Sta. Rita Hills

Lloyd Cellars & Prescription Vineyards Q3 Market Support!

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Lloyd Cellars Q3 2021 Market Update

VIVINO Scan data illustrates 71% growth since the launch of our 2021 marketing and communications campaigns. Prescription Vineyards in-market programming continues with its exclusive ‘Friday-Eve Live’ wine and music showcases through the end of 2021 – both virtual and live.

In our Lloyd Cellars Market Update, we always share recent scores and links to promotional assets such as Shelf-Talkers, Line Cards, Data Sheets, and Bottle Shots.

~ Please read on for more marketing activities and links to our recent blog features! ~

Lloyd Cellars Collateral | Prescription Collateral

Greg Moore, Director of Sales | Greg@LloydCellars.com | (415) 385-9658

Joel Quigley, Director of Marketing Communications | Joel@LloydCellars.com | (707) 495-0831

The Somm Journal & Nat Geo Webinars

The launch of the highly anticipated New Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia by National Geographic Books is the catalyst for the innovative approach and synergies among industry leaders in their categories. The SOMM Journal — in association with National Geographic and SommCon — invites you to participate in these complimentary, one-of-a-kind wine-tasting webinar series entitled Geographical Digest.

July 29th 2021 @ 11am PT
Buyer’s Forum: In association with the Somm Foundation, Prescription Vineyards tastes along with 40 qualified wine buyers featuring the upcoming release of our 2019 Clarksburg Chardonnay
Winemaker Rob Lloyd & Director of Sales Greg Moore Lead Our Discussion

September 14th 2021 @ 9:00am PT
National Geographic “Balancing Act: Chardonnay at its Best’ Webinar
in association with the Somm Foundation
Winemaker Rob Lloyd to Speak to Carneros Chardonnay

Note: These webinars are part of a year-long marketing campaign that includes advertising, editorial, and social media

The Somm Journal and Nat Geo’s Post-Coverage of the Pinot Noir Webinar Featuring Rob Lloyd with Six Int’l Winemakers

‘Friday-Eve Live’ Goes Virtual for Our ‘Wine & Music to Rock Your World’ August Promotion

Friday-Eve Live August 2021 x2

‘Friday-Eve Live’ is a production of Lloyd Cellars and Prescription Vineyards, in partnership with A&R Worldwide and Passport Approved Radio and our family of musical artists.

‘The Imaginaries’ Perform August 12 | ‘Waiting for Smith’ Performs August 26

Lloyd Cellars & Prescription announce sponsorship of Hispanic Heritage Month, partnership with two-time Grammy Award-winning Latin artist, Marlow Rosado!

In support of Hispanic Heritage Month, Prescription is underwriting Marlow’s Colorful Sounds concert at Ramkat in Winston-Salem on September 30th in partnership with the Hispanic League. The North Carolina market visit also includes in-store consumer tasting in Winston-Salem and Charlotte.

Texas November In-Market Visit Fouces on Austin Food & Wine, with Promotional Partnerships and Events with Austin Monthly and San Antonio Current

Our November Texas in-market campaign, combining events, print and digital promotions, media lunches and dinners, and ApexDrop Instagram Influencer Holiday Campaign, is expected to generate several million impressions.

One-on-one consumer tastings at exclusive venues in Austin and San Antonio will create demand for our wines at retailers and restaurants throughout the Lone Star state!

The Drop on ApexDrop!

In addition to ApexDrop’s robust content generation and product sampling, each campaign with the 50 Instagram Influencers has had a total following of more than 750,000 followers. Over our last three campaigns, our total reach has surpassed 1.5 million with our Engagements reaching more than 60,000. We invite you to visit our Instagram accounts with Tags to see the quality and diversity of our content and, of course, follow us!

Lloyd Cellars Instagram | Prescription Instagram

Recent Scores & Reviews

Lloyd Cellars Blog Features | Prescription Blog Features
Facebook.com/LloydCellars | Facebook.com/PrescriptionVineyards

Chef Bleifer’s Roast Pork Recipe Carries the Fourth of July Weekend!

