Charlottesville Excursions

[pictures to come]

There’s really no reason to avoid Charlottesville Wineries, except for the lousy drive that it takes to get there. Were there a train from DC’s Union Station to Charlottesville’s train station which isn’t really that far from downtown Charlottesville., this would be so much better. However, it’s 3 hours of a train, with transfer, and then there’s no rent-a-car place at the station, and so it’s all a bit of a palaver. I would say there isn’t really an option except to drive down from D.C. It’s not ideal, but the drive is attractive for the most part and the wine options are plentiful and unique.

Best to leave weekdays and before 3 p.m. ET from inside the district. The trip through Gainesville, Va., to connect with Rte. 29 can really suck after that time on weekdays. Returning from Charlottesville on a Monday is the ideal option, but if you really must go back to work on Monday, leave Sunday morning, skipping everything, but dropping into either Honah Lee or White Hall for a final taste before hitting the road.

Lodging

In town, I have stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott Medical Center which is walking distance to the UVA campus and loved the proximity. But the Omni Charlottesville seems like it’s more centrally located. I like the Marriott by UVA, because there’s plenty of walking nearby.

The main “Mall” area is good too, but I don’t really see very decently priced hotel options.

If you’re going to stay outside of downtown but still in Charlottesville, the best looking brand new hotel is the Hyatt Place. I haven’t stayed there, but…it’s connected to a serious of restaurants and shopping that all look pretty good. I’d not say it’s unique, however, it’s a blend of chain restaurants you’ve seen all over America, but at least you can walk from your hotel to dinner and back.  It’s Charlottesville’s answer to a “Town Center” outside of downtown.

For housing outside of Charlottesville, I have a friend who highly recommends the Hampton Inn in Fishersville/Waynesboro. While not in Charlottesville, it’s near to the wineries and is a really nice joint at the right price. Good use of your Hilton points, if you have any.

Dining

I’m a fan now of a random biscuit/Southern cuisine joint called Ace Biscuit and BBQ. I really enjoyed breakfast there.

There is a place north of town called the Shops at Stonefield that has a cheesey Italian joint, Travinia, that I’ve eaten at. It’s not great food, but it’ll do after a day of winerying. Most of the restaurants here have very civilized outside seating areas in the Shops at Stonefield shopping center. And if you need to catch a movie in a really good theater late at night, you’ve come to the right place. Included here is a restaurant that seems really cool but I haven’t been called Rock Salt and a coffee place called Grit. Both seem like decent options.

For drinks/appetizers/dinner in the Mall area downtown—right near that Omni downtown—is a Mexican Anejo joint called The Bebedero with a great wine list (including a Spanish Graciano! Who gets that by the glass anywhere in America?) and like 100 different tequilas (which looked exceptional).

The Bebedero is a really nice late night drinks option if you sit outside in the middle of the Mall or in the indoor, noisey seating area by the bar. We were there at about 10:30 p.m. and the wine was terrific. It sits above the Whisky Jar (I wouldn’t go there for anything, but the Mexican joint is just above it and has LOVELY options).

I have friends who’ve eaten at the Downtown Grill and said nice things. Pricey, but…at least it’s an option in a food-unfriendly downtown.

While out on the road, check out:

Salt if you do the Jefferson Trail wineries

1330 Thomas Jefferson Parkway

Charlottesville, Va. 22902

And

Blue Mountain Pizza and Brew Pub if you do Route 151 wineries.

9519 Critzers Shop Road

Afton, Va. 22920

(540) 456-8020

Otherwise, bring your own food!

Sick of Virginia Wine?

Bold Rock

1020 Rockfish Valley Hwy

Nellysford, Va. 22958

My list of stops along the way to the wineries also includes a nice little commercial cidery which has a hopped cider that is well-worth the visit when they pour on draft. Bold Rock Cidery has a bunch of less appealing ciders (I thought I’d have to kill the dude who made the peach cider—blech, what a judgement error), but this India Pale Ale cider is most excellent (and it’s “gluten free”…bwah ha ha…because it’s made with apples. Hello? All those gluten-filled apples must have NOT been used in the making of this cider. Maybe the hops are gluten free too? Blurgh!)

