by Helvetia Winery | Jan 4, 2016 | Food, Recipes
Perfect for a snowy day – Mulled Wine.
Mulled wine is a winter tradition popular around the world, especially during Halloween and Christmas. In Scandinavia, it is called glögg (pronounced “glug”), which simply means “heated up.” In Germany, it is known as Glühwein, “glow[ing] wine.” In Poland, it is grzane wino or “heated wine,” and in Italy, vin brulé, “burnt wine.” The French and the Spanish call it vin chaud and vino caliente, respectively—both terms mean “hot wine.”
Mulled wine is heated wine to which various spices have been added. It is usually sweetened with sugar and often a spirit, usually Brandy, is added. The ingredients added to the wine vary from country to country, but mulled wine almost always starts with a red wine base, usually one that is full-bodied and fruity. For traditional Christmas mulled wine, flavors of orange, cinnamon, and cloves predominate. Other spices such as nutmeg, vanilla, ginger, peppercorn, cardamom, and anise are also commonly used.
A version of mulled wine poplar in Medieval Europe was called Potus Ypocras. Legend has it that this name was in honor of the Greek physician Hippocrates who made medicinal remedies using wine, herbs and honey. By the 17th century, recipes for mulled wine became more complex and unique to specific geographic regions. The French liked using apples and almonds. The British typically favored Bordeaux with orange peel and cinnamon, though they sometimes added brandy and milk. Scandinavian recipes called for raisins, bitters, and blanched almonds. Swedish glögg became more of a punch, with brandy or sherry added. In Spain, Potus Ypocras inspired the creation of the warm-weather beverage sangria—red wine was brewed with ginger, cinnamon, pepper, and fruit, and then it was chilled and served cold. Today, North American versions of mulled wine frequently substitute cranberries and brown sugar for the traditional orange and honey ingredients in European recipes.
Here is a great recipe for mulled wine, courtesy of Gimme some Oven
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 (750 ml) bottle of dry red wine (we suggest Pinot Noir)
- 1 orange, sliced into rounds
- 1/4 cup brandy (optional)
- 1/4 cup honey or sugar
- 8 whole cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 star anise
- optional garnishes: citrus slices (orange, lemon and/or lime), extra cinnamon sticks, extra star anise
DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients in a non-aluminum saucepan, and bring to a simmer (not a boil — you don’t want to boil the alcohol out!) over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and let the wine simmer for at least 15 minutes or up to 3 hours. Strain, and serve warm with your desired garnishes.
*You can also place the oranges, cloves, cinnamon, and star anise in a cheesecloth. Then simply strain and pull out the bundle when ready to serve.
Enjoy!
by Helvetia Winery | Dec 28, 2015 | Events, Winery Photos
Join Us Every Afternoon through the New Year
With Christmas and Hanukkah in the past, and New Years Eve around the corner, this week is the perfect time to come out to Helvetia Vineyards and Winery. Just 25 minutes from Portland, but a world away from the Holiday hustle and bustle. We have extended Helvetia’s Holiday Hours through the New Year.
Join us in our tasting room, and relax by our wood stove while enjoying a tasting of our artisan wines while taking advantage of our after Christmas sales on gifts and wines. Or call ahead and schedule a tour. Our proprietor John Platt would love to show you around, and tell you what makes Helvetia Winery so special. A Helvetia Winery tour is the perfect way to give your out of town guests an Oregon experience. And if you take advantage of our Groupon Offer, you can save 50%.
Recharge your spirit while taking in the breathtaking vistas that our wine farm has to offer.
Our hours through the New Year are 12-5pm every day. We are closed on New Years Day, but open the remainder of the weekend. We look forward to serving you.
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Holiday Decor
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Award Winning Wines
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We look forward to hosting you.
by Helvetia Winery | Dec 23, 2015 | Events
“The tour at Helvetia Winery was nothing short of incredible. I learned so much about the wine making process and some local history as well. Tasting wines straight from the barrel followed by an extremely informative bottled wine tasting was so much fun. WAY above and beyond what I expected. I’ll definitely be back!” ~Sharissa D.
