This month we have a great lineup of wines - nicely suited for your Holiday Table. 
First off is Handley Pinot Gris, a dryer style Alsatian from the Anderson Valley, with aromas of orange blossom, a hint of peach and mandarin, with notes of honey. Although the wine is delicate, there is richness on the front palate followed by a nice dry finish. Flavors include stone fruits, bright citrus, and a slight mineral nuance.
Made by Milla Handley, one of our favorite winemakers, this Pinot Gris is a charming and versatile food pairing wine. 
Next up is Lioco Chardonnay, a naturally made, cool climate, unoaked Sonoma County Chardonnay. The fruit was hand harvested and sorted, then fermented in stainless steel tanks (no oak) using a wild yeast. Malolactic fermentation occurred naturally and finished completely. The wine remained in tank on fine-lees for five months and bottled without fining or filtration. Look for a nose of Kaffir Lime, red Grapefruit and Talc, with lemony honey, pears and wet stones on the palate. Winemaker Kevin Kelley was lauded as a Winemaker to Watch by the San Francisco Chronicle. Winemaker notes: 2008 will perhaps be remembered as the year North Coast fruit growers would just as soon forget. Record frosts, drought, and fires made it one of the more challenging harvests in California’s history. That said, quality was superb. Like 2007, we saw a very small crop of highly concentrated, beautifully balanced Chardonnay. This wine is lower in alcohol and higher in acidity that the 07. An orgy of orchard fruits—more specifically stone-fruit pits—meet with rock dust and dried lemon peels. Mouth watering.
Then there's Tayerle Carneros Pinot Noir made in West Oakland by Loren Tayerle, who's quite the Renaissance guy. Besides making great wines, Loren is a professional musician, and plays in the Carmel Bach Society, Berkeley Symphony, Marin Symphony and other Bay Area ensembles. Loren joined David Bruce in 1994 to work the crush and soon became a member of the production and winemaking team. At David Bruce, Loren gained experience with Pinot Noir drawn from as many as fifty different vineyards and a dozen appellations and continued on in a similar vein at Rosenblum Cellars gaining further experience with other varietals. Loren is consulting winemaker for Aubin Cellar’s Verve and Ranchita Canyon Vineyards.
This wonderful, moderately priced single vineyard Pinot has an intriguing, complete bouquet with notes of spice, Bing cherry and rose petals. In the mouth, the cherry fruit and clove spice dominate.
This is a great Pinot that will complement most foods, and that will go very well with your holiday plans.
Finally we have Broadside Cabernet Sauvignon. This single vineyard, Paso Robles AVA Cabernet is made by Chris Brockway, who is best known for his other small wine project Broc Cellars. This cool climate site has a wonderful coastal influence that allows for long hang time with wonderful phenolic character.
The Broadside has wonderful currant and black fruit flavors with a touch of mineral and spice. This Cab keeps the extraction (and Alcohol levels) lower than lots of other Cal Cabs, so would be a nice match for your holiday table.
RECIPES
For the Pinot Gris Crab Bisque with Sourdough Croutons and Rouille serves 6-8
The soup is perfect at any time of the year, and pairs wonderfully with the delicate richness of the Handley Pinot Gris.
* 1 large potato
* 1/2 cup olive oil
* pinch of saffron threads
* 1 small dried chile
* 3 garlic cloves, smashed
* salt and pepper
* 1 sourdough baguette
* 1 garlic clove
* 1/4 cup Olive Oil
* 6 pounds, rinsed and chopped with their shells into 5 pieces
* 3/4 pound fresh crabmeat
* pinch of cayenne
* 1/2 cup Cognac
* 1 large carrot, cut into large dice
* 1 onion, cut into large dice
* 1 celery stalk, cut into large dice
* 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
* 2 tablespoons tomato paste
* 4 ripe tomatoes
* 1 sprig thyme
* 1 bay leaf
* 10 parsley stems, no leaves
* 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
* 3 1/2 quarts water
* 1/2 cup heavy cream
* 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon
* salt and pepper
First make the Rouille:
Place the potato in a saucepot, with water and bring to a boil. Cook until tender. Drain and set aside to cool. When the potato is cool, peel and cut into 1/2 inch dice. Pour 1/2 cup of olive oil into a blender. add the saffron, chile, and garlic and blend until smooth. With the motor still running, add the potato and 1/4 cup of warm water, and continue to belnd until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the refrigerator and keep cool until ready to use.