With a fine nose, a pleasant bitterness, and a fruit-forward flavor that surprises because it’s not a mouth full of apples, it’s my go-to cider in Charlottesville. So much cider these days is trying to emulate the European bitterness and off-flavors that appeal to the cognoscenti. Bold Rock is a pleasant surprise with a sports bar tasting room. But if the weather is civilized, there are outdoor patio balconies overlooking their woodsy space and it’s just a remarkable space, lovely and inviting.

Wineries

Wine in Charlottesville takes on a variety of options all of which hold surprises and options. I’m going to focus on the best of the best, but the experiences vary wildly, because some are holes in the wall, some are taxing free-for-alls with great wine, and still others are rolling estates that are a joy.

After having drunk the wine and sat out on the patio for a very expensive set of sliders at Pippin Hill, I cannot recommend that winery now.  However, the view is just gorgeous and the seating is terrific. The wine was insipid and the food was expensive.

I will list in order of best wineries to so-so wineries my best experiences. Mapping them out would take me more time and I’m not ready yet to pull together an incredible set of about 5 different winery days, but I would encourage you to mix and match based on the experiences you want to have:

A Day in the Life of Crozet Wine

King Family Estates

5273 Mt Juliet Farm

Crozet, Va. 22932

(434) 823-1486

Great wine, luxurious setting, polo matches on Saturdays that you need to time your trip around. Call ahead or look online for polo match days. You’ll feel like aristocracy for a fraction of the effort and price! Bring searsucker jacket and hat to look especially dapper. Not stuffy. Not snooty. Lovely reds. Renowned for their Crose, rose blush wine, but it’s 2016 iteration was blah. The 2014/2015 (?) Meritage red was a complete delight. But they also had I think a Viognier that we also purchased and devoured.

Grace Family Estates

5273 Mount Juliet Farm

Crozet, Va., 22932

(434) 823-1486

It’s not what it used to be, because they used to taste at the old plantation on the hill, but the wine is still solid. The tasting room is a bore. The environment is shot. But the wine is well worth the visit. Love their Tannat.

Stinson Vineyards

4744 Sugar Hollow Road

Crozet, Va. 22932

(434) 823-7300

La Tour D’Afton is possibly one of the finest Virginia reds, if not the best, in the state.  Stinson is the only one selling it. I think it’s possible to set up a visit to that winery, but I haven’t done so. Stinson wines themselves are forgettable. The reds from La Tour D’Afton are not!

White Hall Vineyards

5282 Sugar Ridge Road
Crozet, Va. 22932
(434) 823-8615

I would say that any tasting that begins with Thibaut-Janisson sparkling wine is pretty outstanding from the get-go. It’s the only sparkler in the entire state that I’ll drink. I walked up, and my pourer MaryAnn poured me half a glass. Nice way to kick off a tasting that encompassed a bunch of strong, high-quality Virginia wines. I left buying 3 wines and a case of cut-price Viognier they had to move. Their Gewurtz was quite nice. But their reds are super. Worth the visit to this place that’s really hidden down a terrific drive that takes you away and north from Charlottesville. I stopped here on my way out of Charlottesville and ended up there 3 hours.

Down 151 and Up Afton Mountain

Pollak Vineyards

330 Newtown Road

Greenwood, Va. 22943

(540) 456-8844

I always start here for a day out or end here after a long day, usually because it’s so close to my hotel. Reliable Chard. Terrific Viognier this year (2015/2016), and then good, memorable reds and some nice experiments like their Malbec, which I don’t recommend but appreciate. My suggestion is to be prepared to purchase. I always leave here with bottles, particularly their Cab Franc and Meritage.

Afton Mountain Winery

234 Vineyard Lane

Afton, Va., 22920

(540) 456-8667

Gewurtztraminer galore! Holy cow, Alsatian-style Gewurtz, in Virginia?! You come here for exactly one grape. The rest of their wine is mostly forgettable in my humble opinion; however, the G-wine is not to be missed. And sipping it in the comfy chairs out on the veranda with a pooch by your side—this is why they make estates with a view. Love the view. Bring your own food and sip it with white wine-friendly appetizers.

