EOS Estate Winery
One of the largest wineries in Paso Robles, EOS Estate Winery, has been placed in receivership because of financial problems.

The winery, which was founded by the Arciero family in 1985, was sold in 2007, for $20 million to Sapphire Wines – a Tennessee-based firm owned and controlled by Jeffrey Hopmayer.

In 2009, Hopmayer  also bought two other California labels, Carneros Creek of Napa and Wildhurst of Lake County. In October, 2009 he sold the three wineries to a company owned by Entertainment Property Trust – a publicly traded (EPR) company that also owns megaplex theaters, entertainment retail centers, public charter schools, ski parks and other well known wineries.

According to an article in the San Luis Obispo Tribune, from the time Hopmayer bought EOS, the company steadily racked up debt. It owes an estimated $16.5 million to lenders, including a $7.5 million loan from Farm Credit West and $8 million owed to Entertainment Properties Trust. The winery also owes $2 million to $3 million to growers and $1.2 million in rent not paid since August 2009, according to court filings.

Farm Credit West’s lawsuit also said periodic site inspections have shown as much as $1 million missing from the winery’s books, either because the winery had not been paid or the money had been transferred improperly to Sapphire Advisors, which handles the bookkeeping for EOS.

If the receiver had not been put in place, EOS Estates Winery’s current inventory of about 80,000 cases of wine could possibly have been exhausted in four months, several million dollars more could have been “diverted,” and the winery would have been forced out of business. The next hearing date is set for May 27.

Eos Estate 2006 Zinfandel Port
We like this Paso Robles wine – a lot. If you are too full after a meal but still crave a little dessert, there is nothing like a small glass of port with a piece of chocolate. Mmmm. Good Zinfandel ports that are affordable aren’t easy to find.

From November 28 Twisting Vines:

EOS 2006 Zinfandel Port
Intense aromas of prunes, molasses, roasted walnuts and maple syrup fill the nose. Nutty charactersglide across the palate with essence of plums and espresso. Spiciness of dry earth, cedar, and cinnamon linger on the palate for an extended finish. serve with chocolates cake or sip it by itself by the fireplace. Will age nicely for 15 years. Excellent wine for this price point. Widely available for under $24

2007 Titus Napa Valley Zinfandel
A good Napa Valley zinfandel usually costs around $45 to $50. Since we are all watching our pennies, we’ve been enjoying more affordable wines from Paso Robles and Lodi. Well, to my surprise, I found a great Napa Valley zin that I can highly recommend.

The Titus Vineyards is a small, family owned and run winery on the north end of the Silverado Trail that produces a handful of varietals and a few blends.

This wine is made from 86% zinfandel and 15% petite sirah, the grapes come from 30+ year-old vines, grown without irrigation – just like old world winegrowers.

Dark garnet in color with aromas of raspberries and plums with hints of vanilla and spice. Flavors of black cherry, raspberry, chocolate and licorice with a hint of vanilla and spice. The fruit really opens up after sitting in the glass for a while.

Full-bodied with a long spicy finish that will continue to evolve in bottle. We enjoyed this wine with grilled steaks and roasted potatoes and asparagus. Yum!

Recommended drinking time is three to five years from vintage with a maximum suggested aging time of eight to ten years from vintage. This is a great value at Costco for $20!

Wine & Chocolate
Wine and chocolate pairing has become popular – especially for Valentine’s Day. Many wineries will serve truffles from local chocolatiers that seem to match up perfectly with their port or late-harvest zinfandel or merlot. Restaurants and wine bars across the country have begun special wine and chocolate tastings. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to have an upscale wine and chocolate experience.

Here in San Diego, the Hotel Del has an Eno wine bar – an upscale wine tasting room that offers affordable wine flights, as well as wines by the glass. They also have a ‘cheese and chocolate sensations’ menu. A great way to sample artisan cheeses and gourmet truffles from local chocolatiers to go with the wine.

For those of us want to have the ‘wine and chocolate experience’ at home, make a night of it with different truffles and a couple of different wines to taste.

If you don’t have a chocolatier nearby, you can order truffles online. Belgian chocolate is at the top of my list of favorites. Years ago I was in Belgium and bought my mom a pound of chocolates. Alas, she didn’t have the opportunity to taste them. I ate them all on the flight home.

