Food, Wine

Two-Bite Wonders

The 2021 vintage is looking like a winner in California thanks to a long, mild growing season. Winegrapes harvested in the cool hours just before dawn are arriving daily in California cellars to await their fate: the immediate transformation into juice and, gradually, into wine. Vintners call this period “crush,” and it is definitely a time of peak excitement and adrenaline in wine country.

If you can visit any of the state’s many wine regions in September, you’ll find dozens of special events going on to celebrate California Wine Month. And if you can’t, you can always create your own happening at home. Invite a few friends to drop by, then assemble a super simple hors d’oeuvre with juicy California figs, creamy blue cheese, toasted walnuts and a drizzle of honey. These two-bite wonders are an easy appetizer that’s ready in five minutes, max. Slice a baguette and set out a bottle of California Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. The historic Livermore Valley excels at both varieties, and with a red and a white on the table, everyone’s happy.

Even longtime wine lovers aren’t always familiar with Livermore Valley’s rich history. European immigrants began planting grapes there in the early 1880s. These visionaries noted the valley’s unusual east-west orientation, which draws cooling breezes from the Pacific Ocean. Almost 140 years later, the consistently fine wines from this region prove their instincts were right.

GOOD NEIGHBOR POLICIES

Many city dwellers don’t realize how much they value nearby rural areas until that open space is threatened. Taking a weekend jaunt to wine country or to purchase fruit at a farmstand keeps us connected to the sources of our food, but it takes foresight and determination to keep farms in place and urban growth contained. California is leading the way on these issues. For example, Sonoma County Winegrowers have developed a 100-year plan with sustainable solutions to challenges that farms and cities both face, such as water use. Being a good neighbor is a key tenet of sustainability, and vintners recognize that a future in farming rests on thoughtful plans with community support.

The Pour

With a Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay from Livermore Valley, you’re drinking history. In the mid-1960s researchers took cuttings from a healthy Cabernet vine at Concannon Vineyard and propagated them. Today, an estimated 80% of California Cabernet grapevines descend from these cuttings, and the hardy Mother Vine still survives. Similarly, the great majority of California’s Chardonnay descends from vines Wente Vineyards imported from Burgundy in 1912. Pair your Instagram-ready stuffed figs with wines from this historic appellation and let the party begin.

Click here for more California wine pairings and recipes to enjoy this harvest season.

Figs, blue cheese and walnuts soar in this wine-friendly appetizer. Invite a few friends to drop by, then assemble this super simple hors d’oeuvre with juicy California figs, creamy blue cheese, toasted walnuts and a drizzle of honey. It’s an easy app that’s ready in five minutes, max. Pair with California Cabernet Sauvignon or California Chardonnay. Recipe and images courtesy of CA Grown.

Blue Cheese and Walnut Stuffed California Figs

Ingredients

8 fresh California figs, halved
¼ pound (125 g) blue cheese, such as Point Reyes Farmstead Original Blue or Bay Blue
½ pound (250 g) walnuts, toasted and chopped
Honey for drizzling

Directions

Cut the figs in half. Cut a small slice off the curved side so the figs stay stable. Place the figs on a serving plate and top each fig with a nugget of blue cheese. Sprinkle generously with the walnuts. Drizzle with honey. Serve immediately.