How will the owners of Portalis spend their Thanksgiving? I spent a few minutes with Jens and Julie to ask what they’ll be cooking up for the holiday:

Portalis Wine Blog: So, how will you two be spending your rare day off together for the upcoming holiday?
 Julie: This year we will be celebrating at home with our two girls, Clara and Annelie, and we’ve invited another couple, both from Germany and their little daughter.  A nice meal, some wine with friends, all around a cozy fire. We are very excited.
PWB: I’m curious what’s on the menu?
 Julie: Well, Germans don’t eat a lot of turkey, it’s not a common food there. So we thought we’d switch it up this year and prepare something different. Jens suggested one of his special dishes, Paella!
PWB: That’s definitely different for Thanksgiving, but sounds delicious. So what will be your contribution to the meal?
 Julie: In keeping with the Spanish theme, I thought I’d prepare homemade brandade (salt cod) paired with a sparkling Cava from Casteller. Next will be a frisée salad with an anchovy vinaigrette paired with Palacios 2007 Remondas Placet, a white Rioja. Oh, and there’ll be a big plate of orange slices, a bowl of peas and lots of homemade bread on the table for the kids.
PWB: Jens, you’re in charge of the main course, Paella. Tell me how you like to prepare it and some of your secret ingredients.
 Jens:  I like to take my time, by prepping some of the ingredients the day before. The main secret is to cook the rice in clam juice. I like to put lots of different seafood and meat in it: dungeness crab, halibut cheeks, scallops, octopus, prawns, shrimp, chicken, sausage, bacon, bell peppers, herb salt, saffron and pepper. 
PWB: Sounds awesome! What wine will you be drinking with it?
 Jens: Well, we’ll do several…(We’re German!) Clos Les Fites 2003 Priorat, El Quintanal 2005 Ribera Del Duero, and then maybe Celler Tomas 2006 Vilosell Costers del Segre . These reds range from plummy and elegant to full-bodied and spicy.
PWB: …And for dessert? assuming you have room.
 Jens: Our friend Nickie is a trained chef and will be making flan as well as her specialty… apple tart tatin. I can’t wait!
PWB: Which dessert wine have you selected?
 Jens: Eiswein of course for the tart.  Then probably Moscatel for the flan.
PWB: Just one more question, “Do you have room for one more at the table?”

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! For suggestions on wine pairings for your holiday meal, feel free to contact Jens (jens@portaliswines.com) for recommendations. Also, check out our Food+Wine page for a new spin on a traditional meal from Chef Tracey.

Cheers!
Gina

Posted: Tuesday, November 03, 2009
PORK TENDERLOIN with parsnip purée, braised chard, golden raisin & pine nuts ($14) paired with Bishop Creek Cellars 2006 Pinot Noir Barrel Selection $9 glass / $21 per bottle

Pork is not only delicious, but it’s a very versatile meat with varying cuts and preparations that allow for very different dining experiences.  With that goes a wine versatility as well.  Pork pairs well with fuller-bodied whites, such as a Washington Viogner blend (Thurston Wolfe 2008 PGV $18), Oregon Pinot Gris (try: Spindrift Cellars 2008 Pinot Gris $18.50) or a Bordeaux Blanc (try: Chateau La Freynelle 2007 Bordeaux Blanc $13) as well as lighter-bodied reds such as Pinot Noir (as is the case with the above entrée currently on the menu) or even more medium-bodied reds with richer, fattier, braised pork preparations.  Go with a Southern Rhône blend (try: Saint Cosme 2008 Côte du Rhône $17) or even a smoother New World Syrah (try: Qupé 2007 Syrah $18 from the Central Coast, CA).  With pork dishes, you can go exploring with respect to wine.

Have fun!
Julie, Owner
Portalis Wines

Posted: Sunday, October 18, 2009
WILD MUSHROOMS & WINE
It’s peak season for mushroom foraging which inspired me to do the mushroom brie tart.  In the market right now, chantarelles (coming from southern Washington & Oregon) are looking beautiful.  I love the rich golden color and the nice, woodsy, earthy flavor which pairs well with the richness of the brie. The other mushrooms on the tart are crimini which have a nice deep rich flavor and beech mushrooms which add a slightly sweet, nutty flavor & delicate texture to the tart. 

