Sokol Blosser Wine Blog

Keep Max in your thoughts everyone... our very special boy, whose person is Staci Pettus, our Regional Brand Manager in Dallas, had surgery on his ACL. We're thinking of you, Max!

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 09:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This meal is perfect for the rainy, windy, and cold winter weekdays that we have been experiencing lately. Here is a nice simple and easy everyday recipe that goes great with Meditrina, an everyday wine. This was a great warm meal that was rich in favor. Just takes about 10-15 minutes to prep and combine in crockpot in the morning before you head off to work. When you get back you will have a nice warm stew without much work. Make some pasta or rice, serve up the stew and pour some wine, it’s dinner time.

The How to on Easy Beef Stew
2-3 lbs Beef Stew meat cut into 1 inch cubes
1 can (8oz) mushrooms
1 can (10.5oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 packet dry onion soup mix or Pot roast seasoning
¼ cup of water or wine

Combine beef, mushrooms, soup, seasoning, water or wine in crockpot. Cook covered on Low for approx 10 hrs. Serve stew over pasta or rice. Enjoy with Meditrina wine.
Cheers!

Posted by Scott Palmer, Accountant at 08:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 10:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Special thanks to our new friend Viviane (@foodandstyle for those of you on Twitter) for this fabulous recipe paired with our own Evolution. To read her full article and for many more delicious recipes, please visit her blog at foodandstyle.wordpress.com. Cheers!

Avocado and Mango Salad with Tequila-Lime Vinaigrette
serves 4

For the vinaigrette
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lime zest (use a microplane grater)
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest (use a microplane grater)
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 tablespoon Gold or Reposado Tequila
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
3 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco to taste
1/8 teaspoon sea salt

For the tortilla strips
1 large flour tortilla – cut in 1/8” x 2” strips
2 tablespoons olive oil
large pinch sea salt

For the salad
2 bunches arugula – root ends trimmed, rinsed and spun dry
1 large ripe mango – peeled, cheeks cut in 1/8” slices
1 firm, ripe avocado – peeled and cut in 1/8” slices

Step 1: To make the vinaigrette – place the zests, juice, Tequila, vinegar, oil, Tabasco and salt in a small bowl and whisk until well blended. Set aside.

Step 2: To make the tortilla strips – heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and the tortilla strips. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until golden on all sides and crispy, tossing from time to time. Remove from heat, transfer to a plate, sprinkle with salt and cool to room temperature.
Cook’s note: Once cooled, the tortilla strips can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Step 3: To serve, place a few leaves of arugula in the center of each plate. Drizzle with half the vinaigrette. Top with slices of avocado and mangoes, alternating them and slightly overlapping the slices. Drizzle with the balance of the vinaigrette. Garnish with the tortilla strips and serve immediately.

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 10:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

For two weekends only, Sokol Blosser Tasting Room is coming to Portland!

Sokol Blosser Tasting Room
Bluehour Restaurant
February 20 & 21 and March 6 & 7

Visit us at Portland's famed restaurant Bluehour from 12-4pm each day to sample all of our current releases, make wine purchases, enjoy a specially prepared food flight to pair with the wines and chat with the Sokol Blosser staff - all without leaving the city. We'll look forward to seeing you there!

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 11:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Check out this review and many more on the Organic Wine Review website by clicking here!

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 09:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Some of you who are more familiar with the inner workings of the Oregon wine industry might know the heavily used phrase, "It takes a lot of great beer to make great wine." Or, as Alex Sokol Blosser says, "This wine was made with blood, sweat, and beers." Since we crazies in the alcoholic beverage industry are pretty much of a similar mind, we decided to meet up with our brothers (and sisters) in the beverage industry at Rogue Brewery for our annual Sokol Blosser staff field trip.

We met at Sokol Blosser in the morning and hopped on our EcoShuttle bus, ready to go. Our driver was funny and professional and put up with all of our misguidance on how to get to Newport, Oregon. Despite our best efforts to mislead him, we finally arrived at the home of the Rogue Nation.

We were greeted warmly by Jim Klein, General Manager of Rogue Brewery. He told us the history of Rogue Brewery and about the Rogue mindset (there's a reason why they call them Barbeerians!). Jim was a wonderful host and toured us around the entire brewery, answering all of our many questions with a joke and a smile.

