Author: caseyrolig

HOW TO: BUILD YOUR OWN GRAZING BOARD

Posted on by caseyrolig

What do artisanal flatbread crackers, salami and dried fruits all have in common? They share a home on our cult-famous grazing boards.  

This month, we got together with our culinary team to learn what’s what on our classic grazing board. Because if you’ve been to our tasting room, you know just how delicious this board is, and our team will be the first to admit, it pairs perfectly with…well, anything.   

Hosting a dinner party and need to elevate your appetizer game? Want to add some fresh variety into your lunch lineup next week? Going to a potluck and need to bring a dish? Our DIY grazing board is the perfect fit for all of the above!  

Plus, if you’re reading this, it’s safe to say you’re interested in wine. Our culinary team has curated our grazing board to accentuate all the complexities of our wines. From the sweetness of the quince paste bringing out the fruit flavors in something like our Sightline, to the saltiness of the cheese complementing our red field blend.  

Abbot’s Passage Classic Grazing Board  

Prep time: 10 minutes | Total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:  

  • One soft cheese of choice (we recommend Brie or Chevre)  
  • One semi-hard cheese of choice (we recommend Gouda)  
  • Sliced Salami  
  • Sliced Chorizo  
  • Artisanal Crackers (our personal favorite is Rustic Bakery)  
  • Crostini  
  • Cheese pennies or other savory biscuit  
  • House made pickles or cornichons  
  • House-cured olives  
  • Mixed nut savory blend  
  • Tomato jam  
  • Quince paste  
  • Dried peaches  
  • Dried pineapples 
  • Mandarin Orange wedges  
  • Chocolate covered cherries 
  • Foraged garnish of choice (estate pickings are usually an olive branch or grape leaves)  

Serving Pieces: 

  • One large serving tray 
  • 3-4 Small serving vessels, plates or bowls  
  • Small cheese knives, spoons and forks  

Instructions:  

  1. Start by arranging all your ingredients on the counter – keeping cheeses, charcuterie, pickles/olives and fruit together in segmented areas 
  2. Begin assembling the board with your two cheeses, we like to set one on each side of the tray. Cut into each one a little bit to make it feel more welcoming (no one wants to be the one to ruin a perfect piece of cheese)! 
  3. Next, fan out the chorizo and salami, one on each side of the board near each cheese  
  4. Select a few of the small serving vessels and decide which will work best for the mixed nuts, olives, pickles, tomato jam and quince paste. Fill each small bowl or plate with one item and place in various places around the board.  
  5. Now it’s time to add the crackers. Spread the crackers, crostini, and cheese pennies in groups around the board, filling in empty spaces 
  6. The fruit is the piece de resistance! The board should be quite full now, so nestle in the dried and fresh fruit along with chocolate covered cherries as a little surprise treat. Don’t be afraid to pile it on or overlap some of the other items.  
  7. Last but not least: a foraged garnish. We like to use olive branches, mustard flowers or grape leaves. You can really use anything here: fresh herbs such as rosemary, basil or tarragon, fresh flowers, or even a sprinkle of dried herbs like thyme or rosemary if you don’t have anything fresh.  

HARVEST IS HERE! A note from Katie Bundschu

Posted on by caseyrolig

Summer has flown by!  It feels like I just packed up my holiday décor, only to feel like I will be pulling them out in no time! My family and I are going to try to take a few quick long weekends to soak up the last few days of summer before harvest rolls around. 

Harvest represents both a beginning and end.  It’s the culmination of the hard year-round work that goes into tending our vines, yet the beginning of turning that hard work into a pleasurable bottle of wine through the process of winemaking.  Neither process could exist without the other.  

As a youngster growing up harvest was just the period of time where I never saw my dad nor did we ever schedule any family vacations!  It’s also probably why most everyone in my family celebrates their anniversary in early August—because no one was allowed to get married during harvest! However, now I understand harvest through so many different lenses and how special it really is.  

I once heard a fellow winemaker explain it in such an eloquent way that really resonated with me–which I will paraphrase.  In summary she said theoretically, if you’re lucky, you are a winemaker for 30 years of your life. How many other occupations out there do you only have 30 chances to be the best you can possibly be?  You only get one chance every year and have to wait an entire year in order to try it again.  It’s both beautiful and painful to think about. 

