Amalie Robert Estate Culinary Inclinations Series Part V: Fruits of the Sea and a Bottle of BFC

Hello and Welcome, 

  

It is winter in the Northern Hemisphere, and the rainy season in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. What a perfect time to imagine a sunny (and dry) adventure at the other end of the world. Freshly caught and expertly prepared wild seafood and a bottle of Chardonnay will set you right. Please join us for our Culinary Inclinations Series Part V: Fruits of the Sea with a Bottle of BFC.

 

A FLOG communication (Farming bLOG) by Dena & Ernie from Amalie Robert Estate. Oregon Willamette Valley Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Have a look and see what we see on Instagram @AmalieRobert Estate.

 

“Hanging out” at the Boat Shed Café, South Island, NZ

 

Do you kinda wish you were someplace other than here? Jimmy Buffet sang about it on his White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean album. Seems apropos. You don’t have to stay home, but you can’t come here. While that may be so 2020, it still happens to be true if you want to travel and dine at the White House. That’s the one in New Zealand, on the north end of the North Island.

 

And if you do get to New Zealand, check out the Boat Shed Café at the north end of the South Island. They are quite literally “hanging out” over the bay. You can stay just down the road with the Honest Lawyer, ask for the bus driver’s suite. It is just about as cozy as 35 square feet can be! Been there, had that done to us. And while it was FANTASTIC, you have to leave the room if you want to change your mind. Yeah, it’s that small. The room, not your mind.

 

 

Dining at Home with Thoughts from Afar.

 

But no matter, you are there trying to make the best of it. We are here, trying to make it better. Freshly caught and Southern Hemisphere inspired seafood is our culinary inclination for today. Or “fruits de mer” (fruits of the sea) for those of you coping with current events in a French idiom.

 

 

Chardonnay is the world’s most abundantly planted wine grape variety. And for good reason. It can be one of the most enjoyable wines on the planet. Either by itself as we denude ourselves from the responsibilities of the world at large or indulge in a fabulous meal to celebrate simply being alive here in this place, at this time. And it just so happens that Chardonnay rhymes with Tuesday, and Wednesday and… No wonder it is so popular, it is a wine for all week. Truly a Festivus miracle!

 

The term Barrel FERMENTED Chardonnay (BFC) is somewhat cumbersome, so we use a TLA. Our BFC is called the Heirloom Cameo. One of the other alternatives is SFC, which you may have guessed is Stainless Steel Fermented Chardonnay. We do that too, and that wine is our Dijon Clones Chardonnay. (TLA is an acronym for Three Letter Acronym.) Our BFC is akin to White Burgundy, where the SFC is stylistically closer to Chablis.

 

Before we get too much farther down the rabbit hole, you may find yourself looking for a little inspiration. So chill, and maintain your BFC at an approximate temperature of 55 degrees, or SFC at about 45 degrees. When you feel the moment is right, pull the cork and enjoy the pleasures of BF or SF Chardonnay.

 

Barrel v Stainless Steel fermentation – what’s the difference and why should I care? Stylistically the SFC is clean, crisp and laser focused with palate cleansing acidity. A great wine to have at the raw bar with oysters, chilled shrimp or Uni, although this last one may be an acquired taste.

 

The BFC is like the old “E” ticket at Disney World, it can take you anywhere you want to go. Barrel fermentation adds scintillating aroma, breadth and depth to the palate and maintains the core of fruit, while tempering and lengthening the finish. Over the course of a meal, the BFC changes and develops more complexity. Due to this evolution, you never finish a meal with the same wine you start with. And that is a journey well worth savoring.

 

 

If you’ve got a minute, with nothin’ to lose, let us take you on a BFC Cruise. It’s a Deep Dive into cool climate Oregon Chardonnay. Or skip down and look for the pirate. We’ll catch up with you there.

 

 

We grow our Chardonnay in block 24, which is actually 5 rows of Dijon Clone Chardonnay 76 and 6 rows of Dijon Clone Chardonnay 95. All vines are grafted onto 5C rootstock and our soil is Bellpine series marine sediments. That becomes important at the end of the growing season when those deep roots are still pulling up water to keep our wine berries from desiccating. Nearing harvest, shallow rooted vines have a tendency to starve the vine for water and that results in the vine taking water from the wine berries. The sugar is still there, but there is less water resulting in a higher concentration of sugar and that converts to higher alcohol levels in the finished wines. That is not the desired result in either a SFC or BFC. If this triggers any wine growing related questions, you can click here to “Ask a Farmer”.

 

 

 

All of our Chardonnay wine berries are cluster plucked during the same harvest window and are field sorted. Then Ernie hauls only the best clusters up to the winery to get weighed. From there they are sorted and loaded into the press. There is NO CRUSHING. Our Chardonnay is whole cluster pressed. This processing method leads to less potassium in the juice resulting in a firmer, natural acidity in the finished wine. While it is true, crushing before pressing and using rice hulls in the press will give higher yields of juice, we feel it is lower quality juice.

