Red Wine & Chocolate 2009 – Save the Date!

Mark your calendars! The Olympic Peninsula Wineries will once again host the popular Red Wine & Chocolate Tour over two delicious weekends, February 7-8 and February 14,15,16, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Enjoy award-winning red wines and new wine releases paired with a variety of chocolate delights ranging from sweet to savory. Wine specials will be available throughout the event.

Tickets are available online now at https://www.olympicpeninsulawineries.org/redwinechocolate.php.

On Saturday, Feb. 7, Cedar Creek Restaurant in Sequim will host a four-course Winemaker Dinner featuring seven locally produced wines. The event begins at
6 p.m. For further information and reservations, call 360.683.3983.

New Year’s Eve Hors d’oeuvres and Morning-After Brunch

This final post in our holiday recipe series features two delicious hors d’oeuvres and wine pairings perfect for New Years Eve entertaining, and a Monte Cristo Sandwich that’s sure to be a hit on your New Year’s Day brunch menu.

The first recipe was provided by Winemaker Richard Sorensen of Sorensen Cellars.

Apricot-Almond Chevre Spread

This recipe is a collaboration between myself, my wife Rita and Dacia Morrisonbuck of Cuisine Med in Port Townsend.

We introduced my Sorensen 2007 Viognier during Passport Weekend this year, and wanted a bite of something to go with the wine. I feel that there are nuances of apricot, almond and peach in the wine and I wanted to pull these together with a light appetizer. This is what we came up with.

Ingredients

1 Small log, approx. 3-4oz, goat cheese
1 Small, 3oz pkg cream cheese

1/2 cup toasted, skin on, almonds, chopped medium
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped medium

Drizzle of honey to taste

In a food processor blend cheeses until smooth, then drizzle in honey (approx. 1 teaspoon or to taste). Fold in almonds, (reserving 1 Tablespoon for garnish), and apricots. Mold into a mound-press or small attractive bowl. Sliver a few apricots on top along with the Tbs. of almonds. Spread on hearty crackers or firm bread.
The next recipe comes from Edgar Burks, wine specialist at Harbinger Winery.

Shrimp St. Charles

This recipe comes from my friend and cooking mentor, Chef Giuseppe Brucia. It is modified slightly from the original.

Serves 6 as appetizers or 4 as main course. Pair with Harbinger Dynamo White, Chardonnay, or Viognier.

Ingredients
24 jumbo shrimp, peeled, and deveined
12 green onions
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp Butter
4 large mushrooms, sliced in eighths
2 Tbsp. red bell pepper, finely sliced
½ tsp. garlic, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. Cognac
½ cup Harbinger Dynamo White
*½ cup shrimp stock
½ cup heavy cream (36% preferred)
4 drops Worcestershire Sauce
4 drops Tabasco Chipotle Sauce
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. chopped parsley
Salt and black pepper to taste.

*Prepare simple shrimp stock by simmering shrimp shells in ¾ cup of water until reduced to ½ cup. Pour through strainer and discard shells.

1. Prepare the green onions by removing the top 1/3 of the green tops. Discard or save for other use. Cut the remaining onion in half so that there is a white portion and a green portion.

2. Dry the shrimp with paper towels. In a large skillet over high heat, add 1 Tbsp. of butter with olive oil. When hot add the shrimp and brown each side for 40 seconds.

3. Add bell pepper, garlic, both green onion halves and mushrooms. Cook, stirring constantly, for 45 seconds.

4. Add Cognac and flame (use caution).

5. Add Harbinger Dynamo White and shrimp stock. Bring to boil over high heat.

6. Add the heavy cream, stir and let the sauce thicken.

7. Remove shrimp, placing 4 shrimp on each hot plate.

8. Return sauce to heat to further thicken for a few seconds.

9. Add Worcestershire Sauce, Tabasco and lemon juice.

10. Turn off the heat and white stirring add last 1 Tbsp. of butter, salt and pepper to taste.

11. Pour sauce over shrimp. Sprinkle with parsley.

Variations: Make sauce alone and serve over halibut or ling cod.
The last recipe is from Sharon Adams of Black Diamond Winery. Enjoy!

