This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of St. Supéry.
Complimentary wine was provided for this post and this page may contain affiliate links. However, all opinions expressed here are my own.
After working with St. Supéry Estate Vineyards and Winery* for #MerlotMe last autumn, when I shared Lebanese Lubyi, Turkish Bazlama, and 2016 St. Supéry Rutherford Merlot, I was invited to join them for a series of collaborative posts throughout 2021. What fun!
Their #InJoy series started last week, but I was late to the party. For March and April, the theme is 'My Wine, My Garden' with Estate Horticulturist Brianne Hoover. Last week, they tasted the 2016 Dollarhide Elevation with Spring Vegetables and Lamb Loin. This week, we chatted with Hoover; Emma Swain, CEO; Michael Garcia, Viticulture Manager; Brooke Shenk, Winemaker; and Tod Kawachi, Estate Chef. And we sipped the 2019 St. Supéry Dollarhide Estate Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc while we watched Chef Tod make his Roasted Carrots, Lemon Tahini Yogurt, Dukkah creation.
Growing Carrots
The session started with a discussion of soil composition; soil is a combination of sand, silt, and clay. Hoover explained, "Soil is so important for growing all of our crops." She talked about soil as a living ecosystem with lots of organisms linked together through a flow of energy. And she encouraged us to steward that living ecosystem with water, shelter, air, and food.
Then she showed us all of the carrot varieties growing in their gardens, including Atlas, Deep Purple, Golden Nugget, Red Sun, and Romance which is a traditional orange carrot. Hoover also cautioned us about leaving the tops on after we harvest carrots because that will draw out the moisture. I had no idea about that, but I will be chopping off those greens from now on before putting them in the fridge.
I am not the family gardener as my thumb is decidedly black; Jake and D are in charge of our garden. You can read about D's Personal Project Garden from last Spring. So, all Spring and Summer we ate out of our garden and I'm looking forward to an even better bounty this year as they know a little bit more about how to plant and grow edibles.
Additionally, my gardening duo was excited to hear about the package of seeds that St. Supéry is sending with the next shipment of wines. Me, too. I can't wait to showcase our St. Supéry carrots grown in our very own garden. Stay tuned.
St. Supéry's Dollarhide Estate Ranch
St. Supéry Estate Vineyards and Winery, located in the renowned Rutherford region in the heart of Napa Valley, is sustainably farmed and 100% estate-grown. They are certified Napa Green Land as well as Napa Green Winery and fully committed to supporting biodiversity and sustainability. And in the northeastern hills of Napa lies their Dollarhide Estate Ranch, a valley within a valley that is comprised of over 1500 acres with only a third of that dedicated to vines.
With only about 500 acres as vineyards, the remaining land flourishes in its natural state with an array of flora and fauna including waterfowl, raptors, rabbits, foxes, otters, and more. And the ranch is also home to over 1000 heirloom fruit trees with nearly 200 different varieties, including peaches, nectarines, apples, plums, and pluots.
Circling back to soil, Garcia said that there is every combination of soils at the Dollarhide Estate. "Its soil is high in magnesium but it makes high quality Sauvignon Blanc."
In the Glass
Winemaker Shenk detailed how the Sauvignon Blanc was harvested and fermented. And she gave the most clear, concise explanation of sur-lie that I've ever heard, explaining how they age on the lees to lend volume and texture to the wine.
In the glass, the wine pours a brilliant straw color with flecks of green on the rim. On the nose, there is lots of citrus - grapefruit, lime, bergamot. And, on the palate, that citrus is mirrored with vibrant zestiness and fullness. This Sauvignon Blanc was surprisingly albeit delightfully full-bodied. It was crisp but weighty enough for the red wine-loving crowd.
On the Plate adapted from the "guidelines" courtesy of Estate Chef Tod Kawachi, on the winery's website: here
Ahead of the event, I downloaded the recipe that Chef Tod Kawachi was pairing with the 2019 St. Supéry Dollarhide Estate Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc. And I tested it ahead of time, being the serial planner that I am. But it was a treat to watch Kawachi madk the dish in real time and listen to his tips as he did so. He joked with Hoover about being responsible for any dead carrots she might encounter in the gardens, "I picked them too small and pushed them back into the ground, hoping they would get bigger." No, she had told a class participant earlier, you can't put them back in the ground. Once you pick them, you have to eat them.
Kawachi explained why chefs get excited about Spring - it's the colors, the availability of vegetables. "Spring is a welcome sight," he said. And he selected this dish because it would stand up to the heft of the Sauvignon Blanc. He "went a little Mediterranean with just a few flavorful ingredients."
He talked about dukkah. "Dukkah is one of my favorites. It's an Ancient Egyptian spice blend that has nuts and seeds. There are lots of different variations, so customize and make it your own." I have made Pistachio Dukkah before and surely will again. But, for this recipe, I had a jar of Villa Jerada's Dukkah that I picked up at local-to-me The Quail & Olive in Carmel Valley.
And as he cooked, one participant jokingly objected, saying that he hadn't listed radishes on the recipe, so he shouldn't use them. The chef chuckled, "Guidelines. Use my recipes as guidelines." A comment went up in the live chat that made everyone chuckle. "Chef said 'guidelines', but I heard 'white lies.'"
Guidelines. I like it. I only wish I had seen his dish before I made mine. Though mine was delicious, it felt rustic and clunky compared to his elegantly plated version. He added in raw shaved carrots and paper-thin radishes for texture, then he sprinkled the dish with mustard petals, using their cover crop as a beautiful garnish.
Ingredients serves 4
Carrots 4 to 6 organic carrots, lightly peeled and quartered lengthwise olive oil freshly ground salt freshly ground pepper 1 teaspoon dukkah spice mix plus more for serving organic limes, sliced into wedges for serving Also needed: baking sheet
Lime-Tahini Yogurt Dressing 1 cup plain yogurt 2 Tablespoons tahini paste 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice 2 Tablespoons dukkah spice mix 1 Tablespoon olive oil freshly ground salt, to taste freshly ground pepper, to taste Procedure
Carrots Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place carrots on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and dukkah. Drizzle with olive oil and place in the oven. Roast for 5 minutes. Remove tray from the oven, turn the carrots over and return to the oven for another 3 to 4 minutes. The carrots should be charred in the thinner parts. Remove from the oven and let cool while you prepare the sauce.
Lime-Tahini Yogurt Dressing In a small mixing bowl, stir together the yogurt, tahini, lime juice, dukkah, and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To Serve Place the roasted carrots on a serving platter. Spoon the yogurt sauce over the top. Sprinkle the sauce with more dukkah and place lime wedges so diners can squeeze it over their portions. Serve immediately.
This series will return in April with a look at All Things Tomato when we make the chef's Beet Stained Eggs with Feta, Saffron Salt paired with the 2019 Napa Valley Estate Sauvignon Blanc; and Brocco-latke'-Zaatar, Charred Lemon with the 2018 Napa Valley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon will be the focus for Encouraging Home Garden Biodiversity.
And because I loved the way Swain ended the Zoom class, I am going to say the same: Be well, be kind, cheers!
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*Disclosure: I received compensation in the form of wine samples for recipe development and generating social media traction. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the organizer and sponsors of this event. #WinePairing #SauvignonBlanc ##ad ##inJoy #Carrots
