This recipe is an easy go-to for a weeknight. Paired with our 2019 "FRV" Pinot Noir, it's a lovely way to enjoy a cozy night in.
Recipe by Chandra Ram via Food and Wine Magazine
1 (6-ounce) bunch Lacinato kale
6 thick-cut bacon slices
1 small (about 8-ounce) red onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
1 (1-pound) whole rotisserie chicken, pulled into 1-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
1 pound potato gnocchi, or one (1-pound) package refrigerated or frozen potato gnocchi
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ ounce Parmesan cheese, shaved (about 1/4 cup)
1. Remove stems from kale, and chop stems (you should have about 3/4 cup); chop kale leaves (you should have about 6 cups). Set chopped stems and leaves aside until ready to use.
2. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium until crispy, about 8 minutes, turning halfway through cooking time. Remove skillet from heat; do not wipe clean. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate; let stand until cooled, about 5 minutes. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces; set aside.
3. Heat bacon drippings in skillet over medium. Add onion and kale stems; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and kale stems are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in kale leaves, and cook until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken, and toss with onion and kale; cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 2 minutes.
4. While onion and kale are cooking, bring a large pot of boiling salted water to a boil over medium-high; add gnocchi, and boil until gnocchi float to the surface, about 3 minutes. Drain well. Add gnocchi to chicken mixture in skillet, and toss. Stir in lemon zest, salt, pepper, and reserved bacon. Divide gnocchi mixture evenly among 4 bowls, and top evenly with Parmesan.
Our 2019 "FRV" Pinot Noir maintains its youthful, fruity highlights, that add pleasant contrast to the richness of the dish. Developing aromas of earthiness mingle with the smokiness of the bacon and chicken, creating a pleasant harmony with every bite.
Fort Ross Estate Chef John Vong offers his take on a classic autumn favorite. The richness of the squash and cream and completemented by sherry vinegar and lemon zest, making an ideal match for our 2019 Chardonnay.
Soup
1 butternut squash, about 2lb
2 quarts vegetable stock
2 cups cream
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
1⁄2 teaspoon ground green cardamom
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Zest of one lemon
Kosher salt to taste
Brioche crouton:
2 slices Brioche bread, cut into 1 inch sticks
2 tablespoons olive oil
Zest of half of a lemon
1⁄4 teaspoon ground green cardamom
Soup
1. Split squash in half, and scoop out seeds. Season with salt and green cardamom. Roast at 350F for one hour. Set aside to cool, then scoop the squash out of it’s skin.
2. In a large pot, sweat shallots over medium heat until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add roasted squash, and sauté for 2 minutes. Add sherry vinegar to deglaze.
3. Add cream and stock and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 5 minutes, then blend until smooth.
4. Pour soup through a strainer into a clean pot a bring to a simmer. Season with salt and lemon zest.
5. Serve with crème fraiche on top and brioche crouton.
Brioche Crouton
1. Coat brioche with olive oil
2. Sprinkle on lemon zest and green cardamom.
3. Toast at 350F for 7 minutes, or until crispy
Our 2019 Chardonnay shows contrasting notes of creaminess and minerality; hazelnut and pastry dough flavors are layered with Meyer lemon and our signature minerality. This round, creamy texture is in perfect harmony with the weight of this soup, and the minerality brings out the subtle lemony notes in the soup.
Take advantage of the last bit of warm weather this September by opening up the grill. This recipe recommends using a smoker to infuse fruit flavors into the rib-eye, a perfect match to our 2017 Pinotage.
Recipe by Matthew Dillon via Sunset Magazine
2 beef rib-eye steaks, each 16 oz. and 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 in. thick, preferably well-marbled, grass-fed, and dry-aged
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil, divided
2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
About 1 1/4 tsp. pepper, divided
1/4 cup butter, divided, softened
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, divided
2 tablespoons honey, divided
2 tablespoons cider vinegar, divided
2 cups (5 oz.) Padrón or shishito peppers
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1. An hour before cooking, season steaks with 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper and set on a plate to come to room temperature. Then, brush steaks with 1 tbsp. oil. Meanwhile, soak 1 cup fruitwood chips in a bowl of water about 30 minutes.
