Here is the post on the Pomar Junction 2009 Pinot Noir from Pomar Junction Vineyard Paso Robles. I’m partial to Pinot Noir and Syrah, so it was indeed a pleasure to sample and review this full-bodied wine composed of 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Syrah. I was able to pick up the raspberry and oak nose. However, on tasting, it seemed like a comination of raspberry and strawberries. Of course, those with a better developed palate could probably pick out more. I’m not that far along. I just know it was smooth.

For those into details, the alcohol level is 15.5% and was aged in new French oak and neutral French oak for 16 months.  It sells for $34, so is nice for a special treat.

This would be delicious with fish or poultry dish. People used to say, fish or chicken called for white wine. Not so to me. I pair them with what tastes good.

Pomar Junction has been growing grapes on the Central Coast of California for at least eight generations with the current owners, Dana and Marsha Merril and son, General Manager Matthew Merrill, keeping the family tradition alive and well. They certainly found a winemaker who know how to get the most from his grapes with Jim Shumate. He enjoys small production wines.

This wine is paired with a gumbo that the staff of the winery created. There is talent all the way around at Pomar Junction. This recipe has a little different format than we usually feature. However, the staff did such a great job, I left everything alone.

Since Norm and I both enjoyed this wine, I can easily recommend it. Just so you know, if I didn’t like the wine, I would not take the time to write about it. I’ve tasted a lot that I prefer not to review as eveyone has a different taste and palate.

Gumbo Recipe-By Pomar Junction Staff- to be paired with Pomar Junction Pinot Noir

Ingredients

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5 Qts. chicken stock (MUST be homemade!)

1-1/4 cups flour

1 cup oil

1 chicken cut up

1 to 1-1/2 pounds andouille sausage, sliced about 1/4″ thick on the bias (you may substitute hot or mild smoked sausage if good andouille isn’t available) and/or fresh Creole hot sausage, browned

4 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined

1-1/2 pounds lump white crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage

3 pounds okra, sliced

2 onions, chopped

1 bunch green onions with tops, chopped

2 bell peppers, chopped

5 ribs celery, chopped

several cloves garlic, minced

3 bay leaves

1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

creole seasoning to taste

black, white and cayenne peppers, to taste

salt to taste

Few dashes of Tabasco, or to taste.

Steaming hot Louisiana long-grain rice

How to make it

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• For the roux: Blend flour and oil thoroughly in a thick skillet and cook over medium-high to high heat, stirring CONSTANTLY. BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO BURN IT!! If you see black specks in the roux, you’ve screwed it up. Dump it out and start over. Keep cooking and stirring until the roux gets darker and darker. It’s best to use a very heavy bot or skillet for roux-making, especially cast iron. With a good cast iron Dutch oven or skillet, you can get a beautiful dark roux in only about 20 minutes.
• You should turn the fire down or off as the roux nears the right color, because the heat from the pan will continue cooking it. You can also add your onions, bell peppers and celery to the roux as it’s near the end of cooking to arrest the cooking process and to soften the vegetables (this is the way we like to do it). KEEP STIRRING until the roux is relatively cool. Add the roux to the stock.
• Sprinkle the chicken pieces with Creole seasoning and brown in the oven. Slice the sausage and brown, pouring off all the fat (especially if you’re using fresh Creole hot sausage).
• Sauté the onions, green onions, bell pepper and celery if you haven’t already added them to the roux, and add to the stock. Add the chicken and sausage(s). Add the bay leaves and Creole seasoning (or ground peppers) to taste and stir. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a simmer; let simmer for about 45 minutes. Keep tasting and adjusting seasonings as needed.
• Add the okra and cook another 30 minutes or so. Make sure that the “stringiness” from the okra is gone, add the parsley. Cook for another 15 minutes, then add the shrimp and if you’ve omitted the lump crabmeat. Give it another 6-8 minutes or so, until the shrimp are just done, turning pink. Be very careful not to overcook the shrimp; adding the shrimp should be the very last step.
• If there is any fat on the surface of the gumbo, try to skim off as much of it as possible.
• Serve generous amounts in bowls over about 1/2 cup of hot rice — Remember that the rice goes in the bowl first, and it is not an optional step, despite the trend among some New Orleans restaurants to serve a rice-less gumbo.

I hope you enjoy this wine and the gumbo.

Pinot Noir Pomar Junction Vineyard Paso Robles

Pomar Junction Vineyard & Winery

www.PomarJunction.com

info@PomarJunction.com

5036 South El Pomar Road, Templeton, CA 93465  Phone: 805.238.9940