A while back I was contacted by 14 Hands Wines
about hosting a dinner party and doing a review of their wine.
I love parties. I love wine.
How could I say no?! ;)
I said a huge YES, as I happy danced across the floor!
14 Hands Wines are inspired by the wild mustangs that once roamed freely in Washington State. These small wild horses stand 14 hands high, hence the name of the wines.
The 14 Hands vineyards produce “big, fruit forward reds and crisp, juicy whites that honor the legend of the region.”
They had me at big, crisp and juicy. ;)
So the hubby & I put together a menu to match the wine we received.
As part of the menu, we came up with 2 unique recipes for this party that either paired well with the wine, or had the wine incorporated into the dish:
We paired a prime rib recipe with the Hot to Trot Red Blend,
and incorporated the Hot to Trot White Blend into a peach chutney.
The Late Summer Dinner Party Menu
Wines
14 Hands 2010 Chardonnay
14 Hands Hot to Trot White Blend
14 Hands Merlot
14 Hands 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon
14 Hands Hot to Trot White Blend
14 Hands Merlot
14 Hands 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon
14 Hands Hot to Trot Red Blend
To see details on their wines, visit their site here.
Appetizers
Baked Brie with Hot to Trot Summer Peach Chutney (a recipe inspired by their wine)
White Wine Cilantro Lime Shrimp
Three Tomato Bocconcini Bruschetta
Main Course
Horseradish & Herb Rubbed Rotisserie Prime Rib
Herb Roasted Potatoes
Roasted Garlic Butter Corn
Dessert
Wine of course. ;)
Then we gathered together a group of close friends and we got to work.
Eating and drinking is a tough job don’t you know!
For white wines, we tasted their Chardonnay and their Hot to Trot White Blend.
Again, the Hot to Trot White Blend was a crowd favourite!
We loved the Hot to Trot White Blend so much that it inspired a yummy new recipe:
Baked Brie with Hot to Trot Summer Peach Chutney!
Baked Brie with Hot to Trot Summer Peach Chutney
This recipe is a 2 step process: 1 step to make the chutney, 1 step to bake the Brie.
You can even make the chutney a day ahead – the longer it has a chance to rest, the better the flavour!
1 Brie cheese wheel (for a large crowd, I use the 1kg wheel)
4 peaches, skin removed, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
juice from 1/2 lemon
3 tbsp white wine (14 Hands Hot to Trot White Blend)
salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
juice from 1/2 lemon
3 tbsp white wine (14 Hands Hot to Trot White Blend)
salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
- First, you will need remove the skins from your peaches. The easiest way to do this is to blanch them, and the peach skins will slide right off. Here’s how:
- Put your peaches into a pot of boiling water, for 1 minute. No longer.
- Then remove from the boiling water, and immediately put them into a cold water bath, for 1 minute. No longer. Do not soak them.
- The skins should just peel off. Then remove the pits, chop them up, and set aside.
- Then, in a frying pan, heat up the olive oil, and cook the red peppers, onion and basil until soft.
- Add the wine, lemon juice and peaches.
- Cook until the peaches are slightly broken down, but still chunky, about 15 minute. Stir frequently, making sure nothing is burning or sticking to the bottom of your pan.
- Let cool.
- Once you are ready to serve this appetizer, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
- Scoop a generous amount of the Summer Peach Chutney onto the Brie wheel.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the Brie is softened but not runny.
- Serve with chunks of sliced bread or crackers.
Then we tasted their Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and the Hot to Trot Red Blend.
Honestly they were fantastic!
We especially loved the Hot to Trot Red Blend, which paired beautifully with our Prime Rib!
Horseradish & Herb Rotisserie Prime Rib
1 10 lb prime rib of beef
Crust:
2 cups grated, fresh horseradish
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp peppercorns
2 tbsp Kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp minced basil
1 tbsp fresh oregano
1 tbsp fresh thyme
1 tbsp chopped rosemary
1 tbsp cajun spice
wine (14 Hands Hot to Trot Red Blend)
- In a small bowl, combine the horseradish, garlic, pepper, salt, oil, fresh herbs and spices.
- Rub the mixture over the entire surface of the prime rib, then let it rest to allow the meat to come up to room temperature (about 45 minutes to an hour depending on the size of your prime rib).
- Preheat your BBQ to a medium-high heat (about 350 degrees).
- Place your prime rib onto the rotisserie, and at this high heat, sear the meat for about 10 minutes.
- After this time frame, turn the heat down to about 200-250 degrees.
- Make sure to have a drip pan under your meat, as it catches all the good drippings, and you can make gravy or a sauce with it (just make sure to strain it first). We put some of the 14 Hands Hot to Trot Red Blend in the pan during the cooking process for extra flavour!
- The roasting time will take about 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours, depending on how you like your meat done, as well as how big your roast is (basically, apply the rule of 20 minutes per pound).
- Remove your roast when it is about 5 degrees below the internal temperature you want, and let it sit, covered with foil, for about 15 minutes.
Here is a temperature guide for doneness:
Rare: 125 – 130 degrees F
Medium: 130 – 140 degrees F
Medium-Well: 150 – 155 degrees F
Medium-Well: 150 – 155 degrees F
Well Done: 160 – 212 degrees F
We all had the most delicious time!
The wine was fantastic.
The food was great.
The company was the best!
After dinner we spent the hot summer night under candle lit lanterns, and enjoyed great conversation over glasses of great wine!
A perfect way to end a dinner party!
A BIG thank-you to 14 Hands Wine for making this night possible!
We truly, truly enjoyed the wine!
** In full disclosure I did receive as a gift from 14 Hands Wine, the wine for testing, and the finances to make dinner possible! BUT, all the opinions about the wine are my own, truly. And whew, thank goodness we REALLY liked the wine, because what on earth would I say then! ;) **
Yummy Linking:
SNAP, The 36th Avenue, Live Lauge Rowe, Whipperberry, It’s Overflowing, Under the Table and Dreaming
Hi I'm Jo-Anna! I mom. I blog. I cook. I craft. I like pretty things.
14 Hands Merlot is my Favorite. First time I ever had it was when my friends took me to Benihana’s for my birthday. At that time in California you could only get 14 Hands directly from them. I have now moved to UT and the State Liquor Store carries 14 Hands, so happy.
Love the food and what a beautiful setting for a dinner party.
WOW!!!!!!! Such a gorgeous party! The food looks a mazing and it’s so cooool that you had yummy wine to pair with it :)
Oh my dear yummy-ness!!! I wish I could have been at that party! I’ll have to look into the wine…
This looks beautiful and delicious! Next time we are in the market for wine, we’ll be trying 14 Hands.
What an absolutely stunningly gorgeous post! Your pictures are beautiful. What a beautiful party! And I have to say…14 Hands…new favourite wine! Sure hope Willow Park carries it!
This looks amazing and what an amazing opportunity! The peach chutney looks so good!!
Oh my! Wish I could have been in attendance at that party. The food looks so delicious. Yummy!
Wow very impressive wish they would ask me to try out their wines
YUM YUM YUM! I wish I was invited ;)
Wow. Everything looks so awesome. Good friends, good food, and wine make for a fun party.
Oh my goodness. What a party. I am a bit jealous and since it’s almost dinnertime, really hungry!
Thanks so much for sharing on Show & Tell at SNAP! I love seeing the things you link up.
xoxo, Tauni
Eu amei a apresentação destes saborosos pratos e de toda a decoração!
Now that’s a party! I recently tried the 14 Hands Merlot and thought it was great! I was especially impressed with the wine’s subtle complexity and the winemaker’s ability to get the blend just right.
Cheers!