Delfosse Vineyards

500 DelFosse Winery Lane

Faber, Va. 22938

The wines are good, a lot of options here, but the whites were the strongest. A Frenchman owns/owned it but is in the process of selling it. But save your stamina, and trek UP the hill to the very tippy top, so you can look down on the winery into the valley in which it sits. With a cold glass of their Viognier blends or Sauv Blanc or Petit Manseng, you’ll be glad you wore yourself out. The pics are worth the hike. Besides, you’ve been sittin in a car all that time…you need the walk!

Lovingston Winery

885 Freshwater Cove Lane

Lovingston, Va. 22949

(434) 263-8467

If you love wine and don’t mind sipping/tasting at a garage/warehouse, this is the first logical step when you go tasting and want a beautiful roadtrip. The trip from Charlottesville to Lovingston, Va., is really nice. About 40 minutes from downtown you can begin your journey here, and work your way up Route 151 (what I call “The 151 Freeway”). It’s a winery that makes a few very unique, very worthwhile wines, including blended reds that they call “Rotunda Red” and “Josie’s Knoll” (why they cannot just call it Blended Red Reserve and Blended Red, I have no idea), and a Petit Manseng 2015 I’d travel for. They also have a strong Cab Franc I appreciate for its pepper notes and its ability to carry them through to the finish, unlike so much CF here in Virginia. 33 minutes from Afton Mountain Winery, you can start here and then wend your way up 151 to Afton Mountain and lunch there. So start here around 11 a.m. and eat lunch by 1 p.m. at Afton Mountain. You’ll be glad you did.

Upcountry Wine Tasting

Honah Lee Vineyards

13443 Honah Lee Farm Dr

Gordonsville, Va. 22942

(540) 406-1313

Yes, THAT Honah Lee. The vineyard owners named it after Puff the Magic Dragon because that’s how they saw it on their way when they had their kids in the car in the 1970s when they bought it. At least I think it was the 1970s…the owners love this land and now have their own label which I have not tasted yet.

I always begin this journey at Honah Lee Vineyards on my way to Charlottesville. It’s a nice first stop on your way down from D.C., and it has a homey, wine-shack feel, not a fancy-schmancy feel, something like you might get at the Foxen Vineyards shack on Foxen Canyon Road in Santa Barbara County. Honah Lee is a renown vineyard, home to the best Viognier in the state. They have been growing here since I believe the good folks at Horton, Jim Law from Linden, and my guy Michael Shaps source grapes from here as far back as the 1990s or was it the ‘80s? You can also taste plenty of reds here and wines from other producers, including a women-owned winery called Well Hung!

Keswick Vineyards

1575 Keswick Winery Dr.

Keswick, Va. 22947

(434) 244-3341

Far and away the best Viognier in the state, depending on the vintage and the weather, obviously. I love their reds as well, particularly their reserve Cab, which is a fortune. This stop is a no-brainer. Do it, you’ll be glad you did.

Barboursville and Horton

Barboursville is at 17655 Winery Road, Barboursville, Va. 22923 – (540) 832-7848

Horton is at 6399 Spotswood Trail, Gordonsville, Va. 22942 – (540) 832-7440

You go to Barboursville for the history of Virginia’s first “real” winery, the Sauv Blanc, and the solid reds. Their Octogon you never get to taste during the tasting, so don’t get excited. It’ll be in the Governor’s Case, not yours, unless you buy the bottle—which you can get cheaper online. The wine tasting experience can leave you drunk. Be sure to spit and swish, not swallow, or you’ll lose your whole day here. And while it’s great and thorough as tastings go, you should really check out the other wineries listed above first.

Horton is just a few short blocks away, and you go there for their exceptional Viognier and Cab Franc. I generally do not approve of their other wines, but those two are worth the weird tasting room. From here, Charlottesville is about 20 minutes away, so plan accordingly so you don’t run into friendly officers who’ll want to see your license and registration.