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Chef Rob Bleifer's Fourth-of-July Menu

Make this delicious Roast Pork with House Rub entree for Saturday dinner; turn leftovers into Sunday picnic sandwiches!

We’re very excited that the Fourth of July is on an actual weekend this year. (Honestly, it’s kind of a bummer when it lands on a Wednesday, right?) This weekend we’re making Chef Rob Bleifer’s Roast Pork recipe for our Saturday evening entree and pairing it with our Lloyd Cellars Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir. Then for our Sunday Fourth of July celebration, we’re going to chop up the leftover pork and toss it with barbecue sauce to make pork sandwiches. This strategy allows for less time in the kitchen and more time to celebrate with friends and family…and to sip more Pinot Noir! Follow the former Food Network Executive Chef’s adventures on Instagram: @chef_robear

P.S. We plan to make pork tacos on Monday 🙂

Shop >>> Lloyd Cellars Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

Roast Pork with House Rub

Chef Robert Bleifer goes for a classic, pairing pork with our Lloyd Cellars Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir. What makes this recipe so satisfying is the rub and the technique to bring it to the table.
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Pin Recipe

Course Main Course
Cuisine American

Ingredients

  

Pork Roast

  • 1 Pork Shoulder about 2 inches thick and 4 pounds.
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 tablespoons dry rub recipe below
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt

RUB

  • 2 tablespoons ground coriander
  • 2 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder

Instructions

 

  • Combine all the rub ingredients in 1 cup jar with a lid and shake until completely mixed. Store for up to 6 months with your spices.
  • Preheat oven to 230 degrees.
  • Rub pork all over with oil. Season with herbs and salt.
  • Place on a large sheet pan or shallow roasting pan and roast for about 4 hours or, when internal temperature is at least 180 and as high as 207.
  • Remove from oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
  • Slice and serve either on your favorite bread or with roast potatoes and your favorite seasonal vegetable.

Notes

Chop leftover pork, toss with BBQ sauce for delicious leftover sandwiches.

Keyword Chef Robert Bleifer, Lloyd Cellars, Pinot Noir, Recipe, Roast Pork

String Theory: Unifying a Single-Bowl Meal with Spaghetti Noodles

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Chef Bleifer Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs
The Pastafarians were the first to connect String Theory and single-bowl noodle dishes through abstract thought. We arrived at this saucy mind space after a couple of glasses of Lloyd Cellars Pinot Noir. Image courtesy of venganza.org.

As the world of science continues to pursue a unifying theory to explain physics, known as String Theory, the culinary world solved the one-bowl meal conundrum centuries ago. In 2005, a team of archaeologists reported finding an earthenware bowl that contained 4000-year-old noodles at the Lajia archaeological site in China. So from Asian noodles to Italian spaghetti (there’s a Marco Polo relativity joke somewhere here), these unleavened dough strings have been the cookery connectors in serving up endless deliciousness in single-bowl servings.

Our good friend Chef Robert Bleifer, former Executive Chef at Food Network and father, knows the advantages of serving up healthy, one-bowl meals to the family. Here, he shares his Spaghetti & Turkey Meatballs recipe. But, of course, he’s ‘adulted’ the meal by pairing our Lloyd Cellars Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir with this tasty and easy recipe. Dish up this combo to friends and family and let your minds wander off to places yet unexplored!

Make sure to follow Chef Bleifer’s culinary adventures on Instagram: @chef_robear

Shop >>> Lloyd Cellars Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

Chef Bleifer Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs

Chef Bleifer Spaghetti & Turkey Meatballs

You'll want to gobble down Chef Robert Bleifer's turkey meatball and spaghetti recipe – each bite followed by a sip from a goblet full of our robust Lloyd Cellars Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir!
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian

Ingredients

  

  • 1 pound ground turkey not lean!
  • 1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs place 1 large slice of bread in a spice grinder or mini-chopper
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated parmeggiano
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs basil, marjoram, oregano, thyme
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 4 cups marinara sauce
  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • Fresh grated parm and basil for serving optional

