Looking for a cooler season red wine? Look no further, the 2019 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is a lux red wine that will grace and impress your holiday occasions. I may be partial, but this Cabernet Sauvignon is my favorite wine on the wine tasting flight.
Cabernet Sauvignon Tasting Notes
The 2019 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon has delicious notes of black cherry, blackberry, chocolate, coffee, and a dash of nutmeg. This wine can stand alone without food, but it is a perfect wine to pair with meat, or hearty vegetables like mushrooms and cauliflower.
Wine & Food Pairing
There is a traditional food pairing philosophy that teaches red wine with red meat and white wine with white meat. Those pairings can absolutely work and if you are just starting in wine and food pairings it can be a good starting point. That being said, they are not absolute rules that should restrict you. There are so many wine varietals, blends, and styles of winemaking that not every red wine will show best with a red meat, but instead fish and chicken. Pairings depend greatly on the wine and the aromas and tasting notes you get from it.
Another important note is that spices and herbs can move proteins and produce in various directions. Meat, vegetables, and fruits obviously have their own flavors, but overall spices and herbs can direct the flavors. For instance, the right spice rub can move lighter proteins and vegetables to pair with a bigger red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon. Recently, we had a Skillet Mexican Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream and a Coffee Caramel. This delicious dessert went beautifully with the Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. This was somewhat of a surprise as normally sugar is an adversary to red wines, but what made this Mexican cocoa brownie sing with the Reserve Cab was the spices. We added chili powder and cinnamon to the cocoa, which marries with the baking spice notes found in Cabernet Sauvignon. And then the coffee caramel and vanilla ice cream met the notes imparted by the barrels chosen to age the Cabernet. Spices can steer food pairings.
Cabernet Sauvignon Food Pairing
At Parrish Family Vineyard, we love coffee. There is a lot of coffee that powers our team behind the scenes - from the winery to the tasting room and especially the kitchen. Not only do we love drinking coffee, but my husband Ethan and I love to use coffee to make rubs for our meats. The coffee adds a depth of flavor due to its acidity, smokiness, nuttiness, and chocolate notes. This ingredient can help proteins pair with red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon.
We came up with a coffee rub that can be used for any protein or hearty vegetable that can then be paired with our beautiful 2019 Reserve Cab. We hope this flexible spice blend can inspire your next pairing.
Coffee Rub Recipe
1 Tbsp Freshly Ground Coffee, Fine
1 Tbsp Paprika
1/2 Tbsp Coriander Powder
2 Tsp Dried Basil
1/2 Tsp Mustard Powder
1 Tsp Onion Powder
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
2 Tsp Salt
Notes:
Need an easy wine and food pairing? The holiday season is fast approaching, which can drive any cook crazy. The mess. The various palates and food needs. The dirty kitchen with the mound of dishes. The too many cooks in the kitchen. We can console each other as holiday cooking can be overwhelming. But here's an easy appetizer to pair with our 2020 Cabernet Franc.
Cabernet Franc Tasting Notes
The Cabernet Franc is a wonderful variation from its relative, Cabernet Sauvignon. It features a lighter body and lovely red fruit notes. Our 2020 Cabernet Franc is medium-bodied with notes of leather, cranberry, pomegranate, and red cherry. It has a good balance of earthy and fruit.
Cabernet Franc Food Pairing Suggestion
The food pairing I am sharing for this club wine was an accidental creation. I was preparing my husband's recent birthday dinner. Ethan had requested pizza with homemade dough, sauce, and all the toppings. I had prepped ingredients for his anchovy mushroom pizza (that was definitely for him), classic pepperoni, and then a pesto butternut squash pizza. The pesto butternut squash pizza was one I wanted to make as we had butternut from the garden. I started working with the pizza dough. It was oddly only enough for two pizzas. This wasn't normal and I wasn't sure where I tripped up in my recipe, but regardless, I had ingredients prepped for one too many pizzas. I then thought of the on-sale crescent dough we had picked up at the store the day before. I decided with just 20 minutes to pivot and I would make the pesto butternut squash into a crescent roll appetizer.
I rushed around the kitchen and made these fall crescent rolls. I pulled them out of the oven, plated them, threw some flower petals on top for garnish, and then Ethan pulled up the driveway. Phew. I knew I didn't need to be stressed, but I was trying to make it a special dinner.
While we waited for the pizzas to come off the smoker, we tried my in-a-pinch creation. It was simply delicious. As soon as I had a filled roll, I knew it was the dish to pair with the Cabernet Franc.
I hope this can help make your holiday table a little more fun and less stressful. You can make it as easy, or homemade as you would like!
