Today we featured some excellent pairings with Halter Ranch Wines, a combination of some new pairings and some old favorites. This article was originally part of the November Wine Pairing Weekend “Heritage Wine” theme, and updated as we try new Halter Ranch wine pairings. The latest pairing we added is the Syrah + cheddar – delicious! Disclosure: The wine for the new pairings (Vermentino, Carignan and Syrah) were provided as complimentary samples by the winery.
This month, Andrea challenged the Wine Pairing Weekend group to try a traditional or “heritage” wine grape from somewhere other than where the grape is typically associated.
When I got an email from Halter Ranch that included a wide range of estate varietal wines available from their Paso Robles based winery, I figured a focus on Pairings with Halter Ranch Wines would be perfect for the theme!
Before I get into the pairings we tried, let’s cover some background on Halter Ranch.
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About Halter Ranch
Set along the westernmost boundaries of Paso Robles, Halter Ranch is a 2,700-acre organic estate dedicated to land, art, and terroir-driven wine made with the organic grapes. Halter Ranch is creation of Swiss entrepreneur and conservationist, Hansjörg Wyss. The estate is named in honor of his mother, Alice Halter.
The estate vineyard was created in 1996 and has grown to over 200 acres of certified organic grapes. Twenty grape varieties are planted on the steepest, most south-facing slopes on the property at an elevation reaching 1,950 feet.
The majority of the grapes grown at Halter Ranch are traditional French grapes, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Viogner. But some others such as Tempranillo and Vermentino draw upon other Old World regions.
In this article, I’m just giving you a bit of background on Halter Ranch before turning to the wines and pairings. I would encourage you to visit the Halter Ranch website for more information about their wine and commitment to organic farming and conservation.
Vermentino with Pasta and Lentils
Previously, I’d just had the chance to enjoy Halter Ranch red wines, so I was looking forward to trying the Vermentino.
The 2022 Halter Ranch Vermentino ($45, 13.2% ABV) is from the Paso Robles Adelaida District.
On the nose, bright lemon fruit and a hint of the sea. The palate features melon fruit and a bit of lemon. Notes of butter as well, and the body is similar to a light Chardonnay. This flavor profile matched up very nicely with the lively ginger and garlic flavors of our Pasta with Red Lentils and Spinach recipe.
About Vermentino
Vermentino is perhaps not the best choice for today’s theme about heritage grapes. Its origins are debated. Prior to doing some research for this post, I tended to associate Vermentino with Italy. But it is thought by some to have originated in Spain, although it is now very uncommon there.
Roughly half of the Vermentino produced comes from Sardinia. It can be found in other parts of Italy as well as Southern France, where it is known as Rolle. California is a distant third in the production of Vermentino, behind France and Italy.
This Wine Folly article on Vermentino suggests it is an underrated grape that would appeal to fans of Sauvignon Blanc. I agree with the underrated part. However, the taste profile of the Paso Robles Vermentino from Halter Ranch does not bring to mind Sauv Blanc to me. It has notably less acidity and is quite fruit forward. This Vermentino also has more body, tasting more like a lightly oaked Chardonnay. Which to me is just fine!
Carignan with Pulled Pork
We also had a bottle of the 2021 Halter Ranch Carignan ($50, 14.7% ABV) to try for this event. The Carignan is also made from Adelaida District Paso Robles organic fruit.
Interestingly, in extolling the food friendly virtues of Carignan, this Wine Folly article suggests Carignan can be a great Thanksgiving wine. Even though the holiday is around the corner, I couldn’t wait that long to open this bottle!
Instead, we paired the Halter Ranch Carignan with our latest batch of Slow Cooker Pulled Pork. Also on our our plate – some tasty mashed sweet potatoes and Sautéed Leek Greens with Bacon.
That Wine Folly article about Carignan pairings also noted pulled pork was among the meats to try with the wine. It also mentioned it goes especially well with cinnamon. Our pulled pork recipe has a barbecue style flavor, and also has a healthy dose of cinnamon in the spice blend. I added a bit extra this time based on the research! I correctly anticipated this pairing would work well.
The Halter Ranch Carignan has notes of violets on the nose. I thought I might have picked up a bit of bacon too, but that could have been coming from the stove!
On the palate, blueberries and plum fruit, with notes of cocoa and baking spice. Soft tannins. Very delicious to sip on its own, yet it got even better paired with the pulled pork!
About Carignan
Jancis Robinson notes that Carignan is presumed to be Spanish in its origin. It is particularly important in Southern France, often blended with Grenache and Syrah. Our Top Round Roast Beef recipe paired well with a Carignan based blend from Southern France. Carignan is a productive grape, producing significantly more per acre than other common grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon.
