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Welcome!
We appreciate your patronage and hope to keep you up to date on the latest news from the vineyard and the tasting room (with an occasional bite from Alan's musical efforts).
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From Sandra's Desk
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January 2025
Alan and I traveled to NYC to be there for the close of Back to the Future the Musical on Broadway at the beginning of the month. It was an emotional and joyous closing weekend for everyone. The good news is that BTTFTM is on a US Tour and will be at the Orpheum in San Francisco starting on February 12, 2025, through March 9th! The tour is ROCKING so if you're interested check out this web site!! www.backtothefuturemusical.com/northamerica
That's the bit from Alan's career.
Back to the vineyard and wine. We had a wonderful December, beginning with a great staff party and ending with great visits from wine club members and friends in the tasting room! Our family joined us for a Christmas Eve hike in the vineyard. It has become a touch stone for our children and extended family as the beautiful Carmel Valley restores us and brings us together. We had all of our grandchildren (including Baby Rowan) and a few friends. It's such a quiet, special time and we appreciate it more than ever.
We wish you all a wonderful, happy and prosperous New Year in whatever ways you measure prosperity! Thank you again for your patronage and friendship.
Salute!!!
Sandra
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Recipes with Andi
Happy New Year, club members! I hope you had an incredible holiday season, filled with good times with those you love and good food to go along with them (and our wine)! I thought it would be fun this year to share with you some fun and easy recipes that pair perfectly with our wines, and I'll explain every detail along the way. If you ever have any questions on the recipe details, you can reach out directly to me at andi@silvestrivineyards.com. Let's get started with the fun stuff!
The first recipe I want to share with y'all is a risotto- a staple dish of the Piedmont region of Italy, this particular take also nods a hat to the local Castroville produce rockstar, the artichoke! Rich and creamy, it's a very cozy dish for these winter months. I know risotto has a reputation for being tricky to make, but I promise- all it takes is patience. And I'll include helpful tips in the instructions based on my own experiences making this dish. I will be including quantity measurements, but do not stress out about those- cooking isn't baking, you do not need to be perfectly precise. Just taste as you go and add ingredients to your taste gradually. You can always add, taking back is a lot trickier! Let's get started…
Cal-Ital Risotto
Olive oil
½ large white onion
1 ½ cup of arborio rice
2 cups dry white wine (I recommend our Ala Pinot Gris)
2 ½ cups of unsalted chicken or vegetable stock
½ cup sliced fresh Mushrooms
6-8 oz. of artichoke hearts, chopped
1 ½ cup grated hard Italian cheese, such as parmesan, Romano, or the lovely Piave Vecchio available at the Carmel Cheese Shop
Salt & black pepper to taste
First: Get your ingredients ready and together! This is your mis-en-place.
- Small dice the onion, put it in a bowl next to your stovetop.
- If you're using marinated artichoke hearts, drain them off the liquid.
- Make sure all of your ingredients are measured and in your reach by the stove top.
The only equipment you should need once your ingredients are prepared are a thick-bottomed large, wide pot and a spoon for stirring (I use a wooden one personally).
The Process: This will take time- I'm not going to promise 30 minutes, because the best risotto results come from consistent, even cooking, and that requires the medium or slightly lower temperature range.
- Add enough olive oil to your pot to coat the bottom, plus a splash extra. Slowly heat it to a medium/medium-low setting. **Important note- if it starts to smoke, it's too hot and everything will taste bitter.
- When you can feel heat coming off of the oil, add your onion and stir it in to coat the onion in the oil. Cook it until it becomes translucent/slightly caramelized.
- Add your dried rice to the oil and onion. Here you can raise the temperature slightly so you can cook the grains to a golden color.
- When the rice has colored, add your wine. Stir everything together so the rice can absorb the liquid evenly.
- When the wine has mostly been absorbed, add about half of your stock, as well as the mushrooms and artichokes. Keep stirring, and when that liquid has been absorbed into the rice as well, taste a grain to check for doneness. You want a texture that is barely firm, and not gritty at all. If your rice is still undercooked, add another portion of stock, and keep stirring to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan. Repeat until you have the desired mouthfeel.
- Once you have the texture you want, add a splash more stock or wine, salt and pepper, and stir in your grated cheese. Turn the stovetop off, stir once or twice more, then cover your pot and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- After it has finished resting, taste your risotto- add any salt or pepper it may still need, stir, then serve with a drizzle of olive oil, grated cheese, and cracked black pepper.
And there you have it! Risotto! You can always swap out to other vegetables you may prefer, just keep in mind firmer vegetables will probably need to be pre-cooked before incorporating them into the risotto. I like pairing this with the Ala Pinot Gris because the bright acidity present in the wine helps cut through and balance the rich starchiness of the rice and cheese. However, if white wines aren't your jam, our Barbera will also go really well with this- its fruit notes and earthy characteristics bring out the flavor of the mushrooms, without overwhelming the dish entirely. I hope you enjoy! ~Andi
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From The Tasting Room:
As we step into 2025, we are excited about all that this new year has in store for Silvestri Vineyards and our wonderful community of wine enthusiasts. The start of a new year brings fresh opportunities for all of us in the tasting room and all of our loyal customers.
Stay tuned! We have exciting plans for the tasting room this year, including new events, an expanded Wine Club, and more ways to enjoy our wines. We can't wait to welcome you this year to experience our exceptional wines and try some new recipes (Thanks, Andi!).
We want to take a moment to thank each and every one of you for your continued patronage. Your feedback and enthusiasm for our wines and wonderful staff, inspires us every day to do our best. We are so grateful to be part of your celebrations, gatherings, and moments of joy.
2025 is set to be a fantastic year, and we look forward to connecting with you, both in person and through our wines. Let's raise a glass to a year full of possibilities and shared experiences. Cheers to you!
If you are interested in being a part of our wonderful Wine Club, now is the perfect time. Members receive exclusive offers and benefits with our Signature Wine Club, including:
- 20% discount on regular priced wines and most on-sale wines
- Immediate access to benefits upon sign-up
- Convenient wine shipping to select destinations across the U.S.
Sign-up is simple through the tasting room or on our website. Our knowledgeable staff is here to assist you every step of the way, whether you prefer to order online or through our tasting room.
Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to seeing you at the tasting room soon!
-The Tasting Room Staff
Daniella, Elian, Andi & Savannah
Daily Tasting Menu:
2021 Pinot Blanc, Il Campione, Estate
2021 Chardonnay, Bella Sandra, Estate
2021 Pinot Noir, Piave, Estate
2021 Barbera, Estate
2019 Red Blend, Eugenia, Estate
Available for Purchase (click or tap here to visit our online store):
2021 Grenache Rosé, Estate
2021 Pinot Gris, Ala, Estate
2021 Chardonnay, Tre Bambine, Estate
2021 Pinot Noir, Rising Tide, Estate
2021 Grenache 90% Syrah 10% Blend, Estate
2021 Syrah, Estate
2021 Syrah, Red Ranger, Estate
2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, I'Vendicatori, Estate
2019 Late Harvest Moscato, Estate
For Tasting Room information (hours, location, etc.) click or tap here to visit our website
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