Where Rustic Meets Elegance
Sparkling wine as the “breakfast of champions” doesn’t get any better than at this property in Sebastopol/Green Valley AVA of Sonoma. With only an outdoor tasting bar, Iron Horse takes full advantage of their dramatic sweeping views and the lovely moderate year round weather. Couple that with a line up of fantastically impressive wines, you’ve got a gem of a way to start the day off. To get there you come along a long, windy, rustic road that will remind of hidden roads of Burgundy, France and seems as if it leads to nowhere. Indeed it leads to a beautiful, unpretentious property overlooking equally gorgeous Green Valley views. Because there is only an outdoor tasting bar area (with an awning) and limited space at it, one can think of the rest of the property, including covered seating in the back and rocks along the picturesque hillside, and some 350 acres of vineyards, as part of the tasting area. In fact, there are no spit buckets and the hosts encourage guests to sip and linger away, or pour out the remaining wine in the nearby vines. This independent, family-owned winery is a casual, rustic and fun feel and laid back friendly service at its best. These wines that range from rustically charming to elegant and soft, have been featured at White House dinner and a staple at weddings. Anyone would be hard pressed not to include in a personal portfolio.
0 Comments
“First impressions are lasting” is an expression definitely befitting Ram’s Gate Winery. As the inaugural winery along highway 121, gateway to Northern California’s wine country, Ram’s Gate is not only conveniently located (about 30 minutes from Golden Gate Bridge), but also an impressive example of what the area has to offer. After tasting wines and relaxing on the property, you will either be well satisfied and content to call it a day, or it will entice to see what lies beyond down the road, or even over hills and into another valley.
Walking through the entranceway of Ram’s Gate you cannot but be struck by the stunning landscape that is Sonoma and serves as their immediate surroundings. It’s rolling hills, with cattle and sheep sharing the terrain along side vineyards. The design of the winery is such that whether you are relaxing and tasting indoors or at their outside seating, you have nearly 360 views of the lush Carneros landscape. It’s hard to believe you are just minutes from the city, and you are engulfed in stunning countryside vistas. Inside, the visitor center is elegant, yet comfortable, with a design motif that deftly combines traditional, rustic and modern. You have a choice of tasting at a large bar area, or with a reservation you can sample the wines at a nearby private table. Just outside the tasting room is a generous covered patio area, complete with large, cushioned Restoration Hardware-esque chairs and sofas and a duel sided fireplace. If you feel like stretching your legs, guests are welcomed to walk parts of the property. The Ram’s Gate wine list is made up of lovely selection of several types of wine including Sauvignon Blanc, NV Sparkling Brut, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and a Late Harvest Zinfandel. Guests can enjoy either wines by the glass, bottle and the choice of two flight menus with food pairings. Being the first winery along the way, is probably a blessing or a curse for Ram’s Gate. For some visitors short on time or eager to get their wine tasting started, they may stop in without a second thought, but for those unfamiliar with the relatively new winery and determined to get to the more popular establishments along highway 29 in Napa Valley, will more than likely sail right passed. Whether you’re going as far as Napa Valley or as close as Sonoma, Ram’s Gate Winery deserves more than a drive by. Go in and enjoy the views and wines. A big part of what makes this tasting experience so special is getting there. If you think the Silverado Trail in Napa Valley is beautiful and a great alternative to what can be a heavy trafficed highway 29, wait til you cruise along Sage Canyon Road to get to Brown Estate Winery. Some of the trek to the vineyard is along a tranquil lake, and the remainder is via windy, quiet mountain roads. After you get buzzed in at the front gate (this is an appointment only establishment), you’re ushered into a lush, unspoiled property with hillside vineyards within a few feet to one side, and a big, handsomely converted barn as tasting room, to the other side. Before you make it past the parking lot, you’re greeted by Sky, a tall, lean furry welcoming committee who also serves as the Brown family pet.
