2017 Pinot Noir Estate, Russian River Valley100% Pinot Noir • 14.1% Alcohol • $50 Retail • $40 Club Viva

This is my husband Jack’s favorite wine. We love Pinot, but moreover, we love the Pinot Noir that we grow at my family’s vineyard on the Russian River. We grow clones 667, 777 and 828. This Pinot is a blend of all three clones and boasts aromas of rose petal, clove, cinnamon, and strawberry rhubarb with flavors of maple, black cherry, milk chocolate, French vanilla, and that unmistakable Russian River minerality.

I would pair this Pinot Noir with Tommy Orange’s novel, There There. One of The New York Times Review’s 10 Best Books of 2018, There There takes place in Oakland, and is the story of 12 unforgettable characters who converge and collide on one fateful day at the Big Oakland Powwow. This book is hard to put down.

www.rockwallwines.com

Vol- au-Vents

Pork Loin Chops with Mushroom Cream Sauce

4 pork loin chops, bone-in

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

Salt and ground black pepper

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

2 ½ oz. pancetta, cut into 1 x 1/8” pieces

8 oz. white mushrooms, sliced (about 2 cups)

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position. Place a large heatproof dinner plate on the rack, and heat the oven to 200˚F.

2. Pat the chops dry with a paper towel. Place flour in a shallow dish or pie plate. Season both sides of the chops with salt and pepper, to taste. Working with one chop at a time, coat both sides with flour. Lift the chop and shake to remove excess flour. Set aside and repeat with remaining chops.

3. Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Place the floured chops in a single layer and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chops to the heated plate and return the plate to the oven.

4. In the same skillet, over low heat, add the pancetta pieces. Sauté, stirring occasionally and scraping the pan bottom to loosen the browned bits until pancetta is brown and crisp, about 4 minutes. Transfer pancetta to paper towels to drain.

5. Add mushrooms to the pan and increase the heat to medium-high. Sauté, stirring occasionally and scraping the pan bottom, until the liquid from the mushrooms evaporates and mushrooms begin to brown, about 7–8 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste and cooked pancetta. Cool stirring constantly until the tomato paste begins to brown. Add heavy cream, and bring to a soft boil, stirring constantly until the sauce has begun to thicken. Add in butter, 1 piece at a time until incorporated. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper as needed. Pour sauce over the chops and serve immediately.

1 medium garlic clove, minced

1 tsp. tomato paste

1 ½ cup heavy cream

1 ½ Tbsp. juice from 1 large lemon

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley leaves