Fall Recipes With Wine

6 Fall Recipes to Cozy Up to with a Glass of Wine

Fall is warm, cozy, and perfect for those comforting meals we know and love. Today, we’ve got your favorites paired with our best red wines for your ultimate dinner experience!

 

This Pumpkin and Sage Soup is not only going to be delicious, it’s good for your skin, eyesight, and digestion too! Bringing you fall flavors, this soup will warm you up both in body and soul. With it’s fine tannin structure, our 2013 Sonoma Stage Pinot Noir is perfect for this creamy dish. Strike the balance between salty and sweet with these two.

 

Crockpots are essential kitchen items throughout the fall and winter seasons. Plus, who doesn’t love a good crockpot meal? You can toss everything in before heading to work and by the time you get home, you’ve got something delicious waiting for you. That’s what this easy roast beef is all about! It's got rich, umami flavors from the Worcestershire sauce, and you’ve got soft potatoes on the side...yum. Grab your glass of Aphrodite so you can indulge in this warm fall meal with a silky merlot to match. 

 

Sometimes you forget to start the crockpot in the morning or you’re rushing around and time just gets away from you. For those busy days, this Smoky Black Bean Soup is perfect for an easy, fast but still warm and cozy dinner. Pour a glass of our Broken Rock Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon while you let the jalapeño, cumin, garlic, and smokiness come together. Our Cab Sauv matches this smoky soup perfectly, being a Bordeaux blend with small amounts of Cabernet Franc Merlot and Petit Verdot. The spicy meets it’s sweet counterpart with the vanilla, cola, and dark cherry notes of this red wine.

 

Chicken Parmesan is such a family dinner staple and so delicious. With all the heaviness fall meals can bring, we figure a Lighter Chicken Parmesan would freshen up our menu just a tad. Bonus, it only has 8 ingredients and 6 steps...you’ll love how quickly you can get this one on the dinner table (and how much extra time you’ll have to drink wine!). Chicken Parm is especially delicious with our Sonoma Stage Pinot Noir. Our Pinot is light bodied so it goes really smoothly with a yummy mozzarella

 

We’re just a little obsessed with slow cooker dishes and as we start to get into fall, as it starts to get real cold, and the pumpkins and gourds start to pop up, we love this Slow Cooker Turkey Chili w/ Butternut Squash. Not only is it a cleaner dish with that turkey sausage but we’re using a seasonal produce item, Butternut Squash! Because this dish can be so light, we love our full bodied Broken Rock Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon for pairing. 

 

Rounding out your yummy fall dinners, some of us can’t quite let summer go. That’s why we want to hold onto our favorite summer dessert, s’mores! Not just any s’mores though, Candied Bacon S’mores. We’re kicking it up a notch with these out-of-this-world, all the extra, s’mores with candied bacon! You’ll fall in love with these, especially when you pair them with our Poseidon Cabernet Sauvignon. Full bodied with notes of mocha and wild berries, the two are a match made in heaven. 

 

Enjoy your fall meals and wine pairings for this lovely season! Snap a photo and tag us @seabirdwines! Did we miss your favorite fall meal? Tag us in your delicious dishes!


6 Ways to Enjoy Wine Outside

To help you enjoy your wine and last bit of warm weather adventures, we’ve compiled this list of ways to take your sippin’ to the outdoors.

1. Sips on the Pool

Pool days are some of the best days in our opinion and who doesn’t love a glass while they float?! Bring your drink (and the whole bottle) to float alongside you in this super cute Funboy Palm Drink Holder. Will you reach for Aphrodite Merlot or maybe Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay? Whichever you choose, keep your bottle cool and glass nearby while you soak up the sun.

2. Sips at the Beach

It’s official, we have found the best glassware for drinking on the beach. Had you given up on having a nice wine experience while laying in the sand? Don’t call it quits yet! These glasses are literally called “The Beach Glass” so you can pour yourself some wine, let it sit next to you, stable, and you have the freedom of not grasping it the entire time you’re trying to enjoy yourself. The beach calls for multi-gold medal winning 2015 Sangiacomo Robert’s Road Chardonnay

3. Sips in the Backyard

Backyard get-togethers feed our very souls. Getting to see loved ones, gathering around food and drink, enjoying the late summer air, there’s almost nothing better than patio afternoons and evenings. Elevate your backyard experience with this cute, functional, and modern wine table! Perfectly sitting 2 wine glasses, your wine bottle, and some snacks, this table is both aesthetically pleasing and perfect for outdoor drinking. Our 2013 Sonoma Stage Vineyard Pinot Noir gives us total backyard vibes.

