 Wanting to wow your sweetheart with something handmade? This decadent truffle is easy to make and can be adapted to your taste buds and preferences. As it is, the truffles are lush and creamy with only a hint of sweetness. Use this recipe as a template, but experiment with spices, wines and toppings. We, personally, loved the truffles infused with the 2009 CPR Merlot rolled in cocoa powder and pistachios.
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One of the most distinctive flavors of a good Merlot is chocolate. Perhaps this helps explain why Merlot is so popular and widely-consumed. After all, who doesn’t like a hint of chocolate every now and then?
Notes of chocolate help blend together the rich tones of red and black fruits and black pepper. Chocolate adds a bit of depth and sophistication to the typically fruit forward flavors of Merlot. Our absolute favorite way to bring out the chocolate notes in the 2012 Helix Merlot is with our Chocolate Dream Cookie Recipe. This recipe is to die for and we guarantee it will become an instant favorite in your recipe rotation. Just try not to eat the whole batch before you get a chance to open the Merlot! This is an entree-sized version of stuffed portobello mushrooms, which are meaty enough to satisfy a dinner crowd. Don’t let the length fool you; it’s mostly detailed preparation techniques which will vastly improve the overall texture.
When removed sizzling from the oven, these stuffed portobellos have an appealing earthy aroma and a fresh tasting filling that is flavorful but not soggy. Try these mushrooms with Malbec & Syrah!  When REININGER was starting out, Chuck wanted the winery to be Bordeaux-centric.
“Those are the wines I was really first introduced to as far as red wines go. They have a bold character, and Bordeaux grapes grow very well here. I’m a provincial person; I’m proud of where I live and where we’re from, and these grapes really express themselves beautifully here. Not that these grapes are indigenous to Walla Walla, but the Bordeaux red grapes are the ones that have really landed a home here in the Valley. They really are the founding core of the Walla Walla Valley.” For REININGER’S inaugural vintage, Chuck’s wine portfolio included a 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon. Over the years, Chuck has become known for his REININGER Cabernet Sauvignon and in 2016, Chuck was asked to sit on a Cabernet Sauvignon winemaker’s panel with five other world-class international winemakers, where our 2012 vintage was featured. Although almost 20 years has passed since our first vintage, Chuck’s winemaking style and elevage, or the progression of wine from fermentation to bottling, hasn’t changed. 2016 has been interesting, to say the least. As my first full year in Walla Walla comes to a close, all I can really say is “Abbie, you’re not in New England anymore.” By the end of March temperatures were starting to reach into the mid-70s. On average, those temperatures are a good 20 degrees warmer than where I lived in Maine and Vermont, and 2016 was the first year I’d say I experienced Spring instead of Mud Season. Wheat and trees were blooming every day, which my allergies didn’t like, and bud break out in the vineyards was about a week early this past March. Vermont can sometimes still have snow on the ground in April, delaying bud break until mid-May and we’d be lucky to have temperatures in the mid-70s at the beginning of June.    As temperatures rose over the next couple months here in Walla Walla, harvest looked like a repeat of last year, with fruit ripening quickly and coming in wicked fast. My first day at Reininger was the first day fruit hit the crush pad and the Production Crew was trying to juggle that with a bottling session. Grapes were coming in so fast that the winery quickly ran out of space; new barrels were arriving and wines were being pressed sooner than planned because we needed the open top fermenters.
On those cooler summer evenings, almost nothing is more delicious than a creamy cauliflower gratin. While still be light from the mashed cauliflower and Greek yogurt, this homey dish is perfect side for your next outdoor meal.
Pair it with our 2013 REININGER Reserve Chardonnay while supplies still last. Looking for a heartier red to compliment your entree and cauliflower gratin? Try pairing it with one of our Super-Tuscan style REININGER Cimas. This recipe is perfect for the long summer days of the Pacific Northwest. Start up the grill and within minutes you'll have a savory burger to enjoy on the patio. Pairs beautifully with our REININGER 2013 Malbec.
Try this fun and non-traditional approach to Beef Tenderloin with Mushroom Sauce. By cooking it all on an outside grill, there's no oven to over-heat your kitchen on a hot day, and just a couple of small bowls to wash. Recommend pairing with Cabernet Sauvignon.
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AuthorMeet Abbie, our Marketing & Events gal. A self-described foodie and oenophile, this East Coast transplant has been exploring Walla Walla and learning about our winemaking processes. Read about her adventures at the winery and throughout Washington’s wine industry. Archives
June 2018
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