Winter 2011

Winter 2011

915 Oakville Crossroad, Oakville, CA 94562 www.silveroak.com 800.273.8809

“Life is a Cabernet”

 New

Release - 2006 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

 W inemaking  Three

Philosophy - Grower Partnerships

Course Menu from Chef Dominic

 Important

Dates in 2011

Release Day - 2006 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Saturday, February 5, 2011

Dear Friends, As we head into another year, we have much to be thankful for at Silver Oak. The 2010 growing season kept us on tenterhooks – one of the coolest summers on record meant harvest was about three weeks later than usual.

But clear, sunny weather in September and October gradually brought the grapes to complete ripeness, and 2010 will be known for its profound, elegant and age worthy wines.

This is good news for us and for the select independent growers who supply our grapes in Napa and Alexander Valley. In this issue you’ll read about why our growers are such an integral part of our winemaking philosophy and team – they’re really part of the extended family.

You’ll also learn about Tom Hsieh, a grower whose vineyard has a special place in Napa’s winegrowing history.

Looking forward, we’re pleased to announce that 2012 will be the 40th anniversary of Silver Oak Cellars. We’ll be celebrating with a series

of events leading up to the release of our 2008 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon in August 2012, and we’ll be sharing details with you as we get closer. We hope you’ll join us in the celebration!

Finally, you asked and we responded! Our Oakville and Geyserville tasting rooms are now open to visitors on Sundays. We realize that many of our friends and customers can only visit us on the weekends, and we’re thrilled to be able to expand our hours to them. We hope you’ll come see us soon!

We wish you the best in 2011!

The Duncan Family

Tickets are available at www.silveroak.com and at the door.

Release Day

DATE: Saturday,

February 5, 2011 TIME: 9am – 3:30pm

Napa Valley Winery 915 Oakville Crossroad Oakville, CA 94562 EVENT PRICE: $40 online; $50 at the door

Alexander Valley Winery 24625 Chianti Road Geyserville, CA 95441 EVENT PRICE: $20 online; $30 at the door

TASTING NOTES: The 2006 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a complex and refined wine that develops beautifully in the glass to reveal multi-layered nuances of aromas. It has a dark ruby color and an enticing nose of cassis, black truffles and violets. On the palate, the wine has an elegant attack and bursts with flavors of fresh forest fruit, potpourri and Asian spices. It has a long finish with smooth well-integrated tannins. With proper cellaring it should give drinking pleasure through 2026.

ORDER INFO: Bottle Price: $100 per 750 ml Members of our Preferred Customer List will be able to pre-order beginning January 4, 2011.

You can place your order by filling out the enclosed order form, calling us at 800.273.8809 or visiting us at www.silveroak.com.

Two times a year for the past 20 years, Dennis has traveled from Nebraska to Oakville to celebrate the release of our new wines with us. As a token of our appreciation, our Founder, Ray Duncan, and his son, David Duncan, our President & CEO, presented Dennis with a 6 Liter of our 1991 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon signed by the entire Silver Oak family.

Left to Right: Dennis Hein, David Duncan and Margaret Hein.

Dennis Hein Celebrates His 40th Release Day At our 2006 Alexander Valley Release Day Celebration on Saturday, August 7, 2010, we honored one of our long standing Our Jump Rock Vineyard, Napa Valley.

© Adrián Gregorutti

customers and friends, Dennis Hein, for his continuous support and attendance of 40 consecutive Release Days.

“Silver Oak makes some great wines, but what really impresses me is the Silver Oak people.

They treat me like I’m part of their family.

I truly appreciate the hospitality and friendship.

I get personal greetings (by name - Dennis) from friends in shipping, the tasting room, sales people and the Duncans.

The quality and reputation of Silver Oak got me there; the people keep me coming back.”~Dennis Hein We hope to see you all on February 5, 2011!

Release Day - 2006 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Saturday, February 5, 2011

Dear Friends, As we head into another year, we have much to be thankful for at Silver Oak. The 2010 growing season kept us on tenterhooks – one of the coolest summers on record meant harvest was about three weeks later than usual.

But clear, sunny weather in September and October gradually brought the grapes to complete ripeness, and 2010 will be known for its profound, elegant and age worthy wines.

This is good news for us and for the select independent growers who supply our grapes in Napa and Alexander Valley. In this issue you’ll read about why our growers are such an integral part of our winemaking philosophy and team – they’re really part of the extended family.

