Responsible Indulgence--December 2024
Slow down, we move too fast…
Here we are into the last month of the year, and in what seems like a blink of an eye, the year is nearly over. With each passing year, I feel I say this with even greater surprise. The only way to slow down time, is to slow down ourselves, so that is what I must do. Sit longer with a friend, talking of ideas, nibbling on foods that far exceed the needs of nutrients and sipping on delights that bring joy and pause for thought.
These notes are an exercise in slow delights. Each month, I forage through the offerings available for your selections, contemplate the wines that will best fit into the club and that will elevate your meals, snacks, and shared or quiet moments. This month, I also tasked myself with helping you to slow down. It is a self-serving exercise, I admit it, but it is also one of the gifts of food and wine. Perhaps, it is the most rewarding gift. It makes us stop and think about what to eat, what to pair, how to prepare, and then cook, serve, and enjoy.
When we open a bottle of wine, prepare a meal, we step away from our tasks, work, responsibilities and we use our senses for joy, nurturing, and satisfaction. I love the cut of the foil, the squeak of the cork screw (or the crack of the breaking seal on a screw top), the pop of the cork, the splash of the wine into my glass, as I watch the wave of color curl into its resting place and inhale the aromatics. I smile, sip, and swallow, exhaling to receive the full impact of the aroma and bouquet. All senses alert and alighted!
Is the 59th Street Bridge playing in your head, yet? “Slow down, you move to fast. You got to make the moment last. Just kickin’ down the cobblestones. Looking for love and feelin’ groovy.” Thanks Simon & Garfunkel for that one!
Enjoy December, the sunshine is so bright and the air brisk. It is a time to enjoy our friends, reflect on the year, gather together and show our gratitude for each other. I hope these wines give you the opportunity for all of that, as well as a quiet moment, perhaps at the stove stirring.
Cheers, Maria
Risotto—A Stirring Meditation
I am not so good at stillness, but I am good at making risotto, which requires that you stand in one place and stir without stopping, watching the rice cooking in a simmer of broth, continuously moving a wooden spoon through the simmering liquid to ensure the creaminess of the sauce that surrounds each piece of perfectly cooked rice. If that isn’t a practice of slowing down and being present, then I don’t know what is! Here is one of my favorite recipes for the holiday season.
Roasted Beet Risotto
This is adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe. I don’t remember where I originally found it, but I have made my tweaks, and you should make your own!
6 medium size red beets with the greens
2 shallots
1 clove garlic, roasted
2 cups Carnaroli rice (Arborio also great), rinsed
½ cup dry white wine
2-3 cups vegetable stock (chicken also works)
½ cup red wine, optional
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup grated parmesan
Place whole beets in an oven proof dish about an about an inch of water, cover, and place a whole head of garlic in there, too. Roast at 375 for 45 minutes. (Tip: use a serrated knife to cut off the top of the garlic, so you can easily squeeze out the roasted cloves when done.)
Rough chop the beet greens, and reserve.
Remove the beets, use a paring knife to peel. The skins sort of slide off, easily. Cut the beets into 1/2inch cubes. (Yes, they can stain, so use a board that is easy to wash.) Reserve the roasting liquid. It is usually a bright red, so you can add it to the risotto for color.
Squeeze the garlic head to release the roasted garlic paste.
Heat stock in a stock pot. Simmer is hot enough.
Put a few tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan, heated over medium heat. (Tip: always heat your pan first, then add your fat, heat that through before adding any ingredients.)
Reduce the pan to low and add finely diced shallots. (Yes, an onion works fine, I just like the intensity of shallots.) Cover and sweat the allium of your choice for 8 minutes or until translucent.
Add a clove of the roasted garlic, or more to taste. Using the wooden spoon to break it up, it will melt into the shallots.
Raise the heat to medium-high, add your risotto rice and stir, using your wooden spoon. (This is an important step, as it is creating the foundation for the creaminess of your risotto, so give it some love.)
