2018 Harvest Party

September 6, 2019

I can’t believe it’s already been almost a year since our first harvest party at the vineyard, but October will mark twelve months since we hosted our inaugural fall celebration. Since we’re getting ready to host our second harvest party in just over a month, I’ve been looking back and reflecting a bit on what we did right, places to improve, and brainstorming new ideas with the team to make an even bigger impact this year. I can’t wait to spill the beans with you soon! First, a little context on 2018.

The weekend before our harvest party, my mom had a major surgery (hysterectomy, appendectomy, and multiple lymph node biopsy) to remove a massive ovarian cyst that had grown rapidly and turned into cancer over the course of the previous month. When she went into surgery, we weren’t sure what we were dealing with, but her incredible surgeon confirmed that it was cancer as my dad and I completely crumbled in the hospital waiting room. He was optimistic that they’d gotten it all and that she might not need further treatment based on what he was able to tell so we clung on to those words for the next few days. Thankfully, later that week, we received the news that she was stage 1A (!!!!) and no further treatment was necessary, but recovering from such a major surgery was going to be difficult. We were absolutely ecstatic at the news, but knew we needed to focus on her getting better. Her post-operative delirium was terrifying to say the least and she needed 24-7 monitoring by my dad and I following the surgery. We took turns sleeping, him usually at night, while I took the night shift to make sure she didn’t try to walk around by herself or put strain on her healing incision getting in and out of bed.

The week leading up to our harvest party was more physically and mentally trying than ever before in my life. My mom has always been my rock, but has been an even bigger sense of help and stability in the years since acquiring the vineyard. Being a caretaker for her that week filled me with gratitude for how lucky we’ve been as a family in terms of health, but was also crushing knowing that so many families don’t get that same prognosis. Every single day and moment is a gift. What kept me going that week was knowing that every chance we have to connect people with our mission to help make the world a better place, by funding clinical trials for other women fighting diseases, funding meals for children fighting hunger, funding fire re-build efforts and more, should not be taken for granted. This is what we were going to be doing at our harvest party – highlighting worthy causes that needed our help.

Our first Harvest Party was absolutely stunning, totally moving, and went off without a hitch! I’m SO excited for round two this year and I’m thankful that my mom is here with us, healthy, and will be bringing her talent to the table once again 🙂 We have so much to celebrate in 2019!

I’ll be sharing more details soon, but in the meantime, take a look at last year’s event! Since it was our first harvest party, we kept things simple with heavy apps and fairly simple and economical decor (lots of greens and fall foliage, simple bud vases with seasonal florals, bowls of seasonal fruit to be snacked on or repurposed after the event – one of my favorite event decor hacks). Let me know what you think! Cheers!

{we kept details simple with bud vases and bowls of seasonal fruit}

{guests were greeted with a delicious apple cider mimosa}

{one of my favorite bars I’ve ever styled! those colors! bar & back-bar by found rentals}

{our beautiful and incredibly talented winemaker, Mari Coyle}

{our architect, David Rulon, with his daughter, Gabby}

{Rob Mondavi Jr., Mari Coyle, and my husband, Jake}

{Jake and I with two of our largest partners and close friends, Erik & Deborah Anderson}

{Our friends and longtime supporters, Deb & Brian}

{Incredible presentation by our friend and immensely talented photographer, Laura Schneider}

{tour of the winery (under construction)}

Sauvignon Blanc Harvest / 2017

October 23, 2017

UPDATE: I wrote this post before the devastating fires that swept through Napa, Sonoma, Lake County and Mendocino beginning October 9th-20th, 2017. I’ll share my thoughts on the fires and how it impacted our community as soon as I get my head back above water. xo – Meg

In Napa Valley, harvest is one of the first indications that the seasons are changing. This summer was so jam packed with work, sourcing trips, events, photo shoots, and multiple design projects, that the 2017 harvest season arrived shockingly fast. When our Director of Wine at ONEHOPE called to tell me that we were going to be harvesting our Sauvignon Blanc on August 24th, while ecstatic that I was going to be in town to shoot, I was simultaneously a little bummed that summer was really coming to a close and that it felt like it had passed by in a blink. Now that pumpkins and fall produce have arrived in stores and the temperatures are cooling with particularly chilly mornings, I’m choosing to embrace it and I’m looking forward to a change in pace after a marathon of a summer. Here are a few of my favorite shots from that day.