Instructions

 

  • In a medium-large bowl, mix together: turkey, breadcrumbs, parm, herbs, garlic, egg yolk, and salt. Mix thoroughly and form into balls slightly smaller than ping-pong balls. You should have close to 20.
  • Place a large saute pan medium-high heat, add the oil, and brown the meatball on all sides (adjusting the heat as necessary to keep from burning.)
  • When fully browned, deglaze with red wine, scrape up any stuck browned bits and let reduce until just a tablespoon remains. Transfer to a medium saucepan with the stock and marinara. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook covered for 45 minutes. If the sauce has gotten too thick, add water to bring back to the consistency of the jarred sauce.
  • Bring a large pot of water to boil and add 3 tablespoons of kosher salt. Add pasta and cook al dente, according to packaged directions.
  • Drain pasta, immediately toss with sauce and serve immediately.
  • Serve with extra grated parm and fresh basil if desired.

Keyword Chef Robert Bleifer, Lloyd Cellars, Pinot Noir, Recipe, Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs

Celebrate National ‘Bloomsday’ with Chef Rob Bleifer’s Herb-Roasted Chicken

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James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist, short story writer, poet, teacher, and literary critic. He contributed to the modernist avant-garde movement and is regarded as one of the most influential and important writers of the 20th century.

Our Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir is a Classic Pairing with Roast Chicken and a Good Read

June 16th is National Bloomsday, commemorating the life and legend of Irish writer James Joyce. The significance of June 16 is taken from his 1922 novel, “Ulysses,” which takes place on June 16, 1904, and follows a day in the life of the story’s protagonist Leopold Bloom. (Coincidently, “Ulysses” was published just after the end of the Spanish Flu Pandemic.)

Throughout Ulysses, food plays an important role in revealing the characters’ personalities. Food and its consumption receive a complex and subtle significance reflecting social class, temperament, and offers opportunities for interaction.

Lloyd Cellars is all about the role food plays in our lives, and over the past year-and-a-half, the impact it’s had on the hospitality world and especially restaurants. We’re celebrating the resilience of restaurateurs, chefs, servers, and front- and back-of-house folk with our ‘Back to Fine Dining’ campaign to inspire people to get out and support!

We’re also sharing recipes from our friend Chef Robert Bleifer to inspire families to once again gather around the table with friends to break bread and toast to better times. We thought Chef’s Herb-Roasted Chicken recipe was a good fit for the day, though we’re sure Joyce would have requested the bird’s livers fried.

Enjoy and remember to follow Chef Bleifer on Instagram at @chef_robear!

Click here to order our Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

Chef Bleifer Herb-Roasted Chicken

Chef Bleifer is all about the spatchcock technique – the chicken cooks more evenly as it's on a level surface, so the breast and thigh meat are done at the same time. It's all about balance, just like our Lloyd Cellars Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir, a blend from the Rio Vista and La Viña vineyards.
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Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  

  • 1 chicken 4-5 pounds
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 sprigs rosemary stems removed and chopped
  • 4 sprigs thyme stems removed and chopped
  • 4 sprigs marjoram stems removed and chopped
  • 1 large clove of garlic sliced thin
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

 

  • If you choose, you can marinate the chicken at room temperature for 2 hours before cooking, or just go straight into the oven.
  • Spatchcock the chicken, aka remove the backbone, so that the chicken can lay flat for cooking.
  • The easiest way to remove the backbone is to cut along each side of the backbone with kitchen shears, starting next to the tail and working your way down towards the neck.
  • Once the backbone is removed, either press hard on the middle of the breast to help flatten the chicken or make a slight cut on the underside by the keel bone to make this easier.
  • Once the chicken is spatchcocked, gently slide your fingers under the skin and place half of the chopped herbs and garlic under the skin.
  • Rub the chicken all over with olive oil.
  • Season liberally with salt and pepper and season the underside with the remaining chopped herbs and garlic.
  • Heat oven to 400.
  • Place the chicken on a large sheet pan or shallow roasting pan and place in oven with the legs towards the back of the oven. Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes, rotating the chicken after 45 minutes. An instant-read thermometer should register 160 in the breast and 180 in the thighs.
  • If you had marinated the chicken at room temperature, cooking time should be somewhat shorter. Begin checking the internal temperature after 60 minutes.
  • When the chicken is cooked, remove from the oven and place on a carving board and let cool for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
  • Serve with rice or potatoes and your favorite seasonal vegetable.

