A Trip to Wine Country — Part 2

To read Part 1 of this 3 part series go to A Trip to Wine Country — Part 1

The Benziger Winery
The second part of my trip to wine country was spent at Benziger Winery located very near the Coturri Winery, in Sonoma Valley.

Watch the video below for a little intro to what we were about to experience.



Okay so basically what I was saying was that at 3:30am me and my friend Adam woke up from a short night's sleep to go pick grapes at Benziger Winery. It was the end of the harvest season and their estate zinfandel grapes needed to be picked and there was not one moment to spare, so they decided to do a night harvest, and we were invited!

So, we got ready and wore as many layers as possible and off we drove, down the windy country roads, in the middle of the night. We got lost momentarily but soon enough, we found ourselves driving up their front gate and saw the sight at hand.



When we arrived we found out that Mike Benziger himself was there for the pick! That was pretty cool. We had to wait in the cold while they dealt with some technical problems... It was FREEEEEEZING! The flood-lights apparently didn't want to turn on, or was it the generator was being stubborn. Hmm, anyhoo after a long wait, they finally managed and off we were to witness this strange and unusual event.



Had I been an alien and had landed on earth that night, I would have been utterly confused as to what on earth these strange beings were doing.



From then onwards, the night progressed smoothly, and row by row, grapes were picked by hand, by the crate, and dumped into containers that the cranky tractor was pushing. As the tractor rode, Mike and his fellow helpers picked out the weeds, leaves and bad grapes making sure only the best was within.



The pickers worked fast, and with only one tractor, constantly moving, they had to keep speed and stay in pace. It seemed like a race; who could pick the most crates in the shortest time. In fact, every time a crate was dumped into the big container, someone with a clip-book kept track of who it was and how many were dumped... Did they get payed by the crate?? Who knows.



This picking frenzy continued for a good 4 hours...



I was fascinated, but, not fascinated enough to not let the cold get to me. At around 6am, I crawled into the car, turned on the engine and blasted the heater. I took a nice nap and next thing you know, the sun had risen!



This is the beautiful vineyard we spent the night on. I had no idea how beautiful it was until now...

Things were quiet as I got out the car. Apparently the picking was over. I ventured around, looking for a sign of life. I found everyone behind the tree covered hill. The grapes were not allowed any naps. Once they were picked they moved on to be crushed.



And then begin the first stages of fermentation.

New Coturri to Taste!!

Mmmmm, these are the bottles I have at home, sitting around waiting to be opened...

From left to right we have 2001 Pinot Noir from Lost Creek Vineyards in Yorkville Highlands, 2004 Merlot from Maclise Vineyards in Sonoma Valley, and the 2005 Carignan from the Testa Vineyards in Mendocino County.

I think they shall all be rather different and unique due to their vintages and appellation.

UPDATE: Check out this fun tasting/interview with Tony Coturri on Wine Library TV. The second wine they taste is the 2001 Pinot Noir that I have. Really excited to taste that one!!!

New Coturri to Taste!!, originally uploaded by ja-nel-a-di.

Making the Walnut Oyster Mushroom Stuffing

This is a very tasty dish I made during our Thanksgiving preparations. It was a real success!

More Thanksgiving Dinner photos here.

The Moka Pot and How to Use One...

Hello! Just so that you think I am just a little more crazy than you originally thought, I shall talk to you once more, about coffee...

(Well I do have an excuse, a dear fellow requested a post on this topic...)

Today I want to introduce you to the Moka Pot. It is a genius invention by the Italians from the year 1933. It was designed to easily and cheaply allow people to make espresso at home.



It is a simple piece of machinery made of aluminum, and has three parts to it. The bottom chamber initially contains water, the second is the filter and the third is the top chamber garnished with a handle, lid and spout, where the brew finally ends up and gets poured from.



I shall show you today how to use one of these little guys with these wonderful step-by-step instructions:

Step 1. Fill the bottom part with water until it has reached just below the brass valve.

Step 2. Place the filter on top and begin to fill it with fine grind espresso beans.



Step 3. Fill until the top but do not press down or tamp, just let it be flat level to the surface.

Step 4. Place the top chamber over and screw it tightly until it feels snug.

Step 5. Place the Moka Pot on the stove, lift up the lid, and turn the heat to medium.

Step 6. Stick around and watch, because soon, dark liquid will start pouring out of the inner tube. Once this happens, close the lid and listen carefully.

Step 7. Pay attention and wait for a boiling sound. Once you hear it, turn off the heat immediately, and let the pot sit.

Step 8. Once you no longer hear any boiling sounds, you may lift up the lid and look!

Step 9. It is recommended to mix the espresso around a bit. Not sure why, but it's part of the ritual....

Step 10. Now you are ready to pour! Find you favorite shot cup and pour. Do not expect your usual crema when making espresso this way, it is a rare occurance...

Step 11. Marvel at how cute your cup looks!

YAY, you made espresso!

This technique is highly recommended when you are not keen on spending hundreds of dollars on a full on espresso machine. This technique will yield a truly rich and satisfying espresso rivaling those at your local caffes, unless you live near some top notch caffes, but then, at least you can say it comes close.

The moka pot is fun to use, and very low maintenance. A note when washing the pot: Only rinse in water. Do not use soap or detergent, or put in the dishwasher. This allows the highest flavors to form. All Italians would vouch for this note. They never scrub their Moka Pots... Only rinse in water.

Umm, you can buy different size Moka Pots, depending on how much espresso you enjoy making, at most kitchen supply stores. The average cost of a 3 shot pot is around $20.

Let me know if you have any comments, or experience using one of these guys, or if my instructions need work.


This post is dedicated to my cousin David for being the one to show me the ways of the Moka Pot, one year ago... and for getting me hooked on espresso since that day...