Learn about winemaking and enjoy the Helvetia brand of Oregon sunshine along with tribal-caught Columbia River salmon. The tour starts with the “dirt on dirt” an explanation of terroir, the unique characteristics of a vineyard that, when paired with a wine grape varietal, produces the grapes that constitute the wine. We also add a short history of the land now called Helvetia including an introduction to the Atfalati, the original inhabitants who enjoyed life on a rich oak savannah prior to contact with European fur trappers and then American explorers.
Discussion is followed by a short walk or ride (depending upon the weather and the mobility of our guests) to the winery where we will explain the winemaking process and taste a bit of the 2015 vintage from the barrels.
The tour concludes with a tasting of the wines we are currently offering paired with tribal-caught smoked salmon from the Columbia River.
Any questions?
“Interesting tour – great wine, nice people.” – Ann V.
We have just listed tour dates through March on our booking calendar so, once they’ve received their gift voucher, your friends will be able to choose a convenient date and time to visit. Tours will be available on Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons as well as Tuesday through Thursday during Christmas week.
“What a great Living Social. We probably would have never found this gem of a winery without this special. The tour was great, the wine was even better and John was very informative and a perfect host. Looking forward to our next visit.” ~Tony and Raechill
by Helvetia Winery | Dec 18, 2015 | Events |
Native American Artist Lillian Pitt
Native American artist, Lillian Pitt, a Warm Springs tribal member, will be with us on Saturday, December 19 from 12:30 until 4:00 to talk about her art and the ancient themes and stories behind its meanings. Lillian’s work celebrates the landscape, animals, legends and traditions of her ancestors, the River People and their salmon-based economy. Many of her images were inspired by rock carvings and colorings from the Columbia River Gorge. Today her contemporary sculptures, prints and wearable art are in private collections, museums, galleries and public spaces worldwide.
To learn more about Lillian Pitt, take a few moments to watch the video below:
Click for Video
by Helvetia Winery | Dec 15, 2015 | Food, Recipes |
As the weather cools, French onion soup always hits the spot. This dish from All Recipes is so simple, but so good, especially if you use a rich and flavorful stock, the sweetest of slow cooked onions, a thick piece of crusty bread, and good-quality nutty Gruyere. Pairing soup with wine can be a bit tricky and it’s a bit counterintuitive to match liquid with liquid, but believe me, a good glass of wine makes this meal even better.
French Onion Soup Gratinee
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large red onions, thinly sliced
- 2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
- 1 (48 fluid ounce) can chicken broth
- 1 (14 ounce) can beef broth
- 1/2 cup Helvetia Pinot Noir
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 sprigs fresh parsley
- 1 sprig fresh thyme leaves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
GRATINEE GARNISH:
- 4 thick slices French or Italian bread
- 8 slices Gruyere or Swiss cheese slices, room temperature
- 1/2 cup shredded Asiago or mozzarella cheese, room temperature
French Onion Soup is perfectly paired with a glass of Pinot Noir to warm up a cold winter’s night.
PREPARATION:
- Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in salt, red onions and sweet onions. Cook 35 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are caramelized and almost syrupy.
- Mix chicken broth, beef broth, red wine and Worcestershire sauce into pot. Bundle the parsley, thyme, and bay leaf with twine and place in pot. Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard the herbs. Reduce the heat to low, mix in vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep over low heat to stay hot while you prepare the bread.
- Preheat oven broiler. Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet and broil 3 minutes, turning once, until well toasted on both sides. Remove from heat; do not turn off broiler.
- Arrange 4 large oven safe bowls or crocks on a rimmed baking sheet. Fill each bowl 2/3 full with hot soup. Top each bowl with 1 slice toasted bread, 2 slice Gruyere cheese and 1/4 of the Asiago or mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle a little bit of paprika over the top of each one.
- Broil 5 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown. As it softens, the cheese will cascade over the sides of the crock and form a beautifully melted crusty seal. Serve immediately!
Depending on the depth and meatiness of the stock you use in this soup, you could go with wines of varying weight. Hevletia Winery Pinot Noir captures the middle ground, and this 2010 vintage’s deep plum and berry fruit as well as a touch of smoke and lush texture to match the soup.
Enjoy!
