Qorkz Kitchen - ZaZa Zin & Smokey Chipotle Chili

Our own, Jill Hoffman is making this chili in Dunphy Park in Sausalito for the city’s 40th Annual Chili Cook-off! If you are surprised by the addition of the chocolate, remember that Mexico is the origin of the cocoa plant and chili peppers! And who doesn’t love wine and chocolate?

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1 medium onion, diced*

• 2 red bell peppers, roasted and diced

• 3 large cloves garlic, minced

• 4 15 oz. cans dark red kidney beans

• 1 6 oz. can tomato paste

• 1/2 cup of brown sugar

• 2 28 oz. cans whole tomatoes

• 2 tbsp. chili powder

• 2 tbsp. cumin

• 1 can chipotle peppers, diced (use to taste, these will be smokey and spicy)

• 4-6 oz. dark chocolate

• 1/2 cup red wine, zinfandel recommended

• ½ cup beef broth

• 1 tsp salt

• Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

• Sour cream (optional)

Directions

Brown the ground beef over medium heat in a large Dutch oven or the bowl of a slow cooker with a sauté function. (Alternatively, complete steps one and two in a separate pan on the stove and then transfer to a slow cooker.)

Add the olive oil, onions, peppers and garlic to the browned beef, sauté until the onions become translucent.

Add all of the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Simmer on low heat/cook on the slow cooker's low function for 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Crush the tomatoes as you go.

Serve with sour cream and cheddar cheese.

Note: This recipe makes eight 1 1/2 cup servings. 

To celebrate this recipe Calstar Cellars is offering a special sale on it’s 2014 ZaZa Zinfandel for $200 a case. Use the Promo Code: CHILI ZIN

You can also buy on the 2012 Sangiacomo Vineyard Pinot Noir, 2016 Pinot Meunier Rose and 2013 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay for $250 a case using Promo Code: CHILI

May 24th - This Date in Wine History

Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history.

• Alexandrina Victoria, known later as Queen Victoria was born in 1819.  She was known for enjoying a mix of claret and whisky.
• União Vinícola Regional de Bucelas was created in 1934.  The wines of the region were made popular by the Duke of Wellington. 
• The Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC was created in 1968.
• "Judgement of Paris" takes place in 1976.
• The Bivongi DOC was created in 1996.
• The Colli dell'Etruria Centrale DOC was established in 1997.
• Happy International Chardonnay Day!

Northern Sonoma - Wine Region of the Day

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Northern Sonoma received its designation as an AVA in 1990. Situated over 329,000 acres, Northern Sonoma is home to sub-appellations Alexander Valley, Chalk Hill, Dry Creek Valley, Green Valley of Russian River Valley, Knights Valley, Rockpile, Russian River Valley, and Sonoma Coast.  It is the second largest appellation within Sonoma County.  It contains myriad elevations, soil types and climates.  It was designated, in large part to allow the term, "Estate" to be applied to vintages from large producers like Gallo and Rodney Strong but is home to some small producers as well.  The primary grape produced in this area is Cabernet Sauvignon but Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel are grown here as well.

Chalk Hill - Wine Region of the Day

The Chalk Hill AVA is located in Sonoma County, California near the town of Windsor and is a sub-region of the Russian River Valley AVA. Chalk Hill became an AVA in 1988, and its name derives from the region's distinctive volcanic soil of chalky ash. The volcanic soil has given Chalk Hill a distinctive flavor to its white wine varietals like Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. The Chalk Hill AVA consists of 1,650 acres, most of which are on the slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains between 200 and 1,300 feet. The climate of the region is considered warm for the Russian River Valley, which combined with the relatively infertile soil, causes the grapes to struggle slightly in their development. This combination of infertile soil and a moderate climate leads to a late harvest and complex fruit flavors. Chalk Hill is known best for producing Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

2012 Coruce Chardonnay - Wine of the Day

2012 Coruce Chardonnay

$23.95

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2012 Coruce Chardonnay: This wine from the Antelope Valley is comprised of 95% Chardonnay and 5% Viognier. Whole cluster pressed and settled for 3 days and then racked off its solids. Cold fermented for 35 days in stainless steel tanks and pressed off its lees and aged for 9 months in 3 year old French Oak barrels.

This wine has a combination of flavors and aromas of hazelnut, pear and citrus ending with a lingering toasty green apple finish. Serve chilled.

