JUNE WINE CLUB:
Skylark Wine Company
Orsi Vineyard
Pinot Blanc
Mendocino County, California
SILKY WINE STYLE
Pale yellow in the glass. High-toned citrus notes with roasted lemon, tangerine and green apple emerging with aeration. Very aromatic and perfumed, with a stoned fruit accent adding a layer of fragrant complexity. The palate is sleek and supple, with the lemon and apple fruits leaning into a tangy and dry finish. This refreshingly dry finish belies the fruit density of the mid-palate, where the interplay of textured fruit and natural acidity are in beautiful harmony.
WINE DETAILS:
- Appellation: North Coast AVA, Mendocino County, California
- Varietals: Pinot Blanc
- Alcohol: 13.2% alcohol / volume
- pH: 3.17 g/l
- Total Acidity: 6.9 g/l
WINEMAKER’S NOTES:
Skylark Pinot Blanc is sourced from Bernie Orsi’s old vine plot in Mendocino County. Planted and farmed sustainably in Russian River alluvial soils, this vineyard dates back to its original inception in the 1970s, created by Mendocino legend John Fetzer. This pristine fruit was fermented in Mueller stainless steel barrels to capture the essence of this unique site. Omitting any wood profile, keeping the Pinot Blanc expression pure and clean . While the July 4th holiday weekend provided scorching temperatures across the entire North Coast, the summer that followed was warm and moderate. After a cooling trend in mid-August gave the crop a welcomed respite from the heat, ripening was nearly perfect for the remainder of the harvest. Pinot Blanc was picked in the early morning hours on September 3rd under ideal conditions.
© Photo by Skylark Wine Company: Robert Perkins
ABOUT THE WINERY:
Skylark Wine Company is collaboration between Boulevard Restaurant wine directors John Lancaster and Robert Perkins. John and Robert have run the wine program at the acclaimed Boulevard Restaurant in San Francisco for the past fifteen years. During their tenure at Boulevard, they have built a close friendship, an inventory of wines from around the globe and a palate of tasting wines of the world from vintage to vintage. This partnership has created long-term relationships with the entire scope of the wine industry, from winemakers to vineyard managers to owners. With these relationships, their next logical progression was the realization of a dream: making fine wine from select vineyards in Northern California. While the original plan was simply a barrel, they jumped in with 14 barrels of Syrah from the 2002 harvest. Skylark Wine Company was formed. Learn more about Skylark Wine Company here.
Mango Halibut Ceviche
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 pound halibut, diced into 1-inch pieces (highest classification for eating raw for ceviche, ask your fishmonger)
- ½ cup fresh lime juice, from about 5-6 limes
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice, from 1 lemon
- 1 large mango, peeled, seeded, and diced
- 1 large avocado, peeled, seeded, and diced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded, and diced
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ bunch cilantro, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS:
- In a glass (non-reactive) bowl, stir together the halibut, lime juice, and lemon juice. Cover the bowl and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes to 4 hours. You’ll notice the halibut go opaque as the lime juice “cooks” the fish. The longer you marinate the fish, the more it will cook (a process called denaturation). Note, this process does not remove potential bacteria and parasites. See recipe link below for details and how to select the proper halibut.
- Remove the halibut from the fridge (no need to drain it) and add the mango, avocado, jalapeño, red onion, cilantro, and salt. Gently stir it to combine.
- Serve it up in individual glasses, on a plate, or with tortilla chips.
Information & Photos © Skylark Wine Company – All Rights Reserved.
© Recipe courtesy of Downshiftology – All Rights Reserved.
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