This month, we've tapped some all-time Farmstead over-producers - wines that have been popular since their introduction in the shops because of their high QPR (quality price ratio):

Maipe Torrontés - Although it shares the same name as its Spanish counterpart, Torrontes in Argentina is made from a hybrid of Muscat of Alexandria and the Mission table grape (called the Criolla Chica in Argentina).  The result is a wine that is both floral and dry. Maipe has an intense nose of flowers and tropical fruits; on the palate, it's bone dry with a light to medium weight, good acidity and a long finish.  Foodwise, Torrontés works well on its own, but shines with spicy Thai or other Asian cuisine, tangy cheeses or seafood dishes.


Beaulieu Picpoul de Pinet - Who'da thunk that our most popular white wine would be an obscure southern French varietal that's one of the allowed Châteauneuf grapes and is used in Cognac production?  Produced from white picpoul grapes by a cooperative called Cave de Pomérols, all in stainless steel, the wine offers an amazing rich, spicy savory character. Notes of green apple and pear waft from the glass, with a touch of fig and a hint of honey, though the wine is completely, almost dauntlessly, dry. In the mouth, the texture is smooth and would be close to luxurious if not for the bright blade of acid that makes the wine seem to pulse with animation. Flavors run to roasted lemon and lemon balm with a hint of fig and roasted peach at the core. It takes a few sips, but you quickly realize that the wine exults in pure minerality, like a bell-tone of limestone and oyster shell. And speaking of oyster shells, it’s difficult to imagine a better wine to accompany fresh oysters or grilled shrimp.

Basciano Chianti Rufina - Fattoria di Basciano is owned by the Masi family, and is located on a hill to the right of the river Sieve. A thirteenth century tower dominates the building housing, a farm holiday structure surrounded by vineyards, olive-groves and woods of oak and cypress trees. The whole complex includes a room and the cellar for wood aging. 

This entry level charmer is an up-front, fruity red, with ripe plum and bright cherry, mineral and a touch of fresh herb. Medium-bodied, with integrated tannins and a fresh fruit and mineral finish.



Wagtail Pinot Noir  Wagtail makes premium wines from specific wine regions throughout Australia
The philosophy behind Wagtail is to work with winemakers that are known in their region for producing exceptional wines from specific varieties.  The Pinot Noir shows a generous bouquet of plum, cherry
and spice, leads to a fruit-driven palate accented with spicy oak. Perfectly balanced, with sustaining
length and aftertaste.


Bored Doe This is a delicious blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec from the Goats Do Roam WIne Company of South Africa. Look for hints of cigar box in the nose with sultry black fruit flavors, dark chocolate, good fleshiness and smooth tannins. The name is a take-off on ‘Bordeaux’ and the style of the wine emulates this famous region in France. Serve with grilled steaks, winter stews or hard, flavorful cheeses.  The Wine Spectator gave the wine 86 points: "clean mixed berry fruit and a tinge of vanilla on the finish. A good crowd-pleasing style," while the Wine Enthusiast raved: "aromas of raspberry, spice and smoke immediately attract with this Bordeaux blend. Bright, deep fruit flavors are cheerful and approachable without being too simple. A light touch of oak adds further character."


Lorca Red  It would probably be illegal for me to tell you that the majority of the fruit in this Cabernet Sauvignon blend came from Caymus' high priced Cabernet.  Probably our best selling red wine this year.

All Recipes by Michael Lemaire

Oysters Rockefeller
Here is a classic dish created at Antoine’s in New Orleans. These make a wonderful appetizer for your holiday party washed down with crisp Picpoul de Plinet.

• 3/4 cup firmly packed watercress sprigs (2 oz before discarding coarse stems), finely chopped
• 1 1/3 cups firmly packed baby spinach (1 1/3 oz), finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped scallion greens
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons minced celery
• 3 tablespoons coarse fresh bread crumbs (preferably from a day-old baguette)
• 3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon Pernod or other anise-flavored liquor
• Pinch of cayenne
• 3 bacon slices
• About 10 cups kosher salt for baking and serving (3 lb)
• 20 small oysters on the half shell, oysters picked over for shell fragments and shells scrubbed well

Toss together watercress, spinach, scallion greens, parsley, celery, and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon bread crumbs in a bowl. Melt butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, then add watercress mixture and cook, stirring, until spinach is wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in Pernod, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste, then transfer mixture to a bowl and chill, covered, until cold, about 1 hour.
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F.
While watercress mixture chills, cook bacon in cleaned skillet over moderate heat, turning, until crisp, then drain on paper towels and finely crumble.
Spread 5 cups kosher salt in a large shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) and nestle oysters (in shells) in it. Spoon watercress mixture evenly over oysters, then top with bacon and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons bread crumbs. Bake oysters until edges of oysters begin to curl and bread crumbs are golden, about 10 minutes.
Serve warm oysters in shells, nestled in kosher salt (about 5 cups), on a platter.