Right on Sky’s heels is the equally friendly Jona, the tasting room host. After introductions are made and crisp, lean and flavorful Chardonnay (some oak) is distributed, Jona launches the tour. With glass in hand, you walk outside for a bit while given fascinating information about the history of the property and the proprietors, Dr. Brown, originally from Jamaica, and Mrs. Brown, originally from Panama. The East Rutherford estate was acquired by the Browns in 1980 and they are proud to have only developed 50 acres of the 450 acreage total to vines. The rest, as they say, “is roughneck wilderness that they strive to tend, not to tame.” Across from the quaint and modest personal home on the property is a big, curved wooden door imbedded in the stone wall. To visitors’ surprise and delight, the door opens to a root cellar that houses the barrels. A brief tour of the cellar leads to an arched doorway and the tasting room, which is an extension of the cellar. The tasting room is dark, romantic and elegant, with seating for eight at the bar. Jona begins the next part of the experience with a small food portions for pairings with the wines; four of the five wines are paired with cheeses, and one with chocolate. All are delicious and perfectly compliments each wine. Varietals: Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel Spain’s Premier Pig Continues to Entice American Foodies
Author: Paula Farmer/©ICEX Move over Rafael Nadal and Penelope Cruz, Spain’s best export to the U.S. is now a chubby, hairy fellow with a big snout. As of a few short years ago the much anticipated Iberico jamon de Bellota made its way states side to the delight of foodies and Spanish transplants alike and the love affair continues. A descendent of the wild boar, that had its history in the forests of the Mediterranean shoreline, the Iberico pig continues to roam free and feasts on acorns. This is the last free ranging and grazing pig in all of Europe and they are exclusive to the ecosystem in the southwestern Iberian Penninsula. As a result, the pig’s meat bi-products are distinctly, delicious and very desirable. The fat is the perfect blend of mild sweetness with a nutty flavor. Until Fermin USA/Jose Andres’ Think Food Group began importing the pork, it was something Americans could only dream about or experience when traveling to Spain. Getting the highly sought after and desirable dry cured ham is the result of a long, tedious 10-year importation process and reflective of Andres’ and Fermin CEO/President Santiago Martin’s commitment to promote Spanish products in the U.S. Martin remembers vividly the details of the battle. “When FERMIN first started working on the US approval, nobody was able to meet the USDA standards. There was not experience with working with such high quality standards, and the Spanish inspectors were not used to work under USDA rule. It was a huge challenge and also supposed an enormous change of mentality. FERMIN started working on this project in 1995 and gained the approval in 2005. It was a learning process for everybody: FERMIN, the Spanish Ministry, etc.,” Martin reflects. For however long it took and for however great the effort to get ham to American soil, it seems to have been worth it, from a standpoint of taste and financially. Besides Andres’ Jaleo restaurants in D.C., Maryland and Virginia, Iberico de bellota is on the menu of several fine dining, multi-starred restaurants throughout the U.S. Not least among them is New York’s Picholine, Per Se and Tia Pol. On the West Coast, the list continues to impress, with French Laundry in Napa, California, Cube in L.A. and Truffle Market in Las Vegas, to name just a few. With such stellar clients, it’s no surprise that this gem among pork comes at a price. It generally retails for $180 to $200 per pound. Fermin’s Martin explains the exclusivity and preparation factor in to the pricing. “We´re talking about a very limited animal (only found out on the western region of Spain), so the animal and its breeding and feeding are expensive. Then, we need to cure the ham for over 2 years, in a very traditional and natural way- FERMIN does natural curing Products from Spain in America’s Largest Cheese PurveyorSpanish Cheeses and specialty foods gain popularity at New York’s Murray’s store Author: Paula Farmer/©ICEX In addition to being a landmark of New York’s West Village and one of the City’s top destinations for 71 years, Murray’s Cheese store is the leading purveyor of cheese in the U.S. and maintains legendary status worldwide. With such a reputation one might expect a grand physical presence and an over abundance of staff. Instead, the cheese icon is seemingly small and