2. Put 2 tbsp. butter in a shallow baking dish big enough to hold steaks. Add a few cracks of pepper and 1 tbsp. each thyme, honey, and vinegar; bring to grill area. Bring ingredients for peppers to grill: the Padróns; remaining 1 tbsp. oil, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 2 tbsp. butter; a dish with remaining 1 tbsp. thyme and the garlic; and another dish with remaining 1 tbsp. each honey and vinegar. Also bring a large cast-iron skillet, wooden spoon, grilling tongs, and foil.
3. For charcoal, ignite a very full chimney of hardwood mesquite charcoal on firegrate of a charcoal grill. Arrange coals on firegrate in a slope so there's a hotter area and a cooler one. Drain wood chips and scatter over charcoal. Set cooking grate in place. For gas, heat a gas grill to high (450° to 550°). Put drained wood chips in the grill's smoking box, or seal chips in a packet of foil, cut dime-size holes, and set directly on a burner. Cover grill.
4. When wood chips start to smoke (1 to 2 minutes for charcoal, 10 to 15 minutes for gas), set steaks over hottest part of charcoal fire (or anywhere on gas grill). Grill steaks covered, turning once and moving to cooler part of charcoal fire if they start to flare up, until well browned and done the way you like, about 10 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to baking dish with butter mixture, turn to coat, and tent loosely with foil.
5. Heat cast-iron skillet on cooking grate. When hot, add 1 tbsp. oil and swirl to coat. Then add peppers and 1/4 tsp. salt. Cook, shaking skillet and stirring occasionally, until peppers are browned and blistered, about 5 minutes. Add butter and let it foam and brown, 45 to 60 seconds. Stir in thyme, garlic, and honey-vinegar, then pour mixture over steaks. Let steaks rest about 1 minute more.
6. Transfer steaks to a cutting board, leaving juices and peppers in baking dish. Slice steaks crosswise into 1/2- to 3/4-in. strips. Using a spatula, pick up strips in original shape of steaks and set on a platter. Spoon about half of juices and peppers over steaks and serve the rest in a bowl on the side.
With its savory, leathery characteristics, our 2017 Pinotage is made for red meat off the grill. Its bold plum and blueberry notes mingle with the smoked, fruity character of the rib-eye, while firm tannins, cedar, peppercorn, and herbal spicy character are enlivened by the blistered padróns.
As the weather cools down, embrace the sweet & savory sides of fresh produce and herbs in season.
In this recipe, fennel and dill harmonize to evoke a toasty beginning of fall. The roundess of the poached salmon & crème is offset by the fresh citrus and spice of the radish, matching the body of our 2020 Bicentennial Chardonnay.
This simple roasted chicken thighs recipe is great for any night of the week. A touch of sweetness from honey and carmelized figs accentures the ripe fruit of our 2019 Stagecoach Road Pinot Noir for a meal that will keep you warm on a chilly fall evening.
Take advantage of the last bit of warm weather this September by opening up the grill. This recipe recommends using a smoker to infuse fruit flavors into the rib-eye, a perfect match to our 2017 Pinotage.
In this recipe, fennel and dill harmonize to evoke a toasty beginning of fall. The roundess of the poached salmon & crème is offset by the fresh citrus and spice of the radish, matching the body of our 2020 Bicentennial Chardonnay.
Recipe by Kristen Murray via Sunset Magazine
1 king salmon fillet with skin (2 to 2 1/2 lbs. and about 1 in. thick; cut from tail end), pin bones removed*
Zest and juice of 1 large orange
1 small shallot, thinly sliced crosswise, separated into rings
1 small, tender fennel bulb, trimmed and very thinly sliced on a diagonal, a few feathery leaves reserved (or use torn carrot tops)
1/4 to 1/2 cup dry white vermouth, such as Dolin
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
About 1 tsp. flake sea salt, such as Maldon, divided
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon ground coriander
5 juniper berries, crushed with fingers
Paper-thin radish slices (2 or 3 radishes)
Dill Crème
1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 large ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons roasted hazelnut oil*
2 tablespoons dry white vermouth such as Dolin
1 cup crème fraîche
About 1 tsp. flake sea salt such as Maldon
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. Prepare the dill crème:
2a. Pulse coriander in a food processor to break up. Add remaining ingredients except for salt and dill; whirl until smooth. Season to taste with salt. Scrape sauce into a bowl and fold in dill.
