2016 Sexton Vivier Pineau

Stéphane was first introduced to Pineau des Charentes by his grandmother, Mémé. She lives an hour north of Cognac, a stone’s throw from Bordeaux, where this local fortified sweet wine is enjoyed mostly before dinner. When Stéphane met a man who pushed him to make this magical potion of his youth, followed closely by one who knew where to get California’s best brandy, he knew the stars had aligned. With healthy skepticism from his wife, Stéphane poured his heart and soul into making his beloved Pineau. The result is magical indeed. Even Dana agrees.

Sexton Vivier (named in honor of other things in Stéphane’s life which, like this wine, are sweet and special) teases the senses with notes of dried Turkish apricots, concord grape and pomegranate seed, spiced up by hints of black tea and orange peel.

PURCHASE VINTAGE: 2016 LABEL NOTES: Serve chilled, either the French way, as an apéritif, or the American way, as a digestif. The French drink it straight. Dana drinks it on the rocks with a splash of soda and an orange wedge, except of course when Mémé is watching. PRICE: $35/375 ml

Perfect with

Four generations of family gathered together to eat and drink

Five o’clock

Berry and Lemon Verbena Cocktail

Running Up That Hill

Pompadour (Telegraph)

Rainbow Sour

2018 Vivier Gap’s Crown Pinot Noir

Gap’s Crown, tucked on the western hillside of Sonoma Mountain, is fanned by the cool ocean breezes that push through the Petaluma Gap. Our block is between 980-1180 feet above sea level. This is a favorite of Stéphane because of the long growing season, rocky soil and inhospitable weather.

Floral, subtle and minerally perfumed aromas: light spice, violet, and vibrant red fruits loft on the perfect frame giving way to a dense, elegant the palate. Racey yet elegant, it shows texture and refinement with fresh raspberry and spice underneath.

PURCHASE VINTAGE: 2017 CELLAR NOTES: If you cellar this wine for several months or even years, your patience will reward you in spades. Its intricacies will be coaxed out beautifully over time, resulting in what we believe will be a truly extraordinary wine. However, if you simply can’t help yourself, be sure to decant. PRICE: $68 a bottle

Perfect with

Oxtail Bourguignonne

Confit de Canard

Gratin Dauphinois

Poulet Gaston Gerard

Meatloaf with mashers and peas

Lamb Shoulder Chops with Rosemary Potatoes

Grilled pork tenderloin and roasted veggies

2016 & 2017 One Oak Carneros Pinot Noir

In a little known and highly improbable corner of the Carneros Sonoma Appellation lies the lovingly farmed One Oak Vineyard owned by architects Laura and Jeff Zimmerman. The vines work hard through fog and wind and rocky laden clay soil to produce tiny yet concentrated fruit in a long ripening season.

The result is an elegant wine with violet, cherry and raspberry notes that float above the complex earthy undertones. This wine has exceptional structure and balance of fruit and acidity and has now reached drinking potential.

PURCHASE *Produced only in Magnums VINTAGE: 2016 & 2017 CELLAR NOTES: If you have the fortitude you can lay it down for another 12-15 years. PRICE: $185 - 225/bottle

Perfect with

Rack of Lamb

Mushroom Risotto

Roast Chicken

Grilled Lobster

2017 Vivier Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

Sourcing from three small vineyards in the Petaluma Gap region of the Sonoma Coast, where cool marine breezes clear the hillsides of morning fog, this Pinot Noir thoughtfully blends the best characteristics of each plot of land into a layered, complex whole. Aging in seasoned French Oak and bottling without fining or filtration give this wine balance without sacrificing an ounce of nuance.

Currently served at Compline, The French Laundry, Oenotri, and Stein at Deer Valley ski resort.

Beautiful perfume, silky and supple. Great precision of fruit and spice in this delicate wine, with cherry fruit, earthiness, floral and exotic, and a long, elegant finish.

PURCHASE VINTAGE: 2017 CELLAR NOTES: Perfect for the impatient oenophile, this wine is ready to be enjoyed now, and will also age gracefully for 6 to 9 years. LABEL NOTES: The picture was taken in the late 1890s at the bottom of the Pommard “les Rugiens” Premier Cru vineyard. The Gentleman is an ancestor of Stéphane’s elderly neighbor. PRICE: $38 a bottle

Perfect with

Poulet Gaston Gerard

Hamburger and fries

2019 Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

Planted to Wente Selection Chardonnay originating from Meursault and brought to California in the 1890’s this fruit is sourced from the Flocchini Vineyards. Cool marine breezes sweep the hillsides of morning fog though it’s a cool and windy site with extremely shallow rocky clay soil. Our parcel is usually harvested first week of September.

With a mere 50 cases, we release our 2019 Vivier Chardonnay. Stylistically, a California cousin to Meursault this wine is fresh, crisp with layers of white fruit and apricot. Focused and precise, this generous wine imparts flavors of citrus, pear and a whisper of clove. Expect a long perfect finish and an overwhelming desire for more.

Not Available VINTAGE: 2019 CELLAR NOTES: Drink now and will also improve steadily over 10 years of cellaring. PRICE: $38 a bottle

Perfect with

Croque-Monsieur

Bourride with Lemon Aioli

Salmon Rillettes

Sole Meuniere

Tourtiere

Vivier Bistrot Potato Salad

Crab Chowder

Fried chicken

Risotto and peas

Mac n' cheese

2020 Vivier Rosé of Pinot Noir

Hailing from the blustery Petaluma Gap region of the Sonoma Coast, then aged and fermented in stainless steel, this rosé is refreshingly lively with bright floral notes and a beguiling pinky-coral hue. Easy on the palate with zingy flavors of apricot, raspberry and pear, it takes a surprising turn with a seriously focused finish. Served by the glass at MOMA SF, Mustards, and Insitu – but it’s just as good in your own backyard for a sunny lunch, alfresco dinner or an apéritif anytime.

