Annual grape stomp was in trouble. How Mother Lode growers saved the day
The 29th annual Grape Stomp in Murphys took a hit from Mother Nature this year as the grape harvest faced extreme conditions of frost, drought and fires. Duarte Nursery from Hughson, the sponsor donating grapes for the event, simply ran out of grapes due to a heavy frost.
Matt Hatcher, winemaker and owner of Hatcher Winery and School Street Wines, took on the job of finding the right type of grapes for the stomp. The grapes needed to be larger and more juicy like Barbera. Matt called on his Calaveras County grower friends and at the final hour, Indian Rock Vineyards and Six Mile Vineyard/Jackson Rancheria came through. The grape stomp could go on as planned.
Dave Bauer, owner of Indian Rock Vineyards, donated 2.46 tons of Barbera and Jackson Rancheria donated 1.67 tons of Mourvedre from Six Mile Vineyards. The generosity of these civic-minded members of the Calaveras Winegrape Alliance essentially saved the Calaveras Grape Stomp by putting the community of Murphys first.
Food and wine pairing
I know, I’ve ranted about trusting your palate and even said food and wine pairings are just suggestions. But here are a few basic rules and, yes, it’s OK to break them. Here’s a list from winejolly.com: 1. Red wines pair best with bold flavored red meats. 2. White wines pair best with light-intensity meats like fish or chicken. 3. The wine should have the same flavor intensity as the food. 4. The wine should be more acidic than the food. 5. It is better to match the wine with the sauce than with the meat. 6. The wine should be sweeter than the food. 7. Bitter wines (big tannic reds) are best balanced with fat. 8. More often than not, white, sparkling and rose wines create contrasting pairings. 9. More often than not, red wines will create congruent pairings. There you have it, a few basics you probably knew and I thank winejolly.com.
What’s on our table
The Navigator won’t let me barbecue the turkey for my favorite holiday. She likes the traditional seasonings and cooking it in the oven gives her those rich drippings for her amazing gravy. On the wine side of the grand meal you can’t go wrong with sparkling wine, roses and Pinot Noirs. If you’re a serious red wine fan, settle for the softer side of Merlot. Here are some that are readily available and under $15: 2020 Estancia, 2019 Line 39, 2020 Goose Ridge, 2020 Hahn and if you see any J. Lohr Valdiguie, give it a try. My advice is just stay clear of big tannic reds with high alcohol. Have a great Thanksgiving. Cheers!
Questions? Comments? Find me on Facebook or at rgwinton@yahoo.com.