This month, we've got two wines from the Willamette Valley, a great California Merlot and the new edition of Sean Thackrey's Pleiades.  Another month where I'd recommend getting all four wines!

Here's what's on tap:

Westrey Pinot Gris  Westrey's Pinot Gris is full of pear, white peach, and melon flavors, with a refreshing lift in the finish.  According to Westrey: "We believe that the ethereal character of Pinot Gris fruit should be preserved and displayed in the finished wine, just as it should be with Pinot Noir. Because of the subtlety of the fruit character, Pinot Gris is particularly vulnerable to negative impacts from interventions. For this reason we take a very hands-off approach, from vine to bottle. The grapes are gently pressed and transferred to settling tanks where the juice rests overnight. The following day, the juice is racked off of the lees to a stainless steel tank where it remains until bottling the next spring. Our Pinot Gris is never fermented or aged in wood, as we prefer to let the clarity of the fruit shine. The goal is to produce a fruit-driven wine that is crisp and fruity, perfect for everyday drinking with cheese, chicken, fish and any other kind of seafood.

The 2009 Willamette Valley Pinot Gris is a blend of 19% Abbey Ridge Vineyard, 32% Oracle Vineyard, and 49% Sheppard Vineyard. The hallmarks of the 2009 growing season are exceptional ripeness (as in perfect balance, not excess sugar) and terrific acidity. The 2009 vintage will be one of the great vintages of the decade. The juice was stainless steel fermented to maintain the freshness and clarity of the very subtle varietal character of northern Willamette Valley Pinot Gris. We did not allow the wine to undergo a malo-lactic fermentation, preferring instead to accentuate the bright, crisp character of the fruit. Lees contact during aging added weight and texture to the palate. The wine displays a variety of floral aromas, combined with white peach and a subtle hazelnut character. On the palate there is beautiful robust fruit and lively, citrusy acidity. This weighty fruit is fleshed out with a talc/mineral note and a dash of fresh ginger. A classic Willamette Valley Pinot Gris, the wine has plenty of weight on the palate from low yields, exceptional fruit concentration and crisp, refreshing acidity. With a long, clean finish, this wine is perfect with rich foods such as lobster and scallops, or other strongly flavored, spicy dishes.

Wildaire Pinot Noir, Cuvée Timothy.  Enticing aromas of rose petals, strawberry jam, cherries, and cola that merge with whiffs of allspice.  A sumptuous entry evolves into a creamy mid-palate of fine grained tannins with flavors of Bing cherries, caramel, and vanilla. A well integrated balance of acidity and tannin combine with a medium finish that allows this wine to be paired with a variety of meals.  Aged in 5% new oak. 

According to Wildaire:  Timothy blend was created in honor of my Father's name and his love of the Pommard Clone of Pinot Noir.  Early in my career my father always had a love for the Pinots that I made using this clone and he'd always ask me if I was getting some Pommard from one of my vineyard sources.  When he passed away last year my thoughts turned to creating a wine to honor his memory and I think that he'd love the way that this wine has turned out.  A bit of each of the vineyards is in this blend, but a large component is the Pommard Clone.  The grapes for this wine were 90% destemmed and then cold soaked for 5 days.  All fermenters were inoculated with several types of yeasts and hand punched until dryness.  Each lot was pressed off and settled before going to barrel.  This wine is very approachable right now and it makes a great everyday Pinot Noir table wine.

Ceago Merlot, Camp Masut.  Ceago Vinegarden is owned by Jim Fetzer, former President of Fetzer Vineyards.  Jim grew up with his ten brothers and sisters in the vineyards of Mendocino County.  The Fetzer family built their business into an internationally-recognized and respected winery.  In 1968, the family started producing just a few dozen cases.  When the family sold the winery in 1992, Fetzer Vineyard was producing two and a half million cases of wine annually and was growing 1,200 acres of wine grapes certified organic.  The Fetzer family led the U.S. wine industry in organic farming and ecological business practices.  In 1993, Jim Fetzer established Ceago Vinegarden. Currently, two of Jim’s children, Katrina and Barney, are on board and bringing all their talents and knowledge into the family business.

The 2009 Merlot is from organically farmed grapes from Masutr vineyard in Redwood Valley.  The wine spent 14 months in 80 percent new French oak barrels. Ceago Camp Masut Merlot is a deep semi-opaque blood-red color with a nice firm core going out into a light crimson to pinkish-red rim definition with high viscosity.
On the nose, there are freshly crushed red and black berry fruits with blueberry sorbet, blackberry jam, soft toffee, mocha, vanilla, oak references, loganberries, licorice twizzlers and hints of minerals. In the mouth, the wine is opulent with crushed berry fruit -- especially blueberries and raspberries -- blackberry liqueur, and good symmetry between the fruit and tannins, appearing soft and supple through the midpalate with just a little extra kick of black fruit and crushed star anise toward the lovely lingering finish.

Sean Thackreay Pleiades XXI.  This is the fifth time we've offered Pleiades - we're one of the few wine shops anywhere to get decent quantities of Sean Thackrey's cult wine! 