After the brewery, we walked across the parking lot to the Rogue Distillery. Waiting to greet us was John Couchot, who runs the distillery nearly single-handedly, creating various artisan gins, rums, and whiskeys with the use of his handcrafted copper pot stills. We thoroughly enjoyed a tasting of his spirits, including a fabulous "pink" gin held in used Pinot Noir barrels.

Finally, we enjoyed a fabulous meal with Jim in their Brewer's on the Bay Restaurant. Wonderful food, great beer, and a fun time was had by all. Thank you to Rogue Brewery and our gracious hosts - we're warning you, we'll be back soon!!!

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 08:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Last night I was at a loss on what to make for dinner. I knew that I had some ground turkey that needed to be cooked up, but couldn’t decide between Sloppy Joes, Spaghetti, or Tacos. Before I left work Eric Titus gave me a partial bottle of Evolution from the samples of the day that needed a home. I instantly went into Taco mode, knowing that would be the best option for pairing.

I called my sweetheart and asked him if he was in the mood for tacos (ok, funny question, who ever isn’t in a mood for tacos??). He was all for them. I cooked up the ground turkey with Sokol Blosser Citrus Cilantro Grapeseed Oil, added cumin, garlic, salt and pepper (can’t make it too spicy or my two year old won’t eat it!).

The aromas from the spices and Citrus Cilantro Oil filled my kitchen, as I fried up my corn tortillas in some EVOO. We shredded the cheddar, cut up some red leaf lettuce, and pulled bunches of cilantro (I am a cilantro fiend!!).

After serving up the little one, I built our tacos, added sour cream and some Tapatio, and we sat down with our glasses of Evolution Lucky Edition. I took a couple of bites and it was no surprise that they were delicious. I then took my first sip of Evolution. I think my eyes might have rolled back into my head. I looked up at my honey and said “This is what it's all about”. He smiled and laughed at me a little before toasting to the great meal. Something about that Citrus Cilantro oil flavor with a little spice from the Tapatio - the Evolution was a perfect pair! It cut the spice just right and gave a whole new take on my already fabulous tacos.

It was a good thing that it was a Wednesday night, or I might have opened another bottle. :)

Posted by Brooke Anthony, Sales Coordinator at 07:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Congratulations are in order! We have another new addition to the extended Sokol Blosser family!

Some of you may remember Brie Schneider, who worked in our Tasting Room last summer. She and her husband Joe welcomed a baby girl, Elizabeth Diane Schneider (Ellie), last night! Little Ellie is 6lbs. 12oz. and 20 ¾” long.

Also, some of you may be wondering what name was chosen for Sara Manucy's little girl, born on January 12 - her name is Elenora Dare Manucy. Congratulations to both of Sokol Blosser's new mamas!

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 07:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Recently, Sokol Blosser employees went through a full day of First Aid, AED, CPR and general safety training with the Red Cross.

As a working farm, you never know what might happen around here! Thanks to all the Sokol Blosser staff members who participated in the training. Be safe!

Brooke Anthony creates a successful sling for Kitri McGuire's "broken" arm.

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 08:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Yes, 2010! I can’t believe it is already 2010!? I can still remember sitting in the movie theater as a child in 1984 watching 2010: A Space Odyssey and being certain that when I was “old” I could count on traveling through space on a regular basis exploring the outer reaches. Well, it turns out that I can’t count on space travel just yet, but I can count on one thing, Sokol Blosser’s annual Pinot Gris and Seafood Day. This past weekend was our annual Pinot Gris and Seafood event at the winery.

This year we were thrilled to be partnered with Portland’s Bamboo Sushi. Bamboo Sushi is the first certified sustainable sushi restaurant in the world. With their mission “to provide exceptional contemporary Japanese cuisine using the freshest fish, meats, and produce available while adhering to the highest standards of marine stewardship and sustainability”, pairing so well with our dedication to sustainable farming and wine production - the event was a harmonious success!

