Craftwork Old Vine Zinfandel

Simply-Recipes-Santa-Maria-Tri-Tip-LEAD-4-5b7dca68a93f45f1b26f0ca5d8bf3a4a

© Photo by Ciara Kehoe

Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 (2 1/2 pounds to 4 pounds) tri-tip steak
  • Santa Maria rub (enough for a 4 pound roast)
    • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
    • 1 tablespoon finely ground black pepper
    • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
    • 1 tablespoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
    • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary (or fresh, finely minced)
    • ½ teaspoon dried sage

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Mix the rub ingredients together in a bowl. Place the roast in a roasting pan or a baking pan with edges (this will help contain the rub spices). Sprinkle the rub on the meat on all sides, and massage the rub into the meat.
  2. Cover the roast with foil or plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for an hour to take the chill off and allow the rub to work its magic on the roast.
  3. Prepare your grill for hot direct heat on one side, and indirect heat on the other. 
  4. Sear the roast for 3-4 minutes per side. Carefully watch the roast during this process as one side of the roast is typically quite fatty and as the fat heats up it can drip down and cause flare-ups. Keep moving the tri-tip away from the flame if flare-ups occur.
  5. Once the tri-tip is seared on all sides, move it away from direct heat and place it fat-side up on the grill rack.
    – Note: If you are using a gas grill with a top rack, it is recommend to place the roast on that rack, with an aluminum tray on the bottom rack underneath to catch the fat drippings.
    – If you are grilling on charcoal or wood, you may want to turn the roast over every few minutes, for more even heating.
    – Try to maintain a grill temperature of 250°F to 300°F.

  6. Cover the grill and cook until the temperature of the interior of the tri-tip reaches 120°F for a rare roast, 130°F for medium-rare and 140°F for medium.
    – At this point the meat will take anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes to cook, depending on how hot your grill is, how well done you want it, and the size of the cut.
    – Note that the interior temperature will continue to rise at least 5°F after you take the roast off the heat.

  7. Once the roast reaches temperature, remove it from the grill and let it rest, loosely tented with foil, for 10-15 minutes. Slice across the grain to serve.

© Recipe courtesy of Elise Bauer of Simply Recipes.

SEPTEMBER WINE CLUB:

Craftwork_Silhouette_NV_Zinfandel_transpMellow style logoCraftwork
Old Vine Zinfandel

Monterey County, California

MELLOW WINE STYLE

This Old Vine Zinfandel has aromas of plum and black currant, juicy black cherry and ripe strawberry jam. This wine has well-balanced tannins that open out to a rich, layered finished.

Varietal: Zinfandel
Analysis:
13.5% alcohol / volume
Aging: 10-day fermentation in Stainless tanks, then aged in Hungarian and American Oak
Food Pairings: This Zinfandel pairs beautifully with tri-tip steak, sausage, pizza and pasta dishes.

 

WINEMAKER NOTES:
“Upon arrival to the winery, the grapes are destemmed, crushed, and fermented in small lots in open top fermenters. The firm cap of skins are gently punched down several times a day. Punching down is a traditional method that gives the skins as much contact with the fermenting wine as possible, ensuring that maximum color and phenols from the skins is transferred to the wine. After a 10-day fermentation in stainless tanks, the wine is age with a combination of Hungarian and American oak to round out and soften the rich, black fruit flavors.” – Craftwork

CraftworkABOUT CRAFTWORK VINEYARD & WINERY:
Craftwork’s wines are handcrafted from estate grown grapes in their vineyards in Monterey County, California. Their Zinfandel grapes are sourced from estate vineyards in San Lucas and Hames Valley. The majority of this blend comes from San Lucas, which is known for its beautifully rolling topography, sun-filled days and cool nights. The other portion of this blend comes from Hames Valley, about 20 miles south of San Lucas, located on the southern edge of Monterey County. Hames has temperatures that vary greatly from day to night. Growing in these two vineyards allows the grapes to reach their full flavor potential. Learn more about the vineyards and winery here.

