Last night
Food & Wine celebrated the 10th anniversary of its
American Wine Awards at the de Young Museum in San Francisco. Awards honored participants in the following categories: Winery of the Year (Long Shadow), Best Wines $20 and Under (seven selections), Wine Importer of the Year (Kermit Lynch), Best Wines Over $20 (eight selections), and Winemaker of the Year (Robert Foley). The event also featured food pairings from local restaurants and top chefs.
My favorite two wines of the evening were the 2006 Westerly Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc ($19) from Santa Ynez Valley and the 2003 Calera Pinot Noir Selleck Vineyard ($60) from Mt Harlan. The Sauvignon Blanc was among two white wines awarded in the category “Best Wines $20 and Under,” while the 2003 Calera Pinot Noir Selleck Vineyard was one of six red wines awarded in the category “Best Wines over $20.” Below are some of my notes as well as F&W’s recipes for suggested food pairings:
2006 Westerly Vineyards Sauvignon BlancThis Sauvignon Blanc really impressed me for its intensity and complexity of the nose; it has a strong minerality and vibrant grapefruit aromas that might lead one to mistake it for Sancerre. The grapes here are sourced from the Happy Canyon in the southern portion of Santa Barbara’s Santa Ynez Valley. The wine’s vibrancy is likely derived from the Canyon’s contrast in diurnal temperatures, warm days and cool nights, which create a concentration of flavor in the grapes. The acidity on the palate gave me a pleasurable pucker as well as the long lasting flavors of citrus, limestone, and floral notes. This well-priced Sauvignon Blanc would pair excellently with the following foods:
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Grilled Antipasto with Garlicky Bean Dip *
Frisée Salad with Baked Goat Cheese and Bacon *
Provençal-Style Lemon Sole 2003 Calera Pinot Noir Selleck Vineyard Josh Jensen’s Pinots never fail to catch my attention. This Pinot was no exception with its subtlety on the nose and palate, as well as its multi-layered texture displaying bright red fruits (cherry, plum, and currant) and sweet spice (cinnamon and cloves). As I have found with so many of Calera’s Pinots, this wine will surely age well for over a decade providing increased nuance and complexity to its bouquet as it develops over time. Below are F&W’s recipes for food pairings, my favorite being the Roast Guinea Hen. I think a Calera Pinot-Guinea Hen combination would be a great alternative to the typical Thanksgiving turkey dinner. Let me know if you try it!
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Fresh Shell Bean Soup with Pistou *
Roast Guinea Hens with Cumin-Date Sauce *
Grilled Broccoli with Anchovy Dressing
