Barrel Room Buzz

Scallops Wrapped in Bacon with Red Wine

Add scallops to the next Thanksgiving dinner to really wow the crowd at the dinner table. The third recipe in our Thanksgiving Pack series is The Wower: Scallops Wrapped in Bacon. These pair nicely with Necessity Red or Zinfandel.

Ingredients

2 lbs bacon (regular sliced, not thick)
2 lbs sea scallops (if very large, cut in half)
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/3 cup Zinfandel or Necessity Red

Directions
Cut bacon strips in half.
Wrap a piece of bacon around each scallop; secure with toothpick.
Arrange the wrapped scallops on a baking sheet.
Broil 5 inches from heat for 3 minutes per side, or until bacon is crisp.
In small skillet, melt butter; add garlic and sauté 1 minute,.
Add wine and bring to a boil.
Cook 2 minutes.
Place scallops in large bowl; pour wine over. Gently toss to coat.

Enjoy and keep checking in for more recipes!

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Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes and Bordeaux Wine

Here is the third recipe to our Thanksgiving Dinner Pack.

All great Thanksgiving meals should include mashed potatoes! This is another popular recipe for some beautiful, smooth, nice textured mashed potatoes to compliment that juicy turkey.  When you finish the first glass of wine, pour a second to try with these potatoes. They pair nicely with a Merlot or our Bordheauxd (pronounced Board Head) Red. The best part: they are very easy to make!

The Compliment: Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes paired with Merlot or Bordheauxd

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 cup Bacon Bits
• 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
• 3/8 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cubed
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 3/4 teaspoon onion salt
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS

• Cook potatoes in boiling salted water until very tender. Drain.
• Mash with 1/2 tablespoons of butter.
• Add cream cheese, sour cream, onion salt, garlic powder, bacon bits and pepper; mix well.
• Spoon into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish.
• Melt remaining butter; drizzle over the top
• Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until heated through.

Serve and Enjoy!

Cheers!

Sarah Cullington

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Juicy Turkey Recipe with Red Wine

Here is the second in a series of five recipes from the Thanksgiving Dinner Special. This is a personal favorite. I have always been terrified of cooking the turkey. I was convinced I would only present either a dry, washed out bird, or a barely cooked nightmare. But, really, this recipe helped. By baking the turkey with wine and butter, and by stuffing it with my absolute favorite veggies, what resulted was a mouthwatering and beautiful feast. However, I take no credit for the result. This recipe was offered to me from others who have tested it and modified it to their tastes. Give it a shot and let me know what you think!

The Turkey Recipe: Pair with Syrah, Huber Pinot Noir, or the Cabernet Merlot

INGREDIENTS

1 (15 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed

1 bottle or half bottle of Huber Pinot Noir, Syrah, or Cab/Merlot

Enough margarine or olive oil to cover the turkey

1 can chicken broth

2 tablespoons dried parsley

2 tablespoons ground dried rosemary

2 tablespoons rubbed dried sage

2 tablespoons dried thyme leaves

1 tablespoon lemon pepper

1 tablespoon salt

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 orange, cut into wedges

1 onion, chopped

1 can chicken broth

Oven Bag or Aluminum Foil

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a turkey roaster with long sheets of aluminum foil that will be long enough to wrap over the turkey if using the aluminum foil. If using an oven bag, then set it aside to put the turkey in later.

• Stir together the parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, lemon pepper, and salt in a small bowl.

• Rub the herb mixture into the cavity of the turkey

• Stuff the turkey with the celery, orange, and onion. You may also add other vegetables you prefer.

• Truss if desired, and place the turkey into the roasting pan.

• Pour the chicken broth and wine over the turkey, making sure to get some wine in the cavity.

• Coat the turkey with the margarine or olive oil

• Bake the turkey in the preheated oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear.

• Uncover the turkey, and continue baking until the skin turns golden brown, 30 minutes to 1 hour longer. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C).

• Remove the turkey from the oven, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

And, pour a glass of wine and enjoy!

Cheers!