 

Now this is the important part, pre-fermentation oxidation. Once all of the juice is pressed into a single tank, it settles for a couple of days. The juice is a very dark brown due to the bruising effect of the press and oxidation. Think of a piece of fruit that has been dropped, it turns brown in that spot AFTER you get it home. Especially pears and bananas as they look like they got caught in a street fight. A press is really a great big bruiser that also happens to extract the juice.

 

The idea is that you want all of this browning and oxidation to occur BEFORE the fermentation begins. The alternative is to have this process happen after fermentation - in the bottle. The French producers of White Burgundy have tried the other way and discovered Premature Oxidation. Premature Oxidation occurs when the juice was not permitted to complete oxidation before fermentation. This resulted in off color and aroma in the bottle, hence the term PREMOX.

 

Right. Now it is time to run the hose through the holes in the fermentation floor and gravity fill our 500 liter puncheon for the BFC and a couple of 1,000 liter stainless steel tanks for the SFC. Fermentation begins forthwith with the help of a fish tank heater to keep the yeast active until all of the glucose and fructose is converted to ethanol – no residual sugar. Then we add a little specialized bacteria to convert the malic acid to lactic acid. Once this malo-lactic (ML) conversion is complete (about 6 weeks or so) the wines take two completely different paths to bottling.

 

The SFC is separated from the yeast lees and moved up to the unheated fermentation area to begin cold stabilization. There is no further yeast lees contact. During the winter months, temperatures drop into the mid 20’s to lower 30’s and the wine goes through cold stabilization. The effect on the wine is to form little potassium crystals, known as wine diamonds. You may have seen these crystals in a bottle of white wine after it has been refrigerated. It happens, but we like it to happen before we bottle the wine. Next is a pass through a polish filter of 0.5 microns, then Ernie is filling bottles and Dena is stuffing in corks.

 

BFC 500 liter puncheon.

 

The BFC is in so such hurry. It is resting comfortably on its lees below ground along with about 400 barrels of Pinot Noir, Syrah and a few neutral barrels holding Pinot Meunier. But the BFC reigns supreme with the biggest barrel at 500 liters. Everything else is just 225 liters. The barrel maturation period lasts about a year, then it follows the same path to bottling as the SFC. As far as the bottling process goes, we begin with the current vintage SFC and follow with the prior vintage BFC.

 

Congratulations, you made it! Take a breath, or a sip as the case may be. We now return you to our Culinary Inclinations Series Part V: Fruits of the Sea with a Bottle of BFC.

 

 

Secrets of culinary inclinations were often spread by troubadours, roving medicine shows selling (snake oil) elixirs and other travelers. For people who inhabited far away islands, pirates were often a source of culinary information, along with the usual pillage and plunder. Maybe even pandemics. While COVID19 is not the world’s first pandemic, our global response to it is unique to our time. As we used to say, the questions don’t change but the answers do.

 

One thing that may surprise you is that the New Zealand Rock Lobsters (called crayfish by the Kiwis) have no claws. This is good and bad. Good in that after you handle a few live specimens, you will still be able to count to ten using only your fingers. Bad in that you are missing out on that excellent lobster claw meat. And good in that you will be able to prepare the rest of the meal employing fully functioning opposable thumbs.

 

Thanks to the pandemic, or tariffs and trade wars, or whatever, the Australians seem to be awash in these crustaceans. They lost access to an exceptionally large market and the locals are trying to pick up the slack.

 

Supply and demand, not just a good idea, but in fact an unwritten law, is taking its toll. Let’s try and help them if we can. Here’s how.

 

The first thing you will need to do is co-locate with your whole crayfish. We suggest a local purveyor, or you can harness the power of the internet to find suitable specimens that can be shipped directly to your door. And since it happens to be cold in most of the Northern Hemisphere, this should not pose a spoilage problem.

 

We are going to end up under the broiler, or out on the grill after someone scrapes off the snow, but first we are going to make a stop in a steaming pot of water. The secret to an irresistible cray tail is to give it a little time in steaming hot water. This method allows for the meat to cook through, thus preventing a disruption of your evening plan with trip to the emergency room.

Once thawed, anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes in about 2 inches of steaming hot water is just about right, depending on size. This leaves the meat slightly translucent, an ideal condition to finish under the broiler, unless you can actually get the grill to light. “When was the last time the propane tank was filled? Did you check the regulator? Maybe it is frozen.”

 

This next step is where we separate the gut line from the prized tail. Cut your cray lengthwise through the tail and remove the gut line. The meat should still be just a little underdone. The wine, chilling nicely at 55 degrees, most likely needs to be refreshed as you toast to your achievement. “It sure looks cold out there. Any luck with the grill, honey or should I just use the broiler?”