With the internet, you don’t have to go to Belgium to enjoy their chocolates. You can order them online. Leonidas Belgian Chocolates are great, not only for special occasions but for wine pairings as well.

A few guidelines for your own pairings:
Wine should generally be as sweet or sweeter than the dessert.

Match elements in the wine and the chocolate, such as nuttiness or fruitiness.

Match lighter flavored chocolates with lighter-bodied wines and stronger flavored chocolates with more full-bodied the wines. For example, a bittersweet chocolate pairs well with an intense California zinfandel.

As in any tasting, if you’re trying several varieties of chocolate, work from light to dark. Start with white chocolate and end with dark or bittersweet chocolate.

Pairing Suggestions:
White Chocolate
White chocolate is buttery in flavor, and has no tannins from chocolate. This makes a good pairing with Sherry, a Moscato d’Asti, or an Orange Muscat. The Sherry and Moscato d’Asti will pick up the creaminess of the chocolates and the Orange Muscat will pick up any fruit tones present.

Milk Chocolate
A wine with low tannins, such as a Pinot Noir or a light-bodied Merlot will complement milk chocolate, a creamy chocolate mousse or chocolate accented cheesecake. Muscats or dessert wines usually work well with milk chocolates.

Dark Chocolate
Because of the high tannins in dark or bittersweet chocolates, ports, zinfandels, and some cabernet sauvignons are a good match for the darker chocolates. I find the higher the cocoa content, the more difficult it is to match the chocolate with wine – even a good port. Anything over 65% cocoa will be too bitter.

Valentines Day is a great excuse to buy some decadent chocolates, a few bottles of wine, and an evening to find your own favorite pairings.

2007 Wine
One of the best vintage years for wine – worldwide, was 2007. These wines are now coming to market and with wine prices dropping, there are bargains to be had!

California reds have been slow to come down, but winemakers will have to start discounting in order to reduce inventory. Buyers that once spent $20 – $30 are now buying the $9 – $12 bottles. The $10 – $14 buyer is now in the $3 – $6 dollar category. This is quite a shift to a much lower price point.

In restaurants, we’ve started to see some of the higher end wines being sold by the glass. This is a great opportunity to sample better wines without having to buy the whole bottle.

Some of the best buys recently have been Zinfandel and Syrah from California, Malbecs from Argentina and French Rhône wines.

Four Vines Wines
Paso Robles winemaker Christian Tietje is a hedonist. He is passionate about wine: making it, drinking it and bringing people together to enjoy it.

A former chef, Chris fell head over heels for old vine Zinfandel, and founded Four Vines in 1990 with a plan to make four “killer zins” from the four top California appellations for old vine Zinfandel grapes:  Napa, Sonoma, Amador and Paso Robles. The bold, fruit-forward, food-friendly style of wine making would become Christian’s trademark. His first two wines, “Anarchy” & “Heretic” took the wine world by storm.

“Anarchy” is an unconventional Rhone blend: unexpectedly pairing spicy, brambly old vine Paso Zin with Syrah and Mourvedre. “Heretic” brings a pure, passionate, no holds barred approach to Paso Petite Sirah. The market was ready, and so were the critics.  Christian earned his first high marks from the Wine Spectator. Giant red wines with outrageous attitude, intriguing blends and unique marketing are geared toward Gen X, Gen Y and those Boomers who think they can keep up.

zin

2007 “Zinbitch” Magnum, Zinfandel, Paso Robles
Only in amazing vintage years I plan to select my best barrels, from my best vineyards and put together my crème de la crème Zin. 2007 was an epic Zinfandel year.

Thus, the first ZinBitch was created by blending Dante Dusi and Martinelli Vineyards;  two of the oldest, head-pruned, dry-farmed Zin vineyards in Paso that together are the history of Zinfandel in Paso Robles.

A very limited production of 300 bottles have been produced and bottled only in Magnum (1.5ltr) bottles for optimum aging.  I then bottle aged the wine for 10 months before release.