Some ideas for cooking with fall mushrooms: creamy parmesean polenta with marsala-braised mushrooms (which will go on the menu in the next few weeks), a creamy mushroom soup (which you can purée and serve as a mushroom bisque topped with truffle oil & chive) or how about some mushroom risotto? Here’s my insider tip:  sautée your mushrooms with olive oil on a really high heat so that they have a nice sear & caramelized color and add them to the risotto for the last five minutes of cooking.  Finish with parmegiano reggioano & thyme.

Wine Pairing for wild mushrooms:
When you smell a bottle of Pinot Noir from Burgundy, the nose often has a mushroomy smell, making this a classic pairing (try:  Henri Delagrange 2006 Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune $28).  You can also get earthy, musty, mushroomy flavors from Itailan Barolo (try:  Fontanafredda 2004 Barolo Serralunga D’Alba $69/SALE $ ), Barbaresco (try: Pelissero 2004 Nubiola Barbaresco $44) or for a more affordable wine, go with a Nebbiolo from Lombardy:  Conti Sertoli Salis 2006 Baccalit $19.

Cheers!
Chef Tracey

Posted:  Sunday, October 10, 2009
WIENERSCHNITZEL with warm German potato salad $18
… served with a glass of Weingut Graf von Schoenborn 2008 Sylvaner Kabinett $9 

Chef Tracey has been using the phrase comfort food a lot lately and nothing says comfort more (to Jens & many people) than Wienerschnitzel.  (By the way, Wien is German for Vienna, and Wienerschnitzel is a style of schnitzel originally from this part of Austria.)  Chef Tracey aced this one: a tender veal cutlet with a side of warm, creamy, fingerling potato salad.  And together with the wine pairing, Weingut Graf von Schoenborn 2008 Sylvaner Kabinett … it’s beautiful!  The wine varietal is Sylvaner, a grape grown in the Franken region of Germany, with lovely flavors of apples & pears. It is slightly off-dry with a solid acidity, allowing it to stand up to this rich meal. And for a little added touch, the bottle has the traditional bulbous bottom common in Germany for this type of wine (see top of photo).  Hope you can stop in to enjoy this while it’s on the menu.   

Cheers!
Julie, Co-Owner
Portalis Wines

Posted:  Sunday, September 27, 2009
Manilla clams with caramelized onion & bacon $13
Now that the weather is getting a littler chillier, a nice steamy bowl of clams has a lot of appeal.  With this dish, I like the saltiness of the bacon with the sweetness of the onion and the brininess of the clams.  I’m serving the clams with baguette to sop of the delicious, rich, buttery broth.  This dish pairs well with a broad spectrum of white wines.  The Ness 2008 Albariño (a classic Spanish fish wine from the northeastern region of Rias Baixas) has enough acidity to cut the fat of the bacon & butter.  A classic French bistro pairing would be the Château Lafont Menaut 2006 Pessac-Léognan which is a Bordeaux blanc that’s full flavored enough to handle the richness of the dish.  Or you could go all out rich and drink a glass of the Saintsbury 2007 Chardonnay, an oaky, buttery California Chardonnay, a wine that’s normally difficult to pair with food, but the buttery, bacony richness of these clams can hold up to it.

Cheers!
Chef Tracey

One of the best things our group did while we were in Tuscany was take part in a cooking class in nearby Sant’ Andrea. The cooking class was part of Il Vicario farmhouse, which also operates as an agriturismo (www.ilvicario.com).

Our teacher, Fulvio

Owner and host, Fulvio Mecacci, has been conducting cooking classes with his sister, Francha for the last six years. The farmhouse is a charming 14th century building perched on a hillside surrounded by vineyards and walking trails. Fulvio has to be one of the most interesting characters we had the pleasure of meeting during our week. Before he ran the cooking school, he was a deep sea diver in the Indian Ocean off The Maldives. His sister, Francha, was adorable and spoke no English. I happened to speak a few Italian words to her and from then on I became the translator for the group. This proved quite funny, because most of my translating was spent nodding my head saying, “si, si”. I had never taken a cooking class before, so I didn’t really know what to expect. All I knew was that at some point we were going to sit down and eat everything we prepared that day with wine pairings. Yay!

