Petite Sirah Cranberry Sauce

Thanksgiving is less than 2 weeks away, so we're putting on our aprons and pulling out our favorite recipes. It's time to get festive and a little bit boozy! The recipe below is as simple as can be and results in a cranberry sauce with the most delicious complexities, you'll never want it out of a can again. Infuse the sauce with the boldness of our Reserve Petite Sirah, and you've given it just enough of a boozy boost to add a layer of scrumptious flavor.

Petite Sirah Cranberry Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup of Reserve Petite Sirah
• 1 bag of cranberries
• 1 teaspoon of orange zest
• ¾ - 1cup of sugar
• ½ teaspoon of fresh thyme, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine wine, cranberries and ¾ cup of sugar in saucepan. Bring to a boil.
2. Add thyme and zest and reduce to simmer.
3. Simmer for about 10 minutes, cranberries will begin popping.
4. When thickened and jammy, remove from heat and taste. Add remaining ¼ cup of sugar if necessary.
5. Serve while warm.

Recipe from Talia Bunting

It's time to get "sauced" and bring all your favorite flavors to the dinner table this Thanksgiving! Of course, if there's another red wine you prefer, this recipe will take on the flavor with elegance. Give it a try with our gorgeous Peacock Patch Zin or our Reserve Cab, the Wine of the Month.  Let's get cooking. Cheers!

Quick Guide to Pairing with Cab

The beginning of November has filled us with festive joy. Between the rich colors of fall and the warm flavors of comfort food, we have so much to be thankful for. This week, we’re taking a look at the best pairings for November’s Wine of the Month: our award-winning Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. Rich with notes of blue fruit, toasted oak, and vanilla and just the right amount of tannic grip, this wine is one for the cellar or the Thanksgiving dinner table. Best of all, it’s on sale! 

Cabernet Sauvignon is a timeless classic, perfectly enjoyable on its own yet deliciously enhanced by the right company, be it cheese, entrees, or dessert. If you are a Cab-lover like us, you probably have your favorite pairings. If so, feel free to ignore everything we say below! If you’re feeling curious or even adventurous however, try branching out into one of the options below—we promise they won’t disappoint. 

 

Charcuterie

Hard-aged savory Gouda

Clothbound aged cheddar

Italian Bresaola

Black Truffle Salami



 

 

Proteins

New York Strip Steak (serve medium rare)

Roast Leg of Lamb (serve medium)

Roasted Duck with complimentary glaze

Spice and herb rubbed tofu
 

 

 

 

Desserts

Hazelnut Cheesecake

Blackberry Cobbler

Brown Butter Pecan Cookies

Black Forest Cake

 

 

 

Happy November, friends! This is the season for Cab (we say that every season, but it’s true)
so get yours now while the sale is on!

Classic Monsters and Favorite Wines

What would Dracula drink? In the spirit of Halloween this coming Sunday, we're in the mood for some spooky sipping. As the creepy crawlies and classic monsters come out to party, we're setting up wine pairings for them! At Ruby Hill Winery, we believe that anyone can appreciate a good wine. Read on, if you dare, as we embrace these ghoulish pairings. 

The Witches and Wizards of the halloween scene
Are brewing a potion with a sparkly sheen. 
A sweet drop of Solera and with a splash of Sparkling. 

The Vampire next door with his sharp smiling maw
Reaches for the deepest red you ever saw. 
The deep-dark richness of our Petite Sirah.

The poor Zombie who has lost his mind, 
Prefers a fine Library Collection wine.
Though once it was gone, now again it's alive.

The friendly Ghost is no friend of plonk, 
Its fine wine favorite is a Sauvignon Blanc.
Nearly transparent but still a jackpot. 

The ancient Mummy emerges from his tomb
To sip on a Sangiovese stored for his use. 
The old-world style removing his gloom.

The Werewolf shivers before break of day
Enjoying the wine of furry friends, Cuvee Dray.
The full moon is coming, but he's here to stay.

The Yeti appears, giving all a good fright,
Looking for any wine cold and bright,
Finding the Jewel Chardonnay perfect tonight.

Finally Frankenstein joins the whole lot,
For him, the Patchwork just hits the spot. 
And everyone sips the wine they have sought.

Happy Halloween from all of us at Ruby Hill Winery!

