Zinfandel gets a bit of a bad rap in the ageability department. It’s not really known as one of its strong suits. However, I’ve had some very good luck with moderately aged bottles. In fact, just this week I opened a bottle from 2010 and was very happy with what I found in my glass. 

I think there are a few factors that lead to the perception that Zins aren’t meant for cellaring. To start with, a big part of the charm of California Zinfandels is their alluring, rich fruit notes, and cellaring will diminish exactly those attributes. As well, there are a lot of crappy zins out there that go way beyond jammy and are just plain flabby. Take a sip of one of these and the wine kind of just sits on your palate and weighs it down. Bleh. 

A well-made Zin with good structure and acidity, however, can definitely be worth cellaring. Of course, I might not recommend keeping most bottles around for decades (although I have had one or two that managed to make that kind of journey through time), but there is an interesting sweet spot where the grape’s deep fruit notes start to mix with the notes of leather, tobacco, and dried leaves that come with time with beautiful results. I’m happy to say that we had just that kind of luck with the bottle of Mazzocco Winery Thurow Vineyard Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 2010 I opened this week. 

Moreover, the combination of berries, spices, and a few dried leaves tasted like fall in a bottle. 

For more background on Zin, check out this post.

THE WINE: MAZZOCCO WINERY THUROW VINEYARD ZINFANDEL 2010

Mazzocco specializes in Zinfandel. They make wines from other grapes as well, however, Zins makes up the lion’s share of their offerings. They have a wide variety of single-vineyard Zin bottlings, so it’s a great place to taste the different ways the grape can express itself. 

It’s been a few years since we stopped at their tasting room in Dry Creek Valley, however, in my experience, their wines tend to be on the richer end of Zin, but they maintain enough acidity to hold up all that fruit. Their wines tend to be bigger than what I normally go for, but I simply find them to be quite yummy. 

Wine tasting tip: Mazzocco’s tasting room is just down the road from Ridge Lytton Springs, another personal favorite. Ridge makes a very different style of Zin, which makes for a great comparison. Between the offerings at these two spots, you can get a really good idea of the range Zin is capable of. After you’re done tasting, head down the road just a bit further to the Dry Creek General Store to enjoy some excellent sandwiches.

We picked up this bottle of their 2010 Thurow Vineyard Zin on a stop at the winery way back in 2012. In the decade that bottle was with us, it went back with us to New York (where we were living at the time), and then it moved back with us when we returned to California. It’s been through a lot. Whenever I open a bottle like this, there’s a moment when I feel like I’m holding my breath as I wait for the verdict on if the wine is still doing ok or if we’ve missed our window. Luckily, I needn’t have worried. The wine was doing just fine. 

In my memory, the Thurow married deep berry flavors with an undercurrent of earthiness. This continued to be true, and as one might expect, time had brought the earthy factors out even more. On the nose, the wine showed notes of stewed mixed berries, dried leaves, notes of dusty earth, licorice, clove, and white pepper.  On the palate, the berry flavors were richer and blended fresh and stewed fruit notes. Boysenberry, plums, and pomegranate joined the party, along with more pepper, spice box, and mixed dried herbs. Greg added that he picked up notes of blueberries, purple flowers, and a bit of bacon fat. I didn’t tell him what I’d poured for him when I first had him taste it, and he did not think it was showing his age at all. 

We knew we were in for a treat with our dinner. 

A quick trip down memory lane – Greg and I at Mazzocco in 2012 and with my parents in 2016.

THE PAIRING: SPICED POT ROAST WITH MUSHROOMS & SWEET POTATOES 

It’s been getting chilly so I wanted to make something cozy to go with this wine that would reflect the wine’s autumnal feel. I decided on pot roast since something rich and meat seemed perfect. I wanted to play with the range of flavors in the wine, so I added mushrooms for their earthiness, along with lightly caramelized onions, sweet potatoes, and flavored it all with thyme, allspice, and white pepper.  I also find mushrooms to be a secret weapon when serving aged wines. Even wines that taste over the hill (and this one was NOT) seem to get revived a bit when they're paired with mushrooms.

