I’ve been all over this wonderful state in the past few weeks engaging in what some would refer to as work. Of course, work requires energy which depends upon sustenance that is fueled by food and enhanced by liquids - especially those produced from fermented grapes.

In other words, I made a point of eating and drinking well. And, as always, your intrepid wineaux sought out opportunities to evaluate wines that you might find appealing. So without further ado, here are some goodies for your consideration.

2007 Bridlewood Viognier ($14)While viognier originated in France's Rhone Valley, the grape is grown especially well in California, and particularly along that state’s central coast. The Bridlewood is an extremely aromatic wine with aromas of ripe peaches and apricots. Round, lush and slightly sweet, it has mango and tropical fruit flavors with a nice touch of acidity enabling it to pair well with foods such as stir fry pork and veggies in a honey/soy sauce.

2007 Emmolo Merlot ($25)This is a Napa Valley merlot made in the style of Duckhorn at about half the price. Deep, dark fruit and mocha flavors along with mid-palate tannin and excellent acidity make this a wine that needs to be decanted for a couple of hours if it is to be consumed in the short term. However, I’d buy a few bottles to hold for three to five years and taste this baby when it is at its peak. This wine needs full-flavored roasted meat like prime rib or sirloin of pork infused with plenty of garlic and black pepper.

2008 Villa Pozzi Nero D' Avola ($10)Nero d’avola is the ubiquitous red of Sicily and Villa Pozzi’s 2008 version of the wine is a good one. Ripe cherries and spicy cola flavors predominate in this medium-bodied wine that is exceptionally well balanced. Like most Italian wines, this one is made to be paired with food and my choice would be grilled lamb chops that had been marinated in lemon, olive oil, garlic and rosemary.

2008 Acrobat Pinot Gris ($12)Oregon is known for pinot noir and is also getting a well-deserved reputation for producing distinctive pinot gris. Made by King Estate in Oregon, Acrobat stylistically is a cross between the crisp, floral type of pinot gris produced in northern Italy and the rounder, fuller bodied wines of Alsace. Ripe green apple and melon flavors with crisp acidity, this is a porch sipper that would also be great with strawberries and cheese and other appetizer foods.

2008 Wente Riva Ranch Chardonnay ($23)Produced from grapes grown in the Arroyo Secco region of Monterey County, this is the style of chardonnay that I truly enjoy. Rich and creamy on the palate, this wine is extremely well balanced with just a kiss of oak and none of the overripe tropical flavors sometimes present in chardonnay produced in California. Roast a rosemary and garlic -rubbed chicken breast stuffed with chevre, sun-dried tomatoes and chives and then pour yourself a glass of this elixir. Nirvana!

You may have noticed that the produce section in your local food market is chock full of great deals on artichokes this time of year. Most of these semi-obscure vegetables are grown and harvested in California or Florida, and I covet the little buggers about as much as I do our wild and wonderful ramps, which are also at their peak in springtime.

Now artichokes (and certainly ramps) are not on everyone’s favorite foods list. In fact, I surmise that most people eat artichokes less frequently than ramps and about as often as they might consume … say… chicken lips - which is less than never.

Those who do like artichokes, though, have one overriding complaint: they can’t find a wine that gets along with these spiny cylindrical balls. The overwhelming complaint is that artichokes make all wine taste sweet. My own experimentation initially resulted in the same impression. Neither white nor red worked.

Most people who do take the time (and it does take a considerable time commitment) to prepare artichokes use the standard butter/garlic/lemon bathe, or some version of an aioli whereby the leaves of the vegetable are dipped into the sauce and then consumed by sliding them between the upper and lower teeth.

Try as I might, I had been unsuccessful in finding any wine that would do anything other than turn overly sweet when sipped after eating artichokes in this manner. Now, the artichoke heart is another matter. No problem with using this in salads or in an omelet and finding a white wine- particularly sauvignon blanc – that matched it. But the leaves are another matter.

However, I am not easily deterred when it comes to finding a way to marry two of my favorite consumables, and so I persisted until I created a modified version of an old Italian family recipe - and that did the trick!

My dear mother would stuff the artichoke leaves with a fairly potent combination of ingredients and then serve them as an appetizer or just have around the home for snacking. I have prepared artichokes in this manner for years and, while this treatment fared better with wine, it still fell a little short.

