We miss you all, but are still pleased to find an alternative way to share our Taste of the Ranch spring event with everone! Although it will be virtual this year, we promise the same fun - just in a different way...
Every Sunday for the rest of June, we'll taste two wines, share pairings, listen to music and follow Lucy (our official vineyard tour guide) through her favorite Shake Ridge Ranch trails.
Our final Taste of the Ranch is June 28th at 5pm. We'll taste our 2012 Syrah and 2012 Tempranillo. For you foodies, Chef Justin has put together recipes for you to enjoy with our wines.
Ingredients
1 large eggplant, sliced into ½ inch rounds
2 sweet onions, sliced into ½ inch rounds
3 red bell pepper, cored
4 medium squash, sliced into ½ inch strips
1 cup uncooked farro
1 tbsp excellent olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Instructions
Preheat a grill to 400
Bring 1 quart of salted water to a boil. Add farro and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the farro is tender and chewy, with an al dente-like bite. Strain and cool on a platter.
After slicing your vegetables, coat them lightly with olive oil, no salt yet.
Grill the vegetables until soft, a little black on the edges, but not mushy. Retain some crunch! Dice the vegetables into ½ inch.
Toss grilled vegetables with farro, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt to taste.
Garnish with fresh parsley, feta cheese, or lemon zest!
Want meat?
Grill a fatty steak and butter baste with rosemary!
Can I kebab?
Skewer the vegetables before grilling and top with thick balsamic vinegar.
Even less? Top a crostini with caramelized onion and manchego cheese!
Syrah and Tempranillo are not commonly paired with vegetables however they are constantly matched with grilled proteins. We combine the technique of grilling with high heat and summer’s bounty of delicious produce to make an excellent dish. Farro and olive oil are also subtle contributors to this pairing. Farro is nutty and complements the French Oak while olive oil is both acidic and rich. The acidity carries flavors while the richness matches the velvet-like tannin profile of these two wines.