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Peacock Wild Ferment Cabernet Sauvignon

Grilled Steak

© Photo by Steve Giralt

Perfectly Grilled Steak

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 1 1/4-to-1 1/2-inch-thick boneless rib-eye or New York strip steaks (about 12 ounces each) or filets mignons (8 to 10 ounces each), trimmed
  • 2 tablespoons canola or extra-virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:

  1. About 20 minutes before grilling, remove the steaks from the refrigerator and let sit, covered, at room temperature.
  2. Heat your grill to high. Brush the steaks on both sides with oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. Place the steaks on the grill and cook until golden brown and slightly charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the steaks over and continue to grill 3 to 5 minutes for medium-rare (an internal temperature of 135°F), 5 to 7 minutes for medium (140°F) or 8 to 10 minutes for medium-well (150°F).
  3. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board or platter, tent loosely with foil and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

© Recipe courtesy of Bobby Flay for Food Network Magazine.

MAY WINE CLUB:

Bold wine Style logoPeacock_CABSAVNV (1)False Bay Vineyards
Peacock Wild Ferment Cabernet Sauvignon

Stellenbosch, South Africa

BOLD WINE STYLE

A wine that portrays typical varietal character along with a lot of elegance and accessibility. On the nose you can enjoy subtle red berries, a hint of chocolate and green spices. The palate has a lifted freshness and soft tannins which are well integrated- the fruit also carries through well to the aftertaste. It’s great enjoyed on its own, but also pairs well with a variety of dishes ranging from a simple tomato-based pasta dish to a juicy sirloin steak.

Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Analysis:
13.4% alcohol / volume
TA: 6.3 g/l
pH:
3.46
RS:
2.6 g/l

“Cabernet Sauvignon has always been seen as a big, bold and very tannic wine…the king of the reds. It is traditionally marketed as a wine to keep for at least three years before even thinking of opening a bottle. But at Waterkloof we believe it does not necessarily have to be big and gutsy to make an impression. We look for vineyard sites that are able to produce wines with notable elegance and freshness, allied with a fine texture.” – False Bay Vineyards

HARVEST AND PRODUCTION:
The grapes for our Peacock Wild Ferment Cabernet Sauvignon are sourced from the cooler slopes of the Helderberg ward on the coastal outreaches of Stellenbosch. Deep red soils provide moisture and nutrients, which give this Cabernet its supple, dark berry character. This cooler area also allows a longer ripening period, which imparts balanced flavors and elegant tannins to this red varietal. False Bay Vineyards use very minimal intervention during their winemaking process. The grapes are tasted regularly to determine the optimal ripeness and taste. Wines are hand-harvested after the grapes are de-stemmed. The juice is naturally fermented using “wild yeasts”, allowing for the flavors of the vineyard to be further expressed in the bottle. The skins are juice are mixed using two punch-downs or two pump-overs per day. The wine is aged in older 225L barrels for 9 months, after which it underwent a light filtration and a small dosage of sulphur is added before finally bottled. No other additions such as tartaric acid or enzymes were added.

ABOUT FALSE BAY VINEYARDS:
Named after South Africa’s most iconic bay, which frames much of the country’s premium wine-lands, False Bay Vineyards, was born from a desire to make ‘real’ wine affordable. The sister company of Waterkloof Winery, False Bay Vineyards, produces two collections: the earlier drinking, yet refined Peacock Wild Ferment range, named after the brightly plumed birds conspicuous in and around Waterkloof’s vineyards and the False Bay wine range of easy-drinking yet quality driven wines. Learn more about False Bay Vineyards here.

Wine club logoJoin our WINE CLUB and enjoy these amazing wines and pairing recipes each month. Plus, you’ll receive 10% off all retail wine purchases!

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Gold rated wine paired with Grilled Filet Mignon

WC_Oct_2014_MrRiggs

 

filet-mignonGRILLED FILET MIGNON WITH GORGONZOLA BUTTER

INGREDIENTS:
•  4 filet mignons, each 1-1/2 inches thick
• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 1 to 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 4 tablespoons Gorgonzola butter

GORGONZOLA BUTTER:
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground fresh black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

DIRECTIONS GORGONZOLA BUTTER:
Using a hand-held mixer or a mini food processor, blend the butter and Gorgonzola until smooth. Add the scallions, pepper, and vinegar and blend for about 1 minute longer until fully incorporated. Alternatively, mix the ingredients by hand.