PS: I blogged about harvest last year here and how monumental it was in shaping my views on the Mexican American farmworkers here in Napa Valley. Watching this crew harvest 12 tons of grapes by hand in just under three hours only reaffirmed my views that we need to be taking care of our farmworkers here, not only in the wine industry, but in agriculture in general. As consumers become more and more conscious of how and where their food is being farmed, I hope they also pause to think about where their wine is coming from and the work behind it, the next time they open a bottle. I’m so honored to be working for a company that cares so much about the production process and the people behind it. Cheers!

Fig + Prosciutto Salad with Almond Milk Ricotta

September 21, 2017

Currently in Napa, the mornings are crisp, the vines are changing color, and harvest is in full force. It’s clear that fall is just around the corner (tomorrow in fact) and that summer days are coming to a close. I always get a burst of energy when the seasons start to change and I feel it in the fall more than any other time of the year. A new wave of productivity usually takes over for me and I’m inspired to cozy up and try new recipes with a different influx of produce at the market and in the garden. Just as sweet summer stone fruit is winding down for the year, figs reach their ideal ripeness between the end of August and early September in Northern California. Using nectarines and brown turkey figs as our jumping-off point for a late summer salad, I completed the dish with almond milk ricotta, arugula, a simple vinaigrette and Viognier to pair.

I asked our Director of Wine at ONEHOPE, Mari Coyle what wine she would pair with this and she said, without a doubt, Viognier. I was delighted, as Viognier has become one of my favorite varietals since Jake introduced it to me six or seven years ago. I asked Mari for some background on why she selected this wine and she said, “the nectarine brings out the stone fruit flavors in the Viognier, while the figs compliment the spicy ginger and honey notes in the wine. Rhone whites are often mineral-like in flavor with viscosity like honey. This minerality seeks salt, found in the Prosciutto. Arugula plays off the spicy notes again and a little Ricotta sets the stage for the honey dressing which oozes to complete the perfect Viognier pairing.”

Wham bam. Sounded fabulous. And it was. Enjoy!

FIG & RICOTTA SALAD
Yield: 1 serving
Wine Pairing: Viognier

INGREDIENTS

4 tbs. Kite Hill Almond Milk Ricotta
1-2 brown turkey figs, sliced
1 nectarine, sliced
3 oz. prosciutto, very thinly sliced
1/4 cup arugula

Dressing
2 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. red wine vinegar
1 tbs. honey
1 clove garlic, minced
salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Using the back of a spoon, spread ricotta irregularly on a plate or platter.
Form prosciutto into small bunches (one slice of prosciutto per bunch) and stagger the bunches along the outside of your plate.
Fill in negative space with sliced figs and nectarine.
Top with arugula and drizzle dressing over top.
Serve with ONEHOPE Viognier.

PS: Nervous about almond milk cheese? I was too. Here’s a little (actually kind of long) back story on my relationship with nut milk cheeses…

I haven’t talked about it much over here, but I made a complete 180 in terms of my diet and lifestyle this year. With major cleanups to my diet and a new found love for pilates, I’ve tried to reverse years of careless eating and have seen incredible changes to both my health, both physically and mentally. My goal in January was to lose 30 lbs before I turned 30 (April! A bit of an aggressive goal), but when I found pilates and dropped inches while building more muscle mass than I’ve had since college, it became less about the number and more about how amazing I was feeling. I made it down to 22 lbs lost by my 30th and I’m hovering at 25-27 lbs lost now, knowing that one day I’ll drop those last 5 or so. For now I’m happier and feeling better than ever.

A big part of my diet change was cutting out dairy almost entirely. I’ve mentioned this before, but having grown up in the midwest, dairy, particularly cheese, was a huge part of my diet growing up. It was unfathomable to eat eggs, a salad, a sandwich, chili, literally almost anything without cheese. I LOVE cheese. After moving to California and getting into the wine industry where cheese is one of the most prominent pairings for wine, my love for cheese only grew with the discovery of burrata, Humboldt Fog, Truffle Tremor, triple cream brie… it was endless.The thought of a nut milk based cheese irked me and I refused to give them a try until I scrolled past a picture on Instagram. The shot was of a fully loaded sandwich with a delicious combination of sprouted bread, turkey, avocado, jalapeno sauerkraut, and Kite Hill almond milk cream cheese. WHAT?! I hopped on to Kite Hill’s site to see where they were sold and were conveniently at my local Whole Foods. I picked up a package on my next visit and gave it a try. It was love.

