GOLD RUSH CLUB May 2021Rel ease Guide
CUSTOM CHOI CE SELECTI ONS
A PI ECE OF CA LI FORNI A I N COM FORT, TEX A S Since July 11, 2019, California W inery Ursa Vineyards has taken the spotlight at Branch on High in downtown Comfort. High Street is a gem in the community with its beautiful historic buildings, antique shops, boutiques, restaurants, wine bars, and lodging. Just a short walk from High Street is Comfort Park. Complete with a pavilion, gazebo, barbecue pits, and a playground, the Park is an idealistic spot for a picnic. Comfort Park is also home to a Farmers Market May through August.
Ser vice Update for Ur sa at Br anch on High Starting May 7, 2021, Ursa at Branch on High will stay open until 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. For the time being, all service remains outdoors. Enjoy a table on the patio or sidewalk, or pick up a glass of wine to sip while walking down High Street. Porch tables are now available on a first-come basis. You can still enjoy a tasting flight, and wine by the glass or bottle. Reservations are no longer necessary.
Imagesby Stella HausFilms
2018 GRENA CHE SI ERRA FOOTHI LLS A V A
SENSE cherry, BLACK PEPPER, intense cranberry, burnt sugar, fragrant STRAW BERRY, elderflower, pomegranate, CINNAMON BARK, clove EAT savory HAM, roasted beets, turkey with SAUSAGE STUFFING, TAPAS, grilled figs with blue cheese, MORTADELLA sandwich on seeded rye Retail $28, Gold Rush Club$22.40
2017 TA NNA T FERREL RA NCH SI ERRA FOOTHI LLS A V A
SENSE concentrated STRAW BERRY, sour cherry, cinnamon, bacon, RHUBARB, RAISIN, vanilla EAT rack of LAMB with Dijon mustard, SMOKED sausages with potato gratin, braised PORK BELLY, broccolini and cannellini bean salad Retail $34, Gold Rush Club$27.20
FERREL RA NCH Ranch?To most Texans, ?ranch?implies hundreds of acres of land and lots of cattle. Ferrel Ranch, nestled in the Sierra Foothills of California, does indeed raise seasonal produce, poultry, ranch-grown products, and livestock. And one thing more ? grapes. Ferrel Ranch is truly a family business. Mike and Devon Ferrel and their two young sons all pitch in. Mike and Devon even deliver the fruit to Ursa Vineyards, towing trailer-loads of fruit-filled bins behind their pickup trucks. ?They care about growing the best grapes they can, and they?re open to learning,?according to Deborah Elissagaray, co-winemaker at Ursa with her husband Greg Stokes. ?They prioritize quality and do not take shortcuts. They visit the winery to see how the wine is aging. They are fully engaged in the whole process.?
?Mike and Devon are relaxed and friendly, and we enjoy their company,?Deb continues. ?They are respectful of the bigger picture when it comes to the vineyard. There can be a lot of ego among vanity viticulturists, and it's refreshing to be with people who care more about the nature, art, and process than about their own promotion.? In addition to Cabernet Sauvignon, the steep hillside vineyards at Ferrel Ranch include one acre of Tannat with sweeping southwest exposure. The 2017 Ursa Tannat, Ferrel Ranch, according to Stokes, may be the best Tannat wine he and Deborah have made at Ursa Vineyards. That carries a lot of weight since Greg and Deborah bottled the first Tannat variety wine in California in 2001. ?Bill Fore, Hospitality and Education
Photoby Deborah Elissagaray
FERREL RA NCH Ranch?To most Texans, ?ranch?implies hundreds of acres of land and lots of cattle. Ferrel Ranch, nestled in the Sierra Foothills of California, does indeed raise seasonal produce, poultry, ranch-grown products, and livestock. And one thing more ? grapes. Ferrel Ranch is truly a family business. Mike and Devon Ferrel and their two young sons all pitch in. Mike and Devon even deliver the fruit to Ursa Vineyards, towing trailer-loads of fruit-filled bins behind their pickup trucks. ?They care about growing the best grapes they can, and they?re open to learning,?according to Deborah Elissagary, co-winemaker at Ursa with husband Greg Stokes. ?They prioritize quality and do not take shortcuts. They visit the winery to see how the wine is aging. They are fully engaged in the whole process.?
?Mike and Devon are relaxed and friendly, and we enjoy their company,?Deb continues. ?They are respectful of the bigger picture when it comes to the vineyard. There can be a lot of ego among vanity viticulturists, and it's refreshing to be with people who care more about the nature, art, and process than about their own promotion.? In addition to Cabernet Sauvignon, the steep hillside vineyards at Ferrel Ranch include 1 acre of Tannat with sweeping southwest exposure. The 2017 Ursa Tannat, Ferrel Ranch Vineyards, according to Stokes, may be the best Tannat wine he and Deborah have made at Ursa Vineyards. --Bill Fore Hospitality and Education
2019 V I OGNI ER HI DDEN M ESA V I NEYA RDS SI ERRA FOOTHI LLS A V A SENSE ripe PEACH, stone fruit, TROPICAL pineapple, rich CARAMEL EAT High's peppered pimento cheese sandwich, shrimp and MANGO salad, High's chunky chicken salad sandwich, spicy LOBSTER taco, roasted root vegetables, prosciutto and BRIE panini with pineapple slaw Retail $24, Gold Rush Club$19.20
WI NEM A K ER DI NNER Plans are underway for the Ursa Vineyards W inemaker Dinner. The event is scheduled for Friday, November 19, 2021, at The Ingenhuett on High, just down the street from Ursa at Branch on High. The Ingenhuett on High was first built as a general store in 1867. Until 2006 when it caught fire, it was the oldest continuously running general store in Texas. This restored historic building adds to the character on High Street and is an exceptional event venue.