 

You may be in a holding pattern as the grill is yet to be confirmed. Use these few minutes to whip up a homemade aioli. Add a little Dijon mustard, white balsamic vinegar, raw egg yolk and roasted garlic to the blender. Have your best quality olive oil at the ready as you activate the blender. Slowly pour in the olive oil to ensure it is being incorporated and stop when you achieve the desired consistency. While the chances of getting the proportions and timing exactly right on the first attempt are not zero, they are very close to it. We suggest making a few trial attempts, with a sip of SFC inspiration, before the main event.

 

It’s time to make the call. This is your “grumpy lobster boat captain” Bill Belichick moment. While you have great confidence in the offense, 4^th and 20 from your own 15 yard line is not the time to go for it. You start the broiler and lure your grill mate back into the warm house. A little BFC will go a long way to provide soothing comfort. “No one will even notice. Your left eyebrow will grow back in no time.” You may need to find that reserve bottle, already at chill, in case you have to share.

 

Other culinary inclinations that do not lend themselves to the outdoor grilling experience (and the ensuing machinations) include pan seared scallops over black truffle risotto. There are only about 15 million Gordon Ramsey videos that demonstrate how to properly sear a scallop. Fried or baked sea salt and black pepper calamari with roasted red pepper aioli is another excellent pairing with your SFC.

 

If you live in the Pacific Northwest, you can occasionally find white Chinook salmon. These are real Chinook salmon, but they do not process the color pigments from the crustaceans in their natural diet. This affects about 1 in 20 fish. The result is that their meat is milk white, but oh so delicious. Another Pacific Northwest favorite is steelhead. These are ocean going trout that swim back into fresh water to spawn. Norway and Scotland raise these fish for export and fresh fillets may be available in your local market. After planning the revolution, you may find frogs legs, Burgundy snails or a bucket of steamed mussels with crusty French bread to be in order. The use of excess butter and garlic is the key.

 

And let’s not forget the tastiest crustacean of all, the king crab. A product of cold Alaska waters these crabs make the meals of marriage proposals. To be offered sparingly and with a dedicated purpose in mind. Dungeness and other crabs are available seasonally in local markets. Crab cakes are another way to add your signature preparation to this delicious meat. Soft shell crabs are a once-a-year thing, so you will need to plan ahead. They do.

 

While a bit of a master class in execution, skewered prawns interleaved with prosciutto finished under the broiler are a tried-and-true way to get that new living room set, or big screen TV you have been eyeing all year. However, skewered prawns can be finished on the grill, so a little pre-planning is in order. An empty propane tank is probably the most effective deterrent to the entire grill saga. Strategy suggests letting the first glass of SFC work its magic before pointing out the empty propane tank situation.

 

Now the aioli is perfect and the table is set with the appropriate tools, accoutrements and BF or SF Chardonnay. The broiler is glowing red and ready to receive your bisected cray’s.

 

A little olive oil and a dusting of smoked paprika on the translucent meat is all you need to create the perfect presentation. A quick sip and in they go. This may not take much time, so be near the broiler with hot pads at the ready.

 

The sweet succulent meat separates easily from the shell, the wine gravity flows from bottle to glass, and you have just received notification that the grill sold on eBay. Well done. “Look outside honey. It is starting to snow, again…”

 

Chardonnay is there for you. Add a harvest bounty from the sea and let your culinary genius run wild.

Kindest Regards,

Dena & Ernie

Amalie Robert Estate Culinary Inclinations Series Part III: Roasted Whole Duck and Pinot Noir

Hello and Welcome, 

  

This is the third segment in our Culinary Inclinations Series: Roasted Whole Duck and Pinot Noir. A FLOG communication (Farming bLOG) from Dena & Ernie @AmalieRobert Estate. Willamette Valley Oregon Pinot Noir. If you are anxiously awaiting the “Syrah and Lamb Love Chops” segment, it won’t be much longer. 

 

Before we begin, we would like to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving! The year 2020 has shown itself to be a very “interesting” year, and yet there is so much to be thankful for. Sometimes it is hard to see the vines through the dense fog that covers the vineyard. But we know that they are there, lying in wait ready to spring forth in vintage 2021 with a full arsenal of agrarian vagaries.

 

We are very much looking forward to a new year - a new growing season, and we hope you too are excited about the new opportunities that await us all. Or said another way, the unforeseen challenges we will most assuredly be forced to endure. Two sides of the same coin, it just comes down to your perspective. As farmers, we are always mindful that if anything can go wrong, it will, at the most inopportune time causing the most amount of trouble and expense. And yes, it is true, Murphy was a farming optimist.

 

For at least the next few minutes, we know what you will be doing. We don’t know where you will be doing it - Google has that covered. We appreciate you sharing some eyeball time with us. Kind of like looking into a window, us from this side and you from that side.

 

 

The holidays are upon us! We begin with Thanksgiving which is conveniently scheduled on the fourth Thursday of November. But it wasn’t always that way. You can read the full story at the National Archives. Or just follow along with the cliff notes here:

 

It all started back in the summer of ‘89 when the Federal Congress passed a resolution asking that the President of the United States recommend to the nation a day of thanksgiving. George Washington then proclaimed Thursday, November 26, 1789 as a "Day of Publick Thanksgivin". It wasn't until President Abraham Lincoln's 1863 Proclamation that Thanksgiving was regularly commemorated each year on the last Thursday of November.