Jefferson’s Journey

Jefferson Vineyards

1353 Thomas Jefferson Parkway

Charlottesville, Va. 22902

(434) 977-3042

Nice work, JV for getting to name your winery this name. Stolen! But the wine’s pretty solid and it’s right next door to Salt, where you can get yourself a lovely lunch and have a sip or two before going on with your day, as you head out to Dave Matthew’s winery and more. I appreciate their Viogniers here. I think these guys and Keswick make the best Viogniers, and outside of Loudoun County Viogniers, these show well AFTER you buy them and get home and drink them a month later.

Get on the road, drive to the bottom of your route and work your way back to Charlottesville from here.

Michael Shaps Winery

1781 Harris Creek Way  

Charlottesville, Va. 22902

(434)296-3438

I’m not always a fan of his wines, but his work is exceptional in Virginia. A real star of Virginia wine, like Jim Law, Jeff White, and Gabrielle Rausse, Jake Busching (Shaps’ vineyard manager), and the Zonin Family. You come here for the chance to meet him and chat when he walks out of the trailer to see who is sitting next to his crush pad. I did with Morgan and we talked for like a half hour about the tasting. He’s so cool.

Couldn’t have said it better myself: “Shaps has been making wine in central Virginia since 1995.  He previously worked with two highly regarded central Virginia wineries – Jefferson Vineyards, and King Family Vineyards.  He currently works as a consultant to wineries in several states and has been involved in the startup of more than ten wineries.

“He was the winner of the Virginia Governor’s Cup Wine Competition in 2004 and has been mentioned in numerous wine publications such as Saveur, Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, Wine Advocate, Washingtonian, and The Washington Post.” 

Gabrielle Rausse

3247 Carter's Mountain Road

Charlottesville, Va. 22902

(434) 981-1677

Just a beautiful little tucked away wine tasting joint. You can get lovely bread and I think cheese with your tasting. And there’s a lady who cooks “bites” you can purchase if you’re puckish. We only gorged on the bread, so you don’t have to blow a fortune here. But I left with 3 bottles, so beware, you may purchase plenty here.

Blenheim

31 Blenheim Farm

Charlottesville, Va. 22902

(434) 293.5366

Make your last stop Blenheim for two reasons:

(1) Dave Matthew’s wines that they pour are only OK. I’m not in love with their wines.

(2) the view is great and at the end of the day, you’ll want the back balcony view to soak in and destress from all that wine tasting.

It’s a delight, and a great musician owns the place. Happy to give him the $5 tasting fee for the time on his ranch.

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Constellation Buys Five of Charles Smith's Washington Wine Brands

An end of an era: 

Constellation Buys Five of Charles Smith's Washington Wine Brands

ARGH!!! There goes the neighborhood. I swear to god, it was bad enough when Foley was buying up all of Santa Barbara, but Washington State!? Constellation: making fine wine the Mouton Cadet of the American market. Blech.

Let us all pray they do not destroy the wines.

From Wine Spectator this week: "The wine giant expands its premium portfolio with a stable of quirkily labeled wines, including Kung Fu Girl Riesling.

Constellation Brands added to its burgeoning collection of premium wine brands, announcing this morning an agreement to purchase five Washington brands from Charles Smith Wines. With this deal, Constellation says it will become the second largest supplier of Washington state wines. The purchase comes on the heels of Constellation's acquisition of two California brands:

• The Prisoner in April for $285 million and
• The Pinot Noir brand Meiomi in 2015 for $315 million

Smith is selling Kung Fu Girl Riesling, Eve Chardonnay, Boom Boom Syrah, Velvet Devil Merlot and Chateau Smith Cabernet Sauvignon." 

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Constellation Buys Five of Charles Smith

An end of an era: Constellation Buys Five of Charles Smith's Washington Wine Brands

ARGH!!! There goes the neighborhood. I swear to god, it was bad enough when Foley was buying up all of Santa Barbara, but Washington State!? Constellation: making fine wine the Mouton Cadet of the American market. Blech.

Let us all pray they do not destroy the wines.

From Wine Spectator this week: "The wine giant expands its premium portfolio with a stable of quirkily labeled wines, including Kung Fu Girl Riesling.

