January Newsletter

WINTER AT THE VINEYARD

The grapevines are dormant this time of year, giving them a must needed rest so they can recharge for the upcoming growing season. Sonoma County received a record amount of rainfall during December and January, which means our cover crop is extra lush. Tiny, cheerful white flowers have filled in between each row of the vineyard.

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AWARD WINNING WINES (AND DESIGNS!)

The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition was founded in 1983 and receives over 6,000 entries per year. The SFCWC is the largest competition of American wines in the world, where over 60 prestigious experts within the media, trade, hospitality and education industries from around the country join together to judge the wines. We were thrilled to receive several awards this year!

But we were even more excited to receive two label design awards. Nancy & Garo’s eldest son, James Kholamian, created our logo and designs all of our bottle labels. He was awarded Best in Class in the Minimalist Design category for the Estate Cabernet label and Silver for The Argument label in the Whimsical Design category. Way to go, James!

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PAIRING OF THE MONTH – King Ranch Casserole

This month’s recipe is the perfect hearty dish for a cold winter day or to feed a group; if you’re having a Super Bowl party this is for you. The recipe comes from our treasured friends and OG Wine Club Members Debbie and Brenda, who love to cook and entertain, and are excellent at both! We recommend pairing this casserole with The Argument – it complements both the rotisserie-style chicken and smoky spices in the dish AND any spicy Seahawks/Patriots “discussions”.

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King Ranch Casserole

This Tex-Mex casserole is loaded with rotisserie chicken, corn tortillas, and smoky spices. The flavors are reminiscent of enchilada casserole, but the assembly is even easier – rather than filling and rolling tortillas, the dish is layered like lasagna.

Ingredients:

3  Tbsp. unsalted butter
1  red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped (about 1 2/3 cups)
1  yellow onion, chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
1  Tbsp. chili powder
2  tsp. ground cumin
3  ½ cups chicken broth
¼  cup all-purpose flour
3  cups shredded rotisserie chicken (about 1 chicken)
1  (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes and green chiles (such as Rotel), drained
¾  cup heavy cream
¾  cup sour cream, plus more for garnish
3  Tbsp. chile crisp*, plus more for serving
1  tsp. kosher salt
2  cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 8 oz.), divided
12  5 1/2-inch corn tortillas, warmed, divided
Sliced avocado and fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

Instructions:

1.     Preheat oven to 425°. Melt butter in a 12” cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add bell pepper and onion; cook stirring occasionally until softened, about 6 minutes. Add chili powder and cumin, and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken broth; bring to a boil over high, stirring occasionally. Boil until broth is reduced by about one-third, 8-10 minutes.

2.     Reduce heat to low and gradually whisk in flour; cook, whisking constantly, until broth mixture thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir in chicken, diced tomatoes, and green chiles, heavy cream, sour cream, chile crisp, and salt until well combined, then transfer to a large bowl. Do not wipe skillet clean.

3.     Spoon 2 cups chicken mixture back into skillet and spread in an even layer. Top evenly with ½ cup cheese and 6 tortillas, overlapping slightly and tearing as needed to fit. Repeat layering process with chicken mixture and cheese. Top with remaining tortillas, remaining 2 cups chicken mixture, and remaining 1 cup of cheese.

4.     Bake casserole in preheated oven until bubbly and cheese is browned in spots, 15 to 20 minutes. Garnish with sliced avocado, cilantro, and sour cream. Drizzle with chile crisp.

Make ahead: Casserole can be prepared through step 3 up to one day in advance and stored, covered, in the refrigerator. Let stand at room temperature while oven preheats. Uncover and proceed with step 4 as directed, increasing bake time to 25 minutes.

*Available at Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s

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