Wine and Dine Walla Walla » T. Maccarone’s

Abeja House Red: new name, same great blend

Amy Rootvik — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:31:49 +0000

T. Maccarone’s seemed like a good spot for a Wednesday night out. The menu is outstanding, and I had a hard time choosing, but ended up with a selection of starters and salads, my favorite dish of the evening being the chickpea salad. Tim, the bartender, recommended it. Delicious!

But what I really craved was a good wine. I looked over the list, considering a bottle, but thinking it would be smarter to order by the glass. The meal as a whole could pair with a variety of wines. What did I really want? Red. A smooth, balanced, yummy red wine.

May 1, 2009 is the official release date of the Abeja 2007 House Red (formerly Beekeeper’s Blend), yet much to my delight, T. Maccarone’s is already serving it by the glass. One of the perks of living in Walla Walla—potential early release.

I’ve been a fan of Abeja for years and the House Red is just as good as I hoped. Smooth, solid (as in well balanced), and full of love. Although not the most pricey on the list, it was exactly what I craved. I ordered another glass.

The Abeja red table wine is a cabernet sauvignon based blend with some merlot, cabernet franc, and malbec. Each vintage has slight variations, but I’m excited to say the 2007 is as good as any I’ve tried. It’s drinking beautifully right out of the gates—or hive. Those bees must be happy. Don’t let the name change fool you, this House Red is the same wonderful wine you’ve come to expect from Abeja.

I left feeling happy, well spoiled and thrilled to live just a few miles from Abeja, a source of great content. Look for this wine after May 1. And for those of you coming to town for Spring Release 2009 (the first weekend in May), look for a lot of exciting new releases. It looks to be another good year.

Video wrap-up of Feast Walla Walla

Carlos — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:20:58 +0000

Web producer Jeremy Gonzalez got a quick tour of the festivities and talked to some local winemakers, chefs, and artists to find out what makes Feast Walla Walla successful.

Recipe – Crimson Pear Salad, with Toasted Pine Nuts, and Parmigiano-Reggiano

Kristen Telander — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 18:14:50 +0000

Makes 4 salads

White Truffle Vinaigrette
1 egg yolk 2 large shallots
1 tsp dijon mustard 1 tsp picked fresh thyme
1/2 cup white balsamic 1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp white truffl e oil salt and pepper to taste
In a blender combine the mustard, egg yolk, shallots, thyme and white balsamic. Blend thoroughly, then slowly begin to add the oils in a thin stream, this should create a thick creamy dressing, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pear Salad
2 crimson pears cut into 1/8” wide sticks
4 Tbsp pine nuts
½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano shaved from the block
with a peeler
½ bunch of frisée with the greens trimmed off
¼ pound mixed greens washed
3 Tbsp white truffle vinaigrette
Toss all ingredients together in a mixing bowl and carefully stack on a salad plate, enjoy immediately.

Recipe by chef Jake Crenshaw of T. Maccarone