Notre Vue Spring Newsletter
Spring is here!
With the stormy weather behind us and the sun awakening, we are excited about your next visits. The Block 23 Terrace and Lakeside Pavilions are ready for you, your family and friends to enjoy; Music is in the air and wine is flowing!
Pete has updated the Cultivar food and wine program, and we have to say, it is fantastic! You will have to swing by and give it a try.
Jen has been busy making sure every detail is covered, and every experience is engaging and fun! We are really looking forward to Summer Sundays; you can see the details on the events page.
You may have met Jared, our son. He has been busy working in the background with us. He has committed to the family business and we couldn't be happier!
Last but not least, we have new additions to our hospitality team. Our wine family is growing, as well as new wine members! We can't wait for everyone to meet.
As always, we look forward to your next visit!
-Bob and Renee Stein
It's Springtime at Notre Vue Estate! From a winemaking perspective, this past winter has been a blessing. We've received an abundance of rain, cool weather without any serious freezes and plenty of breaks in the rain to give the soil time to absorb and store the water between storms. We are set. Bring on Spring!
As the change in weather and season brightens our days, the vineyard crew is actively pruning the vines making sure we are ready for budbreak. If you've never pruned a grapevine, you should make an effort to come out and watch our team at work. Pruning certainly has a scientific, botanical basis but it is also an art form. It's easy to whack away at a vine and cut off last year's growth. It is a whole other ballgame to do it correctly, in order to maximize quality and production for each individual plant. Watching pruners at work is like watching a ballet. Each move is graceful and with purpose, each plant an individual with individual needs, all addressed one by one as the artists move steadily down the rows.
While the vineyard team has been hard at work pruning as weather permits, the winemaking team was finishing up Harvest 2018. Our first wines of the vintage are stabilizing in the bottle and will soon be ready for you to taste! Balverne's 2018 Sauvignon Blanc will be hitting your local wine shops shortly, while the Balverne Reserve Sauvignon Blanc and Rose will be available for tasting here at the winery soon. As always, the two reserves offerings sell out fast so mark your calendars and visit us to pick up your allocation. Remember, just before harvest, I suggested 2018 might be the perfect vintage...you be the judge.
Balverne 2016 Reserve Malbec
When I came on board here as the winemaker, I was immediately struck by the quality of the fruit on the property in general and of the Malbec in particular. In fact, so much so, that I lobbied to produce a Malbec to offer our Club Members and winery guests. That dream has come to fruition and I am very proud to announce the release of the Balverne 2016 Reserve Malbec!
A blend of Malbec with hints of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, one is first struck by the intense color of the wine followed immediately by the lush perfume of dark cherries, lingonberry, and spice. Notes of the finest French oak waft seductively in and out, complementing the incredible fruit. Those same characteristics permeate the palate and linger long into the already silky finish.
A perfect complement to grilled duck breast, I can only imagine how wonderful this wine would pair, too, with Lingonberry Sauce served over Swedish Meatballs.
From all of us at Notre Vue Estate Vineyards and Winery, let's welcome spring together with a glass of your favorite Notre Vue and Balverne wines. We look forward to hosting you here in the very near future. A votre santé!
-Michael Westrick, Winemaker
2016 Balverne Reserve Malbec $45.00 /750ml
We are incredibly proud to be releasing the first Malbec ever produced by Notre Vue. While your mind might first go to Argentina when you think about this varietal, our Chalk Hill Reserve is
certain to shatter your belief that great Malbec only comes from South of the equator. Showing a deep, inky purple, the fruit was brought in right at the end of our 5-year drought, resulting in small, concentrated berries. After spending 2 years in 50% new French oak barrels and another 6 months in the bottle, the wine is beginning to express its true identity. Deep fruit, subtle florals, and perfect structure rests under every cork.