Sarah Cullington

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Adding Wine to Thanksgiving Dinner: Eggplant Croquettes and White Wine

CRW Thanksgiving Wine Special

Thanksgiving is the wine lover’s holiday. Yes, Christmas is just as great, but we aren’t cutting down the Christmas tree just yet. Why? Thanksgiving is the one holiday of the year that places the most focus on food. And what pairs well with food? Wine, of course. Thanksgiving invites the country to relax and to gather with friends, family, and even strangers to sit around the table, converse, and truly enjoy a great meal. As for the recipes, the options are endless. And that makes it even better for the wine lover. When turkey, potatoes, jam, pie, fish, ham, salad, sweet potato, green bean, casseroles, and much more all share the same menu, the wine list also grows.

This Thanksgiving, really enjoy your meal. Indulge in each bite and follow it with the pleasures of exquisite wine. Sure, save time to watch the football game later, but don’t neglect those taste buds.

For this Thanksgiving, at the winery we all chipped in our favorite Thanksgiving recipes and tested them with the wines. We came up the Thanksgiving Dinner Pack in which we offer a wonderful recipe to pair with the selected wines. Over the next week, I’ll post one of those recipes for you try out at home. I hope that you’ll enjoy them just as much we did.

The Opener:

Eggplant Croquettes: Pair with Pinot Gris or Chardonnay:

Serves 5

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium eggplants, peeled and cubed

• 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, Add Mozzarella if desired

• 1 1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 2 tablespoons dried parsley

• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 cup vegetable oil

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• A few red peppers, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Place eggplant in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on medium-high 3 minutes. Turn eggplant over and microwave another 2 minutes. Or, for better results, steam the eggplant. The eggplant should be tender, cook another 2 minutes if the eggplants are not tender.

2. Drain any liquid from the eggplants and mash.

3. Combine red peppers, cheeses, bread crumbs, eggs, parsley, onion, garlic and salt with the mashed eggplant. Mix well.

4. Shape the eggplant mixture into patties. Heat oil in a large skillet. Drop eggplant patties one at a time into skillet.

5. If you choose to fry, then fry each side of the patties until golden brown, approximately 5 minutes on each side. Patties can be frozen before frying and cooked later.

6. If you choose to bake the patties, bake for 10 minutes on one side. Flip and bake for 10 more minutes.

Cheers!

Sarah Cullington

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A Good Time with Wine: Live GGM Tasting Event in Florida with CRW Chardonnay

Sorry if you missed the Live Video of our tasting: Hopefully there will be more in the future! Thanks for stopping in!

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Sangria was made for Summer

The refreshing and delightful drink Sangria is originally from Spain, but through the ages has transferred around the globe to become one of the most often seen party indulgences. This wine punch has an infinite number of recipes, but typically contains three basic ingredients, a wine base, brandy and fresh fruit. Some may add sugar or honey to sweeten the deal, others dump in a little soda water to fizz up the scene, but the resulting concoction is always served with lots of ice, making it the perfect answer to your summer thirst for red wine.

The exact location of the first Sangria mixture is unknown, but it is sure to have been born in Spain in the early 1600’s before spreading across Europe to Portugal, France and Italy. The traditional medley contained Rioja (Spanish red wine), local Spanish brandy and fruit. The idea of Sangria evolved to utilize white wine, typically Sauvignon Blanc, taking on the name Sangria Blanco. A regional type of Sangria came to fruition in northern Spain where specifically peaches or nectarines are added and it is called Zurra. It was a staple at aristocratic parties during the 1800’s as it showcased exquisite fruits and excellent wines fitting of nobility. The wonder blend was first introduced to the United States at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York and the sensation caught on.

My admiration and fascination with Sangria arise from the individuality of each batch and the ability of the “cook” to include any type of fruit or spirits they happen to fancy. It is the embodiment of a regions terroir by interlacing local wine with local fruits in order to build a magnificent bowl of punch. It instigates the invitation of friends to help in the consumption and reminds us what a glorious and bountiful place we live in that is able to provide so many tasty items. Below is one recipe for Sangria that I found appealing, but once again let your mind run wild and harness which ever fruits of summer tantalize your palate.