 

In 1939, however, the last Thursday in November fell on the last day of the month. Concerned that the shortened Christmas shopping season might dampen the economic recovery, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a Presidential Proclamation moving Thanksgiving to the second to last Thursday of November. As a result of the proclamation, 32 states issued similar proclamations while 16 states refused to accept the change and proclaimed Thanksgiving to be the last Thursday in November. Dysfunction, it seems, was an inherent “feature” in our young republic and continues unabated to this very day.

 

Fixed it for you: To end the confusion, Congress decided to set a fixed-date for the holiday. On October 6, 1941, the House passed a joint resolution declaring the last Thursday in November to be the legal Thanksgiving Day. The Senate, however, amended the resolution establishing the holiday as the fourth Thursday, which would take into account those years when November has five Thursdays. The House agreed to the amendment, and President Roosevelt signed the resolution on December 26, 1941, thus establishing the fourth Thursday in November as the Federal Thanksgiving Day holiday. And if it works, stop fixing it.

 

Note that the very first government mandated Thanksgiving was on the 26^th day of the month, just like this year. And similar to this year, the 1775–1782 North American smallpox epidemic was most likely still imparting a sense of caution. That was 7 years’ worth, and we are just now rounding the corner on our first year. Social distancing, quarantines and masks were tried then as now, the significant difference being in the quality of the masks. For our post-modern pandemic, we have both red wine AND white wine masks. The rosé mask is an easy farming work around.

 

 

 

So, there it is. Now lets’ get to the bird! Thanksgiving is a uniquely American holiday. And while there are just a handful of countries that do celebrate their own interpretations of Thanksgiving, EVERYBODY is on the Black Friday sales!

 

Ben Franklin, it is rumored, had originally wanted the Turkey to be the national symbol. He was “cancelled”, and the Bald Eagle became our national symbol. But in that defeat, there was a Thanksgiving victory. No one would have feasted upon the national bird at Thanksgiving.

 

Now there are all kinds of birds in our great land that can be the centerpiece of our Thanksgiving Day celebration. Let’s break them down into upland game birds and waterfowl. Upland game birds can be as small as Bobwhite quail weighing in at about 6 ounces. They get their name from their distinct call, which you can hear here.

 

Then we have partridge, guineafowl, all manner of grouse including the Ptarmigan, several variants of pheasant, and the varied species of turkey. There are several heritage breeds to choose from including the Auburn, Buff, Black, Bourbon Red, Narragansett, Royal Palm, Slate, Standard Bronze, and Midget White. Heritage turkeys represent about 25,000 birds raised each year, where there are close to 200 MILLION industry raised Broad-Breasted turkey. Check your local (or UPS serviced) terroir for availability.

 

There are about 7 million wild turkeys roaming our United States each year. Turkeys are not native to Oregon, but two species, the Merriam and Rio Grande were introduced in the 1960’s. And yes they can fly, in fact they roost in trees to avoid the ground based predators that are looking for their own Thanksgiving feast.

 

And we get them in the vineyard from time to time. They are tall enough to pluck off a wine berry or two. As you can see the turkey on the right has not had any Pinot Noir, but the turkey on the left has had quite enough to boldly display his full mating plumage! It’s the same old story, just a different species… And she is having none of it.

When it comes to fowl, and we mean waterfowl, the White Pekin duck reigns supreme for a Thanksgiving celebration. But there are also the Moulard and Muscovy farm raised ducks. A goose is another option, however it is more attuned to the Christmas holiday.

 

The origins of the phrase “You are full of it” is in fact attributed to the Christmas goose. Dressing is a dried bread-based concoction that includes all manner of vegetables, spices and quite often an egg or two to bind everything together. This mixture is then placed into a baking dish and put into a 350 degree oven for about an hour. When this mixture is stuffed into the cavity of a bird, such as a goose, it is known as stuffing. The full, olde English phrase is “You are as full of $#it as a Christmas goose!”

 

Penguinos range from the wee little Fairly Penguins of Australia and New Zealand that may grow to reach 12 inches tall to the imposing Emperor Penguins of Antarctica who tower at 4 feet or more. They are flightless water birds that are always dapper and dashing, however not included in the following preparatory guidelines. And then there is Opus T. Penguin…

 

 

Once you have decided upon the appropriate fowl for your Thanksgiving Day celebration, the next task before you is acquisition. There are several avenues available including instore shopping, curbside pick-up, UPS shipping and the tried and mostly true, full immersion duck hunting experience.