Squash Crescent Rolls
INGREDIENTS
1 Butternut Squash, peeled and cubed
1 tsp Dried Tarragon 1 tsp Dried Thyme 1/2 tsp or Salt
1/8 tsp or Black Pepper
Oil (Olive Oil, Avocado, Saf{lower)
1/2 Onion, chopped
1/2 cup Pesto
1 can Crescent Rolls
1/2 cup Romano Cheese, shredded
DIRECTIONS
1. Mix butternut squash in a bowl with preferred oil, dried tarragon. dried thyme. and 1/8 tsp of pepper, and 1/2 tsp of salt. Place on a baking pan or roasting pan covered in parchment (less clean up!). Pop in the oven for 20-30 minutes till tender. Once done, cool for 10 minutes.
2. In a saute pan, heat on low-medium with oil. After a minute or so, put your chopped onions in with a couple pinches of salt. Cook and cover the onions until softened and a little brown...cararmelized. Set aside.
3. Open the crescent rolls can. Separate and lay out on a cutting board.
4. Now it's time to assemble each of the rolls by spreading pesto, then adding onions, and next butternut squash.
5. Fold the dough over each other covering most of the filling. Then top with cheese.
6. Bake for 10-15 minutes or unlil golden brown.
Where does Rosé fit in the holiday season?
We all know that rosé is perfect for a day by the pool, but it shouldn't be left till the warmer months return. Rosé has a place in the Fall and Winter months alongside the holidays. The 2023 Rosé we currently serve is a lovely, bright pink of Grenache. It has notes of dried strawberries, pineapple, white peach, lemon rind, rose, raspberries, and a slight minerality. It's too pretty not to invite to the parties!
Rosé Pairing
A few ideas for pairing Rosé are to use dried fruits, nuts, and herbs to welcome it to the table. Some suggestions would be:
Pork Tenderloin with an Apricot Chutney or Sauce
Braised Duck with Herbaceous Wild Rice
Butternut Squash Chili with Cornbread
Thanksgiving Turkey & Chestnut Stuffing
Smoked Cauliflower with Pumpkin Seed Pesto & Tahini
Sourdough Stuffed Acorn Squash (see Recipe Below)
Hopefully, this encourages some ideas for your holiday gatherings! Below is a recipe I came up with since Ethan and I grew acorn squash for the first time this year in our garden. As many of you know, we also make a lot of Cabernet Sourdough, so this would be delicious for stuffing. Cheers to you and yours this holiday season!
Sourdough Stuffing in Acorn Squash Paired with 2023 Rosé
2 Acorn Squash, cut in half & seeds cleaned out
Olive oil
8 cups cubed stale Sourdough
1 cup rough chopped Pistachios
1 cup Dried Cherries
1 cup chopped Medium Onion
1 cup chopped Celery
2 tsp Dried Sage
2 tsp Dried Thyme
1/4 cup chopped Parsley
4 Eggs
1 1/2 cups warmed Vegetable Broth
3 tsp Salt
Pinch of Black Pepper
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Meanwhile, rub olive oil, salt, and black pepper on the acorn squash halves. Put the squash halves cut side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 35 minutes, or until soft.
2. Toast the pistachios in a small pan and toast for a few minutes taking care not to burn, by moving the pan frequently.
3. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat and cook the onions and celery until translucent.
4. Next add dried sage, thyme, and parsley with the onion and celery. Mix well and let cook for about 2 minutes.
5. Then pour the onion mixture over the bowl of sourdough. Add in the pistachios, and the dried cherries. Mix.
6. Add the eggs. Depending on the bread dryness and hardness, you can reduce or increase the eggs.
7. Slowly add the vegetable broth to the sourdough-onion mixture. Add and mix gently until the stuffing holds together. Again, you can reduce or increase the broth depending on the bread.
8. Put the mixture in the squash halves and place under the oven's broiler for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown.
9. Top with more chopped parsley or marigold petals to serve. Best enjoyed immediately.
Notes:
Our 2019 Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc is our sweet wine on the menu and delivers notes of apricot, pineapple, banana and orange sherbet. It features estate grown Sauvignon Blanc that we allow to stay on the vine longer into the season to develop more sugar, so it is considered a dessert wine. The wine is perfect with sweet treats or cheese & charcuterie plates. Sweet wines pair best with sweet foods, but cheese with the creaminess and salt can also be a delicious pairing.
I've compiled a list of desserts and cheeses that would pair well with our Late Harvest to inspire your upcoming hosting and holiday season! (Graphic Above) One last idea for using the Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc, is that you can do a reduction to create a delicious sauce to top desserts like ice cream, flourless chocolate cake, or cheesecake. We hope you enjoy this sweet treat at your next get together or just because!
