The estate La Scolca was taken over in 1919 by the great-grandfather of Giorgio Soldati who today leads the company  together with his daughter Chiara and is located in the very heart of, probably, the most important region in Italy for the production of quality wines; Piedmont. Gavi dei Gavi D’Antan is rare product and of unbelievable quality. Produced only in the best years with the best Cortese grapes, it arrives to us after having aged up to 10 years in the cellar. This wine must be drunk slowly to full appreciate the unmistakable intensity and nobility of feelings. At the visual examination this wine is crystal clear with a peculiar intense brightness and a light straw yellow color with delicate greenish hints. The nose is intense, long, continuous, lasting, with flavors vary from a first strong mineral and salty note, reminiscent of flint and wax to a second important flavor of lemon curd, mango, exotic and citrus fruits ending with delicate floral flavor of white and yellow flowers.  Dry, lightly warm and quite soft, at the palate has the typical of Gavi taste; flinty again but with walnut and toasted almond on the finish.  Full-bodied, with a thick, dense mouth feel and a long finish.  Stylish, tasty and flavorful. Harmonious. This product is ready to for consumption but could be interesting to taste in 3-5 years from now. For me this wine deserves 90 on 100 points.

DEEEEELICIOUS!  My favorite chardonnay reviewed here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8TmulTk0IU

For more information on OC Wine and Lifestyle, visit my website at www.KathySchager.com

I am so excited for this upcoming Thanksgiving!  Turkey day is one of my favorite holidays because it is a time for friends and family to reconnect and share a warm, home cooked meal with some delicious wine without the worries of gift-giving.  This year my family has made a collective decision to have a local and sustainable feast.

My mom has been at the forefront of this decision and I fully support her.  She ordered our free range turkey from a local farm and our side dishes will consist of veggies from local growers.  To round out the meal you can be certain that I will be bringing some of Yolo’s finest wine to the table (my mother just recently informed me that I will also be responsible for the dessert this year…does  Chapman Hill Syrah count as dessert??).

Everyone is quite interested to see the bounty of our local community and even more excited to share it with one another.

Bon Appétit!

Patricia

Next free tasting is this weekend, Saturday November 28 2-5:30pm in store

Bleasdale Winery Portfolio tasting

The Bleasdale Winery produces wine in Langhorne Creek, South Australia. The Potts family have owned and made wine there for 5 generations. I had the pleasure of meeting Robbie Potts, brand ambassador and brother of the current winemaker, at a wine tasting in September. True salt of the earth character – one could easily visualise a bush hat with corks swinging from it as his normal attire

Planned for the tasting will be the following:

Chardonnay/Riesling blend (white)
Langhorne Crossing Shiraz/Cabernet/Malbec blend (red) – this is a popular wine in our store
Malbec – Although the winery has used Malbec in its blends for some years this is their first single varietal wine produced from this grape. I scored 2 cases out of 28 shipped to BC. Rivals Argentinian Malbecs and at under $20 and well worth trying.
Frank Potts – named after the founder of the winery, its 89% Cabernet Sauvignon 10% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot/Merlot
Generations Shiraz – this is their icon wine – gorgeous.

All these wines are great value across a spectrum of style and price. Hope we’ll see you Saturday

Coming Up

Malbec Taste-Off on Saturday December 5th, featuring 3 Malbecs (so remember to make notes on the Bleasdale). Two will be from Argentina and one from Cahors in France – the spiritual home of Malbec. We will be sending an eGrapevine reminder next week on this one.

Bent Creek Winery 5455 Greenville Rd., Livermore (925) 455-6320 www.bentcreekwinery.com

Special Tastings include: New Releases of 07 Petite Sirah Port, 07 Zinfandel Port, and 07 Red on Red blend

Regular winery discounts available Live Music: Jazz by the Two Guys.

Food Pairing: Cabana Dave’s Clam Chowder paired with Chardonnay and Truffle Gateau Chocolate paired with Port

Vendors: Truffle Gateau www.trufflegateau.com, Alexa Danner (jewelry, wine charms, tote bags), JoAnn Duncan, Christmas craft arts, Sally Ann Flak (unique jewelry)

No Tasting Room Fee

Big White House & John Evan Cellars 6800 Greenville Rd., Livermore (925) 449-1976 www.bigwhitehouse.com

Special Tastings include: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Tawny Port, and Riche Mignon

Vendors: The Final Touch Designs (button jewelry) www.thefinaltouchdesigns.com, Caryne Mount (wearable art) www.carynmount.com

Tasting Fee is $5

Bodegas Aguirre Winery 8580 Tesla Rd., Livermore (925) 606-0554 www.bodegasaguirre.com

Special Tastings include: White and traditional Ports plus 6 estate wines

Estate wines non-reserve 30% off, all others 10% off

Food Pairing: Chocolate and Port Pairing

Vendors: Barrel Works (candle holders, lazy susans, bottle racks made from wine barrels)

Tasting Fee is $5

Charles R Vineyards 8195 Crane Ridge Rd., Livermore (925) 454-3040 www.charlesrvineyards.com

Special Tastings include: 07 Syrah, 08 Chardonnay. 20% discount on case purchases

Live Music: Antone Lee & His Magical Guitar, Christmas carols and country ballads

Food Pairing: Chardonnay and select cheeses

Vendors: Camille’s Gift Shop (jewelry, stained glass garden art, french soaps, earth friendly candles, and more) Cavalier, James Courtney (Cavalier Caricatures), Candles by Boss Designs, Merry Bon-Bon (delectable chocolates), Artwork (by artists – Lenore Kreit, Don Waldear, Carol Eicher, Bonnie Bartlett, Christine Mikulice, and Michel Robles)

No Tasting Fee. Groups of 8 or more $5 (refundable with purchase)

Chouinard Vineyards 33853 Palomares Rd., Castro Valley (510) 582-9900 www.chouinard.com

Special Tasting of Apple Wine . Case Special – $99 for a case of 05 Petite Sirah

Sachiko Campe (pottery blown glass, jewelry, silk scarves), Bonnie Mathis Hanmade Ceramics, Chris Wallace,  Ailsworth (hand knitted items), Donna Jeffreys (hand knitted hats).

No Tasting Fee

Concannon Vineyard 4590 Tesla Rd., Livermore (925) 456-2505 www.concannonvineyard.com

Special case discounts available,  Live Music. Southwestern food bites by Posada Catering

Vendors: Trina Fleer (jewelry and purses), Party Lite (candles), Beauty Society (anti-aging skincare and make-up) www.angelapinon.societyskincare.com, Gold Canyon (candles) www.mygc.com/societydiva

Tasting Fee is $5

Crooked Vine Winery 4948 Tesla Rd., Livermore (925) 449-0458 www.crookedvine.com

Sale on case purchases,  Food pairings and specialty desserts available

Vendors: Beauty Society (anti-aging skincare and make-up) www.omgdiva.society.skincare.com, Gold Canyon (candles)  www.mygc.com/omgdiva

Tasting Fee $5

Cuda Ridge Wines 5385 East Ave., Livermore (510) 304-0914 www.cudaridgewines.com

Special Barrel Tasting and Gift Baskets Available

Guest Santa Appearance. Holiday Music.

