2016 Sea Stars Blanc de Noirs & Smoked Trout and Caper Cream Cheese Toasts
Fall 2021 selections: Salmon with Lentil-Beet Salad
This Food & Wine recipe is best paired with our 2016 Sea Stars Blanc de Noirs
Credit: Michael Turek via Food & Wine Magazine
Ingredients:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 small shallot, minced
1 tablespoon chopped chives, plus 1-inch lengths, for garnish
1 tablespoon chopped drained capers
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
5 English muffins—split, toasted and buttered
1/2 pound skinless smoked trout fillet, coarsely chopped
Instructions:
1. In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, shallot, chopped chives, capers and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Spread the English muffins with the caper cream cheese. Top with the smoked trout, garnish with the chive pieces and serve.
Why It Works
"Sparkling wine is a good choice for smoked fish like salmon, or the trout on these creamy toasts. Choose a wine with some richness to it." - Food & Wine Magazine
Our 2016 Sea Stars Blanc de Noirs is dry & crisp featuring citrus, ripe apple, and a subtle strawberry note. These fruit flavors serve as a beautiful contrast against the savory-smoky flavor of the trout, while the acidity cuts the creaminess of the spread.
Sep 9, 2021 at 5:00 AM
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2017 Stagecoach Road Pinot Noir & Salmon with Lentil-Beet Salad
Fall 2021 selections: Salmon with Lentil-Beet Salad
This Food & Wine recipe is best paired with our 2017 Stagecoach Road Pinot Noir
Credit: David Malosh via Food & Wine Magazine
Ingredients:
1 cup French green lentils
Kosher salt and pepper
6 baby golden beets, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallot
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups torn frisée, white and light green parts only
2 red endives—halved lengthwise, cored and sliced crosswise on the diagonal
Four 5- to 6-ounce skin-on salmon fillets
Instructions:
1. In a large saucepan, cover the lentils with at least 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat until just tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, add a generous pinch of salt and let stand for 5 minutes. Drain well and spread the lentils on a baking sheet to cool.
2. Rinse out the saucepan and put a steamer basket in it. Add 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Scatter the beets in the basket, cover and steam until tender, about 10 minutes. Let the beets cool.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the vinegar with the shallot, mustard and 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add the lentils, beets, frisée and endives and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper and toss again.
4. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil until shimmering. Add the salmon, skin side down, and press gently with a spatula to flatten. Cook over moderately high heat until the skin is browned and crisp, about 3 minutes. Flip the salmon and cook until it is medium within, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer the salmon to plates and serve with the lentil salad.
Why It Works
"Pinot Noir would do well to look for two words on the label, Sonoma County—it’s arguably America’s greatest Pinot Noir region. Thanks to the brisk ocean breezes of the far Sonoma Coast, or the morning fog that creeps over the Russian River Valley, the climate could not have been better designed for this cool-weather-loving variety. And it’s an ideal partner for rich fish like salmon." - Food & Wine Magazine
This perfectly describes our 2017 Stagecoach Pinot Noir. It has bright, restrained red fruit along with developing earthy characteristics complemented by subtle spice. These notes epsecially accentuate the delicate sweet & earthy flavors of the beets, and the soft, medium-body lines up with the texture of the salmon.
Sep 9, 2021 at 4:30 AM
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Chicken, Wild Mushroom and Roasted-Garlic Sauté with Stagecoach Road Pinot Noir
Fall 2021 selections: Chicken, Wild Mushroom and Roasted-Garlic Sauté
This Food & Wine recipe is best paired with our newly released 2018 Stagecoach Road Pinot Noir
Credit: Dana Gallagher via Food & Wine Magazine
Ingredients:
1 large head of garlic, top fourth cut off
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms
3/4 cup boiling water
1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 pound assorted mushrooms, such as stemmed shiitake, cremini and oyster, quartered
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons chilled
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
1/4 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 medium tomatoes, cut into 1-inch dice
1 tablespoon chopped tarragon
Crusty bread, for serving
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Set the head of garlic on a double layer of foil, cut side up. Drizzle with olive oil, then wrap in the foil. Roast the garlic until very soft, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Let cool, then peel, keeping the cloves intact.
2. Meanwhile, in a heatproof bowl, cover the porcini with the boiling water and let stand until softened, about 15 minutes. Rinse the porcini and coarsely chop them; reserve the soaking liquid.
3. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and spread in a single layer in the skillet. Cook over high heat until browned on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
4. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the skillet. Add the assorted mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring a few times, until browned and their liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate.
5. In the skillet, melt the 1 tablespoon of butter in the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the shallots and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the red wine and boil over moderately high heat until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Pour in the reserved porcini soaking liquid, stopping before you reach the grit at the bottom. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, mushrooms, porcini, roasted garlic and chicken and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat. Add the tarragon and season with salt and pepper. Swirl in the 2 tablespoons of chilled butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Serve with crusty bread.
Sep 7, 2021 at 4:34 PM
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Fall 2021 Releases & Recipe Pairings
September on the Sonoma Coast means that our grapes are ready for harvest. We officially began picking on August 27th, first selecting Pinot Noir destined for our Sea Stars Blanc de Noirs. Now we are starting to harvest Chardonnay & some of our lower elevation sites of Pinot Noir.
