4 main or 6 first-course servings.

Salmon or trout roe is delicious and much more affordable than sturgeon caviar.  It adds a delicate crunch to this luxurious pasta dish.  The Rosé of Pinot Noir would be a beautiful visual and flavor match.

1-pound bucatini or other long pasta such as spaghetti

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1/2 cup crème fraiche plus a little extra for garnish

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon (1 teaspoon dried)

Freshly ground black pepper

4 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon cut into 1/2-inch ribbons

4 ounces salmon caviar 

1/4 cup chopped chives

1. Bring a large pot of salter water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
2. In a large, deep skillet, melt the butter over moderate heat.
3. When the foam subsides, add the minced shallot, and cook over moderately low heat for 2 minutes, stirring.
4. Add the crème fraîche, parsley and tarragon. Stir in about 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water and season to your taste with pepper.
5. Add the pasta and toss well. Add up to 2 more tablespoons of the reserved cooking water if the pasta seems too dry. Remove from the heat.
6. Add the smoked salmon and three-fourths of the caviar and toss gently.
7. Serve in shallow bowls, garnished with the remaining caviar, a little crème fraiche and chopped chives.

Photo by John Burgess, Santa Rosa Press Democrat

Recipe by John Ash: chefjohnash.com

Makes enough to fill a 3-cup mold or dish.

The simplicity of this recipe belies its great taste.  Traditionally served in a small glass jar with a bail lid.   Serve with crisp little croutes, toasts, or crackers of your choice and, as the French do, with some little cornichons and grainy mustard on the side.  Mushrooms are a great match with Pinot Noir.  Serve a glass of the Russian River Valley Pinot Noir with this for your spring gathering.

1-ounce dried wild mushrooms such as porcini

5 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chopped shallots or green onions (white part only)

1-1/4 pounds thickly sliced fresh wild or exotic cultivated mushrooms*

2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic

2 teaspoons curry powder or to your taste

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 cup toasted, preferably unsalted cashews

2 tablespoons toasted nut oil such as walnut or olive oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped mixed herbs such as parsley, chives and/or basil

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Rinse the dried mushrooms quickly and let soak in warm water to cover for 15 minutes.  Drain, squeeze dry and chop.
2. Heat the butter in a large sauté pan over moderately high heat.  Add the shallots, all mushrooms, garlic, curry and cumin and sauté and stir until mixture is just beginning to brown and all liquid has evaporated.
3. While mushrooms are cooking add the cashews to a food processor and process till finely chopped.  Add oil and continue to process to make a paste or butter.  Add the mushroom mixture and process till almost smooth.  Stir in the herbs and zest and season with salt and pepper to your taste and place in a 3-cup pate mold or other ceramic dish.  Can be stored covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.  Allow to return to room temperature to serve.

Photo by John Burgess, Santa Rosa Press Democrat

Recipe by John Ash: chefjohnash.com

Recipe by John Ash

This makes a rich warm cheese dip with a light, airy, soufflé-like texture that can’t be beat for any occasion.  In addition to crudités, it’s delicious served to top a salad, pasta or whatever. 

2 cups whole milk ricotta (not skim or fat reduced)

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (not out of the green can!)

1 large egg, lightly beaten 

1 medium clove of garlic, peeled and minced or pressed

1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves, finely minced, or 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Butter for the baking dish

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Generously butter a 2-cup baking dish or piece of oven-safe pottery and set it aside.

With a food processor add all ingredients except butter and pulse until smooth. Scrape the mixture into the buttered dish, set the dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Let it rest for 3-5 minutes before serving hot with crusty bread, crackers, or vegetable sticks.

