November 3rd, 2010
With so many different flavors converging at the table, it’s difficult to choose just one wine for Thanksgiving. Below are some of our staff’s recommendations:
2009 THUNDERBOLT – $12
100% Sauvignon Blanc. Light-bodied with racy acidity & enticing aromas of citrus & tropical fruit with subtle herbaceous undertones.
Excellent, Wine Press NW (FALL 2010)
Recommended By: Vickie (Prosser Tasting Room)
2009 GEWURZTRAMINER – $14
This wine exhibits aromas of candied pear, lychee, and floral notes. Gracefully refreshing with crisp flavors of Asian pear and a detectable sliver of residual sugar.
Recommended, Wine Press NW (Fall 2010)
Recommended By: Jim (Woodinville Tasting Room Manager)
2008 LIGHTNING – $18
50% Viognier, 25% Roussanne, 20% Chardonnay, & 5% Marsanne. Full-bodied with a rich creamy mouthfeel & luscious flavors of pineapple, peach, vanilla, & honeyed oak.
Silver Medal, 2009 Tri-Cities Wine Festival
Silver Medal, 2010 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
90 Points, Wine Advocate
Recommended By: Aaron (Vineyard & Cellar Crew), Mike (Owner)
2009 RUBY ROSE – $14
Fresh strawberry fields breeze past the nose as rhubarb & kiwi flavors frolic across the palate. Crisp, dry, & refreshing, this rosé beckons you to kick your feet up & enjoy a relaxing afternoon.
Recommended By: Cricket (Prosser Tasting Room), Ann (Bookkeeper), Brian (Woodinville Tasting Room Lead)
2008 MUSTANG – $25
53% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 8% Cinsault, 2% Counoise, & 2% Mourvèdre. This medium-bodied Rhone style blend has flavors of raspberry, cranberry, & underlying nuances of white pepper.
Silver Medal, 2010 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Recommended By: Lori (Marketing Director), Nate (Prosser Tasting Room)
2009 BOMBSHELL – $16
45% Merlot, 41% Syrah, 8% Malbec, 4% Sangiovese, & 2% Petit Verdot. Approachable red blend with dark, overlapping aromas of plum, blackberry, and a hint of cocoa, leaving lingering flavors of dark fruit and toasted oak on the palate. With firm tannins and a round, full-bodied mouthfeel, this blend pairs well with a wide range of foods.
Recommended By: Linda (Hospitality Coordinator)
2008 MERLOT – $22
This complex, concentrated Merlot captivates the senses with intense flavors of dark berry & plum. Low yielding vines & extended barrel aging have brought forth supple tannins & a full-bodied mouthfeel.
90 Points, Wine Advocate
Recommended By: Marcus (Winemaker)
2008 COUNOISE (Wine Club Only) – $28
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.
Silver Medal, 2010 Tri-Cities Wine Festival
Recommended By: Amy (Assistant General Manager)
Tags: Bombshell, Counoise, Gewurztraminer, Lightning, merlot, mustang, Ruby Rose, thanksgiving, Thunderbolt
Posted in Airfield Staff, Holidays, Wine Tasting
May 11th, 2010
By Jeannie Rose Field
Peru and Chile have a contentious relationship. A friend who spent some time in Peru warned me before I went that being from Chile…or having lived in Chile…or having visited Chile…could get me ostracized in Peru. What could inspire this kind of animosity, you ask? Well, several things. But one of the things that really gets Peruvians riled up is Chile’s habit of “borrowing” some of Peru’s tastiest dishes and trying to pass them off as their own.
The Pisco Sour, for example, is practically the national drink of Chile, even with all its wine (most of which is exported). The drink is made from Pisco, a liquor made from the muscat grape and lime juice. In Chile, we saw them everywhere, even at wineries! Chile has tried to lay claim to the drink on the international scene…but the liquor, and the cocktail itself, are both of Peruvian origin.
Then there’s ceviche. Ceviche is essentially the technique of marinading raw or barely cooked seafood in lime juice, adding goodies like garlic, red onion, hot pepper, and cilantro. There are endless variations but they’re pretty much all an amazing explosion of color and flavor. And while it may be true that no one “owns” the technique itself, asking a Chilean and a Peruvian about the origins and ultimate technique for preparing the dish is bound to ignite a conflict.
After a week in Chile, eating ceviche numerous times in both the Peruvian and Chilean styles, we can’t say which is better—we’ll have to take another field research trip before we decide. But we can say we understand a little better why the two nations would have some conflict over claims to food: if we invented such a tasty dish and someone else tried to take the credit, we’d be mad too.
See for yourself with this version, based on an “authentic” Peruvian version… but if you take credit, like Chile does, Peru never has to know.
CEVICHE RECIPE:
STEP 1
Marinade seafood of choice (try white fish fillet, like tilapia; shrimp; octopus) in about 1 and a half cups lime juice. Key limes best approximate the flavor of the version used in South America, but you can use lemon in a pinch. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours.
STEP 2
Drain the juice and add:
• A seeded & chopped aji pepper (yellow); if you can’t find aji, try habanero or rocoto (spicy peppers!)
• 2 large red onions sliced into thin, long strips
• 2 chopped cloves of garlic
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt and pepper to taste
• About 1 more cup lime juice
STEP 3
Serve over a bed of lettuce with sides like yams, potatoes, or corn. For a wine pairing, try Airfield Estates Thunderbolt (a dry, crisp, refreshing blend of Sauvignon Blanc & Semillon).
~ For more delicious ideas from Jeannie, visit www.thefauxgourmet.com ~
Tags: ceviche, Recipe, Sauvignon Blanc, Thunderbolt
Posted in Chef's Corner
July 10th, 2009
Serves 8 people
• 32 pieces of Asparagus (snapped & cleaned) • 1 Tbs. Thyme
• ½ cup Balsamic • Pinch of Salt
• 1 Tbs. Garlic Powder • Pinch of Pepper
• 1 tsp. Onion Powder
Combine all ingredients in a zip-lock bag, shake, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Place asparagus on a hot grill, and turn every 2 minutes for 8 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Pairs well with Airfield Estates Thunderbolt (a blend of Sauvignon Blanc & Semillon).
Tags: Asparagus, food, Grill, pairing, Thunderbolt, wine
Posted in Chef's Corner
