Wine & Mushroom Pairing: Portobello Mushroom Roulade with Frey 2010 Organic Cabernet Sauvignon

When the autumn nights start to turn chilly, we love cooking savory mushroom dishes to pair with our red wines. Red wine and mushrooms are a unique marriage of complex flavors; some wild mushrooms, like black trumpet mushrooms, can bring out the earthy notes of a delicate Pinot Noir, while some fuller-bodies reds can bring out the meatiness of other mushrooms, like porcini and portobellos.

This Portobello Roulade recipe comes from Carmelita, a wonderful vegetarian restaurant in Seattle, Washington.  We paired it with our Frey 2010 Organic Cabernet Sauvignon and found that the flavors in both complimented each other beautifully (we conveniently used the Cabernet for the one cup of wine called for in the recipe).  This recipe has many steps, so plan on making the preparation part of your feast, but the results are stunning and well worth your efforts for a special occasion dinner.  This dish is vegan, and can be gluten-free if made without the panko.

Serves 6
Here's what you need:

For the Roulade
6 Portobello mushrooms, roasted
Salt and pepper, to taste
9 asparagus shoots, roasted
2 onions, chopped and caramelized
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup Frey Dessertage Port or Frey Late Harvest Zinfandel
2 red bell peppers, roasted and julienned

For the Potato Cakes
6 Yellow Finn potatoes, quartered and boiled
2 yams, peeled, chopped, and boiled
1 onion, diced
1 leek (white only), diced
2 Tbsp minced garlic
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
1 cup panko or bread crumbs

For the Mushroom Demi-Glace
Gills and stems of Portobellos
1 onion, chopped
8 whole cloves garlic
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 Tbsp thyme, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup Frey red wine (we used the Frey 2010 Organic Cabernet Sauvignon)
3 cups water
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste

Here's what you do:

For the Roulade
1)Remove gills and stems from portobellos. Place them on an oiled sheet tray along with the asparagus and  salt and pepper and put into a 400-degree F oven for 15 minutes. Remove and cool.

2) To caramelize onions, place chopped onions in a sauté pan with 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat and cook until translucent (about 8-10 minutes).

3) Deglaze with 1/2 cup Frey Dessertage or Late Harvest Zinfandel, lower heat, and cook until tender and sweet, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Cool.

4) Place cooled mushrooms on a clean working surface, stem side down, and with a sharp knife, butterfly each mushroom, opening them flesh side up. Leave 1/2 inch at the end, and open the mushroom like a book. To fill each mushroom, place 2 tablespoons of caramelized onions at the center, followed by roasted peppers and asparagus. Roll the mushrooms around the filling ingredients. Each should look like a fat cigar. Tie each roulade with a thin strand of the leek tops.

For the Potato Cakes
1) After boiling potatoes and yams separately, sauté diced onions and leek with 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat for approximately 3 minutes, then add minced garlic and cook until soft. Season with salt and pepper.

2) Drain potatoes and yams, combine, and add onion mixture and panko. Mash ingredients together.  The potato mixture should be rustic, not mashed potatoes. Season as desired. Remove from mixing bowl and form into six 1” thick cakes.

For the Mushroom Demi-Glace

1) Place mushroom stem and gills in a baking pan along with onions, garlic, carrots, and herbs. Sprinkle with oil. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees F.

2) Remove foil, add 1 cup of red wine and continue to roast another 15 minutes. Remove from oven, reserve wine, and place solid ingredients in a blender with water (do this in several batches). Blend well, until you achieve a watery paste. Pass blended mixture through a fine sieve. Finally, put strained sauce in a pan with reserved red wine and reduce to a syrup-like consistency. Season sauce well.

Final Preparation and Serving
1) Place roulades and potato cakes on a sheet tray and place in a 350-degree F oven for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, warm mushroom demi-glace. Place a ladle of mushroom demi-glace in the center of each plate. When potato cakes are hot, place one on top of the sauce on each plate and place a roulade on top of each cake.

Enjoy!

(Recipe & images copyrighted © Frey Vineyards, 2013. All right reserved.)