Source material: https://nationaltoday.com/bloomsday/

Lars Leicht of The Somm Journal, and Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson, co-hosted ‘Pinot Noir: Aspects from Delicacy to Durability’

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The SOMM Journal — in association with National Geographic and SommCon – Webinars

Lloyd Cellars was honored to have our very own winemaker Rob Lloyd as a panelist of seven featured winemakers from around the world

In the spirit of continuing education for beverage professionals and consumers, The SOMM Journal — in association with National Geographic and SommCon — is hosting a series of complimentary, one-of-a-kind wine-tasting webinar series entitled Geographical Digest. The events are hosted virtually by winemakers from across the globe and broadcast live. Videos of the webinars are available on-demand soon after airing.

~ The Synopsis and Featured Regions and Wineries ~

Winemakers have a funny relationship with Pinot Noir: The quirky grape can gratify or frustrate, be delicate or durable, muse or mischief, but one way or another it always inspires passion and pride. Lars Leicht of The Somm Journal, and Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson, co-host this Pinot parley with seven wine whisperers from distinct terroirs around the world.

>>> If you’d like to jump ahead to Rob’s interview, it begins at 1:06:45 <<<

Louis Jadot — Burgundy, France
Willakenzie Oregon — Willamette Valley, OR
Merry Edwards — Russian River, CA
Domaine Anderson — Anderson Valley, CA
Calera — Mt. Harlan AVA/Central Coast, CA 
>>> Lloyd Cellars — Sta. Rita Hills, CA <<<
Giesen — Marlborough, New Zealand

Former Food Network Exec Chef Rob Bleifer Partners w/Lloyd Cellars – Serves Up Savory Biscotti as Starter!

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Che Bleifer Cameo - Savory Biscotti
Chef Robert Bleifer
Chef Rob Bleifer teases his Lloyd Cellars ‘Back to Fine Dining’ six-part recipe series with his Savory Biscotti

As part of our June 2021 celebration of getting ‘Back to fine dining’ (yes!), we’re excited to announce our partnership with Chef Robert Bleifer, who most recently served as Executive Chef & Vice President of Culinary Production for Food Network for 24-years. Chef Rob has created six recipe pairings to share with our Members and fans, which we’ll dole out in a six-part blog series now through June!

Chef Rob was responsible for everything from managing the kitchen of 18 Food Stylists and Recipe Developers to coordinating with Production teams, Chefs/Hosts, Guest Chefs, and much more. He was also an on-air presence, judging numerous Food Network Challenges, catering the three Food Network Wedding specials, and many other “cameo” appearances.

We invite you to follow Chef Rob on Instagram @chef_robear! He’s got a lot of new projects in works and you’re going to want to be the first to know!

FYI, sister winery Prescription Vineyards is also celebrating ‘Back to Fine Dining’ by being the exclusive wine sponsor for Tampa Bay Restaurant Week this June 17 through 27. Click here to learn more…

We’re going to jump-start Chef Rob’s series with something we’ve never seen before, a Savory Biscotti recipe to pair with our Lloyd Cellars Carneros Chardonnay. This certainly redefines the idea of ‘breakfast for dinner.’

Happy home cheffing!