Bare vines and dark soil spotted with green grass speckle the hillsides as puffy clouds pass overhead in the vineyard. The quiet landscape of the season, while simple, is beautiful. Despite the tranquility, there is still work to be done and activity begins weeks before the end of Winter.
The first task is composting. Tractors spread it between the rows of the bare vines, which awakes the vineyard to the season ahead. It takes 2 years for the compost to be used by the soil. That's correct, two years. I thought it would have been immediate, but microorganisms in the soil have to break it down. Once it breaks down it gives the soil carbon, nitrogen, and minerals that feed the vine's root system. We have to do this as the vine loses these elements every harvest. We use organic compost instead of chemical compost as it is sustainable. Organic compost also doesn't encourage overgrowth in the vineyard. As my dad shared, chemical compost can act like steroids for a vineyard. We want growth, but not that kind of growth.
The next task is pruning. The vineyard gets a haircut with the old wood being pruned. The pruner keeps two canes (old shoots) on the vine for this year's growth. It is a job that requires time and diligence. We prune later in the Winter to protect the vine from disease. Timing is everything in farming.
Once trimmed, the vine awaits bud break. It is my favorite time of year as the bare vines show life again (even though I know the vines are alive during the Winter...haha). Till then, bring a blanket or coat, and enjoy the tranquility at the tasting room.
Cheers!
-Cecily
"We're having a heatwave, A tropical heatwave. The temperature's rising, It isn't surprising..."
Sung by Marilyn Monroe (There's No Business Like Show Business,1954) echoes in my mind as the Summer months hit. While Summer is bright and happy, I find myself to be like wine and prefer milder temperatures. So, it brings up a question that we frequently get in the tasting room, how do you properly store wine? It's a great question because there are definitely ways to keep wine temperatures perfect.
Traveling with Wine
You are meandering the beautiful roads of Paso Robles. Hopefully, you're on Adelaida Road because it's one of my favorites in the area (not biased, right?!). You have the windows down, wind blowing, and you smell the wild grasses of wine country. You're happy even though it's 90 degrees out. Well, there's one thing in the car not so stoked on life and that's the wine you just bought. It's too darn hot for the wine! There are ways to ease the transport for your wine.
At Home - How to Store Wine
Most of us do not have a dream wine cellar waiting at home. Instead, we have a workhorse Whirlpool fridge that holds our dietary treasures or a cramped master bedroom closet with shoes that need shaping. Do you have to get a wine fridge? The answer is that it depends on you.
What kind of wine drinker are you is the question you should ask before spending money on a wine fridge. So, are you...
There are some tips regarding wine storage that can help you further decide how to best store your wine and if a wine fridge is necessary for your wine enjoyment.
Opening Wine & Serving
Once you open a wine, oxygen is now in contact and that begins to change the wine as it starts a ticking clock of how long you have till the wine is lack-luster. You may think serving wine is not super important, but it does make a difference in how a wine showcases itself.
Is your head spinnning yet? No worries. I wrote this not only for you, but for myself as I can't remember all the tidbits sometimes. I typically recommend to guests that ask about wine fridges that they should spend some time researching as it is an imporant investment. I personally know that Liebherr is a good brand. Outside of that, just read lots of reviews to make sure whatever fridge you purchase meets the important tips about wine storage.
Hope this helps and most importantly, stay cool!
-Cecily
A few weeks ago we had a tractor tilling between the rows of our Adelaida vineyard and while that doesn't sound very exciting, it brought up an interesting conversation about our soil management.
My dad shared with me that we have been a part of a soil project the last couple of years that was implemented by the local RCD (a.k.a. Upper Salinas - Las Tablas Conservation District) and funded by the CDFA (a.k.a. California Department of Food and Agriculture). While my dad might have told me this before, it was like hearing new information and I had to know more. So, he directed me to our vineyard management company, Vineyard Professional Services (VPS), to fill me in. The Chief Operating Officer of VPS, Linnea Smith, reached out to me with a great document (thank you, Linnea!).
VPS has been working with the RCD to study the impact of middle row management and soil health over four years (2021 marks the last year). The reason for this study is that generally vineyard managers till between vineyard rows to reduce weeds and pests as they are competition for the vineyard's water...a precious resource. The problem with this practice is that it is expensive, time-consuming, and impacts erosion control. The updated practices are easy to implement and can be applied by any vineyard in California.