Food Pairing: Papa Dino’s Italian Orzo Soup and Portuguese Kale Soup

Vendors: Mom Dino’s Crafts (holiday crafts), Watercolors by KB (water color pictures) www.kb-art.com

Complimentary Flight, $5 Port Tasting, $5 Barrel Tasting

Deer Ridge Vineyards 1828 Wetmore Ave., Livermore (925) 245-9756 www.deerridgevineyards.com

Special Tastings: Award winning 04 Cabernet and 07 Chardonnay

Wine available by the glass, food for purchase. Cooking demonstration each day.

Enter-to-Win a free wedding. Raffle for a free Green Shed (on display at the winery)

Vendors: Kim Pace Designs (jewelry), Soap Sister (handmade soaps and candles), Stonewear Jewelry, Dechen Designs (pashima and cashmere shawls and scarves), Sew n’ Wild Oats (Home décor items made from barrel staves), Erin Davis Pottery (handmade pottery), Worthington Gallery West (Handcrafted international arts and crafts), Green Sheds (garden sheds made from recycled materials) www.greensheds.net/holidays2009info.htm

There is a Tasting Fee

Eagle Ridge Vineyard 10017 Tesla Rd., Livermore (925) 447-4328 www.eagleridgevineyard.com

30% off case purchase (mix and match) of your choice.

Food: Hot Mulled Wine and Jim’s Tri-Tip Chili available for purchase

Vendors: Not your Mother’s Tupperware (children’s gift sets and wineglasses) www.my.tupperware.com/daniellejbeck, Bag it Up (designer inspired handbags and accessories) www.annsbagitup.com, JJ Designs (hand pained glassware, note cards, embroidered linens) www.buyjjsdesigns.com

No Tasting Fee

Eckert Estate Winery 2400 Arroyo Rd., Livermore (925) 371-8606 www.eckertestate.com

Special Tasting includes: Viognier and Late Harvest Primitive. Special pricing on case sales.

Vendors: Arroyo Windmill Groves Olive Oils and Noyo Reserve Exotic Mustards

No Tasting Fee

el Sol Winery 8626 Lupin Way, Livermore (925) 606-1827 www.elsolwine.com

Special Tasting includes: New Release Reserve Cab & Reserve Merlot. 25% off Merlot Rose purchases

“Bottle it Yourself” with custom holiday gift labels

Vendors: Funzees (one of a kind baby gifts that edgy to sweet, funny and unique) www.funzees4u.com, Paula Carvalho’s Jewelry (one of a kind handmade jewelry) www.paulasjewelry.net

Tasting Fee $5

Elliston Vineyards 463 Kilkare Rd., Sunol (925) 862-2377 www.elliston.com

Special Tasting includes: Champagne, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon

Select wines on sale, 10% bonus on gift card purchases over $100, holiday gift baskets

Food: Beautiful holiday hors d’oeurve display

Vendors: Silpada Designs (fine sterling jewelry) www.mysilpada.com/kim.tanton, Chanteuse Designs (handbags, aprons, holiday stockings) www.chanteusedesigns.com, Apriori Beauty (anti-aging products) www.aprioribeauty.com

No Tasting Fee

Fenestra Winery 83 Vallecitos Rd., Livermore (925) 447-5246 www.fenestrawinery.com

Food Pairing: Holiday foods paired with wines

Vendors: Robert Shimmon (large format black and white photography) www.photosmash.net, Glass by Debra (custom lamps and nightlights in stain glass), Shimmering Stones Jewelry

Tasting Fee $5

Garré Vineyard & Winery 7986 Tesla Rd., Livermore (925) 371-8200 www.garrewinery.com

Special Tasting includes: 06 & 07 Cabernet Franc, 06 & 07 Cabernet Sauvignon, 06 & 07 Syrah (side by side tastings)

Santa will make a visit on Sunday. Christmas cookie crafting for kids on Sunday. Warm coat drive.

Food: Chef Ty’s Holiday Stew, Christmas sweets, and Hot Mulled Cider.

Vendors: Teez Handsuds (Bath and body products) www.teezhandsuds.com , Amy Schwab Designs (Accessories) www.amyschwabdesigns.com , Carde Blanche (personalized stationary & gifts) www.cardeblanche.com , Cheshire Cat Photo (photos) www.cheshirecatphoto.com , Kalli Crawford (jewelry & accessories) www.kallicrawforddesigns.com , Cookie Lee Jewelry (Maria Howell), J&M Woodcrafters, Renee Ryder (Christmas Ornaments), Jealousy Jewels

No Tasting Fee

La Rochelle Winery 5443 Tesla Rd., Livermore (925) 243-6442 www.lrwine.com

Complimentary mulling spice with wine purchase, 20% off wine purchase of 4 bottles or more

Vendors: Belgique Truffle Gateau by Linda Bartlett Keys (truffles) www.trufflegateau.com, Mokulele Farms by Debbie Donald (coffee, honey, macadamia nuts from Kona) www.mokulelefarms.com, Cookie Lee Jewelry www.cookielee.biz/esuite/home/leslietakemura

Tasting Fee $10, $15, $20 depending on flight (each served with a food pairing)

Les Chênes Estate Vineyards 5562 Victoria Lane, Livermore (925) 373-1662 www.leschenesvine.com

Special Tasting New Release 07 Mouvedre

Music by Les Amisde Les Chenes Violinists.

Food pairing with Chef Jim. Winner of the ‘Take Les Chenes Around the World’ announced Sunday at 3pm

Vendors: Les Chenes Mustards and Olive Oils, Holiday gift items

Tasting Fee $5 and refundable with purchase

Little Valley Winery 739 Main St. Pleasanton (925) 862-9006 www.littlevalleywinery-lavender.com

10% off each bottle of Sparkling Wine (20% off case)

Live music: Saturday 1-4pm. Open until 9pm on Saturday. Santa and Tree lighting in Downtown Pleasanton.

Vendors: Little Valley Gift Boutique featuring Lolita glasses, lavender products, wine shirts, and more.

Two complimentary tastes. $5 for tasting flight of 6 wines

Longevity Wines 35 Rickenbacker Circle South, Livermore (888) 325-9463 www.longevitywines.com

Food: Phil’s famous Pulled Pork Sandwiches and other goodies.

Santa will make a surprised visit on Saturday.