Ingredients:
1 bottle of Cathedral Ridge Bordheauxd Red
1/4 cup brandy
1/4 cup liqueur (triple sec or Gran Marnier
1/4 cup orange juice
2 Tbls fresh lime juice
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 lemon (sliced thinly)
1/2 orange (sliced thinly)
1 peeled & cored apple (sliced thinly)
1/2 cup pitted & halved local cherries

Directions:
1. Have the wine, brandy, liqueur, and orange juice well chilled. Slice the lemon and orange into thin rounds, the apple into thin wedges, remove pits and halve the cherries and place in a large glass pitcher. Pour in the wine, brandy, liqueur, OJ, lime juice and sugar. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours (or even overnight) to develop the flavors.

2. When ready to serve, crush the citrus fruit lightly with a wooden spoon. Adjust sweetness to taste.

3. Serve in any type of glass over ice and be prepared to make another batch as this drink will fly off the shelves!

We will be offering a Summer Sangria wine special that will provide you with three different wines fit for alternative Sangria fusions starting next Tuesday, so please check our website if you are interested in testing out an enticing potpourri of flavor options.

Salud,
Courtney Black

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Horse Heaven Hills

Greeted with fabulous weekend guests from California and only mediocre western gorge weather, I decided to embrace a 2 hour mission by car and make the journey to Horse Heaven Hills, Washington. I must admit that I was coaxed by the presence of wonderful musicians, Larry & Jason Russ, playing at McKinley Springs Winery (also featured at Cathedral Ridge this Fathers Day!) along with the promise of to-die-for BBQ. It was McKinley Springs annual BBQ Showdown and Benefit for Operation BBQ (the proceeds go to providing good Ol’ American BBQ to our men and women in the service). This event is fantastic because not only do you get to hear dynamite music, drink pleasant wine and gobble up mass quantities of scrumptious meat, but you can feel extra good at the end of the day knowing that it was all in the name of our dedicated troops.

Horse Heaven Hills is situated on high plains roughly 100 miles east of Hood River. Immediately after turning north off of Hwy 14 the curvy ascent begins to guide you through golden parched plains, marked starkly against lush waving vines back-dropped by towering thunderheads mushrooming endlessly into the distance. Behind bright whites and deep grays of cumulus formations brilliant blues burst through highlighted by the blazing sun. The scene is reminiscent of the epic storms that roll through the mid-west and deep south during the summer time. The road undulates, but for as far as the eye can see it is a vibrant sea of angular leaves propped up and reaching towards the heavens.

With the plethora of marvelous wineries here in the central gorge corridor it can be difficult to branch out, but a day trip to the Horse Heaven Hills area is well worth the added effort. We broke up our drive by stopping at about the halfway point, Maryhill. I had never been to the museum, amphitheater or winery and was blown away by the grandeur and magnificent views (oh yeah, did I mention they had wonderful wine too!). Maryhill was named 2009 Washington winery of the year and it is easy to see why. They have a beautiful tasting room with stunning gorge vistas and truly tasty wines. We went through a rather extensive tasting list and settled upon our favorites, a bold, yet tannin friendly Reserve Zin and a unique citrus essence Muscat desert wine. After our interned 30 minute stop turned into 60 we were back on the road still trucking east.

We followed our noses and arrived to a parking lot packed with BBQ rigs like I had never seen before. This group of folks knew BBQ, it is theirs lives and they were here to show off the intense love imbibed in every bite. McKinley Springs Winery is perched in the midst of 360 degree vantage points of gently rolling vineyards, no matter where you turn it is vines, vines and more vines. They had five wines available for tasting, a Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Syrah, Viognier blend and a sweet desert wine (for the life of me I can’t remember the sepcific variety as this was the last one I tried after all the others had set me tipsy and the BBQ had filled me to the brim). Their red wines carried rich earthy tones with heavy tannins and the Viognier packed quite a punch of acidity. Their Syrah was decidedly our favorite with approachable flavors and a smooth finish. If you love BBQ served with rich reds check out our BBQ Bonus Pack!

The event was a wonderful fusion of music, wine and food. It is always a treat for me to play hostess and tour guide to guests and have a great excuse to stretch my legs outside of my bubble. If you are looking for a similar montage this Father’s Day weekend stop by Cathedral Ridge on Sunday from 1-4 to listen to the rhythmic acoustic melodies of Larry & Jason and treat your palate to fresh berries paired with our delicate summer wines. Hope to see you there!

Salud,
Courtney

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Would you like some cheese with that wine?