Matchmaker: Pairings for Our October Release

This week, we celebrated our October release! It has been a joy as always to see our members and guests, new and old, enjoying their Ruby Hill favorites. Below, we've provided a pairing guide, complete with recipes, so that everyone can enjoy their release wines to the fullest! Cheers!

Jewel Chardonnay - Harvest Kale Salad

For anyone who loves the freshness of a salad along with the flavors of fall, this one's for you. Bursting with hearty flavors from pumpkin seeds, pomegranate, crispy prosciutto bits, and even a touch of caramelized shallot vinaigrette, this salad is a celebration of flavor. Enjoy alongside a chilled, smooth glass of Jewel Chardonnay and let your taste buds dance. Recipe from Half Baked Harvest.

 

Reserve Chardonnay - The Coziest Brussels Sprouts

Here is another hearty option for our White Wine lovers! Though brussels sprouts are notoriously difficult to pair with, our Chardonnay with this recipe make a stellar couple. The lightly sulfuric and nutty flavors of the brussels sprouts are generously seasoned with Balsamic vinegar, bacon, pecans, dried cranberries, and more for a delicious symphony with our 2018 Reserve Chardonnay. Recipe from the Real Food Dietitians.
 

Reserve Petite Sirah - Harissa Grilled Eggplant

If you think you’re not an eggplant fan, think again! For our plant-based friends, this recipe offers scrumptiously mouth watering flavor bold enough to pair with Petite Sirah like a dream. Deliciously intense yet easy to enjoy, this pairing was made for anyone looking to reach out for something new and inspiring. Recipe from One Green Planet.

 

Jewel Petit Verdot - Grilled Lamb Kebabs

Petit Verdot and lamb are two peas in a pod, with deliciously complimentary taste profiles. Even more, the texture of a juicy grilled lamb kebab is a perfect counterpart to a big round sip of Petit Verdot. Discover a pairing you’ll not soon forget as you enjoy the lightly floral notes and swirling dark fruit of the wine alongside the lamb's savory char. Recipe from Recipes from a Pantry. 

 

Armonia Lot #11 - Italian Beef Stew

Our Club-Exclusive Armonia is a red wine like no other! Each Lot of this unique blend brings together multiple varietals and vintages to create a big and balanced layered complexity. Enjoy this wine alongside a rich and hearty classic: beef stew. It’s the season for warm, comfortable foods, and this flavorful classic promises to delight the taste buds. Recipe from Unicorns in the Kitchen.

 

Jewel Cabernet Sauvignon - Rich Raspberry Chocolate Cake

The Jewel Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most coveted wines in our collection. With a showstopping 95 point score, this wine begs to be enjoyed again and again. Drink it on its own, with a juicy pepper crusted steak, or indulge a little with this Chocolate Raspberry Cake. Wine and chocolate are best friends, so go for the best of the best. Recipe from Bianca Zapatka.

 

If you're not a Wine Club Member yet and you're interested in releases like these, click here!

The Magic Begins: Grape Processing 2021

This week, we brought in the last of our fruit, wrapping up the picking phase of harvest with the last of our Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. After every cluster is carefully hand-harvested, we begin the labor of love transforming this delicious fruit into the wines of the future. Winemaking is an intensive process from start to finish, and our winemaker Jesse (above right) and his team will continue to be hard at work creating the magic that later goes into the bottles. Below, we've included a few snapshots of the sorting, stemming, and pressing processes for your enjoyment. Happy Harvest!

Cuvée Dray Update

Even Draymond can't help but smile about the good he's done!

This past week, we visited our friends at the Valley Humane Society with excellent news. Our mission to actively give back to the community through a luxurious Bordeaux-style blend has been successful! Since this special blend was released in August, it has raised more than $5,000 to benefit the work of VHS and its various programs. Ruby Hill Winery continues to donate $10 to Valley Humane Society for every single bottle of our Cuvée Dray sold. 

We are delighted to recognize the incredible joy that pets bring into our lives. Whether you consider yourself a cat person or a dog person, there's no denying that nothing beats the unconditional love of our four-legged friends. The Valley Humane Society serves the community by bringing that love to as many people as possible. In addition to adoption services, programs like Canine Comfort provide companions for stressed students, hospital patients, or even children called to the witness stand. Additionally, programs such as Animeals and Home to Home work to ensure that pets are never homeless and homes are never pet-less, even when owners' situations change. These programs are among the many reasons that we are honored and thankful to partner with VHS. 