When I started seeing figs in the market, I picked some up and started scouring the internet for some new fig recipes to try. A frequent combination that intrigued me was ricotta with sliced figs and honey. I knew that Kite Hill had an almond milk ricotta that would be perfect for this dish and it truly was. I can’t wait to explore some more recipes with almond milk cheese this fall. Cheers!

Spring in Napa

April 18, 2017

Swung by the vineyard on Friday to give the girls from Found Rentals a tour. So grateful for sunshine!

Happy Tuesday! I hope you had a lovely Easter or Passover weekend with loved ones! My parents were in town so it made for a fun and delicious day in the kitchen. Northern California has had the wettest year on record with Easter being no different, so while it wasn’t bright and sunny like last year, it made for a cozy afternoon of cooking and table setting with my mom and dad. Jake and I celebrated my 30th (for the final time!) at The French Laundry the night before with friends (Megan, who was also turning 30 and Erik, Megan’s fiancé and Jake’s college friend & business partner), so we were really feeling Saturday’s wine consumption – ha! The low key Easter celebration was just what the doctor ordered. Here are a few snaps from the weekend!

PS: I wanted to acknowledge what a privilege it was to celebrate at the iconic French Laundry. As two foodie couples, this was a dream of all of ours and we took some time to reflect on that before dinner. Jake and I decided that 2017 was going to be a year of experiences, not things, and it was truly an experience that I’m so thankful for and that I’ll never forget.

F R I D A Y // Happy place

Tiny clusters of Sauvignon Blanc forming.

SATURDAY // The French Laundry (iPhone snaps)

Had to grab a group shot in front of the famous blue door.

Excited and anxiously awaiting the first course!

Kitchen tour! The energy was magnetic. There was plenty of hustle bustle, but I was shocked at how calm, collected, and genuinely kind the staff was. They made us feel more than welcome and even offered to take pictures for and with us.

S U N D A Y // Easter

Easter table with my mom. Recreated last year’s look (more details here).

Spring strawberry salad with pomegranate vinaigrette, candied walnuts, and feta.

My dad’s famous Deviled Eggs (with parsley ironically resembling the Michigan mitten).

So thankful for my parents. It was truly wonderful having them here and I can’t wait for them to be officially California residents in six weeks!

Wine Wednesday / Cabernet Harvest

November 2, 2016

A few weeks ago, I had the honor of being at our first Cabernet harvest since Jake and I moved up to Napa. Our Sauvignon Blanc harvest was pretty mind blowing (I wrote about it here and here) so I was excited to get in the vines for the second round of the year. This time, however, our winemaker asked me to meet him at Clos du Val after all of our grapes were picked so that I could participate in sorting for the first time. I was so slammed that day, but dropped everything to be there. Having the opportunity to sort grapes with our winemakers, Tony Coltrin and Rob Mondavi Jr. who are legends in the valley, was far too awesome of an opportunity to pass up. Here are some of my favorite shots from that day.

Cabernet grapes ready to be harvested! Tony explained that some vines will shed their bottom leaves to maximize sun exposure on the fruit.

One of a few hundred bins filled with grapes.

Bins are then dumped into containers on the tractor until full.

One worker will usually stand on the back of the tractor to do an initial sort (picking out any obvious leaves).

Moving on to the second Cabernet block for picking…

Time to weigh in! The tubs are lifted onto the scale with a forklift and weighed on site before transport to the crush pad.

Grapes in the shad waiting to be sorted at Clos du Val.

Grapes are dropped one container at a time on to the sorting line. Leaves are removed and discarded.

The fruit drops into the crusher and de-stemmer where all of the stems are removed and eventually composted.

Filling up the tanks!

The tanks inside Clos du Val, some of which hold our wine while our winery is being built.

Since we were on site, Tony took me to the barrel room to try a few barrel samples of our Fumé Blanc.

Thieving wine from the barrels. PS: it was delicious!