I have always enjoyed pairing wine with different foods, to see how the wine changes with each item. One of the most fun pairing items is cheese, due to its range of varieties and flavors, ease of procurement, and absolute tastiness. I love cheese, can you tell? I read an earlier post on this blog that paired cheese and wine, and that got me to thinking about doing something similar myself. I opened and decanted a young bottle of 2007 Cathedral Ridge Merlot ($26, available on the website), and paired it with 5 cheeses that I just happened to have on hand. Before we get to the pairings, let’s have a taste of this wine first.

When first poured into the glass, I can already detect some aromas wafting up, teasing my nostrils. Oh, this is going to be good…The color in the glass is a very dark purple, almost black. As I stick my nose into the glass and take in a big sniffy-sniff of the wine, I detect strawberries and a touch of leather. It is also very ‘grapey’ smelling, like a grape soda, rather than grape juice. It reminds me of Grape Crush soda from my childhood.

My first sip is very sweet. Sweet strawberries, leather, spices, and an interesting floral component that I can’t place, dance all over my tongue. Very ripe and smooth, this wine drinks remarkably easy for its young age. It is quite smooth in the mouth, and not too acidic or tannic. This Merlot is very enjoyable on its own. But I’m here to try it with some cheese, so I’m going to move on to that.

The following five cheeses were paired with the 2007 Cathedral Ridge Merlot to see how different styles and flavors of cheese affect the wine in question. My technique involved chewing an entire slice of cheese and swallowing it all, prior to sipping the wine. I did this particular tasting ritual twice for each cheese. My tasting notes for each cheese follow.

1. Gruyére (Switzerland): Semi-hard, pale yellow in color and mildly nutty in flavor, slightly dry. The wine shows much more grapey flavors and seems to really coat the mouth. Makes the finish much more pronounced and overly sweet as well.

2. Aged Gouda (Netherlands): Hard, dark orange in color, somewhat dry, smoky and very rich and nutty in flavor. The wine shows quite nicely when paired with the Gouda. The strawberries really stand out, and the finish becomes much more smooth and enjoyable, with less of the cloying sweetness I got with the Gruyére.

3. Aged Coastal Sharp Cheddar (England): Hard, off-white in color, and crumbly with little “crunchies” throughout. One of my favorite cheeses (thank you, Costco), it is quite sharp and full of flavor, while slightly sweet. The wine pairs with this well. The grapey flavor stands out, and is quite enjoyable. The finish is long and seems to stick to the tongue much longer than with the other cheeses.

4. Blue Cheese (USA): Soft and crumbly, white in color with blue mold marbling. Very creamy with a pungent aroma and very strong flavor. This cheese didn’t pair as well with the wine as I expected. I think perhaps the strong flavor of the cheese overpowered the wine somewhat, leaving it slightly flat and bitter in the mouth. The finish did surprise me, however, being very sweet, although not as cloying as the Gruyére was.

5. Pepper Jack (USA): Semi-soft, off -white with red and green jalapeno pepper bits and seeds throughout. Mild cheese flavor, with the spicy burn of pepper heat on the finish. I saved this cheese for last, as the peppers tend to blow out my taste buds. And I was correct…I don’t get much flavor from the wine after eating this cheese. I can detect the acidity quite well, but the fruit is almost totally gone. Just a touch of sweet strawberry on the tip of my tongue, followed by the acidity and then the pepper burn.

In conclusion, my favorite cheese/wine pairing was the aged sharp Cheddar. The flavors went quite well together, with the wine’s finish being amplified nicely by the cheese. Second would have to be the Gouda, although it was just a bit too rich for me. The rest didn’t pair well at all for my palate, for the various reasons I explained above. The next time you are opening a bottle of wine for dinner, try an appetizer course with several different kinds of cheese, and see what your palate likes and dislikes.

Well, now that my palate is shot for enjoying the rest of this tasty wine on its own, I think I should go prepare something for dinner that will go well with it. The 2007 Cathedral Ridge Merlot just screams for some red meat to go with, so that may very well be the answer I seek. More from me soon!

Submitted by Robert Frost, Portland, OR

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Zinfandel and Bratwurst Tasting Experience

Warm weather naturally inspires people across the country to fire up the grill and bask in the sun with close friends, delicious food, and refreshing beverages. Some may feel inclined to crack open a cool beer to wash down the burgers. However, a barbecue is also the perfect opportunity to partake in some wine and food pairing and to add some serious flavor to that relaxing afternoon or evening outside.