Chef Bleifer's Savory Biscotti

Chef Bleifer Savory Biscotti

Sure, you love biscotti with your coffee in the morning, but now it's wine-thirty and you're still craving pastry. Chef Robert Bleifer comes to the rescue with his Savory Biscotti to pair with our Lloyd Cellars Carneros Chardonnay!
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Course Appetizer
Cuisine Italian

Ingredients

  

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
  • 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup grated parm
  • 2 tablespoons honey

Instructions

 

  • Set an oven rack to the middle shelf and preheat oven to 350.
  • Line a cookie sheet with parchment.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together, flour, salt, and baking powder.
  • In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk eggs and then whisk in oil and cheese, herbs, and honey.
  • Add the egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix with a rubber spatula.
  • With floured hands, transfer the dough to a floured work-surface.
  • Roll into a log about 12 inches long and 4 inches wide (it will be flat).
  • Place the log on the cookie sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, until the dough is firm to the touch and lightly golden in color.
  • Cool the log on a rack and lower the oven temperature to 325.
  • With a serrated knife, cut the log into 1/4 inch wide cookies (slice straight across for shorter biscotti or at a 45 degree angle for longer biscotti.
  • Place the sliced biscotti cut-side down onto the cookie sheet and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until dry and golden.
  • Cool on racks and serve immediately, or when fully cool, store in an air-tight cookie tin for several days.

Keyword Chardonnay, Chef Robert Bleifer, Lloyd Cellars, Savory Biscotti

Winemaker Rob Lloyd to be Featured in The SOMM Journal & National Geographic Webinars

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The SOMM Journal — in association with National Geographic and SommCon – Webinars

In the spirit of continuing education for beverage professionals and consumers, The SOMM Journal — in association with National Geographic and SommCon — invites our members and trade partners to participate in a complimentary, one-of-a-kind wine-tasting webinar series entitled Geographical Digest. The events are hosted virtually by winemakers from across the globe and broadcast live. Videos of the webinars are available on-demand soon after airing.

Winemaker Rob Lloyd will be featured in two of the eight webinars for 2021. For the May 11th webinar, Rob will be speaking to Sta. Rita Hills AVA where we source our Pinot Noir. In the fall, on September 14th, he’ll speak to the Carneros Region and our Chardonnay. We’ll be sharing registration details in the coming weeks!

To get on our mailing list for notifications for all news, recipes, and offers, scroll to the bottom of this page for our registration form.

May 11th 2021 @ 9:00am PT
National Geographic “Pinot Noir: Aspects from Delicacy to Durability“ Webinar, moderated by Master of Wine Andrea Robinson, in association with the Somm Foundation
Winemaker Rob Lloyd to Speak to Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

September 14th 2021 @ 9:00am PT
National Geographic “Balancing Act: Chardonnay at its Best’ Webinar
in association with the Somm Foundation
Winemaker Rob Lloyd to Speak to Carneros Chardonnay

For the first time since 2011, National Geographic Books has fully updated The New Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia, the comprehensive guide for enophiles now in its sixth edition. The launch of the highly anticipated New Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia by National Geographic Books was the catalyst for the innovative approach and synergies among industry leaders in their categories.

This essential reference—long used as the go-to text for the prestigious Master Sommelier examination—is the most comprehensive guide to the world of wine, featuring authoritative information on related history, culture, geography, and more. (Source: Tasting Panel Magazine)

We Duck for Lloyd Cellars Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir!

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Gastronaut Bob Blumer's Liberty Duck Breast
Jim Reichardt and daughter Jennifer of Sonoma County Poultry. Click the FeedPeopleDuck.com logo above to see a list of featured restaurants! (photo: radiomisfits.com)

In the fifth and final installment of our Blumer Recipe Series, we champion small ranchers like our friends at Liberty Duck

Throughout the United States, there are local ranchers and farmers whose specialty is raising ethically produced foods. Many of these folks had created such a demand for their quality products that they only had enough to sell exclusively to restaurants. Then the pandemic hit, and again the word for 2020 pivot became a necessity with these producers having to open up direct-to-consumer channels immediately. Not an easy task.

A great example of this is the San Francisco Bay Area’s Sonoma County Poultry, producers of Liberty Duck, some of the finest duck raised in the nation. Sonoma County Poultry was founded in 1992 by Jim Reichardt, a fourth-generation duck farmer, in response to chefs’ demands for a larger, meatier, more flavorful duck. Their Liberty Ducks are a strain of Pekin Duck that was developed in Denmark and is suited to a slower, less stressful style of rearing. Of note, the Reichardt family has been raising ducks since the early 1900s in the Bay Area.

