Life would be so dull without avocados, and tortilla chips! This is a super simple recipe for summertime snacking. Use ripe avocados and a vegetable masher for the best consistency. Make lots and keep leftovers in the fridge in a tall Tupperware container (or a glass jar) with a layer of olive oil on top to prevent oxidation.

Have you tried our 2018 Ortega yet? If not, stop by the tasting room soon! This guacamole is a perfect accompaniment to a chilled bottle of Ortega. Just add a couple pals and a big bowl of Abuelo’s corn tortilla chips. You can find Abuelo’s chips in our tasting room, as well as at the Courtenay Farmer’s Market on Saturdays.

INGREDIENTS Makes about a pint

4-5 large ripe avocados

1 medium tomato

1/4 of a small red onion

juice of 2 limes

1/2 tsp dried granulated garlic

1 tsp ground cumin

2 tsps ground coriander

2 large handfuls of cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Peel and pit the avocados and place the flesh in a large bowl. Give them a rough mash.
2. Finely chop the tomato (leave the skin on!) and the onion.
3. Add the tomato, onion, lime juice, granulated garlic and spices to the avocados; mash to mix.
4. Finely chop the cilantro (leaves and stalks), and add that to the guacamole. Give the mix one final mash (it should still be a little lumpy). Season to taste.
5. Serve heaped up in a big bowl for dipping.

These squidgy double chocolate cookies with toasted macadamias are just the ticket on a grey and chilly day, and even better paired with a glass of mulled wine. We love to infuse our Franc Merlot with Hornby Island Tea’s mulling spices – grab a sachet from the Comox Valley Farmers’ Market on Saturday mornings. 2016 Franc Merlot is available at select liquor stores on Vancouver Island, and in the tasting room in December (15th & 16th AND 22nd & 23rd).

INGREDIENTS Makes about 8 large cookies

1 tablespoon milled flax

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup sunflower oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup Demerara sugar

1 cup white flour

1/3 cup cocoa

1/2 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

1/4 cup dark choc chips

1/4 cup macadamia nuts

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Place the nuts in a single layer on a small baking tray and toast for 10-15 minutes until aromatic and just starting to colour. Set aside to cool.
3. Sift the flour, salt, baking powder and cocoa powder into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the water, oil, vanilla, sugar and flax. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix together with a large spoon.
4. Roughly chop the macadamia nuts and add them to the cookie mix along with the chocolate chips. Mix well.
5. Use slightly wet hands to form the cookie dough into balls (we make 8 pretty large cookies with a single batch). Place the balls on 2 cookie sheets lined with parchment paper and place in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. Rotate the trays once during the bake time. When the cookies are done they will have a slightly cracked surface, but will still look a little squidgy in the centre.
6. Leave the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on their trays before removing them to a wire rack. The cookies will keep for a week in an airtight container.

While cooler days always take a little getting used to, we embrace the opportunity to switch things up in the kitchen. Hearty flavourful dishes are a welcome comfort on chilly autumn evenings. Ribollita epitomizes Tuscan thrift. It’s a truly simple soup that’s stick-to-your-ribs good and naturally plant-based. Its flavours intensify over time, so make your ribollita a day or two in advance for the tastiest result. In Italian, the literal translation is ‘re-boiled’ so Ribollita ain’t ever gonna be a fancy soup. It is however, delicious, nutritious, simple and inexpensive.

We recommend pairing a bowl of hearty ribollita with a glass of 2015 Big Nose Red; a similarly robust blend of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS Makes enough soup to feed 6 very hungry people

2 medium onions, roughly chopped

2 carrots, roughly chopped

4 cloves of garlic, sliced

3 ribs of celery, roughly chopped

3-4 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon tomato concentrate

400g can of chopped tomatoes

250ml vegetable stock

250g can of cannellini (white kidney beans)

2 bay leaves

2-3 all spice berries

4-6 thick slices of stale sourdough bread, torn into chunks (toast the slices if the bread is fresh)

2-3 handfuls of kale leaves, roughly torn

salt and pepper

METHOD

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pan. Add the onion, carrot, garlic, and celery and fry over a medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the tomato concentrate and continue to fry for a minute of two. Next, add the tomatoes, vegetable stock, bay leaves and all spice berries. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat until the soup is simmering gently. Simmer for approximately 30 minutes, uncovered.
2. Add the can of cannellini beans, the kale and the sourdough chunks. Season and stir well. Continue to simmer for another 10 minutes until you have a thick and aromatic soup. When the soup is ready you can either serve it straight away, or chill it for reheating later. Ribollita freezes well and is a great freezer stand-by for cold winter nights.
3. Serve steaming hot, garnished with chopped parsley, olive oil and some thinly sliced red onion.

