Ledger David’s Robert Trottmann Selected as Wine Barrel Artist for this Year’s Oregon Wine Experience
The barrel will be auctioned off at the Oregon Wine Experience Medal Dinner and Barrel Auction on August 19 at Bigham Knoll.
Robert’s artistic wine barrel embodies the story and history of the Ledger David Brand and will be on display at Harry & David in the weeks leading up to Oregon Wine Experience.
By Regina Vaccari with Additional Content by Event Organizers
You know he can cook. You know he can talk wine. But did you know that he is also a multi-talented artist?
It is for this reason that event organizers selected Robert Trottmann as one of just a handful of local artists commissioned to design a wine barrel for this year’s Oregon Wine Experience. Robert’s barrel is a true inspiration that embodies the story and history of the Ledger David brand.
Robert, who holds a Masters in Fine Arts (M.F.A.), uses unique painting and carving techniques in this utilitarian piece that represents ‘the pictorial narrative tradition’.
“By utilizing various images and symbols I hope to tell an open ended story,” Robert says. “While the images I utilize have special and important meaning personally, each viewer can and will bring their own associations, memories and understandings to the work. In doing so it is possible to have a more expansive content accessible to a wide audience.”
The barrel will be on display at Harry & David Country Village in Medford in the weeks leading up to the event. The one-of-a-kind barrel will then be auctioned off at a special Medal Celebration and Barrel Auction, Wednesday, August 19 at 6pm.
You can also join Robert and the Ledger David team at Oregon Wine University for Wine 101: How to Choose, Pair and Serve Wine. This interactive class, which takes place Thursday, August 20 at 1pm at Bigham Knoll in Jacksonville, takes attendees on a journey through a brief overview of wine sensory and evaluation, what’s behind the tasting notes, and simple methods to help you pair your go-to wine with your favorite foods. Course is $49 and includes logo wine glass, wine flight and sample food pairings. For more information or to register, visit www.theoregonwineexperience.com.
The Oregon Wine Experience is Oregon’s newest destination event. The entire week-long event will be held August 17 to 23 at Bigham Knoll in Jacksonville. Sponsored by the Asante Foundation and Southern Oregon wineries, this will be a spectacular week of extraordinary wines and fabulous meals served in a backdrop of some of the Northwest’s most dramatic and beautiful wine country.
The Oregon Wine Experience will showcase what many critics have called the next great wine region. It will feature wine talks, tastings and sensory classes, intimate vintner dinners, wine competition, and auctions crowned by an outdoor salmon bake with music and dancing under starlit skies.
Proceeds from the Oregon Wine Experience benefits Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) and other healthcare programs supported by Asante Foundation. Asante Foundation organizes community support for quality healthcare in Asante’s nine-county region serving over 600,000 people in Southern Oregon, Eastern Oregon and Northern California. As a CMN designated hospital, Asante provides the highest level of pediatric care in the region.
The Oregon Wine Experience grew from World of Wine, an annual Southern Oregon Wine event started in 2002 by three local vintners, Cal Schmidt of Schmidt Family Vineyards, Lee Mankin of Carpenter Hill Vineyard, and Joe Ginet of Plaisance Ranch. In 2014, Asante joined the event.
For tickets and information, visit www.theoregonwineexperience.com or call 541-789-5025.
Oregon Wine Experience Schedule of Events
Wednesday, August 19
Medal Celebration & Barrel Auction
6 to 9 p.m. at Bigham Knoll, Jacksonville
Guests will get the opportunity to taste extraordinary wines directly from the barrel and then bid on those wines’ futures. Art auction also included.
Thursday & Friday, August 20 & 21
Ultimate Vintner Dinners
6 p.m. at Various Wineries in Southern Oregon
Enjoy an intimate, one-of-a-kind dinner with vintners as they open their homes, wineries, vineyards, and cellars to guests.
Saturday, August 22
Miracle Auction & Salmon Bake
4:30 to 10 p.m. at Bigham Knoll, Jacksonville
Serving the most important aspect of Pacific Northwest cuisine, fresh Pacific Salmon. Buffet includes beef and pork carving stations, an abundant selection of top-of-the season fresh produce, gourmet salads, and hand-crafted delectable desserts. Gold and Silver award-winning wines will accompany this amazing meal.
Miracle Auction featuring Live, Platinum and Silent Auctions is followed by music, dancing under the stars, and the opportunity to exchange stories and share more wine around the fire embers.
