Dr. Konstantin Frank Gewurztraminer `10 $18.99 *** #Wine #ChickenSoup

It's official, here in New York the seasons have changed. There's a chill in the air, and in the morning I can see my coffee breath as I head off to work. These cold mornings and falling leaves call us to hearth and home.  For me, home is that warm and fuzzy feeling you get when simmering scents waft from the kitchen for hours, music plays in the background as I putter in the kitchen, slicing, dicing and sluicing.  In this ethereal bubble, no matter what, all is right in the world.

On Sunday, I had the chance to be in that moment, I made chicken soup & dinner rolls, and paired it with this NY State Gewurztraminer. The apple pie I baked was just culinary overkill.... (the wine was really good with that too!)

It took me three years to be able to pronounce Gewurztraminer correctly. This Alsatian varietal is a great option when you are an "ABC" like me. (anything but chardonnay). It is rich, with citrus notes, and a hint of sweetness (sometimes with honey tones) - it was a great foil for the fatty chicken soup and rich, buttery dinner rolls.

Dr. Konstantine Frank is a legend in the NY State wine demi-mond. Back in `10 (while the grapes in this Gewurztraminer were still on the vine), I reviewed their Riesling (paired with a PB&J). Traditional northern European wine varietals, grown on old vines in the Finger Lakes of New York. Dr Frank' legacy is robust, available and delicious.

Menu:
Crock Pot Chicken Soup (my own recipe)
Classic Dinner Rolls
Apple Pie





I'll leave you with a slideshow of early fall in Central Park:

Bouchaine Pinot Noir `10 #BouchaineWines #CarnerosWine

Napa Valley's Carneros AVA on NY's Gold Coast: Lunch with Bouchaine Vineyard's Greg Gauthier.

We're surrounded by wine in NY - spoilt for choice actually; it's a city of 8 million people -  with a galaxy of wine shops and restaurants to choose from, so how do we decide?  Price? Recommendation? Reputation of the maker/area? There are so many choices, but when you cancel out the mass produced wines (you know, the ones you see on billboards and wrapped around the side of a bus) there are small gems to be found, bottled evidence of the efforts of passionate people who love what they do.  Each of these small producer wines that make their way to our tables represents a  diversity of landscapes from lands unlike Manhattan.  These wines are a tapestry of flavors,  moments that enrich our meals and enlighten us to a different place, unique to  farms, tilled soil and vineyard friendly climates- or as the French would say, "Terroir".

Lunch with  Greg Gauthier, Bouchaine's Vice President, of Wine Production and Sales, was just that kind of  transcontinental moment.  He's a UC Davis educated, Carneros Cowboy with a palate. As I walked in, I found him standing in the hotel lobby with his bags packed, and a bottle of  `10 Pinot Noir in one hand, and `11 Estate Chardonnay in the other - like I said... spoilt for choice.

Just when you think you know Napa, someone like Greg comes around and throws you a curve ball in the game of wine.  I hadn't really thought a lot about the sub regions of Napa, and I was surprised to  read that Carneros  "Where the San Francisco Bay meets Napa and Sonoma" produces wines I have really enjoyed in the past (at the time I just though "ahhh- Napa") Gloria Ferrer- Sonoma Brut , and Saintsbury to name a couple, now I'll put this Pinot Noir at the top of the list.  It was a perfect pour for the rich intimacy of the  Polo Steak House, in Garden City, NY.  Look for it on restaurant lists - you won't be sorry.

For romantic souls, wine alone can tell the story of a vineyard in the bottle, but for people like me, it's great to hear Greg talk about the colorful history of Bouchaine.  As I sipped the classically styled, (a delightful 13.8% ETOH), complex, earthy Pinot Noir with a hint of tangerine, I listened to Greg talk about his coming to Bouchaine over a decade ago .  We paused momentarily so I could taste a slice of seared tuna from his lunch, with the Pinot.  I smiled and thought of Robin Pfeiffer, who taught me that "wine wants to be married", the right wine enhances food and can make a good meal, great.  I sipped the Pinot as I nibbled away at the layers of my Cobb salad,  - it's true, although wine by nature is a brief and polygamous partner, it opened up the flavors of the salad's grilled chicken, balanced the smoke of the bacon, and then melded smoothly with the blue cheese, heightening the meal's layers of distinct, delicious flavors and textures. 