Antipasti time

On with the cooking! We started with our appetizers (antipasti) which was bruschetta, panzanella salad and pecorino with honey & pine nuts. Not super hard technical things, but when you see a dish done in its homeland, you pick up a few tips. For the bruschetta, the bread was first cut in thick slices (thin slices are called crostini) which were toasted, and then drizzled with olive oil (the beginning of lots of olive oil). We all took part chopping fresh garden tomatoes and garlic. When it came to the fresh basil, Fulvio had us tear the leaves versus chopping it. “This prevents the herb from browning,” he explained. We learned that the Italians are obsessed with keeping things bright and fresh.

Kenny mixing Panzanella

Next, Panzanella Salad. There are many interpretations of this dish, but this version has to be the tastiest any of us had ever had. It’s important that you start with very old crusty bread. Like several days old. Fulvio exlained back in the day, people were too poor (and hungry) to be throwing out stale bread, so they found a way to use it. We took the stale bread, and soaked it in a big bowl of water. Then we all took turns squeezing the water out of the bread. Yes, I admit, it’s kind of strange, wet and mealy but keep an open mind. We then added the wet bread crumbs to a mixture of sliced vegetables that included onion, cucumber, tomato, capers, fresh basil (torn by hand of course), salt, pepper, vinegar and olive oil. When my husband Kenny did the honor of adding the olive oil, he asked Fulvio how much he should use. Fulvio just said two words, “just start.” He wasn’t kidding. He mentioned that in his house they go through a litre of olive oil a day! That’s serious. We then prepared the pecorino (sheep cheese) slices. The pecorino was young, and softer than the traditional hard-aged cheese we typically eat. Some of the slices had chocolate sauce drizzled on, others (and my personal favorite) had honey, pine-nuts then fresh grated nutmeg. Before sitting down to enjoy the antipasti (with a glass of Verdicchio) we prepared our sauces for our next course: spicy tomato with pici and basil pesto with gnocchi.

Pici with spicy tomato sauce

If you’ve been following my blog you’ll know that my favorite pasta is “pici”, a very thick spaghetti-like strand. This pasta is made with equal parts semolina flour and regular flour, then a little salt and water to bind. You role it into pencil thick strands, as long in length as you can without breaking them. Our group had a lot of fun trying to see who could make the longest strand. This took some talent, and let’s just say I wasn’t in the running. We then set all of our pici strands aside (sprinkled with a little semolina to keep them from sticking) and began the gnocchi.

Learning gnocchi

Gnocchi, a small potato dumpling, was what our group was most excited to learn how to make. The dough, made from riced potatoes and flour, was kneaded for a few minutes. We each got a portion of the finished dough to work with. We rolled the dough into a thin log, then took a knife and cut them into approximately 1″ pieces. Then we simply took our forefinger, pushed down on the dumpling and rolled it back onto the thumb in a smooth motion. We learned you can make fancy fork patterns on the dumpling if you want, but Fulvio said it’s traditional just to keep them rustic.

Chicken with orange sauce

Our last dish was breast of chicken with orange sauce. We sliced the chicken breast into strips, then dredged it in flour. The sauce was simply the juice of two fresh squeezed oranges. The chicken breast was then seared in a pan of olive oil, and once you flip the chicken over, add the fresh orange juice. Let it all cook together for a few more minutes, then serve it sauce and all on a platter. If it seemed like we were eating for hours, we were (not a bad thing). I won’t go into how the food tasted, but let the photos do the talking.

Enjoying our handiwork

I will say that there’s nothing more rewarding than enjoying a thoughtfully prepared meal. And if you can enjoy it alfresco, washing it down with Verdicchio and Chianti on a sunny day in Tuscany, even better! Well, the fun didn’t stop there. After our meal, Fulvio served vin santo (Tuscan dessert wine) w/ cantucci (almond biscuits) followed by grappa and espresso. Oh, Italian hospitality, don’t you just love it?

Gina at cooking school

Spending the day at Il Vicario was such a treat. Learning traditional Italian recipes in someone’s home and sharing wine with them was an amazing experience none of us will forget. This concludes my report on Tuscany (for now). I hope you have enjoyed my entries, and I thank you for reading!

Ciao, Gina.