Cycles in the Vineyard: Fall Harvest

The harvest of 2012 promises to be one of exceptional quality here at Frey Vineyards for our organic and Biodynamic® vineyards.  After two challenging years, 2010 and 2011, which were marked with late soggy springs and early wet falls, we finally have a picture perfect year.

During early June when the grapes were flowering, the weather was just right: moderate temperatures, clear skies and no wind.  If it is windy during the 10 day flowering period the delicate blossoms can “shatter,” which means they fall off and the clumps are tattered.  We’ve had a hot, but not too hot, dry summer that our organic grapes have loved.  Biodynamic sprays have protected the vines and there was very little, if any, mildew problems here in Mendocino County.

Harvest began in early October with the picking of Gewurztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.  In addition to our permanent vineyard crew, we’ve had the help of fifteen extra people to work in the cellar and the vineyards.  Everyone worked really hard to get the grapes in with the most amount of care.  In contrast to the previous two years, all our varieties will be picked before the first rains, except for the Cabernet, which is known for its weather resistance and thick skins that can hold up to moisture.  All of our 2012 fruit is of beautiful quality: perfect sugars, great acidity,  and no mold.  The wines of 2012 will show slightly higher alcohol levels than the past two vintages because sugars are higher when the grapes are allowed to come to full maturation.

In the next two weeks in the vineyards we’ll plant this year’s winter grains, as well as our traditional cover crops of legumes that add nitrogen to the soil.  Our work in the vineyard is always looking ahead, but we relish the thought of enjoying this memorable 2012 organic vintage!

Vote Yes on Prop 37! It’s our Right to Know!

Attention California Voters –
Vote Yes on Prop 37! It’s our Right to Know! 
Endorse! Volunteer! Donate! www.carighttoknow.org

Did you know that 80-85% of the processed foods you buy in America contain Genetically Engineered ingredients?  Did you know that 61 other countries require the labeling of Genetically Engineered ingredients?

On November 6th, 2012 California voters will go to the polls for Proposition 37, the California Right to Know Act, which will require labeling of Genetically Engineered ingredients on food labels.  This landmark initiative will confirm Californians’ Right to Know what they are eating and it will pave the way for ingredient labeling across the nation. 

Studies show that 90% of Americans across party lines favor labeling of GMO foods.  That is why No on Prop 37 is spending 1 million dollars a day to run misleading ads on all the main stream media and pushing blatant misinformation on California voters.  Due to huge contributions from billion dollar companies Prop 37 now has the potential to be the most funded initiative in the history of the state.

The No on Prop 37 Coalition is using scare tactics and false information to convince voters that prop 37 will raise food prices and provide exemptions for special interests.  They are lying!  The Organic Consumers association has a great write up that clearly debunks the lies being spewed by the No on 37 campaign, you can view it here.

Frey Vineyards has partnered with the Institute for Responsible Technology to sponsor a day of free online viewing of the film Genetic Roulette. This is an excellent film that showcases the lack of oversight provided by the FDA when approving GE foods and provides convincing evidence about why labeling is needed. Please watch it and encourage others to do the same! You can download the film here.
The viewing will be available until October 31, 2012.

Proposition 37 is a common sense initiative that gives consumers access to information about the food they eat.  Despite being approved for human consumption by the FDA, Genetically Engineered foods have never been subject to long term studies proving their safety.  Proposition 37 is the first chance that America has had to choose whether or not to eat GE foods.

Here at Frey Vineyards, we are endorsing Prop 37 because we believe that billion dollar corporations should not be allowed bypass federal regulations and expose the public to unknown health risks. The FDA has failed us and introduced GE foods into the American food supply without proper safety testing. It is now up to us to demand labeling of the foods we eat!
For a full list of endorsers you can visit the Yes on 37 website.

It is time for America and California to join the 61 other countries that require GMO labeling!  We have the opportunity to make this groundbreaking change for our Nation; lets make our voices heard on November 6th!  Whether you live in California or elsewhere, please consider offering support by endorsing the campaign, donating funds to keep ads running or volunteering for a slot on the Right to Know Phone Bank, their goal is to call 1 million voters in the state before election day.

