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by Fred McMillin
for August 15, 1997
Winery of the Week The Cook at Alderbrook |
Prologue: "A meal without wine is like a day without sunshine."
... Brillat-Savarin, 18th-Century French Gastronome
The Rest of the Story: Alderbrook Winery owners Dorothy and Bob Gillemot agree with Savarin about the importance of the bond between food and wine. So, they do not simply release a wine, they have winery chef Jim May create a dish from local Sonoma ingredients to pair with it. Here are some examples.
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Sauvignon Blanc—Sonoma Seafood Soup with crab, clams, snapper, fennel, etc. A recent Blanc garnered a double gold, incidentally.
Chardonnay—Fettucine with Smoked Chicken Breast and Orange Tarragon Sauce...use Mendocino Pasta Co.'s Lemon Pepper Fettuccine. (Chardonnay is Alderbrook's flagship varietal, and dominates their 60-acre estate vineyard.)
Pinot Noir—Sonoma-Style Quesadillas with Sweet-Tart Cherry Salsa. Chef May says, "The Timber Crest sweet-tart dried cherries in the salsa make a luscious combination with the black cherry flavors of the Pinot."
Merlot—The winery Merlot recipes include Swordfish Provencale with garlic, tomatoes and olives.
Cabernet Sauvignon—Poached Pears Stuffed with Blue Cheese. (Alderbrook Cab comes from 26-year-old vineyard; enhanced with generous splash of Cabernet Franc).
Alderbrook Port—Chocolate Port Torte, an intensely-flavored chocolate cake.
Just the Facts
| Name | Alderbrook Vineyards & Winery |
| Location | Healdsburg, Sonoma County, CA |
| Owners | Dorothy and Bob Gillemot |
| Founding | While the Pinot Noir is best known, the white Pinot Gris also is drawing high praise. |
| Winemaker | Bob Cabral (he works closely with Chef May on developing the food-wine pairings). |
| Capacity | 30,000 case range |
| Phone | (800) 655-3838 |
Postscript: About that opening Savarin quote...while it is attributed to him in various publications, he did not write it. He published but one book. It opens with 30 Aphorisms of the Professor, but there is nothing about a meal without wine.
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About the Writer Fred McMillin, a veteran wine writer, has taught wine history for 30 years on three continents. He currently teaches wine courses at San Francisco State and San Francisco City College and is Northern California Editor for American Wine on the Web. In 1995, the Academy of Wine Communications honored Fred with one of only 22 Certificates of Commendation awarded to American wine writers. |
Read more articles by Fred McMillin in the eGGsf
Welcome to WineDay, the electronic Gourmet Guide's daily update. Monday through Thursday, WineDay presents a wine profile. Then on Fridays we present the Winery of the Week to take you through the weekend
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