Sunday, August 23
Grand Tasting
2 to 5 p.m., Bigham Knoll, Jacksonville
Winemakers and owners from 50-plus wineries will showcase more than 100 of the best wines unique to the region. This event offers the ultimate wine tasting experience accompanied by an array of tasty food samples provided by local caterers and restaurants.
Monday through Friday, August 17-21
Oregon Wine University: Wine discovery series
Various times each day at Bigham Knoll in Jacksonville and at the Southern Oregon Wine Institute in the Umpqua Valley.
Ledger David Wine Scores 92 Points, Named ‘Editor’s Choice’ by Wine Enthusiast
By Regina Vaccari
Marketing Director
Shhh….we’ve been keeping a secret so hard not to tell. How our latest vintages of Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin and other wines turned out so well!
We are happy to share that the Editors at the Wine Enthusiast – one of the world’s leading resources for wine news – recently reviewed and rated Ledger David wines. Before the results are announced in the publication’s August Issue, we wanted you to be the first to hear the results!
Ledger David 2014 Sauvignon Blanc – 92 Points, ‘Editor’s Choice’
“Fermented in stainless steel and one neutral barrel, this aromatic and compelling wine is clean, fresh and full of delicious fruit.” – Editor Paul Gregutt
Ledger David 2013 Primoris Chenin Blanc – 91 Points, ‘Editor’s Choice’
“Chenin Blanc is quite rare in Oregon, and this wine, from vines planted just five years previously, may inspire others to follow suit…The balance and length are just right and the varietal character is in evidence throughout.” – Editor Paul Gregutt
With just 87 cases of the 2014 Sauvignon Blanc produced and only 182 cases of the 2013 Chenin Blanc produced, these wines are offered with limited availability while vintage lasts.
Ledger David also received 89 Points for its 2012 Sangiovese and 2011 Syrah. Both wines are available on a limited basis.
The results will be published in the magazine’s August Wine Buying Guide online and in print.
For more info, visit http://buyingguide.winemag.com/.
To purchase any of these wines, visit www.ledgerdavid.com/buy-wine/.
Alaskan Wild Caught Cod with Green Curry Coconut Sauce on Jasmine Rice
Paired with Ledger David Cellars 2014 Sauvignon Blanc
By Wine Educator and Culinary Expert Robert Trottmann
Serves 4-5
INGREDIENTS
For the Fish
3-1/2 to 4 lbs Fresh Wild Caught Alaskan Cod (also called Pacific Cod) cut into equal portions
½ cup unbleached flour
Sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Peanut or Canola oil
For the Curry Paste and Finished Coconut Sauce
Dry Ingredients
1 full tablespoon white or green peppercorns
¼ tablespoon black peppercorns
½ tablespoon cardamom (pre-ground)
1 tablespoon coriander (pre-ground)
½ tablespoon cumin (pre-ground)
2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg (pre-ground)
1 tablespoon sugar or palm sugar (to be added at the end of the finished green curry coconut sauce)
NOTE: You can grind all of these on your own in a granite mortar and pestle, except the nutmeg which will need to be grated first. All of this will result in better and more nuanced flavors but can buy them pre-ground. I recommend grinding your own. If you don’t own a mortar and pestle, you can use a food processor or blender but the flavors will not be as complex. Additionally, you could buy a pre-made green curry but it will be nothing like this in terms of richness and freshness of flavor and the ingredients could be quite different.
Wet Ingredients
3 medium sized garlic cloves- minced
1/8th cup minced fresh ginger
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 medium sized lime- Zest the whole skin down to the flesh just before you hit the juice of the lime.
4 medium sized jalapeños- seeded and finely chopped
1 large shallot finely chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped Thai basil (you may substitute Italian basil)
16oz. can organic unsweetened coconut milk (you’ll only be using the creamiest part so DON’T shake it up, you’ll just spoon off the heavy cream into a small sauce pan). Save the watery potion to add back into the sauce if it needs thinning.
Thai Fish Sauce to taste (I like Viet Huong, but there are many others-Just get the highest quality you can find from your market.)
Preparing the Green Curry Paste
DIRECTIONS
In 2000 I started learning to cook Thai food as a way to decompress from my hectic work life. Thai food has a rich and powerful range of flavors and an ancient history. Much of it is fast paced and requires complete focus and its very healthy. Making curries is particularly satisfying, especially in eliminating stress. I make mine in a traditional Thai granite mortar and pestle of medium size. The pounding and mashing of the ingredients to achieve a rich paste is physically engaging, the smells are wonderful and the end result are deep rich flavors that can’t be beat.
