Encostas do Lima Vinho Verde
I can still remember my first taste of Vinho Verde (just before Carol
and I opened Farmstead in 2003): light bodied, slightly spritzy on the
tongue with a pleasant lemony finish. "Hmm," I thought, "here's a
pleasant summer thirst quencher." Little did I know that customers
would love it all year round! Vinho Verde country is located in northeastern Portugal and is the largest demarcated wine region in Portugal (61,750 acres in size). The six official sub-regions are: Moncão (Alvarinho country), Lima (our wine), Braza, Basto, Peñafiel and Amarante. Soils are poor with an underlying granite base. Grapes used in the production of Vinho Verde are: Alvarinho, Rabigato, Loureiro, Batoca, Trajadura, Avesso, Pederña, Azal. Encostas do Lima is 80% Loureiro and 20% Trajadura. Growers train their vines high off the ground, up trees, fences, even telephone poles to allow them to cultivate vegetable crops below the vines that the families may use as a food source.
All Vinho Verde (or green wines meaning young, not green in flavor) are the best in the first 18 months after bottling. The wines are fresh, crisp, lively and have a touch of spritz. With low alcohol, they are best as an aperitif or with seafood.
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Thorn-Clarke Eden Valley Chardonnay
was just awarded 91 points by the Wine Spectator, who called the wine
"a pretty, open-textured wine at first, but the pear, melon and spice
flavors just keep sailing on, getting deeper and longer. It has
elegance and restraint, but won't shortchange on flavor." I liked the wine's fruit/oak balance and bright bracing acidity. This wine is a perfect "porch wine" - hanging out with friends and loved ones, with a chilled glass of Chard.
The vineyard is located at Mt Crawford (Eden Valley), one of South Australia's consistently coolest grape growing sites. The wine has a light, bright yellow color, with fresh pear and melon aromas intermingled with smoky lees and dried flowers. Mouth filling peach, pear and apple flavors. Maloactic was inhibited, so the natural acids are there, but so is a nice, creamy finish.
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When Charlie Bieler dropped of a bottle of his Charles & Charles Rosé
a few months ago, I was skeptical. Usually, rosés made from Syrah have
a tendency to be a bit flabby, and I tend to like the leaner, crisper
style of dry rosé. I brought the bottle home, and Carol and I popped it open. Wowza! Crisp, clean, Provençal-style juice - bracing acidity, bright flavors - perfect!! I had to have it in the shops!
The wine is a collaboration between two Charles' : Charles Bieler (winemaker @ Three Thieves) and Charles Smith (of K Vintners, Magnificent Wine Co. and Charles Smith Wines). Their collaboration--aptly named Charles & Charles--has yielded a single vineyard dry rosé from the Wahluke Slope of Washington State.
Bieler has been making rosé in Provence, France with his family since 1992 and was one of the early champions of the category in the US, and Smith got hooked on pink during his years living in Europe managing rock bands.
Smith and Bieler made this 2008 rosé of syrah from the Talcott Vineyard from the Wahluke Slope (AVA) in the traditional Provencal way--grapes picked at the early edge of ripeness, sent straight to the press without any extended cold soak, and fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks at cooler temperatures. New World fruit, Old World methods, what's not to like?
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We've been carrying Cortijo Rioja for a little over two years now. I've always liked its easy, approachable style and nice mix of Grenache and Tempranillo. At first, the fruit was coming from Rioja Baja - generally a sign of cheaper fruit without much character. Last vintage however, the winery switched winemakers - hiring hotshot winemaker David Sampedro (right) , who started sourcing the fruit from Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Alta. (David lives in a small town in the Alavesa district; his family has many vineyard holdings there.)
Wow, what a difference that made! The wine- still at the same price mind you - is complex, with layers of fruit - spicy cherry and dried berry aromas, focused and firm with cherry and anise and nice grippy tannins on the finish. The combination of these two zones produce a wine that deliver fruit concentration, fresh flavors and polished ripe tannins.
Cortijo is one of the best values at Farmstead -I hope you like it as much as we do!