Vendors: Lia Sophia (fine jewelry), Robbin’s Family Farms (olive oil and balsamic vinegar) and Chocolates by Raffiné

No Tasting Fee

McGrail Vineyards 5600 Greenville Rd., Livermore (925) 373-6214 www.mcgrailvineyards.com

Special Tasting includes: 05 and 06 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve. 1 complimentary taste per Toy for Tots donation

Live Music: Tank Half Full band on Saturday 1-5pm and Sunday 12-4pm

Vendors: CC Kelly Handbags (high end inspired bags), Scott Cleek Studios (wine inspired art) www.sjstudio.com , Arkwright Designs (jewelry) www.arkwrightdesigns.com

Tasting Fee $5

Mitchell Katz Winery 1188 Vineyard Ave., Pleasanton (925) 931-0744 www.mitchellkatzwinery.com

Futures of 08 Sangiovese offered. Case discounts on Zinfandel, Pinot Grigio, and Chardonnay

Santa Clause will visit on Sunday 2-4pm

Vendors: Truffle Gateau www.truffleg.com , Artisan’s Creative Marshmallow Co. (beautifully decorated marshmallows) www.artisanmarshmallows.com , Twisted Silver (fine and funky jewelry) www.twistedsilver.com

Tasting Fee $5

Murrieta’s Well 3005 Mines Rd., Livermore (925) 456-2390 www.murrietaswell.com

Library wines available for tasting and purchase

Special discounts on library wines to public and wine club members

Tasting Fee $10

Nottingham Cellars 2245 S. Vasco Rd., Livermore (925) 294-8647 www.nottinghamcellars.com

Special Tasting includes: Ralphi’s Red Blend. 20% off Ralphi’s Red Blend purchases

Tasting and food pairings all weekend

Vendors: Riella Creations (unique hand-crafted jewelry) www.riella.etsy.com , Pat Cranor Designs (watercolor art, kachinas, mixed media) www.patcranor.com

Tasting Fee $5

Occasio Winery 2445 S. Vasco Rd., Livermore (925) 371-1987 www.occasiowinery.com

Club Members enjoy 20% discount. Purchase a club membership as a gift and receive 20% discount on wines

Wreath making on Saturday with seatings at 12:30 and 2:30pm

Wine Blending with Winemaker John Kinney on Sunday at 1:30-2:30pm and 3:30-4:30pm

Tasting Fee $5 for flight of 3 wines. Complimentary taste of Gold Medal winning Pinot Gris

Page Mill Winery 1960 S. Livermore Ave., Livermore (925) 456-7676 www.pagemillwinery.com

10% off bottles and 20% off case purchases

No Tasting Fee

Retzlaff Estate Winery 1356 S. Livermore Ave., Livermore (925) 447-8941 www.retzlaffwinery.com

Special Tasting includes: Old Library Verticals. 6 pack discounts and case discounts

Food Pairing: Truffles with Port, Spiced Ciders, Hot Chocolate and Cookies

Vendors: Handmade Porcelain Santas, Jewelry Crafters, Massages

Tasting Fee waived with purchase

Rodrigue Molyneaux Winery 3053 Marina Ave., Livermore (925) 447-4280 www.rmwinery.com

Special Tasting includes: Rubino Port and 06 Cabernet Sauvignon (State Fair winner)

Live Music both days. Food: Complimentary soup, Gingerbread houses that are 3 ft. tall.

Vendors: Cookie Lee (high fashion jewelry), The Toy Box (high end toys at deep discounts), Serendipity (handcrafted original jewelry inspired by LV wine country, The Cork Lady (cork ornaments), Crafts by Anne Marie (LV wine country ornaments made from wine labels)

No Tasting Fee

Ruby Hill Winery 400 Vineyard Ave., Pleasanton (925) 931-9463 www.rubyhillwinery.net

Special Tasting includes: Peacock Patch Reserve Zinfandel. Holiday Gift Packs available

Live Music: Saturday 3-5pm.

Food Pairings: 1-5pm on Saturday & Sunday. Raffles throughout the weekend

Vendors: Lil Hooksters (purse hooks) www.lilhookster.com, Cookie Lee (jewelry) www.cookielee.com , Petra’s Scarves (hand knitted scarves) , Pampered Chef

Tasting Fee $5 (waived with Toys for Tots donation)

Stony Ridge Winery 4948 Tesla Rd., Livermore (925) 449-0458 www.crookedvine.com

Sale on case purchases

Food pairings and specialty deserts available

Tasting Fee $5

Tamás Estates 5489 Tesla Rd., Livermore (925) 456-2380 www.tamasestates.com

Special Tasting includes: Barbera Port. 15% savings on touring wines and 25% on case purchases

Barrel Tasting in the Winter Wonderland Barrel Room

Vendors: Eugenia Zobel (Porcelain Art) www.eugeniastudio.8m.com , Anita’s Creations (Christmas crafts and ornaments), Country Patchwork (Handmade quilts and blankets)

Tasting Fee $10

Tenuta Vineyards 633 Kalthloff Commons, Livermore (925) 960-1006 www.tenutawinery.com

Call winery for activities.

The Singing Winemaker 5143 Tesla Rd., Livermore (925) 606-9463 www.teslavintners.com

Call winery for activities.

The Steven Kent Winery 5443 Tesla Rd., Livermore (925) 243-6440 www.stevenkent.com

Special Tasting includes: 08 Cabernet Port

Complimentary mulling spice with wine purchase, 20% off wine purchase of 4 bottles or more

Vendors: Belgique Truffle Gateau by Linda Bartlett Keys www.trufflegateau.com, Mokulele Farms by Debbie Donald (coffee, honey, nuts from Kona) www.mokulelefarms.com, Cookie Lee Jewelry www.cookielee.biz/esuite/home/leslietakemura

Tasting Fee $10 (includes glass and 3 pairing stations of special cheeses and chocolate)

Thomas Coyne Winery 51 East Vallecitos Rd., Livermore (925) 373-6541 www.thomascoynewinery.com

Live Music: Traditional Holiday Singers

Vendors: Michelle’s Jewelry Box, Tony’s Wood Works (gifts made with barrel staves )

Wente Vineyards 5565 Tesla Rd., Livermore (925) 456-2305 www.wentevineyards.com

Special Tasting includes: 07 Small Lot Orange Muscat, 07 Small Lot Late Harvest Riesling, 07 Small Lot Petite Syrah

Port. 20% Savings on Vineyard Selection & Heritage Block Wines

Santa will make a visit on Sunday 1-3pm, Barrel Tasting both days

Vendors: Eugenia Zobel (Porcelain Art) www.eugeniastudio.8m.com, Anita’s Creations (Christmas crafts and ornaments), Stonewear Jewelry (handcrafted jewelry) www.stonewearjewelry.net

Complimentary Flight and $10 Flight, Barrel Tasting $5

White Crane Winery 5405 Greenville Rd., Livermore (925) 455-8085 www.whitecranewinery.com