Greg told me about their wine making process - tasting, blending, tasting, waiting, tasting and then tasting again, to get the flavor "just right".  There is a lot of talent at Bouchaine,and along with the owners Gerret and Tatiana Copeland, everyone is part of the process, General Manager & Winemaker Michael Richmond, Greg,  and the newest addition to the team, second generation Associate Winemaker Andrew Brooks. Their work and dedication is paying off. This `10  Carneros Pinot is from a 9,798 case production -  one of their largest lots; With a total case production of 20,000 each year, Bouchaine is an artisanal vineyard, making about 15 wines; including other specialty Pinot Noirs,  and ranging to the Estate Vineyard Chardonnay, with some interesting varietals in between, including Las Brisas Vineyard Riesling, Pinot Gris, a late harvest Bouche d’or Chardonnay dessert wine, and an exotic Pinot Meunier to name a few.  

The staff at Bouchaine is working with cooking schools to educate nascent chefs in the layers of flavor that can be found in a single varietal wine, the 20 micro-climates that make each lot of their 80 acres subtly unique, and the blending process.  As I swirled my glass, and held it up to the light, to see the the vibrant garnet edges of the wine, Greg  shared Bouchain's history as the oldest continuously operating winery in Carneros - originally planted by a Missouri farmer, Boon Fly in the late 1880's, it's a labor of love that Gerret and Tatiana Copeland have fostered since 1993, They've got deep rootstock behind them, and a bright future ahead.  Bouchaine is a shining star in the New York galaxy of wine.

A Blogger Challenge #covertocover13 #bittenword #bonappetit

After discovering The Bitten Word last year while searching the web on how to can tomatoes. (Their video is CLASSIC) I never canned the tomatoes, but did become and ardent "Bitten" and when tZach and Clay announced their "2013 Cover to Cover Challenge" (cooking the entire September issue of Bon Appetit) I signed up faster than you could say, "Cook a complicated dish on the same holiday weekend that Shea and Tommy are getting married in front of 300 people".

What can I say?  I am an overachiever.... or insane.  Maybe a little of both.

This year, hundreds of "bittens" signed up to cook for the challenge. I was assigned Lamb Tatare.  Well, there were some rules (finish by 9/6 and try to stick to the recipe); so, I ended up having to "cook" my dish on Labor Day, and no one in the house will eat raw meat, and since my transplant, raw meat and raw eggs are off the menu, I made the tartare by the rules and then add a twist ending so that we could all eat it.

Gathering and assembling the ingredients was pretty straight forward:  grocery shopping in two states, - I found preserved lemons at Fairway Market in Queens, and then bought some amazing lamb loin at Whole Foods in Fairfeild, CT; my knife roll packed in the trunk, and we didn't speak of having to buy two copies of the September issue of Bon Appetit (one in NYC and one for CT after I left the first copy on the bedside table in NYC). 

For pairing, I already had a bottle of 2008 Lenz Cuvee sparkling wine from the Lenz Winery on the North Fork of Long Island (in my opinion, the best sparkling wine produced on the East Coast).

Here is how it went:

"Cooking" a tartare is just chopping really good ingredients.  My master plan was to cook it (using heat) then, after I made the raw dish per Bon Appetit, I was going to make a cooked dish.  I kept my lamb trimmings, and started a base of Greek meat sauce:  Tomato, lemon, salt & pepper, onions, olive oil and cinnamon; as I trimmed, I threw in the lamb bones and scraps.  Soon the whole house was smelling AMAZING.

I opened a  bottle of Corona, and started chopping:  shallots, capers from the cupboard, and preserved lemon, the meat was chilling in the freezer. I even had a little mint plant that I was able to harvest some leaves from to add to the mix. 

The spices were straight forward, fresh ground pepper.  I used peppercorn that V brought home from Istanbul, so I felt VERY exotic!

I tossed the ingredients with some healthy glugs of olive oil, cracked a fresh egg, strained the the whites away so that the yellow yolk could nest in the meat, and I sprinkled the whole bowl with Cypriot salt flakes.