One of my favorite parings is Cranberry Wine and a Monte Cristo Sandwich. It’s great for brunch!

Yield: One Serving. Serve with chilled Black Diamond Cranberry Wine.

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon cream or half and half.
2 slices day old white bread
Thinly sliced turkey breast (enough to cover on slice of the bread)
1 slice Swiss cheese
Powdered sugar, sifted.

Heat pan over medium hi heat. Oil pan with favorite oil. Dip one side of bread in egg mixture place in pan. Place slice of turkey and cheese on bread, and cover with second piece of bread dipped in egg mixture (only dip one side). Cook as you would French Toast, turning when first side is golden brown. Cook second side until golden brown and cheese is melted. Put on warmed plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Optional – put your favorite jam or cranberry sauce on top.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

A Generations-Old Italian Family Recipe

The Conca Family of Lost Mountain Winery has been making wine — and great Italian food — for generations.

Following is a classic dish that Winemaker Steve Conca’s Italian grandmother handed down to Steve’s father, Romeo Conca, and Romeo then handed down to Steve and his wife, Sue. The Conca family had a small restaurant in Bellano on the shores of Lake Como at the turn of the century, and Bracciola was served at the restaurant. The recipe was originally made with salt pork instead of bacon, but Steve and Sue prefer the smokey flavor of the bacon.

Bracciola (bra-shoal)

1 flank steak
6 slices good quality bacon
6 cloves garlic
1/4 cup chopped Italian Parsley
salt & pepper
Olive oil
1 qt red pasta sauce (homemade or jar)
Parmesan Cheese

Chop raw bacon with garlic and parsley until it forms a slightly chunky paste (food processor works well). Spread this mixture on the underside of the flank steak to within about 1/2 inch of edges. Roll-up snugly, jelly roll style, and tie with cotton or butcher’s twine. Dust with salt and pepper. Heat oil in dutch oven style heavy pan and brown flank steak for a few minutes on each side. Add the pasta sauce, bring to a boil, cover and simmer at low for about 1 and 1/2 hours. Check occasionally and stir to turn and be sure it does not stick or burn. Remove meat from the sauce, remove string and cut crosswise into about 1/2 inch rounds. Serve these pinwheels with the sauce over your favorite cooked pasta. Top with a sprinkling of grated Parmesan.

Serve with Lost Mountain Winery’s Cabernet Sauvignon.

Hearty Winter Dishes to Nourish the Body and Warm the Soul

Our second post in the winter food and wine pairing series features two recipes from Olympic Cellars. The first is a favorite of Winery Owner Kathy Charlton. The second was provided by Winemaker Benoit Murat, Olympic Cellars’ “resident foodie.”

We hope you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy these tried and true recipes and suggested wine pairings with family and friends this season. If so, please share your “culinary experience” with us! We welcome your comments.

Quick, Warm Your Soul, Minestrone Soup

Soup is my comfort food, particularly when enjoyed with a nice, warm, buttered whole grain roll and a glass of our Gold Medal 2005 Syrah or “Gracefully Aging Red,” our 2006 Zinfandel.

After a long day at the winery, I appreciate a tasty meal that’s fast and easy to prepare. I don’t go into “food stress” with this 15-year-old recipe I found while living in Dallas.
– Kathy Charlton, Owner, Olympic Cellars

2 cups diced zucchini
1/2 cup past shape of choice, uncooked
1/8 tsp pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (16-ounce) cans of chicken broth
1 (141/2 – ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained and coarsely chopped
1 (16-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas and carrots (I just use frozen peas and fresh sliced carrots)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Combine first 8 ingredients in large saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or until pasta is done, stirring occasionally. Stir in cheese; ladle into bowls. For more interesting flavor, try adding some basil pesto to taste and stir in. Makes 9, one-cup servings.

Boeuf Bourguignon (Beef Burgundy)

This recipe, provided by Olympic Cellars’ Winemaker Benoit Murat, is ideal for cold weather and easy to prepare. Pair with Olympic Cellars’ Gold Medal 2005 Syrah.

