Tasting Notes:
This is tasting beautifully! Notes of vanilla bean, cinnamon and tea leaves on the nose. Let is sit for a bit in the glass and it opens up to slight hints of forest floor. Silky smooth tannins and balanced acidity envelop the palate with notes of strawberry and baking spices.
Notes of sunshine:
What a great time we had with this newly vineyard contract. Elyse and Marcus were very all over it to ensure we had the best grapes possible when we clipped, picked and rolled them in. It’s the right soil, right farming, right clone…. right everything. We’re so happy we can now drink Burgundy-ish Pinot from CA.
Fun facts:
A challenge is what drives us. Ours is to make world class French styled Pinot Noir in Lodi, CA. Seven years and now two vineyards into this, we totally see the potential and our dream coming true. For this vintage we have a new family and vineyard to work with. The elf is giggling, that is good. So drop a cube and enjoy it cool, our newest Pinot.
Farm notes:
Pinot Noir is delicate thin-skinned grape that loves care and attention in the vineyard. The way Elyse and team farms this one is to capture the most subtle complexity, while retaining all the freshness, natural acidity and keeping that pretty tone. We’ve allowed the grapes a chance to hang on the vine a little longer to mature and develop complexity.
Grape history:
Pinot Noir is the unicorn of wine grapes. Why? It's silky, subtle, every changing in the bottle and in the glass. There are times when it’s pure magic, crazy beautiful. Pinot Noir is also very sensitive and should never should be blended or over worked in the cellar. At its best it’s delicate in color, aroma and flavor. It always takes a light careful touch to bring out its inner beauty.
Recipe:
Tarbell’s Pinot Braised Mushrooms
½ lb Fresh Crimini, Button or Porcini Mushrooms - best available, organic, local & fresh – sliced thin
2 sprigs of fresh organic thyme – picked to just leaves
3 T Organic shallots minced
3 T Cha Cha "Silky" Pinot Noir or a lovely red
2 T Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 T Organic unsalted butter
1 T fresh organic lemon juice or to your taste
1 T battons of Fresh Organic Chive (for garnish)
Organic Sea Salt to taste
- Heat a pan to medium- high heat plus temp then add enough EVOO to cover the bottom of the pan.
- Quickly add the shallots and move them rapidly it for a couple of minutes, make sure you stir it with a rubber spatula until shallots are translucent, do not burn.
- Once the shallots have been seared, add thyme and sliced muchrooms and keep stirring with a rubber spatula. so as not to break them.
- Add a pinch of salt
- Keep moving mushrooms over solid medium heat or higher if you’re comfortable.
- Add Wine Once the wine is almost fully reduced.
- Add Cold Butter stiring all the time (take care not to "break" the sauce- have the butter melt and bead).
- Let reduce until a creamy consistency
- Season with salt and lemon juice and check for salt .
Serve on Grilled Rustic Bread (spread with fresh goat cheese) or over Roasted Chicken, Grilled Steak or Roasted Cauliflower.
Tarbell’s Crazy Elf Tip:
Try a Spanish Red Wine Drink inspired from the 1920’s refresher Kalinotxo or (Calimocho)
1 part Tarbell’s Cha Cha Mouche Pinot Noir
1 part San Pellegrino Blood Orange and Black Raspberry
(Or go Old School Traditional 1 part Mexican Coca Cola)
Garnish with a slice of lemon
Enjoy!