The wines and book in this post were provided as media samples. No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

A recent read, What’s Good?: A Memoir in Fourteen Ingredients by Peter Hoffman, has gotten me thinking about the ingredients I use and is encouraging me to be more curious about them. Of course, I regularly try to look into the wines I drink and how they’re made and share those explorations on this blog, so I see many tie-ins there. I also try to regularly buy organic produce and meats and shop at the farmer’s market to support local farmers, but adding an extra element of curiosity can add layers to the experience.

The book is a unique look at the world of food and of the world through food. Over the course of the book, Hoffman not only shares with us his personal story and a look inside his now bygone restaurants Savoy and Back Forty, but also takes us on explorations of our foodways by digging deep into some of his favorite ingredients. He takes us along to tap trees at a maple syrup operation, inside seafood and meat systems, and shows us a view of the world from the point of view of various fruits and vegetables. He also examines the challenges facing those in the food world wanting to support sustainable practices and choose varieties of plants bred for flavor. Along the way, he also shares what the items mean to him and introduces us to some of his favorite producers as well. I love that he shows how interdisciplinary food can be. In short, food geeks have many journeys waiting for them in this read. 

These explorations the book takes inspired me to be more inquisitive about the foods I buy, and I thought I’d start by taking a closer look at one item I’ve been regularly buying to get to know it better.

Early Girls

In one chapter of the book, Hoffman shares his love for Canestrino tomatoes, an heirloom variety he loves for their density and exceptional flavor. While they’re a hybrid and not an heirloom variety, I have been bringing home pounds and pounds of Early Girl tomatoes every week from the farmer’s market these past few weeks, as seems to be the case at certain times of the year the last few years. You might notice that it’s nearly November right now, which might lead you to say “Really, tomatoes? Right now?” Well, I am in California, and here in the Bay Area it does tend to stay warm until late in the fall, and with global warming, that seems to get further extended every year. So yeah, there are tons of tomatoes at the market right now.

Early Girls tend to be round and range from golf ball to tennis ball sizes (although I generally find more of the former. They’re like little bright red globes. They’re juicy, sweet, and have a good concentration of flavor. They’re a dependable variety that ripens early and they continue to ripen and set fruit throughout the season, probably one of the reasons I’m seeing so many of them late into the fall. I learned that this characteristic of growing new fruit throughout the season makes them an “indeterminate” variety of tomato, which yields a slow and steady supply, rather than one big harvest. It can withstand large temperature shifts, and they do particularly well when dry-farmed (the ones I buy are dry-farmed) which forces these vines to develop deeper roots and produces more concentrated flavors –– much like with wine grapes! This attribute makes them particularly attractive for areas like California that are experiencing more and more drought conditions. We’re definitely water-conscious around here.

This variety was brought to the US in the 1970s by horticulturalist Joe Howland. He discovered this tasty, early-season variety developed in France. He served as chairman of Pan American Seed Company and on the board of directors for PetoSeed Company, and he secured the rights to sell the seed in the US, nicknaming it the “Early Girl.” Some modifications have been made by US seed breeders, and the tomato has been gaining in popularity ever since. So while not an heirloom, this tomato has a lot to recommend it from sustainability, economic, and flavor standpoints, with many people finding the flavor to be on par or even surpassing that of some beloved heirloom varieties. These gals are winners on many levels.

They’re also super versatile. These tomatoes are considered slicing tomatoes, so they’re great on salads and in sandwiches. However, because they’re juicy and sweet, I really like to roast them, which further concentrates the flavor and makes them jammy or slightly candied and oven-dried depending how long you let them go. They’re great like that to use as a topping, or I then use them for sauces and soup. I’ve been buying up tons of these, roasting them, and will be storing them in the freezer to use during the winter.

In the book, Hoffman combines the Canestrinos with eggplant for Pasta all a Norma, and I thought these would be perfect in that dish. I switched up the techniques slightly from the recipe he shared by roasting both the eggplant and tomatoes. This creates a few more dishes, but means you don’t have to stand by the stove for as long, and seems appropriate during this time period here that is half summer and half fall. It worked out beautifully and we got a delicious and hearty vegetarian dish where we didn’t miss the meat for a second.