San Bernabe - Wine Region of the Day

San Bernabe received its designation as an AVA in 2004. Sitting on 24,796 acres, the region is a sub-appellation of the Monterey AVA. The most centrally located of all of the AVAs located in Monterey, San Bernabe is located between the Salinas River and the Santa Lucia Mountains. The soil of the region is a sandy loam and has excellent drainage. There are varying climates within the region, but it mostly has long sunny days and cool nights that allow for a well balanced but robust grape. The region grows over fifteen different varietals but is mostly known for producing Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling.

Central Coast - Wine Region of the Day

The Central Coast was designated as an AVA in 1985. Situated across 280 miles from San Francisco to Santa Barbara, the Central Coast is home to sub-appellations Arroyo Grande Valley, Arroyo Seco, Ballard Canyon, Ben Lomond Mountain, Carmel Valley, Chalone, Cienega Valley, Edna Valley, Hames Valley, Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara, Lime Kiln Valley, Livermore Valley, Monterey, Mt. Harlan, Pacheco Pass, Paicines, Paso Robles, San Antonio Valley, San Benito, San Bernabe, San Francisco Bay, San Lucas, San Ysidro District, Santa Clara Valley, Santa Cruz Mountains, Santa Lucia Highlands, Santa Maria Valley, Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Ynez Valley, and York Mountain. The Central Coast is so vast that it features a variety of soil types and microclimates across its sub-appellations. The most common vines planted across the Central Coast are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc.

Diablo Grande - Wine Region of the Day

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Diablo Grande received its designation as an AVA in 1998. Situated across 30,000 acres, Diablo Grande is located in Stanislaus County. The soils of Diablo Grande are mostly clay and sand and are very well draining. The climate is hot and dry but receives high winds that blow across Stanislaus County. The hot temperatures make for a short growing season and high yields of fruit. The region is known for its production of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, and Syrah.

2013 Agnitio Chardonnay Sun Chase Vineyard - Wine of the Day

2013 Agnitio Chardonnay Sun Chase Vineyard

$50

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Our first vintage of Sun Chase Chardonnay is a distinctive wine with exuberant character and ageability. The nose expresses subtle aromatics ranging from white flowers, Meyer lemons and crushed rock. Best comparted to a classic Meursault from Burgundy, the mouthfeel is at once laser-like, mineral and complex. While still in its youthful stages, with time this wine will blossom to express its mature balance of unctuousness and freshness.

Our grapes were gently whole-cluster pressed for over four hours (Press cycle used in Champagne). The juice was racked off its lies after it had a chance to settle down in a tank for at least 24 hours at 50°F. It was 100% fermented in barrels with a blend of 25% new French oak and 75% neutral oak. Only 25% of the wine was allowed to go through malolactic fermentation in order to preserve the brightness of the wine and gain just enough roundness on the palate. Aged "sur lies fines" for 12 months, this wine will cellar for years.

Oakville - Wine Region of the Day

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Oakville was designated as an AVA in 1993 and is a sub-appellation of the Napa Valley AVA. Sitting on 5,700 acres centered on the town of Oakville, it is probably Napa Valley's most famous appellation. The soil in Oakville is well-drained gravel soil deposits from the nearby Vaca and Mayacamas Mountains. The region goes from sea level in the valley to 600 feet in elevation at the base of the Vaca Mountains. Oakville has a warmer climate than much of the Napa Valley, with mild amounts of wind and fog from San Pablo Bay. The conditions in the region are ideal for growing Cabernet Sauvignon, and many of America's greatest producers of Cabernet Sauvignon have vineyards in the AVA. In addition to Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot are also grown here.

Fountaingrove District - Wine Region of the Day

The Fountaingrove District received its designation as an AVA in 2015. Situated on 38,000 acres, Fountaingrove is located in Sonoma County. Most of the soils are derived from Sonoma Volcanic and Franciscan Formation bedrock and consists of volcanic materials, such as pumiceous ash flow tuff and basalt lava. The Fountaingrove District is located on the western slopes of the Mayacmas Mountains and features low, rolling hills as well as higher, steeper mountains with southwest-facing slopes. The Sonoma Mountains along the region's southwestern boundary, shelter Fountaingrove from the strongest marine breezes and heaviest fog, but an air gap in the mountains does allow some cooling air and fog into the region. The moderate temperatures within the Fountaingrove District are suitable for growing Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Zinfandel, Syrah, and Viognier grape varieties

Sta. Rita Hills - Wine Region of the Day

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Sta. Rita Hills received its designation as an AVA in 2001, under the name Santa Rita Hills. In 2005, after a name dispute with the Chilean producer Vina Santa Rita, the region changed its name to Sta. Rita Hills. The region is situated on 30,720 acres in Santa Barbara County. Soil types within the Sta. Rita Hills are notoriously varied between mixed loams, Diatomaceous Earth, and shale. The valley's proximity to the Pacific Ocean along with its east to west running hills allow fog and wind off the Pacific to settle over the grapes and creates a cool growing climate. The cool climate has made the Sta. Rita Hills an excellent area for growing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Arroyo Seco - Wine Region of the Day