You’ll also learn about Tom Hsieh, a grower whose vineyard has a special place in Napa’s winegrowing history.

Looking forward, we’re pleased to announce that 2012 will be the 40th anniversary of Silver Oak Cellars. We’ll be celebrating with a series

of events leading up to the release of our 2008 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon in August 2012, and we’ll be sharing details with you as we get closer. We hope you’ll join us in the celebration!

Finally, you asked and we responded! Our Oakville and Geyserville tasting rooms are now open to visitors on Sundays. We realize that many of our friends and customers can only visit us on the weekends, and we’re thrilled to be able to expand our hours to them. We hope you’ll come see us soon!

We wish you the best in 2011!

The Duncan Family

Tickets are available at www.silveroak.com and at the door.

Release Day

DATE: Saturday,

February 5, 2011 TIME: 9am – 3:30pm

Napa Valley Winery 915 Oakville Crossroad Oakville, CA 94562 EVENT PRICE: $40 online; $50 at the door

Alexander Valley Winery 24625 Chianti Road Geyserville, CA 95441 EVENT PRICE: $20 online; $30 at the door

TASTING NOTES: The 2006 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a complex and refined wine that develops beautifully in the glass to reveal multi-layered nuances of aromas. It has a dark ruby color and an enticing nose of cassis, black truffles and violets. On the palate, the wine has an elegant attack and bursts with flavors of fresh forest fruit, potpourri and Asian spices. It has a long finish with smooth well-integrated tannins. With proper cellaring it should give drinking pleasure through 2026.

ORDER INFO: Bottle Price: $100 per 750 ml Members of our Preferred Customer List will be able to pre-order beginning January 4, 2011.

You can place your order by filling out the enclosed order form, calling us at 800.273.8809 or visiting us at www.silveroak.com.

Two times a year for the past 20 years, Dennis has traveled from Nebraska to Oakville to celebrate the release of our new wines with us. As a token of our appreciation, our Founder, Ray Duncan, and his son, David Duncan, our President & CEO, presented Dennis with a 6 Liter of our 1991 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon signed by the entire Silver Oak family.

Left to Right: Dennis Hein, David Duncan and Margaret Hein.

Dennis Hein Celebrates His 40th Release Day At our 2006 Alexander Valley Release Day Celebration on Saturday, August 7, 2010, we honored one of our long standing Our Jump Rock Vineyard, Napa Valley.

© Adrián Gregorutti

customers and friends, Dennis Hein, for his continuous support and attendance of 40 consecutive Release Days.

“Silver Oak makes some great wines, but what really impresses me is the Silver Oak people.

They treat me like I’m part of their family.

I truly appreciate the hospitality and friendship.

I get personal greetings (by name - Dennis) from friends in shipping, the tasting room, sales people and the Duncans.

The quality and reputation of Silver Oak got me there; the people keep me coming back.”~Dennis Hein We hope to see you all on February 5, 2011!

© Adrián Gregorutti

Our Soda Canyon Ranch, Napa Valley.

Winemaking Philosophy - Grower Partnerships At wine dinners and tasting events we are often asked about where the grapes for our wines come from. It’s an excellent question, and the answer goes to the core of our philosophy about growing and making wine. Both our Napa Valley and Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignons are created using fruit from our own estate vineyards (approximately 50%) as well as grapes grown by a small group of carefully selected independent growers with whom we have long-term relationships.

Sourcing grapes from growers throughout each appellation has a number of advantages.

The diversity of sites, soils, micro-climates, elevations and plant material within each appellation has a profound effect on the resulting wines. Exploring new vineyards and working with growers from all parts of the appellation gives our winemaking team access to a broad palette of flavors and wine styles. This variety of grapes and wine lots means we have options; it allows us to choose

the best of the best and achieve stylistic consistency from vintage to vintage.

Another advantage to working with independent growers is the exchange of information that takes place. Winemaker Daniel Baron, Nick Filice, our Grower Relations Manager (who you’ll read about in this newsletter’s “Employee Spotlight”) and the rest of our winemaking team work very closely with the growers, many of whom have farmed their land for generations. Together, we figure out how to get the highest quality fruit from their vineyards. They learn from us, and we learn from them – not only about their particular vineyard site, but how they adapt to what mother nature gives them. Sourcing from independent growers gives us insights into different viticultural techniques, which we can put into practice in our own vineyards.

