Judith Henderson’s Wine & Country Living

My passion for Chinese Stir-Fry cooking started as a young cook in San Francisco's China Town.

As a student attending San Francisco State, I defrayed my expenses cooking in a North Beach Pasta shop, eventually joining a team of China Town chefs cooking Cantonese on Grant Street.

My first task at the China cafe was sauce making. I fell in love with the magic and simplicity of Chinese sauce ingredients and how the squiggles made every dish different and defined. I was eventually accepted among the all men Chinese staff and given the nickname, "JuJu," yelled frequently across the kitchen between flying wok pans.

There are several regional producers of the wine with a funny name, but none as wonderful as the top awarded Watermill Winery, Gewurztraminer. At just $16 a bottle, you'll find a great buy in this producer's wine, and it pairs beautifully with the spicy-hot foods of China.

I was present in 2008, when Watermill won top honors at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition for their 2008 Gewürztraminer. Now, in its second vintage, I find the 2010 Gewürztraminer beautifully gaffing in ginger spice, honeysuckle, pears and tangerine and with that little lick of lime juice on granite tongue, it's uniquely different.

Today, Watermill winemaker Andrew Brown has successfully stepped into the shoes of Rick Funk of Saviah Cellars, who originally partnered in wine making for Watermill. It is with great pleasure yours truly, Judith Henderson of Wine and Country Living, gives you, Andrew Brown, 98 points in wine perfection for the 2010, second vintage Watermill Gewürztraminer. You have done an exceptional job Andrew, bringing Watermill Winery into its current succulent wine portfolio. Congratulations Team Brown!

Readers, until next week, "Eat Art Drink Imagination!

Whisk ingredients well; rest for 30 minutes. Rewhisk and apply to stir-fry foods. Pair with a Watermill Winery 2010 Gewürztraminer wine.

Judith's latest cookbook, "Wine and Country Living Cookbook," is now available in wine tasting rooms across the US. For Distribution Call: 509-520-8748