In 2018, Parrish Family Vineyard's Templeton and Adelaida vineyards were brought into the trial along with three other local vineyards with diverse terroir; soil, and microclimates. In the trial, they tried different cover crops; brome grasses and barley. Then they tried a mix of mowing versus discing. The RCD took soil samples each year and observed the changes in the soil. They took note of the amount of organic matter, nutrient levels, and soil biology and diversity. The hope for the project is that it will lead to an increase of organic matter, improve water retention, and long-term storage of carbon in the soil.
In simple terms, the changed soil practices will mean less water, improved water quality, and fewer pests...overall making the vines productive. That's a win, win, win! This project shows how important soil is in the vineyard. Soil needs to have nutrients and water retention to feed the roots of the vines...otherwise, you will see problems with the season's development.
Thanks to the RCD and VPS for including Parrish Family Vineyard in these important trials. It is another example of the Ag Industry innovating and improving to meet the challenges around them. The farmer has always had to adapt and always will, due to climate, disease, pests, and economics.
We'll see how 2021 concludes for this project, so for now, we will wait with a glass of wine and appreciate the efforts as the wine starts in the vineyard.
Cheers!
Cecily Parrish Ray
We have been growing our Sauvignon Blanc at the Adelaida vineyard since 2013, while we had been using the fruit to produce our Estate Sauvignon Blanc since 2016, the winemaking team was compelled to try something new. They wanted to do a sauterne-style wine as it would be a nice addition to our lineup as we didn't have a sweet wine.
What is a sauterne? Sauternes are from the Bordeaux region of France and they feature not only Sauvignon Blanc, but also Sémillon and Muscadelle. They tend to be heavier in body, sweet, and have notes of stone fruit, tropical fruit, florals, toasted sugar, coconut, and baking spices. It all depends on the fruit and barrel program, as you do age this style in barrels to add the wonderful body and secondary flavors.
Back in 2019 we took the leap and held back some Sauvignon Blanc clusters from the main harvest in September and allowed the grapes to stay on the vine to develop more sugar. In November 2019, we harvested the remaining Sauvignon Blanc and they were raisined with colors of gold and pink-purple. Hence the term, Late Harvest because it was last to be harvested and allowed to develop more sugar, or higher brix (measurement of sugar). We normally pick at 21 brix for the Sauvignon Blanc, but for this wine, we picked at about 35 brix.
Below is a video we recorded in the middle of the processing the Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc with Cellar Master Ethan and Assistant Winemaker Cody sharing about this new wine:
*I'm sorry about the background buzz from the winery!
One thing you may notice from the video is the vibrant color. It looks like orange juice! That color fades away during fermentation. After talking with Assistant Winemaker Cody, I learned more about why young wines have a cloudy color that is nowhere near what the finished product will look like. This is known as browning and it's a normal thing that happens during pressing wine. The oxygen dissolves causing the color. It also has some lees and sediment that are stirred up making it not as clear. The CO2 that occurs in fermentation helps lift the oxygen and at that point begins to change the color to be more clarified and golden rather than yellow-orange.
During fermentation, the winemaking team used a weaker yeast so the process would stop at 15-16% alcohol and allow there to be residual sugar in the wine.
What is residual sugar? This is what makes wine sweet. Dry wines have no residual sugar because they have had all the sugar eaten up by yeast during fermentation. Sometimes wine tasters think that sweetness in a dry wine is sugar, but that is most likely the fruit notes of the palate. So, if you like wines that are "sweet" in a dry wine then you would want to look for wines that fruit-forward, less tannic, and have spent time in stainless steel or little time in the barrel.
After processing, the wine then journeyed to oak. The Late Harvest aged in 35% new French oak and 65% neutral oak for about 16 months. This gave the wine more body than our traditional Sauvignon Blanc. Typically, the winemaking team ages Sauvignon Blanc in stainless steel to keep it light and crisp, whereas the Late Harvest is aged to be heavier bodied with more creaminess and caramelization.
The day we bottled the Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc, I got to taste it and it was delicious. The notes I got were apricot, lemon and grapefruit jelly candies (think of those Sunkist ones), cream soda, toffee, and then a beautiful brush of acidity. I love the acidity in this wine as it helps balance the body to keep it from becoming cloyingly sweet.
For the winemaking team, it is such a rewarding day to take the wines that have been worked on for a couple of months or years and finish them. They get to see the once grapes transformed to wine and then placed in the bottle. It is also rewarding for the team to do something new and have it turn out to be wonderful. No longer a thought, but a reality.
As far as packaging, it is different from our other bottles as the label is with gold accents and the bottle is smaller, 375ml (rather than 750ml). Our whole team voted on the bottle shape for a few days in bottle planning. It was very sophisticated as we lined up 2 options on the counter and then did a tally on post-it notes. It became a bit of a competition, jokingly, as one bottle was being picked by a landslide and the other was lonely with 1 tally mark. But that team member began convincing other team members to bring them to her side. Haha. Alas, the popular bottle was chosen. It was a good attempt! In summation, it was a team effort in picking the packaging.