Crispy Spring Rolls
FILLING

• 1 ounce dried bean thread noodles, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes, drained, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces with a scissors (about 2/3 cup)
• 1 tablespoon dried tree ear mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes, drained, and stems trimmed and chopped with a scissors
• 2/3 cup finely minced yellow onion
• 2 carrots, grated
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound ground chicken
• 1/2 pound ground pork

ASSEMBLING AND FRYING

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/3 cup water
• 15 thin spring roll wrappers such as Menlo brand
• Oil for frying

Preparation
Combine the bean thread noodles, mushrooms, onion, carrots, and green onions in a mixing bowl. Set aside.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Mix in the fish sauce, garlic, salt, sugar, and black pepper. Add the chicken and pork and using a fork, break up the meat, so it is thoroughly mixed with the seasonings. Add the noodle mixture and mix well. Set aside.

Combine the cornstarch and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over low heat and stir often to prevent sticking. If mixture seems too thick, add more water. This will be the "glue" to seal the edges of the wrapper.

Cut the wrappers in half diagonally. You will have two equal triangles. Starting with the longest side toward you, place about 2 tablespoons of filling on the bottom area of the triangle. Using your fingers, mold the filling into a cylinder 2 inches long and 1 inch wide. Fold the two pointed ends of the wrapper in and roll to enclose. Dab a little cornstarch mixture along the edges (do not use too much "glue") and seal the roll. Set aside while you finish making the remaining rolls. Do not stack them.
To fry, preheat a large wok or fry pan. When hot, pour enough oil in to completely cover the spring rolls. Heat to about 325 degrees. Carefully place the rolls into the oil. Do not crowd the pan or place the rolls on top of each other. Fry the spring rolls until filling is cooked, about 5 to 6 minutes on each side, turning often until they are nicely brown and crisp. If they brown too quickly, reduce the heat as the oil is too hot. Remove the cooked spring rolls from the pan and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with dipping sauce. To enjoy a spring roll the Vietnamese way, put it on a lettuce leaf, top with cucumber and mint, and wrap it up. Then dip in Vietnamese dipping sauce.


Vietnamese Dipping Sauce

• 3 Thai bird chilies or 1 serrano chili, or to taste
• 1 clove garlic, sliced
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2/3 cup warm water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 5 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons finely shredded carrots for garnish (optional)

Cut the chilies into thin rings. Remove one-third of the chilies and set aside for garnish. Place the remaining chilies, garlic and sugar in a mortar, and pound into a coarse, wet paste. (If you don't have a mortar, just chop with a knife.) Transfer to a small bowl and add the water, lime juice and fish sauce. Stir well to dissolve. Add the reserved chilies and carrots. Set aside for 10 minutes before serving.

Asian Braised Short Ribs with Cranberry-Teriyaki Glaze
Here is another great appetizer for a Christmas party that actually pairs well with red wine such as this month’s Maipe Malbec. This recipe makes enough for 20 and expands well to 40, 60, 100!

• 15 pounds beef short ribs, cut into 3- to 4-inch pieces (have your butcher do this)
• 4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 5 large onions, roughly chopped (about 5 cups)
• 6 carrots, roughly chopped (about 3 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 bunch celery, roughly chopped (about 3 cups)
• 2 medium fennel bulbs (sometimes called anise; 1 1/2 to 2 pounds total), stalks discarded and bulbs roughly chopped
• 4 lemongrass stalks, root ends trimmed, tough outer leaves discarded, and finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons garlic, minced (about 6 to 7 cloves)
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced (from 1/2-inch knob)
• 4 cups Chinese Shaoxing rice wine or sake
• 2 cups dark soy sauce
• 6 whole sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 dried bay leaves
• 1 cup cranberry-teriyaki glaze

Sprinkle short ribs with 3 teaspoons salt and 2 teaspoons pepper.
In large heavy stockpot over high heat, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Working in batches, sear ribs, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides, about 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer as browned to plate, reserving rendered fat in pan. Add onions, carrots, celery, fennel, lemongrass, garlic, and ginger and sauté, stirring frequently, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add rice wine, soy sauce, thyme, and bay leaves, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Return short ribs to pot and add water to cover. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 3 1/2 hours, then brush with glaze. Continue cooking, brushing with glaze every 5 minutes, until meat is very tender and falling off bones, about 4 hours total. Transfer ribs to serving dish, brush with glaze, and serve.

Cranberry-Teriyaki Glaze

• 1/2 large red onion, sliced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, such as Craisins
• Zest and juice of 1/2 orange
• 1/2 cup naturally brewed soy sauce
• 1 cup cranberry juice
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil for cooking
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a saucepan coated lightly with oil over high heat, sauté the onions, ginger and dried cranberries until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the orange zest and juice, naturally brewed soy sauce, cranberry juice, and sugar and bring to a simmer. Reduce by 50 percent over low heat, about 10 to 15 minutes. Check for flavor. Immediately, transfer to a blender and blend until almost smooth (with small bits is preferable), drizzling in oil. Do not blend until super smooth. Check for flavor and adjust seasonings. Let come to room temperature, then transfer to a glass jar, seal and store in fridge for up to two weeks.

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