Pedroncelli 2008 “Mother Clone” Zinfandel

Stop thinking about that kind of clone, silly people. The fruit of this intoxicating plant grows proudly under the sun in the good, deep earth, not sadly tethered to tubes in some artificially lit little closet. But this story does begin in the midst of a time of prohibition. In 1927, the smart money was on prunes, but perhaps seeing a light at the end of the Volstead Act, Giovanni Pedroncelli purchased 25 acres of vineyard in Dry Creek Valley. The Pedroncellis first sold grapes, then renewed the old bonded winery onsite when Prohibition ended just a few years later. When varietal wine really boomed again in the 1970s, the family replanted using budwood from the original, 100-year-old Zinfandel vines from the home ranch.

Pedroncelli 2008 “Mother Clone” Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel ($15) is a good old, traditional Dry Creek Zin. Toasty oak and menthol blow off to reveal strawberry jam and big brambleberry fruit flavors. Zingy on the tongue, but not hot on the finish, wrapping up firmly with dry, chalky tannin. A sold example of the genre, and priced so well you can get two bottles–one for the recipe and one for the cook!

________________________________________________________________

Beef and Mushrooms Stew

Ingredients:

2 lbs stew meat, trimmed of fat and in 1 ½ inch cubes

1-2 T olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

flour

finely ground black pepper

salt

1 lb mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

1-1 ½ ounces dried porcini mushrooms

2 cups beef broth

2 cups Mother Clone Zinfandel

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Soak dried mushrooms in hot water for 20 minutes, strain, reserving soaking water, rinse mushrooms and set aside. Heat dutch oven to medium high. Pour ½ T of olive oil into pan, add onion and sauté for 10 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 2 more minutes.

Scoop out onion mixture and set aside. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat to medium high. Roll beef cubes in mixture of flour, pepper and salt (to taste). Add beef cubes in batches and brown on all sides. Take meat out and set aside.

Pour all mushrooms into pan and sauté for 5 minutes. Add onions and beef to pan. Pour in beef broth, reserved soaking water and zinfandel. Secure lid and put in oven for 1-2 hours—the longer the better. Check halfway through to add liquid (stock, water, wine or a blend thereof) if necessary. Serve over pasta, polenta or rice.