Sweet Wines

Abandoned, overlooked and dismissed without cause, Part One

by bob wesley

The running joke in the tasting group I’ve been a part of for the last dozen years is that when we take a vote to decide on the “wine of the night,” we have to exclude the dessert wines. That’s because they typically overshadow a majority of the often world class reds and whites that we sample on any given evening. And, no, we’re not all sugar fiends easily seduced by obvious confectionary attributes. The finest sweet wines that we’ve tasted over the years have offered gasp-inducing hedonism and complexity, weakening the knees of even those of us who’ve had them replaced. (The group has been around for a long time…)

Oddly enough, though, these wines are often overlooked by the typical wine consumer, who has perhaps been indoctrinated into thinking that “sweetness = cheapness.” Try explaining that to the owners of Chateau d’Yquem, arguably the most famous golden nectar on the planet and one that sells for about $400 per half bottle in a great vintage…fungus has been very, very good to them. (More on that below…)

Speaking of first-rate French Sauternes, if you’ve had the pleasure of tasting one, you’ll have encountered prodigious, laser-like aromas of honey, wet rock, white linen and an endless, thought-inducing panoply of mango, pineapple, apricots and peaches, all gliding in sinful fashion across your astonished palate with tender viscosity and a tear-inducing, endless finish.

And don’t discount the sugar-laden wonders from down under: the Australian wine industry was essentially founded and based on sweet, fortified wines for most of its history, and the tradition continues with astonishing tawny ports and ancient Muscats that have been sequestered in intentionally forgotten barrels for decades, turning amber in color and notoriously complex with age.

The single most complicated wine I’ve ever tasted was the Campbell’s Merchant Prince Muscat: I tried it at the tail end of a wine trip through Oz after a long lunch at a restaurant in Melbourne. Our host ordered chose it from the list and upon tasting it, I became an instant acolyte and analyst, savoring and scrutinizing at the same time. How do I begin to describe it? Think of layers unfold-

Summerland Winery 2014 GRENACHE ROSE

In the “land of perpetual summer,” this Grenache Rosé is good all year round. With strawberries, cherry kirsch and a touch of mint on the palette, you will enjoy this wine just as much with food as with your toes in the sand.

ing with orange marmalade, brown sugar, fruit cake, hazelnuts, coffee, toffee, vanilla, caramel, figs and even cocoa. It was a mindblower of inconceivable lavishness, and I stumbled off into the afternoon with a new reference point for greatness.

There are multiple ways to create dessert wines, but obviously the main idea is to keep the sugar level high. The most often used methods are:

1)-letting the grapes develop beneficial rot (as in Sauternes) which shrivels the grapes, reduces water content, and concentrates and adds flavors in a honeyed vein

2)-minimize water content by freezing or drying the grapes, thus increasing sugar levels and capturing the fruit characteristics in golden, prismatic focus

3)-stopping fermentation with brandy (a critical step in Port production) and thus boost the alcohol while maintaining sweetness

4)-Use step three and then let the liquid sit for decades to oxidize until it emerges with the hue and density of molasses

Many in our tasting group start making mooing sounds as soon as an exceptional “stickie” hits the palate, because they’re eager to voice their overwhelming approval but don’t want to swallow anytime soon. Nearby tables at the restaurants we frequent often think we’ve turned into a pack of inebriated Holsteins, but we don’t care: you can’t get embarrassed when enjoying something so exquisite.

Sauternes and Aussie Muscats will pair magnificently with New York style cheesecake, flan, pear tarts, coconut blizzard cake, walnut cookies, hazelnut torte, amaretto biscotti, Dairy Queen banana splits, fig crème brûlée, frozen Heath bars and my Auntie Rose’s lemon meringue pie. The last item is no longer available as my aunt is retired from baking, but the memory of her crust-and-citrus craftsmanship is stamped forever in my tasting nodules. Dessert wines deserve greater attention among the members of the ever-growing wine drinking public. These ambrosias are so tempting that they may promote immorality, so stop by and ask us about our favorites before they get condemned and banned by some indignant coalition.

Grilled Cheese!

Elevated to an art

Many of us have suspected this for years, but a recent scientific study has actually proven it: cheese is addictive! This is no surprise to Kathryn and Michael Graham, the duo behind C’est Cheese. In this combination cheese shop and café, you can buy homemade jams, meats from their salumi case, and carefully curated cheeses. Then you can order lunch in the café and sit down to a glass of wine and the house specialty: grilled cheese.

Kathryn and Michael began C’est Cheese with the goal of “taking away the intimidation surrounding gourmet cheese.” And what better way to do that than the humble grilled cheese sandwich? Long before they even opened the café, loyal customers of their cheese shop begged them to make grilled cheese sandwiches. And so began the quest for the perfect cheese blend: a sharp, aged Canadian white cheddar mixed with Swiss Scharfe Maxx (think nutty gruyere), and finished with stretchy mozzarella. The result is a silky, lux mouth feel that delivers both comfort and European sophistication.

All of their sandwiches begin on homemade pain de mie, a square, white loaf of bread that is sliced thin and grilled to a golden crunch. After that, you just have your pick of flavors. Aged goat milk Gouda with the snap of roasted jalapenos? Or perhaps Tuscan sheep and cow’s milk cheese with white Alba truffles? If nothing else, take part in their daily breakfast grilled cheese. The vegetables shift with the seasons, as most of their produce comes from local farms, but the idea of the breakfast sandwich remains the same: the signature cheese blend, perhaps with sweet and tangy tomato marmalade, a layer of peppery arugula, and then, sitting atop that, a poached egg. It is decadence upon decadence as the egg yolk spills down over the melted cheese.