Recently, our Director of Winemaking Mick Schroeter conducted a tasting of various Point Reyes cheeses from their Taste of Point Reyes Gift Pack. “One of my favorite ways to pair wine with cheese is to ignore any traditional notions of what should go together and instead let the flavors speak to me. Below are recommendations and thoughts on each pairing.” – Mick 

• Gouda with Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. The Gouda is complex with a nuttiness and hints of caramel and butterscotch. “I loved the texture of this cheese with the crunchy crystals (like a well aged Parm). Made for a great pairing with the earthy qualities of the Pinot.”
• Toma with Rose’ of Pinot Noir. The Toma is described as Pt. Reyes’ “perfect any time snacking cheese” and is incredibly versatile. It’s a semi-hard cheese with a creamy, buttery flavor and a grassy tang finish. “The fruity style and bright acidity of the Rose’ paired nicely with this versatile crowd-pleasing cheese.”
• Original Blue with Russian River Ranches Chardonnay. Known as the “cheese that started it all’, it has been produced on the Pt. Reyes family farm since 2000. The flavor is bold with hints of sweet milk and a peppery finish. “Blues are tricky but the brightness and acidity of the Russian River Ranches went well with this not too powerful version. Nice weight and balance between the two.”
• Bay Blue with Rose’ of Pinot Noir. The Bay Blue is known for its mellow flavor and sweet, salted caramel finish. The Bay is a classic, powerful blue and therefore a tougher match. Once I put just a touch of the local honey (included in the gift pack) onto the cheese, BAM! Both the Russian River Ranches and Rose’ worked very nicely.”

Recipes

Here are some delicious and easy appetizer recipes from local chef John Ash. These pair wonderfully with our Russian River Ranches Chardonnay.

Frico

Frico or cooked cheese is a specialty of Friuli in Italy where it is made from the local Montasio cheese.  Any hard grating cheese such as Asiago, aged Gouda, Manchego or aged Cheddar can be used.  I like shredded Parmesan which is what I’ve used in this recipe. 

Link to recipe

Baked Ricotta

This makes a rich warm cheese dip with a light, airy, soufflé-like texture that can’t be beat for any occasion.  In addition to crudités, it’s delicious served to top a salad, pasta or whatever.  

Link to recipe

These candied walnuts are great in a salad or on a cheese and charcuterie board, or even by themselves.

May is well known for the Kentucky Derby, and the Kentucky Derby calls for at least one mint julep. Here in wine country, we replace the bourbon in the mint julep with Chardonnay. This cocktail is just as refreshing as it is unique and perfect for sipping on a warm, sunny day.

For this recipe use a good dry white wine, like Sonoma Cutrer’s Sonoma Coast Chardonnay to infuse the saffron, and of course a good home-made chicken stock. Depending on how much paprika and red chili flakes you add, you can manage the spice levels. Keep heat lower to taste the saffron and rice. One of the coolest parts about paella is cooking it in a paella pan. While it’s not necessary, you can always use a sauté pan, the flat bottom of the paella pan allows for even distribution of heat so that the rice cooks evenly. Plus, it happens to sit perfectly on top of a campfire.

Pair this with our Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and you will surely leave the dinner table full and happy.

Coulis is a type of spread or jelly that is made from fruit or vegetable puree. In this case, from red bell peppers. This coulis is sweet and tangy with just the slightest hint of heat. It is great on its own on a cheese board, but I love it as a condiment on a sandwich. Pair with a creamy cheese like soft goat or brie and a bottle of Russian River Ranches Chardonnay.

This coffee spice rub is great on red meat. It goes great on all beef. Surprisingly enough though, this rub goes incredibly well with salmon. Try this out this summer, not just on the meat of your choice but also on salmon to really taste how versatile this rub is.

Traditonally, gazpacho is made with day old break and was a peasant’s dish. When the Spanish broguht tomatoes back from the New World in the 16th century, gazpacho evolved into a dish for the bourgeoisie.

This recipe calls for heirloom tomatoes because of their extraordinary flavor and color. Use a high quality extra virgin olive oil and while it costs a bit, it is will worth the extra expense. Enjoy this soup chilled on a warm summer day with a glass of Sonoma-Cutrer Sauvignon Blanc.

This is a fun recipe! One for that backyard summer party when the barbecue is on, the sun is taking hours to set and you want to spend time with guests, not going crazy with kitchen prep. Homemade burgers are always a hit, but why not spice it up a bit with lamb?

These lamb burgers are juicy, delicious and a great pairing with the Sonoma-Cutrer Owsley Pinot Noir.

