New Releases & Member Shipments

 

We are thrilled to release two new single vineyard wines from Napa Valley -- our 2020 Satyrs Ridge Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon and our 2019 Harmony School Cabernet Sauvignon -- plus a new Chardonnay from the Santa Cruz Mountains. Members will also receive a library selection of our 2010 Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon from magnum.

Satyrs Ridge is a 4-acre block of Cabernet Sauvignon in Saint Helena, planted in 1970. Extremely low-yielding, we receive 1.25 tons per acre on average. We harvested the fruit at the cusp of ripeness, to preserve the integrity of the acidity and sumptuousness of the fruit. Fermented in open top stainless steel for seventeen days, then aged in one-quarter new French oak barrels for twenty-two months. Tasting notes: Dusky raspberry and briar, saddle leather, blood orange, with a touch of French oak evident but very subdued.

Harmony School is a one-acre block in Coombsville of Clone 6 Cabernet Sauvignon -- "the winemaker's clone" -- fermented on native yeasts in stainless steel for eighteen days. After a natural malolactic fermentation in barrel, we aged the wine in one-third new French oak barrels for 22 months, and bottled the wine by hand at the winery, unfined and unfiltered. On the palate: aromas of sweet raspberry and cassis emerge, with integrated vanilla and spice, cocoa and coffee on the palate.

Maeve Vineyard Chardonnay is from a very small vineyard just outside the town of Los Gatos in the Santa Cruz Mountains, on a steep bowl-shaped hillside facing southeast. Maeve is an Irish girl’s name meaning “the intoxicating one" -- but don't be fooled -- This very lightly-oaked Chardonnay is more Chablis-style than Napa, with semi-tart notes of fig, licorice, and lemon zest, and it pairs delightfully with pastas, salads, and seafood.

Member Shipments will begin to ship Fedex the last two weeks of September and will continue into October, weather depending. One Magnum from our library of 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder AVA is included in the membership.



We are incredibly grateful and humbled to report a flurry of news and reviews over the past summer months! First, a review from Alder Yarrow's Vinography. Later, notes and reviews from Brian Freedman at Food & Wine Magazine, Joe Czerwinski - managing editor at The Wine Advocate, Karen MacNeil at WineSpeed, Mike Desimone and Jeff Jensen at Robb Report, and Tom Hyland at Forbes Magazine. You can find the full list at our new page dedicated to supporting Trade & Press here.



It's the perfect time of year for fresh pasta recipes with ingredients straight from the garden, and this only-very-lightly-creamy Farfalle pairs deliciously with our Maeve Vineyard Chardonnay from the Santa Cruz Mountains. Find our "Cooking with Crosby Roamann" blog online here for new recipes from our kitchen.

Maeve Vineyard is planted on a steep bowl-shaped hillside outside Los Gatos facing south and east. We whole-cluster press the juice to stainless steel for primary fermentation, and age the wine in all neutral oak and some stainless steel. A light pad filtration and cold stabilization is performed prior to bottling, by hand, at the winery. Tasting notes: Maeve Vineyard displays zesty notes of fig, licorice, and lemon zest, with apple cider and a touch of pineapple on the finish. Delightful now, the wine will gain complexity over the next year and reach its apogee from 2024 - 2027.

Enjoying Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Month with Grilled Flank Steak and Chimichurri Sauce

Enjoying Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Month
with Grilled Flank Steak and Chimichurri

We love this simple steak recipe for so many reasons. For one thing, flank steak grilled over charcoal in a Webster BBQ was one of my father’s staples on the weekend. I think we must have eaten this at least three times a month during the summer. Flank steak grilled over a very high heat will develop a wonderfully smoky thick crust while maintaining a perfectly-pink medium temperature when sliced into. It makes a perfect Memorial Day or Father’s Day centerpiece.
 
We pair our flank steak these days with a chimichurri sauce inspired by our friends from Argentina, who came to visit us in Napa in 2015 for a week and prepared a true Argentinian steak night feast with multiple cuts of beef paired with this wonderful sauce. We adapted our own version of this from Bon Appetit, below.
 
There are few things in life as pleasurable as simple recipes like this one. It’s a hard recipe to go wrong with, and very easy to customize to your liking. Make it as spicy or mild as you prefer. The Fresno chile adds a delightful red sparkle.
 