Annual Holiday “sparkling wine special” – buy two bottles at regular price and the third is $1

Food: Mushroom and Wine Meatballs

Santa will stop by from 12-2pm on Sunday

Vendors: Beauty Society (anti-aging skincare and make-up) www.bedazzled.societyskincare.com, Gold Canyon (candles) www.mygc.com/bedazzled

Wood Family Vineyards 7702 Cedar Mountain Dr., Livermore (925) 606-7411 www.woodfamilyvineyards.com

Special Tasting includes: New Release 07 Cabernet Sauvignon from Quail Creek Vineyards

Food Pairing: Soup and wine pairing, fudge, and farmstead cheeses

Vendors: My Sisters Jewelry (unique jewelry using sought after gems and metals) www.terryfunkejewelry.com, Live

For More Fudge (traditional chocolate and gourmet fudge with fresh cream and butter) www.Liveformorefudge.com, Fiscalini Cheese (a rich dairy tradition, handcrafted cheese from Modesto) www.fiscalinicheese.com

Tasting Fee $5 includes glass and food pairings

This snazzy little calculator helps ensure you won’t run out on your special day. Your friends and relatives will thank you later. Your bank manager might not. <link>

Did you know that Mr. Picky Santa Barbara (Wine Tasting App) made it’s debut in the iTunes store on 4th of July?! How cool is that.  Even cooler, Mr. Picky Paso Robles came out on Halloween to the delight of iPhone users with a penchant for great wine and food.  What are the odds?  Clearly Mr. Picky is magic

The Windermere Foundation Presents:

The Winter Wine Tasting Fundraiser
Thursday, December 3rd
6:00 – 10:00 P.M.
Fairwood Golf & Country Club

Contact the Foundation Representative at your Windermere office for tickets.

Event Details:

Click here of on image to download a flyer.

Cost is $65 per person*

6-7 PM: Silent Auction, heavy appetizers and Wine Tasting Bars

• Several prominent wineries are featured during the wine tasting.

• Bid on many special items, from wines to a special visit to a mountain cabin!

7-8:45 PM: Main Wine Tasting Event

• David LeClaire, a Certified Sommelier from the Court of Master Sommeliers, will lead us through an exciting tasting by teaching about wine and food pairings!
• Hear about what our Foundation efforts and needs are for December.

8:45-10:00 PM: Continue the Wine Tasting Bars and enjoy the great company!

*Ticket price cover event costs only. Fundraising via Silent Auction, Sponsorships and Donations.

For the first time a Martinborough pinot noir has taken out the top title at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards . It’s the Julicher Pinot Noir 2008, produced by Julicher Estate. The wine was named the champion wine.

Get the full list of awards here.

The Downtown Brooklyn location of Trader Joe's

I’m a regular at the Trader Joe’s Wine shop in Union Square. With my 50 cent wine tote bag in hand, I stock up my red and white collections for future parties and special occasions. While the lines are long, you can’t beat the prices. Upon visiting the Downtown Brooklyn Trader Joe’s near recently leased space 226 Atlantic Avenue, I was disappointed that the store did not come with its own wine shop. Owners of Carroll Gardens’ Smith & Vine decided to change that with the opening of “The Brooklyn Wine Exchange” right next door. While they might not be able to match Trader Joe’s prices, the wine experts behind Smith & Vine will should still impress us.

-Caitlin

Lots of wine writers are preparing our palates for Thanksgiving. Here’s a collection.

Pinot for Thanksgiving <here>

Wine Spectator’s 12 whites for Thanksgiving <here> and reds <here>

Thanksgiving sparkling wines <here>

Top 10 Thanksgiving bottles <here>

Don’t pick a turkey <here>

Wines to complement a feast <here>

What to drink from Slate <here>

Suggestions from the NYT <here>

Tim Barnes, The Last Supper, 2003

I love Thanksgiving—time spent with friends and family, remembering what it is that we’re thankful for. But truth be told, it’s the condiments and side salads that pique my palate. The bird I can take or leave. Engineered like a Malibu Barbie®, the modern day turkey is all breast, no brain, and dare I say lacking in taste? While many assert that Nirvana is to be found through brining, basting, barbequing, broiling, and even deep fat frying, they all seem like so many variations on an insipid theme.

Last year however, as we prepared to host dinner for twenty, my wife happened upon a Martha Stewart recipe that changed our Thanksgivings forever. We ordered our turkey from the local butcher and had the breast, legs and wings removed intact. Once home, we opened the breast on the counter like a book and then butterflied it again on either side so that there were now four panels. With gentle pounding, it became flat and even, about ¾” thick and two feet wide. We then coated the top with sausage and pecan stuffing, rolled the breast like a cinnamon roll, rewrapped it in the skin and covered it with cheesecloth. We trussed the whole affair with string, and voila—it was ready for the oven. The legs and wings, meanwhile, braised in the slow cooker with white wine, chicken broth, and herbs. Sound difficult? It’s not. And because the white and dark meat cook independently of one another, the breast stays moist and the dark meat falls off the bone.

The upside? Flavor, flavor, flavor. This log of savory goodness is easy to prepare and only requires an hour of cooking time (the braised dark meat cooks for about 6 hours). If you dislike carving and its requisite refresher course in anatomy, you’ll appreciate the ease in serving this turkey and the beauty of its presentation.  And for that, I give thanks.

*    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *

If you’re willing to rethink your holiday fare, then may I suggest a new accompaniment? Like Pinot Noir and Champagne, sommeliers know that Dry Riesling is a go-to wine for a host of comestibles. Its fruit and acidity enable it to stand up equally to tart cranberry sauce, earthy bird and creamy gravy. On a recent business trip, Sloane and I stopped at Trefethen—one of the few Napa Valley wineries to produce Dry Riesling. That’s due in part to their Carneros location, which tends to be cooler.  The 2008 Trefethen Oak Knoll District Dry Riesling should be served just below room temperature. Any colder, and you run the risk of muting the aromatics and flavors of this mouth watering white. It is very pale and elegant in color, with a beautiful nose of lime, stone fruit and jasmine. The palate has a zippy core of acidity running through the intense lemon, lime and mineral notes. The finish is long and rounds out nicely at the end. Unlike many whites, Riesling will age for years, oftentimes evolving in flavor. Zeke Neeley—winemaker at Trefethen—notes that the optimal age for a Riesling is subjective. He feels his wine hits its peak about five years after bottling, in which time it will develop iconic petrol aromas. His wife however, prefers the wine young and crisp. Either way, it’s a fantastic pairing with turkey.

