This was a year filled with extraordinary food and beverage adventures.  It was difficult to narrow down a “Best of the Best” list, but here are my picks for 2011:

Best Overall Coffee Experience: Roasting beans and doing a comparative tasting with Scott Miller, owner of Ogeechee River Coffee Company, Savannah, Georgia.

Best new chocolate confection chef: Chris Kollar of Kollar Chocolates in Yountville, California.  Especially love his passion fruit, coconut and peanut butter chocolates.

Best foraging adventure on a farm: La Petraia in Radda in Chianti, Italy, with owner and chef, Susan McKenna Grant.  Foraging was followed by a cooking class and lunch that featured our foraged ingredients!

Best wine harvest experience: Goosecross Cellars, Napa, California. Was such a learning experience to follow Winemaker Geoff Gorsuch during the pressing and crushing of the grapes for their Viognier wine.

Best new chocolate bar: Askinosie Chocolate, Springfield, Missouri.  I absolutely adore their new single-origin bar made with cacao beans from Honduras.

Best organic olive oil discovery: Castelas’ Biologique Olive Oil, Les Baux de Provence, France.  Grassy, aromatic, spicy and delicious.  This is a perfect finishing oil.

Best dish using brussel sprouts: Bottega Restaurant, Napa Valley, California.  Their new crispy brussel sprout salad is phenomenal.  I was upset that they took their shaved brussel sprout salad off the menu but this new salad is truly superior – so full of flavor and crunch!

Best new diner: The Fremont Diner in Sonoma, California.  Farm-to-table, Southern-inspired dishes such as BBQ pork sandwich, collard greens and housemade biscuits.

Best sugar discovery: Wasanban from Shikoku, Japan.  Wasanban is a very fine-grained sugar that is made from a thin sugar cane plant grown in Shikoku.  A friend in Japan sent it to me.  I have been using it to sprinkle on dessert crepes and cookies and to sweeten tea.  I love its delicate texture and sweet flavor.

Best affogato (gelato with a shot of espresso): Poggio in Sausalito, California.  They dress their affogatos up with slices of toasted almonds and candied orange peel.  Exquisite!

Best caramels: Jacques Genin in Paris, France.  These caramels melt in your mouth and dance on your tongue.  The flavors are rich and the texture is perfect.

Best wine education experience: Les Printemps de Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, France.  Was there in April for a tasting of grenache wines from several different soil types and microclimates within the Chateauneuf-du-Pape appellation.

Best new artisanal salt: Jacobsen Hand-Harvested Pure Sea Salt from Netarts Bay, Oregon.  This salt has a wonderful crunch and a bright, clean flavor.  Excellent finishing salt.

Best hamburger in San Francisco: 4505 Meats, San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers Market.  Haven’t tried every hamburger in town yet, but this was my favorite of the ones that I tried this year.

Looking forward to discovering what new “Bests” 2012 will bring!

Note: Top photo taken by Oliver Seidel and Nicky Stich of deliciousdays.com.

Harvest is such an exciting time in Napa Valley’s wine country. 

Last Saturday I was invited to spend the morning with winemaker and co-owner of Goosecross Cellars, Geoff Gorsuch, and his team as they pressed Viognier grapes and started the process of making their 2011 Viognier wine.

When I arrived, there were a number of bins of Viognier grapes there already.  They had been picked earlier that day in the Oak Knoll vineyards.  The grapes were a gorgeous shade of green with hints of russet.  Their skins were slightly tough and the grapes were sweet to the taste. 

After the harvesting of the grapes, the next step in the process was to remove the stems.  This process is called de-stemming.  This was done by transferring the bins of grapes via forklift to the de-stemming machine. 

The clusters of grapes were dropped into the de-stemming machine. 

The grapes were rotated through the machine as the stems were removed. 

The stems were spit out of the bottom of the machine, and the grapes were transferred over to a bladder press (the next step in the process).

Once inside the bladder press, the grapes were gently pressed to extract their juices.

Since the skins on the Viognier grapes were a little tough, this process took longer than it would with red grapes, for example, that have thinner skins.  The juice was transferred into a large tank and the skins and seeds were turned out into a bin to be discarded. 

Once inside the tank, the juice will rest for a couple of days in order for the sediment to settle to the bottom.  

The next step in the process is racking - moving the juice off the sediment into a fermentation tank.  Once inside the fermentation tank, the juice will enjoy a slow, cool fermentation. 

I so enjoy a number of the Goosecross wines, but their Viognier is one of my favorites.  It is known for its floral aromas.  I discovered Goosecross’ Viognier a few years back and have been a huge fan ever since.  I love its notes of honeysuckle and pears, and its hints of peaches, pineapple and grapefruit.  It is meant to be consumed at a fairly young age. 

We are drinking Goosecross’ 2009 Viognier right now.  It is a great match for my Salad of Fresh Greens, Pears, Candied Pistachio Nuts and Honey Vinaigrette Dressing.  I also enjoy it with my Roasted Chestnut and Date-Stuffed Pork Loin . 

Colleen Topper, one of the owners of Goosecross Cellars, has developed some great recipes that pair well with the Goosecross Wines.  There are several for pairing with their Viognier.  Take a look at Colleen’s Kitchen for some excellent suggestions. 

Goosecross Cellars is a must-visit when you come to Napa Valley.  Their wines are extraordinary and they only sell directly to their customers.  You will love the tasting room experience and the warmth, friendliness and knowledge of everyone at Goosecross. 

Find out more about their story and about their amazing selection of wines at goosecross.com.

