Knights Valley
2015 Peter Michael Winery Chardonnay “La Carrière” and Baked Italian Chicken Rollatini
The Winery
Photo ©Michael Kelly
From Peter Michael Winery website: ‘La Carrière’, French for “The Quarry”, reflects the vineyard’s spoon shape and tremendously rocky soils. Situated between 1,200 and 1,700 feet (366 and 518 meters) above sea level on steep mountain slopes exceeding 40 percent in grade, the vineyard has ideal southern and southeastern exposures. The shallow, rocky soils provide excellent drainage with restricted fertility, resulting in lower fruit yields with profound richness and character. As stated by their marketing ‘La Carrière’ provides a signature complexity and liquid minerality from its mountainous origin”.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The winery produces other top-rated wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon blends, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc. Their winery is in Knights Valley in Somona County.
The history of Sir Michael David is a great read on their website listed below.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The 2015 Peter Michael La Carrière Chardonnay is a wine that can be aged like many top-shelf French Chardonnays. The deep and rich golden color was striking along with its minerality, almond, jasmine, lemon and pear notes. The intense creaminess was the hallmark of this wine coupled with a heavy viscosity. The finish provided jasmine and pear with a touch of butterscotch. Wine Advocate gave this wine 95-97 points. Currently online it is running around $170/bottle. It should be noted that this is one of the few American Chardonnay’s that is age worthy. I generally drink them 8-11 years after the vintage date.
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
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Paired this evening with a new recipe called Baked Italian Chicken Rollatini that came out spectacular! It is baked chicken rollatini that is rolled, breaded and filled with prosciutto and smoked provolone cheese. The ingredients are chicken breasts filleted and pounded, kosher salt, black pepper, EVOO, Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, smoked Provolone cheese, butter, prosciutto, chicken broth and white wine. Accompanied by baby asparagus and half a baked Russet potato.
A very good wine pairing with the Chardonnay complementing the chicken and a counterbalance to the prosciutto.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
2021 Ehret Family Winery Zinfandel – A Classic Wine with Comfort Food
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Admittedly not being a big fan of Zinfandel, I was turned around after enjoying this delicious wine! My earlier experiences of Zinfandel were of the “fruit-bomb” characteristics and since then have shied away when given a chance to taste Zinfandels.
First on the eyes, a dark and enticing purple coloring greeted you in the glass. On the nose, blueberries and freshly picked raspberries exuded from the wine glass to the olfactory senses. At this point my a priori knowledge of Zinfandel was shattered, and I was about to experience something wonderful. On the palate, blackberry preserves and blueberries were dominant. Secondary soft tones of licorice and Christmas spices were present (nutmeg, cinnamon). At the finish one of the gentler landings in the mouth with a meaty, fruit but non-sweet and light oak taste providing a fine dance begging for another sip.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
For 2021 only 125 cases were produced, and it comes in at 15.5% alcohol. The wine was aged 18 months in 40% new French oak barrels. It received 93 points and a Gold Medal at the American Fine Wine Competition. The current release is 2023 and is listed at $60/bottle and worth every penny!
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
Photo ©Michael Kelly
With the temperatures coming down with rain forecasted it was time to bring out “winter comfort food”. Dinner consisted of Serrano pepper meat loaf. Ingredients included minced Serrano peppers with seeds, panko breadcrumbs, egg, minced garlic, shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard and chili powder. Accompanied by Yukon potato and sauteed asparagus. The Zinfandel wine with its dark fruit, calmed down the spiciness of the meatloaf and provided a refreshing wine pairing with the dinner. It was a great Yin-Yang of opposites flavors. The wine being medium body complemented the rich, savory flavors and herbs in the meatloaf.
This is both an excellent wine for food pairings as well as drinking without food.
This wine will make my annual report for Best Wines tasted in 2025 that comes out in December. I am now a converted Zinfandel fan especially for Ehret’s Zinfandel!
The Winery
Photo from Ehret Family website
The Ehret Family Winery owners are Pierre and Susan Ehret with their three children Alex, Christian and Isabella. They established the vineyard and started producing grapes in 1996 at the Bavarian Lion Vineyards. It is one of the largest estates in Knights Valley consisting of 1800 acres of both hillside and valley floor terrain. Currently 500 acres are planted in vineyards, allowing the balance to provide an ecosystem for plants and birdlife to dwell. From 1996 they sold their fruit to some of the more well-known wineries throughout Napa and Sonoma counties. In 2005, they selected the highest quality grapes and started their family brand, Ehret Family Winery. Today they produce various Cabernet Sauvignon’s, Red Blends, Zinfandel, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc wines. Their tasting room is in Healdsburg at 422 Healdsburg Ave and appointments are required.
Map courtesy from Vintroux https://vineyardandwinerysales.com/
Knights Valley is in Northern Sonoma County between Alexander Valley and over the Napa Valley border next to Calistoga.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The winemaker is Erin Green who has been there since 2015. Previously Erin had experience at Sonoma-Cutrer, Vinewood Cellars and Napa Wine Company. She has also blended wines for various premium projects such as Bryant Family, Colgin Cellars, Martinelli Winery and Pahlmeyer. From 2000-2012 Erin was the winemaker and Director of Winegrowing at Pahlmeyer.
A quick update that their 2022 Bella’s Cabernet Sauvignon recently took Best of Class at the Sonoma County Fair.
Sláinte,
Michael