This time of year, we are pairing most of our evening meals with various shades of Pinot Noir. In honor of Anderson Valley Pinot Noir month, try our 2018 China Block Pinot Noir Anderson Valley Produced & Bottled by Sean W. McBride – available online for a limited time.

$1 Shipping on 12-bottle boxes through June

Crosby Roamann has $1 shipping on all cases through June. Put a case together now and enjoy our wines all summer long!

 

Chimichurri with Grilled Flank Steak

#CookingWithCrosbyRoamann

Ingredients:

• Chopped finely:
  • 1/2 Fresno chili
  • 1 medium Shallot
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • ½ bunch cilantro
  • ½ bunch Italian parsley
  • 2 Tbspn. Oregano
• ½ cup red wine vinegar (we make our own)
• 1 Tsp. Kosher salt
• ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation:

• Stir the chili, shallot, and garlic, with a pinch of cilantro, in a medium bowl with the salt and vinegar. Let sit for 15 minutes.
• Stir in the remaining greens and oregano.
• Using a fork, whisk in the olive oil to make to make a chunky paste.
• Use half of the sauce to coat your flank steak on all sides. Set this aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to a half day. Transfer the remaining half of the sauce to a large (2 cup) liquid measuring cup.
• Using a handheld blender on high speed, puree the remaining half of the sauce to a form a lightly chunky paste. Serve this with your grilled flank steak.

 
 
Enjoy in good cheer,
Juliana & Sean

What is Barrel Aged Sauvignon Blanc?

Stimulating and crisp, Sauvignon Blanc evokes the fine flavor of the “wild white” natural beauty. The green-skinned grape is, after all, prized for its refreshingly high acidity and bold herbaceous aromas of citrus, grapefruit, and gooseberry. 

But that isn't to say that Sauvignon Blanc is a variety that can't be aged in oak. A bit of barrel fermentation and handpicking of slightly riper grapes can result in a sophisticated bottling designed for a longer life.

It’s not surprising that Sauvignon Blanc is quite a polarizing wine. Some believe it’s the best white wine, while others wouldn't dare put it in their glass, let alone keep a bottle in their cellars. And there's the common misconception that Sauvignon does not make a wine for aging. But perhaps, we’d wager, it’s this varietal prejudice that keeps wine lovers from indulging in the real potential of Sauvignon Blanc.

Ageing Sauvignon Blanc

Dry, complex, creamy, and full-bodied – these words describe the perfectly aged bottle of Sauvignon Blanc.

Nearly all the world’s best red and white wines see oak in some form before making their way into a bottle. Oak barrels have tannin, which helps a wine mellow with time, softening and rounding out the flavors. While it’s fun to catch Sauvignons while they’re young, they develop beautifully when aged in French oak barrels. They offer warmth and smokiness on the nose but still retain some of the crisp, green fruit flavors of unoaked Sauvignon Blanc.

Barrel-aged Sauvignon Blanc is a rare specialty. We know from experience that different food flavor combinations have natural affinities for one another, like strawberries and chocolate or a mustard and dill dressing for smoked salmon. In the same way, Sauvignon Blanc has an affinity to French oak. The French oak tends to impart elegant flavors of candied nuts, berries, and a hint of vanilla onto Sauvignon Blanc. Wood also molds the wine to feel creamier and broader on the palate for a rich, lasting finish.

Sauvignons from Pouilly-Fumés and Sancerre are deliberately designed for a longer life, displaying pleasant truffle aromas after a couple of years in the bottle. These wines can remain alive for decades and retain a remarkable bouquet.

Intriguingly, Sauvignon Blanc maintains its pale color throughout aging. As other whites take on a darker yellow the longer they sit in oak, barrel-aged Sauvignons remain indiscernible from current vintages.

Experience The Richness and Finesse of Barrel-Aged Sauvignon Blanc

Oaked Sauvignons have remained a sideshow in the Sauvignon Blanc story for far too long. As Sauvignon Blanc Day approaches on the 7th of May, come to our boutique Napa Winery experience new varietals of Sauvignon Blanc that focus on complexity and longevity.

Our estate bottled 2017 Sauvignon Blanc was fermented on native yeast in a combination of one-third new oak, one-third once-used oak, and one-third stainless steel, giving the wine a richer, creamier texture. Having aged 12 months in French oak, the SB17 has a rich complexity that’s striking yet taut on the palate. With softly integrated flavors of acacia, hyacinth, lemon, and vanilla bean, this wine is the perfect introduction to barrel-aged Sauvignon Blanc.