Il Galampio

We set off early in the morning for our visit to Il Galampio property, where Filippo Fedriani owns and operates Marchesato degli Aleramici winery in Montalcino. Montalcino is a small commune and DOCG wine region known for producing an important wine called Brunello di Montalcino. This wine is made from 100% Sangiovese Grosso clone and must be aged a minimum of 3 years and 4 years for the Riserva. Yum! Who’s thirsty? To get there from San Gimignano, it was going to be an hour and a half journey. So we headed south to Siena, then through Buonconvento and onto Montalcino.

You must see Montalcino if you are in Tuscany. I know, I say that about all the villages here, but seriously, take heed. Famous for its Brunello di Montalcino wine, not only is the region beautiful, but the small hillside village is perched at 1800 feet, offering stunning views of the valleys below. It also has a majestic fortress (c’mon who doesn’t like a fortress?) where my friend Dennis pretended he was “king of the world” for a moment. Once arriving in Montalcino, we followed the signs to Grosseto, past Tavernelle and towards Camigliano. Brunello fans brace yourself, because every couple of minutes you will see names on vineyards belonging to famous producers. On approaching the commune of Camigliano, we took a right turn and began the real fun part of the drive. Il Galampio is located on a long (7km), dusty, gravel road lined with vineyards. When you are as excited as our group was to arrive (we’ve come so far), the windy road seems like it will never end.

Il Galampio is a small secluded property surrounded by vineyards and situated near the Ombrone River and its protected national forest. The first to greet us was Gala, Filippo’s adorable and friendly German Shepherd. As we toured the property grounds, our gracious host Filippo explained the history of the old farmhouse that his father had purchased and remodeled several decades ago. Il Galampio operates as an Agriturismo (vacationing farmhouse) as well as a winery, so guests can enjoy the best of both worlds. We continued to the other side of the property where the winery was located.

Destemming

Since this was harvest time, we got to watch as crates of Sangiovese were lifted from the truck and poured into the distemmer. We also got to see the juice being pumped into stainless steel tanks where they were to ferment for a short time before arriving in their resting place: in large (grandi botti) Slavonian oak casks for 4 years to become Marchesato’s Brunello. My group really appreciated being able to see how a small family-operated winery works. Filippo shared with us his philosophy about making wine in Montalcino. How he tries to stay true to the land and make “traditional” Brunello that is elegant and built for ageing. When I asked how the recent hard rain affected the harvest, he said fortunately Il Galampio has its own micro-climate and they only saw a few drops. 

Winemaker Filippo Fedriani

The last part of our tour was spent tasting the Marchesato degli Aleramici 2007 Rosso di Montalcino and the 2004 Brunello di Montalcino. Before we started, Filippo reminded us that when one opens a bottle of Brunello, you must think of what you will be eating with it. He explained that Brunello is not for just sipping, it is meant for food, particularly meat. He recommended pairing Brunello with wild boar, venison or steak. Since we were there early in the day, he prepared a large plate of pecorino cheese, finocchiona salami, prosciutto di parma and…moose sausage! (A gift from his Norwegian friend) The Rosso was superb, made from the same grapes as his Brunello, but aged for a shorter time. It has similar characteristics of a Brunello, but juicier, not as dry and a very good price. Next was the Brunello – dark fruits, spice and tobacco, very complex yet silky smooth. The Brunello was so good, when my aunt (who never drinks) tried it, she said, “sorry, I won’t be sharing this one.” We all knew how she felt. Spending time with Filippo made us all realize the long days, the care and patience that goes into making a good quality wine. We felt very privileged to be here: drinking a Brunello, on the property from which it was yielded, along side the farmer who labored to produce it, on a gazebo with the bright Tuscan sun all around us. Does it get much better than than that!

Cheers!
Gina

Winery Tour – Castello di Verrazzano, Chianti Classico

The weather has been fantastic here, sunshine and hot. We’ve arrived in Tuscany during harvest, which has been exciting for my group since most of them have never seen a wine region this time of the year. The villa we are staying at is 7km outside of San Gimignano and surrounded by vineyards. Each day we watch the pickers as they move along the hillsides, clipping clusters of Sangiovese, filling up their baskets then the trucks with grapes. The air is filled with the aroma of ripe grapes, something all of us noticed the minute we entered the Tuscan area. Our first of two winery visits this week is located in the Chianti Classico region. It’s a short distance away (45km) but getting to the Classico region is quite the experience. The roads are very twisty, constantly climbing up then spiraling down. Once on the Chianti Highway as its known, the road evens out a little and the drive goes more quickly through charming villages. 