Grilled Peach + Corn Salad

October 4, 2016

While we’ve had a few chilly days so far this fall in wine country, the vast majority of our weather is still 75+ and even up into the 90’s. With temps that high, heavier fall flavors and hot dishes simply haven’t sounded all that enticing thus far so I’ve been trying to embrace easy summer recipes for as long as possible. After a long hiatus from corn (definitely had way too much of it growing up in the midwest), Jake reintroduced it to me earlier this year when we got our new grill in May. On a recent trip to Whole Foods, I picked up the last of the corn I could find for the season, as well as some juicy peaches that I could practically smell from an aisle away. I did some poking around online for inspiration and found this late summer salad which sounded perfectly simple and yet packed with flavor. Since I didn’t have everything on hand, I made some tweaks along the way and it was absolutely delicious. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
4 ears corn, shucked
4 peaches, cut into wedges
Salt and pepper, freshly ground
2 tablespoons red wine vengar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup crumbled feta
4 cups baby arugula
1/2 jalapeno pepper, halved, seeded thinly sliced *optional

Suggested Wine Pairing: ONEHOPE Riesling leads with aromas of honeysuckle flower and peach blossom on the nose. With a fruity flavor profile of white peach, mango and pear, it’s the perfect compliment to the grilled peach, corn and feta in this delicious salad.

DIRECTIONS

Heat grill to medium/high heat.
Lightly drizzle some olive oil on the corn and peaches and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place corn on bottom rack of grill and turn periodically until grill and char marks develop (10-15 minutes).
After corn has been grilling for 5 minutes, place peaches on the top rack of grill and turn periodically until grill and char marks develop (5-8 minutes).
Remove corn and peaches from grill, allowing them cool slightly.
Whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, pepper and jalapeno (optional).
When the corn is cool enough to handle, cut remove kernels from cob. Add corn, sliced peaches, almonds and feta to to your bowl with the dressing and toss to coat.
Add arugula to salad bowls and top with peach and corn salad.
Serve with a chilled glass of ONEHOPE Riesling. Cheers!

Recipe adapted from here.

Have a great weekend!

August 26, 2016

Fall harvest officially started on Tuesday of this week and I’m so honored that I had the opportunity to capture it on behalf of ONEHOPE. I had no idea what to expect, but I certainly did not expect what I ended up experiencing: the shocking, gritty, exhausting, exhilarating pace of the process and people working harder than I’ve ever witnessed in my life. I talked a little bit more about it here.

My grandmother’s side of the family was made up of primarily migrant workers that moved from state to state to find work, so in my heart I have a real connection and love for agriculture and all her family endured working in the fields to survive. There is something about Northern California that has always felt like home to me, particularly when I’m out in the “country”, and since she was born in Salinas, maybe it’s just something that’s in my soul. Because of that, I felt like it was really important to experience our first NorCal harvest in person, not just on a professional level, but on a spiritual level too.

I couldn’t stop thinking about the team that harvested our Sauvignon Blanc all week. To be honest, it felt so petty and insignificant going back to designing this huge home right smack-dab in the middle of the vineyard. What has kept me going, however, is the mission behind this property… that this structure will incubate and house change on a global level, that it will bring together leaders in all different industries to experience what I just witnessed and more. And if people can leave here with even a sliver of the inspiration that I have felt this week to do good, to be a better person, and to enact change, then we will have succeeded.

I’m thrilled that tomorrow we’ll be at STOMP to help raise money for the Mexican American farmworkers in our community. While we’ve attended in the past, it will most certainly have an even bigger meaning to us this year. I can’t wait to share more next week.

Have a great weekend!

-Meg

Harvest 2016

August 22, 2016

It’s official! Tomorrow marks the beginning of our 2016 harvest at the ONEHOPE vineyard! It’s the first time I’ve ever witnessed a harvest in person, and I’ve been getting butterflies with excitement since finding out last week. It seems so silly… grapes are just fruit and I’m not sure that any other fruits or vegetables get so much attention when they’re harvested, but there’s something so symbolic and historic about a great growing season coming to a close and the mystery of wondering how this final wine is going to taste when we get barrel samples next year.

