and one white local grape---Gellewza & Ghirgentina. Okay, I'll admit I've never even heard of these varieties, but man, dry some Gellewza in the hot Maltese sun for a sweet,  Amarone-style elixir and I'm sure we're talking molto delizioso!

. . .

*The Clos de Gilroy by Bonny Doon Vineyard is an homage to not only my place of birth, but to my most beloved writer, Marcel Proust. The label reads cleverly: "For a long time I went to bed aïoli, cloved in nothing but the barest essential oils. The wine... pays homage to the quaint, rustic town of Gilroy, the spiritual locus of all matters alliaceous."

Blinding Braun

It's wine-o'clock in the Rabbit Hole once again, and we've started brand-spankin-new notebooks devoted to blind tasting. I thought an Italian Pinot Grigio would be just the thing to challenge Braun for our books. Enter Erste + Neue with a classy (and classic!) Alto Adige:

Alto Adige is the northernmost wine region of Italia, and is also known as Südtirol (South Tyrol) by the neighboring Austrians. Other than the fact that they make other-worldly white wines and are super German, all you really need to know is:

Like a friggin fairytale barfed on the map... is it time to retire yet?!

Anyway, back to the blind tasting test. After pouring the wine and hiding the bottle, there was much deliberation over notes of white peach, minerals and pears, vanilla cake, white chocolate & flower blossoms, Braun was confident in his assessment that this, in fact was a Pinot Grigio from Alto Adige. Another blind tasting win!   

Summer Blush

The warmth of July has put peachy-perfect color on our cheeks, and rosy pinks in our glass. What better way to spend a gorgeous Monday than with great friends, good food, and rosé, rosé, rosé!

Favorite pinks of the night were our Bandol & Provence wines (big surprise...) from France's southern coast. Ah, the french stuff. In their stunning Mediterranean climate they make delicate little rosés from mostly Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Cinsault, and they pair excellently with nearly everything---from charcuterie to barbecued steak! But especially...

Panzanella! It's a breezy summer tradition for the Italians, based on tomatoes, olives, and toasted bread. You know, the good stuff. Sublime summer eats.

To Life!

Havin' a Time with Sushi & Wine