Ingredients:
2-3 slices bacon, chopped
1 lb beef stew meat, cubed
1 onion
2 Carrots
Celery
Minced Garlic
Sliced Mushrooms
1 Tablespoon Flour
Thyme
Bay Leaf
Rosemary
1 Cube Beef Bouillon, prepared
Red wine

Chop onion, celery and carrots and set aside in a bowl.

Sear bacon in a large stew pot. Salt and pepper stew meat, and add half of meat to pot. Brown on all sides, and remove from pot. Add remaining half of beef to pot and brown, adding oil if necessary.

Next, combine all browned meat in the pot and add flour, stirring frequently. Remove meat, place in a bowl and set aside.

Place chopped vegetables in pot and stir-fry for a few minutes.

Return meat to pot, adding minced garlic, sliced mushrooms. Add beef broth and red wine, completely covering contents.

Wine can be good stuff so you can drink a part of it before, or cheap stuff for cooking. You will need about 2 bottles.

Add all herbs and simmer, uncovered, for 2 or 3 hours.

Serve as a soup or over pasta, rice or potatoes. You can add the potatoes 20 minutes before serving and allow them to cook in the stew.

Wineries Share Favorite Seasonal Recipes

The cold days of winter present the perfect opportunity to gather with family and friends over a hearty meal. In the next series of posts, the Olympic Peninsula Wineries will share with you some favorite recipes and wine pairings that are sure to delight all those who grace your table.

Our debut recipes come from Don and Vicki Corson of Camaraderie Cellars. One is an appetizer recipe perfect for holiday entertaining. The other is a main course recipe created by Don and Vicki’s son, Steve Corson. Steve is a Research Chef for Northwest Naturals in Bothell, WA. He creates a new recipe each quarter for the Camaraderie Cellars Wine Club. Bon Appetit!

Blue Cheese Cocktail Cookies

Yield: About 4 dozen cookies Pair with Camaraderie Cellars’ Cabernet Sauvignon

1 cup butter, at room temperature
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 ½ cups crumbled blue cheese
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups crisp rice cereal, such as Rice Krispies
2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a mixer on medium speed, cream together cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add cayenne, blue cheese, flour, rice cereal, and bacon (if using) and beat on medium-low speed until well blended. The dough will be stiff.

2. Roll 1 tablespoon portions into balls and place slightly apart on baking sheets. Flatten each ball with a fork.

3. Bake until cookies are golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.

From Sunset Magazine 2/06

BLACK FOREST PORK TENDERLOIN

Serves 6-8 Pair with Camaraderie Cellars Merlot

2 tablespoons olive oil
Two 1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat and silver skin
2 teaspoons kosher salt
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups dry red wine, preferably good-quality Merlot
1 cup cherry preserves
1 tablespoon water (optional)
2 ½ teaspoons cornstarch (optional)

Heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Lightly sprinkle the pork on all sides with the salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, add the pork and cook, turning with tongs, until browned on all sides, a total of 4 to 5 minutes.

Reduce the heat and continue cooking the meat, turning occasionally, until still slightly pink at the center when cut with a paring knife, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the meat to a large plate and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Add the wine and preserves to the pan, scraping up the brown bits in the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or heatproof rubber spatula. Bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid reduces slightly, 7 to 10 minutes. For a thicker sauce, mix the water and cornstarch and add to the pan, then stir well and simmer for 1 minute, or until thick and shiny.

To serve, slice the tenderloin and spoon the cherry-wine sauce over the meat.

This year, consider a holiday gift that helps boost the state economy

Wine pairs perfectly with the holidays. Think of a luscious full-bodied Cabernet alongside a Christmas standing rib roast; turkey with all the trimmings and a glass of crisp Viognier or a flavorful semi-dry rosé. Festive cranberry wines are perfect for sipping with a mix of hors d’oeuvres and ports can be savored at the end of a meal with or without dessert.