Croutons:
Slice the baguette into 1 inch bias cuts and arrange on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and bake in a 325F oven until slightly toasted. Remove from the oven and rub each piece with the garlic clove. Return to the oven and bake until crisp and golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Add the chopped crabs and cayenne, and saute until all of the moisture has been cook out and the meat has turned red, about 8-10 minutes. Add the Cognac and carefully ignite it with a match, then cook until the flames subside and the Cognac has evaporated. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the crabs into a bowl.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in the same pot and saute the carrot, onion, celery, and garlic until the onion is translucent. Return the cooked crabs to the pot. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring to coat the vegetables fro about 3-4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, thyme, bay leaf, parsley and peppercorns. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down, about 5 minutes.
Add the water, raise the heat to high, and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let the soup simmer for at least 45 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl. Discard the solids. Return the soup to pot and set over medium heat. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until reduced by half.
Pour in the creamand bring the bisque back to a simmer. Stir in the lump crabmeat and tarragon. Season the soup and divide among 6 soup bowls, and serve with the sourdough croutons and rouille on the side.
For the Chardonnay: Whole Grilled Trout with Apple Cider Butter serves 4
This is a great little dish from Seattle's most famous chef, Tom Douglas. Douglas' style is laid-back sophistication, with an emphasis on local ingredients and a respect for the city's diverse ethnic traditions. Nothing tastes as good as a fish cooked whole bone-in, something many Americans are still a little uneasy about. Which is a pity as there is just so much more flavor when a fish is cooked this way. The apple cider butter really pulls this dish together. If you are still uneasy about the bones, just have your fishmonger butterfly the trout for you.
* 2 tablespoons minced shallots
* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
* 1 3/4 cups bottle hard apple cider
* 2 tablespoons heavy cream
* 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into large dice
* salt and pepper
* 4 whole trout, cleaned
* 4 sprigs of thyme
* 1 lemon, quartered and thinly sliced
* 1/2 onion, quartered and thinly sliced
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 tablespoons kosher salt
* 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
* Olive oil
Fire up the grill.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, sweat the shallots in the tablespoon of butter for about 2 minutes. Add the cider, bring to a boil, and reduce by two-thirds. Add the heavy cream, return to the boil, and reduce by half. Lower the heat to medium-low, and add the cold butter bit by bit, whisking constantly, until all the butter has been added and emulsified. Remove from the heat, and season with the salt and pepper.
The best way to keep the sauce warm while you cook the fish is to either place the container in a saucepan of hot(not simmering) water for about 30 minutes or so, or to pour it directly into a small Thermos and screw the cover on. The Thermos method will keep the sauce warm for an hour or more.
Stuff the cavity of each trout with a sprig of thyme and a quarter of the lemon and onion slices. On a plate combine the flour with the salt and pepper. Dredge both sides of the trout in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Brush the grill and fish with the oil. Grill over direct heat, with the grill covered, until cooked throughout, turning halfway through, about 12 minutes total.
For the Pinot Noir: Roast Duck Breast with Barley Risotto and Honeyed Figs serves 4
The barley risotto in this recipe makes for an interesting alternative to regular risotto. It's nuttiness melds wonderfully with the rich flavors of the duck, and the sweetness of the honey and figs. Perfect with the Tayerle Pinot Noir.
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1/2 onion, chopped small
* 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
* 2 cups barley
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 1 bay leaf
* 4 thyme sprigs
* 4 cups chicken stock or low sodium chicken broth
* 1/4 cup mascarpone
* 4 large duck breasts
* 1/2 cup honey
* 8 figs, halved
* 1 tablespoon coriander, toasted and ground
* salt and ground pepper to taste
Melt the butter in a large sauce pot, add the onions and garlic with a good pinch of salt and sweat over
low heat for 4 minutes or until tender and translucent. Stir in the barley and continue to sweat with the
onions and garlic for 3 minutes, add the white wine and reduce. Add the bay leaf and thyme to the
pot and then enough chicken stock to just cover the grains. Continue to cook the barley using the same
method as for risotto, frequently stirring and adding the stock as necessary for approximately 20 minutes
or until the barley has a tender yet slightly chewy texture, remove from the heat and adjust seasoning.