 

Unlike fishing, duck hunting is a serious endeavor that may, or may not yield results. Wild ducks are typically harvested when they are in flight. Not so different from fishing, as fish are usually harvested when swimming in the water. Same theory, just a different medium. The duck hunter's job is to encourage any given duck to land upon the Earth, or in a waterway that may or may not be frozen over. This requires the duck hunter to co-locate at least somewhat close to the in-flight duck, while fully enjoying all of the inclement wind, rain, snow, sleet and potentially freezing temperatures. Nice day today, not too hot…

 

There are several ways a duck hunter may encourage a flock of ducks to interrupt their migratory prerogative to land. Food is always a good encouragement as is an open waterway when their feet begin to freeze. Note: it is not uncommon for a duck hunter to lose feeling in their toes and fingertips. Duck calls are another inducement to land, especially if there are decoys in the near vicinity. Hey, is that a corn field? It looks like a party!

 

When these methods fail, there is the old school fallback of an ounce and a quarter of number 5 pellets with a muzzle velocity of approximately 1,350 feet per second. This form of encouragement can result in a single member of the flock to lose altitude rather suddenly. This is when the savvy duck hunter has a well-trained dog or has invited along a fellow sportsman with a well-trained dog. The lesson here is do not go duck hunting without a proper duck retrieval strategy. Or maybe you find a mid-November swim to be just a prelude to the annual Polar Bear plunge… And then there is the gestalt of ice fishing, but that is a misery best left for another time.

 

The other, more sane acquisition method involves the internet and an online visit to the Maple Leaf Farms website where you can arrange for your freshly harvested duck to land on your doorstep pre-plucked, disemboweled and ready to go. That maneuver just bought you enough time to enjoy a glass of wine by the crackling fire. A nice WARM crackling fire with the dog curled up at your feet. Toasty!

 

 

Culinary Inclination Series III: Roasted Whole Duck and Pinot Noir.

 

Are you a home chef, an involuntarily semi-retired chef or a chef waiting to re-open your restaurant? Not to worry, this easy step by step preparation and a little Pinot Noir will see you through in full plumage!

 

Prepare your roasting rack and preheat the oven: Line the bottom of the roasting pan with aluminum foil. Do not put foil over the top of the roasting rack as it will fill with very hot duck fat. This is a temporary or “fluid” situation, as liquified duck fat is subject to the laws of gravity and will, in short order, be on the floor. Or you, whichever it encounters first.

 

Besides, you are going to want to “harvest” that duck fat so you can scramble up some eggs for breakfast. Duck fat was Julia Child’s secret ingredient for all things savory. Sauté with olive oil during the week but live a little on the weekends and use duck fat.

 

Set the upper oven rack so that the duck when placed breastbone up will be below the upper element by about 2 to 3 inches. Preheat oven to 350 and sample the Pinot Noir to ensure proper temperature. For this portion of the preparation, a suitable Pinot in Pink Rosé or Heirloom Cameo BFC (Barrel Fermented Chardonnay) may be substituted with no loss of etiquette.

 

Note: The first step in this process will be to crisp the skin. This step will produce some smoke. We usually have a few windows open in the kitchen to keep us vented and eat in the dining room. Or, if wildfires are still raging in your area, you may not notice the smoke. Either way, you cannot make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. Nice shoes, by the way.

 

Preparing your duck and proofing the Pinot Noir: Remove the whole duck from its store (or natural) packaging as the case may be. Empty the body cavity and rinse thoroughly. If you plan to fill this cavity with stuffing, then a visual inspection is in order. Take a moment now to swirl your stem gently, but deliberately to observe how the wine catches the afternoon sunlight. Nice day today, not too hot...

 

Place the duck on a solid surface or cutting board, again breastbone up. Using a medium length, straight blade, score the skin on each side of the breast. Begin at the center of the breastbone and score diagonally upward toward the wing. Repeat with a parallel cut every 1 inch or so. Perform the same procedure on the other side. Be careful to not cut too deeply into the meat under the skin. Clip off the wing tips at the first joint.

 

The thighs are the fattiest portion of the duck and you will also score those. Turn the duck on its side and score vertically through the fatty portion of the thigh where it meets the back with 2 or 3 cuts. Again, do not cut so deeply that you cut into the meat. Repeat on the other side.

 

Finally, cut the skin and tendons at the end of the leg joint in a circular fashion. This will allow the skin and meat to rise up the leg bone toward the thigh and remain moist. This completes the knife skill portion of the preparation. Perform a standard finger count. The count should be 10, and if the count is in fact 10, then well done, it is time for a congratulatory sip!

 

Roasting with a convection oven: Place your scored duck on the roasting rack breastbone up. Spritz or brush with a light coating of sesame oil and season the scored breast with Hungarian paprika, Chinese 5 spice and finely cracked black pepper. Black sesame seeds are also an interesting textural addition.

 

Place the duck on the prepositioned upper-most rack in the preheated oven. Set the oven to BROIL and let this cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Put down the Pinot and keep an eye on things here as you will have duck fat and high heat in very close proximity.