Then a revelation -like a bolt of lightening – hit me in the middle of the night. What this dish needed was more substance in the form of Italian sausage. The rest is history and I’ll share it with you.

This year I took a bold step into uncharted culinary territory by adding ramps to the mixture. Exquisite!!

As far as wine matches with the recipe below, white still worked the best although I would substitute chardonnay for sauvignon blanc. Try a medium to full bodied chardonnay such as Acacia Carneros, Chalone Estate or Talley Vineyards. If you dare to add ramps, you’ll need a big zin such as Ridge Geyserville or full-bodied Malbec such as Catena.

Wild and Wonderful Stuffed Artichokes (ala Calabrese) 2 medium sized artichokes, stems reserved 1 egg 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon chili flakes 2 teaspoons of minced garlic 1 half cup of grated pecorino romano cheese 2 and one half cups of toasted Italian bread crumbs 2 links of cooked Italian sausage finely chopped 1 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground pepper 1 half cup of chopped ramps (optional) 4 twelve inch long pieces of aluminum foil

Prepare the artichokes by cutting the stems off the bottom (reserve) and take about three quarters of an inch off the tops and discard them

Trim the stems on all sides until the center (white in color) is revealed. Chop this up and add to the mixture

Spread open the artichoke leaves and with an ice cream scoop or spoon carefully take out the center section or choke part of the vegetable

In a mixing bowl, combine the oregano, chili flakes, ramps, sausage, bread crumbs cheese, artichoke stems, salt and pepper and mix in the egg

Preheat the oven to 425 F

Spoon in the artichoke mixture (starting from the center) and adding it to as many of the leaves as possible

Drizzle olive oil evenly over the artichokes and double rap with the aluminum foil

Bake at 425F for 90 minutes, allow to cool and serve.

You may wish to make this dish ahead of time, refrigerate and use it as a heavy appetizer. Be sure to allow the artichokes to come to room temperature before serving.

Enjoy !!

Summer is almost here and if you’re like me, you will do almost anything to avoid yard work. One of my  best “get out of yard work” ploys is to offer my services as chef de cuisine  in the Brown household from time to time. I take this obligation seriously regardless of the menu  du jour and make sure that even the most humble meal is accompanied by an appropriate wine. Ah, but therein lies the challenge. Pairing wine with an appropriate menu selection can be an intimidating exercise, particularly when you’ve invited a few friends or business associates to dinner.  However, it can also be fun. Today, I’ll give you a few tips that will hopefully make the experience more enjoyable than daunting. I know you’ve all heard the first commandment in the food and wine bible: Thou shalt not match red wine with white meat or fish, nor white wine with beef, game or other meats. For instance, there is hardly a better wine and food pairing for you carnivores than a thick, juicy steak accompanied by a full-bodied cabernet sauvignon like the ones produced at Franciscan, Silver Oak or Catena (from Argentina). Likewise, it is hard to beat pairing a full-bodied, unctuous Chardonnay such as Chateau Montelena, Talley Vineyards or Falcor with a rich seafood dish like lobster with drawn butter. While these two classic food and wine combinations seem to underscore the tenets of the food and wine bible, I’m going to advise you to break that commandment on occasion. After all, every now and then a little sinnin’ is fun. So let’s start breaking rules. Fish with red wine?  You bet, but here’s a little tip: red wines, particularly medium-bodied ones such as pinot noir or sangiovese, match well with fully flavored fish such as salmon, tuna (not the canned kind) or sword fish. However, using these same wines with delicate seafood like sole, flounder or scallops will provide a sensation akin to running your fingernails down a blackboard. Try matching a grilled fillet of salmon that has been dry rubbed with cumin, chili powder and brown sugar with a pinot noir like Domaine Serene Yamhill or David Bruce, or a sangiovese-based wine from Monte Antico or Cecchi Bonizio.  Lock your lips around a glass of one of these wines after a bite of grilled salmon and you may start speaking in tongues. These same type reds do well with white meats such as grilled chicken, veal or all cuts of pork too. How about a big juicy hamburger with Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio? Nah, it won’t work because the hamburger will overpower the delicacy of these particular wines. But try a medium-bodied white such as 2008 Wente Riva Ranch Chardonnay or a Rose (such as Mulderbosch Rose of Cabernet) and it works quite well. Herbal flavored foods like those with sage, basil, rosemary or dill go great with the grassier-styled sauvignon blanc.  Kenwood, Dry Creek and Murphy-Goode come to mind as good accompaniments to herb-enhanced foods like pesto, sage dressings, dill mayonnaise and asparagus - just to name a few. I love fuller-bodied reds with pasta in a marinara sauce. You may be surprised to know that I am not particularly fond of Chianti with this dish because I think it gets rolled over by the red sauce.  I suggest Zinfandel (Renwood Old Vines, Montevina, Ridge Geyserville) or blended wines such as Big House Red and Marietta Old Vines with traditional pasta in red sauce.. Sparkling wines are wonderful paired with  salty or spicy foods. Try Pierre Sparr Cremant Brut or Domaine Chandon Blanc De Noirs with smoked salmon , popcorn or  anchovies along with jalapeno and other hot pepper appetizers. Gewurztraminer ( Hogue, Columbia, Navarro)  and riesling (Ch. Ste. Michelle, Hugel or Clairborne and Churchill) are spectacular with oriental dishes, particularly sushi, maki Thai and spicy Chinese cuisine. For chocolate desserts save a little of that full-bodied Cabernet from dinner and give it a try. I also love Tawny Port  (Taylor or Fonseca) with nuts and blue cheese, and late harvest riesling (Chateau St. Jean) with.... …anything!