As it happens far more often than I’d like to admit, I ended up running late with my food prep, so I decided to enlist my Instant Pot to help me regain some time. You can absolutely make this on the stovetop or in the oven as well, but you’ll just likely need more liquid than indicated here. 

In the version I made, I added the sweet potatoes and mushrooms toward the beginning shortly after the onions. The sweet potatoes didn’t hold up under the high-pressure cooking and kind of disintegrated into the cooking liquid. I actually enjoyed it this way as they added body to the sauce, however, it didn’t look as pretty as it might have with bigger chunks. After looking at a few recipes, I’ve taken a play from a recipe I found via New York Times Cooking and have adjusted the recipe here for how I’d do it next time.  

To finish things off, I served it all on a bed of quick-cooking barley, peas, and lentils which added texture and nutty flavors. 

The pairing was everything I could have hoped for and the wine gained added depth when sipped alongside the savory flavors of the pot roast. A perfect combo for snuggling up on a chilly night!

Geeky Details

I don’t think Mazzocco is making wine from this vineyard anymore, as I could no longer find it on their website. However, I'll quickly note that Mazzocco grows their grapes sustainably and is Certified California Sustainable for its vineyard practices.

The current average price of this wine is $32 and while this one might no longer be available, Mazzocco has quite a few offerings in this price range. 

*****

*****

For more posts and pairings related to Zinfandel, check out:

• Cooking to the Wine: Ridge Geyserville with Smoky Bourbon Pork Chops and Warm Farro-Squash Salad
  
• Two Sides of a Coin: Primitivo and Zinfandel (with Ribs Two Ways)
  
• All About Burger Pairings
  
• 2 oz Pours: Old School Baller Pairings
  
• 2 oz Pours: Campsite Dining
  
• 8 & $20: Plum-Soy Duck Breast with Asian Slaw
  

*****

The Wine Pairing Weekend (#WinePW)  blogging group is exploring Zinfandel this month. Be sure to check out the rest of their posts:

• Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla is Inspired by Notes of Asian Spices: Braised Spareribs + Brown Estate Zinfandel 2021
• Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm shares Pasta with Sausage and Eggplant in a Zinfandel Wine Sauce
• Gwendolyn of the Wine Predator is all in with A Vegetarian Feast: “VegTurducken” paired with 5 CA Zinfandels #WinePW
• Terri of A Good Life pairs Bucklin Bambino Zin with French Onion Soup #WinePW
• Host Martin of ENOFYLZ Wine Blog shares Roasted Salmon Glazed with Brown Sugar and Mustard + 2013 Under The Wire Sparkling Zinfandel Rosé

I recently shared an exploration of Big, Beautiful Reds from Yakima Valley and Tasty, Meaty Fare, where we took a look at three different bottles to get to know the Yakima Valley. We loved all the pairings, but as I couldn’t fit all the recipes in one post, I promised to follow up. Today I’m doing just that and sharing the recipe for the Instant Pot Lamb Shanks we paired with the JB Neufeld Ciel du Cheval Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain 2018 ($43).

Note: This bottle was provided as a media sample. No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

As a recap, JB Neufeld is a project by husband and wife team Justin and Brooke Neufeld. Cab lovers, this one is for you. They’re all about it! They currently make four different bottlings, all with fruit from within the Yakima Valley AVA, but each from completely unique sites.

As the goal is to showcase the diversity of terroirs found in the region, they always aim to put the fruit first. So while Justin, as the winemaker, finds oak to be an important component in the winemaking to help build the structure of the wines, it has to be used carefully. He prefers barrels with a lighter toast so as to not mask the fruit’s aromas, but that just help provide a tannic spine to the wine. (Their website goes into depth about some of the types of barrels they use, so if you like to geek out about oak, click here.)