The game never stops. They started it again by bashing the wine and beverage ratings. First, it was Robert Parker who was THE problem and now is the rating itself again. The beverage ratings are not an absolute system. They are not supposed to be perfect and scientifically accurate. They represent one way of rating wines and beverages so the consumers have some way of comparing quality and price. The wine industry is no different than most industries. It will cheat, lie and steal every time they can. They do not need an excuse but do need an opportunity. The retail shopping system has too many flaws and will never work even well not to mention perfect. Anything that gets in the way of selling products and puts some limit is better gone than kept in place. Ratings are used to evaluate anything that comes in high numbers and takes time and skill to evaluate. Most people who have to make decisions do not have the time to evaluate things very closely and go by some system. Morningstar rates mutal funds and so do many others. Schwab rates stocks and more as many others do. Robert Parker rates wines and so do many others. The rating systems are not supposed to even work well. They are a subjective way of comparing factors against a set of standards to HELP in making decisions. The consumer has to make decisions and will make mistakes without a doubt unless objective systems, such the better rating systems, are in place. The wine industry knows this and once the ratings are removed or turned into useless systems, such as Wine Enthusiast ratings, the industry will be happy. The ratings are not flexible to allow selling of junk easily.

*This post belongs to this week’s edition of Wine by Cush Magazine blog and published early in World of Cush also.

I read a food blog post about a San Francisco restaurant that was caught not selling iced or hot tea to the guests! The dim-witted waitress had explained that tea drinking guests tend to stay for a long time after the dinner thus tea had been eliminated. Our investigative food writer had not only published this in detail as a blog post, on a major newspaper website, but also contacted the ownership to hear their side. They obviously were innocent and the whole thing was a misunderstanding which always is claimed to be. In real life, they only have to defend themselves because they are being crucified by the local press. Isn’t their menu their business? One the strong points of the San Francisco and many other cities food scenes is that establishments don’t have to follow the norms dictates by whomever. They can start a restaurant with a menu of their choice and what if they won’t serve beef or American wine or hot tea? Will they be attacked in the media? People used to be criticized for not serving American beef. That is no longer valid. They are still being criticized for not serving American wine and this is an ongoing issue! Are they going to be criticized for violating the smallest norms such as not carrying tea or serving bottled water or who-knows-what-is-next? Does not a food editor for a major local paper know that such mention of a restaurant will bring them possible back luck? Does this really qualify as a controversy to publish on Monday morning? I give up.

I have read many reviews by the same food writer in which the restaurant does everything right and loses stars by technicalities such as spoon missing, saltshaker taken or a minute mistake.  I guess when doing a good job all little mistakes count as fatal and if doing a mediocre job, much is forgiven.  I kept the writer anonymous so his career is not ruined (Yeah! It is a joke.  Everyone knows who the jerks are.) and he could have made a post with no restaurant name to make his point but do no harm.  But, no once we get one on a technicality, we have to fry them in public, don’t we?

*This post belongs to this week’s edition of Wine by Cush Magazine blog and published early in World of Cush also.

Happy Monday all! Who else is TOTALLY stoked for another short work week!?

Yes, that’s what I thought…all of you! I’ve been keepin myself busy at work today getting all sorts of odds n ends wrapped up, which feels GREAT, considering how many projects I was working on over the past two weeks. Ahhhh the joy of not running around like a….well, y’know…

Maybe you read my tweets but I seem to have misplaced my camera, and since I can’t really go another week with no post, I’m going to do my best to sum up the weekend with photos that are not mine, thus the title I know, seriously I SHOULD take up a second job in comedy…har har har.

Friday I got into work, acting all superwoman like, but our MD in the office took one look at me and IMMEDIATELY sent me home. No doubt about it, peeps, I totally had a case of viral conjunctivitis. I stopped off at a rite-aid, picked up one of these, and high tailed it home.

PS, this stuff was a total rip off. $10 bucks and provided NO relief of redness or swelling. HMPH.

So I spent the majority of Friday snoozing on the couch with the pups, emailing “dad” pictures to make him jealous he wasn’t home too…

Yeah, they are TOTALLY spoiled rotten by ‘Mom’

Friday night we headed over the Brent & Ashleys house to begin our Star Wars marathon! We sat & chatted for a bit, having a drink & some snacks-

MOST fav white wine everrrrr!!

Chips n Salsaaaa 

Buffalo chicken dip (!! SO GOOD !!)

And for our entree:

 AGHHHH hubba hubba! LOVED him in the first 2 movies…we won’t talk about my disappointment during the third

So we made it through 2 movies officially, and we were all pretty much down for the count.

Something like that

Saturday morning, rise n shine at the gorgeous hour of 6:30!! Seriously. TJ had his first scrimmage of the season (he coaches 7th grade boys basketball, I KNOW, its adorable) so off he went, and I headed home to feed the pups & run out some of their energy. I drank one of these to try and get rid of my raging wine hangover-

but instead, it just left me feeling queasy & nauseas. UGH. So I numbed my brain with a couple episodes of this:

Ahhhh much better. I was almost feeling like myself again by the time Coach came home with his teams first victory under his belt! We went out to celebrate like so:

Hot wings & Beer. Budlight for him, Shock top for me. Go big or go home, right?! We headed back over the star wars casa to continue on the marathon.

I nursed a couple of these:

Old bottle- no blue mountains!

And for our intermissions during episodes 3 & 4 we had more snacks-

Chili cheese dip- low fat cream cheese, turkey chili & more cheese baked at 400 for 20 minutes. No brainer!

crock pot sloppy joes (I wish all MY pics were this great!! AHEM, I WANT A DSLR, COUGH-COUGH)

And, to get some veggies in, broccoli soup that ash beefed up (ironic, no??) with an entire bag of broccoli. LOVED it.

Fast forward 8 hours later, we finally made it through 3&4. Yeah, we took a lot of breaks. Dinner was FABBBBB FABulous! Homemade Lasagna & garlic bread OMG it was the BEST lasagna I have EVER tasted (sorry mom!!). I seriously didn’t want my piece to ever end. Paired with this red, it was one of the best saturday night dinners EVER!!!! No lie!

Sunday we headed back over for day THREE of the marathon & some football. I know it sounds like I did a LOT of sitting around this weekend, but I am so completely exhausted!

Time to get back to work, its an early day for me…gotta make it to my man’s first official game of the season! Go Lakers!!! Hope your Monday flies by as well!

Until next time folks….!

That one is for you, teej

Hello and welcome to the blog of Wineries Refined! Here we will be sharing, discussing and promoting stories, information and commentary relevant to the Okanagan Valley’s world renowned wine industry. The blog itself is an arm of Wineries Refined of the Okanagan Magazine which launches March, 2010. What is this magazine about you ask? Well to borrow from the ‘About Wineries Refined’ button above:

“Wineries Refined of the Okanagan is a high end magazine targeted toward travelers to the Okanagan Valley with wine touring as their focus. Our goal is to traffic wine enthusiasts and curious novices to the Okanagan Valley: Where to taste, where to eat, where to stay and where to play. Wineries Refined showcases the beauty that is the region, the character that is the people and the ever-evolving wine industry that has been making noise worldwide for years now.”