Draymond and Eric Callahan of Ruby Hill Winery deliver the first Cuvée Dray
check to Melanie Sadek, Executive Director of Valley Humane Society. 

As a private nonprofit organization, VHS receives no support from government funds or other external organizations. Their focus on providing resources and care for the pets and people of the local community means that they rely on the generosity of private individuals like you. If you want to skip the wine and help out directly, click here to donate and 100% of the donations will go directly to the Valley Humane Society and their programs. 

If you love people, pets, wine, or all of the above, we are delighted to offer you our Cuvée Dray. This 91-point Bordeaux-style blend will taste delicious for years to come, or right into a glass this evening. 

Enjoy Cuvée Dray.

A Smorgasbord of Autumn Sweets

We've made it to October! As the weather slowly but surely cools down, we’re feeling an unmistakable draw to our favorite fall recipes. Full of warming spices and fall fruit, these treats are peak-level cozy. Whether you enjoy them with a mug of cider, coffee, hot chocolate, or a glass of wine, these recipes will become instant classics in your home. For all of our wine-lovers, we’ve also included pairing options to help make these the ultimate comfort foods. 

Spiced Pear Crumb Cake - The View from Great Island

Full of rich flavor and toasty warmth, this crumb cake is perfect for early fall. Enjoy a fresh twist on coffee cake, built on a base of ripe pears and accented by the deep notes of the Muscovado sugar. No one can resist the perfect texture of a crumb topping, especially when it is brimming with gingerbread aromas!
Recommended pairing: Solera Dessert Wine

 

Orange Glazed Cranberry Bread - Sally’s Baking Addiction 

The perfect combination of bitter, sweet, and acid comes into the most delicious balance in this cranberry bread. Accentuated by a light streusel topping and a zesty glaze along with your choice of either walnuts and pecans, this treat is easily enjoyed as both dessert and breakfast.
Recommended pairing: Reserve Chardonnay

 

Brown Butter Maple Pecan Cookies - Little Vintage Baking

You’ll be feeling cozy and warm after a single bite of these cookies. Not only are they gorgeous to look at, they are overflowing with toasty and nutty flavors courtesy of browned butter and roasted pecans. A very light sprinkling of large flake sea salt creates a tiny symphony of every flavor you like in a single bite.
Recommended pairing: Sangiovese
 

Apple Pie Thumbprint Cookies - Baked Bree

Somehow, these cookies taste the way a crisp autumn morning feels. Sweet, buttery, and tiny touches of savory and salt mingle together in these precious thumbprints. This recipe is versatile enough to shine with other fillings, such as salted caramel or homemade jam. Make a batch and freeze half for a pick-me-up down the road!
Recommended pairing: Sparkling Wine

 

Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins - The Novice Chef

If there’s two things that you can’t go wrong with in the fall, it’s pumpkin pie and cheesecake. This recipe is the ultimate marriage of these two forces, bringing together the festive flavors of pumpkin with the timeless richness of a creamy cheesecake all in convenient little muffins that take only 30 minutes to make!
Recommended pairing: Sauvignon Blanc

 

Happy fall feasting! What are your favorite autumn treats? Let us know @Rubyhillwines!

 

Wine Lover's Mac & Cheese

Fall is here, so we have officially reached comfort food season! This week, we're savoring the last few days of September with our Wine of the Month, Reserve Chardonnay. For anyone looking to elevate their mac n' cheese to a sophisticated and gourmet dish, we have the recipe for you. Best of all, it incorporates dry white wine directly into the cheese—we used our Chardonnay, of course! 

Fondue Mac N' Cheese

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds Gruyère, grated
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 1 cup dry white wine
• ¼ teaspoon fresh-ground pepper
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 apple, cored and sliced
• Panko bread crumbs (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Fold garlic into butter in bowl. Grease casserole pan or baking dish with butter-garlic mixture.
2. Toss cornstarch with 1 pound Gruyère. Set aside. Bring pot of water to boil, and add salt. Boil macaroni for 10 minutes, or until al dente. Dunk pasta in cold water to shock, and let drain.
3. In same pot, warm wine over medium-low heat. One handful at a time, whisk in cheese until melted. Add pepper and nutmeg. Stir in cooked pasta. Transfer pasta mixture into buttered dish, and top with remaining cheese. If using bread crumbs, add atop and dot with extra garlic butter.
4. Cover with foil. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese bubbles. Remove foil, and bake 5 minutes until crisp. Let cool for 5 minutes. Serve alongside sliced apples. Serves 4.

