We are sharing three recipes to serve alongside our white and rose wines from the 2023 vintage. Each recipe is simple, impactful and absolutely delicious with the wine. Read on for the following:
- 2023 Pinot Noir Rosé & Strawberry Bruschetta
- 2023 Sauvignon Blanc & ‘World Famous’ Pesto
- 2023 Albariño & A Classic Shrimp Cocktail
2023 Pinot Noir Rosé & Strawberry Bruschetta
This is the ultimate Summer pairing. Pinot Noir Rosé has ample fruitiness and refreshing acidity that makes it delicious with most things. But by mirroring the strawberry, watermelon and rose petal flavors in the wine with something like this strawberry bruschetta you get a showstopping pairing. We like to sweeten our fromage blanc (a soft goat cheese would work if you can’t get Stepladder Ranch’s) with just a bit of honey, which we found really compliments the Rosé.
Strawberry Bruschetta Recipe
Baguette (we like Backporch or Bread Bike. Day old bread works best)
2 cups of diced strawberries
1 tablespoon high quality olive oil
1 tablespoon local honey
1 tsp good sea salt (like Big Sur)
1//4 cup of thinly sliced basil leaves
½ cup Stepladder Ranch ‘Fromage Blanc’ mixed with 1 tsp honey
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Slice your bread and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 7-8 minutes or until golden brown. While your bread bakes gently combine the strawberries, olive oil, honey, basil and sea salt.
Spread a layer of cheese on your crostini and top with a spoonful of your strawberry bruschetta. We like to serve ours with edible flowers (pansies or calendula) from the garden, or you can add extra sliced basil leaves.
2023 sauvignon blanc & ‘world famous’ pesto
This Sauvignon Blanc’s fruity aromatics, grassy flavors and high acidity steal the show and can make pairing it a challenge. But the 2023 vintage is absolutely stunning with none other than: pesto. The basil mirrors the wine’s grassy flavors and offers a beautiful contrast to the fruity aromatics. And in honor of our discovery, we’re sharing this recipe from famed ‘pesto king’ Roberto Panizza who created the World Pesto Championship. Niner Executive Chef Jacob Burrell actually won the West Coast competition and traveled to Italy to compete in the World Championship!
‘World Famous’ Pesto
Basil (65g)
Pine nuts (30g)
Aged parmesean, grated (40G)
Pecorino Sardo, grated (20g)
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp sea salt
5 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
A marble mortar and wooden pestle is a key component here. “Pesto” translates from Italian to “to crush.” Place the garlic in the mortar and mash it to a creamy consistency. Add the pine nuts and crush them until you reach a paste. Add basil leaves and sea salt, without completely filling the mortar. Do it in more batches, if necessary. Press the basil leaves moving the pestle up and down. Once they are coarsely mashed, start moving the pestle in circles around the mortar sides. If needed, use a spoon to rub basil leaves off the mortar sides.
When you reach a creamy and uniform texture, add both types of cheese.
Pour the EVOO slowly, mixing it with the spoon to blend all the ingredients together and create an emulsified sauce. Give a final mix with the pestle. The process should take the shortest time possible, to avoid oxidation.
2023 albariño & classic shrimp cocktail
The adage “what grows together goes together” strikes true for this coastal wine and seafood pairing. Albariño’s home is on the Spanish coastline, and we found the perfect pairing in Alison Roman’s Classic Shrimp Cocktail recipe. We opted for harissa paste and omitted the horseradish, finding that this lighter approach to spice worked well with the wine. The mineral, fruity flavors of the Albariño are a fantastic compliment to the sweet and spicy flavors of the shrimp and cocktail sauce.
Shrimp Cocktail (Adapted from Alison Roman)
FOR THE SAUCE
1 ½ cups Heinz ketchup
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons harissa paste
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE SHRIMP
2–3 pounds large raw, unpeeled shrimp
Kosher salt
1 large onion, quartered
A handful of black peppercorns
3 lemons, 1 halved crosswise and 2 quartered
Make the sauce. Combine the ketchup, ¼ cup lemon juice and harissa paste. Season with salt, pepper and more lemon juice, if you like. Set aside to serve with the shrimp, or eat shamelessly with a spoon.
Prepare the shrimp by peeling and deveining them. Bring a large pot of highly salted (salty like the sea!) water to a boil and add the onion and peppercorns. Working in batches as needed, lower the shrimp into the pot and cook just until they’re bright pink and opaque, 1 ½ to 2 minutes. Drain or remove using a slotted spoon and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet so they can cool down as quickly as possible (should you miraculously have space in your refrigerator, place them in there to chill faster).
To serve: Squeeze some of the halved lemon over the shrimp. Fill a large bowl with ice and then place shrimp atop with the lemon wedges; there’s no need to arrange them concentrically or anything, just however you think looks nice. Be sure to provide a little dish for tails.
Serve with cocktail sauce for dipping.