The driveway leading up to Castello di Verrazzano is very dramatic and breathtaking. It is one of the bonuses of travelling this far just to taste vino. We are greeted by Gino Rossi, head of hospitality at Verrazzano and whom I’ve had the pleasure of meeting twice before. Gino is very passionate about Verrazzano, the vineyards and Chianti wines. When he spoke to our group about the Chianti region he told us to stop thinking about wine with our heads; but instead to use our eyes, nose, palate and heart. This instantly put the group at ease, knowing we were not just on a tour, but in someone’s home experiencing how they live their life amongst grapes.

The castle of Verrazzano is located in Greve in Chianti which is the northern section of the Chianti Classico region. Originally an Etruscan settlement, then a Roman one and finally becoming the property of the Verrazzano family in the VII century. Giovanni da Verrazzano discovered the bay of New York, so the Verrazzano’s have strong roots in the New World as well. We began our tour with a stroll through the beautiful castle gardens, hoping to get a glimpse of the wild boars that roam on the property (they cure their own meats here). We then toured the original old cellars, which were a maze of dim hallways and cool rooms made out of stone.

After the tour we were all seated in their beautiful tasting room, to enjoy a light lunch and tasting of fives wines. The order of the wines we tasted were: Verrazzano Rosso, Chianti Classico, Chianti Classico Riserva and a Supertuscan (Sangiovese/Syrah blend with rich plum and spicey finish). All the wines were delicious, and perfectly paired with the prosciuotto, mortadella and pecorino cheese we had. Our table was split between the Chianti Classico Riserva (aged 2 years and only produced in ideal vintages) and the Supertuscan as their favorites. We finished the tasting with cantucci (almond biscuits) and Vin Santo…It was an amazing lunch and tasting! I highly recommend a tour at Verrazzano if you get to the Chianti region. The wines are very good quality for the money, the people friendly and the food with the view is just stunning. (You can purchase Verrazzano wine from Portalis!)

Ciao for now,
Gina

San Gimignano, a walking tour
Many of you know that Gina’s in Italy right now conducting a practice run for her upcoming wine tour business which she plans to begin next year.  She’s reporting back with highlights of her trip so far …

Our first full day in San Gimignano included a nice walking tour of the medieval city. We were to meet our walking guide Gianni Stanghellini (www.walkabouttuscany.com) in the heart of San Gimignano at the Piazza della Cisterna at 11am. The walking tour was in two different parts, the first being a stroll through the city’s winding streets to learn of its history and importance at the height of its power. Then we would break for lunch at one of Gianni’s favorite eateries before heading outside the city walls along vineyards and quiet back roads. Sounded pleasant enough. When I called Gianni to confirm our tour, he was concerned the hike might be a little strenuous for some, and mentioned they could opt out after lunch or get a taxi along the path. This should have been a sign for us, but we all felt pretty fit and ready for a sun-drenched walk.

I recommend hiking up to the high point of San Gimignano for the panoramic view from La Rocca di Montestaffoli e Mura (fortress). On our way to the best viewpoint from the fort, we walked through a small olive grove, then a narrow, steep, stone staircase that opens up on to a platform. This was the place where the guards could spot their enemy and be best prepared to defend their city. For our group, it was a breathtaking view of the Elsa Valley and its endless hills. Gianni mentioned that San Gimignano was an important city with a flourishing economy in the Middle Ages. They were able to trade with neighboring cities thanks to the pilgrimage road called “Via Francigena” (which we were about to walk part of) that connected the city to Pisa and Siena.