Mapo Tofu is a punchy but comforting dish from the Sichuan province in China. This recipe is 100% plant based and will go down a treat with a bottle of G’Wurtz. Our 2016 vintage was made in a dry style, but with all of the gingery jasmine and allspice typical of the noble Gewurztraminer variety. It really is an excellent choice to temper a bowl of spicy and pungent Mapo Tofo. This dish takes no time to cook, so as with most Chinese dishes, it really helps to have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go.

INGREDIENTS Serves 4

1 tsp Sichuan pepper corns

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 tablespoon sesame oil

5-6 dried shiitake mushroom, rehydrated and finely chopped

1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely grated

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 spring onions, finely sliced

1 tablespoon fermented black beans

1 tablespoon gojuchang, or sambal oelek will work too

500g pack of soft tofu, cut into bite-sized chunks

300ml vegetable stock

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tsp sugar

2 tablespoons rice wine

2 tsp corn starch

METHOD

1. Place a dry wok over a high heat until the wok is very hot. Remove the wok from the heat and add the Sichuan peppercorns. Agitate the pan for 30 seconds until the peppercorns are toasty and aromatic. Set the peppercorns aside.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil in the wok over a medium/high heat and add the chopped shiitake. Fry for 5-6 minutes. Set the shiitake aside.
3. Heat the remaining canola oil and the sesame oil in the wok over a medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic and green onions and fry for a minute or two until the mix is bubbly and aromatic. Add the fermented black beans and the gojuchang and mix well, frying for a further 2 minutes.
4. Add the tofu to the wok, along with the vegetable stock, soy sauce, sugar and rice wine. Mix gently and turn up the heat so that the sauce starts to bubble. When the sauce is bubbling, turn down the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, uncovered.
5. Mix the cornstarch with 150ml of cold water and pour over the tofu. Mix gently and continue to cook until the sauce thickens (about 2 minutes). 
6. Crush the Sichuan peppercorns and add them to wok , along with the reserved shiitake. Mix well.
7. Serve immediately, garnished with more spring onion, and served alongside some jasmine rice.

Farinata is a kind of thick chickpea pancake hailing from the Liguria region in north west Italy. It is typically cooked in cast iron in blisteringly hot ovens and then served in wedges as a healthy snack or as an ‘aperitivo’. The white wines of the Ligurian coast are crisp and salt whipped – Pigato, Vermentino and Bianchetta are common and thoroughly delicious, with lots of structural acidity and bright fruit aromas. Not too dissimilar from the whites we produce here in the Comox Valley! And so, if an Italian vacation is out of the question, don’t even worry – pick up a bottle of our 2017 Epic and whip up a skillet of farinata. You’ll be glad you did…

INGREDIENTS (makes enough for 6-8 people as a snack)

1 cup of chickpea flour

a really good glug of olive oil (about 4-6 tablespoons)

1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary

1.5 tsp salt

fresh ground black pepper

METHOD

1.Whisk the chick pea flour with 1 3/4 cups water, then whisk in the salt, rosemary and 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Don’t worry – the batter will appear quite runny. Cover the mixture, and set aside at room temperature for at least a couple hours, or ideally overnight.

2. Heat oven to 400°F. Heat 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large cast iron or other oven proof skillet (10-12 inches diameter) over medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot, add the batter – take care as it might splatter a bit. Place the skillet in the oven and cook for about 25 to 30 minutes. Check by inserting a knife in the center; if the knife comes out clean, the farinata is cooked. The top should be a blistery, golden colour. You can fire the farinata under the broiler for a minute or two at the end of its cooking time to achieve this effect.