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Alto Almanzora Este
From the ancient mountains of Andalucía - land that has been cultivated
throughout history by Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans and Muslims - lies
this categorically modern winery with state of the art facilities and
stunning architecture. Este is represented by a pregnant mare - a
symbol of fertility that has blessed the estate's fields for thousands
of years. Consulting Winemaker Rafael Palacios' skillful hand working
behind the scenes is abundantly clear - a stunning wine for an even
more stunning price.The name Este means east in Spanish, which is the
orientation of the property's main entrance.Here's what Robert Parker's Wine Advocate had to say about this wine: There are 10,000 cases of Alto Almanzoras 2007 Este, a blend of 45% Monastrell, 25% Tempranillo, and the balance Syrah, Garnacha, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. It is sourced from the little-known DO of Almeria located in eastern Andalucia in the south-east of Spain. The wine was aged for six months in French and American oak. Deep purple in color (remarkably dense for its humble price), it offers up a kinky, full-blown nose of smoke, spice box, and wild blueberry. Ripe, succulent, and layered, this bargain-priced, hedonistic effort totally over-delivers. Buy it by the palette load and drink it over the next three years. 90 points."
And here's what Forbes had to say about last vintage: "How do they put this spicy, flamboyant red wine in the bottle at this price? From a kitchen-sink blend of six grapes, but based on Spanish aristocrat Tempranillo, and Monastrell (Mourvèdre), this super-bargain emerges with a blossomy concord of aromas reminiscent of blackberry and raspberry, and a depth of exotic dark berry fruit. From a new, very modern winery in the mountains of Andalucia whose label drawing of a pregnant mare--writ large on the side of the winery building--comes from an original found near the headwaters of the nearby Almanzora River, and is meant to connect it to the area's Paleolithic history and fertility myths."
Varieties: 45% Monastrell (Mourvèdre) , 25% Tempranillo, 12% Syrah, 7% Garnacha, 6% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon
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Altovinum Evodia Old Vines Garnacha
Evodia is an exciting new old vine Grenache from Calatayud, hailed
as one of Spains most progressive and promising wine growing regions.
Calatayud is distinguished by its prevalence of high elevation
vineyards planted to the Garnacha variety in fact, the highest in the
entire country. The vineyards surrounding the small town of Atea reach
upwards of 3000 feet the highest within the DO.It is here, in the vineyards of Atea, that Altovinum sources their Garnacha grapes. In addition to the remarkable climate due to elevation, the property is comprised of pure schiste soils. Aficionados familiar with the wines of the Priorat and the Roussillon are well acquainted to this soil type and its extraordinary influence on the wines.
The wine is full of pure extracted crushed peppery black fruit, ripe blueberries, boysenberry sauce and spicy vanilla extract from oak, then notes of new American oak by itself, soft jammy berry components and a touch of smoke, licorice root and earthy minerals underlying.
Evodia is big and spicy, then juicy in the mouth with nicely complex, concentrated chewy blackberry fruit, licorice root, crushed brambleberries, pepper-laced minerals, and then soft, almost chewy, tannins going into a superbly balanced midpalate that is smooth around the mouth, although retains a sense of freshness from the relatively forward acidity. The deep fruity finish has a nice mouth-feel that lasts for 20-plus seconds, and shows why wines made from old vines are profound to taste, from a concentration point of view.
Recipes:
For the Chardonnay: Saffron Risotto with peas and pea shoots
Dusty saffron and the green peas of spring are wonderful together and will taste even better with a nice glass of Chardonnay such as the one from Thorn-Clarke in this months selection
Remember Two key things: this dish is about the rice so keep the ratio of other ingredients to the rice in check. Too many ingredients and the risottos texture will be compromised as it wont really cling together. Second, I only use homemade stock for risotto as the extra depth of homemade stock really makes a difference in the final product.