Following the river of the same name through a canyon to the Salinas Valley, the Arroyo Seco appellation is largely nestled between the Gabilan and Santa Lucia Mountains.  The name “Arroyo Seco” means dry creek or dry riverbed in Spanish and the river flows through the canyon to widen into a shallow sandy bed that goes dry seasonally.  When the river is húmeda (wet) it flows into the Salinas River.  As a result, there are two distinct microclimates in this viticultural area.

The main part of the appellation found in the Salinas Valley surround the City of Greenfield is cooler than the passage through the mountains due to afternoon winds and fogs blowing down the valley from Monterey Bay.  This keeps the mid-summer high temperatures from stressing the vines and allows the grapes to mature more slowly and develop maximum flavors.  The vines are prevented from getting too cold by the presence of 3-4 inch cobblestones called “Greenfield Potatoes” which retain the heat and release it slowly over the evenings.  This section of the appellation produces cooler friendly varietals such as Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling.

The other portion of the Arroyo Seco appellation follows the river towards its source halting near the boundary of the Ventana Wilderness of the Los Padres National Forest.  This section of the AVA is dominated by a steep canyon with poor soils that make the grapes work to find water.  Climatically, it is warmer than the valley, a reversal of what one normally finds given the increased elevation.  This area of the appellation produces Bordeaux and Rhone varietals as well as Zinfandel.

Though the Arroyo Seco Viticultural Area is one of the oldest in the country (formed in 1983) it has suffered because it has often been seen as a grower’s appellation.  Initially planted in the early 1960s the grapes from its 18,240 acres were often sold to other wineries that used the grapes to produces wines with either the California or Central Coast appellations.  This is changing as more wineries are using this Monterey County viticultural designation on their labels. 

Chalone - Wine Region of the Day

Chalone received its designation as an AVA in 1982. Sitting on 8,640 acres, the region is located in the Gabilian Mountains situated in both Monterey and San Benito counties.  Unlike many proposed viticultural areas, Chalone had a protracted fight over the name of the region.  Initially, the region was to be called Pinnacles, a reference to the Pinnacles Nation Park that is nearby.  However, as there were copyright issues with that name, the government and interested parties tried to settle on a more acceptable name.  Gavilan and Chalone were also vetted. It was determined that Gavilan (in reference to the nearby Gabilan Range and was also problematic as it is a word used throughout California and the southwest United States as well as a trademark for a brand of tequila.  Gavilan or Gabilan both translate as sparrow hawk.  Eventually the name Chalone was agreed to as at some point in history the  Pinnacles were referred to as Chalone.

The wine region is located on a bench in the Gabilan Range abutting the Pinnacles National Park.  The viticultural area drains into canyons on the outer edge of the region and has an elevation of 1400-2000 feet above sea level.  Chalone features limestone and decomposed granite soil. With sunny days and cool evenings, the region has a large diurnal temperature swing allowing the grapes a longer time to ripen and balance their acidity. Chalone is known for its distinctive mineral flavor that it imparts on its vines. With only 300 acres under vine, the majority of the production is Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Tracy Hills - Wine Region of the Day

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Tracy Hills received its designation as an AVA in 2006. Situated on 39,200 acres, Tracy Hills is located in both San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties between Tracy, Patterson and Vernalis, California. In the petition for its creation, the unique soils, microclimate, and slope were listed as distinguishing features. Initially, the proposed name for the region was Mt. Oso for the nearby Diablo Mountains peak, however, TTB felt that the petitioners didn’t meet the standard for name recognition.  The name, Tracy Hills was more readily substantiated.

The appellation is located between 100 and 500 feet in elevation and slope to the valley floor to the east. Hospital, Lone Tree, and Ingram Creeks drain out of the foothills to form an alluvial fan that creates the free-draining alluvial and colluvial soils. The Tracy Hills is located in the rain shadow of Mt. Oso which is located to the southwest of the region.  This means that they receive less rain, fog, hail or even dew.  Instead, the region is known for constant winds, sunny days, and sparse morning fog, with occasional early morning frost.

The Tracy Hills has several new wineries and a few old vineyards.  They are producing Cabernet Sauvignon,  Chardonnay, Merlot, Montepulciano, Nero d’Avola, Sagrantino, Sangiovese, and Syrah.