3. Allow the farinata to cool slightly before cutting it into wedges. Top with some freshly ground black pepper and serve drizzled with some more olive oil.

This 100% plant-based ‘quiche’ is made with chickpea, or gram flour. It’s a favourite of ours at Beaufort because it’s simple, satisfying and really tasty. It pairs perfectly with 2017 Pinot Gris – a 100% Island-grown single varietal. A short stint on Ortega lees in Hungarian oak barrels creates a round finish, albeit with a bright and punchy zing to compliment the savoury flavours in the ‘quiche’.

You will need enough pastry to fill a 20cm pie case. Blind bake the pie crust at 370F for about 10 minutes, or until the edges of the crust are just starting to golden. Set it aside ready for filling.

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 small onion, finely sliced

3-4 dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated and finely sliced

2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

1 cup chickpea flour

2.5 cups water

1/4 tsp turmeric

1.5 tsp salt

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

black pepper

METHOD

1. Preheat your oven to 370F. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add onion. Fry for 3 minutes over a med heat until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the shiitake mushrooms and fry for another 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat, and sprinkle over the thyme leaves. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine the chickpea flour with 1 cup of the water (cold), the salt, pepper, turmeric and nutritional yeast. Whisk to ensure there are no lumps. Set aside.
3. Bring the remaining 1.5 cups of water to the boil in a saucepan. When boiling, pour in the chickpea batter, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and continue stirring until the batter thickens – this will take about 2 or 3 minutes. Continue to cook over the lowest heat for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent the chickpea filling from catching on the bottom of the pan.
4. Spoon the mushroom and onion mix into your prepared pie crust and pour over the cooked chickpea filling. Tap the pie case gently against the countertop to evenly distribute the filling. Bake at 370F for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden. Remove from the oven and brush the top with a little olive oil. Allow to cool and set completely before serving. Serve with a big leafy salad and chilled bottle of Pinot Gris.

Our cool Island climate is perfectly suited to growing aromatic whites with plenty of structural acidity. If you’ve enjoyed a zingy Vinho Verde, Grüner Veltliner, Furmint, or perhaps a trenchant Basque Txacoli, you might agree that these wines are incredibly food friendly. The same is quite true of many of Vancouver Island’s crisp, dry whites. If you happen to visit the Beaufort tasting room on a day when Petite Milo is in the line up, prepare for an enthusiastic endorsement of this Blattner hybrid. Tailored to suit our coastal climate, this early ripening variety has a beautiful, green character and aromas of lime, green rhubarb and hops. With great structure and balance, and captivating aromatics, this dry white wine is quickly gaining a following among wine enthusiasts looking for something new. We recommend pairing it with zippy flavours – like a fresh pita loaded with falafel, hummus, pickled veggies and hot sauce. You’ll need a food processor for this one…

INGREDIENTS (makes about 20 falafel)

200g dried chickpeas, soaked in a large bowl of water overnight

1 small onion, grated

1 tablespoon of ground flax

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 handful parsley, finely chopped

1 handful cilantro, finely chopped

2 tablespoons flour

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander seed

1tsp paprika

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1tsp baking powder

Canola or sunflower oil for frying

METHOD

1. Drain the chickpeas and discard the water. Pulse the chickpeas in a food processor until they resemble rough breadcrumbs. You don’t want a paste here.

2. Place the pulsed chickpeas in a large bowl and add all of the other ingredients. Mix well with a wooden spoon until combined. Chill the mix for about 1 hour.

3. Using 2 spoons to form quenelles, or slightly wet hands to create balls, form the mix into individual falafels. The falafels should hold together well. If the mixture appears too dry, add a little water; if it seems too wet and sloppy, you can add some more ground flax and/or flour. This is a very forgiving recipe!

4. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan until it reached 350 degrees F. Fry the falafel in batches until golden brown and cooked through (approximately 5 minutes). Drain on kitchen paper and keep in a warm oven until ready to serve.