Constellation Brands added to its burgeoning collection of premium wine brands, announcing this morning an agreement to purchase five Washington brands from Charles Smith Wines. With this deal, Constellation says it will become the second largest supplier of Washington state wines. The purchase comes on the heels of Constellation's acquisition of two California brands:

• The Prisoner in April for $285 million and
• The Pinot Noir brand Meiomi in 2015 for $315 million

Smith is selling Kung Fu Girl Riesling, Eve Chardonnay, Boom Boom Syrah, Velvet Devil Merlot and Chateau Smith Cabernet Sauvignon."

Barboursville 2010 Octagon

2010 Octagon

A Bottle for a "Special Evening" Red 

'topher came for dinner the other night, and we were terribly excited to be at the end of the winter stockpile. All that was left worth drinking with our dinner was the Barboursville 2010 Octagon. Named after the building that is on site at their property in Colonial Charlottesville, The Octagon is the winery's premier bottle, and held up pretty well, given my cheapy little wine cooler isn't exactly the finest storage unit in the world.

2010 Octagon
Barboursville Winery

• Charlottesville, Va.
• Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot
• 14.3%
• $58 at Wegman's Supermarket, Ashburn, Va.
• purchased summer 2014
• consumed April 2, 2016

Now I've spent some time travelling with 'topher, and he's my go-to when drinking fine, expensive wine now that KoKo lives in Catonsville. (Insert Sad Panda Emoticon here). 'topher's palette knows what it's talking about and even when I'm not sure where the wine is going as it opens up, he knows how to appreciate the wine as it expresses in the glass over time.

'topher and I kickin' it at Chimney Rock

Pic from the Chem Lab
at Chimney Rock

Our first notation was that even after an hour in the decanter, the wine hadn't opened up appreciably. It was almost "weak" and felt unpredictable. Had I purchased a bad bottle? The cork was a big desiccated and dry in  spots. It looked as if I hadn't turned the bottle sufficiently in the cooler.

And though we began with a rich plate of Castelveltranos, double-creme brie, Tempranillo jam, and a really fine olive bread, we decided the wine needed time after a starter sip. So we swifly moved to a bottle of Gustav Lorentz Pinot Blanc. After a pair of glasses there, we meandered back to the table.
Would this journey into a Virginia Bordeaux-blended red be worth the price? Worth the trouble?

'topher raising a glass to our lunch hostess at Pride Mountain

Well, as he and found throughout Napa, it was hit or miss. On our whirlwind excursion there, we hit some truly fine wineries, but mediocre tastings. Chimney Rock hosted us and treated us well, Quintessa was a superb tour, but the wine tasting was meager. It wasn't until we arrived at the top of Spring Mountain where I put on a show and got us on property without an appointment. The great luck meant the woman who served us at Pride Mountain Wines was thrilled to have the company on bottling day. She was bored watching the laborers fill the bottles off a truck int he lot and she was more than happy to welcome us to not only their fantastic winery, but also to offer us the ONLY spot in all of Napa that had legal space for dining. Part of the property sits on the Sonoma County facing side, and so they have perfect picnic tables there for those thrifty wine touring folks who need shelter from the brutal attitude of Napa.

Back to the Barboursville

And Pride wines are truly terrific, so after a bottle of the Cab, we were ready to get back on the road and find out accommodations(!)

Oh my...I'm veeeeeeered waaaaaaaay off topic. Yes, again...the review of the Octagon.

Here's our notes from the dinner. The 2010 Octagon was served with a supper made of three primary plats, small sides. A chicken thigh, a small portion of fresh pasta with fresh tomato, and a saladette.

• Martha Stewart's Parm-stuffed Lemon Zest Chicken
• Fresh Pasta made in a fresh tomato sauce with tomatoes I'd canned last summer
• And a gorgeous farmers market salad with L'Auberge Chez Francois dressing

The first glass had a nice fragrance. We decanted 1 hour before sitting down. This dry red wasn't particularly bold or high in alcohol, despite 2010 being a hot summer. The wine really changed its shape once we drank it with the main meal. The wine did not particularly go well with the appetizers mentioned earlier in the blogpost. However, more was to come...