In celebration of Memorial Day weekend, Cathedral Ridge Winery is hosting a barbecue in which guests can enjoy great music and the opportunity to test our Zinfandel with Shadow Mountain beef and bratwursts. So, in preparation for the weekend, I focused this week’s wine and food pairing on the Zinfandel served with grilled bratwursts and sautéed vegetables.

Returning home from a day on the trails or an afternoon spent in the tasting room inspires a much needed moment to relax and wind down for the rest of the night. On this evening, I was particularly enthused to return knowing that some delicious, organic bratwursts and an unopened bottled of Zinfandel awaited. I raced home, lit up the grill, and prepared some vegetables to grill with the meat. The sun creeped below the horizon ushering in a cool evening breeze with temperatures just right for relaxing outside on the front porch.

While dinner cooked, I uncorked the bottle of 2007 Zinfandel while chopping vegetables in the kitchen. The kitchen cooled from the breeze seeping in from the open door causing the wine to chill a bit raising questions about how the temperatures may have affected the taste. The first thing that always strikes me when I open a bottle of any of our red wines is the subtle transformation they make from corked bottle to glass. The wine slowly awakens from a calm hibernation in the bottle, takes a few steps to stretch out, and breathes in some much needed sips of air before fully revealing itself to the rest of the world. On this evening, the Zin made a similar transformation in the glass, but took a little longer to recover from the cool temperatures.

So, after pouring the Zin, I wrapped my hands around the bottom of the glass to warm it a little. When the chill subsided, I then noticed the delightful spiciness characteristic of the Zin fill the senses just before taking a sip. At first sip, the Zin slid on the tongue like a silky sheet and left behind traces of palatable pepper and very subtle berry. It was very approachable straight from the bottle. Still, I knew it could offer much more after some decanting and finally with the addition of food. Needless to say, with great anticipation I prepared the rest of the dinner eager to pair the two.

Conveniently, and much to my delight, my roommate entered the kitchen just as I was wrapping up dinner and serving another glass of wine. Curious about an outside perspective, I invited him to participate in the night’s tasting. With little hesitation, he agreed. First he warned me, “I like wine, but I have no idea what I like about it.” So, I assured him to feel no pressure and to let his taste buds do the talking. He voiced an anxiety most people feel about discussing wine. It can be intimidating to search for the proper adjectives to describe that first taste; but, in the end, everyone discovers what they like, and impressions vary. So, I was excited to pair his impression of the Zin with my own and then to add a little food to the mix.

Just before pouring him a glass, the smell of cooking meat alarmed me that dinner was done and it was time to pull the brats off the grill. The night’s menu included grilled beer bratwursts basted with brown sugar barbecue sauce cut up and served on top of sautéed veggies prepared with the same sauce. Piling the dinner on some plates caused the steam to fill the kitchen with the sweet scent of the brown sugar barbecue sauce.

While I dished out the dinner, my roommate was tasting the Zinfandel and noting the spicy feeling lingering in his mouth. So, we both took a few bites of the brats before continuing. The meat was very tender, and the sweet sauce gushed from each bite. After some more tasty bites of meat, we both took another sip of wine. As I pulled the glass closer to my mouth, instantly I noticed the fuller aromas of spice and berry. Perhaps, the wine had decanted just the right amount of time or the brats were influencing the senses. In the mouth, the peppery spice of the Zin  rolled over the sweet barbecue sauce and created a delightful full mouth feeling. A much richer berry taste was present this time leading into a deliciously smooth and memorable finish. Now, my roommate was making his own notes about the wine. Following some large sips and a brief pause to conjure the proper words, he began speaking of blackberry, pepper, vinaigrette, a crisp but complete finish, more spiciness, and even soft silk . It seems he had more words for wine than he had previously let on!

Concluding the dinner, my roommate and I both finished our plates with smiles while kicking back on the front porch. He remarked “I could drink a whole bunch of this,” followed by pleasant laughs. I was happy to share the experience with someone else. Going into my second month working for Cathedral Ridge Winery, I have learned a great deal in a short time from several different angles. The great people I work with and the amazing people who come to visit the winery everyday always seem to have interesting new ideas about how to pair our wine with the next meal. So, inspired by these suggestions, each week we intend to publish a new blog profiling the last memorable wine and food pairing experience. We would love to hear from any of you about an experience you would like to share. So, please, feel free to send us any comments or an email about your last tasting experience! You can email me anytime at sarah@cathedralridgewinery.com.