3. Cut a sheet of 18-in.-wide heavy-duty foil three times as long as salmon and center it on a rimmed baking sheet, letting ends hang over. Set salmon, skin side down, on foil. Sprinkle fish evenly with orange zest, shallot, and fennel bulb. Bring corners and sides of foil up around salmon to make a canoe with 2-in. sides.
4. Pour orange juice into a glass measuring cup and add vermouth to make 3/4 cup. Microwave until steaming (about 170°) and pour evenly over fish. Drizzle with 1 tbsp. oil and sprinkle evenly with 1/2 tsp. salt, the pepper, coriander, and juniper berries. Tightly roll ends and sides of foil together to create a pouch.
5. Bake salmon until cooked through three-quarters of the way from edge to center of thickest part (which will still look wet; open foil and cut fish to check), 12 to 25 minutes, depending on thickness.
6. Slide two long metal spatulas under fish and carefully transfer to a long platter (Murray likes to use a madeleine pan), leaving poaching liquid behind. Sprinkle radishes, about 1/2 tsp. salt, and remaining 1 tbsp. oil over fish. Scatter torn fennel fronds on top. Serve with Dill Crème
As noted above, the body of our 2020 Bicentennial Chardonnay is just right for the weight of this dish. The oak signature is light on this Chardonnay, and therefore the purity of the fruit flavors mingle with the orange while the minerality complements the green spices of the dish.
This simple roasted chicken thighs recipe is great for any night of the week. A touch of sweetness from honey and carmelized figs accentures the ripe fruit of our 2019 Stagecoach Road Pinot Noir for a meal that will keep you warm on a chilly fall evening.
Recipe by Adeena Sussman via Sunset Magazine
2 tablespoons good-quality (cask-aged) red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup honey
2 pounds (4 to 6) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large shallots, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves, plus 2 tbsp. whole leaves
8 to 10 figs, stems trimmed, halved (quartered if large)
1. Preheat oven to 400°. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup water, the vinegar, and cornstarch. Whisk in honey and set aside. Sprinkle chicken on both sides with 3/4 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper.
2. Heat a heavy 12- to 14-in. ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add oil and swirl to coat, then add chicken skin side down and brown until skin is deep golden and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn over and brown other side, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
3. Discard all but 2 tbsp. fat from frying pan, reduce heat to medium, and cook shallots until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add cornstarch mixture, chopped oregano, and remaining 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper; cook until mixture bubbles and thickens, 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Set chicken skin side up in frying pan and add figs. Roast in oven until figs soften and caramelize slightly and meat is no longer pink at bone, about 15 minutes. Divide chicken, figs, and sauce among plates and top with whole oregano leaves.
Our 2019 Stagecoach Road Pinot Noir is on the fuller-bodied side of the spectrum for Pinot Noir, giving it enough tannin and body to stand up to the richness of dark-meat chicken thighs. With its ripe black fruit and underpinning of herbal notes, it mingles well with the sweet-and-savory flavors of the roasted chicken and figs.
Head to your favorite local markets and shops to pick up all the ingredients for these tasty spring recipes - you will want all of the supplies on hand for when your next club shipment arrives! Enjoy this guide to some suggested pairings.
We would understand if you have an initial skepticism of pairing veal with our 2019 Mother of Pearl Chardonnay, but between the tenderness of the veal and the creamy, lemony flavors of the greens, we are sure you will change your mind.
Enjoy this tasty pasta dish vegetarian or add leftover grilled chicken for more protein. In any case, pour a glass of our 2019 Bicentennial Pinot Noir alongside it.
Savory, spicy, and full of flavor, this recipe for braised sausage is the type of dinner you want to enjoy out on the deck on a beautiful night. Of course, with a glass of our 2019 Top of Land Pinot Noir by its side.
Savory, spicy, and full of flavor, this recipe for braised sausage is the type of dinner you want to enjoy out on the deck on a beautiful night. Of course, with a glass of our 2019 Top of Land Pinot Noir by its side.