When the wine mixed in the mouth with the skin of the chicken (stuffed with panko, parm, red pepper, and lemon zest), the mouthful took on a smokey-ness that was beyond expectation. The wine kicked the entire meal up a notch. Smoke, tobacco, smooth tannins, and a really pleasant mouthfeel. For $58 a bottle, you would expect no less, I realize. But I have to admit, I have no compunction about spending this kind of money on a wine that can accentuate and surprise when served with the main.

So often, reds will be so palatable that you'll chug them with the melty brie or salty cheeses and olives, but this one you want to wait for. So splurge a little. Skip the macchiatos this month, and get to Wegman's for a bottle of "special evening red." 

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Stone Cold Fox From Chronic Cellars

What is it to be a foxy wine? "Foxy" usually means "Ewwwww, spit it out" gross. But Stone Fox is a foxy wine from Chronic Cellars, from what I believe is sourced out of Sonoma, and it stirred the French cockles of my heart (read: palette). It is quite simply a fox of a wine, like a "hot chick" or like that song from the '70s, "Sexy Lady" by the Isley Brothers. Now, why the image on the bottle has a Medusa-headed gal on it is anyone's guess. Certainly not a foxy image. But in spite of its packaging, I really enjoyed this wine.

Chronic Cellars' Foxy Lady: Stone Cold

2014 Stone Fox

Chronic Cellars

$22 online 

• 35% Grenache Blanc
• 33% Viognier
• 32% Picpoul

As Rhone-styled whites go, it's hard to beat the sensational trio of varietals that drive the wines of this region of France. So, attention new world wine makers, please help Chronic build the idea of Rhone white varietals in the states, so we begin getting better white wine blend options.

The Stoop: Grenach Blanc-heavy Whites Await

Grenache Blanc.

Viognier.

Marsanne. 

Roussane. 

Picpoul.

These grapes positively scream my name. Well, so do Alsace's Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris, but I suppose that's for another blog post.

Goes Nicely With Grilled Pork Loin,
Did I Mention?

This bottle is a terrific expression of these grapes via the California terroir that ages them into this bottle. Overall, Stone Cold is a really enjoyable bottle, and it's Tuesday night sippin' wine. While the price may be above your Tuesday sippin' wine price, I think it serves nicely, given it's expression in the glass. I nursed this for 4 days in the 'fridge and was simply not disappointed.

The fresh and round shape with its fatty viscosity sidles up to a soft acidity that doesn't complicate the way a dry Riesling or a more purely floral Viognier might. I relish the way it floats on the tongue and brings simple joy to the glass.

Where I live, it's what I wanna have when I'm sitting languid on The Stoop (see picture above) watching all the girls and boys go home from work up 18th Street, back into Adams Morgan at the end of a hard day.

The Pros:

• Will please those who are accustomed to Rhone whites. 
• The silky mouth feel gives way to a pleasant punch without an alcohol burst at the finish. You can drink this without the stupor associated with higher alcohol California Chards.
• The wine is pretty in the glass; superb color, nice balance on the tongue.
• It's a memorable concoction of grapes, the Rhone white blends, so it's a new journey for friends who don't know these grapes.

The Cons:

Thank you, Wine Exchange

• Not many folks know Rhone whites, so this may be a standoffish hipster for wine newbies.
• The bottle artwork is not my cup of tea, much like I said about the company's red. Again, ideal for the Dead Head in your life who is weening himself off weed. 
• Feels like they're trying to corner the market on men looking to remember that "Stone Cold Fox" that they can still taste on their lips—like she used lipsmacker cinnamon lipstick or something. This bottle's flavors will disappoint for those chaps.
• Not sure folks will "get" the marketing of this wine, and it could die on the shelf without an awareness campaign of how special this version of Rhone white blends is.

Hope you are finding these reviews helpful and not annoying. Wine reviewing can really bug folks, I get it. But hey, I write the best I can, not the way a pro would.

Be well, drink Rhone wines like my friend Muffy taught me back in the '80s. She was right. And if you cannot afford the French ones, Stone Fox will do just fine.

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Happy Norouz, Everyone!

Ali travels the world, as I was saying during yesterday’s post. As a Foreign Policy Analyst, he rarely has the time for dinners with Shane and me. But finally, we all set a date. That date was summarily scuttled when the Shane came down with some equally international bug.