There’s another practical reason that Daniel likes working with independent growers.

“If you have a lot of fruit getting ripe at the

Tom Hsieh same time, it’s much easier to get it picked and delivered to the winery quickly with growers who have their own vineyard crews,” says Daniel. Since harvesting the fruit at just the right time is one of the most important decisions he makes all year, Daniel is happy to have this advantage.

In 2000 we began sourcing fruit from Tom Hsieh, owner of Hanson-Hsieh Vineyards, for our Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. His vineyard is in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley, a cooler region well-recognized for red as well as white wines, and his grapes add a beautiful component to our Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Tom is very much a part of the Silver Oak family and is often seen around the winery during harvest.

Hanson-Hsieh Vineyards has an interesting story, which we’re happy to share with you here.

When architect Tom Hsieh and lawyer Raymond Hanson purchased the property that would become Hanson-Hsieh Vineyards nearly 40 years ago, they didn’t know it was one of the most historically significant sites in Napa Valley. There were no vines on the site, but there were remnants of an old wine cellar, and they’d been told that the two-foot thick sandstone walls were part of a winery built by Gunther Barth in 1878.

Silver Oak is fortunate to work with some of the most dedicated growers and highest quality vineyards in Napa Valley and Alexander Valley. As a way of thanking them, every year we host a Grower’s Dinner where we invite them all to the winery to taste the wines we’ve made from their vineyards – still in separate lots – from the previous harvest.

It’s a great opportunity for them. In some cases it’s the only time the grower gets to taste wine made exclusively from his or her grapes. But the best part is getting to celebrate the achievement of the vintage with the people who help make Silver Oak wines what they are; wines that truly represent the appellations in which they’re grown.

Tom and Raymond got busy planting and tending their vines, and it wasn’t until the 1990’s, when they arranged for Napa Valley historian William Heintz to do further research on their property, that they discovered Hanson-Hsieh Vineyards' place in history. Heintz found that the site was part of the original Rancho de Napa granted Jeannette and Tom Hsieh

to Salvador Vallejo in 1837, and that grapevines were planted there as far back as the 1850’s. He also uncovered the fact that in 1880 Barth’s winery had over a dozen Chinese laborers on the payroll, each earning $1 a day.

An amazing enough discovery, but for Tom, the first city-wide elected ChineseAmerican to serve on San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors (1986-1997), and possibly the first Chinese-American to own vineyard land in Napa Valley, it was an especially meaningful revelation. “It’s an honor to be a part of Napa Valley’s history,” he says. Not one to dwell on the past, however, Tom, along with his wife Jeannette and son Tom Jr., is firmly focused on the present. “We just want to grow the highest quality grapes we can.”

© Adrián Gregorutti

Our Soda Canyon Ranch, Napa Valley.

Winemaking Philosophy - Grower Partnerships At wine dinners and tasting events we are often asked about where the grapes for our wines come from. It’s an excellent question, and the answer goes to the core of our philosophy about growing and making wine. Both our Napa Valley and Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignons are created using fruit from our own estate vineyards (approximately 50%) as well as grapes grown by a small group of carefully selected independent growers with whom we have long-term relationships.

Sourcing grapes from growers throughout each appellation has a number of advantages.

The diversity of sites, soils, micro-climates, elevations and plant material within each appellation has a profound effect on the resulting wines. Exploring new vineyards and working with growers from all parts of the appellation gives our winemaking team access to a broad palette of flavors and wine styles. This variety of grapes and wine lots means we have options; it allows us to choose

the best of the best and achieve stylistic consistency from vintage to vintage.

Another advantage to working with independent growers is the exchange of information that takes place. Winemaker Daniel Baron, Nick Filice, our Grower Relations Manager (who you’ll read about in this newsletter’s “Employee Spotlight”) and the rest of our winemaking team work very closely with the growers, many of whom have farmed their land for generations. Together, we figure out how to get the highest quality fruit from their vineyards. They learn from us, and we learn from them – not only about their particular vineyard site, but how they adapt to what mother nature gives them. Sourcing from independent growers gives us insights into different viticultural techniques, which we can put into practice in our own vineyards.

There’s another practical reason that Daniel likes working with independent growers.