Currently, in addition to supplying the finer Bay Area Restaurants with their fresh duck needs, Sonoma County Poultry ships Liberty Ducks directly to restaurants and individuals across the United States. In the western United States, shipping is accomplished economically by using Golden State Overnight. Further east, they use UPS Next Day Air Saver or Two Day Air service (source: libertyducks.com).

We have been extreme fans of Liberty Duck for decades, and can certainly remember the days when we could only taste it at our favorite Bay Area restaurants – direct ordering was about impossible. In celebration of Gastronaut and Author Bob Blumer’s new cookbook, Flavorbomb, he has paired his Pan-seared Liberty Duck Breast recipe below with our Lloyd Cellars 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention that Jim Reichardt’s daughter, Jennifer Reichardt, has become an integral partner in Sonoma County Poultry over the years. She is also an accomplished winemaker and launched her own label in 2016, Raft Wines. She produces classic varietals such as Syrah, Grenache, and Sangiovese, yet more rare varieties for Califonia such as Primitivo and Grenache Blanc!

Check out Eatwild.com to find quality regional products throughout the United States and Canada!

Gastronaut Bob Blumer's Liberty Duck Breast

Pan-Seared Liberty Duck Breast

Duck has the texture of a fine cut of steak, but a flavor that is deeper and far more distinctive. That’s why it’s a perennial favorite of French chefs. Cooking a whole duck can be an unwieldy experience because of the thick layer of fat that insulates it. Fortunately for those of us whose kitchens don’t come equipped with six-burner stoves and an army of sous chefs, duck breasts deliver all the flavor without the fuss.

~ Pair with Lloyd Cellars 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Pinto Noir

Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Cook Time 20 d

Course Main Course
Cuisine American

Servings 2 People

Ingredients

  

  • 2 6 – 8-ounce Liberty boneless duck breasts
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1½ teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper divided
  • 2 shallots diced finely
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 4 tablespoons black currant jam ideally unsweetened, black cherry, or similar preserve
  • 2 tablespoons Crème de Cassis

Instructions

 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and set out a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil
  • Use a paper towel to pat dry duck. Using a sharp knife, score four ¼-inch-deep cuts across the duck skin at a 45-degree angle. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper over the meat side of each duck breast.
  • Heat a heavy pan over high heat. When pan is hot, add duck breasts to the dry pan, skin side down, and cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until skin is brown and crispy. Flip and cook for 2 more minutes.
  • Remove pan from heat, reserve the drippings in pan, and transfer duck breasts, skin side up, to cookie sheet. Bake on the top rack of the oven for about 7 minutes for medium rare, or to your desired degree of doneness.
  • While duck is roasting, carefully discard all but two tablespoons of duck drippings from the pan. Return pan to medium heat and add shallot. Stir occasionally for 3 minutes, or until shallot begins to turn golden. Remove from heat, Add vinegar to the pan and stir with a wooden spoon to loosen up the browned bits left by the duck. Add jam, Cassis, and remaining teaspoon of black pepper. Return to heat and stir occasionally for 3 minutes. Reserve.
  • Remove duck from the oven, cover with aluminum foil, and let rest, for 5 minutes. Slice each breast at a 45-degree angle into ¼-inch-thick strips (properly cooked duck should resemble medium-rare steak). Arrange in a fanlike pattern on a warmed plate and spoon cassis compote overtop. Serve immediately.

Notes

Advance Work

Duck and sauce can be prepared an hour in advance. In this case, duck should be slightly undercooked and left uncut. Reheat in a 425°F oven for 3 – 4 minutes just before slicing and serving. Sauce should be rewarmed just before serving.

Liquidity

Lloyd Cellars 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

Keyword Bob Blumer, Liberty Duck, Lloyd Cellars, Pinot Noir

Down to Earth – Blumer Mushroom Cupcakes Paired with Our Pinot!

