Happy 2025!
If you took part in Dry January, you can now indulge in KFV wines once more, so cheers! Valentine's Day is the perfect occasion to savor the KFV Rosé. We have a fantastic Valentine's Day recipe to share that will help impress your Valentine! If you're in the mood for red wine, we offer a delicious and hearty Beef Stew Recipe that is sure to make an impression! Recipes below. Enjoy!
Vineyard Update
The cover crop is effectively sealing in all the rain we're receiving and providing nutrients to the vines as they get ready to emerge this spring. As I write, we're finally getting the rain needed to propel the vineyard into bud break. Hopefully, not too early, as it is still chilly at night and the vines are susptible to frost. In the vineyard, we persist in advancing sustainability by implementing measures such as cover crops, owl boxes, and raptor stands. These sustainable practices help manage squirrels and birds that consume our grapes. We are also exploring solar energy for our well pumps and the potential to utilize field monitors for water and wind to assess irrigation requirements in real time.
The Winery
With the 2024 bottling we made some decisions on how we bottle our wines. We chose not have the foil on our bottles making our bottles 100% recyclable. Additionally we reduced the weight of the bottles to help reduce shipping costs. We are evaluating alternatives to packaging and inventive ideas for wine-tastings and hope to share those soon! This Fall we harvested our Cabernet and our Merlot and are very excited with how they are coming along. If you remember, we dropped fruit which resulted in a much more intense flavor. For the Cab, we chose to use new French Oak. We think this is going to be our best vintage yet!
RECIPES
Halibut in Parchment
2-4oz pieces of halibut, skin removed
1 lemon, half sliced, half for squeezing
4 thyme sprigs
4 dill sprigs
KFV Rosé
Cherry tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
Paprika
Salt
Pepper
Oregano
Two sheets unbleached parchment
Good olive oil
Haricort Verts
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place verts on parchment, then place a piece of halibut on top of the verts. Drizzle olive oil and two Tbsp Rosé on each. Add lemon slices and herb sprigs on each filet. Add tomatoes. Sprinkle with paprika, salt, and pepper and oregano. Place on baking sheet and place in oven for 15 minutes or until fish is firm. Serve with your choice of starch. We like farro or quinoa! Pour a glass of KFV Rosé and enjoy!
Red Wine braised Beef Stew
1.5 pounds boneless beef chuck (well-marbled), cut into 1½-inch pieces
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp tomato paste
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 cups KFV Red Wine Blend
1 cup beef broth
1 cup water
1 bay leaf
½ tsp dried thyme
1 tsp sugar
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks on a diagonal
1/2 pound baby potatoes (rainbow, red or yukon gold), cut in half
Fresh chopped parsley, for serving (optional)
Preheat the oven to 325°F and set a rack in the lower middle position.
Pat the beef dry and season with the salt and pepper.
In a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Brown the meat in 3 batches, turning with tongs, for about 5 minutes per batch; add one tablespoon more oil for each batch. (To sear the meat properly, do not crowd the pan and let the meat develop a nice brown crust before turning with tongs.)
Transfer the meat to a large plate and set aside.
Add the onions, garlic and balsamic vinegar; cook, stirring with a wooden spoon and scraping the brown bits from bottom of the pan, for about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute more. Add the beef with its juices back to the pan and sprinkle with the flour. Stir with wooden spoon until the flour is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine, beef broth, water, bay leaf, thyme, and sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid, transfer to the preheated oven, and braise for 2 hours.
Remove the pot from the oven and add the carrots and potatoes. Cover and place back in oven for about an hour more, or until the vegetables are cooked, the broth is thickened, and the meat is tender. Fish out the bay leaf and discard, then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve the stew warm -- or let it come to room temperature and then store in the refrigerator overnight or until ready to serve. This stew improves in flavor if made at least 1 day ahead. Reheat, covered, over medium heat. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
Note: If you don’t have a Dutch oven or covered pot that is appropriate for the oven, the stew can be cooked on the stove. The timing will be the same and it should be cooked over the lowest setting.
We thank you for your continued support of KFV and hope you enjoy this Valentine's Day and President's Day doing something you love, with someone you love!
Only 36 more days until Spring!
Cheers!
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