Recipe from Jenn De La Vega for Wine Enthusiast

This recipe is truly a win-win. It combine our two loves: cheese and wine, and it also gives us a chance to revisit a childhood favorite and make it worthy of a nice dinner party. Our recommendation is to add a few chopped slices of cooked bacon into the mix just before baking. You can thank us later! Is this going into your comfort food rotation? Let us know @RubyHillWines!

If you want to make this recipe, we recommend our 2018 Reserve Chardonnay.
On sale for a few more days!

Art and Wine in Every Era and Style

Fine art and fine wine are truly integral to human expression and enjoyment. In every era and culture, these themes have shown themselves in some way. Today, we are taking time to look at the intersection of the two: the representation of wine in art throughout the ages.

Ancient wall art depicting harvest and winemaking. This was found in a tomb in Egypt, an example of the deep significance of wine even in ancient cultures. Wine was always among the provisions left in tombs for the afterlife of Egyptian mythology. 

In an era where wine consumption was considered by some to be immoral, and was only available to wealthy nobility, wine still played a part in artistic expression. This Medieval era monastic art, celebrates the labor and process of winemaking rather than the wine itself. 

This iconic painting by Cravaggio, Bacchus circa 1596, depicts the Roman god of the same name. Baccus was the deity of wine and revelry. Here, he is pictured young, flushed, and satisfied. Both Baccus and his Greek counterpart, Dionysus, were frequent subjects of art in the Renaissance era.

The stunning post-impressionist work above is entitled The Red Vineyard. This piece was painted by Vincent Van Gogh on a single day in 1888 and was the only painting he successfully sold in his lifetime. Van Gogh died destitute but left a rich collection of art that still defines the Impressionist & Post-impressionist era.

Known for his work in cubism, Pablo Picasso incorporated wine and spirits into many of his works, including this 1926 work entitled La Bouteille de Vin (The Wine Bottle). Picasso was a prolific artist, working in a range of styles and mediums, though cubist art pieces like this one are among the most iconic of his works. 

Modern artistic movements include Pop Art, such as the Andy Warhol-style rendering above, and Op-art, such as the image below. Op Art is short for Optical Art, which bends the mind's perceptions of flat surfaces. Even in these aggressively modern depictions, wine finds a place. 
We're always glad to take a moment to appreciate the finer things in life, from good wine to stunning art. Perhaps it's time to create some of your own, in your own style. All you need is a glass of wine and your medium of choice (paint, pencils, crayons) and you can create your own masterpiece, just for fun! Who knows, you may surprise yourself! If you give it a try, tag us @rubyhillwines.

Our Vineyard Map

From a bird's eye view, our Estate Vineyard forms a picturesque patchwork of vines. Our Club-Exclusive Patchwork blend seeks to honor this beauty, celebrating the lovely way our rows of vines are joined together across our acreage in careful blocks. Our entire Estate Vineyard is cherished and cared for to create fruit of optimum quality and purity. Within each block, several varietals have a special section that we farm with the utmost precision to supply our award-winning Jewel Collection series. Below, we have put together a map to see the real-world origins of the Estate-grown wines Ruby Hill Winery is known for.  

Many vineyards, including ours, are planted with a north-south orientation. A peek at satellite images of the Livermore Valley will confirm this! The north-south orientation maximizes the fruit's exposure to sunlight, aiding in timely development and maturation. Selectively pruning leaves (a process fittingly called "leafing") to increase sun exposure is also a common practice. When it comes time to harvest, we value handpicking, both to support the quality of our grapes and the sustainability of our practices.

Here in the Ruby Hill Estate Vineyard, harvest 2021 is officially underway! This week, we started with Sauvignon Blanc, Sangiovese for our Grapeful Rosé, and Chardonnay. Our Winemaker Jesse and the absolutely stellar cellar team are tirelessly at work receiving and processing the fruit—the crucial first steps in creating the wines we love to enjoy from the fruit we have meticulously nourished. If life is too short to drink bad wine, then it's also too short to make bad wine. Fruit matters. 

Which 2021 wine are you looking forward to the most? Let us know @rubyhillwines.