unassuming, maintaining a quiet, yet welcoming persona nestled among other eateries of the residential neighborhood downtown. Once drawn in past the trademark red and yellow entrance, one is captivated by how much is going on in what appears to be a relatively small space that is deceptively expansive, with its main floor retail service center, an upper level dedicated to classrooms and catering, and a lower level housing cheese caves. The Murray’s ambiance is enticing and infectious with friendly and knowledgeable staffers who hustle to keep up with the customer demands and tourist photo ops as early as 10:00 a.m. and the eye-popping beauty of mounds of cheese and specialty food products that are displayed creatively throughout. As impressive as Murray’s is as a shopping spree or tour site, it’s even more amazing as a wholesale business, with its reach way beyond West Village NYC. The Murray’s you don’t see that makes cheesemakers worldwide long for it to liason between their product and customers. With 500 wholesale clients and thousands of mail order customers, Murray’s is a world onto itself accurately reflecting the diversity that is food globalization , in the best sense of the term. A good portion of their vast cheese inventory is from Europe, long known for pioneering the art of cheese making. To date, over 100 cheeses of the Murray’s inventory come from Europe, with Spanish cheeses maintaining a respectable portion of the European product line. Core to Murray’s success are the long-standing relationships that owner, Rob Kaufelt, has developed with cheesemakers overseas. Although Murray’s works with various importers for their cheeses from Europe, Kaufelt was instrumental in igniting the European connection and collection and is a personal enthusiast of their cheeses and other food products from Spain. He also encourages staff to partake in on-site visits to Spanish producers. “Our staff has visited many producers in recent years and always receives a warm reception. We’ve visited the farms and production facilities of Manchego, Drunken Goat, La Serena, Leonara and Valdeon,” Kaufelt explains. “On a recent trip to visit manchego producers, our impressions were that their focus is on technology as well as health and safety practices in cheese. They are working to build larger farms without compromising their quality.” As a result, Murray’s has amassed an impressive showing of cheese from Spain as part of their overall inventory. Included are more well known examples such as Manchego, Drunken Goat and Mahon. But Kaufelt and Murray’s are not just about the crowd pleasers, so they bring in and promote just as delicious lesser known Spanish cheeses in the U.S. Kaufelt explains that among them are “cheeses such as Garrotx, which is a wonderfully moist and cakey aged goat cheese that sports a suede jacket of grey mold. Belying these rugged looks are lingering flavors of white pepper and damp wood, thanks to cave-aged origins.” Rob goes on to describe another personal and staff favorite called Idiazabal, a cheese made with the raw milk of Laxta and Carranza sheep. “Idiazabal is lightly pressed and aged for 2-10 months resulting in a buttery mouth-feel and an intriguing gamy character,” Kaufelt details. King of Spanish cheese in America is, without a doubt, Manchego, a pasteurized sheep milk cheese. This classic cheese from La Mancha is a crowd pleaser for American audiences as it is the top selling Spanish cheese in the U.S. and at Murray’s. For this and other reasons, the store offers young versions of it as well as aged. While Kaufelt and his staff are thrilled that Manchego, with its signature thick and waxed rind, is single-handedly responsible for ushering in interest in cheeses from Spain, they know it’s just one of many. “I’m glad that so many of our customers now recognize and enjoy Manchego, but it’s important that they learn that it’s not the only thing that Spain has to offer,” declares Murray’s marketing director Deena Siegelbaum. Manchego is traditionally paired with sticky membrillo, better known as quince paste, and Crianza level Rioja wine. While Murray’s does not sell the Rioja wine, they are well stocked in the paste, along with other specialty food items of Spain. While perusing the Spanish cheese section, one can have samples of Marcona Almonds. These nuts that are fried in sunflower oil and sprinkled with sea salt are sweeter than California almonds and are habit forming. Not far away from the almonds (and not for sampling) are the Apricot Bars- chewy treats made by four brothers in Valencia, Spain. It’s no surprise that while Manchego and other cheeses from Spain are gaining popularity among Murray’s retail customers, the