2015 Balverne Reserve Chardonnay $33.00 /750ml
Crafting a great bottle of Chardonnay requires artistry, patience, and skill. With a fairly neutral profile, the grape responds well to various winemaking techniques. The Balverne Reserve Chardonnay has been carefully crafted, employing methods such as a secondary,
malolactic fermentation and batonnage to give the wine a smooth, creamy mouthfeel. 12 months in the highest quality French oak
barrels has enhanced the profile, affording the Chardonnay notes of vanilla and nutmeg. Finally, it is impossible to create great wine without quality fruit. Our vineyards have been carefully tended, resulting in beautiful grape clusters and expressive wine.
2015 Notre Vue Rhone $49.00 / 750ml
The Syrah grown on the Estate thrives at one of the highest reaching blocks on the property. Extensive sunshine coupled with
mountaintop breezes allows the grapes to ripen beautifully, delivering a concentrated, dark fruited wine. Aged for two years in 100% new
French oak barrels, the 2015 Rhone blend picks up delicate hints of vanilla bean, espresso, and dark chocolate. The wine is the perfect companion to filet mignon and bacon blue cheese burgers alike.
Hello... Jen here! We have officially released our 2019 Event Calendar and couldn't be more excited. We have been lucky enough to have hosted a handful of great events already this year; there is literally something for everyone, and we are looking forward to seeing you all here this year ... although most of these events are aimed at our locals, we hope to see you here on a future visit. We have something fun going on several times a month, so please check out our website or visit the tasting room for details! We have also updated the tasting experiences on the property, so please grab a friend and come taste the delicious new releases inside our salon, lakeside or overlooking the estate on our Block 23 Terrace. Please visit our events page or contact:
Jennifer Hanshew
707.433.4050 x126
jennifer@notrevueestate.com
Here is a sneak peek at a few of our upcoming events:
- Barrel Making Seminar: April 12, 2pm-5pm
- Movie Night: April 26, 6pm-8pm
- Wine Club Party: May 4, 1 pm-4pm
- Spring Floral Workshop: May 5, 11am-2pm
- Spring Celebration Luncheon: May 18, 12pm-3pm
- Painted Cellars Paint Night: May 30, 6pm-8pm
Swedish Meatballs with Lingonberry Sauce
| Ingredients: 3 pieces white bread, with the crust removed, torn and soaked in whole milk 1 lb. ground beef, 1 lb. pork, and 1 lb. veal 4 Tbl. of butter 1 small minced onion 2 egg yolks 1/2 c. of heavy cream 2 Tbl. of salt Cracked black pepper 2 tsp. of allspice 1 bowl cold water |
|
Sauce: 2 Tbs. of butter 2 Tbs. of all-purpose flour 3 c. of chicken stock Salt and freshly ground black pepper 112 c. of heavy cream 1 to 2 Tbs. of black currant jam 1/4 c. of chopped parsley leaves Lingonberry jam, for serving |
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Move the onion to a plate to cool. Wipe the pan with
a paper towel.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground meats, egg yolks, heavy cream, and onion. Add salt, pepper, and allspice.
Squeeze excess milk from the bread and add it to the bowl. Mix gently.
4. With a bowl of cold water standing by, form meatballs 1-inch across. Dip your fingers in cold water to keep the
meat from sticking.
5. Melt the remaining butter in the saute pan and add a layer of meatballs as the foam mellows. Do not over-crowd the pan and shake it occasionally to round out the meatballs. Brown all of the meatballs, in batches, moving them to a large oven safe dish when cooked. Put the dish in the oven for about 20 minutes.
6. Sauce: Pour off most of the fat from the skillet and return it to the heat. Add 2 tbs of butter and swirl it around to coat the pan. Sprinkle in the flour, and stir with a whisk to dissolve the flour into the fat. Pour in the chicken stock and stir to loosen the bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer, stirring, until liquid is reduced and mixture thickens to a sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Lower the heat and stir in the cream and black currant jam. Add the meatballs to the sauce. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly and the meatballs are heated through 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