So, importantly, how should you serve this? Chilled. I would recommend a smaller glass so you can easily access the nose. This will age well. I have yet to try it after being open a couple of days, but feel this would last longer open than a stainless steel, crisp Sauvignon Blanc. Regardless, this wine will age in the bottle for some time.
And then what do you pair it with? You can do dessert with this wine. I would say tarts would be lovely with it like a lemon, coconut, or almond. Cheesecake would be simple and decadent with the Late Harvest. For the release weekend, Estate Chef Samantha paired it with aphrodisiac macarons; fig & pistachio, strawberry balsamic, and raspberry chocolate (awesome!). The fig & pistachio macaron was my favorite with this wine, so taking inspiration to home, try thyme mascarpone figs with roasted pistachio and honey drizzle.
And then let's not forget cheese & charcuterie as this would be beautiful with a board for starters or dessert, I mean why not! Here are some thoughts; baked brie, Fromarer D'affinois Blue Cheese, St. Agur Blue Cheese, Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog, Asiago Rosemary, Idiazabal, Manchego, Honey Bee Goat Cheese, Oakdale Lemon Quark, Foie Gras, Duck Prosciutto, Alle Pia Calabrese Salami, and Smoking Goose Spruce & Candy Salame. Add some fun accouterments like quince paste, bacon jam (Olivas de Oro does one), Marcona almonds, dried nectarines, dried cherries, homemade candied pecans, pumpkin seeds, shortbread biscuits, sourdough, or brioche toast...you'll be set!
I hope you enjoyed learning more about this new wine. Cheers, and if you're a club member, you can pick up this wine here!
-Cecily
Winter is upon us with its calm and cold presence ushering in a quiet time for the vines. I have a lot of times called this their sleepy time, but in more formal words, the vines are currently dormant. It is a perfect time for dormancy as the temperatures can drop below 30 degrees. Even in Paso Robles, California we can get freezing temperatures at night and early mornings. So, dormancy protects the vineyard from being hurt by the freezing temperatures.
The vines have gone through senescence after the hard work of harvest, which is the dropping of leaves. Since the leaves are now covering the floor of the vineyard, it indicates that the vines have stopped photosynthesis (energy production). The vines don’t die because they have stopped photosynthesis, but rather they depend on the stored energy in their trunk and roots. This brings up one of the important practices for a vineyard and that is soil health. The soil is what provides nutrients to the vines. During this season we will work on the soil by applying fertilizer and/or planting cover crop seeds (i.e. flowers, vetch, or barley).
Shortly, we will also work on pruning the vines to prepare them for the growing season. With pruning, the prior year’s canes are cut back leaving the best canes for the new year’s shoots. There won’t be a lot of activity with the vines until bud break which usually occurs in April and marks the start of the growing season. Below I have dug up a timeline I made years ago of the stages of growth throughout the year highlighting the important moments for the vines. The months listed are approximate as every year is different due to the weather.
My hope this year is to share more information about the vineyard when they are happening, so we’ll see how I do!
Cheers!
Cecily Parrish Ray
It is December 31st, 2020. The last day of this year. Who would have foresaw during the joyous calls of "Happy New Year!" on January 1st, 2020 at 12am that this year would unfold the way it did. Normally we experience difficult times at different times, but in 2020 we experienced it at the same time. It has truly been a notable year for everyone that will be remembered.
It was a year that has brought about deep gratitude and togetherness despite what one would think. As I reflect on these photos and videos above, it amazes me to see such a year with vibrant life, colors, and joy. I believe the reason is that our family and team chose to make it that way. That is not to say that we haven’t had moments, but we chose to work hard together and keep going with the best attitudes possible. Thank you so much to them for all their hard work and team work. I truly could not have gotten through this year without them.
It was also a year of sharing with guests even though it was with distance and behind masks. There were so many moments and stories we got to experience with our members and guests that it brought us all closer. Thank you to all our club members and guests who trusted us to provide safe service. Thank you for the support and encouragement.
Lastly, it was a year of unexpected joy thanks to the location of our tasting room and winery. We saw the hills frame beautiful, inspiring sunsets. We had many visits from wild life from reptiles to birds…one we weren’t able to capture was a recent visit from a bobcat. It’s these moments that make us pause and remember that there is so much more to life than just the doom and gloom.
My heart is so full as I watch this video. Despite all the difficult and unimaginable, thank you God for such a year as this.
With a grateful heart,
Cecily Parrish Ray