I tried the first vintage of their Ciel du Cheval bottling. The fruit for this wine comes from the Red Mountain subregion of Yakima Valley, the smallest appellation in Washington State. It’s located on a southwest-facing slope in south-central Washington. The grapes here get tons of sunlight! Thanks to the particular placement of the vineyards, it’s the warmest region in the state and they get almost two hours more sun a day than Napa. Things cool down at night though, thanks in part to the proximity to the Yakima River which moderates temperatures and ensure continuous airflow, helping to slow down the ripening process and maintain acidity. This combination is particularly ideal for red wines (although some white grapes are planted here too) which are able to achieve bold flavors and powerful structure. Red Mountain wines are also known for having a distinct minerality.

The JB Neufeld site describes the particular characteristics of the Ciel du Cheval Vineyard: 

First planted in 1975 on Red Mountain in the Yakima Valley AVA. When the great Spokane Flood formed the Red Mountain region, the Scooteney Channel backed up leaving deposits of gravel and huge stones. The Ciel du Cheval soil is composed of loam on gravel beds that extend 12 feet or more. Our fruit comes from Clone 337.

Straying away from the geeky details for a moment, the name of the vineyard reminds me of the discussion in Notting Hill of Chagall’s La Mariée during which Julia Robert’s character, Anna Scott, says, “Yes, happiness isn't happiness without a violin-playing goat!”

Image borrowed from Wikipedia

I emailed a bit with Brooke Hamilton-Neufeld in advance of my Yakima Valley post, and she was nice enough to get back to me with thoughtful answers to my questions.

Is there a particular terroir signature you associate with the Yakima Valley? 

I love this question and it is tricky because the Yakima Valley is such a big AVA. We both always get a chalky tannin on wines from the Yakima Valley and good acid (in both reds and whites). As far as Cabernets are concerned, I feel like those primary cherry notes are quintessential Yakima Valley across the entire region and across most producers.

What do you think is special or unique about how Cab expresses itself in the region?  

Our winery focuses only on Cabernet Sauvignon and one of the reasons we did that is because Cabernet is such a good communicator of terrior and it is very resilient to winemaker interruptions. The Cabs from across the Yakima Valley are well structured (from our long growing days), have good acidity (thanks to diurnal shift- extremely hot days and very cold nights), delicious bright cherry notes, and chalky tannins (from our soil composition-because of the Missoula Floods). Also, most of the Yakima Valley's Cabs are young tasting. In comparison to California and obviously France, the Yakima Valley is still a relatively young growing region and our Cabs are young and full of potential and it will fun to see what happens when they age.

THE PAIRING

I also asked Brooke about favorite pairings for this bottle and she had lots of good thoughts.  

We just released our Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Designate Cab Sauv so have had fun trying different food pairings this winter. Hearty meals are so perfect for layered Cabs, the timing is awesome. Sadly, I'm not much of a cook and we have three young boys so I pretty much fall back on meals that I can cook entirely in my dutch oven without much effort. I find any braised meat, like lamb shanks, really enhances the earthy parts of the wine and lets the cherry notes sing. I am working on a meal to pair with the Ciel for my dad when he comes to visit next weekend. My dad loves Cabs but he is also vegan so I am planning on making a vegan cassoulet-something with white beans and crusty garlic bread. I think that would be a good compliment to the Ciel without falling back on meat. The wine is very classic Red Mountain – it has some fun graphite and crushed rock notes and the fruit is a strong cherry and bright red fruits. It is a young wine so the tannins are pronounced that is why I think it does well with meals that have some fat!

Image borrowed from soilairselection.com.

I really appreciated the realness of her response and I think we can all relate to the need for dishes that don’t demand that much attention. As much as I love to cook, I often get caught off guard by time (time and I are not the best of friends), so my problem is often realizing I don’t have enough time to make the thing I’d intended to make. My Instant Pot often saves me in these cases. When I do plan ahead, I also love braising things in the oven for much the same reason that Brooke mentioned – you can just put things in there and not think about it. I find it’s helpful to know how to switch between the two methods, that way you can fairly easily roll with the punches time might throw at you.