The Wines: A Trio of Merlot

As it’s #MerlotMe month, I have quite a few bottles of Merlot about and the plummy red fruit flavors and moderate tannins of many make this variety a good candidate to pair with a dish like this. However, this pasta has a couple of wild card elements. First, tomatoes can be tricky to pair at times because they’re high in acid which can flatten the flavors of wine that’s less acidic. However, eggplant is pretty low in acid and can mitigate the effect. The bigger variable is the spiciness of the chile peppers in the sauce, which can also cause pairing problems. The fruitiness of New World Merlots stand a good chance of mitigating the heat, but of course, individual cuvées will vary. We had 3 bottles that I received as samples to play against to see what worked. All three are made sustainably, which only seems appropriate to pair with a recipe inspired by a book that deals so closely with issues of sustainability.  

Matanzas Creek Merlot Alexander Valley 2018

Blend: Merlot | ABV: 13.8% |  Price: $40

Matanzas Creek was founded in 1977 on the site of a retired dairy farm in the Bennett Valley region of Sonoma County. All of the winery’s fruit is sustainably grown, certified under the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance. They focus primarily on Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc, although they do also make some limited quantities of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Bordeaux-style reds. In addition, to their grapes, they also have fields of lavender gardens. Matanzas Creek is a part of the Jackson Family portfolio of wines. 

Winemaking: The grapes for this wine were picked sourced from 14 blocks in mountains and benchland areas. (86% from Alexander Valley, 14% Bennett Valley) The wine was cold-soaked for five days and then fermented on skins for an average of 15 days. Élevage occurred over 533 Days in 32% new French oak. Additional information can be found here.

Tasting Notes: Aromas of black cherry, red plum, and black tea hit on the nose and then continue on the palate, along with flavors of sour cherry, a touch of chocolate, a little bit of pencil led, and cinnamon. The wine had medium+ body with moderate, smooth tannins, and plenty of brightness. 

How it Worked: This was our favorite of the three wines with the Pasta alla Norma. It was the most red fruited of the three, which matched nicely with the flavors in the food, and it had the most moderate tannins and the medium body worked well with the weight of the dish. It also worked the best with the spiciness in the sauce, and it become more savory and more peppery in the pairing. 

 

Seavey Vineyard Merlot Napa Valley 2018

Blend:  Merlot |  ABV: 14.5%  | Price: $65 

Seavey Vineyard’s history goes back to the 1870s when it was commonly known as the Franco-Swiss Farming Company. After about thirty years of producing great wines, the dual punches of a phylloxera infestation and Prohibition led the company to fold. The land was used to raise cattle and for growing grains for the next half-century until Bill and Mary Seavey acquired the land in 1979 and began to revive the original vineyards. Vines are planted on steep, rocky, south-facing hillsides in Conn Valley near Lake Hennessey. They only produce estate wines from their 40 planted acres. The grapes are farmed sustainably, certified under Napa Green as well as by Fish Friendly Farming. You can find more information on their sustainability practices here.

Winemaking: Grapes from each vineyard block were harvested and vinified separately. Grapes were harvested in the morning and promptly de-stemmed and the uncrushed berries were gently transferred into fermentation tanks to carefully manage the tannins and resulting wine texture. Following whole-berry fermentation, the wine was aged in 100% French oak barrels (35% new) for 20 months before bottling in June 2020. Additional information can be found here. 

Tasting Notes: This wine showed darker fruit notes, with black plums, blackberry, and cherry on the nose. Chocolate, a touch of iron, and licorice joined in on the palate and led into a savory finish. The wine was a touch more structured than the last, and had a fuller body and showed a little more grip on the finish, and still had plenty of acidity. 

How it Worked: This was our next favorite with the food. The tannins and fuller body competed a little bit with the weight and spice of the dish, but in general, it made a very good match. 