Thackrey’s 21st rendition of his mysterious, non-vintage red blend. #21 is particularly heavy on Sangiovese and Pinot Noir, with a significant dose of Viognier and Marsanne in it. Captivating nose of black pepper, nutmeg, leather and dry-aged beef. Bright red fruits in the mouth, more spice and some kalamata olive. Medium bodied. Drink as you would a spicy Pinot Noir.

We've been selling Thackrey's Pleiades, the first wine I ever remember calling a cult wine, since 2003.  Back then, we got a miniscule allocation, and we hid the wine behind the counter, doling it out bottle by bottle to a few lucky souls who knew that we carried it.

I was overjoyed when Sean Thackrey switched distributors,  and our allocations, while still not unfettered, granted us enough to offer the wine to our wine club!

Always a blend of up to ten different cultivars, both red and white, Pleiades is at the very least a very interesting wine, always easy to drink, and nearly  impossible to describe.

Sean Thackrey lives in Bolinas and calls out medieval, Roman and Renaissance texts as inspiration.  He makes his wine in Bolinas as well, in open top fermenters located in a Eucalyptus grove!   If there's one California winery that's farthest in spirit from the manicured order of the typical Napa estate, it's Sean Thackrey's no-frills property in Bolinas. One hour's drive north of San Francisco in western Marin County, and accessible only via a twisting road that ends at the Pacific's edge, Bolinas exudes the mellow isolation of a hippie commune.That apparently works fine for the eccentric, cerebral Thackrey, who's been making wine in a Bolinas eucalyptus grove for more than 20 years.

Perhaps Parker sums it up best when he says:  "One of California's most iconic and mystical winemakers, Sean Thackrey has logged in 20 or more vintages of consistently stunning wines that perhaps say it all with the simple quote on his label: -'Sean A. Thackrey, Vintner, Bolinas, California.'"

RECIPES

For the Pinot Gris: Lobster Bisque.  Serves 8

2 lobsters
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 leeks, halved lengthwise
2 onions, halved
2 stalks celery, in big chunks
2 carrots, in big chunks
6 sprigs fresh thyme
4 strips orange zest
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup cognac
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Finely grated orange zest, for garnish
Finely chopped chives, for garnish

Directions

Dispatch the lobsters by plunging a sharp knife directly behind its head. Cut the lobster in half lengthwise; make sure to collect the juices that will run out. Remove the claws and tail pieces and set aside. Remove the head sac and liver and discard them; cut the body into pieces. Alternately, you can have your fishmonger do this.

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and melt 3 tablespoons butter in it. Add the chopped lobster bodies and heads and their juices, the leeks, 1 onion, celery, carrots, 1/2 the thyme, 1/2 the orange zest and the tomato paste. Cook until the shells are red and the vegetables are soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and carefully pour in 1/4 cup cognac. Ignite the cognac with a long kitchen match and let the alcohol burn off. Return to the heat, sprinkle in the flour, stir, and cook for another 2 minutes. Add water to cover and stir up all the browned bits on the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add the cream and bring to a boil. Immediately decrease the heat and gently simmer until the soup is reduced and thickened, about 30 to 45 minutes. Strain this into a clean pot and season with salt and pepper if needed; keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add remaining onion, thyme, bay leaf, and orange zest along with the peppercorns and let this mixture cook for about 5 minutes. Add the lobster claws and tails; toss to coat with the fat and flavors. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully pour in the remaining 1/4 cup cognac. Ignite the cognac with a long kitchen match and let the alcohol burn off. Put the pan into the oven and roast until the lobster pieces are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove the lobster pieces and set aside. When they are cool enough to handle, remove the lobster meat from the claws and tails. Chop the meat roughly and add it to the strained bisque.

For the Pinot: Potato Gnocchi with Pork and Wild Mushroom Ragù Serves 6-8
Pinot Noir pairs well with mushrooms and pork.  Here's a great recipe from Bruce Aidells.

1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms*
1 1/2 cups boiling water
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
8 ounces sliced crimini (baby bella) mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
Coarse kosher salt
2 1/2 cups dry white wine, divided
1 pound boneless country-style pork ribs, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 ounces 1/4-inch-thick slices coppa or prosciutto, chopped
6 ounces fresh mild Italian sausages, casings removed (about 2 links)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
2 cups crushed tomatoes or crushed tomatoes with added puree (from one 28-ounce can)
1 cup (or more) low-salt chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
Potato Gnocchi
1 cup grated Reggiano Parmigiano cheese


Place dried porcini mushrooms in medium bowl; pour 1 1/2 cups boiling water over. Let stand until mushrooms are soft, about 45 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to cutting board and chop coarsely. Reserve soaking liquid.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add crimini mushrooms and garlic; sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper and sauté until beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup wine and simmer until crimini mushrooms are soft, about 4 minutes. Set aside (there may still be liquid in skillet).

