Botani Moscatel Seco
In February, at a Spanish wine luncheon hosted by Sara Floyd, MS
(National Sales Manager for Jorge Ordoñez), I was blown away by the
first wine poured - a dry vinted Moscatel (Muscat d'Alexandria). Wow!
This is amazing stuff - floral and herbal but bone dry, with a
surprisingly rich, smooth feel on the tongue. Then I found out that Restaurant Michael Mina had purchased all of the 2007 vintage available in the Bay Area. Drat, I thought I had found the perfect club wine. "Don't fret Jeff, " Sara told me, "the '08 is on the water." I sent a text to my sales guy and reserved enough for the club right then and there (that's how we roll here at Farmstead!).
Here's the scoop: Botani is light enough to sip on its own (and mighty refreshing!), but can stand up to much more: it's great with the clams, sausage and potato dish it was served with when I tasted it . In fact, it will work well with spicy and fatty foods in the same way Alsaces Gewürztraminer somehow manages to work with Choucroute.
We've been carrying Copain Tous Ensemble Rosé for
several seasons now, but this is the first time we've featured it in a
wine club. I love the watermelon rind and strawberry notes on the
nose, the bracing acidity and lovely finish. The grapes from this
organically farmed Rosé of Pinot Noir are sourced from a variety of
Anderson Valley vineyards. Made as a saignée and fermented in stainless
steel, it is dry and crisp, with a long, refreshing finish. Winemaker
Wells Guthrie believes that quality starts with the vineyard. In
pursuit of this, Copaín has created and will continue to seek
relationships with growers who are committed to what they believe are
the key attributes necessary to produce world class wines: vineyard
exposition, clonal selections, and dedication to organic farming
practices. In October, 2004, Copain was named "Most Promising New Winery" in the annual Wine Issue of Food & Wine Magazine. 
Next up is The Table Cabernet Sauvignon,
from Once Wines, a project of Open Lands Vineyards. Once Wines, which
makes private-label wines for some of the country's top restaurants,
including Michael Mina, Thomas Keller Restaurant Group and Restaurant
Daniel. In 2007, Daniel Johnnes, wine director for Daniel Boulud's restaurants, challenged some sommeliers for his annual "La Paulée de New York" tasting to blend a perfect, food-friendly Cabernet. This is the wine that scored highest with the judges: a master sommelier and two of the biggest names in Burgundy. Made by Sashi Moorman (of Stolpman Syrah fame).
The fruit comes from several of the Napa Valleys most recognized vineyards .Flavors of currant, raspberry, and earth, with pepper and mineral notes. Very elegant and balanced, with a full body that is not extracted or overdone and held together with a balance of firm, dusty tannins and bright acidity. So many Napa Cabernet tastes the same, we appreciate an effort that is at once familiar and distinctive like this. Young, but accessible, it's velvety and bright, the fruit tightly woven into the structure. Barely kissed with oak, it is a blend of Cabernet with 18% Cab Franc and a wee bit of Petit Verdot (barely 4%). Jon Bonné of the Chronicle called the wine "exceptional winemaking for under $30."
I've
loved Sean Thackrey's Pleiades blend for many years, and was able to
get wee bits for sale every year. We'd hide the wine in the back, and
hand sell it to folks who'd bought it from us in the past. Every year,
we ask for more, and every year we're told "sorry, there's just not
enough to go around." We're nothing if not tenacious and persistent,
so this year, I was finally able to wheedle enough for our club. Pleiades is perhaps the ultimate cult wine - a kitchen sink blend of as many as twelve varietals, concocted in Bolinas by winemaker cum alchemist Sean Thackrey.
Thackrey is a bit of a crazy wizard. He apparently reads something like a dozen languages, including medieval dialects from Europe, from which he culls his unorthodox wizard wine making techniques. This bottling is his easiest to find and least expensive wine - but rest assured it is unlike any other wine out there.
The nose is out of this world unique, with intense eucalyptus (Thackrey ages the wine in open vats under the stars in his eucalyptus grove), spice, cherry fruits and berries. A real mine field of aromas. The palate is woody, eucalyptus again, but also blackberries, strawberries, chocolate, minerals, metal, and more. Incredibly layered and complex, all I can say is: singularity to the utmost. This wine has serious personality, somewhat like a masquerade of flavors and layers of complexity with a textural suppleness that entrances. Chameleon like wine. A blend of around 13 different grapes.
Recipes
For the Dry Muscat: Cornish Game Hens with Herbs and Flowers
Here is a lovely recipe for Cornish game hens - just the right size for one per person. The floral notes and slight sweetness in the sauce makes for a nice pairing for this month's exotic wine from Botani.