 

L'Ecole No. 41 Estate Merlot Walla Walla Valley 2018

Blend:  84% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon | ABV: 14.5%|  Price: $36

L’Ecole No. 41 has made several appearances on the blog before. They’re a third-generation family-owned winery and the third oldest winery in Walla Walla Valley. The winery gets its name from the historic Frenchtown School building in which the winery is located. Marty Clubb is L’Ecole N° 41’s Managing Winemaker and co-owns the winery with his wife Megan. Megan’s parents, Jean and Baker Ferguson, founded the winery in 1983. L’Ecole has been at the forefront of leading the way on sustainability in Washington. They are certified by VINEA as well as Salmon-Safe. You can find more info on their sustainability and farming practices here.

Winemaking: The grapes for this wine come from the winery’s estate vineyards in Walla Wallas, split evenly between their Ferguson Vineyard with fractured basalt soils, and their Seven Hills Vineyard with wind-blown loess soils. Each lot was hand-harvested and gently crushed into 1.5 ton stainless steel fermenters. Then the wine was cleanly racked to small French oak barrels, 35% new, with four rackings over 18 months. Additional information can be found here. 

Tasting Note: This wine showed notes of dark cherry, black plum black tea, and savory herbs. Notes of black pepper, cedar, and charcoal join in on the palate. This was the most structured of the three wines, with the darkest flavor profile, due in part to the blend in the wine, and likely from volcanic soils, the grapes were grown in adding to the smoky impressions. 

How it Worked: While it didn’t make for a bad pairing, this is a wine that wants a meatier, richer pairing. The tannins and flavors competed a bit with the spice in the dish and just felt a little heavy alongside it. Have this with a peppery steak or a braised meat dish. We also enjoyed the rest of the bottle with a big juicy burger, and that was a hit!

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In 2007 a team of Armenian and Irish archaeologists discovered a 6,100 year old wine press in a cave site outside the Armenian town of Areni. The team went on to discover fermentation and storage vessels, traces of grape skins, seeds, vines, and cups. They’d found the oldest winery in existence so far.

Panorama of the Areni-1 site along the Arpa River. By Serouj - Own work, CC BY 3.0, Link

Areni-1, as the cave complex is known, has been a treasure trove of ‘oldest of’s.’ The team, which went on to partner with UCLA in 2008, found a very well preserved mocassin (ie. the leather oldest shoe), a straw skirt, and the oldest humanoid brain. Evidence of twenty different burials was found around the winery area, which has led scientists to believe that wine was used in a ritualistic manner here. It was perhaps dedicated to the dead, and the shoe, which was found in the winery, might’ve been removed in order to participate in a ritual, or perhaps for stomping grapes.

In 2010, archaeologists excavated a 2-foot-deep vat buried next to a shallow, 3.5-foot-long basin made of hard-packed clay. The team chemically analyzed shards of pottery for traces of wine. Radiocarbon dating suggests the pottery dates back to 4100 B.C. and 4000 B.C. In the clay, they found traces of a compound called malvidin, which is plant pigment responsible for giving red wine its color.

Older evidence of wine has been found in Iran dating back about 7000 years, but this is the oldest winery found thus far. When combined with previous studies, evidence now points to the mountains around Armenia and Georgia and other neighboring countries as the birthplace of domesticated viticulture.

(For more on these fascinating archeological finds, check out these articles from National Geographic here and here.)

Somewhat tragically, despite their looooooooooooooonnnggg winemaking traditions, the wine industries of both Armenia and Georgia were dealt huge blows first when they fell under Ottoman rule, and then again in the 20th century. Both countries were part of the Soviet Union, and sadly neither the history nor the quality of the wines were big considerations under Soviet rule. The grand majority of Armenia’s vineyards were shifted towards production for brandy distillation. This is largely still the case today, but things are changing.  When Armenia gained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, interest in reviving the wine industry and in rediscovering their winemaking traditions have returned. Moreover, the Armenian Diaspora sent Armenians to many parts of the world. Many descendants of that diaspora grew up elsewhere, but are bringing back the knowledge they’ve gained back to Armenia – winemaking knowledge included. In addition, many of the most famous “Flying Winemakers” have taken an interest in Armenia’s wine industry and are part of projects in Armenia including Michel Rolland, Alberto Antonini, and Paul Hobbs (some of whose wines are featured here today.) All of this has shifted the focus from quantity to quality, and the improvements in wines are turning this into a very exciting wine region. I’d say that is one hell of a comeback story.