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork with coarse salt and pepper. Add pork to pot and sauté until browned in spots, about 6 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pork to medium bowl. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot. Reduce heat to medium. Add coppa and stir 1 minute. Add sausages and cook until brown, breaking up into small pieces with back of spoon, about 3 minutes. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cover pot and cook vegetables until soft, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add remaining 2 cups wine; bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer until almost all liquid is absorbed. Add tomatoes, 1 cup broth, bay leaves, reserved pork, and porcini mushrooms. Pour in reserved porcini soaking liquid, leaving any sediment behind in bowl. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until pork is tender, adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if dry, about 1 hour.

Stir crimini mushroom mixture in skillet into ragù. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Chill uncovered until cool. Cover; keep chilled. Rewarm before continuing.

Spoon off fat from surface of ragù stir in basil. Add Potato Gnocchi; toss gently to coat. Simmer over medium heat until gnocchi are heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.

Divide gnocchi and ragù among bowls. Sprinkle with some of cheese and serve, passing remaining cheese alongside.

* Available in the produce section of many supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Italian markets.

Gnocchi:  Ingredients

    Kosher salt
    1 pound russet potatoes
    3 to 4 large egg yolks
    1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
    1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
    1/2 teaspoon gray salt
    1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting board and dough

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Spread a layer of kosher salt on a baking sheet and arrange the potatoes on top (see Cook's Note). Bake until a bit overcooked, about 45 minutes. Let sit until cool enough to handle, cut in half, and scoop out the flesh. Reserve the potato skins, if desired, for another use.

Pass the potatoes through a potato ricer or grate them on the large holes of a box grater. You should have about 2 cups. Make a mound of potatoes on the counter with a well in the middle, add 3 of the egg yolks, the cheese, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Mix in the potatoes and mix well with hands. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the flour over the potatoes and, using your knuckles, press it into the potatoes. Fold the mass over on itself and press down again. Sprinkle on more flour, little by little, folding and pressing the dough until it just holds together, (try not to knead it.) Work any dough clinging to your fingers back into the dough. If the mixture is too dry, add another egg yolk or a little water. The dough should give under slight pressure. It will feel firm but yielding. To test if the dough is the correct consistency, take a piece and roll it with your hands on a well-floured board into a rope 1/2-inch in diameter. If the dough holds together, it is ready. If not, add more flour, fold and press the dough several more times, and test again.

Keeping your work surface and the dough lightly floured, cut the dough into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 1/2-inch in diameter. Cut into 1/2-inch-long pieces. Lightly flour the gnocchi as you cut them. You can cook these as is or form them into the classic gnocchi shape with a gnocchi board, ridged butter paddle, or the tines of a large fork turned upside down. Rest the bottom edge of the gnocchi board on the work surface, then tilt it at about a 45 degree angle. Take each piece and squish it lightly with your thumb against the board while simultaneously pushing it away from you. It will roll away and around your thumb, taking on a cupped shape -- with ridges on the outer curve from the board and a smooth surface on the inner curve where your thumb was. (Shaping them takes some time and dexterity. You might make a batch just for practice.) The indentation holds the sauce and helps gnocchi cook faster.

As you shape the gnocchi, dust them lightly with flour and scatter them on baking sheets lined with parchment paper or waxed paper. Set gnocchi filled cookie sheet in front of a fan on low for 1/2 hour (turning gnocchi after 15 minutes). If you will not cook the gnocchi until the next day or later, freeze them. Alternatively, you can poach them now, drain and toss with a little olive oil, let cool, then refrigerate several hours or overnight. To reheat, dip in hot water for 10 to 15 seconds, then toss with browned butter until hot.

When ready to cook, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Drop in the gnocchi and cook for about 90 seconds from the time they rise to the surface. Remove the cooked gnocchi with a skimmer, shake off the excess water, and serve as desired.

Cook's Note: Baking potatoes on a layer of salt allows heat to circulate 360 degrees. Scrape the salt into a jar and reuse it again and again. If you do not have time to shape the gnocchi, you can freeze the dough, defrost it in the refrigerator, and then shape it. To freeze shaped gnocchi, line baking sheets with waxed paper and dust with flour. Spread the gnocchi on the prepared sheets and freeze until hard. Remove to individual-portion-size freezer bags. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month. To cook, drop the frozen gnocchi into boiling salted water. Cook for about 2 minutes after they rise to the surface.

For the Merlot:  Beef Tenderloin over Arugula  serves four

Ingredients

    1 1/2 cups Italian bread crumbs, eyeball it
    Handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
    1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, a couple of handfuls
    1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it, plus some for drizzling
    3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
    4 tenderloin steaks, 1 inch thick, cut into bite sized pieces
    Salt and pepper
    5 to 6 cups arugula, chopped
    1 lemon, juiced

Preheat broiler to high.

Mix bread crumbs with parsley, cheese. Warm the oil and garlic over low heat to infuse flavor, 5 minutes. Pour oil into bread crumbs and combine to distribute equally and moisten the bread crumbs.

Season the meat with salt and pepper. Coat the meat in bread crumb mixture to coat evenly. Spread meat onto baking sheet and broil until crisp and meat is tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Serve meat on bed of shredded arugula with pasta or other starch.  Give a squeeze of lemon juice over the beef and arugula.

For the Pleiades:  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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