I loved the idea of lamb shanks with this wine and decided to prepare them in the Instant Pot in this case, however, you can easily adapt this recipe for braising in the oven. It’s pretty much just a matter of the amount of liquid and time – you’ll need more of both to cook in the oven. You can pretty much follow all the steps in the same way. After searing the lamb and then sweating the vegetables on the stovetop, return the lamb shanks to the pot, then add enough stock and/or wine to come up about ⅔ to ¾ up the way of the lamb shanks. Cover the pot then place in a 350°F oven and cook for about 3 hours, or until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender, checking periodically to make sure there is still enough liquid in the pot. 

One large shank is about right for two people, but it's definitely worth making more than you need. After the first evening, I shredded the rest of the remaining meat into the sauce to make a ragu and it goes even further this way. Use it however you'd use a meaty sauce.

I used pretty classic ingredients for this braise but just tweaked the herbs and spices a little bit to match the notes I got from the wine. You can see my more detailed tasting notes below, but I got lots of herbal notes, as well as a little licorice and white pepper from this wine, so I tried to work in seasonings that would reflect and complement those flavors.

Trying to stick to the idea of keeping things simple, I took advantage of a pre-packaged mix of grains that were supposed to cook in 10 minutes according to the package instructions. I found they took a while longer to be ready than indicated, and they ended up with a texture similar to risotto, which I didn’t mind at all. A little Parmesan on top was the final flourish. 

This pairing was SOOOOOOOOOO good. The wine became extra plush and velvety when sipped alongside the food. We gave the combo an A/A+ as we were both MMMMMM-ing for quite a while.


Tasting Notes: When we first poured the wine, it was all about the red fruit notes: red plums, strawberry, currants, plus a little black cherry – totally backing up Brooke’s notes about bright cherries and red fruits. There were also notes of red flower petals and spice on the nose. Herbal notes showed up on the palate – Greg was tasting more mint, while I was getting more rosemary – along with white pepper and a hint of licorice. Darker fruits emerged over the course evening, and the wine began to show a more plush texture, but it always retained its juicy acidity. It was a really bright Cab with medium + acidity, body, and tannins.

lamb, braise, instant pot, pressure cooker

dinner,

French, American

Servings: 4 to 6

By: Nicole Ruiz Hudson

Print

With ImageWithout Image

Instant Pot Braised Lamb Shanks

Prep Time: 15 MinCooking Time: 90 MinTotal Time: 1 H & 45 M

This is a pretty classic lamb briase adapted for the Instant Pot. Knowing full well how time can often catch up with us, I've included a few different options for when you find yourself in a rush. Ideally, allow the lamb to cook for the full time, allow the pressure to release naturally, and then allow the sauce to reduce, but if you need to speed things up, use the cheats to speed things up.

Ingredients

• 2 large lamb shanks
• Flour, for dredging
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 celery stalk, finely diced
• 2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup chicken stock, plus more for deglazing (about 1½ cups to 2 cups total)
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 bay leaves
• ⅛ tsp fennel seeds
• Pinch of celery seeds
• 1 to 2 Tbsp, Wondra flour or cornstarch, Optional
• Olive oil, as needed
• Salt, as needed
• White pepper, as needed

Instructions

1. Set the Instant Pot to the sauté setting.
2. While the Instant Pot is heating up, season lamb with salt and white pepper and coat with flour. Once the Instant Pot is heated up, add a generous pour of olive oil (about 2-3 tablespoons). Sear the lamb on all sides. Transfer the lamb to a plate and set aside.
3. Deglaze the pan with a little bit of the chicken stock (extra wine will also work well), making sure to scrape up any browned bits. Add the onions, carrots, and celery, season with salt and white pepper, and sauté until the vegetables are starting to become tender and onions are starting to turn translucent – about 10 minutes.
4. Add the lamb shanks back into the pot, followed by a cup of chicken stock, wine, and the rest of the herbs and spice.
5. Cover the Instant Pot with the lid and set to high pressure. Cook for 30 to 45 minutes. (Note: The meat is tender and delicious after 30 minutes, so if you’re in a rush, it’s absolutely ready to eat at this point. Leaving the shanks in a little longer though will help to break down some of the additional connective tissue.)
6. Once cook time is complete, allow pressure to release naturally, if possible. (If you’re in a rush allow it to release naturally for 10 to 15 minutes, then release manually.) Open the lid, remove the shanks and set aside.
7. Switch Instant Pot back to sauté setting and simmer until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Adjust seasoning as needed. Optional: To reduce the amount of time waiting for the sauce to thicken, feel free to use Wondra flour or cornstarch mixed with water to form a slurry according to package instructions.
8. Return the lamb shanks to the pot and keep warm in the sauce until ready to serve. Serve with grains, potatoes, polenta, or pasta.