As the weather continues to cool down, we're ready to start making our favorite fall recipes. Enjoy these selected ideas along with a recommended pairing!
2019 "FRV" Chardonnay & Swiss Chard and Leek Gratin
"This gratin combines blanched chard and sautéed leeks, cooked until just tender in a creamy two-cheese sauce made with both Gruyère and Parmigiano-Reggiano." - Food & Wine Magazine
With it's subtly creamy texture and bright citrus & apple notes, our 2019 "FRV" Chardonnay complements the cheesiness of the gratin while creating delightful contrast in the acidity.
2018 Stagecoach Road Pinot Noir & Chicken, Wild Mushroom and Roasted-Garlic Sauté
"Marcia Kiesel, a self-described mushroom freak, uses porcini to make her delicious, earthy chicken thigh sauté with roasted garlic cloves. She finishes the dish with a sprinkle of chopped tarragon, which adds a light, herbal sweetness." - Food & Wine Magazine
The 2018 Stagecoach Pinot Noir is one of our fuller-bodied cuvées, featuring ripe black fruit layered over earthy spice. The savory characteristics accentuate the umami in the mushrooms while the fruit melds with the richness of the chicken thighs.
2016 Pinotage & Vietnamese Shaking Beef
"Here, the peppery, salty-sweet, juicy beef mingles with the light salad dressing to create a great sauce that pools on the platter, perfect for drizzling over rice. Watercress leaves warm and wilt under the Shaking Beef (so named for the back-and-forth shaking of the pan), while their stems remain crunchy." - Food & Wine Magazine
With its fine-grained tannins, savory, smoky character, and plum compote fruit flavors, Pinotage has a natural affinity for beef dishes. In this recipe, rice vinegar, oyster sauce, and honey add lifted acidity to the peppered beef that matches our 2016 Pinotage's structure precisely, highlighting the fruit.
Sep 7, 2021 at 4:30 PM
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2019 "FRV" Chardonnay & Swiss Chard and Leek Gratin
Recipe by Food & Wine Magazine
The Recipe
3 pounds Swiss chard, large stems discarded
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 medium leeks, white and tender green parts only, sliced 1/4 inch thick
Salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart whole milk
1/2 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Freshly ground pepper
Step 1: In a large pot of boiling water, blanch the chard in batches until wilted, about 1 minute. Drain the chard, squeeze dry and chop it.
Step 2: Heat the oil in the pot. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until tender, 7 minutes. Uncover, add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 2 minutes. Add the chard, season with salt and remove from the heat.
Step 3: Preheat the oven to 425°. Butter a 10-by-15-inch baking dish. In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour over moderate heat to form a paste. Gradually whisk in one-third of the milk and cook, whisking, until the mixture starts to thicken. Repeat two more times with the remaining milk. Bring the sauce to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to low and cook, whisking often, until thickened and no floury taste remains, 15 minutes. Whisk in the cheeses and the nutmeg; season with salt and pepper. Mix the sauce into the leeks and chard. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 4: Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Bake in the upper third of the oven for about 25 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown on top. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Why it works
With it's subtly creamy texture and bright citrus & apple notes, our 2019 "FRV" Chardonnay complements the cheesiness of the gratin while creating delightful contrast in the acidity.
Sep 7, 2021 at 10:40 AM
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2016 Pinotage & Vietnamese Shaking Beef
Recipe by Food & Wine Magazine
The Recipe
Beef
1 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 1/2 pounds boneless rib eye steak or New York strip steak, trimmed and cut into 3/4- to 1-inch pieces
Salad
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion or shallot
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar or honey
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups lightly packed watercress, baby arugula, or other salad greens
1 cup torn radicchio or 8 halved cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh mint, basil, or other herb leaves, torn
2 tablespoons canola oil or other neutral oil (such as grapeseed)
Step 1: Stir together oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, fish sauce, pepper, and garlic in a medium bowl. If a saltier finish is desired, add up to 1 1/2 teaspoons more oyster sauce. Add beef, toss well to coat, and let marinate 20 minutes at room temperature.
Step 2: Rinse onions in a strainer under cold running water for about 10 seconds; set aside. Whisk together 2 tablespoons water, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add onion; top with watercress, radicchio, and herbs. Do not toss.
Step 3: Heat a large, heavy skillet over high, and add oil. When oil is shimmering, carefully add beef in a single layer. Cook, shaking pan every 30 to 60 seconds, until seared on all sides and meat reaches desired degree of doneness, 3 to 4 minutes for medium-rare. Remove from heat. Quickly toss salad, and transfer to a platter or serving dish. Pile cooked beef and juices on salad, and serve immediately.
Why it works
With its fine-grained tannins, savory, smoky character, and plum compote fruit flavors, Pinotage has a natural affinity for beef dishes. In this recipe, rice vinegar, oyster sauce, and honey add lifted acidity to the peppered beef that matches our 2016 Pinotage's structure precisely, highlighting the fruit. The spice notes on the beef & green notes from the herbs and salad are bright & balanced against the tannins.
Sep 7, 2021 at 7:48 AM
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