But true to form, Ali wanted to impress; he knew that Shane had been talking him up as an outstanding chef and wanted me to know that where the best Persian food in the city is. Turns out Shane was right, the best Persian in D.C. can be found at their home.

And so, the date is upon us, Happy Norouz, everyone! Persian New Year begins forthwith! In fact Norouz starts at this very minute.

And Ali and Shane are healthy again, so it is time for a little Norouz-shment.

This event usually coincides with the Vernal Equinox which according to the google-o-meter says:

Originally being a Zoroastrian festival, and the holiest of them all, Nowruz is believed to have been invented by Zoroaster himself, although there is no clear date of origin. Since the Achaemenid era the official year has begun with the New Day when the Sun leaves the zodiac of Pisces and enters the zodiacal sign of Aries, signifying the Spring Equinox.

Well, I’ve always like Pisces (although, I think Ali is Gemini and Shane is Capricorn, uh, so never mind…) At any rate, I watched Ali make possibly the most tasty chicken thigh dish I can imagine. And this sort of cooking magic compels me to share the results with you.

Nothing special seemed to go into it, though. So, while I’ll tell you what he did, I must confess, I’m not sure why it tastes so excellent. Perhaps because the meat perches atop a bed of Javahar Polo or “jewelled rice.”

Javahar Polo

1/2 c sugar and 1/2 c grated carrot and orange zest boiled for 10 minutes to get the bitterness out. Create a simple syrup.

1 chopped large onion

olive oil for quick frying

1/2 c sultanas (golden raisins)

a couple fistfuls of slivered almonds and chopped pistachios

1 c barberries

4-5 c rice

1 t ground saffron in 1/2 c water and 1/2 c olive oil

First create the simple syrup as above. Set aside. Bowl rice with about 1″ of water above the rice in a Dutch oven with salt. Boil 6-7 minutes. Don’t cook more than 10 minutes, whatever you do. Drain.

Incorporate the carrot/orange peel mixture by laying it in the rice in layers. Replace the rice into the pot layering with the peel. Now pour the saffron/water/olive oil mixture into the hot pan on low heat and pour the berries and nuts in. Quickly fry these first until the nuts are lightly browned. Remove the berries and nuts. Pour the oil and syrup mixture back over the rice. Cook through. The oil, sugar and starch create that incredible tahdig or “bottom of the [rice] pot” crust that is so popular in middle eastern cuisine. I find it utterly indispensable for making flavorful rice and just wish I could make it every time I make rice.

Jewelled Rice

While you are making the javahar polo, begin preparing the entrée. Fry 8-12 boneless and skinless thighs on one side for about 15-20 minutes in some olive oil and the juice of two lemons in a regular (not a non-stick) pan. Add 1 medium onion, chopped, and 4-5 cloves of roughly chopped garlic near the beginning of the process. Salt and pepper the chicken as you go. Flip the chicken and cook through; you may need more lemon juice as you go, so the chicken stays in a moist lemony bath. After about 45 minutes, you’ll have dinner.

Sprinkle the berries and nuts over the top of the rice. And then place the browned chicken thighs atop the rice. Let the oooooohs and aaaaaaahs begin.

On a side note, Shane brought a little bit of home (Upstate New York, that is) to the table as well, taking this most Islamic affairs to a decidedly secular level with a Dr. Konstantin Frank’s Fingerlakes white varietal called Rkatsiteli. Crisp and clean, dry and not overly-alcohol-y, this vineyard is one of the very best in the Fingerlakes region.

2009 Rkatsiteli

Dr. Frank's Fingerlakes White

Dr. Konstantin Frank Vineyards

12%

Hammondsport, N.Y. 

I’d never had such an obscure varietal, which according to Wikipedia is a Georgian grape, and prior to the fall of the Soviet Union was the most widely exported grape in the country. Dare I say it: count on Shane to bring it! Who knew that a Persian/ Georgian mash-up was to be the order of the day.

Until our next Persian meal of veal shoulder, lava beans, and dried fenugreek herb, Happy Nourouz, everybody! And as Ali says, Noushe e Jan (roughly “Bon Appetit” or “To your life’s enjoyment!”)

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