Last time, I regaled you with my version of wine and food pairings and today I’ll continue along that theme line with a little more emphasis on summertime wines.

Once the weather moderates, some people’s thoughts turn to gardening or even golf. Not mine. Summertime gets me (and my trusty old Weber) fired up to start grilling various hunks of meat and/or vegetables, and accompanying these tasty delights with picnic-style wines that refresh the body and the calm the spirit.

I’m not talking about altar wine here! No sireee Bob. I’m suggesting lighter-bodied whites and reds that fit the casual feel of outdoor cooking as well as pair terrifically with grilled foods. These lighter-style wines also benefit from a little chilling, particularly the reds, which will provide a refreshing counterpoint to the sometimes spicy entrees being prepared.

How about a crisp, herbaceous sauvignon blanc with herbal-suffused foods such as salmon with dill or grilled asparagus, or even a pesto of parsley and garlic over linguine? Look for lively sauvignon blancs from Nobilo, Alan Scott, Caymus, Groth, Estancia, Kenwood, St. Michelle, or Sterling that are wonderful accompaniments to these types of foods.

Sangiovese and pinot noir are my choices for red wines in the warm months, particularly when matched with grilled lamb. Whether you choose a boned and butter flied leg, chops or – my favorite – rack of lamb, these wines do not over-power the food, but rather compliment and enhance the flavors. From Tuscany, try wines such as Villa Banfi Centine and Monte Antico, as well as Chianti producers such as Monsanto, Fossi, Cecchi, Brolio, and Nozzole.

Light to medium bodied pinot noirs are also great choices for grilled chicken, lamb or beef dishes such as flank steak. Try wines from these producers: Carneros Creek, Chalone, Foris, Eveham Wood, La Crema and Monterey Vineyard.

Among the best choices for picnic fare is rose’ which can be used as both an aperitif and as an accompaniment to foods such as hot dogs, hamburgers or grilled sausages of all types. Some of my favorites include, Masciarelli Rose, Domain Lafond Tavel Rose, Bonny Doon Big House Pink, Tempier Bandol Rose and Mulderbosch Rose of Cabernet.

A Summertime Recipe Okay, so here’s a recipe for a lovely grilled vegetable and pasta dish that would marry just about any of the wines mentioned above. Start with two large, sweet red peppers, which you will cut in, half lengthwise and core. Rub the peppers with olive oil, salt and pepper and garlic and then grill them over charcoal until they are scorched and limber – yet not limp.

Put the peppers aside and in a pan sauté a tablespoon of minced garlic, half a cup of parsley, one-half cup of onions and two tablespoons of chopped proscuitto or pancetta (Italian bacon). In another pot, bring two-cups of chicken or beef broth to a boil, and add one-half pound of orzo (the little pasta that looks like rice). Lower the heat and add the onions, garlic, etc. into the mixture and stir slowly on low to medium heat until the pasta is tender. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.