Lay a piece of plastic wrap on the counter top. Scrape the butter onto the plastic and, using the plastic wrap as a guide, form the butter into a log. Fold the ends closed and refrigerate until ready to use.

DIRECTIONS GRILLED FILET MIGNON:
First of all, rub the steaks with olive oil and pepper. Set aside for 20 to 30 minutes until ready to grill. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill. Lightly spray the grill rack with vegetable oil cooking spray. The coals should be moderately hot to hot.

Rub the salt into both sides of the steaks. Grill for 5 to 6 minutes on each side for rare meat or for 6-7 minutes for medium-rare meat. Brush a little more olive oil on the steaks after they are turned. Place a pat of the compound butter on top of each filet mignon as soon as it comes off the grill so that the butter begins to melt on top of the meat. Let the meat rest for a few minutes before serving.

Mr-Riggs---2012-Three-Corner-JackBold_stickerMr.Riggs
Three Corner Jack
Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot
McLaren Vale, Australia

DougFrost“If there is one simple attribute that Australian red wines are supposed to embody it’s “jam”: an intense and nearly confectionary kind of fruitiness that makes you just want to grin and drink more. One of the country’s top winemakers, Ben Riggs, has tossed Cabernet, Shiraz and Merlot together for this fun brew, but he has always been adept at crafting rich and exuberant reds.” – GOLD RATING

Winemaker: Ben Riggs
Appellation: McLaren, Vale, Australia
Varietal Blend:  40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Shiraz, 20% Merlot
Analysis: 14.5% alc/vol
Critical Acclaim: GOLD rating – Doug Frost, Master Sommelier and Master of Wine
“Best New Wines” from Australia – Josh Raynolds – IWC 2013; 90 points 2011 vintage

Piebald Gully vineyard 1In South Australia, where the beloved McLaren Vale region is located, ‘Three Corner Jack’ is the name given to a three-spiked prickle which sticks to you and is hard to ignore! Perfect name for a wine that combines three of McLaren Vale’s finest grape varieties from three of their very best vineyards.  A tried and tested area for growing full-flavored Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, McLaren Vale has almost the perfect climate for grape growing: warm summers, low humidity, good winter rain and long autumns to ensure that grapes achieve ripeness, flavor, acid and balance.

 

Grilled Flank Steak with Shallot and Red Wine Sauce

flank-steakINGREDIENTS:
•  4 shallots, sliced in thin rings
•  4 tablespoons olive oil
•  1 cup red wine
•  1 cup beef broth
•  Salt and freshly ground black pepper
•  1 (1 1/2 pound) piece flank steak
•  1 tablespoon cold butter, in small chunks

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, saute the shallots in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until lightly caramelized, about 5 to 7 minutes. Raise the heat to high and add the red wine and reduce by half. Add the broth and reduce by half. Check for seasoning, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Keep warm on low heat.

Brush the flank steak on both sides with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with the salt and pepper. Place on the center of grill and sear 5 to 8 minutes per side for rare to medium rare, testing by pressing the meat with a finger: The spongier the meat feels, the rarer it is cooked. Remove from the grill and allow to rest, very loosely tented with aluminum foil, 5 to 10 minutes, to allow the juices to reabsorb into the meat.

Slice the flank steak on the diagonal and place on a large platter. Finish the sauce by swirling in the chunks of cold butter, then top the steak with some of the sauce and serve the rest on the side.  Recipe courtesy of Bodega Bouza

Bodega_Bouza_TannatBodega BouzaBold_sticker
Tannat A8
Canelones, Uruguay

Juan and Elisa established Bodega Bouza in 2000 by restoring a historic winery first built in 1942 by Numa Pesquera.  Since then the winery has established itself as Uruguay’s most critically acclaimed producer.  Grapes are sourced from Bouza’s two estate vineyards in the Canelones region.  This temperate, Atlantic-influenced climate sees four distinct seasons and temperatures rarely exceed 93 degrees. While Bouza is receiving worldwide attention for their Tannat bottlings, the winery is also responsible some of the most interesting Tempranillo, Merlot, Chardonnay and Albarino in South America.

Winemaker: Dr. Eduardo Boido
Appellation: Canelones, Uruguay
Varietal Blend:  100% Tannat A8
Analysis: 15.5% alc/vol