We tasted Pinot Gris from as far back as 1998, including our most current vintage of 2008 Dundee Hills Pinot Gris and 2008 Estate Pinot Gris made from 100% certified organic, estate grown grapes. The wines were paired with:

-Oregon coast albacore in a sweet soy marinade that is torched to order and served as nigiri.
-Bamboo Salmon "sliders" - Wild Alaskan salmon with lemon thyme, mint and Meyer lemon olive oil on an English cucumber disk topped with a garlic ginger momiji ponzu
-Kusshi Oysters with a citrus soy

With all of the Dungeness crab, oysters and delectable treats coming fresh to market this time of year, there is no better wine to pair than our Pinot Gris. The crisp minerality, slight citrus zest and firm acidity of Sokol Blosser Pinot Gris make for a taste experience that I encourage you to not miss out on. For those of you that could not join us this past weekend, grab a bottle out of your cellar, head to your local fresh fish purveyor and sit back and enjoy!

Cheers!

Posted by Jeff Knapp, Cellar Club Manager at 09:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As many of you may remember, Shannon Dimermanas was a long time addition to our Tasting Room staff. She always laughing and rare was the day that she didn't have a smile. She recently left us to relocate to Paris, France, and we are excited to share her story with you. Cheers!

"My husband, Haim and I just recently relocated to Paris, France. He is originally from there but has not been living there for 10 years. He was given a great job opportunity to work with his father. We have been living in Portland for 3 and 1/2 years and loved it. I am excited for the change, but will greatly miss Portland.

There are actually a few similarities and some differences between the 2 places. Both have great food, including breads, pastries, cheese and chocolate. Lucky the wine is fantastic in each region. Both have a lot of charm and spirit. But I have to say adjusting to the things that are different may take some time.

So here are a few of the differences. The Parisians are not as into Organic as it was back in Portland. In Portland everyone is so friendly, smiling, saying hello, it almost feels like a dream. But in Paris, there is rarely any of that, you are lucky you even get a person to look in your direction, which may benefit me a little for my next example. As a pregnant woman, I notice the pregnant women here and I am surprised. They have an amazing ability to look poised and elegant while pushing their baby carriage in tight jeans and high heels. They usually have a cigarette in one hand and a pastry in the other. It also looks as if they have only a pillow stuffed up their shirt, since they are usually slender and fully beautiful. They look chic and completely together.

Meanwhile, I look a little different in my gortex sneakers, non-matching hat and coat, with both hands intently on my carriage. I am lucky if I was able to get some lipstick on before leaving the house and my nose isn't running from walking so fast. I do hope to become more Parisian in my ways, perhaps I can find a pair of high heel Danskos. Hey, at least I will be comfortable and no one is really looking at me anyway.

Overall, the move has been very good. Our family is adjusting very well. The dogs have a great big park nearby and the baby is learning his French. I miss Sokol Blosser and all my friends and family, but I know I will be just fine here. I am in Paris after all, 'Bon Chance a Moi'!"

-Shannon

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 08:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thank you to all of our friends and supporters who dropped off non-perishable food at our YCAP (Yamhill County Action Plan) food drop-off barrel this holiday season. With your help, we collected over 80 pounds of food, which amounts to 62 meals for needy families.

Cheers - and thank you!!!

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 10:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We have very exciting news to share. We'd like to welcome Baby Manucy (7 lbs 12 oz, name to be decided), daughter of Matt and Sara Manucy, to the world!

Some of you may know new mama Sara - she is our Southeastern Regional Brand Ambassador. We wish all the best to these new parents and are looking forward to meeting their beautiful new baby girl!

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 09:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

A Blessing for the Vineyards of Sokol Blosser (created Nov 10, 2009)
by Susan Sokol Blosser, Founder

• May the earthworms be happy.
• May the roots of our vines go deeply into soil rich in tilth and teeming with life.
• May the wild flowers spread their enchantment each spring as they welcome bees and other beneficial insects.
• May the bluebirds and swallows thrive on their healthy diet of bugs.
• May our cats, owls, and coyotes keep the gophers, moles, and mice in balance.
• May the red tail hawks soar over our vineyard by day and the owls by night.
• May the vines be nurtured by the happy feet of young Sokol Blossers playing among them.
• May we humans cherish and respect the earth and all things on it.
• May we be one with our vineyard.
• May our grapes be delicious.