* 1 quart homemade chicken broth
* Saffron
* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1 shallot, finely chopped
* 1 cup arborio or carnaroli rice
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* ½ cup of blanched English peas
* small handful of peat shoots
* Lemon( optional)
* 1/2 cup (3 handfuls) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
* Coarse salt and pepper
Place saffron in the stock or broth bring stock to simmer. In a large skillet on medium heat, add the oil and the butter to the pan and slowly cook the shallots until translucent. Add the rice and cook for 2-3 mnutes Add wine and cook the liquid completely absorbed. Add several ladles of hot stock or broth and reduce heat slightly. Simmer, stirring frequently until liquid is absorbed. Continue to ladle broth into rice, stirring mixture after each time you add broth When the risotto is almost done, add the peas and stir. Add the peat shoots and stir until just wilted.( This of course is the point at which all cooks depart from one another as one cooks al dente is another cooks mush therefore cook until it tastes good to you. The consistency should be creamy but loose. I much prefer risotto a little too loose to one that is gloppy and heavy.) If the flavors of the risotto do not seem bright enough, squeeze a bit of lemon onto the risotto Plate, and garnish with some fresh grated parmesan.
Stir in thyme and a few handfuls of grated cheese. Season your risotto with salt and pepper to your taste.
For the Rosé: Grilled Halibut with Bagna Cauda serves4
This is a classic recipe often served with raw vegetables as a starter. Bagna Cauda is Italian for hot bath, but it's really served warm. The flavors of garlic and anchovy meld as the sauce mellows and adds depth and richness to the fish. Enjoy this dish with this month's rosé.
- 4 halibut steaks
- salt and pepper
- 1⁄4 cup butter
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
- 12 oil-packed anchovies, chopped
- 1 cups extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add garlic and cook until garlic softens, about 3 minutes. Add anchovies and drizzle in olive oil. Cook over low heat, stirring, until flavors are blended, 1015 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
Once the bagna cauda is made, season the halibut with salt and pepper. rub the grill with an oiled cloth to prevent sticking. Another trick to place the fish on the grill and don't mess with it. Allow it to sear and then when it time to turn it, it will come away cleanly. Serve the fish with the bagna cauda on the side as a kind of dipping sauce. Serve with grilled vegetables such as fennel, zucchini, and radicchio.
For the red wines: Beef Tenderloin with Raisins and Pepper Sauce
This is an older recipe from Roger Verge. It is a slightly sweeter version of steak au poivre because of the addition of raisins to the sauce.
* 4 filet mignon about 6oz each
* ½ cup yellow raisins
* ¼ cup cognac
* 2 tbs crushed black pepper
* Coarse sea salt
* 1/3 cup strong beef stock
* 4 tbs butter
Bring two cups of water to a boil, drop the raisins in and simmer for five minutes. Drain and refresh under cold water. Pat the raisins dry and then put them in a small bowl and pour the cognac over them.
Crush the black peppercorns by spreading them in a kitchen towel and then using a rolling pin to break them up. You want a coarse cracked result.
Season the beef with coarse salt and then press the filets into the coarse pepper on each side so that they peppercorns adhere. Saute the beef in butter until cooked to your preferred doneness. ( I keep a jar of ghee from the Indian Market in my refrigerator for things like this. The clarified butter has a higher smoke temperature but you still get the flavor of butter and a nice brown result.) Set the filets on a rack over a plate and cover with a large bowl or aluminum foil. This will keep the filets from stewing in juices they might release as they sit.
Pour out the fat but leave the scrapings in the pan. Add the cognac and raisins all at once. Be careful to do this step off the heat as cognac is highly flammable and the fumes can create quite a fireball in your kitchen. Scrape the pan as you bring the cognac to a boil so as to release the carmelized juices on the bottom of the pan. Add the beef stock and boil for 2 minutes. Swirl in 2 tbs of butter a little at a time and then nap the filets and serve. These tenderloins are real tasty served with wilted spinach and mashed potatoes.
For the Red Wines: Flank Steak with Chimichurri
Chimichurri is a thick herb sauce that in Argentina is typically served with steak. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
* 1 1/2 lb trimmed flank steak
* 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 1 large garlic clove
* 1 1/2 cups fresh cilantro
* 1 1/2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley
* 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
* 1/3 cup olive oil
* 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Preheat broiler.
Pat steak dry. Stir together 1 teaspoon salt, cumin, coriander, and pepper in a small bowl and rub mixture onto both sides of steak. Broil steak on a broiler pan about 4 inches from heat 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let stand 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, with motor running, add garlic to a food processor and finely chop. Add cilantro, parsley, vinegar, oil, cayenne, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, then pulse until herbs are finely chopped.
Holding a knife at a 45-degree angle, thinly slice steak. Serve with sauce.
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