When it’s cool outside

 When the weather turns to this wintery, below 60 degrees,  there are a few specific wines that I think about! Along with that, a few season specific foods that come to mind. In my kitchen, this is the time to indulge in hearty foods, hearty vegetables,  carrots, turnips, squash/ pumpkins and of course MUSHROOMS!!!!!!!  Pastas, especially stuffed pastas ( ravioli, tortellini, etc) risottos and ragouts, cassoulets which implies beans, sausages and confits of meat ie: duck, pork, quail, squab and I could go on for a while still.  I get very excited to link food and wine.

There are many wines that I get excited about this time of the year, but I lean very much to Pinot Noir for Red wines I daydream about it the most. In our own backyard we have access to some great Pinot Noir vineyards in Sonoma Coast, Russian River and Carneros; further up north the beautiful Anderson Valley provides a stellar line up of pinot Noir vineyards and south of here way down in Santa Barbara we can get great Wines from the Santa Rita Hills Wine growing region.

But of couse Pinot Noir from France, from Burgundy specifically have captured my imagination; I was in Beaune in France last week where I tasted a fair amount of Red Burgundies ; I look forward to sharing with you some tasting notes and food pairings along the way.

A classic Pinot noir could offer a brilliant garnet color. Clean aromatics of plum, cherry, blackberry and ripe strawberries; some spcy dried herb notes; hints of mushroom,earth, smoked meat and dried black fruit such as figs, plums, cassis, leather, wood.

Published by Anani

I'm Sommelier in a Bay Area restaurant!

3 replies on “When it’s cool outside”

  1. The Recognition of the Napa Valley as a true wine and food destitination is growing and we’re dedicated to sharing with the public a much as possible. Please stay tuned.

    Anani

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