Art of Food and Wine in Healdsburg

The Taste of Spring

Spring is in the air — and so is the excitement of fresh pairing possibilities. Embodying the vibrancy of spring, our 2018 Vintage Brut Rosé (Nicole Hitchcock’s March Pick of the Month) offers bright, fruit-forward notes that, when paired with seasonal ingredients, elevates your tasting experience to a new level.

Explore Estate Chef Forest Kellogg’s recommendations for a delicious spring salad to pair, plus a selection of cheese that complements this outstanding Russian River Valley wine.

2018 Vintage Brut Rose

About 2018 Vintage
Brut Rosé

“This wine reminds me of spring, particularly the fresh, underripe strawberries that you can find in the farmer’s market.”
— Nicole Hitchcock

Earning 91 Points from Wine Spectator (December 2022), the 2018 Vintage Brut Rosé offers a refined take on a classic brut rosé style. A delicate mousse
of lively bubbles greets you at first sip, while notes of bright red fruits, quince and tangerine fill the palate ahead of the crisp, flavorful finish.

 

 

Food and Wine Experiences in Healdsburg CA

Early Spring Smoked Trout Salad

Ingredients:

Salad:
3 cups wild arugula
2 heads baby lettuce of different colors — washed, separated and torn into 3-inch pieces
2 cups fingerling potatoes (roughly 12 potatoes)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 bay leaf
1 cup radishes (any color) — halved and thinly sliced
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2 oranges segmented (reserve juice and zest)
1 grapefruit segmented, each segment cut into halves or thirds (reserve juice and zest)
2 bunches of chives (1/2 cup) cut into ½” batons
1 bunch of dill (1/2 cup) separated from the larger stems
1 bunch of parsley leaves (1/2 cup)
12 oz smoked trout
2 Tbsp capers, roughly chopped
1 cup micro greens
1 cup edible flowers

 

Horseradish Citronette:
1/2 cup crème fraîche
2 Tbsp EVOO
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp shallot, minced
1 Tbsp fresh horseradish, microplaned (or prepared horseradish)
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Zest and juice of 1 orange
Zest and juice of 1 grapefruit
1 tsp honey
Salt to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Salad:
Wash the fingerling potatoes and place them into a sauce pot. Cover with cold water and season generously with salt, and add bay leaf. Cook until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain and rinse under cold water. Place potatoes on a paper towel-lined plate and cool in the refrigerator. Once fully cooled, slice into rings and arrange in a single flat layer. Season with EVOO, white wine vinegar, salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
In a large bowl, toss arugula, radishes, lettuce, parsley, chives, dill, potatoes and capers with half of the dressing. Transfer salad to a serving platter, arrange trout around edges and drizzle with remaining dressing. Garnish salad with microgreens and flowers.

Dressing (Horseradish Citronette):
Begin by zesting all citrus. Mince the zest to ensure even, tiny pieces. Place in a mixing bowl with the shallots.
Add the juice of half a lemon to the shallot mixing bowl.
Cut the bottom and top off the oranges and grapefruit and stand the citrus on one of the cut ends. Working from top to bottom, carefully remove the remaining skin and pith. You should be left with only the fruit in the original round shape of the citrus. Using a paring knife, remove the segments of fruit in between the white membrane of the fruit. Start by making your first cut as close to the white membrane as possible, following the natural curve of the fruit. Cut the fruit again before the next white membrane, and remove a perfect wedge of citrus. Continue the process until all segments are removed. Squeeze the juice from the remaining citrus “core” into the mixing bowl with the shallots. The grapefruit segments should be cut into halves or thirds, making them roughly the same size as the orange.
Add crème fraîche, EVOO, Dijon, honey and horseradish. Whisk until evenly incorporated. Season with salt and black pepper to taste



Pairing Cheese with
Brut Rosé

The red fruit and tangerine notes of the 2018 Vintage Brut Rosé are excellent for cutting through rich cheeses. Try fresh goat milk cheese with lavender and fennel pollen paired with candied kumquat marmalade for added texture and citrus notes that play on the wine’s long finish.

Cheese pairing with Brut Rose

Enjoy Springtime Events in Russian River Valley

An award-winning culinary team, prized vineyards and unrivaled hospitality — our standard of excellence extends far beyond our portfolio of Russian River Valley wines. Discover all that J has to offer during every visit, special occasion or exclusive event.

 

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