Once the orzo is cooked add one-half cup of grated parmesan cheese and then stuff the red peppers with the mixture. Top the peppers off with a little mozzarella and put them into a 325-degree oven for ten to fifteen minutes and serve. You may accompany this dish with grilled lamb or chicken or eat it as a stand-along meal. Bon Appetit!

When most of us think of California wine country our thoughts naturally track to Napa or Sonoma counties- two of the most famous wine appellations in the entire world.

However, if you are unfamiliar with Monterey County, you need to take a trip down the Golden State’s coast (about a 100 miles south of San Francisco) and sample the truly amazing variety of wines produced in this topographically diverse region.

Just recently, I had occasion to re-visit the area and today I’ll try and paint a picture of the region as well as share some of my tasting notes from some of Monterey’s best wines.

In addition, the Monterey Peninsula is also an overflowing cornucopia of fruits and vegetables with thousands of acres of fertile farm land producing everything from artichokes to garlic.

From Carmel Valley and the Santa Lucia Highlands in the north to San Bernabe and San Antonio Valley in the south, Monterey County is an incredibly large wine producing region with more than 40,000 acres of vineyards, 85 wineries and nine distinct American Viticultural Areas (AVA’s). It also features breath-taking vistas of the Pacific Ocean, picturesque seaside villages and the rugged coastal highlands.




The variety of soil composition, topography and unique micro-climates allow the county to produce a wide range of wine styles. Probably the most significant influence on grape growing in Monterey is the Pacific Ocean where just off the coast the depth of the sea plunges more than two miles.

This “Blue Grand Canyon” as it is locally known has a tremendous effect on the coastal climate where summertime temperatures on shore can reach triple digits during the day and plunge 40 or 50 degrees F at night. In addition, morning fog delays the heat and combines to give Monterey County a long, cool growing season which is perfect for just about all great varietals, particularly chardonnay and pinot noir.

I had the occasion to taste a fairly wide variety of wines from different AVA’s in Monterey County, and I was pleasantly surprised by their overall balance of fruit, alcohol and acidity As you know from reading these tomes, I value wines that pair well with food and are balanced, especially ones that are subtle and complex. I certainly prefer wines of this style rather than the “in your face” alcoholic fruit bombs that seem to have a gained a cult wine following and which are more suited to accompanying road kill than real food. But I digress.




My first stop was the tasting room at Robert Talbott Vineyards. Talbott was founded in 1982 and the winery concentrates on pinot noir and chardonnay grapes planted in two distinct estate vineyards – Sleepy Hollow in the Santa Lucia Highlands and the Diamond T in Carmel Valley. I was led through the tasting of the Talbott portfolio of wines by Ross Allen, director of marketing and a wine industry veteran.






Here are my tasting notes for the Talbott wines. Incidentally, these wines should be available throughout the state.

2008 Talbott Kalie Hart Chardonnay ($24)  Named after Robb Talbott’s daughter Kalin, this wine literally bursts with clean, crisp chardonnay fruit, yet it has roundness on the finish that comes from extended aging on the lees. Nicely balanced with citrus and peach notes, I would suggest pairing it with halibut in a beurre blanc sauce.

2008 Talbott Sleepy Hollow Chardonnay ($40) The essence of what California chardonnay can and should be, this wine is a combination of power and subtly with ripe apricot and peach flavors and a nose of butterscotch and freshly baked bread. Exceptionally balanced with a lingering finish, the Sleepy Hollow chardonnay deserves to be accompanied by either roasted Chilean sea bass or lobster and drawn butter.

2008 Talbott Logan Pinot Noir ($26) This Santa Lucia Highlands pinot noir (named after Robb’s son Logan) is a medium bodied wine with jammy, earthy aromas, ripe cherry/cola flavors and a hint of spice and vanilla on the finish. Pork tenderloin roasted and sauced with cherries or blueberries would be a lovely combination with this tasty wine.

2008 Talbott Sleepy Hollow Vineyard Pinot Noir ($40) Spicy, rich and full bodied, the Sleepy Hollow pinot noir is a fairly powerful wine with dark fruit flavors balanced by an acid backbone that pulls the wine together. This one has some aging potential and should reward the patient wine lover with an even better experience with three to five years in bottle. Pair it now with grilled King salmon or apple wood smoked chicken.

Next time we’ll take a look at a few other wines from Monterey County. Stay tuned.