Spring Valley Katherine Cabernet Franc with Orso and Meatballs

Spring Valley Katherine Cabernet Franc with Orso and Meatballs. 

Linda prepared meatballs with orso pasta, tomatoes, pineapple, broccoli and red peppers - a delicious Asian themed dish. Orzo, also known in Italy as risoni, and popular in Greek cuisine as kritharaki, is a form of short-cut pasta shaped like a large grain of rice

I pulled from the cellar this aged Cabernet Franc for an ideal, delicious food and wine pairing. As I’ve written often in these pages, an optimal pairing is a force multiplier, amplifying the enjoyment of both. 

This follows another ideal wine pairing of another label from this same producer that we featured in a blogpost this last weekend - Uriah Spring Valley Red Blend 2015.

Spring Valley Vineyards Katherine Cabernet Franc 2015

We discovered and acquired this wine during our visit to the Spring Valley Vineyards tasting room in Walla Walla back in 2018 as covered in this blogpost - October 27, 2018 - Spring Valley Vineyards Tasting and Vineyard Visit.

We joined their wine club and as members receive regular quarterly shipments of their wines. We amassed a collection of the complete portfolio of wines including this label. Our Cellartracker records show we have 95 bottles of 35 different Spring Valley wines in our collection.

One of the great historic Walla Walla wineries, Spring Valley Vineyard lies 12 miles northeast of the town of Walla Walla, amid the picturesque wheat fields of southeastern Washington and the Blue Mountains in the distance. The land that was originally used for farming dating back to the the 1880s. 

Founded by Uriah, Katherine, and continued by the next generation, Frederick, and Nina Lee Corkrum, Shari Corkrum Derby and her husband Dean Derby continued to operate the wheat fields, vineyard and winery. Shari and Dean Derby planted vines on the land from 1993 and made their first vintage in 1999. 

Today, Spring Valley have 110 acres of vines planted, all in the relatively cool micro-climate of Walla Walla Valley in the southeast corner of Washington State.

We had the pleasure of meeting Dean Derby on the property during our visit to the estate.during our appellation visit to the Walla Walla (Washington) wine region in the fall of 2018. We visited the Spring Valley Vineyard tasting room in downtown Walla Walla, then ventured out to the vineyards and winery northeast of town. There, we met Dean Derby, patriarch, and husband to Shari Corkrum Derby, grand-daughter of Uriah Corkrum, founder and namesake for their Bordeaux Blend label, husband to Katherine, namesake for this label. 

Meeting Mr. Derby was one of the highlights of our Walla Walla Wine Experience, especially since he has since passed on. We posted a Tribute to Dean Derby and memorium of that visit - Spring Valley Vineyard toward the end of 2021.

We thought of him last week as his alma mater, University of Washington played in the NCAA national football championship, and next year join the Big Ten conference. I wrote about Dean playing on and being captain of that football team in my tribute blogpost.

The Derby's son Devin Corkrum Derby served as winemaker until his passing in 2004. Devin’s assistant and friend Serge Laville took over as winemaker and has been crafting wines since. Originally they focused on varietals from the Northern Rhone region in France, they expanded production to Bordeaux varietals including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and this Cabernet Franc, and a Right Bank and a Left Bank style Bordeaux Blend. 

I've written often in these pages about Spring Valley Vineyards portfolio of wines named for members paying homage to the family and ancestors dating back to the first generation founders at the turn of the last century. We have several vintage releases of their annual case that features six of these labels - each one commemorating a different family member. This Cabernet Franc is named in honor of founder Uriah Corkrum’s wife Katherine, a native of Wales who immigrated to Walla Walla Territory in 1897. She and Uriah had four sons, including Frederick Corkrum.

Spring Valley Vineyards Katherine Cabernet Franc 2015

I wrote about Spring Valley and this label in several posts in these pages, including  Spring Valley “Katherine” Cabernet Franc, excerpted here.

This is another family oriented producer with family oriented branding which we enjoy serving for family (and friends) occasions such as this.  

We have a vertical collection of seven vintages of this wine. Normally, as part of cellar management, I would open the oldest, earliest vintage to drink, but, I pulled a bottle from the rack, not thinking that we have a couple older vintages in the decorative OWC - Original Wood Cases, each with a vertical collection that include this label. I'll need to 'break' those collections at some point and consume the older releases. 

