Becoming One With The Vines

By far one of the coolest things I have had the chance to do here is just hang out in the vinyard. I think that if they would have let me I may have slept there too...

Hard At Work

Seriously right!

More to come tomorrow!

Day Zero @ Foris

Arrived in Medford yesterday, and what a place! Myself fellow Pinot Campers- Kris and Heidi were picked up by winemaker and wiseguy extraordinaire Brian Wilson ( pictured above) and the first thing we did was have lunch at a place right at the edge of the stunning Rogue River. This is the view from our table!

I Dreamt of Lemons and Cream

Holy Sogno Sorrento Batman, it's a Lemocello Cream Liqueur! If you have never heard of it, a classic Lemoncello is liqueur made in Southern Italy by way of combining lemon rinds, alcohol, water, and sugar. Now, don't get me wrong because I love the classics - Cool Hand Luke, apple pie, the Oldsmobile F-88 (1954), yadda, yadda, yadda, but I have just tasted something that I think kicks this classics lovely lemony bottom. A Crema Lemoncello from Sogno di Sorrento (Dreams of Sorrento). Holy moly is this stuff tasty! Rich, creamy and with the brightest most beautiful lemon flavors is a medium weight liqueur that I really don't want to stop drinking, ever! I am thinking a splash of this is a cold glass of Prosecco, or just on the rocks, might exactly what I need tonight after a long, long, long, looonngggg day.

Green Wine and Jamon

Yippeeeeeeee, theVinho Verde has arrived! This light, fresh and slightly spritzy wine has a special place in my heart, not only because it's low in alcohol so I can drink more of it, but also because it's just darn yummy and makes me feel like summer each year when it comes in. Another thing that makes me feel like summer, or rather summer makes me feel like, is sitting on a patio drinking my Vinho Verde and lunching on snacks of cured meats, fresh fruit and cheeses. I was pondering what sounded good and the first thing, my favorite of the cured meats in fact, is ham. So be it Virginia, Prosciutto, or Serrano ham, I will eat it with green wine, just as soon as I can - said Ash I am.

Pinot Noir or Meerlust, That is the Question

Opened a bottle of Meerlust Rubicon, an exquisite blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc from Stellenbosch, South Africa that is aged in French oak casks for roughly four years before release. This is a colossal wine and, as it was opened not to have with food but just to drink, it was just a tad intense and nearly kicked my teeth in. Relunctantly, and with a single tear in my eye (and much anticipation for what I will enjoy this evening) I returned Rubi to the bottle, corked her back up and put her to bed. The flava of the night ended up being a bottle of delightful Saintsbury Pinot Noir and it wasn't too hot, it wasn't too cold, it was just right. The end.

"Food" and Wine Pairing Dilemma

So while at Pinot Camp I have the pleasure of attending a Trish Rogers (of R. Stuart & Co.) food & wine pairing seminar where we will match typical ‘by the glass’ varietals with a spectrum of food flavors and see what happens. It got me thinking, what would be the perfect pairing for turkey jerky and Vegemite sandwiches, several of my favorite snacks? Both are salty, a little pungent and let's face it, damn friggin tasty! So not wanting to cook last night when I got home, after planning my little sisters bridal shower, I tried a New Zealand Sauv Blanc and then a rose. The Sauv Blanc was nice but the natural grassiness and minerality did nothing for the massive amounts of salt in the snacks. The rose, as I suspected, was a slam dunk. The fruit accentuated the subtle sweetness in both the jerky and the Vegemite and the delicate acids cleansed my palate to perrrrrrrrfection!

A Crazy Gary Tasting

R-Fusion Riesling 2006. Nahe, Germany. Once you get past the Asian hooker on the front label this stuff aint to bad! Crisp, clean and slightly dryer than one might expect. A very nice summer porch pounder.

Luigi Baudana Chardonnay 2006. Piedmont, Italy. Visous, rich and packed with opulent layers of herbs and ripe fruit, this lovely Italian is elegant, intense and not for the faint of heart.

Galante Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2003. Carmel Valley, CA. Huge, tar, sweet tobacco, dark chocolate, green pepper and a rustic quality that I certainly was not expecting from a CA wine, all packed into a bottle of damn fine Cabernet. - Thanks Gar!

The Fab 4 - #1

Valle de Salinas (Monastrell, Syrah, Tempranillo) 05' from Yecla, Spain - Mouthfilling, richly fruited with wild berries and cloves, this beautiful red is romantically rustic and perfect for either warming with friends around a campfire or wooing the woman you love over her favorite homecooked meal.

Raw Fish and Romance

I don't get you non sushi eaters out there. It sounds cliche but you really don't know what you're missing and, unless you are truly allergic and will get a nasty rash and die, you need to give this place a try. Sushi Sasa - http://www.sushisasadenver.com-over/ on 15th and Platte is charming, romantic and the food is always good. Additionally they have a kick ass sake selection with some of my favorite Junmai Ginjos on it. Also, check out - http://mygraymorning.blogspot.com/ - for the latest and greatest in what to go see in the theaters and on dvd.

Inhibitions, like a fine wine, are best right in large quantities and straight out of the bottle.

Good Food and Good Friends

I was just admiring the picture that I took with my hero and number one food crush Jacque Pepin and it made me think of summer cooking. He was here at the market last summer and his lovely daughter Claudine and my very good friend EbethCheese brought him up to the wine shop to meet me. Needless to say the picture of my lifetime. Speaking of food, if you have not you should check out the link above because Claudine and Ebeth have a cooking school that rocks! In the meantime, below is one of Jacques salmon recipes because after all it is the season -

Oven-Baked Salomn and Sun-Dried Tomato and Salmon MayonnaiseThis dish is the essence of my fast food. Season a fillet of salmon and nutty bread crumbs right on your serving platter and bake it in a very low oven while you make another dish or entertain your guests. Don't worry about burning the platter; it won't be damaged by the low heat of the oven, and the fish will be perfectly cooked. About 12 servings
Heat the oven to 200 degrees. Oil a platter with the oil. Arrange the salmon on the platter and sprinkle it with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Turn the salmon over and sprinkle it with the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle the hazelnut-crumb mixture on top of the fillet. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the salmon is barely cooked. (I like it slightly rare inside.)
Meanwhile, for the mayonnaise: Put the sun-dried tomatoes and their oil in a food processor with the salsa. Process until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl and mix in the salt, mayonnaise, and chives.
When the salmon is done, remove it from the oven and sprinkle the chopped herbs on top. Serve warm or at room temperature with the mayonnaise.
MAKE AHEAD The fish can be made 1 to 2 hours ahead. The mayonnaise can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated.
1 teaspoon canola oil 1 large skinless and boneless salmon fillet (about 3 pounds) 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper About 1 cup combined bread crumbs and ground hazelnuts (from 1 slice bread and 1/4 cup hazelnuts processed in a food processor)
Salsa mayonnaise 4 ounces sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil (about % cup) 3/4 cup Red Hot Salsa or fresh store-bought salsa 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 cups mayonnaise 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives fresh herbs (a mixture of parsley, tarragon, chives, and chervil)

Pinot Camp Yo!

Am off to Pinot Camp on Friday and sooooooooo excited!