A bottle of wine handcrafted in Washington makes an excellent holiday gift, and is an opportunity to celebrate the bounty of our state with friends and family. With enough variety to please any palate, wine is a choice that is rarely “re-gifted.”

And why not add some fun to your holiday shopping? Instead of running to the grocery store and picking up a bottle, take the time to visit some local wineries. Discover varietals and blends that may only be available in the tasting room, adding to their uniqueness as holiday gift items.

While pleasing those on your holiday list, you’ll also be helping to boost our state’s economy by becoming a “wine tourist.” According to the “Economic Impact of Washington Grapes and Wine,” a comprehensive study commissioned by the Washington Wine Commission and the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers and released earlier this year, wine tourism expenditures increased 165.3 percent each year between 1999 and 2006, reaching $237.6 million in 2006. Overall, Washington’s wine industry contributes $3 billion annually to our state’s economy. Let’s keep the train going!

Which Wines to Serve for Thanksgiving?

November – that time of year characterized by beautiful fall color, friends, family and traditional Thanksgiving feasts. It’s also the time that many of us are wrestling to decide which wines best complement the array of tastes, textures, aromas associated with our American holiday, as well as our guests’ varying palates.

While there are no hard and fast rules about the “right” wines to serve at Thanksgiving, the Olympic Peninsula Wineries suggest the following food for thought.

First, abundance and variety are key. You’ll never go wrong opening a few different wines and letting your guests serve themselves. There are plenty of good, affordable wines available today so offering variety doesn’t have to break the bank even in these tough economic times. Visit a local winery’s tasting room and sample a few in advance.

Wines with lower tannin levels and less complexity are better suited to the mélange of flavors they are intended to complement.

Think refreshing. With a big meal, lighter-bodied wines that continuously refresh the palate are a good choice, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris. Stay away from big, buttery Chardonnays. Lighter-bodied reds include Sangiovese and Pinot Noir.

If you prefer to serve one wine to carry through the meal, consider a Riesling or a dry to off-dry rosé. Both of these wines are nice complements to turkey with all the fixings.

For dessert, Port pairs nicely with pumpkin and pecan pies.

Last, as Eric Asimov says in his International Herald Tribune article, How to Choose a Wine for Thanksgiving, “The most important thing you can do is choose wines that you really like. That way, if nobody else is happy, at least you will have pleased yourself!” http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/11/14/arts/trwine.php?page=1

Online “Passport” Sales Rise in 2008

Many travelers took advantage of the opportunity to purchase their “Passports” on line before departing on the Olympic Peninsula Wineries’ first International Passport Wine Tour this past weekend. A quick click via the winery association’s website enables an easy, secure Pay Pal transaction in advance of all wine tours.

Visitors paired wines crafted locally from old world origin grapes with a selection of foods from some of Europe’s most famous wine growing regions. New taste sensations were discovered, including Sorensen Cellars’ Viognier and goat cheese canapes with apricots and almonds, and Olympic Cellars’ Dungeness Red Lemberger Wine and Alsatian Tarte Flambee.A good time was had by all.

The Olympic Peninsula Winerie’s next event will be the Red Wine & Chocolate Tour. This two-weekend event will take place on February 7-8, 2009 and February 14-15-16 (Presidents’ Day Weekend). More information is available at www.olympicpeninsulawineries.org. Get your advance tickets on line now!

Passport Weekend International Wine Tour

If the current economy is putting your dreams of a trip to Europe on hold for a while, head to the scenic Olympic Peninsula and taste your way through France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Portugal, and even a bit of Early America during the Olympic Peninsula Wineries’ annual Passport Weekend.

Each winery will feature a specially selected wine that has been handcrafted locally from grapes grown in Washington State. Most of these varieties have their historical roots in some of the world’s finest growing regions. And for a terrific taste sensation each winery’s highlighted selection will be paired with a small bite of internationally inspired cuisine from the representative country.
Food and wine are an important part of travel and local cultures, and they can provide a strong sense of place while they delight the taste buds. Try some of our delicious combinations and experience some International flavors without venturing too far from home!

