THE DISH: Grape expectations for San Rucci Winery's awarded wine
Jul. 1—San Rucci Winery recently announced honors for one of its wines by way of the Central Coast Wine Competition.
The 2020 Montepulciano was placed best of class (in other red varietals) at the competition. It also received a double gold designation, meaning it received a gold medal rating by all members of the judging panel.
(It has previously received a gold medal from the Orange County Wine Competition and a silver medal from the California State Wine Competition.)
This wine is described to have the flavors of "blackberry and dark cherry cola along with a slight dried thyme aroma."
"It has great structure and acidity that makes it a perfect wine for food," the news release said.
Suggested pairings include aged hard cheeses, hearty pastas and barbecue.
It was sourced from San Benito County's Siletto Family Vineyards, which is known experimenting with varieties of grapes unique to California. The wine was aged in American oak to give it a wonderful richness.
On the label is a photograph of family matriarch Loretta Becherucci, known affectionately as Mrs. B, whose relatives immigrated from a small town in Abruzzo, Italy, the region known for producing Montepulciano.
The varietal is San Rucci's most limited production wine of 2020, with only 43 cases made.
It is available for $48 at sanrucci.com.
Maybe next time
The good news is Edible Schoolyard Kern County, which has been educating children about agriculture since 2011, has branched into adult workshops.
Unfortunately, the three summer sessions set for later this month sold out in about as much time as it takes to make fresh pesto from the garden.
This pilot series will consist of three workshops ($30-$85): pickling, jamming, and pasta and wine.
Each will make use of seasonal produce — cucumbers, peppers, carrots, radishes and more to pickle; stone fruit and grapes for jam; and tomatoes, basil and garlic for pasta sauces.
Given the response, program director Dylan Wilson said the plan is to offer more workshops for adults in the future, although no dates have been set yet.
"We are constantly looking for new ways to expand access to the Edible Schoolyard," Wilson said in a news release. "We got the idea to do this series from our community. A lot of the people we meet long to be a part of the edible education process and to gain access to our unique learning experience."
Visit esykerncounty.org for the latest on Edible Schoolyard Kern County.
Catch this Summerfest
For a limited time, Red Lobster is offering Seafood Summerfest featuring a variety of sizzling dishes and exciting new beverage offerings.
Among the new options is the barbecue bacon grilled shrimp, consisting of two fire-grilled shrimp skewers, glazed with sweet and smoky barbecue sauce and topped with crispy bacon and green onions. Served over orzo rice with a choice of one side.
The grilled lobster, shrimp and salmon entree includes a tender Maine lobster tail, grilled jumbo shrimp skewer and fresh Atlantic salmon finished with a brown butter sauce.
For the steak and lobster dish, guests can enjoy a wishbone Maine lobster tail and a NY strip grilled with Red Lobster's signature seasoning.
Summerfest also includes red Argentinian shrimp skewers, which are fire-grilled and served over orzo rice.
Lobster lovers can also order live Maine lobster, a 1 1/4 -pound, wild-caught, fresh from the Atlantic crustacean that is available steamed or stuffed.
Pair these dishes with the new summer sangarita, a blend of summer's most popular cocktails — a sangria and margarita — or a glass of Sea Sun California chardonnay or Sea Sun California pinot noir.
Stefani Dias can be reached at 661-395-7488. Follow her on Twitter @realstefanidias.
