Our bookkeeper, Ann, saw this Thomas Keller recipe on the Today Show a few days ago and decided to test it out on some homemade scones. It’s delicious!
Ingredients:
• 2 pounds Santa Rosa plums (we got whatever type of plums they had at Costco)
• 1 cup Zinfandel (or red wine of your choice, we used our 2009 Zinfandel)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar, or to taste (more sugar may be necessary depending on how tart the plums are)
Instructions:
• Cut the flesh of the plums away from the pits and cut into 3/4-inch pieces.
• Combine the plums, wine, and sugar in a large saucepan and attach a candy thermometer to the pan.
• Bring to a simmer over medium- high heat, then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, skimming off any foam that rises to the top, until the jam reaches 215° to 220°F.
• Remove from the heat. Taste the jam and add additional sugar as needed, stirring to dissolve it.
• Spoon into a canning jar or other storage container, cover, and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for up to 1 month.
MAKES 1 1/2 CUPS
*Note on Plate Testing: To check that compotes, jams, and jellies are at the right consistency, put a tablespoon of what you’re cooking on a plate and chill it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. If it is too thin, return to the heat, cook a few more minutes, and retest.
Airfield Estates is gearing up for the holiday season! Let us reduce the stress and frenzy of your holiday shopping by offering a wide array of gift ideas for your friends and family.
Visit either our Woodinville or Prosser tasting room to find gifts in all shapes and sizes. Stuff stockings with Airfield Corkscrews ($10) or Vinturi Aerators ($39.95). Serve a lovely meal with Airfield wines served in Airfield Logo Wine Glasses ($7.50). Or, celebrate Christmas morning with a 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Double Magnum ($180 – wine club discounts apply) under the tree.
If visiting one of our two tasting rooms is not convenient for your holiday shopping, visit our online store. Send wooden gifts boxes filled with Airfield wines and treats to those distant loved ones during the holiday season. Feel free to call the winery directly at 509-786-7401 if you would like assistance customizing a gift.
Gift cards and annual wine club memberships are also available. Whatever your fancy, you’re sure to elevate the season with a gift from Airfield Estates.
The 2010 grape harvest will be remembered for many years to come. The long winter and cool growing season resulted in a slow to mature crop and higher than normal acid levels. In addition, the untimely late summer rains resulted in extremely high levels of botrytis (a wine grape fungus) in specific vineyard blocks.
The net result, from the vineyard perspective, was that many of the blocks required additional crop thinning to drop the late season rot, hand-picking rather than mechanical harvesting where rot was most severe, and in some cases loss of the entire vineyard block. All of these factors significantly impacted the profitability of our farm.
On a brighter note… with these challenges came opportunities. Generally, the Yakima Valley is thought of to be too warm of a site for Pinot Noir. But with the coolest growing season in my memory, we are taking advantage of this opportunity to produce a world class Pinot Noir.
Additionally, the botrytis will give us opportunities in wine making that are not available in normal growing seasons. In general, there are two types of botrytis infections that can occur on wine grapes:
• Grey Rot – undesirable botrytis that results during consistently wet conditions.
• Noble Rot – desirable botrytis that occurs when drier conditions follow wetter.
Fortunately, we experienced the latter conditions with one of our Riesling blocks. Noble Rot dehydrates and shrivels the grapes, thus concentrating the sugars and producing a distinctively sweet dessert wine. In past vintages, we have always made our Late Harvest Wines in the style of an Ice Wine (where the grapes are frozen in order to concentrate the sugars). However, this year we are making our very first Late Harvest Riesling in the Botrytis Style (similar to the Sauternes of France).
Although the farm was affected in a negative fashion this fall, one of the more note worthy items is that the vineyard blocks that were designated to Airfield were clean and of high quality. And we are pleased to announce that the 2010 wines that we’ve been sampling in the cellar have great balance and flavor.
I would like to thank each one of you for your support and loyalty. I have found that this has been the most rewarding period of my life and despite the economic challenges and now the natural challenges of 2010, I would not trade these days for any others.
OCT. 9, 2010 - Jim Loosemore, Airfield's Woodinville Tasting Room Manager, shows an example of botrytis. (Photo taken by Jason Fukura of f/8.3 photography)
SLIDESHOWS
Below are slideshows of our 2010 Vineyard Run & Grape Stomp. The photos are fantastic! We’d like to send out a big thanks to our photographer Jason Fukura of f/8.3 photography for his great work.