But as the bottle from Halter Ranch shows, Carignan can produce some excellent single varietal wines. You can find Carignan from many California regions; Mendicino is highlighted as a notable producer of quality Carignan.
In Spain, the grape is typically known as Cariñena. We did an excellent pairing awhile back featuring a classic Spanish dish, Chicken Chilindron, with Cariñena.
Sparkling Picpoul with Fettuccine
When the December Wine Pairing Weekend event turned to the theme “American sparklers”, I decided to go with a Halter Ranch wine once again.
As I discussed in my article, Sparkling Picpoul with Fettuccine, I had the opportunity to sample the 2020 Libelle Sparkling Picpoul Blanc ($85, 11 % ABV) from Halter Ranch. This is definitely a special wine, as you don’t find the Picpoul grape used for bubbly very often.
The Libelle has pear fruit on the palate and elegant bubbles. It is a delicious pairing for our fettuccine primavera! The Libelle is a great choice any time you are looking for a great bottle of American sparkling wine.
Syrah with Aged Cheddar
After quickly trying several of the sample bottles I had received, I wound up having the 2020 Halter Ranch Syrah ($55, 14.3% ABV) waiting to be opened for several months.
I suppose I was waiting for the perfect meal for a big, bold Syrah. Well, then I got a bit restless, and decided to pair the Syrah with pork tenderloin chimichurri.
I wasn’t sure how that pairing would work out, but thought I would also try the Syrah with some aged cheddar cheese.
Syrah isn’t a wine I tend to think of for cheese pairings. I tend to focus on Syrah with meaty dishes, often ones that are slowly cooked for lots of flavor. But I might have to rethink that – this cheddar and Syrah pairing was excellent!
The Halter Ranch Syrah is deep purple in the glass. A rustic nose, a get a sense of underbrush on a warm day. On the palate, boysenberry and other red fruits, and notes of lead pencil. Was a bit tight upon first opening the bottle. It benefited from being opened for about an hour while I cooked dinner.
This Syrah is a bold, meaty wine, which made it a very good match for the robust flavors of the aged cheddar cheese.
The 2020 Halter Ranch Syrah is comprised of 84% Syrah and 16% Grenache. Sustainably farmed fruit from the Adelaida District, Paso Robles.
Past Halter Ranch pairings
Prior to the bottles we had to sample for today’s article, it had been awhiles since we’ve had Halter Ranch wines here. But we have featured Halter Ranch with several delicious pairings here over the years.
Halter Ranch Cab with Beef
Well, a good Cabernet Sauvignon and beef is not necessarily a creative pairing, but certainly an excellent option!
We feature a Halter Ranch Cabernet as the recommend pairing for our Spoon Roast with Horseradish Cream.
This spoon roast has long been one of the most visited recipes on Cooking Chat -it’s especially popular on Sundays!
We also paired a Halter Ranch Cab with our Roasted Sirloin Steak with Chanterelle Mushrooms. Give that a try next time you are looking for a special meal!
Creative pairings with Syrah
I’ve got the latest Syrah from Halter Ranch waiting in the wings for a new pairing. I do have two past pairings from which to draw inspiration…
You don’t tend to think of seafood with Syrah! But I pulled it off by pairing the Halter Ranch Syrah with this grilled tuna recipe. The spice rub for the tuna and the side of grilled eggplant and peppers helped complete the successful pairing.
I’ve had fun experimenting on the wine with chili theme over the years.
The combo of Halter Ranch Syrah with our turkey chili is definitely one of our favorites!
Today’s event provided a great opportunity to get the high-quality, organic wines from Halter Ranch back in our rotation. We look forward to more delicious pairings!
More Heritage wine pairings
Be sure to check out what my Wine Pairing Weekend friends have featured for this “Heritage Wine” theme!
- Culinary Cam shares: A Geography Lesson + a Taste of Bulgaria: Bob Chorba and a Blend of Mavrud and Rubin from Thrace
- Gwendolyn of Wine Predator is contributing: Ancestor: Heritage Halter Ranch with Heritage Hamburgers
- Terri from Our Good Life is talking about: Don’t Let the Grape Fool You: Bordeaux from Toscana
- Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm shares: Getting to know Cinnabari from Dracaena
- David from Cooking Chat gives us Pairings with Halter Ranch Wines
- Andrea from The Quirky Cork presents: An Exploration of Heritage Grapes in Turkey
Andrea
These pairings sound marvelous! And I’m not mildly obsessed with Halter Ranch, lol
Wendy Klik
Wonderful pairings. I have enjoyed Halter Ranch wines and I agree that they are very nice.