Dunnigan Hills Wine Region of the Day

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Dunnigan Hills received its designation as an AVA in 1993. Situated across 89,000 acres, Dunnigan Hills is located in the northwest portion of Yolo County. The terrain of Dunnigan Hills features rolling hills with elevations between 200 and 500 feet above sea level. The soils of the region vary from gravelly loams and sandy loams over sandstone to silt. The climate of the region is recognized for its warm days and cool nights, offering a diurnal temperature swing of up to twenty degrees. This change between day and nighttime temperatures allow for a longer growing season and allow the fruit time to develop their tannin structure and acidity. The region is known for its production of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Petite Sirah, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Tempranillo, and Viognier.

Sonoma Mountain - Wine Region of the Day

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The Sonoma Mountain AVA is located in Sonoma County, California. It is centered on the Sonoma Mountain a folded volcanic uplift.   The appellation is included in the Sonoma Valley AVA, but due to its unique elevation and geology, it was granted status as its own AVA in 1985. 

The area is known primarily for its high elevation benches.  These contain folds that create diverse micro-climates which are home to cooler climate grapes.  Primarily the area is known for thermal flows of cooler, moister air that moves down into the valley.  A southern aspect, meaning the vineyards get a more sunshine during the day.  The region sits above the fog which also increases that sunlight. This makes the area perfect for Cabernet Sauvignon.

The region's soil is a mix of basalt, ash and ancient marine deposits that were uplifted along with the volcanic rocks.  They typically consist of the Goulding Series and are cobbly to gravelly loams and are well draining.  

Sonoma Mountain is home to relatively few wineries but is the source of high-quality fruit.  The combination of the terror and the climate make this region perfect for growing Cabernet Sauvignon, and it is the region's signature wine. In addition to Cabernet Sauvignon, the region known for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Zinfandel.

Mendocino Ridge - Wine Region of the Day

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The Mendocino Ridge AVA is located on 262,400 acres within the coastal zone of Mendocino County, California. Mendocino Ridge's boundaries begin at the coastal ridges adjacent to the Pacific Ocean that reach inland toward the Anderson Valley. Mendocino Ridge is limited by elevation, reserved only for vineyards at or above 1200 feet. There are 2,000 acres of vineyards perched above thick fog moving inland from the Pacific Ocean blanketing the coast and the valleys between the ridge tops, allowing the vines to grow above the blanket of fog. The area is known its production of Syrah, Zinfandel, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling.

The early wine producers in this viticultural area were Italian immigrants who planted Alicante-Bouscet, Carignan, Malvasia, Muscat, Palomino and Zinfandel. The first winery in the area, and indeed all of Mendocino County, was Antonio Ciapusci who planted his land in 1878. Many of these vineyards were replanted with other crops during Prohibition but several have survived including the Ciapusci, Perli, Gianoli and Zeni vineyards.

Clear Lake - Wine Region of the Day

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The Clear Lake AVA is located in Lake County, California and located on 5,000 acres. Half of the area contained within the boundaries of the AVA is the actual Clear Lake itself. The lake is the largest natural lake found entirely within the state of California and is considered to be the oldest in North America due to its unique geology.  The presence of the lake has a great influence on the temperature and climate of the region, resulting in less variance between daily and nightly temperatures than in neighboring AVAs. The Clear Lake AVA is quite cool for California, which is suitable for grape varietals that enjoy the cold, like Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

 The first wine grapes were produced by European immigrants to Lake County.  Prior to Prohibition Lake County produced more wine grapes than Napa but was able to recover after repeal due to a lack of transportation infrastructure. Prior to Prohibition, the wine produced from this area was of high quality, Charles Hammond, of Upper Lake, won prizes for both red and white wines at the Chicago World's Fair of 1893.  His vineyard, Ma Tel, however was destroyed by raising water after the construction of the Cache Creek Dam in 1914.

Trinity Lakes - Wine Region of the Day

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Trinity Lakes received its designation as an AVA in 2005. Situated on 96,000 acres, Trinity Lakes is located in Trinity County and is centered around Trinity Lake. The vineyards are found in the rocky benches that surround Trinity Lake. The soil is rocky and porous with excellent drainage forcing the vines to struggle and put all of their efforts into producing the fruit that results in a deeply concentrated flavor in the grapes. The vineyards are planted between 1,200 and 2,500 feet, allowing for longer exposure to sunlight but still subject to the cool winds that sweep through the region. This large diurnal temperature swing allows for a longer growing season and allows the wines to develop a well-balanced acidity and tannin structure. The region is known for its production of cool climate varietals, including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Riesling.