Mountain Views News          Saturday, May 28, 2016

8

FOOD AND DRINK

Mountain Views-News Saturday, May 28, 2016 


LOCAL YOCALS

Sometimes I think my job title should include 
“detective”, as in “Peter Dills: Wine Detective”. I guess, 
for that matter, most of us who carry a pen could fall 
in that category. Something that I assume is common 
knowledge might be unknown to those of you who just 
have a glass or two of wine now and then.

 Think about it - where does your wine come from? 
There is a simple way to know by looking at the label if 
the wine is estate grown. Where does the label say it is 
from? A general rule I go by is that they put on the label 
is that they put on the label the percentage of that grape. 
Example: “Estate grown” simply means that 100 % the 
grapes come from the winery. The winery could own 
vineyards in two different regions, say Paso Robles and 
or Lodi. And, what region are the grapes from? 
Do they come from a small section of Sonoma or 
Napa, AVA or it can be pinpointed to Alexander 
Valley, a region on the edge of Sonoma then it has 
to be at least 85%?

 Many larger wineries produce grapes for 
themselves and for other wineries in a very 
common practice called “sourcing”. If a winery 
doesn’t have a vineyard of their own can they still 
be called a winery? Yes and no. I have heard terms 
such as “virtual”, and even though I’d call them 
more of a marketing company, don’t discount 
their ability to produce great wines, this is how 
many new wineries make a name for themselves. 
They get the luxury of picking and choosing what 
grapes/juice they want to buy. If there was a bad crop or 
a bad year, said winery can wait until better grapes are 
available.

 In Pasadena, there is the Old Oak Winery on Foothill 
Blvd. Obviously there haven’t been any vineyards 
in Pasadena for many years, so they source the juice 
from Sonoma County. From what I’ve tasted of their 
offerings, I think they do a great job on their cabernets 
and chardonnays. San Antonio Winery in Downtown 
LA produces their award-winning wines in Los Angeles, 
even though they do have the luxury of owning their 
own vineyards. Winemaker Anthony Riboli explains 
it this way: “We own estate Chardonnay vineyards in 
Monterey, but we ferment the juice from those vineyards 
in downtown LA. It’s a tradition of many decades. 
However, it shows that very high quality wines can be 
made in many places, even downtown LA. The urban 
winery trend is also very strong throughout the US.”

 So don’t be swayed by the “where “ so much - stay 
focused on the taste and the value. Tune into Dining 
W/ Dills on the Radio AM 830 KLAA. Plus on Charter 
Cable Channel 188 weekends at 3 PM

TABLE FOR TWO by Peter Dills

thechefknows@yahoo.com


Julie’s Favorite Family Recipes

BAREFOOT CONTESSA POTATO SALAD 

Ingredients

3 pounds small white potatoes

Kosher salt

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

1/2 cup chopped fresh dill

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped red onion

DirectionsPlace the potatoes and 2 tablespoons of salt in a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, 
then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are barely tender when pierced 
with a knife. Drain the potatoes in a colander, then place the colander with the potatoes over the empty 
pot and cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel. Allow the potatoes to steam for 15 to 20 minutes.Meanwhile, 
in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, dill, 1 
teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Set aside.When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut 
them in quarters or in half, depending on their size. Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl. While the 
potatoes are still warm, pour enough dressing over them to moisten. Add the celery and red onion, 2 
teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Toss well, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the 
flavors to blend. Serve cold or at room temperature.Yield:6 to 8 servings


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