New Look

December 2009

As of today Taft Street will feature a new and improved web site, which will have the capability of streamlining your purchases of our favorite wines. To add more joy to the Holiday Season we will offer FREE SHIPPING on all orders during the month of December. Check it out at www.taftstreetwinery.com

Back in the winery, the pace has picked up a bit as the end of the year bottling program has kicked in, and the newly fermented wines are being transferred to barrels and tanks.

Our wines continue to impress the critics. In the e-zine Inside Sonoma dated November 19th our 2008 Russian River Valley Riesling was praised...“Aromas of honeyed apricot and pear counterpoint lean citrus, agave margarita."

It is a busy time of year for all. We saw record crowds at last month’s Russian River Wine Road’s WINE & FOOD AFFAIR; I spent weekends in Florida and Arizona pouring our wines at ten Total Wine & More stores; and Kaitlyn and crew had another terrific month as folks stocked up for Thanksgiving and the Holiday Season.

December promises to continue the run, and it kicks off this weekend with the local EIGHT AT THE GATE wine club sale. On Sunday, December 6th wine club members at Taft Street and seven other local wineries can take advantage of club pricing at all wineries. This event, which started a couple of years ago, has turned into wildly popular occasion, and this Sunday should be no exception.

With the Holiday Season kicking into high gear, life has a way of turning stressful. We at Taft Street have found an effective stress reducing routine. At the end of the day (or the middle), sit down with a friend and enjoy a glass of Taft Street wine. We have found it improves one’s state of mind and promotes a gentler world view.

To a gentler world view this Holiday Season!

Cheers,

Mike Tierney

Recipe

Black Pepper & Sao Jorge Biscotti

This Sunday I will serve the annual savory biscotti to complement our array of wines for the local wine club members. We use our local favorite cheese, a cow’s milk farmer’s cheese from local cheesemaker Joe Matos, but Parmigiano-Regggiano is a fine substitute.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ tablespoons freshly ground pepper
• 4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 ½ cups Matos cheese, finely grated
• 1 ½ sticks cold butter, diced
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, 2 cups cheese, and one tablespoon black pepper. Blend in butter to create a coarse meal. Whisk 3 eggs and milk and add to mixture until a soft dough forms.
3. Turn dough on board and quarter. Form each piece into a log, about 12" by 2" by 1". Transfer to 2 ungreased baking sheets.
4. Whisk remaining egg and brush logs, then top with remaining cheese and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes, switching position of pans every 10 minutes.
5. Cool 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 300. Take each log at cut into i/2 inch diagonal slices. Return to pans, cut side down. Bake another 20 minutes, turning over slices midway.
6. Cool 15 minutes. Can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature.

These are great with Taft Street Zinfandel and Pinot Noir.