Set pot aside until ready to assemble the completed dish.
If there is an excessive amount of fat on the duck breasts, trim it off by laying the breasts skin side down,
pressing them flat against a cutting board with the palm of your hand. With your other hand wielding a thinsharp slicing knife, cut the fat down by sliding the knife between the meat of the duck and the cutting
board. Turn the breast over and score the fat in a close cross-hatched pattern to help the fat render more
quickly and evenly during cooking and create a crisper crust.
Add the duck breast to a large, cold, oven safe sauté pan fat side down. Place over medium low heat and
allow the fat to render slowly. If the pan gets too hot too fast the fat will color too soon and it will not crisp.
When duck fat has rendered and skin is crisp, transfer the entire pan to a 325 degree oven for
approximately 8 minutes. While in the oven, occasionally baste the duck breasts with the rendered fat.
Remove the pan from the oven and carefully pour all of the rendered fat from the pan. Return the pan to
the stovetop. Over medium heat add the honey to the pan. The honey will begin to caramelize, turn the
duck breasts until well coated. Remove the duck breasts and allow to rest in a warm place. Add the figs to the pan, cut side down, in a single layer. Allow the figs to caramelize in the residual honey. Season the
figs with the coriander and black pepper, cook them for only 2 minutes, they should be tender and warm but still hold their shape.
Heat the barley through and stir in the mascarpone, adjust seasoning and spoon into the centers of heated plates. Slice the duck breasts and present over the barley, place the figs tightly around the duck and serve immediately.
For the Cab: Red Wine Braised Oxtails with Onions and Mashed Turnips Serves 6
One of the most flavorful and underrated cuts of beef, oxtails are a wonderful cool weather dinner choice. A perfect partner with the dark fruit flavors, ripe tannins and spice notes of the Broadside Cabernet.
* 6 pounds oxtails, cut 1 1/2 inches thick
* 6 cups red wine
* 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
* 3 cups cipollini onions, peeled
* 2 celery stalks, sliced 1/4 inch thick
* 2 carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick
* 1 teaspoon juniper berries
* 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
* 5 parsley sprigs, leaves removed
* salt and pepper
* 1/3 cup flour
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1/3 cup tomato paste
* 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped parsley leaves
* 2 large yellow turnips, about 4 pounds, peeled, and cut into 1 inch chunks
* 2 teaspoons kosher salt
* 1 cup milk
* 6 tablespoons butter
* 3 tablespoons hazelnut oil
* ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 375F.
For the Oxtails:
Trim the oxtails of excess fat and place in a large nonreactive bowl. Add the wine, vinegar, cipollini onions, celery, carrots, juniper berries, peppercorns and parsley sprigs. Marinate, covered, in the refrigerator overnight.
Drain the oxtails, reserving the liquid and vegetables. Dry them on paper towels, season with salt and pepper, and dredge in the flour.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and brown the oxtails on all sides, about 10-15 minutes. Do this in several batches if necessary. Remove the oxtails from the pan. Add the vegetables and brown, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Transfer the browned vegetables to a bowl and reserve.
Return the oxtails to the pan with the marinade, juniper berries, peppercorns, and 2 cups of water. Stir in the tomato paste until dissolved. Cover and bake for 2 hours. Add the reserved vegetables to the pot, stir, cover, and return to the oven for about one more hour, until tender.
Allow the pot to cool for 10-15 minutes. Uncover, tilt the pot slightly, and skim as much off as much fat as possible.
Return to a simmer over low heat, adjust the seasoning, and serve over the mashed turnips. Garnish with the chopped parsley.
For the Turnips:
During the last hour of the oxtails cooking time, you can start to prepare the turnips.
Place the turnips in a large pot. Add the salt and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, until easily pierced by a paring knife, about 35 minutes. In a separate pot, heat the milk and butter over low heat until the butter has melted and the milk just begins to simmer.
Drain the turnips and puree in a food processor. With the motor running, add the butter and milk in a steady stream. The turnips should be very smooth. Finally add the hazelnut oil until blended.
Return the turnip puree to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and reheat, over a medium low flame. Keep warm until the oxtails are ready.
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