I first got to try an Armenian wine when a couple of friends who were working for Paul Hobbs at the time brought a bottle from his Yacoubian-Hobbs wine project to lunch. One of these friends and I eventually concocted a plan that we should have a dinner party to explore these wines with Armenian cuisine. It took a bit, but we eventually planned our feast for last summer. 

Map borrowed from www.nationsonline.org.

We also have a good friend whose family is Armenian and I immediately enlisted her help in the menu planning. Gohar pointed out that because of Armenia’s location and history, its cuisine is kind of an amalgam of many others, principally Russian, Georgian, and various Middle Eastern cuisines. I cooked a few dishes, Gohar brought a mix of mezze for appetizers, my friend Laura brought a salad, and the rest of our guests brought the wines. A few people also brought desserts. Most of the dishes I made for this dinner party drew more from the Middle Eastern side of things, with a little bit from the Russian side. 


Here was the menu:

• Assorted Mezze with lavash bread.

 

• Imam Bayildi – I love the story behind this dish. Its name means “the Imam Fainted,”  supposedly for an Imam who swooned when his wife presented him with this dish because he loved it so much. Other versions say he fainted at hearing the cost of the ingredients. It consists of eggplant stuffed with tomatoes, onion, and garlic and it can be served hot or at room temp. It can sometimes include other veggies or meats, as was the case here. I basically made this version I found on The Spruce Eats with the seasonings from this version. I then topped it with extra roasted red peppers and parsley for color. A few years ago I made a similar, simplified stuffed eggplant dish for 8 & $20, in case you're interested to try a streamlined version.     

• Surim (or Suram or Surram) – This is a pasta dish topped with feta, yogurt, garlic, butter, and herbs. It’s considered by some to be like an Armenian “mac and cheese.” This is an Armenian-American version, as the original was extremely time-consuming, and Armenians that immigrated to the US adapted it to use dry pasta. 

• Bulgur Pilaf 

• Salad

• A selection of desserts including baklava, sweet sujuk, and gata.

The Wines

Today’s wine are all from the Vayotz Dzor region in the southern part of the country. This is the same region the Areni-1 cave is located in. It’s a heartland for native varieties. This ancient wine region launched the annual Areni wine festival launched in 2009.

Keush Origins Brut NV

(Average price: $21)

As an aperitif, we had a traditional method sparkling wine from Keush, a winery located about 1800 meters above sea level in the community of Khchik. The terrain is mountainous with rocky limestone and volcanic soils. It’s made up of native varieties 60% Voskehat and 40% Khatouni (see grape descriptions bellow), and it spends a minimum of 22 months on the lees.

The wine showed notes of golden apples, lemons, yellow peaches, sweet smoke, pastry, and stones. It was a lovely kick-off to our dinner.

Yacoubian-Hobbs

The Yacoubian family invited Paul Hobbs to visit Armenia to explore the country’s winemaking potential. They eventually partnered together, and after visiting six of the country’s ten provinces and decided to establish their project in Vayotz Dzor, not far from the Areni-1 cave, and planted vineyards here in 2014.

Dry White Blend 2014

(Average price $27)

Made from 4 indigenous varieties grown at an elevation of over 4,000 feet, in the vineyard sites of Aghavnadzor. Since I’m not all that familiar with these varieties, I’m going to borrow descriptions from the tech sheet.

• 80% Voskehat: or "golden berry" is considered the emblematic white variety of Armenia, thriving in high-altitude, rocky soils, known for its longevity with vines living well past 100 years. Thick-skinned berries yield complex and expressive aromatics including the fresh scent of the Armenian Snowdrop flower.

• 10% Khatuni: thick-skinned berries, gives a notable crispness and unique floral expression to the wine.

• 5% Qrdi: a late-ripening variety, bringing a beautiful freshness to the blend.

• 5% Garan Demak: or "sheep's tail" prefers rocky, semi-desert soils; its delicate fruit rounds out the final wine.