Spring Valley Vineyards ‘Katherine Corkrum’ Walla Walla Cabernet Franc 2015   

This wine commemorates Katherine Williams Corkrum, born and raised in Wales, then came to America and settled in Walla Walla Washington to eventually marry Uriah Corkrum. Together they raised a family with three sons that would follow for three generations developing the property. 

This is 100% estate grown Cabernet Franc. The vines follow the north-south slope of the hills in vertical rows, an orientation that when combined with the declination of the slope, allows the vines to take optimal advantage of air drainage, sunshine, and the reflective nature of the surrounding wheat fields.

Winemaker's Tasting Notes - “This Cabernet Franc has plenty of herbal notes with abundant flavors of raspberry and cassis and a touch of spice.” - ~ Winemaker Serge Laville 

100% Cabernet Franc, this was aged 18 months in 100% French Oak, 30% new

This was rated 91 points by Wine Advocate and Stephen Tanzer

Dark ruby colored, medium full bodied, full round with a silky smooth texture, ripe dark blackberry fruits with notes of spice, cassis, mocha chocolate, herbs and tobacco with toasty oak on a lingering moderate tannin finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2767108

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?2767108

https://www.springvalleyvineyard.com/

Lunch at Eataly during Gala Wedding Weekend Chicago

Gala Wedding Chicago Weekend Getaway - Lunch at Eataly Chicago 

We had a momentus getaway weekend to Chicago to attend the gala wedding celebration of longtime dear Hoosier friends Dennis and Bev M's daughter Megan at the iconic Intercontinental Hotel on Grand Michigan Avenue Magnificent Mile.

The ceremony was held in King Arthur's Court hall that was originally the historic Medinah Men's Athletic Club, back during the Roaring 20's, when it was the club's private smoking lounge. It features Edwardian wood paneling and an illuminated stain glassed wall and hand painted ceiling panels, overlooking Chicago's Michigan Avenue Miracle Mile. 

The reception celebration was held in the magnificent Renaissance ballroom on the 5th floor featuring ornate French King Louis XVI design, 22-foot ceilings with intricate hand-painted beams, crystal chandeliers, and ornate wood and stone carvings, dinner and dancing, with views spanning up and down the Magnificent Mile. 

The wedding festivities spanned Friday evening through to Sunday noon brunch in the Tower Suite. 

On Saturday afternoon, we trekked over and lunched at Eataly Chicago, one of our favorites and most vibrant high energy experiences in Chicago, with all things Italian - wine, eateries, restaurants, market, - dining, fooding and shopping.

The name Eataly is a fusion of Eat and Italy for “Eating Italian” which encompasses the history and the food culture of Italy and all aspects of its cuisine.The first Eataly opened in Torino, Italy, in an old vermouth factory in 2007, and has since expanded to more than 35 locations throughout Italy and the world.

Explore All Eataly Locations

While it may be a shadow of the original US Eataly on 23rd Street in the Flatiron neighborhood in New York, Eataly Chicago is a fun adventure and one of our favorite lunches in Chicago, almost, but not as much so as Eataly Flatiron NY.

Eataly is an Italian marketplace that features an array of several dining options, cafes, counters, restaurants, wine bars, a wine shop with over 1,200 labels, a cheese shop, Pasta Pantry, Bakery, Italian Ice, chocolates, meat and fish markets, Italian specialties of all kinds, private events space, even a cooking school.

We dined in the main restaurant and ordered a Kale salad, an Italian Meatball starter and Brinzano fresh fish entree, with accompanying selection of WBTG, wines by the glass. 

The Veal and Pork Meatball dish with red sauce and cheese, was the most succulent and flavorful I've every had, which we paired with a Chianti Classico Corleone Sangiovese.

 

 

We had the Brinzano white fish whole and it was succulent, served minimalist style with a side dish of baked then fried potatoes that were also delicious. 

 

With the fish course we tasted by the glass the Montenidoli Vernaccia Di San Gimignano 2020

We had this Chianti Classico Tuscan Sanviovese with the meatballs. 

Tenuta di Carleone, Chianti, Classico, Tuscany, Sangiovese 2019

Tenuta Carleone di Castiglioni dates back to the year 1078 when monks first founded it in Chianti, named for the village of Castiglioni meaning “small castle.” Consequently the winery “Tenuta Carleone di Castiglioni” named after the small village of “Castiglioni” (small castle). The property located in the heart of the Chianti region is covered with wooded hills, vineyards planted to the native varietal Sangiovese vines and olive trees. It was operated as a farm over the centuries, not developed as a winery until Tenuta di Carleone was established in 2012.