New Release: Frey Organic Agriculturist for Whole Foods

We created Organic Agriculturist for Whole Foods customers (later to be available to all stores) and we’re proud to report that Whole Foods has named it one of their Top Ten Picks for Holiday 2012!

Organic Agriculturist is the first in a proprietary line for Whole Foods and is a delicious blend of Carignan, Merlot, and Syrah grapes. These traditional Rhone and Bordeaux varietals are processed without added sugars, acids, or preservatives, creating a fruit-forward California-grown red wine.  Our overall pursuit with Organic Agriculturist was to blend an exceptionally food-friendly wine. A spicy, aromatic nose gives way to damson plum and plush berry tones on the palate. The firm structure and grippy tannins of the Carignan and Syrah provide a well-balanced backbone for savory roasted meats, while the softness of the Merlot informs a delicate touch that would compliment vegetarian cuisine. Aged with a touch of French oak, the wine has a lingering cedary finish along with a hint of allspice that makes this a perfect holiday choice.

The Organic Agriculturist label was designed by our wine club director, Nicole Paisley Martensen.  In creating the look, Nicole looked to vintage paper goods and an updated nostalgia for an agrarian lifestyle.  "Frey Ranch is a unique wrinkle in time, and we wanted to translate the cyclical nature of the hard work involved in caring for the land, and the bounty and enjoyment it provides," she states.

Organic Agriculturist will be available in many Whole Foods stores nationwide starting November 1st.  We’ll also be offering it to wine club members only as a limited release in the upcoming Holiday Wine Club Shipment.  It pairs well with spice-crusted rack of lamb, caramelized shallots and roasted root vegetables, or a fennel and blood-orange salad.

Wine Sensory Garden

What is a wine sensory garden? The following is the work of Shannon Jasie during her summer internship at Frey Vineyards.

"Tasting wine is a full-body experience. Wherever you taste wine, the colors and smells of the tasting area, as well as your mood and state of mind, influence how a wine tastes. Wine sensory gardens deepen the sensory experience by incorporating sight and touch. When tasting wine in a garden, the aroma is enjoyed by the nose, and the taste and texture by the mouth. Upon entering the space, you are surrounded by the color and scent of the garden and the plants whose flavors are used to describe the particular varietal. This enhances your tasting experience and compliments the flavor and aroma of the wine."

How to do a wine sensory garden tasting:

While you sip a glass of Frey wine, take a walk through the garden. As you meander through the herb
and flowerbeds, pick a sprig, leaf, or petal from the herbs and flowers whose aromas and flavors will compliment the wine. As you taste each herb, sip your wine and savor the new flavors that are exposed through the pairing.

Try our suggested pairings of Frey wine with garden herbs and edible flowers.

White Varietals

Chardonnay:
Anise, Thyme, Sage, Honey, Tarragon, Lavender, Squash, Blossoms, Lemon Verbena Violets.

Gewurztraminer: Rose Petals, Mint, Lavender, Rosemary, Lemon Verbena, Honey, Nasturtium, Rose, Geranium, Jasmine Blossoms, Cornflower.

Sauvignon Blanc: Lavender, Tarragon, Rosemary, Cilantro, Parsley, Sorrel, Lovage, Dill, Hay & Green Grass, Lemon Verbena.

Natural White: Tarragon, Marjoram, Thyme, Chevril.

Photo by Molly Frey

Red Varietals

Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot: Sage, Rosemary, Oregano, Chocolate Mint, Chives, Nasturtium, Dill, Bee Balm, Pansy, Snapdragons Chrysanthemum.

Pinot Noir: Violets, Squash Blossoms, Fennel, Sweet Basil, Oregano, Chocolate Mint, Bee Balm, Pansy.

Petite Sirah: Chives, Rosemary, Oregano, Lavender, Sage.

Zinfandel & Syrah: Rose Petals, Lavender, Sage, Basil, Oregano, Nasturtium, Calendula, Marigold.

Natural Red: Basil, Thyme, Sage, Marigold, Calendula.

Sangiovese: Rose Petals, Anise, Basil, Fennel, Sage, Oregano, Pansy, Marjoram.

Photo by Molly Frey