Food & Wine — Pinot Noir

We are honored to kick our off Winemaker Spotlight series with Tony Soter of Soter Vineyards.  Tony started in 1975 and worked with wineries such as Stag's Leap, Spring Mountain, Chappellet and Sequoia Grove just to name a few. He eventually bottled his own label under the Etude brand. With Pinot Noir at heart, Tony finally left Napa Valley and moved to Oregon to start Soter Vineyards in Willamette Valley, Oregon. In 2009, Tony established the Planet Oregon label to make "delicious, environmentally responsible wine at an accessible price". Some would call it coincidence, others would call it serendipity. However,...

  Finding the perfect wines to match the diverse dishes on your Thanksgiving table can be a daunting task. From cranberry sauce to mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie, how does one find the right pairing to satisfy everyone’s palate? To solve this overwhelming task, one may use the classic approach and serving something to compliment both the meat and vegetable spread. Truchard Pinot Noir Dr. Tony Truchard was one of the first physicians in California to become a winery owner in the 70s. He started off with 20 acres in 1973 while still practicing internal medicine in Reno.  Wine was...

This recipe for Coffee Rubbed Steak with Creamed Corn & Tomatillo Risotto is hearty and rich with loads of complex flavors. The subtle layers of coffee, smoke and savory seasonings infuse the marbling with more distinction that begs for a wine pairing. The risotto also plays well with Sauvignon Blanc's roundness and minerality, as well as a good Pinot Noir.  Making the Rub: makes 1+ cup of seasoning rub ¼ cup of Whole Coriander Seed 2 tbsp of Black Peppercorns 2 tbsp of Whole Cloves 4 tbsp Dark Roast Coffee ¼ cup of Kosher Salt Toast the cloves, peppercorns and coriander in...

Is the cold weather making you crave some delicious duck? We've got you covered with this recipe for Dijon Duck Breast. Duck is a popular meat in many cultures and is often overlooked here in the US. It has a flavor profile much more complex than chicken or turkey and leans a bit towards steak in texture. Rendered fat from cooking duck also makes for fantastic cooking grease. To keep this dish casual and tasty, we've sauteéd root vegetables to serve along side. Typically you will want to pair Duck with red wine, however you have mustard sauce, which needs...