Clam Pot & Pinot: 2008 Donum Carneros Estate and a Father's Day Menu from Wild Goat Bistro

A few weeks ago Nancy DeLorenzo and a few friends came by the Donum Ranch for a private tasting of our new vintages.  The proprietor of the Wild Goat Bistro, Nancy creates innovative salads, artisan pizzas and sharable small plates – piled high with local ingredients – at her charming European-style bistro in the historic Great Petaluma Mill. And she pairs them alongside selections from her “carefully curated” wine list comprised of small production producers like Donum Estate. If you ever get the chance to pull up a seat at the reclaimed copper bar the looks out into the open kitchen, you won’t regret it.

As so often happens, Nancy’s brief stopover turned into a wonderful late morning visit, complete with Pinot Noir and some nutty, not too “sheepy” sheep’s milk cheeses. By the end of the morning, Nancy had picked up a few bottles, including our 2008 Donum Carneros Estate Pinot Noir.

A few weeks passed and then this incredible Father’s Day menu showed up in our inbox, complete with pairing notes.
Nancy told us she comes up with many of her restaurant menus while tinkering in her home kitchen. She has been serving this shrimp, Andouille sausage and clam pot as a special for several weeks, however, she tweaked the original recipe to pair specifically with the 2008 Carneros Estate Pinot.

This is a one pot dish that provides big flavors and complexity. It’s a man’s dish. Perfect for the upcoming Father’s Day weekend. Nancy suggests serving it in big bowls on a newspaper covered table with plenty of napkins.

Ingredients:

4 quarts of water

1 lemon halved

1 bay leaf

2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup crab boil seasoning (recommended Old Bay)

1/2 bunch thyme, tied together

1 medium onion, quartered

1 head garlic, halved with skin on

1.5 pounds new potatoes, small to medium size, cut in half

3 ears sweet corn, halved

1.5 pounds andouille, cut into 1-inch piece

24 littleneck clams, scrubbed (about 1.5 to 2 pounds)

2.5 pounds jumbo shrimp with heads and tails (20-24 depending on size, about 3-4 per person)

Kosher salt

Directions:

Fill a huge stockpot, preferably fitted with a basket insert, with about 4 quarts of water. Keep in mind that when you add the solid ingredients the water level will rise, so don't fill the pot up more than halfway. Squeeze the lemon into the water. Add the bay leaf, salt, seasoning, thyme, onion and garlic; bring the broth to a boil over medium-high heat and simmer for 10 minutes. You want a very aromatic broth with plenty of salt and spices. Taste it - don't be afraid to make it strong so some of the flavor can penetrate and get absorbed by the potatoes and other ingredients. Adjust seasoning with salt.

Add the potatoes to the pot to give them a head start, simmer for 20 minutes. Now add the corn and sausage; cook another 5 minutes, making sure everything stays covered with the liquid. Add the clams and boil for 4 to 6 minutes until they open. Then toss in the shrimp and shut off the heat. Cover the pot and let the shrimp steep in the flavor for 15 minutes. Serve in big bowls or drain and spread the shrimp, sausage, clams, corn, potatoes, and onions out on a newspaper-covered table or in a nice rounded bowl not to deep. Serve with plenty of napkins.

Pairing Notes, from Nancy:

The 2008 Donum Estate Grown Carneros Pinot Noir is a versatile wine that can be enjoyed prior to dinner

and yet will continue to hold up and pair beautifully with this meal.This wine immediately brings out the spice in the broth and the smokiness of the andouille sausage. It doesn’t overpower the shrimp or corn, it just adds a nice overall support to the entire dish. The bay leaf picks up the earthiness and tea component of the wine while the beautiful fruit of the wine adds a sweetness to the corn and touches on the spices of the old bay seasoning. All in all, we and our guest enjoyed this food and wine pairing very much and hope that you will appreciate the beauty and versatility that this wine offers

If you’re interested in learning more about the Wild Goat click here. To learn more about or purchase our 2008 Donum Carneros Estate Pinot Noir (a perfect, personal Father’s Day gift), click here or contact me at bgadke@thedonumestate.com.

We wish all of our Donum friends and family a wonderful Father’s Day weekend.

Cheers,

Brooke