As we wind down 2010, we would like to share with you some exciting news regarding our Officer’s Wine Club. First and foremost let us thank each and every one of you for your loyal support. We are honored to have such fantastic club members and hope you feel a part of our extended family!
With the addition of our Woodinville tasting room we have seen tremendous growth in our clubs. Due to this rapid increase in club membership and the desire to uphold an elite club, we have decided to set a cap in both our B-17 and B-29 clubs in 2011. The structure of these clubs will remain the same (1 case & 2 case annual commitments).
Please help us spread the word to your friends and family who may be interested in being a part of our Wine Clubs, as we anticipate them reaching maximum capacity come 2011 year end.
Additionally, please ensure you maintain your current membership by purchasing your annual wine commitment come December 31, 2010 (B-17: 12 bottles/year; B-29: 24 bottles/year).
To check the status of your purchase history, please email info@airfieldwines.com or call the winery directly at 509-786-7401.
Finally, if you have been debating upgrading from the B-17 to B-29 club, please do not delay, as space is very limited.
This delicious, heart-warming Tomato & Roasted Red Pepper Focaccia is a great dish to share with your guests during the holiday season! The recipe is brought to you by our wonderful bookkeeper, Ann, and her husband Pat, who used to own a bakery in California. When Pat brought this focaccia into the winery for our staff to try, we all fell in love with it. Additionally, we felt it paired impeccably with the 2008 Spitfire (a Super Tuscan Style Blend).
THE RECIPE
To make this wonderful bread requires 2 days…
BIGA (Make on Day 1)
Ingredients:
• 2/3 cup Room Temperature Water
• 1 3/4 cup Bread Flour
• 1 tsp. Dry Yeast
Instructions:
• Mix room temperature water and yeast until yeast is dissolved.
• Stir in flour by hand until ingredients are well combined.
• Dough will be lumpy (do not over mix – dough should not be smooth)
• Leave biga out in a towel covered (draft free area – you do not want the dough to form a crust) for 1 hour.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator over night.
TOMATO & RED PEPPER FOCACCIA TOPPING AND MARINADE
(Prepare on Day 2 Before Mixing Focaccia)
Tomato & Red Pepper Topping
Ingredients:
• 1 lb. 4 oz. Thin Sliced Roma Tomatoes
• 16 oz. Jar (drained) Roasted Red Peppers, sliced
• 4 Cloves Minced Garlic
• 1/4 cup Chopped (coarse) Italian Parsley (Leaves ONLY)
*Please Note: Set the chopped parsley aside until after focaccia is baked.
Marinade
Ingredients (Mix the following together):
• 1/3 Cup Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. Lemon Juice
• 1/4 tsp. Salt
• 1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
• 1/4 tsp. Minced Garlic *Please Note: If substituting the Olive Oil with Aprés Vin Garlic Grapeseed Oil,
omit the minced garlic from the marinade.
Instructions for Marinade & Toppings
• Set aside chopped parsley.
• Pour the marinade over the remainder of the toppings (tomatoes, red pepper, & garlic).
• Toss to thoroughly coat.
• Set aside the mixture of toppings & marinade until the focaccia is ready for baking (see focaccia instructions below).
• Drain excess liquid off the toppings and sprinkle toppings evenly over focaccia.
• Sprinkle the chopped parsley over the focaccia and toppings AFTER removing from the oven.
• Serve warm or cold.
FOCACCIA (Make on Day 2 after prepping the toppings & marinade)
Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
Ingredients:
• 1 7/8 cup Room Temperature Water
• Biga from the refrigerator
• 4 cups Bread Flour
• 2 tsp. Yeast
• 1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar, packed
• 2 tsp. Sea Salt
• 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Instructions:
• Mix water, biga, bread flour, brown sugar and yeast on low speed in a Kitchen Aid mixer for two minutes.
• Add salt and mix for 1 minute on low speed.
• Mix for 3 minutes on medium speed and add olive oil.
• Mix an additional 3 minutes or until dough is smooth. Dough will be soft.
• Put dough in lightly oiled, (olive oil) 13″ X 18″ half sheet pan, loosely cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 2 hours.
• Pour 1/2 cup olive oil into a second 13″ X 18″ half sheet pan, transfer dough to this pan, and stretch and pull dough until dough evenly covers pan (the olive oil, for the most part, remains under the dough).