If you’ve never visited the Thompson Okanagan region in British Columbia, Canada you have a wonderful adventure waiting for you! Lush orchards and vineyards, including North America’s first Aboriginal winery Nk’Mip, in Osoyoos, line the valley from mountain to lakeside.

Nk'Mip Cellars, Osoyoos

Though renowned for its wine industry and orchards, the Okanagan Valley boasts a myriad of things to do: brilliant skiing, fantastic golf, rolling mountains and valleys for the outdoors lover or the shutterbug. The region is blessed with near-perfect conditions for growing all types of tree fruit including apples, peaches, cherries and apricots and hosts bustling wine and fruit festivals to fit each season of the year.

Let us not forget the greatest and most dominant feature of the Thompson Okanagan area: the lakes! Okanagan Lake, Kalamalka Lake, Skaha and Osyooos Lake all offer amazing water sports and wonderful, clean fresh water swimming! (Watch out for the Ogopogo though!)
What many people don’t realize though is Canada’s only desert environment can be found here in the South Okanagan, with summer temperatures commonly exceeding 38˚C (100 °F). One other interesting tidbit of information is at 49 – 50º North Latitude, the Okanagan is North America’s northern-most wine growing region and shares the same latitude as the Rheingau of Germany and the Champagne region of France!

So there is just a brief overview of the Okanagan Valley, which offers so much more than I could ever get to this post. In future posts, we’ll be talking mainly about the Okanagan wine industry – the people and the incredible wine they produce. Cheers!

 Here is where we have some fun with Beer and Food. I love this part. I like to shake things up and try different pairings that most people don’t try, or may not think would work. When it comes to Thanksgiving foods there are some things to consider right off the bat. A good majority of the foods are very earthy in flavor so there are a lot of options out there to experiment with. I love the way Belgian beers work with the types of food that are being served. The Yeasty qualities of a lot of them work in such a fashion that it is a no brainer to pair them. I almost always suggest, like I said previously in part 1 a Quad such as Rochefort 10 or St. Bernardus Abt. 12, or Urthel Samaranth Quadrium. They are rich and bold beers that go great with the traditional Bird, stuffing, Potatoes, Squash, etc. Those aren’t the only Belgian beers that go with the meal though. Unibroue Maudite, Tripple Karmalite, and Gulden Drak are also favorites of mine for this meal. Without going too much in depth they are strong Belgian Ales that have flavors that lend themselves to the traditional meal especially the Bird itself. They bring out the earthiness in the sage and the sweetness in the turkey.

  That being said if you consider all of the flavors involved, they run from sweet to tart as well. The one thing I tell everyone when pairing with beer is that sometimes you need to let go of preconceived notions about pairing. A lot of you go into this meal, like I used to do as well and say “well hoppy beers are out, too much earthy food going on….not going to pair well.”  This is not true. Being a hop-head, I had to try and find a way to incorporate a good IPA or something hoppy into the meal. If you take a logical look an IPA is a great choice as well. It is very complimentary to everyone’s favorite  side dish cranberry sauce(yes, even the one shaped like a can that someone HAS to have at the meal or they call you a communist and ask you why you would bother making cranberry sauce from scratch when Wal-Mart sells it for 2 dollars a case). You also get a lot of contrasting flavors in the sweet and earthy dishes offered. Playing by the rules in pairing is for people who have basically never tried a different way to do anything. I am not like that, I always test the boundaries of rules to se what happens, and sometimes it’s good sometimes it’s bad.

Since I am a beer dork……here is what I decided to do I came up with “flights” for Thanksgiving to make it a little fun for everyone. I like to mix it up a bit with styles but I like doing a bit of themed pairings as well. One way is to go with a singular Brewery. You can do a favorite or go local if you have access to a local brewery. There is no order of what is a better pairing compared to another, these are just some that I came up with that work well.I will add to this in the next day or 2 so you can go out and have fun for the Big Holiday!

Mitä tekemistä pornolla on viinin kanssa? Ei yhtikäs mitään? Eipäs mennä asioiden edelle. Katso aikuisviihdetähti Nikki Benzin haastattelu ViiniTV:n sivuilta, niin tiedät juovatko pornotähdet Merlota.

Ever wonder what a wine word means? Here is very concise glossary of wine words from by Barbara Ensurd. I found this via Iris Rutz-Rudel from Domaine Lisson’s website. Lisson is a small wine-producing estate in the Jaur Valley, close to Olargues and one example of many of artisan wine producers from around the world worth seeking out.

Hello Friends,

Today, Monday, November 23, is the fifth birthday of Marion Street Cheese Market offering artisan cheese in Oak Park.  Our doors were opened on Wednesday, November 23, 2004 with great hopes and dreams in downtown Oak Park.  It has been such a wonderful experience serving the residents of Oak Park, River Forest, Forest Park, and so many customers from neighborhoods throughout Chicago.  Your support and patronage has made it possible for us to keep going for five years, and you are greatly appreciated by all of us at Marion Street Cheese Market.

As our way of saying thanks to all of our customers, we are throwing a party.  A birthday open house, of sorts.  And we hope you can join us. 

Here are the details……This Monday we will be offering the following specials in our cheese shop and bistro all day long:

$5.00 glasses of wine – our winemonger Candy is selecting a trio of terrific wines- a red, a white, and a sparkling – for you to enjoy

$5.00 for 2 Craft Drafts – our beerguy Charlie has ordered extra kegs, as we are offering two craft beers on tap for less then the price of 1, so drink up

$5.00 Cheese Flights – Norine, Julie and our cheesemongers are putting together a special cheese flight of cheeses that were on the opening day cheese list at Marion Street Cheese Market back on Nov. 23, 2004

$5.00 appetizer samplers – a sampling of starters created by Chef Leonard Hollander that represent our approach to fine dining – local, sustainable, seasonal and delicious

Free Birthday Cake – our pastry team will bake a special cake for our birthday, for our customers to enjoy all day long at no charge

$5.00 for Every $25.00 in Retail – our business began as a retail store, and Cristeana and her retail team are offering a $5.00 gift card to Marion Street Cheese Market for every $25.00 that you spend on retail products as a special birthday gift to our customers- that includes artisan cheese, fine wine, craft beer, and a tremendous selection of fun products for the kitchen and for entertaining.  This offer is good for Monday, November 23 only, and you must mention this email when checking out to receive this discount.  This is a great time to stock up with cheese and other snacks for pre-dinner munching, wine and beer for your dinner, and a selection of fine chocolates as a hostess gift.

We thank you for your support of our cheese market and bistro and we hope to see you this Monday to help us celebrate!