products are garnering a larger wholesale client base as well. Rob admits that part of that growth may be attributed to the recent surge in popularity of tapas and wine bars in New York and the U.S. It wasn’t that long ago that Murray’s had only a handful of restaurant clients overall, and only a select few among them served a separate cheese course. Now Murray’s boasts a restaurant client base of over 75 just in New York, with many of them including Spanish cheeses among their selections. Let’s not forget though that Murray’s is a full service cheese Mecca, including not only retail and wholesale sales and in store storage, but also cheese education. As such, Spanish cheeses are often featured as part of their classes, especially when it comes to cheese and wine pairings. Rob shares some of his thoughts on recent pairings as delivered to students of the Murray’s classroom. “We say, what grows together goes together, so we love to pair Spanish cheeses and wines.” He continues with an obviously well thought out list of pairings promoted in class recently:
In addition to the general cheese and wine pairing classes, typically once a month there is a Spanish cheese and wine class offered to customers. “Harmony of Wine and Cheese: Viva Espana!” is a favorite class that often sells out. In it, attendees get a oenophillic tour of Spanish wines and cheeses with Spanish wine expert and owner of Tinto Fino, Kerin Auth, and cheese educator Waldemar Albrecht. Whether a cheese student, cheese customer and afficionado, a restauranteur, or just a lover of cheese, Murray’s is not to be missed. For someone with a Spanish specific palette, the appreciation intensifies as Rob and company continue to procure cheese specimens and other specialty products from Spain. The results are a diverse range from the common traditional, to the hard-to-get and obscure. Immersed throughout the process is an undeniable passion that drives Rob and his staff to seek out, educate and cultivate. Murray’s knows cheese and Spain knows Murray’s. For Murray’s Spanish cheese selection information or to place an order, go to www.murrayscheese.com/findcheese.asp?lct=&lc=Spain An Innovative Chef from Madrid Unleashes His Magic State Side
Author: Paula Farmer/©ICEX With El Bulli’s closing to the public, along with the departure of Ferran Adria from the chef scene, it’s not surprising that the restaurant-going public and food industry may be looking to fill the void. If that’s the case, New Yorkers may have gotten just the person to do so in the form of Jesus Nunez. As an apostle of modern Spanish cuisine and after successfully heading up to Michelin-star rated restaurants in Madrid (Polenta, Flou), Nunez recently opened Gastroarte on New York’s Upper Westside. During a recent interview in The Epoch Times newspaper, Nunez sites the motivation for launching his first New York venture to good timing and a strong and compelling need for creative expression. He plans to express that newfound freedom with an admitted avant-garde style that is centered on elements such as texture, art and architecture. Before Adria and El Bulli were well known who would expect a chef to use adjectives such as these that are usually attributed to buildings and design as opposed to exclusively talking about food in terms of taste? This is a relatively new and captivating niche in the restaurant world in America and no doubt many will be enthralled. What is sure to most captivate his New York audience are the culinary creations themselves as Nunez is committed to authentic Spanish cuisine, a la molecular gastronomy. This translates to great tasting elements that are complex and will dazzle the eyes. Included are items such as Tortilla De Patatas, creamy, gorgeous tapas served in a martini glass. There’s also the “Not Your Average Egg” dish that is getting much buzz. This is egg yolk surrounded by a white substance that’s not egg white, but rather a cauliflower puree. For a main dish example one need go no further than lamb loin with smoked eggplant and Manchego cheese that is served with not one, but three sauces. It’s not just in food execution that Nunez is mixing things up in the world of retainer. Another thing the chef/pastry chef is doing differently is running the whole show in the kitchen, including cooking, while keeping a close eye on the front of the house too. It remains to be seen how long Nunez can keep up with total control of the back and front of the house as his star rises in New York. As long as he keeps serving up innovation on a plate, that’s what will give him a place on the culinary map of honor in the prestigious food towns in America. |
Archives
November 2021
Categories |