“If you have a lot of fruit getting ripe at the

Tom Hsieh same time, it’s much easier to get it picked and delivered to the winery quickly with growers who have their own vineyard crews,” says Daniel. Since harvesting the fruit at just the right time is one of the most important decisions he makes all year, Daniel is happy to have this advantage.

In 2000 we began sourcing fruit from Tom Hsieh, owner of Hanson-Hsieh Vineyards, for our Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. His vineyard is in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley, a cooler region well-recognized for red as well as white wines, and his grapes add a beautiful component to our Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Tom is very much a part of the Silver Oak family and is often seen around the winery during harvest.

Hanson-Hsieh Vineyards has an interesting story, which we’re happy to share with you here.

When architect Tom Hsieh and lawyer Raymond Hanson purchased the property that would become Hanson-Hsieh Vineyards nearly 40 years ago, they didn’t know it was one of the most historically significant sites in Napa Valley. There were no vines on the site, but there were remnants of an old wine cellar, and they’d been told that the two-foot thick sandstone walls were part of a winery built by Gunther Barth in 1878.

Silver Oak is fortunate to work with some of the most dedicated growers and highest quality vineyards in Napa Valley and Alexander Valley. As a way of thanking them, every year we host a Grower’s Dinner where we invite them all to the winery to taste the wines we’ve made from their vineyards – still in separate lots – from the previous harvest.

It’s a great opportunity for them. In some cases it’s the only time the grower gets to taste wine made exclusively from his or her grapes. But the best part is getting to celebrate the achievement of the vintage with the people who help make Silver Oak wines what they are; wines that truly represent the appellations in which they’re grown.

Tom and Raymond got busy planting and tending their vines, and it wasn’t until the 1990’s, when they arranged for Napa Valley historian William Heintz to do further research on their property, that they discovered Hanson-Hsieh Vineyards' place in history. Heintz found that the site was part of the original Rancho de Napa granted Jeannette and Tom Hsieh

to Salvador Vallejo in 1837, and that grapevines were planted there as far back as the 1850’s. He also uncovered the fact that in 1880 Barth’s winery had over a dozen Chinese laborers on the payroll, each earning $1 a day.

An amazing enough discovery, but for Tom, the first city-wide elected ChineseAmerican to serve on San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors (1986-1997), and possibly the first Chinese-American to own vineyard land in Napa Valley, it was an especially meaningful revelation. “It’s an honor to be a part of Napa Valley’s history,” he says. Not one to dwell on the past, however, Tom, along with his wife Jeannette and son Tom Jr., is firmly focused on the present. “We just want to grow the highest quality grapes we can.”

Employee Spotlight – Nick Filice When Nick Filice decided to switch majors in college – changing from exercise physiology to agricultural science – he became a pioneer of sorts. Chico State didn’t have a program focused on viticulture, the area he wanted to study. But that didn’t stop Nick. “I was the vineyard program,” the 33-year old jokes now.

“He’d been surrounded by wine all his life, but it was the vineyards and the growing process that really captured his imagination.”

Having grown up the son of a winemaker in Monterey County, Nick did have a leg up on the subject. He’d been surrounded by wine all his life, but it was the vineyards and the growing process that really captured his imagination. After college he worked as an intern at Paragon Vineyard in Edna Valley, and then became the grower relations and estate vineyard manager for Justin Vineyards and Winery in Paso Robles in 2002. In 2008, in what he describes as a “key career move,” he moved north to join Silver Oak as Grower Relations Manager.

Nick describes his role at Silver Oak as supporting the winemaking team and

Our Silver Oak Napa Valley bunch pose for a Harvest 2010 photo on the crush pad of the Oakville winery. being the winery’s “set of eyes” in the vineyards. Working with approximately ten growers in Napa Valley and twelve in Alexander Valley (and several Twomey Cellars growers as well), Nick makes sure the vineyards are being farmed to Silver Oak’s standards, and he keeps the winemaking team informed about the growing season and status of each individual vineyard.

For the most part, Silver Oak’s growers, many of whom have been growing grapes for the winery for a decade or more, already know what’s expected of them. “Daniel and Justin did a great job of laying the groundwork; I don’t have to spend a lot of time hand holding,” says Nick. So his focus is what he calls “responding to the season.”

“Every year and every growing season is different,” Nick says. “My job is to get into the vineyards, walk the rows, inspect the vines and talk to the growers to get a good sense of what’s happening in a given year.”