You will see the rice begin to become translucent, with a white center after about 5 minutes. At this point, add the white wine and stir. It will sizzle and then get absorbed by the rice. (Some Italians have questioned this step, but I like the punch the acidity of the wine gives the dish. You decide for yourself)
Now, you will add ¼ cup of your hot stock and stir until it has been absorbed by the rice. Continue to add the stock at ¼ cup increments. I usually need all of the stock, and it takes about 30 minutes. (Yes, Stand, Stir, and just inhale the aromatics that are swirling around you. When asked if someone can step in, politely decline and enjoy your meditative moment. Also, enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that your own way of stirring makes the dish uniquely your own 😉)
When the stock is absorbed and the rice is cooked but still has a bite, add the red wine, the chopped beet greens, butter, salt and pepper to your taste, and finely grated parmigiana. Stir a bit more to combine. It should be creamy.
Serve on warmed dishes.
Garnish plates with finely chopped parsley.
I like this dish on its own, as a main, but it is also wonderful with a tenderloin. Beef and beets go nicely together. As an option, sear a tuna steak with loads of black pepper on it, or just make a beautiful chicory salad with an anchovy dressing and enjoy the risotto. I am sure that the two open bottles of wine conveniently opened for your recipe will both pair nicely with your meal. Generally, I serve the same wine that I cook with, as the flavors are already in the dish.
Mangia!
Your Wine Notes, Dec. 2024
Value Wines
If you are seeking a good value, there are a number of great wines that are still under $20 that are satisfying and delicious. To begin, if you are like me and want a cold wine regardless of the weather outside, I suggest the 2022 Chateau le Raz Bergerac Blanc. It is a fresh, fruity, and aromatic Sauvignon Blanc that has a pinch of Semillon that rounds the tangy edges a little. There is a surprising and very pleasant minerality that balances the fruit. I would have this one in the fridge at all times, in case someone pops in for a splash to celebrate. It would be wonderful with some fresh goat cheese, salads, or Asian foods. If you seek something a bit weightier, grab the 2020 Kuentz Bas Pinot Blanc.
There are a number of wines that continue to prove to me that you need not pay a premium for quality wines steeped in tradition, and the Kuentz-Bas Wines are among them. This one is floral and honeyed, but dry and bright, with complex aromas. It is mouth watering and will complete your meal, even elevate it. Try it with a fondue, roasted pork, or pan seared fish.
If you want cold, but not white, consider the 2023 Pomalo Rosé which will deliver a surprising burst of exciting aromas straight out of the glass, red berries, pink grapefruit, peach, and cherry. It is 100% Blaufrankish, from Slovenia, and it would be wonderful with turkey, if you still have some left over. It is truly a bright, fresh, dry rosé with surprising complexity for its modest price point. Alternatively, I offer a bonus wine this month for all my club members, and bubbles, no less!
Finding a delcious, dry, crisp, refreshing sparkling wine for less that $20 these days is a Christmas miracle in itself, but I found one. You will love it! The NV Casa di Malia Vino Frizzante, Prosecco, from the Veneto, 100% Glera is from a family-owner vineyard, certified organic…seriously, how is this so reasonable? It has a wonderful lemon zest and pear fruit combination with soft, lively bubbles. Enjoy it on its own as you stir that risotto!
Yes, tis the season for reds, I know, and I have a few of those for you as well. To begin with a medium bodied, spicy little number, the 2022 Chateau de Ruth—Jardin de Ruth is Grenache and Marcelan. It is smooth, easy but not without complexity. Coming from an estate that dates back to the 16th century, it is no surprise that the wine has character. Plum fruit, a little black berry, touch of spice, good tannins and a nice long warming finish. Enjoy this one with lighter meats, charcuterie, and warm winter stews.
The two other reds in the value picks are both more full bodied. The 2018 Victor, Côtes de Castillon is another new wine for us. It is is stylistically traditional to the region with of reserve up front, more fruit on themed plate and supple, well integrated tannins. It has abundant brambly fruit and nuanced flavors of tobacco and leather and spice with some black pepper. This is ideal for game, red meats, or mushroom dishes.
2019 Rodrigo Duoro Red is from northern Portugal, it is rich and intense with
Select Wines
2023 Marquiliani Rosé
2020 Kuentz Bas Riesling
2019 Fram Chenin Blanc
2022 Domaine du Petit Clocher Anjou Rouge
2020 Côtes de Berne Moulin à Vent
2021 Villa S’Anna Chianti Sensi
Collector
2023 Clos Sainte Magdeliene Cassis Blanc
2018 Chateau Pradeaux Rouge