California Wine Guide
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What Makes California Wine Country So Wonderfully Unique
There is nowhere else in the world like California wine country, where you can find beautiful scenery, a big collection of wineries and vineyards, great hotels and guesthouses, a fantastic selection of restaurants, and plenty of activities to keep you happy for as long as you plan to stay.
California wine country is very popular with tourists and even if you are not really a fan of California fine wines, you will find plenty to keep you occupied and happy in California wine country.
As you know, the greatest attraction is the wines, and many people enjoy Napa Valley wine tours or Sonoma wine tours during their stay. A stay in California wine country can be as short as a weekend or a week or two. Of course you probably will not want to taste wines every day for two weeks, but there is plenty more to do in this beautiful and picturesque region.
When is Good to Visit?
California wine country is beautiful and special at any time of the year. The vineyards are bursting with ripe grapes in August and by the end of the month the sparkling wine grapes are harvested. You can imagine how many great photos you can take in the fall as well.
Choose December or January if you want to visit when there are not so many tourists, especially in places like Sonoma and the Napa Valley where the queues at the wineries and heavy traffic can be something of a nuisance during the popular summer months. The vines are dormant so you will see rows of bare trellising, but you can still try and purchase California fine wines.
In Sonoma in January and February you can see wild mustard flowers and other flowers in bloom in the vineyards. The vines start to bud in the spring and this is when the weekends start to get busy with the tourists. Whenever you choose to visit, California wine country is always unique and inviting.
“This Melt-In-The-Mouth Braised Lamb Recipe Is Flavored With Red Wine”
Braised Red Wine Lamb Shanks with Rosemary
- Serves: 6
This melt-in-the-mouth braised lamb recipe is flavored with red wine. Use any dry red wine you like. Bear in mind that you will be able to taste the wine (since this recipe calls for a whole bottle of it!) so do not use a poor quality wine or something you do not like. When cooking with wine, you will get the same results from using a good wine as you would from using an excellent wine, so there is no reason to spend more than five or six dollars on a bottle. Expensive California fine wines should be savored rather than cooked with.
California wine country gives you plenty of scope when it comes to choosing red wine. Perhaps you would like to get two bottles - one to make the lamb dish with and one to drink with it. Try a Pinot Noir, Malbec or Cabernet Sauvignon, or anything else you encountered during Napa Valley wine tours or similar California wine tasting expeditions.
You can make this lamb shanks recipe ahead if you want. To do this, you will need to cook the lamb to the point where it is tender but still on the bone and then refrigerate the lamb and the cooking liquid in separate containers. Remove the fat from the liquid before reheating the two. To reheat them, put the shanks and liquid in a roasting pan, cover the pan with aluminum foil, and cook for twenty minutes at 400 degrees F.
Photo Description:
California wine really gives an amazing depth to this lamb shanks braised with red wine and rosemary, really fortifying the meaty flavor and bringing out the delicious taste of the meat and vegetables in this dish. If you are a fan of California fine wines you might like to choose a Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Zinfandel for this dish. Any California wine guide will tell you these wines are rich and hearty and perfect for making a tasty braised lamb recipe. You can see from the photo how tender the meat looks and how rich and thick the red wine sauce is.
Amazing Red Wine Braised Lamb Shanks Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 coarsely chopped mushrooms
- 5 sprigs fresh rosemary 3 inches each
- 4 coarsely chopped carrots
- 2 garlic bulbs halved crosswise
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons crushed black peppercorns
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 bottle dry red wine
- 6 lamb shanks 1 ΒΌ lbs each
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 onion in 8 wedges
- 4 coarsely chopped celery stalks
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Season the lamb shanks with salt and black pepper.
Heat the oil in a high-sided, ovenproof pot until it is nearly smoking.
Sear the meat in batches until it is golden brown all over.
Put all the lamb in the pot with the bay leaves, peppercorns, wine, stock, celery, garlic, mushrooms, onion, and carrot.
Put the pot in the oven and braise for 2 hours or until the meat is tender but still on the bone.
Turn the shanks over every 30 minutes during the cooking time.
Take out the lamb and some of the onions and mushrooms and cover them with aluminum foil.
Strain the braising liquid into a big saucepan and skim the fat off the top.
Simmer until the volume reduces a bit; and the flavor has intensified.
Serve the lamb shanks with the sauce ladled over the top and some of the onions and mushrooms on the side.
You can serve this with rice or mashed potatoes, or perhaps with fries if you prefer.
California Wine Country Recipes
Everyone's Favorite Wine Recipes
Sample some recipes from our collection of California wine country recipes that trace back to authentic French, Italian, and California cuisine. The rustic flavors of our recipes reflect the taste of California wine country and the simple, relaxed lifestyle of the region.
Whether you need appetizers, soups, salads, or main courses and desserts, you will find something special from this beautiful part of California. Our wine country recipes offer a taste of these delicious and nutritious dishes with their bold flavors. Eat them for their health benefits or to enjoy the sensual flavors and textures; you are sure to find some that will please your palate.