• Poke with fingers to get a bubbled look to dough. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature until about double in size.
• Put toppings on at this point, if desired.
• Turn oven down to 420 degrees and bake for 30 minutes.
• Edges will be light golden brown.
• If using toppings, evenly sprinkle chopped Italian Parsley over focaccia and toppings.
• Cut with knife or pizza cutter to size desired and serve.
• May be served warm or cold.
My grandmother always made applesauce and rice cakes. I remember not liking the way she left the peels on the apples (“but that’s where the fiber is!†she’d say), but I loved the smell of cinnamon perfuming the house. And even though the rice cakes were so … healthy … they were warm and comforting. I loved it when grandma visited!
As the cold weather comes in, I find myself craving that kind of comfort food, but now that I’m grown, I want something a little more sophisticated, too.
These recipes are updates on grandma’s classics, grown up comfort-food. And since we’re all grown ups here, how better to enjoy comfort food than with a nice, relaxing glass of Airfield wine? Another great thing about these recipes is they make a meal equally tasty with bright whites or fruity reds-or a little of both!
Serving suggestion: The only problem with fall foods is they’re awfully brown! Spruce up these dishes with a side of your favorite green-steamed beans, roasted Brussels sprouts, a fresh salad. Besides, grandma always said to eat your veggies.
Latkes (Potato Pancakes)
Latkes are potato pancakes, an easy, filling meal with as many variations as there are spices and herbs. These are made with sweet potatoes and flavored with a savory mix of spices. The recipe below makes about 6 latkes. Warm up leftovers in a toaster oven for breakfast!
Grate 2 sweet potatoes with a food processor.
Mix in a large bowl: ½ cup flour, 2 tsps sugar, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp cayenne powder, 2 tsp curry powder, 1 tsp cumin, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Add 2 eggs and just enough milk to make a stiff batter-about ½ cup.
Stir the batter into the sweet potatoes.
Heat about ¼ inch oil in a pan until it is barely smoking. Make patties of the potato mixture using about a half cup batter, dropping into the oil. Fry on each side for several minutes, until golden. Drain on a paper towel.
Serve made with a sauce of ¼ tsp ginger powder, 2 tsp honey, 2 tsp water, and 1 tsp lemon juice. Microwave for 15-20 seconds and stir to combine. Add more honey to taste.
Adapted from Jewish Cooking in America, Sept. 1998; Joan Nathan
Pear-Applesauce
Core and chop into wedges about 10 cups of a mixture of pears and apples, about 1/3 pears to 2/3 apples.
In a large pot, add to the fruit 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, ¾ cup lemon juice, a cinnamon stick, a few whole cloves, and about 1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium and cover. Let simmer until fruit is soft, stirring occasionally so bottom doesn’t burn. When fruit is quite soft, mash with a potato masher into a puree. Strain through a wide strainer to catch spices and bits of peel.
Recommended Pairing: 2009 Thunderbolt or 2009 Counoise
Adapted from Bon Appetit, March 2006
Thai Fishcakes
In a food processor mix about 3 mild-flavored white fish fillets (tilapia is a good choice), 3 tbsp red curry paste, rind from one lime, 2-3 tbsp fish sauce, 1 egg, 3 tsp corn flour, 1 heaping tsp baking powder, 1 loose tbsp brown sugar.
If you can get kaffir lime leaves (at an Asian grocery store), remove stems and roll leaves up tight, like a cigar, then finely chop lengthwise.
Put fix mixture in a bowl and stir in about a half cup thinly sliced green beans (or, if you can get them, long beans-you’ll know them by their … length.)
Make patties approximately 2 inches across and flattened to about ½ inch. Fry both sides in oil in the same manner as the latkes.
Serve with a dipping sauce of equal about 6 tbsp water and sugar and 1 tbsp wine wine vinegar, heated to dissolve sugar, and 1 thinly chopped chili.
2008 AVIATOR – Best of Class
This complex blend has a rich bouquet of dark berries, spice and vanilla bean. Well structured tannins frame the way for flavors of boysenberry and black cherry to disperse across the palate. Enjoy this rich blend with pheasant, braised meats, and hard cheeses.