During the growing season Nick visits each Silver Oak vineyard once a week, sometimes more during harvest. If there’s an issue, he talks to the grower about it right away, and the team comes up with solutions together.

Though he logs hundreds of miles a week, Nick still finds time to indulge his favorite pastime – rugby. And when asked what he likes about working in Napa Valley and at Silver Oak, Nick is quick to reply: “The culture of wine here is pervasive – it’s unlike anyplace else. Also, Silver Oak takes celebrations really seriously!”

Employee Spotlight – Nick Filice When Nick Filice decided to switch majors in college – changing from exercise physiology to agricultural science – he became a pioneer of sorts. Chico State didn’t have a program focused on viticulture, the area he wanted to study. But that didn’t stop Nick. “I was the vineyard program,” the 33-year old jokes now.

“He’d been surrounded by wine all his life, but it was the vineyards and the growing process that really captured his imagination.”

Having grown up the son of a winemaker in Monterey County, Nick did have a leg up on the subject. He’d been surrounded by wine all his life, but it was the vineyards and the growing process that really captured his imagination. After college he worked as an intern at Paragon Vineyard in Edna Valley, and then became the grower relations and estate vineyard manager for Justin Vineyards and Winery in Paso Robles in 2002. In 2008, in what he describes as a “key career move,” he moved north to join Silver Oak as Grower Relations Manager.

Nick describes his role at Silver Oak as supporting the winemaking team and

Our Silver Oak Napa Valley bunch pose for a Harvest 2010 photo on the crush pad of the Oakville winery. being the winery’s “set of eyes” in the vineyards. Working with approximately ten growers in Napa Valley and twelve in Alexander Valley (and several Twomey Cellars growers as well), Nick makes sure the vineyards are being farmed to Silver Oak’s standards, and he keeps the winemaking team informed about the growing season and status of each individual vineyard.

For the most part, Silver Oak’s growers, many of whom have been growing grapes for the winery for a decade or more, already know what’s expected of them. “Daniel and Justin did a great job of laying the groundwork; I don’t have to spend a lot of time hand holding,” says Nick. So his focus is what he calls “responding to the season.”

“Every year and every growing season is different,” Nick says. “My job is to get into the vineyards, walk the rows, inspect the vines and talk to the growers to get a good sense of what’s happening in a given year.”

During the growing season Nick visits each Silver Oak vineyard once a week, sometimes more during harvest. If there’s an issue, he talks to the grower about it right away, and the team comes up with solutions together.

Though he logs hundreds of miles a week, Nick still finds time to indulge his favorite pastime – rugby. And when asked what he likes about working in Napa Valley and at Silver Oak, Nick is quick to reply: “The culture of wine here is pervasive – it’s unlike anyplace else. Also, Silver Oak takes celebrations really seriously!”

Three Course Menu with Silver Oak & Twomey Wine Pairings from Chef Dominic Thank you for reading our 2011 Winter Newsletter. In past editions I have included one recipe to pair with the new release. This time I decided to create a menu for a three course dinner and pair each course with a different wine from either Silver Oak or Twomey Cellars. If you have any questions about the recipes or pairings please email me at recipes@silveroak.com. Enjoy! ~Chef Dominic

Prosciutto Wrapped Halibut Grilled Escarole & Almond Raisin Relish Serves 4 Pair with Twomey Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc Almond Raisin Relish: ½ cup dry white wine 4 tablespoons golden raisins 4 tablespoons almonds, toasted & chopped 1 bunch chives, slice thin ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 1 lemon, juice & zest In a small sauce pan bring the white wine to a boil, add the golden raisins and remove from the heat. Let the raisins soak in the white wine over night in the refrigerator.

Strain the wine from the raisins and mix them with the almonds, chives, olive oil, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and zest.

Season this mixture with salt and pepper.

Halibut: 4 halibut filets 8 slices of prosciutto 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil 1 head of escarole salt & pepper Season the halibut filets with salt and pepper. Wrap each piece with two slices of prosciutto.

Preheat your grill to its highest setting.

Cut the escarole into 4 wedges, toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and remaining lemon juice, season with salt and pepper. Place the escarole on the grill and cook 1 minute per side. The leaves should be slightly charred black. Assemble the escarole onto a platter.

Heat a non-stick sauté pan on high heat.

Once hot, add the other tablespoon of olive oil. Place the halibut filets in the pan and sear each side for four minutes.