I work in batches and make about a pint of paste at a time and use as much as I need in my coconut sauce based on taste. There are nearly infinite opportunities for experimentation. This is just one interpretation that works out beautifully in pairing with Ledger David Cellars 2014 Sauvignon Blanc.
One word of caution, if you’re in a hurry, this part may just cause frustration. Slow down and focus on the task at hand and you’ll be well rewarded. The rest is easy.
DRY INGREDIENTS FIRST
Start with the dry ingredients. Grind the white and black peppercorns until fine and then add the coriander seed, cardamom, nutmeg, sea salt and cumin and set aside.
NEXT GRIND THE WET INGREDIENTS
After all the wet ingredients are finely chopped or nearly minced, start adding the garlic, ginger and shallots then the jalapeños lime zest and basil. Slowly and persistently keep grinding these wet items into a paste. A little extra coarse salt will help breakdown these ingredients. Continue until you have a nice green paste.
Add the dry ingredients back into the wet and grind until thoroughly entrained and you have a nice paste. Your paste is ready to add to the coconut milk to finish your sauce.
To finish the sauce, heat the coconut milk cream until it just starts to break/boil. Reduce the heat and add about three tablespoons the paste and cook slowly for 10 minutes of so. Additionally I add about a tablespoon of sugar to the sauce and a handful of finely chopped basil right at the end before plating. Keep warm and set aside to place on the fish when they are cooked.
THE FISH
Add salt and pepper to taste to about a ½ cup of flour. Pat the cod fillets lightly dry and dust them thoroughly with the flour. In a large cast iron skillet or cast iron wok set to medium high heat enough peanut or canola oil to nicely coat the bottom. Heat until the oil glistens and add the fish cook on first side until golden and crispy. Carefully flip once until the second side is done and remove to a wire racked tray and keep in the oven if needed at 300 degrees. Note: This gives you a little extra time to plate the rice and so on.
TO FINISH
Plate about a cup (or portion to your guests liking) of cooked jasmine rice, place the finished cod on the rice and sauce the fish with the green curry. Serve immediately. I like to add a slice of fresh cantaloupe or other melon, but fresh salads and so forth are also nice sides when it is hot out outside.
This green curry with cod was a huge hit with my guests. The pairing with the Ledger David 2014 Sauvignon Blanc is superb. Enjoy.
Roasted Chicken with Brown Buttered Herbs
Paired with Ledger David Cellars Primoris (Chenin Blanc)
By Culinary Expert and Wine Educator Robert Trottmann
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
2-1/2 to 3 lbs. Whole Organic Free Range Chicken
Teaspoon each of the following finely chopped: (Your choice of variety of what you have in your garden of these herbs or purchase your choice at the market.
Thyme
Rosemary
Sage
1 large lemon quartered and lightly rubbed with sea salt
Sea Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Preparing the browned butter
Brown 1/8 of a pound of unsalted butter. Watch carefully. Start at a low medium heat and don’t turn your back. When the butter starts to break brown (it will pop little brown bubble pockets), remove from heat immediately. Add your herbs and return to the lowest heat and hold for 10-15 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and with a big mixing bowl full of ice water, cool your infused butter until medium soft. Set aside.
Preparing the Chicken
Rinse and pat dry one 2-1/2 to 3 lb. chicken
Place the chicken into a large ceramic or cast iron roasting pan. You can do the rest of the work from here with no need to dirty up another surface.
From the neck end of the chicken, with your hands, carefully lift the skin away from the breast meat side of the bird creating a cavity within which you’ll evenly place the soft infused butter. It is really simple and really easy, go slow and distribute the infused butter evenly.
Once you have placed the butter under the skin, place the quartered lemon sections inside the chest cavity of the bird and truss the legs. To truss, simply take a foot long length of cotton twine and tie the ends of the legs together tightly. No need to get fancy. Just tie them up to hold them together.
Rub a bit of the infused herb butter onto the legs and wing parts and dust with salt and pepper.
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees and roast for about 10-15 minutes a pound. Cook until done. 170 degrees. Let the bird rest for 10-20 minutes, carve and serve.
Serve with a side of fresh field greens salad, Rogue Creamery Smokey Blue cheese crumbles dressing and the best summer time melon you can find.
Enjoy with Ledger David Cellars 2014 Primoris. You’ll be pleased.