The floral result offers notes of citrus fruit and plum, and a fine, harmonious nose. Red fruit brings an almost flinty power to the palate, while the structure is fresh and sophisticated with concentration at its core.

PURCHASE VINTAGE: 2020 CELLAR NOTES: Enjoy now and stock up before we sell out! LABEL NOTES: The label depicts a famed 1906 balloon race over the Jardin des Tuileries in Paris. Picnickers gathered in the garden and diners filled the neighborhood terraces, eager to watch the launch of this inaugural overseas race. It’s a perfect moment of joy and anticipation—exactly how you should feel when you enjoy a fine rosé. PRICE: $25 a bottle

Perfect with

Galette au Chévre et aux Tomates

Bouillabaisse

Pissaladière

Vivier Baked Camembert with fresh figs and honey

Chicken salad sandwich and potato chips

Cobb Salad

Lobster roll with grilled corn on the cob

Shrimp and grits

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A recipe to enjoy with Vivier Wine

From The Lee Bros. Charleston Kitchen 

Serves: 4 
Time: 1 hour

These days everyone’s got his or her own riff on shrimp and grits, and our own formula seems always to be evolving. This recipe represents our latest take on the dish, influenced by (1) our desire to keep the tomato inflection from the Charleston Receipts recipe in the dish, and (2) a technique that a local restaurant of recent vintage, The Glass Onion, introduced to us: the chefs there slice the shrimp in half lengthwise so that when they hit the sauté pan, they twist into corkscrew-like curls. Each shrimp piece is easier to eat in one bite, the twisted shape grabs more sauce and gives the overall impression of a lighter dish. Especially if jumbo shrimp are the only ones available in your area, you’ll find this an appealing way to cook shrimp and grits.

1¼ pounds headless large (21 to 25 count) shell-on shrimp 1 bay leaf Kosher salt ¾ tsp. sugar 1 pinch of cayenne 1 lb. vine-ripened tomatoes, cored and quartered 1 tsp. red wine vinegar, plus more to taste 4 oz. slab bacon, cut into large dice 1 lemon, halved 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour 2 garlic cloves, minced Freshly ground black pepper Charleston Hominy (recipe follows)

Preparation

1. Peel and devein the shrimp, reserving the shrimp in a bowl and the shells in a small saucepan. Add 2 cups of water, the bay leaf, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon of the sugar, and the cayenne to the saucepan with the shells. With a spoon, tamp the shells down beneath the surface of the water, cover, and bring to a simmer over high heat. Uncover, turn the heat to medium low, and let the shrimp stock simmer until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, with a sharp knife, slice the shrimp in half lengthwise.

3. Put the tomatoes in a blender or food processor and add the vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, and the remaining ½ teaspoon sugar. Process to a smooth purée, then strain through a fine sieve, pressing the skin and seeds to extract as much juice as possible. Discard the skin and seeds. You should have 1½ cups of tomato purée.

4. Scatter the bacon in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is alluringly browned and has rendered its fat, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a small paper-towel-lined plate and cook the shrimp in the bacon fat in batches, taking care not to crowd the pan, and stirring occasionally, just until they’ve curled into corkscrews and turned pink, about 2 minutes; reserve on a plate. Squeeze half the lemon over the shrimp and sprinkle with 2 pinches of salt.

5. Strain the shrimp stock into the sauté pan, discarding the solids, and stir with a wooden spoon to pick up the tasty browned bits from the bottom of the pan. When the stock simmers, spoon off 2 tablespoons and then whisk them into the flour with a fork in a small bowl to make a paste. Add the tomato purée and the garlic to the pan, stir to combine, and then whisk the flour paste into the sauce. Cook until the mixture thickly coats the back of a spoon.

6. Cut the heat, and fold the shrimp in just to warm through. Season to taste with salt, black pepper, and red wine vinegar. Cut the remaining lemon half into 4 wedges. Serve the shrimp over hot Charleston Hominy, and garnish with the reserved bacon and the lemon wedges.

Charleston Hominy 

Makes: 3 cups 
Time: 45 minutes

Charleston breakfast hominy, like Charleston Rice, is an exercise in simplicity; the dish isn’t intended to dazzle, but to be honed to a fine polish by years of intensive use—hominy grits, as some call it, is as familiar as water and salt, but rarely taken for granted.

2 cups whole milk 
1 cup stone-ground coarse grits
 2 tbsp. unsalted butter 
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Pour the milk and 2 cups of water into a 2-quart saucepan, cover, and turn the heat to medium high. When the liquid simmers, add the grits, butter, and ½ teaspoon salt, and reduce the heat to medium. Stir every couple of minutes until the grits have become fragrant, and are the consistency of thick soup, about 8 minutes.

2. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring often and ever more frequently, for about 20 minutes, by which time the bubbles will emerge infrequently as the grits have stiffened and fall lazily from the end of a spoon. Add ½ teaspoon black pepper and cook for about 10 minutes more, stirring constantly to prevent the thickened grits from scorching on the bottom of the pan (appoint someone to the stirring task if you have to step away—a scorched pot of grits is bitter and a total loss). If your grits thicken too quickly, or if they are too gritty for your taste, add water by the half cup, stirring to incorporate, and continue cooking until tender.

3. When the grits are stiff and stick well to the spoon, turn off the heat and stir. Season with salt and black pepper to taste and serve immediately.

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