It all went together really easily, and soon enough, with the meat sauce bubbling away, I was making toast from the baguette and styling my photograph for the Bitten Word to publish. The flavors were amazing.

But that was only the beginning.

As soon as I tried a bite of the tartare (it was delicious) I pulled the toast, soaked it in some milk, transferred the tartar to a big mixing bowl, and started to make meatballs.

The first meatballs, I served as a Tapas, with a side of green beans.  Then I set about making the Best. Shepherds. Pie. Ever.  I was serving and Irish/Mexican household, and it was a hit.  I added some pan roasted grape tomatoes for color, and I piped the rich mashed potatoes for a fancy finish, and we all dug in and loved it.  I'll make this combination of flavors over and over in the next few years.  It really was that good.

Slideshow from Lenz Winery:

Willamette Valley Estate Pinot Noir`09 $45.00 Live Blog Red #WBC12

"It's Willamette, Dammit!" Turner Oregon.  ETOH 14.5% They take this wine seriously, and this Pinot is serious.  The wine is light, but has long finish.  I'm thinking Thanksgiving turkey. This is a vineyard that cares. It cares about its wine, and about the earth.  They talk the talk and they walk the walk.  This is a sustainable, happy wine. I'm a convert.

Cornerstone Pinot Noir`09 $50.00 Live blog red #WBC12

Hi Craig!!!  This is an Oregon Pinot Noir,  I'll just drink your yummy wine while you talk about how you make it.  Ok, I'll take a picture and then wonder how many bottles I can fit in my suitcase for the flight home.  This is a great wine that would pair with the char on a perfect thick slap of grilled salmon.  ETOH 13.9%  So you can buy three bottles and the hangover won't be too bad.  This is a great wine to impress people with!

Archery Summit Premire Cuvee Pinot Noir`10 $48.00 Live Blog Red #WBC12

This is a very fruity pinot.  WOW.  Fruit upon fruit upon fruit. 14.5% ETOH it is a big wine.

J. Christopher Pinot Noir `10 $30.00 Live Blog Red #WBC12

Winery started by J Somers.  From the Chehalem Mountains AVA.  This is a complex Pinot.  This is a Pinot that would stand up to a fatty lamb.

Mary Hill Zinfandel`08 $16.99 Live blog red #WBC12

@MaryhillWinery presented by Rich Marshall and Carley from the Columbia Gorge Basin.  Total Production 85,000 cases 15th largest winery in the state.   ETOH 14.5% Very Well Balanced, a favorite for lamb and game. In addition to a winery, they have an amphitheater, check out their website:  www.maryhillwinery.com

Seven of Hearts Red Blend Chatte D`Avignon `10 $25.00 Live Blog Red #WBC12

Byron Dooley from Seven of Hearts wines small production out of Carlton Oregon, and Dundee Oregon. This is a Rhone Style red wine. 252 cases made.  Grapes are from the Columbia Valley. This is a grilled meat wine! ETOH 14.3%

Gina Gallo Signature Series Cabernet Sauvignon `08 $40.00 Live blog red #WBC12

Yes, THAT Gallo family, and Gina, now back from maternity leave is giving us this Cabernet Sauvignon.It is a BIG wine.  Kelly Conrad presented it to us, and she puts a great spin on this wine.  This is the very first vintage of the Signature Series.  Thank you Gina for upping the bar!

Johan Vineyard Chardonnay Reserve`09 $33.00 Live Blog White #WBC12

This is a lovely, rich Chardonnay.  Really, the vineyard made a great choice to pour us this wine. it is easy to drink, and would class up any drinks party.  I'd love to have it with canapes and then I'd talk about small producers who are doing amazing work.  ETOC 12.5% - I like finding gems like this. Thank you @Johan_Vineyards

Alexana Pinot Gris`11 $26.00 Live Blog white #WBC12

ETOH 12.1% Dundee AVA. Nice, light slightly effervescent thanks to the minerality.  This is a good, light wine for a special summer meal.  It is a mouthful of flavor, and it would pair well with Asian foods.

