Wine & Country Living

I was in Berkeley, Calif., this weekend tasting wine in an unusual bottle shop; inside the Berkeley Municipal Utilities Pump House. Today, owner Peter Eastlake operates his, "Vintage Berkeley," inside the historical building. Vintage is a unique emporium, tacked with wines from around the world, all under $25 a bottle. The day I arrived at Vintage, Bay Area wine professional Eric Sothern of Breakaway Wine Company was giving visitors a taste of a Spanish Tempranillo.

For the moment, anything imported goes against everything I stand for in the food and wine business; sustainable lifestyles and all. My newest saying helps me stay focused: "think like an immigrant, live like an artist!"

Talking about Tempranillo wine, local Winemaker Casey Mc Clellan quiet possibly makes the best Tempranillo this side of the Cascades. When I buy a bottle of this big red, I know I am supporting a local winemaker and his family. Casey is such a wellbalanced winemaker that he produced a 2008 Columbia Valley Tempranillo, at just $25 a bottle. Casey's Spanish recipe would dance the fandango if you asked it to. Let me explain: Casey's Tempranillo swirls in ruby color, expressive nose wafting in sage and chopped cherry fruits with a long vanilla tongue sprinkled in mint and cayenne pepper. Note: this vintage has the ability to cellar for another eight years to date. Casey, because you share professional information about your wines with customers and make such a fine, affordable Temprianillo wine, yours truly, Judith Henderson of Wine and Country Living gives you 98 points for your Seven Hills '08 Tempranillo, Congratulations! Seven Hills Winery should not be missed during fall harvest tasting, Nov. 4-6. Call: 509-529-7198. Until next week, "Eat Art Drink Imagination!"

Caramelized Onion Mashed Potato

4-cooked russet potatoes peeled and quartered

1-yellow onion caramelized in butter to a golden brown

1-tablespoon minced garlic

1-teaspoon salt

1-cup milk

Butter

Drain potatoes of water, add caramelized onions and all other ingredients; mash all ingredients until fluffy, adding butter as you go. Serve butter roast shallots and roasted exotic mushrooms over mashers paired with Seven Hills 2008 Tempranillo red wine.

Hear Judith's food and wine commentary with recipe and photo at www.chefjudsithhenderson.com