DELISH the Derby pinot noir pairs perfectly with a steamy bowl of French onion soup.
Special to Paso Robles Press
Caramelized onions, a rich beef broth and crusty bread topped with melted cheese are the key elements of French onion soup.
Growing up, this was a soup I typically had while dining out. My family never made this at home, so it always seemed like a special treat.
The soup is actually very easy to make and seems to impress people. The best way to make it is using oven-proof bowls, allowing the entire top of the bowl to be covered with melted cheese. If you do not have the proper soup bowls, the cheese can be melted on toasted bread using a broiler and simply placed on top of the soup. Due to my weakness for kitchen gadgets and special dishes, I have a collection of traditional French onion soup bowls and decided it was time to use them.
I hadnt made French onion soup in years and was shocked to realize I did not remember my old recipe. Since I had not planned this meal in advance, I also did not have the traditional cheese gruyere for melting on top. Not feeling stuck in tradition, I decided to create a new recipe and go with what I had in my refrigerator and pantry. Grated Dublin and aged gouda mixed together provided the texture and flavor I wanted. The French would likely not go with that, so perhaps I should call it Irish/Dutch/French Onion Soup.
The soup pairs well with a wide variety of wine. If you know ahead of time the wine you will be serving, adding a cup of that to the stock really helps. I recently discovered the 2008 Derby Pinot Noir and decided to serve it with the soup for a late afternoon lunch.
The Derby pinot noir grapes are grown on the estate Derbyshire Vineyard in San Simeon. The vineyard, bordering the Hearst Ranch, produces just 800 pounds per acre. While the challenging environment may make the grapes a little difficult to work with, winemaker Tiffinee Vierra managed to create a wonderful wine from the 2008 vintage. The winerys fact sheet provides a nice description of the wine: Delicate flavors of wild raspberry, clove and cherry jam attack the palate. Vibrant and full-bodied, yet graceful and refined, ending with a pleasant minerality.
Although I served with wine for lunch as a complete meal, the soup also makes a nice first course for dinner. Try it for your friends and family with Derbys Pinot Noir, and I bet you will hear one or two wows.
For the complete article see the 03-02-2012 issue.
Click here to purchase an electronic version of the 03-02-2012 paper.
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