Austrian entrepeneur Karl Egger and his family had been visiting the region of Tuscany for decades and were most fond of the small corner, just outside the medieval town of Radda in Chianti between the cities of Siena and Florence.

Karl and his sister Kristine Egger began to restore the ruins of the old Castiglioni castle, just outside of Radda in 2012. They farm the estate that consists of just under 50 acres of small plots nestled among wooded hills, small streams and aged olive trees. The whole property, which covers an area of approximately 240 acres, comprises of wooded hills, small rivers and fertile plains. Nestled in between there are around 50 acres of mainly Sangiovese vineyards and some olive trees, some of them older than 60 years. 

The Egger Family has renovated the beautiful “Castiglioni” hamlet with its old chapel and the nearby farmhouse of “Pian Vecchio”. Some vines were planted in the 1970’s, with others more recently established or replanted. There is also a typical tuscan farmhouse called “Pian Vecchio” (old plain) on this land, where the family recently planted some white

They teamed up with winemaker Sean O’Callaghan in 2012 to operate the winery. Sean moved to Chianti in 1991 after studying winemaking in Germany. He was head winemaker at a renowned estate for 25 years and upon leaving, joined Eggers to pursue his dream at Tenuta di Carleone. Although not a native, Sean has a special affinity with the Sangiovese grape and a unique knowledge and understanding of the region.

He makes Sangiovese in the classic way, with nothing added to the wine, grappa, or cold-pressed olive oils. They produce several labels of estate grown Sangiovese, Il Guercio, Uno, Chianti Classico, and a classic Sangiovese grappa named “Zero.”

They produce the wine in two garages while they are currently renovating an old terra cotta factory to serve as the new cantina. Sean strive as winemaker to producing Sangiovese based wines that are a balance between structure and fruit. 

Tenuta di Carleone, Chianti, Classico, Tuscany, Sangiovese 2019

Winemakers' Tasting Notes: "The Carleone Chianti Classico is a notably fresh take, with red fruit on the nose and palate, notes of red cherry and strawberry. Nice grip with finely textured tannins for excellent drinkability."

“The Winery is right in the middle of Chianti Classico, within the original borders of the Chianti Storico. So we decided to honour the area and make a 100% Sangiovese that expresses our little corner of Radda in Chianti”.

Bright Ruby colored, medium bodied, expressive, polished, raspberry, plum & cherry red fruits with notes of herbs, tobacco and spice with nice acidity and soft smooth tannins on a moderate finish. 

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4126669

http://winery.tenutadicarleone.com/

 

Montenidoli Tradizionale Vernaccia Di San Gimignano 2020 

The estate dates back to Roman times, located just outside of the famed tower city of San Gimignano on the western border of the Chianti zone in Tuscany. The house of Montenidoli was first built by the Etuscans who planted olive trees and the rootstock of their early vines.

Montenidoli Tradizionale
Vernaccia Di San
Gimignano 2020

The Montenidoli estate consists of 500 acres of woods on the hill overlooking San Gimignano, in front of the Chianti Classico, between Florence and Siena. Elisabetta and her husband bought the property in the 60’s, renovating it from its abandoned state. 

When they arrived, in 1965, the land was abandoned and the woods had taken over the fields, the olive trees were running wild, the vines were covered by the bushes. They set upon restoring the property from the soil to the vines. They pruned only in winter when the vegetation was dormant and returned all the cuttings to the ground, fermented to make a compost to go back to fertilize the plants. 

This label is 100% grape varietal cultivated and produced in accordance with Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG appellation rules. It is called “Tradizionale,” a throwback to the old methods of vinifying Vernaccia, which were done like a red wine. 

Winemaker notes: "Not only is this Vernaccia mineral-forward and complex, the skin contact it undergoes imparts texture, concentration, and body." 

"A classic Tuscan white, structured though delicate and elegant white.  It has aromas of hay, white pepper and almond, the palate is medium bodied with notes of citrus, dried herbs, a slight nuttiness and great minerality."

Straw colored, medium light bodied, hints of delicate pear and citrus with stone fruit, hints of almond nut and white pepper on a crisp mineral finish.

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4073052

https://www.montenidoli.com/tradizionale-vernaccia-di-san-gimignano-docg-dry-white-wine/

https://www.montenidoli.com/

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