Recipe by Kelsey Youngman via Food & Wine Magazine
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
6 hot Italian sausage links, pricked with a fork
2 large (13-ounce) fennel bulbs, cut in half lengthwise, cores removed, bulbs cut into 1-inch wedges, fronds reserved
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
4 teaspoons pink peppercorns
2 cups chicken stock or lower-sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup hummus
Lemon zest and lemon wedges, for garnish
1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a straight-sided 14-inch skillet over medium-high. Add sausages; cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer sausages to a plate. Add fennel wedges, cut sides down, to skillet; cook until browned on both sides, about 2 minutes and 30 seconds per side. Transfer to plate with sausages.
2. Add fennel seeds, peppercorns, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil to skillet; cook over medium-high, stirring constantly, until toasted and fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove half of the spice mixture from skillet, and reserve for garnish.
3. Add stock to skillet, stirring and scraping bottom of skillet to loosen browned bits. Bring to a simmer over medium-high. Return sausages and fennel wedges to skillet; cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until fennel wedges are tender, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with salt.
4. Spread hummus smoothly on a platter. Top with sausages and fennel wedges; spoon sauce from skillet over platter. Garnish with lemon zest, lemon wedges, reserved fennel fronds, and reserved spice mixture.
We decided on a "sweet & spicy" type of pairing here - the spiciness of the sausage is complemented by the juicy red fruit of our 2019 Top of Land Pinot Noir. Though the wine is dry, the brightness of the fruit shines against the savory, spicy sausage. Notes of spice in the Pinot also work well with the sausage and fennel.
This preparation of marinated black cod from Food & Wine is simple, yet incredibly rich on flavor. This protein-packed fish also contains over 1,000mg of omega-3's! Add on a seaweed salad to complete the meal - this combination of seaweed & kale is incredibly rich in iron. Best enjoyed with a glass of our 2018 Mother of Pearl Chardonnay
Credit: Nobu Matsuhisa via Food & Wine Magazine
3 tablespoons mirin
3 tablespoons sake
1/2 cup white miso paste
1/3 cup sugar
Six 6- to 7-ounce skinless black cod fillets, about 1 1/2 inches thick
Vegetable oil, for grilling
Pickled ginger, for serving
1. In a small saucepan, bring the mirin and sake to a boil. Whisk in the miso until dissolved. Add the sugar and cook over moderate heat, whisking, just until dissolved. Transfer the marinade to a large baking dish and let cool. Add the fish and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°. Heat a grill pan and oil it. Scrape the marinade off the fish. Add the fish and cook over high heat until browned, about 2 minutes. Flip the fish onto a heavy rimmed baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes, until flaky. Transfer to plates and serve with pickled ginger.
Miso is a wonderful, versatile ingredient, adding saltiness and a whole lot of umami. This richness matches the weight of our 2018 Mother of Pearl Chardonnay perfectly. The sweet vanilla and spice notes from oak aging sing alongside the subtle sweetness of the marinade and spiciness of pickled ginger. It's a healthy yet decadent meal that's easy to make.
This simple-yet-elegant preparation of a pork tenderloin from Food & Wine is a warm, comforting dish to enjoy any day of the week. The so-called "other white meat," this particular cut of pork is quite lean, and, as the name suggests, tender. A 3oz serving contains just 3g of fat and 62mg of cholesterol, while delivering 22g of protein. We recommend pairing it with our 2018 "FRV" Pinot Noir
Credit: Jimmy Bradley via Food & Wine Magazine
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup rosemary leaves
2 tablespoons crushed red pepper
6 garlic cloves, chopped
Four 1-pound pork tenderloins
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1. In a large, resealable plastic bag, combine the oil, lemon juice, rosemary, red pepper, garlic and pork. Press out any air in the bag, seal and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours.
2. Let the pork stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 400° and preheat a griddle or a very large skillet. Remove the pork from the marinade. Scrape off most of the garlic and rosemary and season the tenderloins with salt and pepper. Set them on the griddle and cook over high heat until browned all over, about 6 minutes. Transfer the tenderloins to a large rimmed baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 14 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 130°. Cover the tenderloins loosely with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Our 2018 "FRV" Pinot Noir is medium bodied and showcases a range of bright, ripe red fruit alongisde spicy oak notes. As a leaner cut of pork, the tenderloin carries the same weight as the Pinot. The juiciness of the wine complements every bite, while the fruit notes pleasantly contrast the rosemary.