Thank you for visiting our blog, and be sure to come back Friday for another edition to Courtney’s terroir series.

Cheers!

Sarah Cullington

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A Savory Homemade Sensation

A Savory Homemade Sensation

Summer is slowly creeping its way in like the west winds snaking their way through the lush gorge towards the parched desert plains. The delayed arrival of spring kept us all holding our breath this year, but the renewed light feeling of crisp mornings and short worthy afternoons have us crawling out of hibernation. These are the days that get us through the long winter, but now we encounter the difficult chore of prioritizing our extracurricular activities. Do you take a hike basking in seas of wildflowers, grab a blue bird day at the mountain, hit the water and harness the wind or unearth a set of wheels and go for a cruise?

As I ride my bike past orchards bursting with blossoms my mouth waters in the anticipation of fresh fruits and veggies to come. The gorge not only nurtures amazing grapes, but abounds with fruit trees and scrumptious vegetables displaying all the splendor of thriving terroir. One of the most delightful aspects of our community is the plethora of natural and organic produce options right at our fingertips. We enjoy homegrown backyard treats, family run produce stands and even our big grocery stores stock locally gorge grown food. With the endless possibilities of fresh food right around the corner I would like to share one of my favorite recipes that utilizes fresh produce and pairs wonderfully with Cathedral Ridge Riesling.

With exquisitely balanced acidity, our wines are crafted to pair especially well with food by enhancing the wines palate without masking the flavor of your meal. Unite creamy fondue with our brisk and refreshing 2007 Riesling for an extraordinary meal sure to please a crowd of two to twenty. The communal experience of a fondue brings about an uncommon social setting where stories and laughter are born, like wine, to flow freely. But remember to dip with caution because the only rule of fondue states; if you lose a piece in the pot, well then, you must kiss your neighbor. Add a bottle of our 2007 Riesling to the scenario and the night is certain to go down as a memorable one.

Cheese Fondue:

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 2-3 people

Ingredients:

*  3 cups total of grated Emmentaler & Gruyère cheese
*  1 Tsp. of Corn starch
*  1 cup of Cathedral Ridge Riesling
*  1 clove of garlic
*  pinch of salt & pepper
*  Fresh Vegetables: broccoli, red bell pepper, carrots & cherry tomatoes (any vegetable that your heart desires!)
*  Fresh Fruit: 1 crisp apple, 1 pear & 1 bunch of grapes (variety is your preference)
*  Fresh Sourdough Baguette

Fruit & Vegetable Preparation:

1. Cut all fruit, vegetables and bread into bite sized cubes for dipping in the fondue
2. Display fruit, vegetables and bread how ever you choose. I personally take a large plate, group the fruit/veggies around the edge and place bread in the center

Fondue Preparation:

1. Grate the cheese
2. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of corn starch over grated cheese and gently mix/fluff with your hands in order to coat the cheese
3. Chop 1 clove of garlic and add to a deep cast iron (or heavy metal) pot/pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, heat on low/med spreading oil around to coat the bottom and sides of  the pan
4. Add 1 cup of Cathedral Ridge Riesling and bring to a low simmer (make sure not to boil)
5. Add the cheese to the pan, allow to melt over low heat, constantly stirring
6. Once mixture is consistent throughout remove from heat, move mixture to a fondue pot or leave in the cooking pot/pan and serve while hot (if left in cooking pot/pan a midway reheating of the fondue might be necessary to maintain optimal consistency, its a good chance to take a breath and a few sips of wine!)
7. Spear the fruit, vegetables and bread with forks or fondue spears and dip them in the fondue.

Throughout the evening share the nuances that you discover encapsulated within the wine. Is it the hint of Fuji apples brought out by their presence on your dipping platter? The beauty of fondue lies in the boundless options for dipping ingredients, so utilize any of your favorite foods and let us know what in turn, you find lingering in a glass of Cathedral Ridge Riesling.

Cheers!

Courtney

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