food
Wood Family Vineyards Release Party and Gourmet Cheese Pairings
Attended a large and fun event Sunday in Livermore Valley at Wood Family Vineyards release party. The event was to release their 2022 iconic “Against the Grain” Bourbon Barrel Aged Red Wine and highlighting other wines with artisan cheese pairings. Livermore Cheese Monger from The Cheese Parlor teamed up with Wood Family Vineyards having chosen gourmet cheeses to perfectly complement four Wood Family Wines.
Picture of Rhonda Wood Photo ©Michael Kelly
We attended the second session with several friends and met many new ones! As guests arrived at the front door, they were poured a glass of the 2023 “Para Mas Amigas” Chardonnay as they strolled and mingled with other guests. The wine and cheese pairings were set up in the working portion of the winery.
To acclimate the palate, a round red wine was offered being their 2022 Malbec to start the procession of wine and cheese pairings.
First up on the pairings was their wonderful 2022 Cabernet Franc paired with Sweet Annie Aged Sheep Milk Gouda (a crowd favorite). The cheese offered a nutty, caramel sweetness in each bite. It possessed a firm texture and melted effortlessly on the palate.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The next station was the smooth and delicious 2022 Petit Verdot which seemed to have won over our small group of friends. The cheese possessed a creamy texture with a tangy flavor profile showcasing goat’s milk. Herbal and floral notes abounded of the wine and paired exquisitely with the Gouda cheese.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
One of the most unique and thought-provoking pairings was the 2022 Petite Sirah with Coopers Hill Onion and Chive Cheddar.
Photo from Wood Family Vineyards
Inspired by the Cooper’s Hill Rolling Tradition, the sharp cheddar combines caramelized onion and fresh chive. The ultra creamy texture, combined with the robust flavor was nothing short of spectacular. For more on Cooper’s Hill event click: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wky4Ok5Ua5E?feature=share
The last tasting was the “Against the Grain” Bourbon Barreled Aged Red Wine. This was paired with Challerhocker Cow’s Milk Alpine Cheese.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The cheese comes from the Swiss Alps near Zurich and is semi-hard and known for its complex, earthy flavor and nutty notes. Aged in traditional wooden caves and once on the palate is creamy and shows caramel and hints of various spices.
Photo from Wood Family Vineyards
The cheese is easily known due to its unique picture on the rind. The cheese maker put pictures of his grandchildren on it.
Picture of Harrison Wood Photo ©Michael Kelly
The event appealed to many folks from a casual wine tasting to a thought provoking and intense exploration of the cheese and wine pairing. Well done Wood Family Vineyards!
Sláinte,
Michael
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
https://woodfamilyvineyards.com/
For stories on each of the wines go to https://californiawinesandwineries.com and view on a laptop computer. On the right-hand side of the page put in the varietal in the search engine.
Phoenix Wine of Scottsdale – A Tremendous Find
Photo ©Michael Kelly
On a recent visit to the greater Phoenix region, a strong recommendation was made to visit Phoenix Wine of Scottsdale. They are located at 8658 E. Shea Blvd, Suite 180 in Scottsdale. Went there on a Saturday afternoon just as they were finishing a wine event unbeknown to me. They were extremely accommodating and met the new proprietor, Vince Parrott. He explained that they are both a tasting room and wine store and licensed as such in Arizona. They described the space as a retail wine shop with warehouse club pricing and offering a large variety of wines available to taste by the glass. The wine tasting menu changes daily and are written on the blackboard behind the bar.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
We tasted a California Chardonnay, Pouilly-Fuissé and California Cabernet Sauvignon, all were very enjoyable.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Then perused their wines for sale set forth in a very orderly manner. Large shelf areas including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & other reds, Domestic and International wines and many white wines in a refrigerated section. The selection ranged from entry to connoisseur/collectable wines. Now the bonus is the pricing of the wines was absolutely “friendly and affordable” across the spectrum!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
We walked out with several bottles of wine including one I was searching for being a “high altitude Malbec” from Argentina. While not having an 8,000 foot elevation wine, they did have a 4,100 foot wine that was enjoyable.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
I can hardly wait for my next visit!
Sláinte,
Michael
A Culinary Delight in Modesto – Verona Cucina Italiana
Attending a birthday party in Modesto at Verona Cucina Italiana Restaurant and what a delicious evening with food and wine. While knowing the owner and executive chef, Jaime Alderete from the Verona18 at Copper Valley, had not ventured to have a meal at the Modesto location. Here they feature some exquisite dishes from Northern Italy. They are located at 1700 McHenry Avenue in the shopping center.
Photo from Verona Cucina website
Jaime and his wife Edwarda opened the restaurant in 1999. Jaime has been in the restaurant business since he was 18 years old with experience starting out as a busser. He quickly realized his culinary calling. Starting out preparing salads and then years of tutelage from top chefs from San Francisco to Sacramento he started his own kitchen. This then culminated with the opening of Verona Cucina in Modesto.