Coppala Winery Votre Sante Chardonnay`10 $12.99 Live Blog White #WBC12

Thanks to the Godfather, FFC started making wine. #CoppolaWBC  This wine brings all things fun and Italian to the USA.  A true hybrid, and a great wine. Buy this, have some friends over, and re-live the American Dream. (serve some grilled chicken Caesar salad or some crab cakes and you'll be very happy!)

Brooks Ara Riesling `09 $25.00 Live Blog White #WBC12

Jamie Brooks presented this 12% dry Riesling.  This was her Brother's (the late Jimmy Brooks) dream, to restore Riesling to Oregon.  He did it.  Look out Germany, there's a new kid in town.  Dry, tart, and is famous to pair with red lentil soup. (as served by Chef  Marcus Samuelsson)

Amity Vineyards, `09 Estate Dry Riesling $20.00 Live Blog White #WBC12

Matt Gibson.  Only 91 cases made, so this is a treat. I like small producer wines.  15 acre estate vineyard. Grapes planted in 1971 and 1973.  Vineyard is dry farmed and certified sustainable.  Now to taste the wine:  It dances on my tongue.  gives a huge mouth full of flavor and then disappears. ETOH 12.5 This is an Oyster wine.  I'd steam mussel in it myself. with butter. Loved it!

Rodnet Strong Chalk Hill Chardonnay `10 $20.00 Live Blog White #wbc12

Robert Larsen from Rodney Strong poured for us. This is a light, bright, 100% chardonnay made in 100% French Oak.  Have it with some salmon. Rodney Strong is a national brand, I 'm sure that you've seen it.

August Cellars `08 Riesling $14.00 Live Blog White #WBC12

My favorite wine of the session!  August Cellars Riesling from Washington State  TS August poured for us, he's the facility manager, and his brother is the winemaker.  This man is AMAZING, and his wine is a classic Riesling,  Low ETOH at 7.5, with some acidity, this wants BBQ. It is served at a PDX Peruvian Restaurant LIMO and it pairs really well with cerveche.  THANK YOU!!!

Long Hand Sonoma Chardonnay `10 BevMo Wine Live blog whites and Rose #WBC12

Mr Wong of BevMo came to see us, and I guess that there was a wine, but I didn't get a chance to drink it or write about it.  And, I have no idea what the name of it is. I finally got to take a picture and taste it. It is a smooth, rich California Chardonnay.  I asked for the price point, but Mr. Wong was busy.

Duckpond Pinot Gris `11 $12.00 Live Blog White and Rose #WBC

@duckpondcellars  Bright fresh and slightly tart.  This is a local, family owned and operated winery.  Brittany poured for us, and gave a great presentation of the wine and the vineyard. It is 99 degrees n Portland, and this wine cuts the heat.

Anam Cara Rosé of Pinot Noir `11 *** #WBC12

I flew in for the annual Wine Bloggers Conference #WBC12 this year in Portland Oregon.  My friend Valerie, Wine Dog Review's writer, blogger and producer hosted a #WINELOVERS Wine County Dinner.  Sadly, I was at 36,00 feet when all my wine writer friends sat down to a local cheese tasting, with wine pouring throughout the night as they made their way through four delicious courses prepared by Chef Abby McManigle of Tina's Bistro.  Even though I was five hours late, they saved some plates for me! And some wine!!!

I fell in love with this Anam Cara  Rosé of Pinot Noir.  It was really well balanced, fresh, pretty with just a hint of sweetness. At 12% ETOH I was in no danger of a headache the next morning.  I paired it with poached salmon with tarragon, new potatoes and beets...  Well, even though Nikita and Jory (the dogs of Wine Dog Review) were begging for some scraps form the table, I showed great will power and I didn't share.

I ate out of sequence and then moved on to the starter: a delicious duck salad, and then braised lamb on a bed of farro.  Dessert was a fresh, local berry riff on shortcake, paired with Anam Cara dessert wine (there was just enough left in the bottle).

Experiences like last night are why I love writing about wine.  I meet the most amazing people, and we get share memorable meals and adventures.  And I had a chance to discover a fantastic Oregon wine producer:  Anam Cara. Thank you Valerie!

When Wine Writers Party.... The Aftermath