Plan Your Livermore Valley Staycation!

 

When was the last time you spent time really diving into the treasures of the Livermore Valley? It can be easy to overlook what is immediately around us, but when we take time to be intentional about exploring our home towns, we can discover, or rediscover so many lovely things. Better yet, we have the opportunity to support our local community! 

The Livermore Valley is home to world-class wineries and wines, fantastic restaurants, beautiful parks and trails, and great shopping. We hope this sample one-day itinerary helps you plan your next staycation in the valley!

 

Arrive at your beautiful room at the Purple Orchid Wine Country Resort and Spa. Settle in for the evening with bespoke accommodations featuring views of historic Livermore Valley vineyards. 

 

Wake up from a good night's sleep and enjoy the complimentary breakfast offered by the Purple Orchid, or take delight in a lovely cup of coffee and a down-home meal at Sideboard Danville. Give the Breakfast Mac a try!

 

Take in a quick, yet challenging, round of golf at Callippe Reserve Golf Course or head back to the Purple Orchid for a relaxing spa treatment before your wine tasting at Ruby Hill Winery. Our beautiful estate is nestled among the vines just off Highway 84 where our knowledgeable staff will provide an enjoyable wine tasting of our estate wines. 

 

Stroll through downtown Livermore and take in all the beautiful murals that were recently painted as a public art project.  

(image courtesy of Livermore Patch)

 

End your evening with a delicious meal and a bottle of wine. Visit Tri-Valley has a comprehensive list of restaurants to suit your tastes and many of them have reasonable corkage fees so that you can enjoy your bottle of Ruby Hill wine with your dinner. Branch out and try something new! 

 

 

We've barely touched the surface of all there is to do in Livermore Valley. We're fortunate to call this beautiful place home. We hope to see you soon! 

 

Father's Day Flat Iron Steak with Ruby Hill Reserve Cabernet Sauce

Sunday is Father's Day and we are looking forward to spending a little bit of time with our dads to celebrate them. If you want to give Dad a break from manning the grill, we are sharing a wonderfully simple recipe of Flat Iron Steak with a Ruby Hill Reserve Cabernet Sauce. Did you think you could only drink wine with steak? We are firm believers that when you cook with wine, you should only use wine that you'd drink. That's why we're using our 2016 Ruby Hill Cabernet Sauvignon. This 2016 Reserve Cabernet is a bold and rich representation of the old Bordeaux classic. The fruit was carefully farmed and vinified to produce a rich, well balanced, and flavorful wine. It has flavors and aromas of boysenberries, dark cherry, and vanilla with hints of chocolate, toasted oak, and black pepper. It's the perfect wine for a well-seasoned steak like this one. 

We hope you enjoy celebrating all the father figures who support and champion us!

 

Flat Iron Steak with Ruby Hill Reserve Cabernet Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 (1 1/2-pound) flat iron steak
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon (recommended: 2016 Ruby Hill Reserve Cabernet)
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 tablespoon grill seasoning
• 1 shallot, diced
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Take the steak out of the refrigerator 20 minutes before you are ready to cook it so that it can come to room temperature. This will help it cook more evenly.
2. In a small pot over high heat, add the broth and wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
3. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until it is very hot. Season the steak with the grill seasoning and put it in the skillet. Cook about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove it from the pan, cover it with foil, and let it rest for 5 minutes while you finish the sauce.
4. Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium and add the shallots. Cook until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the reduced broth and wine mixture and cook until thickened, about for about 5 minutes. Stir in the butter and cook until the butter is melted and incorporated into the sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed.
5. Slice the steak against the grain into thin slices, arrange them on a serving platter and serve with the sauce on the side or poured over top.

recipe via Food Network

 

Need a break from cooking? Support our local Tri-valley restaurants as they begin to welcome back customers! Not close enough to see Dad this week? Send him a gift. Our Ruby Red Pack is a perfect gift for the dad that loves to grill. 

 

 

National Rosé Day and Local Cheeses to Pair with Grapeful Rosé

We know you love the Grapeful Rosé as much as we do. Before COVID-19, we couldn't wait to share it with you on the patio or in the new Wine Garden, sipping on the new rosé while nibbling on your favorite cheese and crackers. Alas, we're continuing to happy hour at home, making cheese and charcuterie boards to enjoy on the back patio while we pretend we're back at our favorite wineries. 

The warm weather this weekend is a perfect excuse to celebrate National Rosé Day with a bottle of Grapeful Rosé. This beautiful rosé wine is a blend of Nebbiolo, and Petit Verdot gently pressed to attain a delicate light pink color. The nose reveals fresh rose petals and floral notes, while on the palate, peach, plum, and apricot flavors offer a lingering finish. Here are a few of our favorite local cheeses for you to enjoy alongside your glass of rosé. 

 

Local Cheeses to Enjoy with Grapeful Rosé

Mt. Tam by Cowgirl Creamery — You've probably seen this cheese in your local grocery store. Named after the Northern California landmark, Mt. Tamalpais, this cheese is made from Straus Family Dairy's fresh organic milk. 

Humboldt Fog by Cypress Grove — This soft-ripened cheese is made from buttermilk and fresh cream, and has floral and herbaceous notes.

Petite Brie by Marin French Cheese — This one is also easy to spot in the grocery store. It's creamy, tangy, and fresh; a perfect cheese for many styles of wine.

Boont Corners by Pennyroyal Farm — A firm cheese for those who love cheddar, the Boont Corners is dry, tangy, and sharp. 

Apricot-Chili Chevre by Nicolau Farm — A little sweet with very mild spice, this fluffy goat cheese has lovely hints of citrus.

 

Let us know which ones you pair with your Grapeful Rosé by tagging us @rubyhillwines! Happy National Rosé Day!

 

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National Donut Day!

Okay, okay. It sounds a little strange. Donuts and wine? Is it possible to find a tasty combination? We believe that with wine, many things are possible. To celebrate National Donut Day, we're sharing a few of our favorite ideas for pairing your wine with donuts for an after-dinner treat. Let us know which one you try when you stop by for curbside pick-up this weekend or tag us @rubyhillwines on Instagram.

National Donut Day Wine Pairings

Glazed Donut with Ruby Hill 2016 Reserve Chardonnay - We love the simplicity of a glazed donut and think that the notes of vanilla and honeycomb in the Reserve Chardonnay pair perfectly with the delicate vanilla flavors of the glaze.

Jelly Donut with Ruby Hill 2019 Grapeful Rosé - The Grapeful Rosé is excellent with a jelly donut; not only do the fruit flavors in the wine play off the jammy flavors, but the acidity in the rosé helps balance out the sweetness.

Chocolate Cake Donut with Ruby Hill Solera Dessert Wine - The rich mouthfeel of the Solera dessert wine offers flavors of blackberry jam, dried plum, and cocoa. The sweetness of this wine marries well with the sweetness of the chocolate.

Sour Cream Donut with Ruby Hill Sparkling Wine - The lemon aromas in the sparkling wine complement the tanginess of the donut while the Sparkling Wine's bubbles help cut through its richness. (But really, add the sparkling wine to some orange juice, and you're good to go with almost any flavor donut!)