 

The objective is to render the fat from the duck skin. This usually results in a deep golden-brown hue on the breast, but if you feel it is too much, take it out sooner. Remember there is a profound difference between a little char and burnt. Verify the remaining Pinot Noir bouquet is commensurate with the Duck. Secure a second bottle if necessary.

 

After you have crisped the skin to your satisfaction, remove the roasting rack from the oven and place it on a heat resistant surface. BE CAREFUL as the roasting pan will now have enough hot duck fat in it to give you a first hand impression of entering a medieval castle uninvited.

 

Set the oven to Convection Roast at 350 and move the rack to the center of the oven. Using appropriate tongs, turn the duck over so that the breastbone is now facing down and return the roasting rack to the oven. Toast your accomplishment with a sip of Pinot Noir, even if you must open that second bottle to do so.

 

Roast for about 45 minutes. The leg joint should move fairly freely when done. Remember that the breast meat is at its best medium to medium rare. Hmm, this second bottle is quite lovely. Ah, it is from the 2010 vintage, of course!

 

For the last 5 minutes of roasting, turn the duck once more so that the breastbone is facing upward. This will allow the fat to drain from the scored skin. Prepare your carvery area with the following tools: A large cutting board with a recessed fat drain, duck pliers (aka poultry shears), a very sharp boning knife and a hand towel. This will be your last chance for a sip of Pinot Noir for a little while, so make the most of it.

 

Presentation: Remove the duck from the oven and place it on the cutting board. Let stand, or sit, for about 5 (or maybe 10) minutes to allow the juices to cool. Keep an eye on the dog, retrieval skills are a natural instinct, and he has picked up the scent. Before the dismemberment begins, this is YOUR chance to shine. The kitchen is full of the most wonderful aromas of roast duck, sizzling duck fat and Pinot Noir. Your guests pass the carvery station and adorn you with accolades. With this high praise rolling in, now is NOT the time to run out of Pinot Noir.

 

Carving is the art of separating the meat from the supporting structure, known as the carcass. Legs and thighs are typically richer in texture. The breast meat, sliced thinly, glistens. Duck wing lollipops are the “Scooby-Doo snacks” that never seem to make it out of the kitchen. When everything is plated up, it is time to “Get the Duck Outta here!”

 

Duck is a very rich meat, so we enjoy a slightly bitter green vegetable such as garlic braised broccolini or Brussels sprouts in duck fat. Winter squash will pair with the sweetness of the meat. Of course, sautéed wild chanterelle or morel mushrooms are obligatory. The cheese course varies widely, however we recommend Fourme d’Ambert with whatever Pinot Noir is left after the meal, whether it IS open or IS YET TO BE open!

Please contact Dena by email at Cuvee@AmalieRobert.com or by phone at 503.88.CUVEE (28833) for pricing and availability of Amalie Robert Pinot Noirs, Heirloom Cameo Chardonnay and Pinot in Pink Rosé.

Happy Thanksgiving,

 

Dena & Ernie

Amalie Robert Estate Climate Update: May 2020

Hello and Welcome, 

  

This is an Amalie Robert Estate Climate Update: May 2020. A FLOG communication from Dena and Ernie. Amalie Robert Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.

May was a Dr. Seuss type month. First it was hot and then it was not. There was no rain and then it rained a lot. In farming you get what you get and that’s what we got!

April was the month where Ernie focused on preparing the vineyard floor for vintage 2020. The vines noticed the tilled soil and welcomed the newly germinated cover crop. Freshly cycled nutrients and frequent showers made an abundance of nutrients available to our vines. And now they are on a tear!

Our vines have just explosive growth early in the season. Our job is to capture that growth, in an orderly fashion, with three sets of trellis wires. At the end of the growing season, we want good separation of the clusters of wine berries to minimize the chance for mildew or bunch rot to take hold. And here is how we do it - by hand.

The first activity to clean off all of the excess new growth early in the season. “Nip it in the bud” is the colloquial phrase. This means to remove excess or poorly positioned shoots before they can tap into the vines limited spring resources. We are looking for about 15 growing points on any given vine. The vines are survivors and they will start the year off with maybe 30 growing points, including the shin kickers at 3 inches off the ground. Our goal is to focus the vine’s energy in those 15 growing points that will bear the best quality wine berries. Their next stop is the winery where we will ferment the sugar out of them!

This brief video will give you an idea of how we do shoot thinning, taking us from 30 down to about 15 shoots. You can check out several other exciting videos (viticulturally speaking) on our YouTube channel.

Click to watch the Shoot Thinning video at Amalie Robert Estate

The freshly germinated cover crop also has a role to play this month, Buckwheat in particular. This little plant has superpowers. The first of which is that it will flower about 3 weeks after it germinates. This is quick in the plant kingdom. The flowers provide pollen for our army of beneficial insects. Beneficial insects are the insects that eat the nasty-bad insects that like to feed on our vines. Ladybugs and earwigs are good. Cane borers and some mites are bad, but they taste good, apparently. Buckwheat flowers provide protein, in the form of pollen, for our army of beneficial insects when they can’t find any nasty-bad insects to vanquish.