Depending on how thick your filets are you may need to finish them in a 350º F oven for a few minutes.

Once the halibut is cooked through place on top of the escarole and then sprinkle with the raisin relish.

Wild Mushroom & Caramelized Cipollini Onion Soup Serves 6 Pair with Twomey Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 24 Cipollini onions, peeled & quartered 3 ounces of dried wild mushrooms (2-3 lb fresh if available) 8 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth 1 ½ teaspoons salt ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Parmesan cheese shavings Preheat 4-quart stock pot over high heat.

Once hot add the Cipollini onions and stir vigorously. The onions will start to brown immediately. Turn the heat to low and continue to stir the onions for 2 minutes.

Once the pan has cooled substantially, let the onions slow cook until they turn a dark golden brown color. Be sure to stir every minute or so. This process should take 15-20 minutes.

Now add the wild mushrooms and broth.

Let simmer for 1 hour, then season with salt and pepper.

Garnish with Parmesan cheese shavings and serve hot.

Roasted Duck Leg With Warm Salad of Cabbage & Lentils Caramelized Pears with Walnuts, Sage & Balsamic Vinegar Serves 4 Pair with Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Duck Legs: 4 fresh duck legs Salt Seasoning: 4 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon fennel seed 1 teaspoon juniper berry 1 tablespoon fresh thyme Lentils: 1 cup lentils 1 slice of bacon (optional) ¼ onion, medium dice ½ carrot stick, medium dice ½ celery stalk, medium dice 1 bay leaf 4 cups of water Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Sprinkle the duck legs with the salt seasoning. Place the legs into a baking dish skin side up.

Cover the dish with a piece of wax paper, then cover with aluminum foil and place into the oven for 2 hours.

While the duck is cooking start the lentils by placing all the ingredients in a sauce pot and simmer for about an hour or until lentils are tender. Season with salt to taste then strain liquid and discard it.

The duck legs are done when you pull on the leg bone and the bone can be easily removed.

At this point you will notice much of the fat will have rendered out of the skin. The legs will be 75% submerged in its own fat with the skin above the surface.

To finish the duck leg, remove the foil and wax paper, and increase the heat of the oven to 450º F. Cook until the skin becomes crispy.

Finishing the Dish: 2 tablespoons oil from the duck 1 Bosc pear, sliced 2 tablespoons sage, chopped ¼ cup walnuts, chopped ½ head of cabbage, sliced ¼ cup parsley, chopped 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar In a large sauté pan on high heat add the oil from the duck.

Once the oil smokes, add the pears and toss lightly for 2 minutes or until the pears start to turn a light brown color.

Turn off the heat, stir in the sage and walnuts. Let cook for 30 seconds.

Add the cabbage, parsley, balsamic vinegar and lentils. Toss in the hot pan for one minute then place onto a platter.

Top the warm lentil salad with the duck legs and serve immediately.

Three Course Menu with Silver Oak & Twomey Wine Pairings from Chef Dominic Thank you for reading our 2011 Winter Newsletter. In past editions I have included one recipe to pair with the new release. This time I decided to create a menu for a three course dinner and pair each course with a different wine from either Silver Oak or Twomey Cellars. If you have any questions about the recipes or pairings please email me at recipes@silveroak.com. Enjoy! ~Chef Dominic

Prosciutto Wrapped Halibut Grilled Escarole & Almond Raisin Relish Serves 4 Pair with Twomey Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc Almond Raisin Relish: ½ cup dry white wine 4 tablespoons golden raisins 4 tablespoons almonds, toasted & chopped 1 bunch chives, slice thin ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 1 lemon, juice & zest In a small sauce pan bring the white wine to a boil, add the golden raisins and remove from the heat. Let the raisins soak in the white wine over night in the refrigerator.

Strain the wine from the raisins and mix them with the almonds, chives, olive oil, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and zest.

Season this mixture with salt and pepper.

Halibut: 4 halibut filets 8 slices of prosciutto 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil 1 head of escarole salt & pepper Season the halibut filets with salt and pepper. Wrap each piece with two slices of prosciutto.

Preheat your grill to its highest setting.

Cut the escarole into 4 wedges, toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and remaining lemon juice, season with salt and pepper. Place the escarole on the grill and cook 1 minute per side. The leaves should be slightly charred black. Assemble the escarole onto a platter.