Additionally, things on the construction site at the vineyard are really starting to take shape! Framing is almost complete for the two guest wings (4 bathrooms on either side) and has started to go up on the center of the house (the great room, kitchen, man cave, laundry and car barn). Our HUGE great room and car barn trusses are being delivered next week and we’ll have plumbers on site in the coming two weeks to rough in plumbing. It’s getting REALLY exciting to see, spaces are finally making sense and it’s also made me incredibly busy on the design side that I’ve been sharing a few sneak peeks of on my Instagram story. Selecting tile and finishes for 11 bathrooms has proven to be WAY harder than I anticipated, but I’m loving ~~almost~~ every minute of the ride. I promise to share some content on the interior design side soon! In the meantime, be sure to tune in to Instagram tomorrow morning (@onehope and @megrobins) for a few exciting peeks 🙂

Wine Wednesday / Tasting in the Vines

August 10, 2016

Happy Wine Wednesday! This summer has flown by crazy fast and while the official start of fall isn’t until September 22nd, Labor Day (in just three short weeks!) really marks the end-of-summer for most. With this being the first summer in our house, I had such grandiose plans for our yard and get-togethers that were probably unrealistic for the number of work priorities, weddings and travel planned, so I’m definitely feeling like there’s still so much to squeeze in before September rolls around. It’s no secret that I LOVE fall, but I’m trying to keep that nostalgia at bay by doing at least one summery thing a day, whether that’s sipping on a glass of Rosé or picking berries at the property.

One thing that we’ve had no shortage of this year are wine tastings at the vineyard! With so many partners excited about the progress of construction, we’ve blocked out days and weekends for property tours and tastings for people to attend if they’re in town. Last weekend was a bit of a treat when some friends joined us for a casual wine tasting in the vines with their family. Our site is definitely a construction zone so it’s rough, dusty and hot, but we’ve made do with a makeshift barrel bar and a few umbrellas for shade. While I would have loved to have spruced this little section of the vineyard up a bit more, it’s made for an authentic, rustic Napa experience for our guests and it’s always a treat to see peoples’ excitement when they see our property for the first time and taste barrel samples of our estate cabernet. Here are a few shots from this past weekend.

Fig Season! / 5 Minute Cheese Board

July 7, 2016

It’s fig season in California (woohoo!) and I’ve got a slight obsession with them (see last year’s flatbread pizza and fig cocktail recipes here) so I scooped up a basket of brown turkey figs while prepping for our 4th of July celebrations last weekend. We were keeping things easy for the holiday this year so instead of creating some full-blown concoction, I decided to use them for the base of a casual cheese board since I was still in need of a quick appetizer.

I’m kind of in love with cheese and charcuterie boards and create them all of the time for work and almost anytime we host or need to bring a dish to pass. There is nothing more “wine country” to me than a well curated board so they’re one of my favorite low-stress options for guests or just a casual night at home in Napa with the two of us. That being said, there are a few rules of thumb when it comes to crafting a cheese board that I always follow no matter how many people I’m prepping for. Here is what you’ll need:

Something sweet // honey for drizzling or a great jam meant to be paired with cheese
Something salty // nuts – I like Whole Foods’ truffled Marcona almonds with sea salt
Something briny // Castelvetrano olives or pickles
Something seasonal // Figs! Artichokes are also a favorite
At least one type of cracker or bread // use whatever you have on hand, but try to go for something plain that won’t interfere with other flavors on your board
A hard cheese and a soft cheese // Vermont aged white cheddar and a goat cheese or fresh burrata are always great options

Lastly, you’ll need a cheese board and some ramekins or small bowls for olives, olive pits, pickles, etc. I used a vintage cheese board I picked up at the flea market this time around, but a few of my favorite store-bought options are below. I also broke my own rule #6 for this one because I knew we’d all be drinking whites or light reds and was really feeling two particular cheeses that I had in my cart at the time (a creamy herbed goat cheese and Cypress Grove’s Humboldt Fog), but I generally try to stick to the above. Here is what I used:

Something sweet // honey for drizzling // honey packaging is usually a little unsightly so I transferred a bit of honey to a small pinch bowl and served with a honey dipper (both below)
Something salty // Whole Foods’ truffled Marcona almonds with sea salt // you can find these by their artisanal cheese selection where there are a huge variety of fresh olives available.
Something briny // Castelvetranno olives // my favorite olives in the world (see #2 for where to buy)
Something seasonal // Figs!
At least one type of cracker or bread // sea salt flatbread crackers
A hard cheese and a soft cheese // I used an herbed goat cheese and Humboldt Fog

Do you have any favorite must-have additions to your cheese boards? I’d love to hear!

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