While the purpose of the evening was a birthday party, only one picture of the gorgeous presentation of the foods enjoyed was taken. Just some of the mouth watering and stunning foods were two appetizers. The first being Bruschetta (sliced toasted garlic bread, tomato, basil, garlic, drizzled with olive oil). The second was Caprese (tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, Kalamata olives, olive oil and balsamic glaze). Both were some of best devoured east of New York City!
The entrees consisted of various gourmet pizzas and main dishes. The birthday person ordered the Melanzane (baked eggplant, mozzarella cheese, seasoned tomato-cream sauce) and commented “it was the best she had ever tasted!” Another meal consumed to a shiny barren plate was the Pappardelle (house made pasta, short rib sugo, mushrooms, onions, peppers, Alta Cucina tomatoes).
I enjoyed one of the ten or so specials of the day, all of which were very appealing. Having to choose one, finally went with the Scallop sauteed and drizzled with a Japanese citrus sweet & sour sauce, mashed potatoes and sauteed fresh seasonal vegetables. The scallops were fresh and the sauce was heavenly.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The various dishes enjoyed both the 2019 Ferrari Carano Chardonnay and the 2019 MacMurray Estate Vineyards, Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Ranch. Both were excellent with the food choices.
When the meal was concluded our excellent server provided what could only be described as a gourmet dessert listing. As we had all cleaned our plates, we just couldn’t order anything else.
Left the restaurant being full of scrumptious foods and all of us can’t wait for next evening there.
Slainte,
Michael
2019 Smith-Madrone Riesling – A Classic Riesling
The Winery
(Photo taken by Matthew Denny)
Smith-Madrone Vineyards is located on 200 acres on top of Spring Mountain west of St. Helena with 38 acres planted in vineyards. The vineyard elevation ranges from 1,300 to 2,000 feet. The Founder, managing partner and enologist is Stuart Smith, Charles Smith is the winemaker and the associate winemaker is François Bugué. Truly a family affair! All the wines are estate and dry-farmed on top of the mountain. Currently their production is approximately 6,000 cases a year. They are producing Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon and their iconic Cooks Flat (blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc).
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
A quick background on Riesling shows it is the 20th most grown variety and in “terms of importance for quality wines, it is usually included in the “top three” white wine varieties together with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc planted world wide” per Wikipedia. Riesling is adaptable to grow in both warm and cool climates with the flavors varying per temperature respectively of citrus and peach notes for warm, apple and tree fruit for cooler temperature regions.
In the California Dept of Food & Agriculture Grape Crush white wine harvest in 2023 was 1,709,270 tons. Riesling was only 34,057 tons, but it showed an increase of 6% outpacing Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
The 2019 Riesling is extremely aromatic with floral notes and green apple on the nose. A more golden yellow color than previous vintage with medium viscosity. On the palate, hints of lemon zest, mixed with stone fruits (white peach and apricots) tame the lime citrus. A modicum of beeswax making it extremely mouth filling. On the finish, the minerality comes through strong and pure from either the volcanic soil, or sandstone, limestone or the general rocky soil found on the property. The minerality and acidity is jovial and enticing with a semi-sweet crescendo. Very low residual sugar (.7%) and coming in at 13.3% alcohol, Smith-Madrone Vineyards produced 1,087 cases. The current release is their 2019 and listed on their website for $40/bottle.
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
Duck, Pork, Bacon, Chicken, Shrimp, and Crab are suggested foods for Riesling. Chose this wine to pair with one of my favorite dishes, Chicken Pad Thai. However with my wife still recovering, this is the first time I prepared it. The Smith-Madrone 2019 Estate Riesling was pulled from the cellar for last night’s meal due to the spiciness of the dish called Chicken Pad Thai. Last evening went with a much more flavorful and spicy recipe. The ingredients were fresh angel hair noodles, virgin olive oil, minced garlic, cooked chicken, eggs, bean sprouts, sliced red bell pepper, green onions, peanuts, chopped cilantro and lime juice. The Pad Thai sauce included fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, Sriracha and creamy peanut butter! The Riesling’s semi-sweet finish was spot on for this meal.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Limes were plated to squeeze the juice over the top of the dish. Accompaning the meal was a fresh garden salad and steamed broccoli. The meal packed a punch of flavor and warmth! The 2019 Smith-Madrone Riesling was a godsend. The wine was refreshing and quenched the palate.
Photos ©Michael Kelly
The meal was fixed for friends joining us for dinner and one bringing the salad and the other bringing the broccoli. Beyond the dinner we enjoyed talking and sipping some other wonderful wines during and after the dinner for hours.
Photos ©Michael Kelly
The 2018 Smith-Madrone Riesling had made the Best Wines tasted in 2023 and the 2019 will also make my Best Wines tasted in 2024!
Sláinte,
Michael
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