The alternative is what is known as a completely “clean cultivated” vineyard floor. That means each row is barren earth. No life-giving pollen or places for your beneficial insects to hunt down those nasty-bad insects. The reasoning behind clean cultivation, such that it is, is that there will be more water available to the vine roots. Maybe, but this is Oregon and it does rain here spring and fall. Speaking of which, has anyone tried a 2007 vintage Pinot Noir lately? Just sublime…

Either way, we like the little ecosystem we have created for our “first responders”. And the cover crop and grass help maintain a healthy soil high in humus – good for the worms. It also informs the vine that if it really wants water, it needs to send those roots deep. And that is the ultimate advantage of old vines, deep, deep roots. Assuming you chose the right rootstock to begin with.

Ok, let’s change our view to 38 inches above the vineyard floor. That is where the canopy management action was happening in May. Our first of three sets of trellis wires are positioned at 8 inches above our 30 inches fruiting wire. Ultimately, the vines will top out at 90 inches above the vineyard floor. That gives us a 60 inch tall canopy – or active solar array as Ernie thinks of it. Our job is to get those 15 shoots contained within those wires and clipped into place.

You are all accustomed to the climate numbers Ernie has been tracking since we established the vineyard at Amalie Robert Estate, but he has a whole other set of workbooks that track oh so much more. There are 49 blocks planted on the property, 42 of them are numbered and 7 of them have their own alpha-numeric nomenclature. Odd for computer science people we know, but it is better than using binary or hexadecimal ordering – which we could do.

Ernie has been tracking vineyard activities for quite some time. In the case of this first set of wires, it took 568.53 hours to raise wires and tuck in all (mostly) of the vine’s shoots. That comes in at about 39.864 seconds per vine times 51,343 fruiting vines. That’s good news because it is a full 3 seconds faster than the trailing 4 year average! It took Einstein a while, but he finally came around to the “time is money” axiom, just after he finished the theory of relativity.

Ernie still hasn’t finished his book “Negotiated Reality – My Turn in the Barrel”. But thanks to the inherently unique nature of the wine business, he has an abundance of source material to pull from.

Now we thought it would be interesting to present some vine association graphics. This is what your wine looks like in the vineyard right about now, and what it is going to look like in a year or so.

First up is Chardonnay.

Then Pinot Meunier.

To complete the Champagne Deconstructed theme, we have Pinot Noir.

Here is our Syrah.

And our Viognier.

Lastly, a cluster of what will become wine berries. Bonus points available if you can accurately identify the variety.

After all those pictures, we get to some numbers. The month of May contributed 257.4 Degree Days to vintage 2020, bringing us to a grand total to date of 390.9 degree days.

The high temperature for the 30 day period was 88.9 degrees and the low temperature was 37.4 degrees. The first half of the month was cooler registering 111.6 Degree Days, however the second half of the month recorded the low temperature.

The second half of the month registered 145.8 Degree Days and recorded the high temperature.  Rainfall was 3.76 inches for the month providing a growing season to date total of 5.09 inches and is significantly more than the 1.33 inches recorded in April. Maybe that explains why Ernie is spending so much time mowing the grass.

Next up in June we will have countless flowers in the vineyard and the second set of trellis wires up. A little farther down the road, The Great Cluster Pluck will visit itself upon us in about 120 days. But until then, these little blighters are starting to make themselves known and will be doing their best to keep us entertained. Despite what you may have heard, these are considered nasty-bad insects.

iPinot COVID-19 Pivot Pricing is now in effect at $120 on six bottles with domestic ground shipping included. Just click on the Big Blue Button to browse available vintages or collect them all!

Note: You will not need a promo code to activate pricing. The pricing will automatically adjust when you select six bottles of iPinot and there is no further discount on iPinot. The shipping will be adjusted upon confirmation of your order. This is our contribution to the human condition, yours and ours. If you have any questions or need assistance, please E-mail Dena at Cuvee@amalierobert.com.

Kindest Regards,

Dena & Ernie

Amalie Robert Estate: A-List Release - 2019 Dijon Clones Chardonnay!

Hello and Welcome, 

  

Big News! We just received word from Punxsutawney Phil. That big fur bearin’ rodent says that they will have 6 more weeks of lockdown! A FLOG communication from Dena and Ernie @AmalieRobert Estate. 

  

While masks are all that have been called for in Oregon, other jurisdictions of the US are taking a more authoritarian or “Full Body” approach to your Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) i.e. the “FBC-PPE.” You are free to choose your own PPE. In farming we say, “If it looks stupid but it works, it is not stupid.” Certainly, we are not here to judge.

Meanwhile spring has sprung, and we have a new A-List release, the 2019 Dijon Clones Chardonnay! The winery will be open for wine pickups and perhaps a bit of tasting from 10 am through 3 pm on Saturday and Sunday, May 2nd and 3rd.

