Another week of self-isolation down… whew, did that fly by. In case you missed my last post, we’re in week two of my new blog series, Four Things — a lighthearted series designed to provide you with something other than bad news to read during these strange times. It’s pretty simple: every week, I’ll share four things I’m digging right now. It may include a wine, a recipe or just something I think is useful at the moment. Here are this week’s four things. Oh, and Happy Earth Day!
1. Story of Soil Carbonic Grenache
We’ve been gravitating toward carbonic wines lately, for no particular reason besides the fact they’re super fun and delicious! So I was excited to get my hands on a brand new one from Story of Soil — the small Santa Barbara County label by husband-and-wife team Jessica Gasca and Brady Fiechter. Made with grapes sourced from Stolpman Vineyard in Ballard Canyon (producer of the tasty Love You Bunches Carbonic Sangiovese), the 2019 Story of Soil Carbonic Grenache is a playful wine that goes down easily, offering notes of briary boysenberry and funky freshness. I hear it’s being released this weekend, so if you can get your hands on a bottle, be sure to give it a chill, then pop the cork and enjoy! Here’s a previous post on Story of Soil to learn more.
2. Hanson of Sonoma Hand Sanitizer
While the family-owned Hanson of Sonoma artisan distillery specializes in organic, grape-based vodkas, they recently shifted 100% of their production to making hand sanitizer. Last week, I interviewed the Hanson family for an article and was moved by their commitment to using their alcohol supply in helpful ways right now. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a hard time finding sanitizer in stock anywhere, so was glad to be able to buy some of theirs online. Their medical-grade sanitizer comes in different sizes and can be shipped a la carte… but let’s be honest, it’s way more fun getting a package of sanitizer AND vodka, don’t you think?
3. Long Meadow Ranch Rosé of Pinot Noir
Recently, I participated in a virtual Zoom tasting with Long Meadow Ranch and, in addition to trying some new wines, I got to hear about their dedication to Full Circle Farming — an organic and sustainable farming system that relies on each part of the ranch to contribute to the health of the full operation. I guess every day is Earth Day to them, eh? In addition to wine, they produce olive oil, grass-fed beef, fruits, vegetables and eggs. The wines I tried were all lovely (and at an exceptional price point for a Napa-based producer!), but the one I’d most reach for right now is their 2019 Rosé of Pinot Noir. Made from grapes from their Anderson Valley estate vineyard in Mendocino County (north of San Francisco), this racy rosé is light and bright and would be an excellent pairing for picnic fare, salad or grilled shrimp. Bring on summer!
4. Homemade Sourdough
I know, I know… sourdough is for sure having a moment and maybe you’re already sick of hearing about it, but if not, then keep reading. A few years ago, I received a sourdough starter during a bread making class, but unfortunately I dropped the container on the floor before I ever had a chance to bake a loaf (that’s what I get for storing it too high on the shelf). Seeing as though I’m baking more often than ever before, I got inspired to get a starter again. Yes, it takes a little time and patience to prepare the dough, but there’s something extra rewarding about eating bread you baked yourself… especially now since we’re all trying to limit our grocery store runs.
If you’re in the Santa Barbara area, you can get a starter from Riviera Bread (where I got mine), Barbareño or Piedrasassi. If you’re not local or just want to start your own, check out this Sourdough Starter Recipe from King Arthur Flour. The famed Tartine Bakery has some great reference videos on their Instagram if you need some pointers.
Photo credits: Long Meadow Ranch & Riviera Bread