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Blumer's Mushroom Cupcake

We’ve certainly been having a lot much fun partnering with Gastronaut and Author Bob Blumer on his new cookbook, Flavorbomb! A few years back, we also teamed up for one of Blumer’s Surreal Dinners in the Napa Valley. On the menu were Blumer’s deceptive and delicious Lamb Cupcakes (recipe in Blumer’s previous cookbook, Glutton for Pleasure).

Considering Blumer was pairing his dishes with wines made by Rob Lloyd, a pescatarian, he pivoted. Our favorite Gastronaut came down to earth and made Rob a variation, Mushroom Cupcakes with Sweet Potato Icing, to pair with the Pinot Noir. As a call back to this tasty memory, Blumer has formalized the recipe as the fourth post in our five-part recipe series.

Pinot gets 91 Points from Wine Enthusiast

The artistry of Blumer’s dishes blew me away at that Surreal Dinner – and then I took a bite of his mushroom cupcake. I’ve been a fan ever since!

~ Winemaker Rob Lloyd

Purchase our Lloyd Cellars 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

Blumer's Mushroom Cupcake

Mushroom Cupcakes with Sweet Potato Icing

Gastronaut Bob Blumer

These Pinot Noir-friendly mushroom cupcakes never fail to confuse and amuse.

~ Paired with Lloyd Cellars 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Course Main Course
Cuisine American

Servings 4 People

Ingredients

  

  • 2 Sweet potatoes aka yams
  • 4 Tablespoons butter divided
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 Cloves garlic minced
  • 3 Green onions trimmed and sliced finely
  • ½ pound Assorted mushrooms the more exotic the better, stemmed and cleaned of any dirt, then sliced
  • 1/4 Red bell pepper diced finely
  • 4 Sprigs fresh thyme stems discarded
  • 1 oz Brandy or cognac optional
  • ¼ cup Panko or bread crumbs
  • 1 Egg beaten
  • 1 Lemon for zesting
  • 2 ounces Goat’s cheese log form, crumbled
  • Salt and pepper To Taste
  • Vegetable oil spray
  • 4 Cupcake liners
  • 1 Muffin tin

Instructions

 

  • In a preheated 400F° oven, bake sweet potatoes for 1 hour. Reserve
  • In a sauté pan over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons butter and olive oil. When butter is bubbling, add garlic, green onions, mushrooms, bell pepper and thyme. Sauté for 10 minutes, or until mushrooms are well browned.
  • Add Cognac to pan, let sit for five seconds and then light a match to it. Flame should burn out after approximately 10 seconds. (Note: keep your distance. If you have a gas stove, be aware that spattering particles will likely cause the alcohol to ignite prematurely as soon as it is poured in the pan. And if you have big hair, keep it under wraps! If flame continues to burn, put it out by placing a lid on the pan).
  • Transfer contents to a bowl and let cool.
  • Add panko, egg, zest of the lemon, goat cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly with a fork.
  • TO FINISH & SERVE
  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Line a muffin tin with 4 foil or paper liners. Generously spray interior of liners with spray oil. Spoon mushroom mixture into liners. Gently press mixture down and flatten level with the top of the tin.
  • Just before putting mushroom cupcakes in the oven, spoon sweet potatoes out of their skin, transfer to a mixing bowl, cover with aluminum foil and place it over a pot of boiling water for 5 – 10 minutes. When potatoes are steaming hot, add 2 tablespoons butter and a pinch of salt. Blend thoroughly with a fork.
  • Bake cupcakes for 8 minutes, or until cakes are fully set, yet still moist. Remove cakes from tin immediately so that they do not continue to cook.
  • Use a piping bag with a star tip, or a table knife to ice the cupcakes with the sweet potato icing.

Notes

Uncommon Goods

Vegetable oil spray; cupcake liners; muffin tin (not uncommon, but crucial); piping bag with a star tip (ideal, but not necessary)

Advance Work

The mushroom mixture can be prepared earlier in the day, to the point that the cakes are ready to be baked. Bake and ice just before serving; Sweet potatoes can be made earlier in the day then reheated over a double boiler just before serving.