Four Vines will be releasing the 1st ZinBitch on February 14, Valentine’s Day and the birthday of the ZinBitch himself. Get one of only 300 Zinbitch Zinfandel magnums – each signed by winemaker and ZinBitch Christian Tietje.

Ships February 15, 2010.  300 bottles produced / Only 240 bottles remaining
Serve with Spicy Grilled Lamb Chops

lamb

Spicy Grilled Lamb Chops Recipe
Ingredients:
2 lbs. lamb loin chops
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon crushed dried thyme
½ teaspoon crushed dried basil
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon sea salt

Directions:
In a large baking dish, combine all the ingredients, except for the lamb chops and salt. Mix until combined, add the lamb chops and rub the marinade into both sides. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, turn over, and refrigerate for 2 hours more. Lamb chops may be marinated over night.

Preheat grill, grill pan, or broiler. Remove chops from marinade and salt both sides generously. Cook about 5-6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.  Serve with Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing on the side.

Second Labels from a Premium Winemaker
Ever since Obama served Duckhorn Vineyard’s Goldeneye Pinot Noir at his inauguration lunch, enthusiasm for the wine has skyrocketed. Fortunately for those of us who don’t want to spend $50 for a Pinot, the winery also offers a second label called Migration – Anderson Valley Pinot Noir – a stellar stand-in for the first wine – at a much friendlier price. $32

In addition to Goldeneye and Migration, Duckhorn makes Paraduxx, a blend of Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon made at a winery on the Silverado Trail that sells for $49, and another second label called Decoy that sells for $28.  Like all the wines of Duckhorn Vineyards, Decoy is produced from classic Bordeaux varietals. With a new composition every vintage, this unique red is blended from a changing combination of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot to create an engaging Napa Valley red wine.

Layer Cake Primitivo, aka Zinfandel 2007
If you like Zin, you’ll like this wine. An old world wine from Italy with the surprising forward fruit flavors of the new world. Dark purple color with ripe berry, spice and licorice nose. Medium bodied with flavors of plum, dark cherry, and hints of leather and nutmeg. Balanced with mild tannins for a smooth, medium finish. Goes well with smokey barbeque. $12.99

Fritz Winery 2005 Zinfandel, Estate, Dry Creek Valley
The Dry Creek area of Sonoma produces some of the best California Zins you can find. Because the weather is more temperate, you don’t get the fruit bombs like the warmer climates of Paso Robles and Lodi produce.

The Fritz Zinfandel has bright color with aromas of raspberry, plum, chocolate and new leather with a hint of charcoal and black pepper. Medium bodied with flavors of dark berries, chocolate and leather. As the wine opens up the tannins smooth out allowing for a smooth finish. I suggest opening bottle at least an hour before serving. We served this wine with pan-fried thin burgers and a chopped wedge salad. Enjoy! $25 Now $12 at Costco – while supply lasts.

Recipes:

Julia Child’s Pan Fried Thin Burger
INGREDIENTS
1 tb Minced shallots
1 ts Butter or mild olive oil
1 1/4 lb Fresh ground beef
(preferably 15 to 20 percent
Fat), up to 1
Salt
Freshly ground pepper

CONDIMENTS
1 Red onion; sliced very thin
1 Tomato; sliced thin
Iceberg lettuce leaves
1 sm Whole pickles
1 Thin cheddar or Swiss cheese
Bacon strips; cooked crisp
Butter; at room temperature
Ketchup
Mayonnaise
Dijon mustard

INSTRUCTIONS
In a small saute pan, over high heat, saute the shallots in the butter until soft, about 5 minutes. Divide the meat into 4 portions. One at a time, flatten each by chopping and spreading the meat with light strokes of your chefs knife. Season each with salt, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of the shallots. Blend into the meat, chopping and turning it as you shape the portions into 4 1/2 to 5-inch round patties, 1/4-inch thick. Toast the hamburger buns and distribute them to your guests. Suggest that they dress the bottom halves of their rolls as they wish while you cook the burgers. Lightly dust the surface of a large, hot saute pan, with salt. When the pan is very hot, but not smoking, lay a patty in the pan. Rapidly add a second burger. Brown the meat, about 20 seconds. Turn patties to other side. Cook until done, about 1 minute. Remove cooked burgers to a warm platter. Repeat process with 2 remaining burgers. Place finished burgers onto guests buns as quickly as possible so they can add their finishing touches.