For those who treasure unoaked Sauvignons for their crispy acidity, the 2020 Sauvignon Blanc is a must-try. Having been aged in French oak barrels and stainless-steel drums for six months, the 2020 SB is wonderful now and age-worthy for up to five years.

Special Member Discount & Library Release

Another week begins in quarantine, and we are motivated to help you get through this. As promised, we are unveiling the third special surprise of the month --

Members enjoy an extra 10% discount -- this week only. Premier Members enjoy 10% and Collectors enjoy 20% off already discounted wines. No code necessary, simply login and your extra discount will be automatically applied. Combine these discounts with 12-bottle orders for even more savings.

Chardonnay Library Release: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017. For this week only, we are re-releasing a very small number of bottles of Chardonnay from our library to pair with Steve's Chicken Paprikas (recipe below) -- a pairing made in heaven.

And if you haven't decided to become a member yet, now would be a really great time to join! We offer complimentary shipping for our members on all orders, and other perks and incentives like comped tastings, invitations to exclusive events (in better times) and member gifts.  If you'd like us to place the order on our end we are happy to do that too, just reach out to Juliana.

We also wanted to share a family recipe that's a true comfort food for us, and we hope it will offer comfort to you too!  See below for Steve's Chicken Paprikas and Nokedli (Dumpling) recipe.  This pairs stupendously with our 2017 Chardonnay, which Steve (Juliana's dad and Hungarian American émigré) would have loved.  

Warmly,

Juliana & Sean 
 

 

Steve's Chicken Paprikas and Hungarian Nokedli (Dumplings)

Ingredients for Chicken Paprikas

• One whole chicken (3lb) cut up into ten pieces (each split breast cut in half, with legs, thighs, and wings separate) and seasoned generously with salt
• One tablespoon butter
• Three tablespoons olive oil
• Two heaping tablespoons (divided) of Sweet Hungarian Paprika like this one from The Spice House.
• One large yellow onion, diced
• One tomato, diced
• One 4 oz can of V-8
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Two green bell peppers, sliced
• 1/3 cup Sour Cream

   
Directions for Chicken Paprikas

1. Melt the tablespoon of butter in the olive oil in a large Dutch oven (or stock pot) on the stove top. (We use this one from Williams Sonoma.)
2. Sear the chicken legs and thighs, skin side down, for two minutes, then turn and sear two minutes more. Remove from heat and set aside, then repeat with remaining pieces of chicken, leaving the oil and shmaltz to saute the onions next.
3. Add the diced onion and cook until translucent -- 3-5 minutes -- then remove the Dutch oven from the heat. Sprinkle on 1 heaping tablespoon of the sweet paprika and stir it into the onions, then return the Dutch oven to the stove top and add the chicken back to the pot, skin side up, nestled together.
4.  Add the diced tomato and the 4 oz can of V-8, then sprinkle the second heaping tablespoon of Hungarian paprika on top.
5. Cook, covered, on medium heat for 40 minutes until the chicken is tender and falling off the bone.  
6. Add the two sliced green bell peppers to the pot and recover, then cook for another 10 minutes, until the peppers are tender but not limp.
7. Finally, remove the Dutch over from heat, and gently stir in one-third cup of sour ream, stirring gently until absorbed. Serve chicken in its bright red-orange sauce on top of the nokedli (see below).

Ingredients for Nokedli (Dumplings)

• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 and a half cups water
• 3-4 cups of flour
• 1 large pot filled with salted boiling water
• 1 tablespoon butter & 1-2 tablespoons olive oil (to coat the Nokedli)

Directions for Nokedli
Note: You will need a spaetzle maker like this one to prepare the dumplings.  

1. Bring large pot filled with salted water to boil.
2. Combine eggs, salt and water, beating well with whisk
3. Add flour, a little at a time, and only enough flour to make a soft, sticky dough.  This should be somewhere between 3-4 cups of flour.  Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
4. Add about one cup at a time to the top of the spaetzle maker, straining the dough back and forth across the pot, letting the dumplings fall into the boiling water.  Keep adding dough a little at a time to the spaetzle maker until you are through with the dough.  
5. Stir nokedli in boiling water for a few minutes and immediately strain.  
6. Add olive oil and butter to the pot, then stir the Nokedli back in.  Add salt to taste.  Ladle into bowls and add the chicken paprikas on top.