Everyone has a favorite recipe with wine; it may be a rich Italian sauce, hearty beef stroganoff or a light seafood sauce. Whatever your favorite is, check our selection for more recipes to tempt your taste buds. Wine interacts with the food during cooking to create a complex, delicious flavor that you will be proud to serve to your friends and family. You will find that these favorite wine recipes are perfect for evenings when you want to eat something a little special or even when you want a little comfort food.
More Great California Wine Country Recipes
How a California Wine Guide Can Improve Your California Wine Country Tours
A California wine guide is essential if you want to make the most of your California wine country tours. California wine country is huge and you have a lot of choice when it comes to planning your trip.
Details like where to stay, where to eat, which wineries to visit, and what other activities to enjoy are all things that you might like to plan ahead, especially if you are planning your California wine country trip in late spring, summer or another busy time when you have to make reservations rather than just deciding what to do when you arrive. Napa Valley wine tours can get very booked up during peak seasons but might be very quiet off-season.
What You Should Know Before You Go
A good California wine guide will explain the differences between the different regions and also explain more about California fine wines, including how the wine is produced, which grapes are used to make it, and how to choose the best California wine to bring home with you.
You do not need to read everything you can get your hands on and become a wine expert before heading out to California wine country, but it is a good idea to familiarize yourself a little with the area, including the distances between the wineries. You might want to visit three wineries in one day, for example, so you will need to pick three which are within driving distance from one another.
Organizing little details like this before you go will help to ensure your California wine country tour goes smoothly and gives you great memories to look back on for years to come.
What are the Six Wine Regions of California?
The six wine regions of California are the Central Coast, the Central Valley, the North Coast, the South Coast, the Shasta and Cascade region and the desert area. Wine grapes are grown in forty six of California's fifty eight counties, covering a huge expanse of terrain, but the regions are broken down in to these six main areas to simplify things.
There are more than a hundred AVAs (American Viticulural Areas) in California, largely because of the size and microclimates within the state. The smallest AVA is one hundred and fifty acres and this is Cole Ranch in Mendocino County. The biggest is the Central Coast, with nearly seven million acres.
The Most Famous Wine Regions - Napa Valley and Sonoma
The best-known pair of wine regions are Napa Valley and Sonoma. The famous Napa Valley region is in the northern California coastal region, above San Francisco. Some of the best Cabernets, Merlots, and Chardonnays are made there. Sonoma County is nearby and you can find great quality Chardonnays and Pinot Noir there, as well as sparkling wines.
The Other Wine-Growing Regions in California
Paso Robles is found between Los Angeles and San Francisco. This is the fastest-growing wine region in California. San Luis Obispo is found nearby and the main varietal to come from there is Cabernet Sauvignon, followed by Merlot.
The San Diego area is the smallest wine-growing region but it has various microclimates and great quality soil, so some fine Cabernets, Chardonnays, and Zinfandels are produced there. Santa Barbara is on the central California coast above Los Angeles. You can buy excellent Riesling, Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir there.
Bordering the Sonoma and Napa Valley regions is the Carneros area. The soil conditions and microclimate there help to produce some very good Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and sparkling wines. Mendocino Country is on the northern California coast above San Francisco and recommended wines from there include Cabernet, Zinfandel, and Sauvignon.
The Livermore wine area is in the central California valley, east of San Francisco Bay. This region is famous for Bordeaux-style white wine blends, but you can find various good quality sparkling wines there too. The Sierra Foothills are east of San Francisco and include the Amador County and El Dorado regions. You will find Cabernet, Sauvignon, Riesling, and award-winning Zinfandels there. Sierra Vintners stretches from Mariposa County to Yuba County and is part of the Sierra Foothill wine region.
The Santa Cruz area is south of San Francisco and famed for Pinot Noir, as well as Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah, Marsanne and Roussanne. Santa Clara is in central California and this is home to award-winning Zinfandel and some excellent Montebello Cabernets. Monterey is south of San Francisco and California fine wines from here include Chenin Blanc, Riesling and Pinot Noir, which do well in cooler climates.
It is fair to say that whichever of the six wine regions of California you visit you are sure to discover some beautiful wines. As well as offering a wonderful assortment of wines, California is famed for its glorious weather and breathtaking scenery.
California Wine Country
California Wine Country News
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- Like anything worthwhile, the tiny Northern California town of Boonville takes some effort to reach. Nestled among rolling hills and vineyards, it's the hub of the 25-mile Anderson Valley in southern Mendocino County, accessible by a twisty, ...
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- Tickets On Sale June 1 for Sonoma County's Ultimate Wine and Food Event
- Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, the premier wine and epicurean event that showcases the birthplace of California wine, is presented by Visa Signature(R). "Tickets for all Sonoma Wine Country Weekend events will be on sale June 1," said Maureen Cottingham, ...
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There are more than a hundred AVAs (American Viticulural Areas) in California
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