We had one of the most amazing lunches at a small osteria called Locandi di Sant’ Agostino in Piazza Sant’ Agostino. Our table enjoyed a fresh fruit plate of melons, apples and apricots; panzanella salad, bruschetta and pici with wild boar sauce. Pici is a thick spaghetti-like pasta available only in a small part of Tuscany. It is the dish I miss and crave most when I’m in Seattle. We washed all this amazing food down with the local white wine, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, which is one of Tuscany’s oldest and most noble grapes.  Some versions of Vernaccia (Tradizionale) are macerated for long lengths of time with its skin to draw out the most out of the grape. It can be full-bodied with a floral bouquet, but our bottle today was crisp, with light acidity and flavors of lemon rind and almonds (this style is Fiore).

If we had known what was ahead of us on part two of our walk, we might have re-considered the wine and amount of food we consumed at lunch (maybe we should have had more wine). I’m going to now refer to our “walk” as a hike, because it better describes our experience. We entered the hike on the Via Francigena, a dirt road that runs the perimeter of the hilly city walls. On this path were many vineyards and farmhouses with vistas of the valley. We were all giddy and in awe of the beauty, snapping pictures every few feet. “Oh no, now this is the best view of the town,” we would exclaim around each bend. Gianni visited with us answering questions about Italian culture, customs and history. For example bruschetta is pronounced “broo-ske-tah” never broosheta, also that the whole bread and olive oil dipping thing is American, and Italians only have bread with vegetables and meat and they never butter the bread. That would explain the looks whenever my brother-in-law asked for the customary treat before our meal (where’s the bread & olio? he would always wonder).

After the first couple of kilometers, the hike soon became more grueling, especially with the 90 plus degree weather we were in. Flat dirt roads became uphill climbs and steep rocky descents with the Tuscan sun showing no mercy. Our main comfort was knowing that we were walking the same path as the ancient Etruscans and it sure beat our daily grind back home. We were not only loving the abuse, but we paid for it! Like Venice, I cannot explain in words the beauty we shared along our hike. In my 5 trips to Tuscany I was now seeing a whole different side of this province, and the whole group felt the same way. We struggled through the last hill, pushing ourselves up to the city walls to Porto San Giovanni gate, our final destination. We cheered each other on through sweat drenched clothes and panting gasps of air. What an amazing experience that was worth every step. We said our goodbyes to our wonderful guide Gianni and as we parted ways we promised him if he ever makes it to Seattle, we would treat him to a nice leisure hike up Mount Rainer. (Gianni resides in Siena, with over 10 years experience as a walking tour guide. He holds a PhD in Geology and teaches young kids about the environment in the off season).

More soon …
Gina

When I emailed Gina to see how their day ended, I got:
“We had arranged for an Italian cook to come to the Villa to do a 4 course for us. We were all so tired though, and still full from lunch, the dinner was a real blur. Except we had the best tiramisu of our lives. It was more like a merange/custard texture that had no shape on our plate, then dusted with high quality cacao. We all agreed it will be hard to go back to the traditional tiramisu we are accustomed to.”

At SeaTac on standby ...

Ciao from Italia!

Sunday, September 27, 2009:  Venice
Many of you know I’m in Italy right now conducting a practice run for my upcoming wine tour business which I plan to begin next year.  My brave and willing guests are a few members of my family and close friends.  I thought it would be fun to report back and share some highlights of our trip so far. 
 
Our wine tour is based in San Gimignano, but before we arrive in Tuscany 6 of us made a two day stop in Venice. With me on this trip is my husband Kenny, his brother David and mother Gretta both from Northern Ireland, as well as grandma Betty and aunt Paula.  We decided to stay on the nearby island of Lido (home of the Venice film festival) away from the masses in Venice.  Our hotel was a beautiful 15th century palace, located in the charming commune of Malamocco at the southwest end of Lido. If your idea of experiencing another culture is blending in with the locals, then you would appreciate the type of stay we had in Lido. In order for us to get to Venice, we first walked through the picturesque neighborhood of Piazza del Erbe. From there we caught the #A bus for a 15 minute bus ride, nearly the length of the island, and through its cool neighborhoods.  What a treat this was to ride the bus with the people of Lido. We marveled how both young and old packed the bus on their way to shopping, school and work. We dreamed about what it would be like to own one of the old homes along the beach looking out toward Venice. (Yes, we would certainly need our own boat to reach the old city.) Looking out the window we passed endless shop owners opening up for the day, folks out for their morning caffe, groceries and strolls.