WinemakersGreg Stokesand Deborah Elissagaray arepictured with Ursa Vineyards ownersDr. Boband Brenda Young and their daughter Alison Young.
W inemakers Greg Stokes and Deborah Elissagaray are looking forward to visiting with everyone and showcasing Ursa wines at this event. Current plans are for a casual dinner featuring pairing stations in the open-air areas of the venue. Tickets will be available in the fall, and more information will be released at that time.
2016 Z I NFA NDEL SI ERRA FOOTHI LLS A V A
SENSE TART RASPBERRY, red plum, CRANBERRY, Bing cherry, BRIGHT SPICE, tobacco smoke, cigar box, white pepper EAT Sauerbraten, SHRIMP TACOS, linguine puttanesca, Chinese BARBECUE pork Retail $32, Gold Rush Club$25.60
HI GHM A DE CRA B CA K ES WI TH REM OULA DE SA UCE Cr ab Cak es Makes 12 medium-sized cakes 1 egg 3 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning 1 slice of toasted white bread, crust removed and finely diced ½ red bell pepper, finely diced 2 stalks celery, finely diced Zest of ½ a lemon Pinch of salt Pinch of black pepper 1 pound super lump crab meat, drained Canola spray Capers, for serving Sliced lemon, for serving
For Cr ab Cak es: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine egg, mayonnaise, mustard, Old Bay, bread, bell pepper, celery, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a bowl and mix well. Add crab and gently break it up. Leave big pieces intact, if possible. Very gently fold ingredients together. Spray Canola in muffin tin cups. Using an ice cream scoop, place 12 portions into muffin tin. Spray the tops of the crab with Canola spray. Place in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes, rotate and cook an additional 10 minutes. The cakes will be slightly browned on top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 15 minutes. Place muffin pan into the refrigerator and allow the cakes to cool completely before handling. The day before is great. Once cooled, the cakes will hold their shape much better. This recipe is so good because the binder material is minimal. The crab is the star. Cakes can be reheated in the oven or sautéed in a small amount of olive oil on the stove top. Once warmed through, serve immediately with Remoulade Sauce, capers, and sliced lemon. For Remoul ade Sauce: Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Stir to mix and store in refrigerator.
Remoul ade Sauce 1 ½ cups mayonnaise ¼ cup whole grain mustard 3 scallions, finely chopped ¼ cup dill pickle relish 1 ½ teaspoons paprika ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Pair CrabCakeswith 2019 Ursa Tannat Rosé, SilvaspoonsVineyards. High'sCafe& Storehasbeen open on High Street in Comfort, Texassince2005. It isa casual eatery making thefamiliar extraordinary. For inspiration and recipes, follow High'sfood blog at www.highmadefood.com.
¼ teaspoon cayenne ¼ teaspoon salt Zest of ½ a lemon
Special thankstoour friendsat High'sCafe& Storefor permission tosharethisrecipeand for providing thefood for our photoshoot.
2019 TA NNA T ROSÉ SI LV A SPOONS V I NEYA RDS A LTA M ESA A V A SENSE tart PEACH, creamy, floral, ROSE PETAL, LEMON ZEST, hibiscus, apricot EAT Highmade crab cakes with remoulade sauce, oysters on the half shell, CAMEMBERT on toasted BRIOCHE, rosemary-grilled pork, CAESAR SALAD, clams oreganata, SAFFRON MUSSELS Retail $25, Gold Rush Club$20
2015 BA SQUE BLEND CA LI FORNI A
Ursa Vineyards Co-winemaker Deborah Elissagaray grew up spending her summers visiting family in the Pyrenees Mountain village of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France, where she gained an appreciation for her Basque heritage. The region inspired her work on the Basque Blend wine that bears her name and makes predominant use of the Tannat grape.
W hat's in the blend besides Tannat? Alicante Bouschet, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. This 2015 vintage received Best of Class Red Blend at the 2020 San Francisco Chronicle W ine Competition and Double Gold/ 96 points at the 2019 San Francisco International W ine Competition.
SENSE HERBS DE PROVENCE, toasted tea, STRAW BERRY, VIOLETS, jam, dark PLUM, black pepper, SMOKY BLACKBERRY EAT ROQUEFORT, beef stroganoff, GRILLED EGGPLANT with balsamic dressing, filet mignon, DUCK with green PEPPERCORN SAUCE Retail $35, Gold Rush Club$28
2015 SOUZ Ã O PORT-STYLE SI ERRA FOOTHI LLS A V A
SENSE BANANA BREAD, black currant, RIPE ORANGE ZEST, toasted pecans, CHERRY CORDIAL, cassis, plum jam EAT magic bar by High's Cafe, STILTON CHEESE AND TOASTED PECANS, brownie by High's Cafe, tarte tatin, cookies by High's Cafe, BAKED FIGS W ITH TANGY CHEVRE, dark chocolate bourbon salted caramels by Sweet Comfort Retail $50, Gold Rush Club$40
A GED I N TEX A S BOURBON BA RRELS
2015 BA RBERA LONE M EA DOW V I NEYA RD SI ERRA FOOTHI LLS A V A
SENSE strawberry, black LICORICE, SOUR CHERRY, peppery baking spices, red currant, dark chocolate, DATES EAT CORNED BEEF, charcuterie, steak au poivre, TURKEY LEGS, mushroom risotto, brisket, MANCHEGO CHEESE, carne asada, chicken fajitas Retail $25, Gold Rush Club$20
Thank youf or your clubmembership. Wehopetoseeyouin Comf ort soon!