With Thanksgiving a couple of days away it’s time to think about what wines to serve with your holiday meal. This year, as much if not more than any other, many are faced with the need to make the holiday not only joyful but affordable as well. With that in mind I’ve picked out a trio of tasty selections that come in at a budget price. All three come from labels that were started by Robert Mondavi. Over the years in addition to his namesake Napa winery he started a number of other labels in all parts of the world with numerous focuses. Today I’ll look at three from California facilities that hit the spot taste wise and won’t break the budget either.

First up is the Robert Mondavi Private Selection 2008 Sauvignon Blanc. The fruit for this wine comes predominately from Monterey County (92%) with San Benito County (5%) and Paso Robles (3%) making up the rest. In addition to Sauvignon Blanc (94%), Riesling (3%) and Gewürztraminer (3%) are blended in. This selection was aged and fermented in stainless steel. The suggested retail price for this offering is $11.

Lemon Zest notes dominate the fresh nose of this Sauvignon Blanc Throughout the palate stone and citrus fruit characteristics are prominent. Lemon ice in particular is a standout flavor. A hint of grass comes in during the mid-palate and continues through the finish along with mineral notes and a touch of flint. The finish is crisp and clean featuring good length in its category and excellent acidity.

Especially at holiday time it’s nice to have several wines throughout the day. This Sauvignon Blanc will serve equally well as a welcome wine or paired with appetizers. It’s tasty on it’s own but the terrific acidity it showcases will help make it a match with a host of lighter foods.

The second wine is the Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi 2007 Zinfandel. Fruit for this wine is sourced mostly in Lodi (94%) with the balance coming from several other California regions. In addition to Zinfandel (91%), Merlot (3%), Petite Sirah (2%), Malbec (2%) Cabernet Sauvignon and other varieties (2%) are blended in. The suggested retail price for this wine is $8.

This 2007 wine leads with a jam-laden nose, so typically associated with Zinfandel. It’s loaded with berry, cherry and hint of cedar. The palate is very juicy with red and black fruit flavors intermingling and fighting your tongue for attention, Black cherry is particularly prominent. The finish features sweet cocoa, sour berry, white pepper and vanilla that echoes persistently. This is a well balanced and food friendly Zinfandel.

Thanksgiving is perhaps the most American of holidays. Zinfandel is the closest we have to a heritage grape in this country. The two go together philosophically as well as they do pairing wise. This wine is a good fit for the abundant cornucopia of foods on the average American Thanksgiving table. For $8 a bottle you can have a lot of it on hand to quench everyone’s thirst.

The final wine for a tasty and budget priced Thanksgiving is the Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi 2008 Moscato. Grapes for this wine were sourced from throughout California. This 100% Muscat is a blend of Muscat Canelli (60%), Orange Muscat (30%) and Muscat of Alexandria (10%). Alcohol content is a modest 10% for this selection. The suggested retail price for this wine is $8.

Lychee fruit and honey clove make up the inviting nose of this wine. Orange blossom, tangerine and apricot notes are all prominent throughout the palate of this Moscato. Subtle white pepper notes kick in around mid-palate and continue through the finish along with additional honey and citrus notes. This wine is light, fragrant and sweet but not overly so.

This 2008 Moscato will be a good choice to pair with dessert. Fruit tart or Italian Cheesecake both come to mind as excellent matches. Alternatively this wine could be dessert on its own.

Each of these wines is true to its varietal and is a solid value. Shop around and you’ll find them for less than the suggested retail price. Savvy shoppers will be able to round all three of them up for less than $25 combined. Now that’s some Holiday drinking on a budget. These wines are also widely available so you should easily be able to find them throughout the US and beyond.

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Saturday was our sort of annual Pagan community Thanksgiving. I got up early and went to help peel potatoes and help out in the kitchen – and generally taste test everything that came through the line.

I have the most wonderful potato peeler ever – it’s a Farberware vegetable peeler and I use it for everything.                                                      

LOVE IT!

Well anyway with this nifty tool I managed to peel through 2 10lb bags of potatoes in less than 15 minutes. I’m not kidding!! Enough potatoes for 100 people in less than 15 minutes! Needless to say I was impressed with myself.

Next we made stuffing and usually I’m not a huge fan of it. Maybe it was because I was hungry or maybe just the smell of it was so good, but the stuffing we made was SOOO tasty that I could hardly help but to keep stealing bits for myself off of the tray. I don’t have a picture, but here is the recipe for my estimate on 1 batch:

1 loaf (1lb) of stale whole wheat bread cut into inch cubes

1 onion shredded

1 bunch of celery shredded

1 tbs corriander

1 tbs thyme

1 tbs rosemary

1 tbs black pepper

1 tbs salt

1 tbs sage

1 C vegetable broth

3/4 C butter

Cube bread and add to a large bowl. Shred veggies and cook in butter until onions are clear. Add to bread. Add spices and pour veggie broth in and mix until all bread is moistened. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

OMG it was soooo good! I might make some at some point so I can make a big bowl of it and sit down in front of the tv with. YUM! I think I’m going to experiment with different vegetarian dressings this holiday season.

Everyone started showing up and Garry went to help carve the turkeys. My feet were already hurting at this point because I was the smart one that decided to wear a dress and heels to go and help cook. But I did look cute in my frilly apron and heels. My grandma would’ve been so proud.  

Dinner was good. Lots of good food was brought, but sadly not many people brought a recipe card. Garry made corn casserole which is really easy and just about fool proof (I’ll post a recipe of that with a picture soon). It was hard for me to decide what to eat, but luckily our crowd has a lot of people with specific diets so there are always a few dishes that are vegan friendly.

I ended up with a rigatoni with soy sausage bake, vegan green bean casserole, bread stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn casserole, a big ol’ hunk of white bread and a brownie. It was all very tasty.

Magpie was also selling his mead there and much to my happiness he had the Elderberry mead! So of course I had to imbibe on that as well.

The best part was that I could share a meal with friends and family – listen to great music and just enjoy being out of the house.

Jeff, Kevin and Adee. I really have no idea what they were doing.

Mr. Wilson, Korey and I think Erin’s baby. Mr. Wilson is notorious for finding the babies in the room and having to hold and snuggle them.

Garry and I brought home a bottle of Pumpkin Mead (it is sooooo good) and drank some while winding down for the night.

Yesterday I felt terrible… and not in the “I drank one too many glasses of mead” kind of way but in the “Oh, maybe I shouldn’t have eaten… well something” kind of way. So yesterday was a wash for me cooking anything interesting.

I managed to make some breakfast potatoes and I changed up the recipe a little bit. This time I changed it and added the same spices I would normally use to make chili with. It lent a more smokey and less acidic taste than when Garry makes them.

I also used red potatoes this time.

