HOMEWINES & VINEYARDS2010 Bouche d'Or Chardonnay, Estate, Napa Valley - Carneros

2010 Bouche d'Or Chardonnay, Estate, Napa Valley - Carneros

Bouche d’Or, or “Taste of Gold,” refers to the amber color and luscious, sweet essence of this wine. You may know that the characteristic honey-apricot fragrance, found in many late harvest wines, comes from what’s known as the “noble rot,” or botrytis cinerea, which occurs naturally on grape clusters.

We delayed harvesting one acre of our estate vineyard Chardonnay grapes until December of 2008, anticipating that the botrytis would further concentrate the grape sugars. The resulting wine, seasoned with a touch of aromatic Riesling, recalls to mind honeyed apricots and ripe figs, yet is delicate in weight and smooth in texture,

Says Winemaker Michael Richmond, “I love this wine with fresh fruit, or even as an aperitif to be enjoyed with liver pate or smoked hors d’oeuvres.” A recent food pairing trial: the Bouchaine Bouche d'Or with a goat cheese-pear-honey tart that blew our mind, one of those times when you don't know where the food ended and the wine began. Or try it with our Lemon Almond Tart (see recipe below) for a sweet treat tempered with fresh citrus flavors.

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Lemon Almond Tart

Crust
1 1/4 cups unbleached flour
1/3 cup whole almonds, toasted
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter (1 stick) chilled, unsalted cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons ice water
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Blend flour, almonds, sugar and salt in processor until almonds are finely ground.  Cut in butter using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Combine water and extract in a small bowl.  Pour over flour mixture and process just until moist clumps form. (Add more water if mixture is dry.)  Gather dough into a ball and flatten into a disk; wrap in plastic and refrigerate one hour.  Roll out dough on a floured surface to a 12” round.  Transfer to a 9” diameter tart pan with removable bottom.  Fold overhang in to form double thick sides, pressing to adhere.  Pierce dough with a fork.  Freeze crust 20 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Bake until crust is golden, approximately 30 minutes; piercing with fork if crust bubbles.  Cool on a wire rack.

Filling
4 large eggs
1 and 1/4 cups sugar
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup slivered almonds
Powdered sugar

Combine eggs and sugar in a heavy saucepan. Whisk to blend.  Mix in lemon juice and peel.  Whisk over medium high heat until mixture is thick and almost boils.  Remove from heat and whisk in butter.  Transfer filling to bowl. Chill until cold, stirring occasionally. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread filling over crust.  Sprinkle with almonds.  Bake until filling puffs slightly and moves slightly in the center when shaken, about 35 minutes.  Cool completely; sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serves 8

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