* 2 teaspoons dried untreated lavender flowers
* 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
* 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, minced
* 1/4 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
* 4 poussins (young chickens; about 1 pound each) or 4 small Cornish hens (about 1 1/4 pounds each)
* 1 small lemon, halved
* 1/4 cup Sauternes or other sweet dessert wine
Garnish: lavender and thyme leaves
With a mortar and pestle coarsely crush lavender and in a small bowl stir together with butter, thyme, zest, and salt and pepper to taste until combined well. Spoon mixture onto a sheet of plastic wrap and form into a 4-inch-long log. Chill compound butter, wrapped well in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 30 minutes, and up to 3 days.
Preheat oven to 475° F.
Discard gizzards from birds and trim necks flush with bodies if necessary. Rinse birds inside and out and pat dry. Starting at neck end of each bird, slide fingers between meat and skin to loosen skin (be careful not to tear skin). Cut butter into sixteen 1/4-inch-thick slices and gently push 4 slices under skin of each bird, putting 1 slice over each breast half and thigh. Tie legs of each bird together with kitchen string and secure wings to sides with wooden picks or bamboo skewers.
Arrange birds in a flameproof roasting pan large enough to hold them without crowding. Gently rub birds with lemon halves, squeezing juice over them, and season with salt and pepper. Roast birds in middle of oven 30 minutes (for poussins) to 45 minutes (for Cornish hens), or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of a thigh (be careful not to touch bone) registers 170° F.
Transfer birds to a platter and loosely cover with foil to keep warm. Add Sauternes to roasting pan and deglaze over moderate heat, scraping up brown bits. Transfer jus to a small saucepan. Skim fat from jus and simmer until reduced to about 1/2 cup.
Garnish birds with herbs and serve with jus
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 Cabernet: Grilled Onglet with Garlic, Lemon & Fresh Herb Rub serves four
Onglet or Hanger Steak is an ugly looking piece of meat that has often been highly prized by butchers for its tenderness and depth of flavor. Just remember to cut is against the grain and you will wonder why you have not been eating it more often. This recipe uses a simple marinade to add nuance to the onglet. Make this the centerpiece of your next cook out and serve with classic potato salad and grilled spring onions and zucchini.
* 4 hanger steaks or onglets
* Salt and pepper
* 5 cloves garlic
* Zest of one lemon
* Juice of one half lemon
* 2 large sprigs rosemary or one small bunch thyme
* 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
* 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
* 2 Tablespoons olive oil
Generously salt and pepper the steaks. In an immersion blender or small food processor, grind the rest of the ingredients into a loose paste. Put the paste into a Ziploc bag and add the meat. Squish the meat around in the bag to make sure all sides of each steak are covered with the herb paste. Let marinate for at least 2 hours in the fridge.
Preheat the grill on high until the temperature is at least 500 degrees. Remove the steaks from the fridge and let them come to room temperature. Scrape the grill and oil it. Place the steaks at an angle to the grates and cook, covered for about 5-6 minutes. Turn and cook the other side, also covered, until the meat is medium rare, about 125 to 130 degrees. Remove the steaks from the grill and let them rest for 5-6 minutes before slicing. Slice across the grain and enjoy!
For the Plieades: Pork Chops with Mustard and Thyme serves 4
Here is a great way to prepare pork chops because it both easy and sophisticated. The chops are browned and then finished with a pan sauce. Mastering this kind of recipe allows you to improvise all kinds of variations using different herbs, fruits, and vinegars. Trust your sense of taste and branch out. This dish is rich enough to be enjoyed with the complex flavors of Sean Thackery's Pleiades.
* 1 Tbsp butter
* 1 Tbsp olive oil
* 4 center-cut rib or loin pork chops, bone in (preferred), about 1 1/4 inch thick
* 1 tbs chopped fresh thyme
* Salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 cup chopped shallots
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 3/4 cup chicken stock
* 1/2 cup heavy cream
* 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
* 1 Tbsp chopped parsley (optional)
1 Melt the butter in the oil in a large deep skillet over medium high heat. Season chops with salt, pepper, and fresh thyme and brown them, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Reduce heat slightly if the chops brown too quickly.
2 Remove chops from the pan and pour off most of the fat. Add the shallots and cook on med high heat until softened, about 1 minute. Add wine and bring to a boil, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the stock and return chops to the pan. Bring sauce to a simmer and cook until chops are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
3 Remove the chops to a warm platter; cover with foil to keep warm. Raise the temp of the pan to boil the pan juices, reduce the juices by half, about 2 minutes. Add cream and boil 2 minutes more, until sauce reduces and thickens. Remove from the heat and whisk in mustard and parsley. If you want, add more mustard to taste. Spoon sauce over chops and serve.
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