The property here is absolutely stunning towards the end of summer—it really gets a chance to show its beauty in the fall. I never get tired of the transition of light—there is a point of time when the light becomes the true definition of “Golden Hour.” I chose one specific vine to capture a photograph of James last year, and I hope to be able to do that every year hereafter. 

We hope to see you this fall to soak in all that harvest has to offer in Glen Ellen.  

Be well, 

Katie Bundschu signature

 

 

 

8 UNIQUE TIPS TO PLAN THE PERFECT SONOMA WEDDING

Posted on by caseyrolig

As one of the oldest vineyards in California’s Wine Country, Abbot’s Passage is a historic yet modern winery with a stone barrel cellar, open vistas, sunny patios, and a backdrop of old vines offering the perfect location for your wedding day. When you plan your Sonoma wedding or special event at AP, our team will be your one-stop-shop to help bring your dreams to life! Haven’t decided where to host your event? Check out our top 8 unique tips (hint hint: this is supposed to be fun!) to plan the perfect Sonoma winery wedding.

venue & vineyards

1. Finding your venue is the best part! After that, everything else starts to fall into place. Looking for that quintessential Sonoma wedding? Make sure to find a venue where you can get married IN the vineyard. It doesn’t get better than that view for the ceremony and photos! Plan some time to take photos with your photographer among the vines right after your ceremony and then make your debut again as the reception gets underway. 

2. Check the noise ordinance for your venue. At AP, the noise ordinance is ten o’clock, so if you want to keep the party going, you can plan an after party at a downtown location or even transition into something like a silent disco. Our venue is a short shuttle ride to downtown near the hotels and guests always like to let loose at one of our local watering holes. Many couples make a quick appearance and then sneak away. The stories you’ll hear will likely bring big laughs to your brunch the following day.

CATERING & PHOTOGRAPHY

3. If you’re going to splurge, splurge on catering and photography – this is what you are going to remember for the rest of your life! Remember to get that photo book made right away. It’s so much more enjoyable to experience and share your wedding with a coffee table book back at home. 

LARGE FORMAT WINE BOTTLES

4. During the planning process, pick out a magnum (or two!) of wine for your guests to sign with the guest book. Open them up on your anniversary with friends while you reminisce about your favorite moments from that night. Many of our red wines age very well and fun fact, because the air to wine ratio is smaller in a magnum they age better than standard format wine bottles.

INDOOR OR OUTDOOR

5. For a wine country wedding, it’s best to find an indoor space for dancing and dessert (since Sonoma can get so cold at night!) It’s always a good idea to be prepared for a weather shift from the day into the evening. While it’s hot during the day, temperatures can drop drastically in the evenings due to some maritime influence coming from San Pablo Bay and the Pacific Ocean. It’s worth considering adding umbrellas for the daytime or heaters outdoors for when the sun goes down to be extra prepared for all sorts of weather. A lot of couples I have worked with in the past have gone above and beyond and created customized blankets for their guests as a creative and curated way to help guests stay warm.

DESTINATION: LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

6. At Abbot’s Passage, we’re one of the lucky few wineries who can host weddings in wine country (only five wineries in all of Napa and a handful in Sonoma have the permit to host). Hosting a Sonoma wedding is not just great for the bride and groom (hello early honeymoon) but allows your guests to also take a vacation. We are located just 25 miles from Sonoma County Airport,  65 miles from Oakland International and 70 miles from San Francisco International Airport.

NO HIDDEN FEES

7. Always check what’s included in the site fee. Those little things add up! At Abbot’s Passage, we include lighting, lounge furniture and ceremony arbor in addition to the space rental.

WINES TO KEEP CELEBRATING

8. Last but not least, joining the club at the winery where you get married is a great way to continue to celebrate. There is a proven link between taste buds and memories – and you won’t believe how the memories come back to you every time you have the wine!

some of our preferred vendors

Elaine Bell Catering | Bright Event Rentals | Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn (lodging) | Vine Country Signs (custom signage)

Check us out on Instagram for the most up to date, seasonal images of our property, and reach out to our team today to learn more about how we can bring your wine country wedding to life! Contact Us