Heat a non-stick sauté pan on high heat.

Once hot, add the other tablespoon of olive oil. Place the halibut filets in the pan and sear each side for four minutes.

Depending on how thick your filets are you may need to finish them in a 350º F oven for a few minutes.

Once the halibut is cooked through place on top of the escarole and then sprinkle with the raisin relish.

Wild Mushroom & Caramelized Cipollini Onion Soup Serves 6 Pair with Twomey Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 24 Cipollini onions, peeled & quartered 3 ounces of dried wild mushrooms (2-3 lb fresh if available) 8 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth 1 ½ teaspoons salt ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Parmesan cheese shavings Preheat 4-quart stock pot over high heat.

Once hot add the Cipollini onions and stir vigorously. The onions will start to brown immediately. Turn the heat to low and continue to stir the onions for 2 minutes.

Once the pan has cooled substantially, let the onions slow cook until they turn a dark golden brown color. Be sure to stir every minute or so. This process should take 15-20 minutes.

Now add the wild mushrooms and broth.

Let simmer for 1 hour, then season with salt and pepper.

Garnish with Parmesan cheese shavings and serve hot.

Roasted Duck Leg With Warm Salad of Cabbage & Lentils Caramelized Pears with Walnuts, Sage & Balsamic Vinegar Serves 4 Pair with Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Duck Legs: 4 fresh duck legs Salt Seasoning: 4 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon fennel seed 1 teaspoon juniper berry 1 tablespoon fresh thyme Lentils: 1 cup lentils 1 slice of bacon (optional) ¼ onion, medium dice ½ carrot stick, medium dice ½ celery stalk, medium dice 1 bay leaf 4 cups of water Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Sprinkle the duck legs with the salt seasoning. Place the legs into a baking dish skin side up.

Cover the dish with a piece of wax paper, then cover with aluminum foil and place into the oven for 2 hours.

While the duck is cooking start the lentils by placing all the ingredients in a sauce pot and simmer for about an hour or until lentils are tender. Season with salt to taste then strain liquid and discard it.

The duck legs are done when you pull on the leg bone and the bone can be easily removed.

At this point you will notice much of the fat will have rendered out of the skin. The legs will be 75% submerged in its own fat with the skin above the surface.

To finish the duck leg, remove the foil and wax paper, and increase the heat of the oven to 450º F. Cook until the skin becomes crispy.

Finishing the Dish: 2 tablespoons oil from the duck 1 Bosc pear, sliced 2 tablespoons sage, chopped ¼ cup walnuts, chopped ½ head of cabbage, sliced ¼ cup parsley, chopped 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar In a large sauté pan on high heat add the oil from the duck.

Once the oil smokes, add the pears and toss lightly for 2 minutes or until the pears start to turn a light brown color.

Turn off the heat, stir in the sage and walnuts. Let cook for 30 seconds.

Add the cabbage, parsley, balsamic vinegar and lentils. Toss in the hot pan for one minute then place onto a platter.

Top the warm lentil salad with the duck legs and serve immediately.

SILVER OAK & TWOMEY Important Dates in 2011 February 5, 2011 January 28 – 30, 2011 Naples Winter Wine Festival

2006 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Release Day

May 1, 2011 Release of 2010 Twomey Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc and 2009 Twomey Pinot Noir

February 25 - 26, 2011 Premiere Napa Valley Auction

September 1, 2011 August 6, 2011 June 2 - 5, 2011 Auction Napa Valley

2007 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Release Day

Release of 2007 Twomey Napa Valley Merlot

To learn more about our wines and events throughout the year please visit us at: www.silveroak.com and www.twomeycellars.com

Join us on Facebook!

Follow David on Twitter at @SilverOak!

SILVER OAK & TWOMEY Important Dates in 2011 February 5, 2011 January 28 – 30, 2011 Naples Winter Wine Festival

2006 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Release Day

May 1, 2011 Release of 2010 Twomey Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc and 2009 Twomey Pinot Noir

February 25 - 26, 2011 Premiere Napa Valley Auction

September 1, 2011 August 6, 2011 June 2 - 5, 2011 Auction Napa Valley

2007 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Release Day

Release of 2007 Twomey Napa Valley Merlot

To learn more about our wines and events throughout the year please visit us at: www.silveroak.com and www.twomeycellars.com

Join us on Facebook!

Follow David on Twitter at @SilverOak!