Look for an E-vite from Dena to schedule your pickup time. You can also request any last-minute wine needs to replenish the Oregon section of your Adult Recreational Beverage cellar and read the latest updates on any socially unacceptable behavior. We look forward to seeing you and your choice of PPE.

If you need ground transportation (UPS or FedEx) to co-locate with your wine, we can make that happen. The outer box will be inconspicuous brown cardboard. Each bottle in your order will come individually wrapped in its own PPE. We recommend setting the bottles upright and at the correct temperature for a minimum of 24 hours before opening them. Visit Amalie Robert Direct to place your order, discretely.

Let’s get right into it. We are very proud to introduce to you our estate grown 2019 Dijon Clones Chardonnay! Kinda rocks your world, we know. Here is what didn’t change. Ernie still grows this wine in block 24. The block still has 1,089 vines of Dijon Clones Chardonnay, with the field blend favoring clone 76 over 95. The rootstock is still that mother of all rootstocks, 5C. And yes, we still produce the BFC Heirloom Cameo. Starting to feel the hairs on the back of your neck relax, maybe just a bit?

Besides, how can you have Champagne Deconstructed without Chardonnay? If you have time for a little home schooling, pick up a six pack of Champagne Deconstructed. Your order will contain 2 bottles each of 2019 Dijon Clones Chardonnay, 2018 Pinot Meunier and 2012 iPinot Pinot Noir, complete with examination sheets. Don't delay, order yours today and shipping will be included through Mother's Day!

So, what’s new about the 2019 Dijon Clones Chardonnay? We have retired the Her Silhouette fanciful name in favor of a more informative name. The Dijon Clones of Chardonnay are the new vines on the block. The vines were brought into Oregon direct from Burgundy just about the time we were establishing the vineyard at Amalie Robert Estate. And they make a damn fine wine. It also

eliminates any confusion that we are growing that much maligned 108 clone out of California (where you can see some of the most unusual self-quarantine PPE - ever.)

The primary fermentation of sugar to alcohol is still done without oak influence. Stylistically, the Her Silhouette was colloquially known as “No Oak, No Malo”. We have moved on. And you can too! All it takes is a little bacterium and all of that malic acid becomes lactic acid. If that sounds yummy, it’s because it is. Lactic acid is the acid in goat's milk, and you get yummy goat cheese from goat's milk. Malic acid is from your granny’s “screamin’ greenies” green apples that she grew out on Boone’s Farm road. Remember her? That was before cellphones, and cellphone cameras, fortunately.

The Malo to Lactic (ML) conversion happens virtually all the time in red wines. In white wines winemakers typically have a choice to encourage or discourage this conversion. Mistakes (known as uncontrolled experiments or, sometimes, successful failures) happen all the time in winemaking. In some circumstances, you will have the ML conversion whether you want it or not. The opposite is also true. You can wish in one hand and wait in the other, but it’s just not going to happen. Maybe next year, but that’s a long time to wait.

We made the stylistic (and intentional) choice to change our ML program in 2019. Over the last 20 years or so, we have noticed our site affords a bit of a Sancerre expression in our Chardonnay that provides some intrigue. Ernie wanted to try and expand on that, while better integrating and softening the screamin' greenie experience. That, and Dena said we are not planting any Sauvignon Blanc.

So as part of our unquenchable thirst for knowledge and unabated appetite for risk, Ernie said, “What the Hell, let’s give it a try!” And that is how we arrived at the 2019 Dijon Clones Chardonnay - "No Oak, Full Malo".

Tasting Notes: Cold Fusion Yellow releases Meyer lemon zest, star fruit and guava aromas delineating an unadulterated and pure expression of Dijon Clones Chardonnay. Integrated, viscous and expansive, the mid-palate is wholly enveloped with a lingering silken texture before the smooth and palate cleansing delivery of tempered acidity.

Culinary Inclination: Poached black cod or shark (if you are a little slow working the reel), in parchment with julienned green onions, fresh sliced ginger root, enoki mushrooms and artichoke heart. Add a thin slice of Habanero pepper if you want to add some color to your dining companion’s complexion.

Vintage Notes: It all comes down to September. It used to be October, but things have changed and as farmers we are along for the ride. Vintage 2019 was a moderate growing season with adequate amounts of sun, wind, rain and wind all properly folded into the mix. Until September. That’s when we recorded a record amount of rainfall from the beginning to the end of the month. Of course, it was just lovely from there on out and that is when we were out Cluster Plucking. Read all about The Great Cluster Pluck on the FLOG!

http://amalierobert.blogspot.com/2019/11/amalie-robert-estate-vintage-update.html

Fill out the RSVP on your E-vite for a time to come by and have a taste. Or maybe just gaze longingly at the label until you can get one home, squeeze out the cork and have a swig! Note: we do have a few Home Tasting Kits still available (including PPE stemware) if you are uncomfortable drinking straight out of the bottle. As with all PPE, get it while you can. And there is still a free cork in every bottle!

Kindest Regards,

Dena & Ernie