5. To serve: Stuff a warm pita with 3-4 falafel and LOAD it with pickled red cabbage, cucumber, pickled jalapeños, sliced green onion, hummous, unsweetened coconut yogurt, tahini and hot sauce.

Dark chocolate, though delicious, can pose a challenge when paired with dry red wines. Dark and extra dark chocolate, with their high percentages of cocoa, can taste bitter. Pairing a bitter chocolate with a particularly dry and tannic red is not the most desirable combo but there are other options! Try pairing darker chocolates with reds that are lower in tannin, and/or reds that contain slightly higher residual sugar. Hybrid red varieties like Marechal Foch, Leon Millot and Cab Libre are just the ticket due to their low tannin profiles so why not give this super easy truffle recipe a whirl and pair these addictive chocolaty morsels with a glass of Beauhemian. Beaufort Beauhemian is a blend of Marechal Foch, Cab Libre and Syrah. It delivers notes of ground coffee and red liquorice, with a little bit of spice on a fine balanced finish.

INGREDIENTS makes about 40 truffles

240ml full fat coconut milk

2 tablespoons of coconut oil

300g dark chocolate (70-80% works!), broken into pieces

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tablespoon of cooled espresso

4 tablespoons of maple syrup

1 handful of chopped hazelnuts

1/2 tsp sea salt flakes

dark cocoa powder to coat (4-6 tablespoons)

METHOD

1. Place the chocolate and coconut oil in a large glass bowl. Heat the coconut milk until just boiling and pour over the chocolate and coconut oil. Stir gently until the chocolate has melted.
2. Next, whisk in the vanilla extract, cooled espresso and maple syrup – the mix might look like it has split but keep whisking and it will come back together!
3. Line a square cake tin (8″x8″) with foil and pour the mix into the cake tin. Place in the fridge to firm up just a bit – an hour or so. The top needs to be from enough to support the chopped hazelnuts so that they don’t sink into the chocolate.
4. When the top is just set, sprinkle the chopped hazelnuts and salt flakes on top and gently press down. Return the cake pan to the fridge to set fully (at least 4 hours, but over night is best).
5. When the truffle mix has set, turn out from the pan and peel off the foil. Cut into cubes and, using a fine sieve, dredge in cocoa powder. Voila! The truffles will keep in the fridge for 10 days or so in a sealed container.

Awwww yes! This is one crowd pleasing burger that will have your BBQ buddies begging you for the recipe. 100% plant based sweet and smokey beet burger – add sliced and pickled jalapeños for some heat and try it along side our soon-to-be-released 2016 Franc Merlot. This classic blend of Cabernet Franc (50%) and Merlot (50%) is all at once savoury and fruity! A robust, dry red with aromas of cinnamon, coffee, ripe red currant and blackberry.

Stay tuned for more info on our NEW releases! 7 new Beaufort wines will be coming your way in early May. Follow us on Instagram, like us on FB, and of course, check back right here!

INGREDIENTS (makes 4 patties)

2 cups of raw beet root, peeled and 1/2″ cubed,

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup cooked quinoa (red or white)

2 tbsp milled chia seeds

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tbsp flax seed

1 tbsp coconut oil, melted

2 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp each of ground cumin, chilli flakes & oregano

salt and pepper

2-3 tbsp bread crumbs (may or may not be required)

METHOD

1. Toss the beet cubes with olive oil and roast in a preheated oven (350F) for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Turn the oven up to 375F.

2. Place the cooled beets in a food processor and pulse a couple times until you have small chunks (you don’t want a puree here!).

3. Transfer the beets to a bowl and add all of the other ingredients, except the breadcrumbs. Mix well. At this point you can judge the consistency of the mixture; if it appears too wet, add some bread crumbs. If it appears too dry, add a little water.

4. Using slightly wet hands, shape 4 patties and place them on a lined baking sheet. Place in the oven for 10-15 minutes per side. 10 minutes per side is enough if you want to finish the patties on the barbecue! The beet burgers hold up better if they are baked first before barbecuing as it can be tricky to handle them on the grill as raw patties.

5. Dress your beet burgers with a sweet and smokey BBQ sauce, some finely sliced red cabbage and a couple of pickled jalapeños. Serve in a toasted bun.