November 2013 Rappahannock Selection

Got our shipment of Rappahannock wines and tried the 2012 Rose - second bottling - which was really nice, but the Veal Scallopini with Brown Butter and Capers they recommended to pair with it just didn't rock my world, so not blogging about that. They did recommend pairing it with the turkey, stuffing, and cranberry dressing though - so maybe I'll give that a shot.

In the meantime, I haven't tried the Lamb Meatballs yet, but they sound good, so, here goes.

2011 New World Red

A wonderful blend of our family's Cabernet grapes, from California and Virginia, begins with aromas of caramelized cedar, toasted coconut, and sweet ripe plums; leading to flavors of black cherries, Christmas spice, and a hint of molasses. Mouth coating tannins precede a lingering finish making this a perfect wine to saddle up to your favorite cut of barbequed pork, or braised short ribs.

For this month, they recommended pairing it with Lamb Meatballs - recipe below.

Lamb Meatballs (Sally Fallon, Nourishing Traditions)

2 lbs grass-fed/finished pasture raised ground lamb
1 medium onion
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs dried rosemary or thyme
2 eggs
2 cups whole grain bread crumbs
1 cup cream
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pepper
1.5 cups flour
0.5 cup red wine
2-3 cups beef or lamb stock
2-4 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped or 1 can tomatoes, drained and chopped
2 cups spinach, chard, kale, or beet greens, chopped

Saute' onion and rosemary in 2 tbs olive oil until soft. Meanwhile, soak bread crumbs in cream. mix onion mixture, eggs, bread crumbs, sea salt, and pepper with ground lamb. Form into 1" balls. Dredge in flour and saute' a few at a time in olive oil. pour out browning oil and add red wine to pan. Bring to a boil, scraping up coagulated juices in the pan with a wooden spoon. Add stock and tomatoes and reduce by boiling until sauce thickens, skimming occasionally. Add meatballs and chopped greens to sauce and simmer for about 15 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through. Serve with basic brown rice or buckwheat or brown rice noodles.