Once arriving in the main square of Lido, we hopped onto the Vaporetto (water bus) to Venice. For anyone who hasn’t been to Venice before, it is quite a wonder to behold, and seeing it from the water is just breathtaking! I have been to Venice several times before, but had always taken a train into it. Photographs cannot capture how beautiful it is; you must see it for yourself and see it from the water. Unfortunately the thousands of tourists (like myself) can be overwhelming, but once you get out of the main square, there are plenty of quiet corridors (and shops) to soak in everything Venice has to offer.

One thing they don’t offer is a mind blowing culinary experience. Not only is the food in the Venice area mediocre at best, it can be excruciatingly expensive.  I would avoid eating or drinking in San Marco Square unless you are willing to average €12 for a caffe.  We did manage to have one decent meal in Lido, where the veal scaloppini was tender and the lamb chops flavorful and juicy. The best dish though, was the scampi my aunt had. Butterflied, then perfectly grilled and garnished with lemon; it was simply delicious! Grandma Betty got to try gnocchi for the fist time (why not in Venice?) dressed pleasantly with pomodoro sauce. We drank house wine (merlot blends mostly) in the restaurants since it was the best deal (€ 8). Venice was bleeding our euros rather quickly, so we decided to wait for Tuscany to really get into the wine.  If you do to travel to Venice someday, there are some great wine regions you can visit since it’s located in Veneto. The Veneto wine region is home to Soave, Prosecco, Pinot Grigio, Valpolicella and best of all Amarone. But this leg of the trip was for my grandma and mother-in-law who had never seen Venice, so the vino was secondary.  Stay tuned for news from Tuscany…

Monday, September 21, 2009
We didn’t get on our flight (standby) looks  like a long day at the airport. Kenny didn’t take missing the flight too well (good actor eh?)

Game hen with sherry, blood orange, olives & rose fingerling potato $15
I’ve been in the mood to cook a traditional Spanish dish and blood oranges looked really good at the market, so this dish was a nice fit.  This meal should evoke thoughts of coastal Spain where olive groves and orange trees are in abundance.  It’s a happy balance of citrus, salty and sweet and these three food elements are further enhanced by the Vilosell pairing. Celler Tomas Cusine 2006 Vilosell, from the Coster del Segre region of Spain northwest of Barcelona, is a very versatile, food enhancing wine.  It’s got nice acidity, so it balances the citrus in the dish, but it’s not so heavy that it overpowers the hen.  It’s a lovely, rustic food/wine pairing.

Cheers!
Chef Tracey

Posted Sunday, September 20, 2009 at www.portaliswines.com

Posted at www.portaliswines.com:  Sunday, August 16, 2009
The market is in full swing and heirloom tomatoes are starting to look good.  Just in case you don’t know the story behind an Heirloom tomato, “an heirloom plant, heirloom variety, or (especially in the UK) heirloom vegetable is a cultivar that was commonly grown during earlier periods in human history, but which is not used in modern large-scale agriculture. Many heirloom vegetables have kept their traits through open pollination, while fruit varieties such as apples have been propagated over the centuries through grafts and cuttings. The trend of growing heirloom plants in gardens has been growing in popularity in the United States and Europe over the last decade.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heirloom_plant  Heirlooms are traditionally sweeter & juicier than other tomatoes, and because so many different colors, textures and shapes make up the heirloom family, they are a beautiful addition to any summer salad.

Currently, I am using heirloom tomatoes on the menu for our soup selection: Heirloom tomato gazpacho with avocado.  Here’s the recipe:  Cut the following into a large dice … 4 medium heirloom tomatoes, 1 English cucumber (peeled & seeded), 1 Walla Walla onion, 1 bell pepper, 1 green bell pepper, 1 jalapeno, half a bunch of cilantro, pinch of fresh oregano, 2 cloves of garlic (diced), ¼ cup red wine vinegar, ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil.  Mix all ingredients in a big bowl and then purée in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt and cracked black pepper. Garnish with avocado (large dice).  The acid in the tomatoes can wine pairing a little tricky, so I hit Ross (Who’s Ross?) up for some tips:  sparkling wine such as Prosecco (try: Toffoli NV Prosecco glass $8.75/bottle $20) or a fruity rosé (don’t get too dry; try: Fuente Del Conde 2008 Rosado $19/bottle), or an off-dry Riesling (try: Efeste 2008 Evergreen Riesling glass $8/bottle $18.50) would all work well.