Chopped Wedge Salad for 4
1 head iceberg lettuce
2 medium tomatoes chopped
4 slices cooked bacon chopped
3/4 C chopped red onion
Blue cheese dressing (your favorite)

Peel off outer leaves of lettuce. Cut out core. Chop whole head into bite-sized pieces and put into large salad bowl. Add tomatoes, bacon, onion and toss. Add dressing to taste and toss. Serve immediately.

When wine is produced from truly old vines, it is special. The vines have had to struggle to produce fewer grapes that have more concentration and flavors from the soil. They produce subtle, complex, earthy wines – more old world style.

Although a good old vine Zin is great by itself, it pairs beautifully with grilled meat – such as pork ribs that have a slightly sweet sauce.

Younger vine Zins are more fruit forward. They are  jammy, full-bodied and fun to drink. They pair well with spicy meats such as spice-rubbed, grilled lamb chops, served with ranch dressing on the side.

Two Favorite Pairings:

2006  Quivera Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel
Plum, boysenberry and vanilla aromas with flavors of dark fruit and a hint of oak. Chocolate, black pepper and earthy undertones. Full-bodied and balanced. Best to give it an hour of air before drinking. Cellaring for several more years will only make it better. Great with grilled lamb chops. $20

GRILLED LAMB CHOPS
Ingredients:
2 lbs. lamb loin chops
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon crushed dried thyme
½ teaspoon crushed dried basil
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon sea salt

Directions:
In medium mixing bowl combine all ingredients for the rub.
Rub mixture over both sides of the chops.
Grill lamb chops directly over medium hot coals. Cook to desired doneness, turning them over once. Serve with Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing on the side.

2006 Ridge Vineyards Zinfandel Pagani Ranch Sonoma Valley
“Beneath its seductive veneer of vanilla and creme caramel lies lots of deep, delicious, precisely defined Zinfandel fruit. Broad and balanced on the palate and firmed by just the right bit of tannin, it ends with an exceptionally long, very rich, berry-like finish and promises to develop nicely over the next three to six years. “Rated: 95 by Connoisseurs’ Guide, Jan 09. Great with baby back ribs. $32

BABY BACK RIBS
Rib recipe by chef Kenny Callaghan of Blue Smoke; sauce recipe adapted from Steven Raichlen’s How to Grill (Workman 2001).

For the rub:
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Spanish paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated onion
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
• 1 teaspoon chile powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar

For the meat:
• 2 full racks baby back ribs, skin removed

For the barbecue sauce: (you may also use your favorite recipe or prepared sauce):
• 2 cups ketchup
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Tabasco
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. In a large bowl, combine all the rub ingredients and mix well. Place both racks of ribs on a cutting board or wood slab. Gently massage the rub mixture into the ribs, making sure to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.

2. Pre-heat oven to 300°. Place ribs on baking sheet in pre-heated oven. Ribs should cook for two hours, or until tender.

3. While the pork cooks, make the barbecue sauce. Combine the ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, molasses, mustard, Tabasco, chili powder, liquid smoke and black pepper in a nonreactive saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until sauce is dark, thick and rich. Adjust sweetness, sourness and hot pepper to taste.

4. Heat your outdoor grill to high heat. In a small saucepan, warm the barbecue sauce over low heat. Remove the ribs from the oven and transfer to the grill. Cook for 5 minutes, then turn and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Brush the warmed barbecue sauce over the meat and cook the ribs for 2 minutes more on each side. Remove from the grill and let sit 5 minutes.

5. Using a sharp knife, cut ribs in between bones. Serve immediately. For saucier ribs, apply a second coat of warmed sauce just before serving. Serves 6 to 8.

Zinfandel vine

Time to Plant

We had an early bud break this year – the first week in March. Southern California had a wonderful warm spell in January that got the grape vines and roses to begin putting on leaves. Even though the night time temperatures have been in the low 40’s, we should be past any possibility of a freeze. Once we hit the equinox, we are home free. This is the best time to plant everything!