And, did I mention bacon onion jam? Adding a bit of sweetness with savory bacon is an easy trick to enhance any burger. Not only that, if you make it a couple hours before your guests arrive, the whole house smells like bacon! The Aleppo pepper is originally from the ancient city of Aleppo, Syria. It is less spicy than it is tangy and smoky. As for the aioli, its easier to make than you think and is a great way to impress your guests.

When it comes to polenta, it is all about the corn. Corn and summer are practically synonyms that go hand-in-hand. While this recipe doesn’t use fresh corn, there are varieties of corn that make for better polenta than others. One such varietal is Otto File, Eight-Row Flint. Otto File is an heirloom varietal of corn that originally was grown in New England before any Europeans settled the North American continent. While the yields are much smaller than your typical yellow summer corn, Otto File produces such a sweet flavor and creamy consistency, you might want to try the recipe without any butter or cheese first.

Every bite of this dish will make your mouth water for more fish, more corn, and more Sonoma-Cutrer Founders Reserve Chardonnay.

Spring marks the beginning of morel season here in northern California. Morel mushrooms, which are generally harder to find and more expensive, are now available in abundance and well-priced. Cooking morels with shallots and white wine will result in an explosion of flavor and umami!

Pickling is a great way to preserve leftover vegetables and white asparagus is one of my favorites to pickle! Try this terrific appetizer paired with the Russian River Ranches Chardonnay to get the full experience.

Oysters on the half shell are such a treat – perfect for a festive holiday gathering. This Mexican influenced recipe includes an adaptation of “Hog Wash”, from our friends at Hog Island Oyster Company. Salmon caviar is widely available on the internet if your local fish market does not carry – or they may order it for you. Pair with Grand Cuvée Sparkling Chardonnay.

Slow, long cooking is the key to making this dish meltingly tender. To make it even more flavorful, shred or chop the meat with its juices and then roll up in warm tortillas along with shredded cabbage, chopped avocadoes, tomatoes, sweet white onion, some cilantro leaves and lime wedges to squeeze juice over.  If you own a crock pot, this is a great recipe for this useful appliance. Serve with rice andblack beans and a glass of the Vine Hill Pinot Noir

This cheesy, creamy dish originated at a Sanborns cafe in Mexico City in 1950. Its name, “Swiss enchiladas,” in English refers to its copious use of dairy. You could use chicken, crab meat or even slow cooked pork. The creaminess of the dish is delicious with the Russian River Ranches Chardonnay.

Mexican Chicken Soup with Lime Typical of flavors found in the Yucatan. The bright lime flavor goes beautifully with the crisp Les Pierres Chardonnay. And yes . . . you can have wine with soup!

This cooking technique gives the chicken the crisp, crunchy crust we all love with a minimum of fat. This chicken recipe is superb for a springtime picnic and paired with Sonoma-Cutrer’s Russian River Ranches Chardonnay.

Farro is a favorite grain in Italy. The term farro is used when referring to three ancient wheat varieties first cultivated in the Fertile Crescent and still grown in Italy:  farro piccolo (also known by the German einkorn), farro medio (also known as emmer, the Hebrew word for mother), and farro grande (also known as spelt). The imported Italian farro available in the United States is usually the emmer variety. It’s usually labeled perlato or semi perlato (pearled) meaning it retains some, but not all of its bran and nutrients. It is still a very healthy grain. Most recipes are written for this kind of farro; which requires no soaking and cooks quickly in about 25 minutes. This dish pairs nicely with Sonoma-Cutrer’s bright, fruity Pinot Noirs such as the Owsley.

One of the classic comfort foods of Mexico which uses Mexican corn or hominy. Cooking the hominy from dry can take hours so using canned hominy is certainly acceptable. Wine is becoming a more popular beverage in Mexico and the spice of this dish would go well with your favorite Sonoma-Cutrer Pinot Noir.

I’m using salmon caviar here but you could use smoked salmon or even shaved truffle if you’re feeling flush. The custards can be baked up to 4 hours ahead. Reheat gently in a water bath.  This dish is especially delicious served with the complex Sonoma-Cutrer Founders Reserve Chardonnay.