chilean-seabass
2018 Lavender Ridge Vineyard Roussanne and Patagonian Toothfish
The Winery
Picture from Lavender Ridge Vineyard Facebook
2018 Lavender Ridge Vineyard tasting room is in the town of Murphys in the lower Sierra Nevada foothills. Lavender Ridge specializes in Rhone varietal wines. They include Cotes du Calaveras Blanc, Viognier, Roussanne, Rolle, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Rose, Grenache, Cotes du Calaveras, Mourvedre, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Alicante Bouschet, Vin Doux and Anniversaire Blanc. They also feature an artisan cheese selection that is unique and has something for just about everyone.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
To read more about Lavender Ridge, see three previous articles:
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Roussanne on the eyes is a light radiant golden straw color with medium heavy viscosity. On the nose floral aromatics, hints of pear, apricots waft into the senses. On the palate, you are treated to a silky-smooth mouthful texture. The finish provides a soft nutty almond, compounded with a hint of honey and distinct minerality. This Roussanne is powerful with floral aromatics, with hints of peaches, pears and provided a rich and silky-smooth mouthful texture. The fullness of body, almost a creamy sense, is the key contributor making this a unique wine! Roussanne brings more acidity, elegance and aromatic complexities to the wine. Lavender Ridge 2016 Roussanne won Double Gold at the 2018 Sierra Foothills Wine Competition. Rich Gilpin, owner & winemaker, produces Roussanne as a standard varietal and a nice change up from Chardonnay! Today’s vintage is 2023 and it goes for $30/bottle. This wine has made my Annual Best Wines Tasted list for 4 years in a row. It will also make the list for 2025!
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Picture from Wikipedia
Pulled this bottle from the cellar to enjoy with Chilean seabass. The actual name is the Patagonian toothfish. The name Chilean seabass was invented by a fish wholesaler named Lee Lantz in 1977. The “pre-historic” fish with its protruding mouth and teeth was not attractive to the American market. In 1994 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration accepted “Chilean seabass” as an alternative market name for Patagonian toothfish. This fish comes from the continental shelves around the subantarctic islands. Today it is served at most fine dining establishments and considered a delicacy. The taste is clean, sweet and hints of umami. The texture is firm and flaky and the color is a bright white fish meat.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Cooked in a skillet with the following ingredients: soy sauce, olive oil, honey, minced garlic, parsley, lemon juice, Mae Ploy Sweet Chili sauce, Sriracha sauce, smoked paprika, Himalayan sea salt, pepper, and white wine. Served with sliced green onions and white sesame seeds. Accompanied by brown rice and special Holiday Honeycrisp Salad. The salad included vegetable oil, apple cider vinegar, apple cider, honey, purple onion, lemon juice, salt, ground pepper, Honeycrisp apples, Romain and iceberg lettuce, candied pecan halves, dried cherries and crumbled blue cheese.
The food and wine pairing were exquisite and a real treat this week. The wine surrounded each morsel of the flaky fish with its texture and flavors.
Sláinte,
Michael
https://californiawinesandwineries.com