So come join us for this special Passport Weekend and be our guest for our International Wine Tour. Sample our own local style of food and wines from around the world. No airline tickets required, and your Passports can be obtained instantly in advance on line or at any of the points of entry!

Passports are limited to just 400 visitors. Advance reservations are available on line until midnight on Thurs, Nov 6th. Any remaining Passports will be available at the door of the wineries on a first come basis. Tasting fees for visitors without Passports will be $5.00 per person per winery

Wine Tour, Crab Festival & Poker Run

Just when you thought the Dungeness Crab and Seafood Festival couldn’t get any better, the Olympic Peninsula Wineries are throwing something new into the pot.

The first annual self guided Tour of Wineries and Poker Run will take place Saturday & Sunday, Oct 11 & 12, starting at 11 am. The best five card poker hand at the end of the weekend wins a gorgeous gift basket and a trio of gift certificates from Seven Cedars Casino. Anyone age 21 and over is welcome to join the fun.
Here is how it works. Begin the run at any of the North Olympic Peninsula Wineries, the Crab and Seafood Festival’s Wine Bar located on the Port Angeles City Pier, or the Seven Cedars Casino near Sequim. Enjoy some award winning wine and pick up your Poker Run Card, complete with instructions and a map.

Each winery you visit, in addition to the Crab Festival and the Casino, offers the opportunity to draw a card and have your personal Poker Run Card stamped with the value of the card you drew. Visit all nine locations and you’ve got nine opportunities to draw for the best potential poker hand, but the number of stops is up to you. A minimum of five stops is required for validation.

Each venue will have a depository for completed cards and will accept cards until closing. The wineries will be open from 11am-5pm on Sat & Sun, the Crab Festival from 10am-7:30pm on Sat, and 10am-5:30pm on Sunday. Seven Cedars Casino opens at 10am each day and will offer the last chance to drop off completed Poker Run Cards at 7pm on Sunday.

The Poker Run is free of charge. Wine tasting will be available at all seven wineries throughout the day, and customary tasting fees will apply. At the end of the weekend all Poker Run Cards will be gathered and transferred to the casino where the winning hand will be determined. The winner will be notified by mail and email.

Come out and try your luck with
World Class Wines, Spectacular Seafood, and a winning experience!

Why you should visit

Lately as we travel it seems that almost every town a person visits looks the same. Drive down the main shopping area and you’re likely to see the same restaurant chains, the same clothing stores, and the same home improvement stores. Nothing seems unique anymore!

Uniqueness is being lost. And many large commercial wineries are contributing to its demise by providing remarkably similar experiences for their customers. Wine visitors can have a difficult time identifying what makes one large winery unique from another. Wine making is steeped with amazing traditions and values that many times customers can experience only when they visit the small distinctive family owned wineries.

Nearly all wineries will state that it is their wines that make them unique. While this is true to some extent, in visiting the wineries of the Olympic Peninsula you have the opportunity to meet the people behind the wines and experience the passion that the winemakers have for their creations. Experience first hand what it is about wines that fascinates and intrigues people. So come visit us this time of year as the wineries prepare to swing into the harvest season and immerse your self in the joy of experiencing the differences that makes wine tasting so enjoyable.

Celebrate Lavender Wine Tour

Summer covers the North Olympic Peninsula in numerous shades of purple as the designated Lavender Capital of North America comes abloom. Celebrating this seasonal heritage, the Olympic Peninsula Wineries invite the public to enjoy a special Lavender Wine Tour, from Saturday, July 12 to Sunday July 20. the seven artisan wineries will pour their new and current releases from 11- 5 daily. Drive the self-guided Lavender Wine Tour and experience the warm hospitality for which the wineries are known.

The wine tour kicks-off Sequim’s annual Lavender Festival, set to take place July 18-20. The festival is the largest lavender event in North America, attracting visitors from around the world each year. The Olympic Peninsula Wineries will be featured in the Wine & Beer Garden during the Festival Street Fair, with wines available for tasting or for purchase by the glass or by the bottle.