Angela Borda

C’est Cheese is located on 825 Santa Barbara Street, and is open 7 days a week. Call for hours. www.cestcheese.com. 805-965-0318.

Fish tacos with heart and soul

Randee and Donald Disraeli began Kanaloa Seafood thirty years ago with the philosophy that you should “leave the world a better place than how you found it.” With degrees in coastal ecology and oceanography, they developed relationships with ecologically responsible fishing companies, and as a result are the first in the North American seafood industry to gain ISO 14001 certification. Kanaloa not only provides fish to restaurants all over the world, they also serve some of Santa Barbara’s most outstanding fish tacos. Passionate about food and locally trained, Chef Nathan Simandle has developed a trifecta of fusion tacos that keep Kanaloa packed with regulars. Start with their Pacific Hawaiian swordfish taco, containing cubes of toothy fish coddled in smoky roasted onions and poblanos, topped with shredded cabbage and a tomato-onion salsa. From there, try the light and sweet swai, deep-fried in crispy beer batter, with sriracha aioli and tiny little jewels of pineapple. But save your appetite for what friendly manager Marie Evans describes as the customer favorite: the Korean taco, known to fans as “the kimchi taco.” Campbell River salmon is grilled to perfection, with a brazen, sour base of kimchi aioli, and the clean crunch of slaw. From sweet to sour, from savory to hot, every taste bud is energized, and you will “fall in love with it once you try it.” Driven by creativity and the mission to take world-class fish to a new level, Chef Nathan oversees a crew that produces heavenly soft tortillas, meticulously prepared salsas, and fish tacos with a lot of heart and soul!

Kanaloa Seafood is located on 715 Chapala St. and can be reached at (805) 966-5159 or www.kanaloaseafood.com.

Farmers Market Spinach Salad Tossed In Honey Mustard Dressing

Equally good as an entrée or appetizer, this gorgeous baby spinach salad works like a charm every time. And paired with the sweet fruitiness of a Grenache Rosé, it makes for a special weeknight or weekend affair! Serves 4, Prep Time: 15 minutes, Cook Time: 0 minutes

IngredIents:

4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves

½ cup of blackberries

½ cup of raspberries

½ cup radicchio, finely chopped

2 stalks of green onion, diced

1 handful of microgreens or sprouts

½ cup Chinese broccoli (with flowers)

½ cup of raw chickpea sprouts, pea sprouts or pistachio nuts

Mint leaves (optional) honey mustArd dressIng:

¼ cup white wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon raw honey

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Pinch of salt and pepper

In a small bowl whisk together white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set the dressing aside.

In a large bowl toss together baby spinach leaves, radicchio, green onion slices and Chinese broccoli. Set out 4 plates and divide evenly. Sprinkle evenly on top of each salad the raw garbanzo bean sprouts and pea sprouts, microgreens and berries. Drizzle with the honey mustard dressing and garnish with mint leaves.

—Recipe by Danielle Fahrenkrug (Delightful Mom Food) delightfulmomfood.com

PAN SEARED ALASKAN KING SALMON

Ingredients: Serves 6 the sALmon

Six 7 oz. Wild Alaskan King Salmon filets, cut lengthwise 1/2 inch in thickness. You can request that the market do this for you when you place your order from their website at www.sbfish.com

1/4 cup olive oil the Crust

1/2 cup pistachios, shelled

1/4 cup almonds, blanched & sliced

1 tsp. Madras curry

2 Tbsp. finely chopped chives

1 Tbsp. black sesame seeds

1 Tbsp. white sesame seeds

Place pistachios, almonds, curry, chives and sesame seeds in food processor. Mix for 20 seconds.

Remove and set aside. Place pistachio mixture on cookie sheet. Dredge salmon filets, covering both sides. Pour olive oil into hot iron skillet. Sear both sides of salmon until golden brown, approx 1 minute per side. Salmon should be cooked medium rare. Do not overcook or fish will be dry.

AvoCAdo butter

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup ripe avocado

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lime juiced

To taste sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Dash Tabasco the vInAIgrette

Whip butter in small mixing bowl until soft and creamy. Blend in avocado, cilantro, and garlic. Beat in lime juice, salt, pepper & Tabasco. Set aside at room temperature.

1/4 cup Brown Sugar

1/4 cup Egg Yolk

1/3 cup Red Wine Vinegar

1 oz. Cumin

1 cup Water

2 bunches Cilantro

1 cup Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Place all the above ingredients in a blender except for the olive oil. Slowly add the olive oil until it is smooth and emulsifies.

BOUCHON’S PAN ROASTED LOCAL CORVINA

On Braised Salsify, Savoy Cabbage, and Rock Shrimp with Meyer Lemon Buerre Blanc

The Salsify:

2ea. Salsify

3 tbl. Butter

1 cup Chicken Stock

1 tbl. Salt

Peel salsify and add to a small pot with chicken stock, butter and salt. Slowly bring the salsify and butter to a boil. Keep the flame on low until the stock simmers. Remove from stock and let cool. Once cool at as desired.

The Sauce:

1/4 cup Butter (diced small)

1 Shallot

1 Garlic

1 cup White Wine

1 Meyer Lemon

Slice shallot and garlic then sweat lightly in butter until both are translucent. Add white wine and reduce until nearly dry. Remove pot from heat and adjust flame to lowest possible flame. Add 1 tbl. of butter to wine whisking constantly.

(continued on page 31)