Liquidity

Lloyd Cellars Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

Keyword Bob Blumer, Lloyd Cellars, Mushrooms, Pinot Noir, Sweet Potatos, Vegetarian

We’re Celebrating 91 Point Pinot Noir Score from Wine Enthusiast w/New Blumer Recipe!

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Gastronaut Bob Blumer’s Cream of Nostalgia Soup with Bacon & Grilled Cheese

Our recent 91 Point score from Wine Enthusiast for our 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir truly warms our hearts during these chilly days. So it feels appropriate to celebrate the news with a heart-warming recipe from gastronaut and author Bob Blumer – the third installment of our blog series, as we raise a toast to his new cookbook, Flavorbomb!

Pinot gets 91 Points from Wine Enthusiast

Read installment one. Read installment two.

Pinot Noir is a classic holiday meal pairing as it’s so versatile the many holiday dishes that can land on one table. We also have a lot of nostalgic memories of sipping our Pinot Noir with family and friends during the holidays. This is why we thought a classic recipe like Blumer’s Cream of Nostalgia Soup with Bacon & Grilled Cheese was the perfect pairing to celebrate with.

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Gastronaut Bob Blumer’s Cream of Nostalgia Soup with Bacon & Grilled Cheese

Cream of Nostalgia Soup with Bacon & Grilled Cheese

Gastronaut Bob Blumer

Few things in life that can compete with the nostalgia of cream of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. But if anything can, it’s this deeply satisfying, modern-day version. Add a grilled cheese sandwich with a complex, aromatic cheese and an extra crispy crust, and you will be flooded with memories of your youth—as channeled through the sophisticated tastes of your adult life. Cream of nostalgia soup with bacon

~ Pair with Lloyd Cellars 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

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Prep Time 1 hr 15 mins

Course Appetizer
Cuisine American

Servings 6 People

Ingredients

  

  • 1 Head garlic
  • 12 Strips best-available bacon about ½ pound
  • 2 tablespoons Butter
  • 1 Small yellow onion diced
  • ½ Fennel bulb cored and chopped, or 3 celery stalks
  • 1 Carrot chopped
  • 3 tablespoons Flour
  • 1 – 28 ounce Can tomatoes whole or chopped
  • 5 cups Best-available chicken stock
  • 1 Bouquet garnis with 6 sprigs fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried thyme and 2 bay leaves, broken.
  • 2 teaspoons Harissa
  • Salt and pepper
  • ¼ – ½ cup Heavy cream optional

Instructions

 

  • Preheat toaster oven or oven to 400°F.
  • Slice the pointy top off garlic to expose each of the cloves. Set on a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap in the foil. Roast until cloves are lightly browned and tender, about 50 minutes. Reserve.
  • In a large pot, cook bacon until crispy. Remove bacon and all but roughly 1 tablespoon bacon fat. Reserve bacon.
  • To the pot, over medium-high heat, add butter, onion, fennel and carrot. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until vegetables start to brown. Add flour and stir constantly for 1 minute, allowing the flour to brown slightly (this thickens the soup in the same way that a roux is used to thicken gumbo). Add tomatoes along with all the juices, stock, 10 strips of bacon, and bouquet garnis.

    Simmer for 30 minutes.

    Let soup cool, remove bouquet garnis and squeeze out remaining juices back into the pot. Squeeze roasted garlic cloves directly into the pot and add harissa.

    Purée soup in a blender until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The soup is plenty rich and creamy as is, but if you really want to go for the gusto, finish with cream or drizzle a bit over top before serving.

    Serve in warmed soup bowls. Crumble remaining bacon over top.

    For the grilled cheese sandwich (per sandwich)

    2 slices sourdough loaf

    2 slices cave-aged Gruyere cheese, or any Gruyere, or emmental

    2 tablespoons mayonnaise

    Make a cheese sandwich, then spread the outside of each side with mayonnaise. Grill in a panini makeror a frying pan until well-browned and crispy.

Keyword Bacon, Bob Blumer, Grilled Cheese, Lloyd Cellars, Pinot Noir, Soup