Because of the Heirloom tomatoes, it’s also my favorite time of year to have BLTs.  I wait all summer for Heirlooms to come out for my BLTs.  Since it’s my favorite sandwich, we’re going to start featuring an Heirloom tomato BLT on toasted country bread this week. Pairing on this gets a little easier as you have some nice salt & fat from the bacon to offset the acidic tomato.  Ross suggested that you go with a little fuller-bodied white, such as a Bordeaux Blanc (try: Château Lafont Menaut 2006 Pessac-Léognan glass $9/bottle ) or a lower-oak Chardonnay such as (try: Kumeu River 2005 Chardonnay from New Zealand which is currently on sale REG $40/SALE $19.99.   

One last tip which is not on the menu: Heirloom tomatoes make a beautiful Caprese salad.  All of the sizes & colors mixed with fresh mozzarella & basil, finished with extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and cracked pepper.  A delicious summer salad.

Enjoy & cheers!
Chef Tracey
originally posted on the Portalis website on Sunday, August 16, 2009

Riesling is a wine lover’s white wine.  Maybe that’s because you have to have some level of wine sophistication to know what you’re getting:  It’s difficult to grow Riesling and so the wines have greater vintage variations due to the varietal’s finicky nature … challenge #1.  But the product … wow, a complex combination of flavors & terroir:  apple, peach, apricot, rose petal, violet, minerals, flint.  Riesling also has an incredible range of styles depending on the ripeness of the grape, from crisp, dry sippers, to complex, off-dry food wines (Spätlese & Kabinett) to beautiful, rich, sweet nectars of dessert wines (Trockenbeerenauslese) … challenge #2.  And then there’s the German label … challenge #3.  I am fluent in German and I still can’t figure out what the heck they’re saying.  Of course Riesling is grown in France (Alsace), Austria (still German language labels, but not so confusing), Oregon, California, Washington State, Australia & New Zealand, but the Germans have been doing it since the 1400’s and Germany has the largest production & variety and it’s undoubtedly the home to the greatest Riesling wines.

For a down-and-dirty overview … German Riesling is known for its minerality (from the German soils), for its peach/apricot flavors, for its lightness, elegance & complexity, its excellent acidity and its low alcohol content.  Some German Riesling has a petrol nose, but it’s not as common as with Austrian Riesling, where a petrol nose is a common trait.  Austrian Riesling is tarter and tangier than German Riesling, but still has some peach/apricot flavors and good acidity.  Washington Riesling tends to be off-dry, with flavors of apricot, peach & orange zest.  Acidity is what Washington is working on.

Some interesting Riesling to try:
Efeste 2008 Evergreen Riesling (Columbia Valley, WA) $18.50  This is a dry Riesling which is unusual.  It’s tangy with more lemon, lime, citrus flavors.  Last year it won the Riesling category of Seattle Magazine’s Washington wine competition. We currently serve this wine by the glass at the bar.

Hans Lang 2007 Sabrina Riesling (Rheingau, Germany) $19.50 Off-dry, light- to medium-bodied, some minerality, flavors of peach, apricot, orange zest, grapefruit, pleasant mouthfeel.  Would pair well with Thai or Vietnamese cuisines.

Dr. Pauly Bergweiler 2007 Bernkasteler Badstube Am Doctorberg Riesling Kabinett  (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany) $31 A very terroir driven Riesling.  Not as sweet as the Hans Lang. Lots of minerals, complex, beautiful acidity. This is the big leagues.  “Pale yellow color. Aromas of wet stone mixed with peaches and apricot. Very good complexity and concentration. Beautiful acidity integrated in the fruit. Main flavors are peach pie, apricots, pink grapefruit with some honey notes. Excellent, long finish.” (Jens, Tasting Circle, 93 points)

In August, the Tasting Circle (a group of local wine professionals who meet monthly to blind taste, rank and write tasting notes on wines currently available in the Seattle marketplace) reviewed German & Austrian Riesling.  To see the wine reviews in their entirety, go to: http://thetastingcircle.wordpress.com/2009/08/

Contributor: Julie Howe