Posted by Susan Sokol Blosser at 09:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thanks to our friend Rick Bakas for sharing this awesome recipe! He paired this meal with our Dundee Hills Pinot Noir and, in his words, it was "so good you'll need a cigarette". We can't wait to try it!

For more great recipes, wine reviews, and just a generally entertaining site, be sure to check out Rick's blog, Back to Bakas, at www.rickbakas.com or follow his tweets at @RickBakas . Cheers!

SEARED DUCK BREAST WITH CHERRY PORT SAUCE

INGREDIENTS
1 cup Soy Sauce
1 cup Sherry
4 6-OZ duck breast halves
12 frozen dark sweet cherries, thawed and halved
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup beef stock
1/2 cup ruby port
1 fresh thyme sprig
1 TSP cornstarch dissolved into 2 TBSP water
1/4 cup butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Whisk soy sauce and Sherry in medium bowl to blend. Using a sharp knife, make diagonal slits on the duck breasts 1/2-inch apart making sure to not cut too deep (not through meat). Place duck, skin side up into glass baking dish. Pour marinade over. Cover duck with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 6 hours.

Bring cherries, chicken stock, beef stock, port and thyme spring to boil in a heavy medium saucepan over high heat. Simmer until mixture is reduced to 1/2 cup.

Meanwhile, heat heavy large skillet over medium heat. Remove duck from marinade. Add duck breasts, skin side down to skillet. Cook until skin is crispy, about 10 minutes. Turn duck over and continue cooking to desired doneness, about 5 minutes for medium. Transfer duck to cutting board or other surface.
Add cornstarch mixture to port-cherry sauce. Bring to simmer, whisking constantly. Add butter one piece at a time until melted.

Slice duck breast and fan out on plates. Spoon sauce over duck then serve. Pair with Sokol Blosser Dundee Hills Pinot Noir.

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 10:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

... and it's lovely. Check out these pictures of the vineyard from this morning:

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 10:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In the true spirit of the holidays, my family's celebrations weren't just on Christmas Day - they have been lasting all month! I love December for just that reason. It's cold outside and people are in town visiting, making a perfect "excuse" (as if we needed one!) to visit favorite restaurants in the Portland area and catch up with friends and family over good wine and food.

On Saturday, some friends met up at a great old haunt, Portland City Grill. Their bar area can't be beat, with fabulous drinks and a beautiful view of downtown Portland (from the 30th floor). It can be difficult to secure a table at this popular spot, but we managed to hijack a table right by the window as it came open.

After sampling a coffee drink (a BFK - Bailey's, Frangelico, Kahlua and coffee) and a fabulous blood orange mojito, we decided to try some of their sushi selections and pair it with Sokol Blosser Evolution, which Portland City Grill offers by the glass. Being allergic to shellfish (and therefore having to stay away from all the delicious rolls that included crab), I selected their Oregon roll (smoked salmon and avocado) and their spicy tuna roll. It was fabulous, especially with the off-dry and crisp Evolution to pair with it.

It was a fabulous evening - I highly recommend recreating it with your own friends and family! Cheers!

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 10:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's an icy, foggy, and beautiful day at the vineyard today. If you have family and friends visiting from out of town and you're running out of puzzles to put together and ideas for new charades, bring them to wine country! We'll be closed on Christmas Day, but we're open until 4pm today and until 2pm on Christmas Eve, then open 10-4pm the rest of the weekend and week. We'll supply the holiday spirit (and the wine)! Cheers!

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 09:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The holiday season is upon us! To give our fabulous staff holidays with their families, our Tasting Room will be closed on the following days:

Thursday, December 24: Open from 10am-2pm
Friday, December 25: CLOSED
Saturday, December 26-Wednesday, December 30: Open regular hours, 10am-4pm
Thursday, December 31: Open from 10am-2pm
Friday, January 1: CLOSED
Saturday, January 2: Open regular hours, 10am-4pm

If you can't make it down to our Winery this holiday season (open 10am-4pm daily), but still are interested in treating your friends and family to Sokol Blosser wines, please visit our website at www.sokolblosser.com, or take a look at our Fall / Winter Catalog for some great gift ideas. Cheers!

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 02:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)