The wine is fermented and aged in stainless steel.

This wine showed lots of crisp, fresh notes of green apple, lime zest, white peach, and hints of herbs and flowers. This wine paired beautifully with the Surim and the cucumber salad. I really enjoyed this lovely white wine.

Areni

Our next three wines are made of the Areni grape, which is considered to have huge potential because it tends to be elegant in the glass and is simultaneously very hardy in the vineyard. It’s disease resistant and does well in the harsh climates with extreme variability. Interestingly, its DNA profile is completely unique, unlike any other variety. The wines tend to be full-bodied, red-fruited, with fresh acidity. The grapes also are fairly thick-skinned and which tends to lead to a firm tannic structure. All of the Areni wines tasted here had medium+ tannins, but they were ripe and round. I've seen it compared to a cross in flavors between Pinot and Merlot, and I'd say that's a pretty good description, or perhaps something a long the lines of a fuller-bodied Barbera.

All of the Areni wines paired really well with the Imam Bayildi.

Areni 2014 and 2015

(Average price $32)

The grapes for this wine comes from the village of Rind, and from vines grown in volcanic and limestone soils at an elevation of 4,000 feet. This wine is 100% Areni and is fermented and aged in stainless steel.

2014 - This vintage showed more floral notes, pomegranate, red plum, and a little bit of tobacco.
2015 - This vintage had a bit of a sweet smoky note to it, with red fruits and a hint of black pepper. The acidity on this one was also a bit higher than on the 2014.

Sarpina Areni 2014

(Average price $44)

This wine also came from the Rind vineyard area, but this bottling is produced in smaller quantities and aged in French oak. ‘Sarpina’ is named for the posts used to train vines as is recorded in Armenian agricultural history books.

In addition to red berries and pomegranates, there was also a hint of blood orange to this wine. There were also notes of clove, vanilla, and smoke. It was round and full with more tannic structure than the other two wines, but the tannins were quite smooth. 


All of these wines were really approachable. They’d all be a great option if you want to have a tasting adventure and try something completely new, while still not getting too far out of your comfort zone.

This was such a fun feast and a happy memory to revisit right now. I hope to have the chance to gather with friends for culinary explorations again soon!







This weekend I’m hosting the Wine Pairing Weekend (#WinePW) blogging group in an exploration of the wines of the Ancient World. Be sure to check out all the interesting wines they've discovered in their explorations.

• Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla will be sharing “History on the Table – A Dish from the Hundred Years War Meets Wine from the Land of the Bible: Cassoulet + Tabor Adama Shiraz 2013”

• Wendy of A Day on the Life on the Farm will be enjoying “Clams Tossed in Herbs and Spaghetti with a Santo Assyrtiko”

• Terri of Our Good Life is taken with “Old World Charm: Tifosi Vino Bianco with Olives and Citrus”

• Andrea of The Quirky Cork is sharing “#WinePW and The Ancient Wine Culture of Antioch”  

• David of Cooking Chat is "Tasting and Pairing Ancient World Wines"

• Pinny of Chinese Food & Wine Pairings is making the case to “Drink Ancient Saperavi and Eat Modern Family Meals from Chinese Takeouts”

• Linda from My Full Wine Glass discovers “Agiorgitiko: Modern Greek Wine from an Ancient Land”

• Gwendolyn of Wine Predator shares an “Ancient Wine for Modern Times: Slovenia's Jarenincan and Calamari with Lemon Caper Sauce”

• Cindy of Grape Experiences looks at “Aglianico - An Ancient Variety That Ages Well”

• Susannah of Avvinare will be sipping an “Ancient Wine from Campania- Falerno del Massico”

• And I’m sharing “An Armenian Feast with Friends Paired with Armenian Wines: Modern Wines from an Ancient Place” here on Somm's Table.

Additional sources used for references and additional reading:

What You Need to Know About Armenian Wine on Sevenfity Daily 
Armenian Wines Are Kicking With Quality on Forbes.com
Meet the Man Bringing Incredible Armenian Wine to the U.S. on Food & Wine
From Georgia to Lebanon: Exploring the Best Wines of the Ancient World on the Guardian





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