Wine-ing at WALT

These were our two favorites, of course I had to have the Sonoma Coast Pinot and Alex got his hometown favorite Willamette Valley Pinot!

On Sunday, Alex and I took ourselves down to the square in Sonoma for a little wine tasting. Word on the street is WALT has some yummy Pinot Noirs... And let me tell you they did not disappoint! Here is what we tasted, what we took home, and what I'm cooking with them:

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2016 WALT Sangiacomo Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

-Hello lovely, not too oak-y, deliciously crisp. That Sangiacomo vineyard produces some of my favorite fruit! We thought this wine would just sing with a savory dish like cashew crusted pork chops (find a recipe here https://beautyandthefoodie.com/garlic-cashew-crusted-pork-chops/)

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2015 WALT Shea Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

-This was Alex's hands down favorite- a classic Oregon Pinot that is fruity and nicely acidic (just like me, lol) We brought this one home to pair with crepinettes, a tasty Mediterranean meatball that I learned about while working at a butcher shop (more on that later). Here is a link to a recipe: https://www.rainshadowmeats.com/news/2017/7/1/fourth-of-july-recipe-spring-lambcrepinette

You can also do equal parts pork, lamb and beef for those who prefer a beefier flavor!

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2016 WALT Bob's Ranch Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

-My favorite! I love a Pinot with good depth, heavier body, and a rich fruit finish. I love this wine like Arianna Grande loves Pete Davidson, it definitely checked allllll my boxes! Sometimes you meet a wine and you just know, you know? For this one we had to pair it with something special: a homemade tempeh reuben sandwich. I was introduced to this little piece of heaven at Cornucopia Restaurant in Eugene, Oregon- if you're ever there, #treatyourself. Here's the recipe I follow at home: https://moosewoodcooks.com/2015/03/tempeh-reuben-sandwich/ Enjoy!

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2016 WALT Sierra Mar Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

-Also a lovely Pinot, this wine had body and depth to spare. We thought this wine would be great with a red coconut curry, keep it veggie or add chicken. Here's a link to an awesome vegan version from the #minimalistbaker https://minimalistbaker.com/coconut-red-curry-with-chickpeas/

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2016 WALT Rita's Crown Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills

-Oh baby, this Pinot drinks like a Cabernet! Seriously, they've taken Pinots to the next level at WALT, and it is cool to see the wine express this much flavor. I would love to try this wine next to my new obsession: smoked lamb neck! It sounds a little out there, but trust me on this one- it is the most delicious thing I've tasted in a long time. I couldn't find a recipe online when I was trying to make it, so here is what I did:

-Get your smoker going and try to keep the temperature at 250 F.

-Wrap your lamb neck in foil and place on upper rack (if you have one) of smoker,

-Check your temperature each hour, add fuel as needed, and rotate your lamb neck.

-After 4-5 hours, the meat should be falling off the bone- that's how you'll know its ready!