4-5 (largeish) red potatoes cut into small chunks

Vegetable oil for your pan (I don’t measure, I just pour some in)

1 tbs chili powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt 

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Very yummy and not nearly as spicy as he normally makes them. It was after breakfast I noticed my tummy wasn’t so pleased unfortunately.

We watched football and whatever during the rest of the day. I had a conference call with my team at 4 for a huge announcement – that we’ve changed leagues from the WFA to the IWFL. I’m not terribly sure what that means for me as a player… but I’ll find out soon enough. So long as I get to play I’m pretty much a happy camper.

Forks’ lost the NY State Semi-finals so it looks like no trip to Syracuse for me this year.  I was kind of looking forward to going and doing my big HS Game of the Week finale there, but then again not looking forward to making the trip twice in one weekend. Oh well, maybe next year boys.

One Hundred Percent Pure Love

Today’s pairing is for the last bottle of Layer Cake Malbec I have. There’s a little more around, but, after tasting it for the first time a year ago, the 100% Malbec from Mendoza is just hitting it’s stride. Let’s put it this way, just the smell alone of roasting chicken is a perfect pairing for what has evolved into a very robust glass of wine, Layer Cake Malbec. So my pairing is one of the land where the wine was borne. A simple roasted chicken with mirepoix top heavy in garlic and rosemary.

Ingredients:
3-5 pound Chicken Whole
4 Spanish Onions
4-6 Heads of Garlic
6-8 Carrots
1 Bunch Rosemary
Sea Salt
Cracked Black Pepper
Olive Oil, a little virgin, but not too pure or it will burn and can be over kill
Unsalted butter

~ Roasting Pan
~ Cutting boards X2 (NEVER PUT RAW CHICKEN ON A SURFACE YOU WILL USE FOR OTHER PREPARATIONS).
~ Mixing bowl, salad bowl or any bowl that has enough room for your cut mirepoix

Preheat your oven to 450F

Technique:

As your oven is heating, you should be able to clean, dress and season your bird. I always start by rinsing off the chicken in ice cold tap water and removing (in the sink the neck and giblets that are in the chicken). Allow to dry for a moment on some paper towels, but, you DO NOT WANT TO PUT YOUR CHICKEN ON YOUR CUTTING BOARD. I typically use one board for the raw chicken and then place in the sink immediately. There is no room for error on this.
To prepare your mirepoix:

~ cut your onions into four wedges
~ cut your carrots into nice size chunks (2 inches long). If the carrots are very big, you may want to cut them in half (length wise) first
~ cut the garlic heads in half

I don’t peel my mirepoix/aromatics; I like the rough side and use the roasted vegetables as a piece of dinner. I prefer to have the skins involved, but that’s up to you.

In bowl, place your cut mirepoix and coat with Olive Oil, season with salt and black pepper and put to the side.

Chicken:

~ Lay breast side up in a roasting pan. (Yes, you can truss your bird, but, I am at home and the chef isn’t watching, so it’s optional)
~ Season the entire bird (including the cavity) with salt and black pepper. Don’t forget the wings…you know you eat those first.

OPTION: In a professional kitchen, I would typically lift the skin covering the breast meat and put a mixture of chopped rosemary and garlic so the fat would carry that flavor throughout the flesh. Today, I am not that professional, so it’s up to you.

~ Once the chicken is seasoned, pour the bowl of mirepoix around the body of the chicken. I like to fill the cavity at this point with a little bit of everything including a few sprigs of my fresh rosemary.

~ Add as much rosemary as you prefer to the mixture; I tend to leave it right on the ’sprig’ as opposed to removing the leaves. It makes it easier to remove at the end and by that time, the rosemary will have done it’s job.

Drizzle olive oil over the entire bird; not too much, she should just shine once you rub it into the flesh.

Place in the oven.

It’s going to take close to an hour for the bird to cook. Typically, I start the oven at 450F to

Crispy skin is the real treat with a roasted chicken

With this type of Fall cuisine, I tend to add two sweet potatoes to the oven while roasting the chicken. You are going to need to have a starch with your meal and honestly, sweet potatoes and yams are nearly a perfect food.

They will do better at the lower temperature so if you chose to crisp your skin at 450 and then reduce the heat, add the potatoes when you turn down the oven. Otherwise the sugars will caramelize and burn in the sweet potatoes. But, once done, you really only have to cut the potato open and scoop onto the plate.

The chicken is done when the skin between the leg and body ‘cracks’ when you pull it or the internal temperature is 165F. It’s protocol to allow any meat to rest before carving, so I would advise allowing the chicken to cool a bit and the juices to disperse while preparing your plates.

Scoop a healthy portion of your yams/sweet potato into the middle of the plate.

Place your favorite roasted mirepoix around the plate as they have been roasted, seasoned and brought to perfection with the drippings from the chicken

Carve slices of chicken breast and place on top of the sweet potato

Serve!

*Disclaimer: I received this wine as a sample from Folio Winemakers.

I decided I would really love some Gruner Veltliner for Thanksgiving. And I wish it could be either of the Laurenz V. Gruners that I’ve tried in the last few weeks. Alas, I am visiting my folks for the holidays and the wine shop near their house only had one Gruner on the shelf and it was rockgut. Not what I  was going for.  Oh well, at least I have the memory of the 2006 Layrnz V. Charming Gruner Veltliner to keep me going. (PS-the person in the wine shop told me Gruner isn’t very popular…so is it really just popular with Sommeliers? Because I see it stores at home as well as all over restaurant wine lists….) Anywho. The Laurenz V. clocked in at 13% alcohol by volume, had a screw cap closure, and retails for $24.99.

On the nose I got lemongrass, pineapple, tropical notes, peach, and green beans.  In the mouth I found white peach, white pepper, tropical notes, pineapple, and nectarine.  I found the wine to be round up front with nice acidity on the finish.  It felt fuller/lusher than the other Laurenz V. I tried a couple weeks ago.  I served this with Matt’s signature dish: Gruyere/bacon quiche and it was a fantastic match. I’d recommend both Laurenz V. Gruners that I tried, though for bang for you buck I’d highly recommend the Laurenz . and Sophia Gruner I tried earlier this month.

TDIA is gutted to announce that it will not be doing its usual Beaujolais Nouveau tastings this year.  Irish people and partisans of the Aungier Street and Cuffee Street factions across the globe have been celebrating exclusively with Beaujolais nouveau since Thierry Henry won both the coveted Order of the Shiny Tracksuits Sportsman of the Year Award (Aungier Street) and the less coveted but nonetheless prestigious Order of the Shiny Tracksuits Sportsman of the Decade Award (Cuffe Street) for his exemplary showing in the France vs Ireland World Cup qualifier match.  

So we are instead we are doing what many others are and turning out eyes Hungaryward thanks to the pointers of our in-house sommelier Dr. Pol De Paor.

http://www.bluedanubewine.com/wines/hungary/