2008 CABERNET SAUVIGNON – Silver Medal
Overlapping aromas of dark berry and spice swirl together with nuances of toasted oak and tobacco. Bold flavors of blackcurrant and dark cherry tantalize the palate exuding depth and complexity with integrated tannins. Enjoy this wine with grilled steak, rich sauces, and robust cheeses.
2009 UNOAKED CHARDONNAY – Silver Medal
Crisp, dry, and refreshing with aromas of honeysuckle, melon, and tropical fruit, this 100% stainless steel fermented Chardonnay showcases authentic varietal characteristics. Citrus flavors engage the palate with a round, lively mouthfeel and a lingering finish. This wine is enjoyable on its own or pairs nicely with seafood and pan-Asian cuisine.
2009 COUNOISE – Silver Medal
100% Counoise. Typically a blending component, this varietal often goes unnoticed. However, this vintage produced a wine of such high quality that it warranted being bottled as a stand-alone variety. This medium-bodied wine is multi-dimensional with layers of spice, toasted oak, dark cherry, and plum. It has soft tannins, an elegant structure, and exceptional balance. It pairs well with chicken, turkey, slow-cooked meats, and creamy pasta dishes.
$28 Wine Club Only
2009 THUNDERBOLT – Bronze Medal
100% Sauvignon Blanc. The Thunderbolt is a dry, refreshing white wine that lights up your taste buds with abundant flavors of zesty lemon-lime and tropical fruit. Well balanced with bright acidity, this wine sparks a clean, crisp finish that pairs perfectly with oysters, tossed salads, light fish and chicken.
2008 MALBEC – Bronze Medal
This full-bodied wine showcases flavors of plums and blackberries with underlying hints of white pepper and toasted oak. With a velvety texture and long lasting finish, this robust red can hold its own against anything from backyard barbecues to spicy Cajun cuisine.
In this month’s Airfield newsletter, we are paying tribute to Gary Niemeyer. Gary, the lead foreman of Airport Ranch, has worked with all four generations of the Miller family. With an impressive 50 years of service under his belt, Gary has been an integral part of the Ranch’s success and will be retiring February 20th, 2011.
Gary’s career began on February 20th, 1960 – only 6 days before his 19th birthday – when Gary asked Don Miller (the owner of Airport Ranch) if he needed a hard working young man to work on the farm. With no hesitation, Don immediately hired him, and Gary began working as an irrigator on the farm. At that time, Airport Ranch had a very diversified portfolio of crops: mint, corn, sugar beets, wheat, alfalfa, asparagus, and cattle.
Gary made Airport Ranch not only his place of work, but also his home. Gary and his wife Joan moved into the old Mess Hall, which was part of the original WWII Airbase. The Mess Hall became his primary residence for close to a decade.
As the late 60′s approached, the talk of planting grapes soon became reality. Gary recalls when we planted our first grapes. In those early days, growing grapes was trial and error you could say, a scientific study, trying to figure out which variety would best suit in our valley. We learned about viticulture by doing it, and incorporating our agricultural knowledge of other crops. While we were fine-tuning our viticulture skills, mint and sugar beets still remained our primary production and cash crops. Over the next five years, we experimented with over twenty different grape varieties. And based on our early results, Chardonnay became our wine grape of choice. We still have three rows of our initial 1968 Chardonnay plantings in production.
From 1968 onward, Airport Ranch has converted nearly all of the original crops to vineyards. Currently, we have approximately 860 acres of wine grape and 26 different wine grape varietals.
Over the course of time, as Airport Ranch evolved, so did Gary’s roles and responsibilities. Gary transitioned into our farm’s mechanic, engineer, supervisor, & overall Ranch Foreman. Gary’s hard work and dedication has been an integral part of the success of our operations.
Gary and his son, John, are an amazing team on the farm. They can modify just about anything to keep Airport Ranch running smoothly. For example, they were the first to modify a grape harvester by adding a heated cab. Their creation made it back to the Korvan harvester company who now offers this option from the factory.
This past year, I have had the pleasure of working with Gary. He is incredibly skilled at what he does. I guess you can say that Gary is a master of many trades in the farming industry. Although Gary is retiring, I am sure he will continue to be a familiar face and have a presence on the farm and at the winery from time to time.
With fifty years of service under his belt, Gary‘s career has been a part of 4 generations at Airport Ranch. On behalf of the crew at Airfield Estates & Airport Ranch, I would like to salute Gary for his hard work, dedication, & countless contributions.