A very special event, Les Printemps de Chateauneuf-du-Pape, is coming up on April 10th & 11th in France.  This event is being organized by the young winemakers in the Chateauneuf-du-Pape region.   The event will showcase wines from 60 wine makers in Chateauneuf-du-Pape.  One of the biggest attractions is that there will be a chance to taste old vintage Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines.  In fact, there will be stations set up that focus on old vintage wines, on terroir, on the different grape varietals in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and on food and wine pairings.  Sixty bottles of Chateauneuf-du-Pape wine will be given away in a lottery fashion to ticket-holders. 

I will be organizing a trip for a small group to attend so contact me right away if you have an interest in going with us.

We recently went to Bottega in Napa Valley (Michael Chiarello’s restaurant in Yountville).    The polenta with balsamic-wild game sauce, the rabbit sugo, the gnocchi and the burrata were all outstanding.  (It is truly wonderful to experience Michael Chiarello’s cooking again in Napa Valley!)

We decided to order the Chiarello Family 2006 Bambino Cabernet Sauvignon to accompany our meal.  This wine was a true find.   It was earthy, with hints of vanilla, blackberry jam and ripe black cherries.  Although it is a young wine, it was very drinkable.  I looked up the wine when I got back home and found out that Spectator gave it a 91 rating.  This wine sells for $40 per bottle at Napa Style and on the Chiarello Vineyards website.

I tasted this wine recently at my friend’s wine cave in Chateauneuf du Pape, and it just blew me away!  This wine is 100% Roussanne and the grapes are from 80 year old vines.  It has been aged in oak.  It tasted like a beautiful vanilla caramel, and I wanted to savor it for hours.  I bought a bottle and paired it with a sea bass with fennel.  It was luscious!  It sells for about $36 Euros per bottle and is available from http://www.caveduverger.com/ .

We recently enjoyed another wine discovery brought to us by Marcy Roth of Bacchus and Venus Wine Shop in Sausalito.  This time it was 2002 Le Bizou from Falcor Winery in Napa Valley.   This wine is a blend of 44% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Franc, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot grapes.  This wine is full of ripe blackberry fruit flavors balanced nicely with tannins and new oak.  It also has hints of cedar and tobacco with a subtle earthiness.  It has a long finish.  I chose this wine to pair with our Braised Lamb Shanks but was worried that it would overpower the food.  It did not at all – it was a lovely pairing.  This wine sells for $40.00 per bottle and is available at www.bacchusandvenus.com .

I just received my new shipment of wines from Cave de Verges des Papes in Chateauneuf du Pape.  I tasted all of these wines when I was at my friend’s cave back in February.  They are superb and I cannot wait to serve them to my friends and family.  Here is a brief description:

2005 Vielle Julienne – This is one of my favorite wines – deep red, lush and rich.  We still have a bottle of 2004 left and I am savoring the mere thought of opening it.  This is the 2005 release.  This wine is made from Grenache grapes from 80-100 year old vines and has hints of cherries, pepper and spice. It received 90 points from Robert Parker.

2005 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Rouge – This wine is quite large and tannic now and needs to age for at least 7-10 years before drinking.  It has flavors of licorice, tar and black fruits.  It received a 94 rating from Robert Parker. 

2005 Esprit d’Henri Muscat – I buy this wonderful muscat each time I visit my friend Guy’s wine cave.  It is a Vin de Pay wine – the grapes are grown in Languedoc.  It is sweet without being too heavy.  It pairs well with foie gras and with fruity desserts.  It is also great with a nice bleu cheese.  Sensational!

2005 Domaine Marcoux – This wine is made by two sisters using bio-dynamic methods.  The grapes are: 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre, 5% Syrah and 5% other.  The wine is exquisite with tastes of blackberries, cherries, licorice and currants. Although it is young, it is drinking beautifully now. 

2004 Peres de l’Eglise Heritage La Calice de Saint Pierre – This wine is made of 80-90% Grenache grapes, the rest is Syrah and Mourvedre.  The grenache grapes are from vines that are more than 100 years old.  The bold wine is lush with tastes of ripe plums and currants.  It received a rating of 92 from Wine Spectator.   

1999 Domaine Grand Tinel Alexis Establet – Composed of 90% Grenache from 85 year old vines and 10% other varietals, this wine is aged 12-18 months in old and new barrels.  It was suggested that we open the wine 3 hours before drinking.  It is quite tannic initially but when allowed to open it becomes more balanced and the richness of the fruits comes through.  Tastes of dark berries with a bit of mineral on the finish. 

 These wines are all available (can be ordered online and shipped to the states) from my friend, Guy Bremond, at Cave du Verges des Papes in Chateauneuf du Pape.

I am often asked my favorite wines for pairing with food. Certainly among my favorites are the 2005 Silverado Vineyards Vineburg Chardonnay and the 2003 Silverado Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

The 2005 Silverado Vineyards Vineburg Chardonnay features 100% chardonnay grapes from a single vineyard. The wine has flavors of apples, citrus and oak that create a perfect balance on the palette. It pairs beautifully with my Roasted Chicken with Roasted Meyer Lemons. The wine sells for $30 per bottle.

The 2003 Silverado Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet has aromas of blackberries, plums, cherries and chocolate. It is intense, rich and well-balanced. It is a spectacular pairing with my Filet of Beef Tenderloin Roast. It sells for $43 per bottle.

I really like this wine! It is big and bold in flavor. I love it now and I know that it will get even better with aging. It comes to us from Nils Venge, who was the first American winemaker to score 100 points from Robert Parker. The wine has a deep ruby/purple color and a sweet perfume of candied red fruits, charcoal smoke, cedar and spicy new oak. Only 300 cases were produced, so buy this wine while you can! It sells for $54 per bottle at Bacchus and Venus in Sausalito. It pairs well with Montgomery’s cheddar and other big, bold aged cheddars.