Notes:

This recipe can easily be adapted for braising in the oven. You can pretty much follow all the steps in the same way. After searing the lamb and then sweating the vegetables on the stovetop, return the lamb shanks to the pot, then add enough stock and/or wine to come up about ⅔ to ¾ up the way of the lamb shanks. Cover the pot then place in a 350°F oven and cook for about 3 hours, or until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender, checking periodically to make sure there is still enough liquid in the pot.

https://www.sommstable.com/2021/03/JB-Neufeld-Ciel-du-Cheval-Cabernet-Sauvignon-with-Instant-Pot-Lamb-Shanks.html

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @thesommstable on instagram and hashtag it #sommstable

Created using The Recipes Generator

Additional sources used for this post:

• Red Mountaina AVA
• Wine Yakima Valley 
• Washington Wine 
• Wine-searcher.com 
  

This post contains affiliate links, including these Amazon Associate links, from which I might receive a commission at no cost to you.

Corvina leads the blend in Amarone, making up 45-95%, but it has quite a few friends including Corvinone (now identified as a distinct variety), Rondinella,  Oseleta (which is on the upswing), and Molinara (on the downswing) and  many others.

The Wine and Pairing

Geeky Details

Money Talk

Traveling Tips

• Allegrini - Larger production, still family-owned, with historical roots, and driven towards innovation. 
• Cantina Valpolicella Negrar – Larger production, quality driven co-op, with a lot of history behind it.
• iLatium Morini - Medium-ish, family-owned, outside the classico zones, making various styles in both red and white.  
• La Marognole - Boutique, family-owned, on the newer side. (Well, for Italy anyways – it started in 2004.)
  

• Cindy at Grape Experiences shares "On Wine Co-ops, Sicily's Cantine Settesoli and Mandrarossa Winery"
• Pinny at Chinese Food and Wine Pairings shares “Celebrate Chinese New Year, Observe Italian wine coop evolution, OMG yummy Prosecco!”
• Katarina at Grapevine Adventures shares "Cincinnato - A Cooperative in Lazio Focused on Native Grapes"
• Linda at My Full Wine Glass shares “Prosecco, coop-style: What do these tasters say?”
• Jane at Always Ravenous shares “Popping the Corks on Cooperative Prosecco”
• Marcia at Joy of Wine shares "Cooperetiva Produttori del Barbaresco"
• Jen at Vino Travels Italy shares “Italian Wine Cooperatives with Prosecco from Val d’Oca”
• Liz at What's in That Bottle shares "What’s Up with Italian Wine Cooperatives?"
• Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm shares "Godendo Aperitivo Prima di Cena "
• Lynn at Savor the Harvest shares "Alpine Wine Cooperative - How Things Roll in Alto Adige"
• Susannah at Avvinare shares “Visiting Lake Garda through the wines of Cantina Colli Morenici”
• Jeff at Food Wine Click! shares "The Italian Wine Cooperative Surprise"
• Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla shares "Hardworking Kids, Fresh Pasta, and a Red Wine from Vallevò"
• Gwendolyn at Wine Predator matches 3 Bottles of Bubbles from Italy’s Val D’Oca Paired with Butternut Crab Bisque and Polenta Shrimp.