4. Sips at the Park

You’re at the park, enjoying a nice picnic and some wine, when you go to take a sip from your glass and see a fly...floating in your wine. EW! Obviously you toss it but do you even want to use the glass anymore?! We don’t want that happening to you so we’ve found the very best wine glass lid to avoid floaties, sand, dirt, anything that could potentially end up your delicious glass of Poseidon Cabernet Sauvignon

5. Sips on the Boat

Boating is one of the most fun activities of the summer. From jet skis to fishing, tanning, and one of our personal favorites, sea bird watching, there’s so much to do out on the water! We love to bring this portable wine glass holder that keeps our delicious wine in one place, avoiding spillage! 

6. Sips on a Hike

It is so important to stay hydrated while hiking as well as avoiding peak times. That’s why we like to suggest a sunset hike with your favorite bottle of Pinot Noir. Gather up your bottles of choice and keep them cozy in this Backpack Wine Cooler! Stash some water bottles, cheese, and crackers in there too for the ultimate hike picnic! 

Wherever you go to close out your summer, take us with and tag us in your photo-ops too @seabirdwines


9 Wine Podcasts To Sip To

Whether you’re on a road trip or chilling inside to stay cool during the heatwave, here’s a few things to play on the airwaves while you’re enjoying a bottle of Sea Bird. 

UnHappy Hour - 2014 Sangiacomo Robert’s Road Pinot Noir 

UnHappy Hour is the raunchy talk podcast that you hate to love (but totally secretly do). Comedian Matt Bellasai started out doing this on Facebook Watch, pouring himself a large glass of wine and talking about pop culture, news, anything that he wanted to rant about. He and his producer, Barrie, have the best conversations and he often interviews people in the arts space whether fellow comedians or actors or even drag queens! You will always laugh with this one. Matt often went with a red wine and with the cocoa notes of Sea Bird’s 2014 Sangiacomo Robert’s Road Pinot Noir, it’ll sweeten up all the gossip from the show. Just be careful not to laugh too hard while you’re trying to take a sip! 

 

U-Up Pod - Aphrodite Merlot 

U-Up comes to us from the minds of “Betches” who, if you are unfamiliar with them, are a lifestyle media company that just emulates your relatable bestie. Betches co-founder Jordana Abraham and comedian Jared Freid get together to talk all things dating in the modern world. From Jordana’s recent engagement to Jared’s recent breakup, they’ve lately been helping us navigate relationships and dating through COVID and frankly - it’s been a lifesaver. Get the best dating and relationship advice no matter if you’re single or married, you’ll definitely relate to this. Throw this on, have a laugh, and pop open Sea Bird’s seductive Aphrodite Merlot to match. We couldn’t possibly listen to a pod about love without the goddess of love herself’s blessing. 

 

Pop Culture Happy Hour - 2017 Sea Bird Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills

NPR brings you a daily blurb on pop culture! Pop Culture Happy Hour premiers Monday-Friday and serves up what’s hot in the world of music, TV, movies, books, art, literally anything and everything. Tune in to their ‘Songs of the Summer’ episode where songs were nominated for "Song of the Summer" with a snippet of the song to win them all - it sets the perfect vibe for summer and you'll want to queue up their whole playlist on your Spotify account. We love our 2017 Sea Bird Chardonnay from Santa Rita Hills for this podcast because it’s zesty and fresh just like these short, quippy episodes.

 

Marine Conservation Happy Hour - 2016 Poseidon Cabernet Sauvignon 

It wouldn’t be a Sea Bird experience without talking about Marine Conservation! We really fell in love with this Marine Conservation Happy Hour podcast. Hosted by Andrew Lewin, Dr. Craken McCraic, and Dr. Scarlett Smash, this podcast opens with a drunken sailor song to transition us to an informal pub-like setting where the hosts sit down for drinks and a chat about marine life and conservation. This podcast is perfect because it’s hilarious and sassy - you feel like you’re having a drink with the hosts, and you get to learn some interesting and helpful things about the ocean. Of course we have to pair this with the god of the sea himself, our 2016 Poseidon Cabernet Sauvignon. Did you know 100% of Sea Bird proceeds go to marine life conservation? Read more about this here on our Instagram!

 

The Bald and the Beautiful with Trixie Mattel and Katya Zamo - 2015 Broken Rock Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 

If you’re ready for some serious chuckles then turn on The Bald and The Beautiful and turn the volume UP! This podcast will have you about to wet your plants from laughing. Iconic Drag Queens, Trixie Matell and Katya Zamo, get together to chat all things life and interview the absolute best people. This is the kind of podcast you want to be on and the Queens are the type who’s laugh alone makes you laugh too. We suggest pairing this with our 2015 Broken Rock Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon because just like the podcast, this wine is ripe and fruity! They were honestly made for each other. 

 

Wine for Normal People - 2014 Sangiacomo Robert’s Road Pinot Noir 

Snobby wine-o’s are the worst. We are major fans of sommeliers who keep us laughing, are approachable, and make wine education fun. Husband and wife, Elizabeth Schneider and M.C. Ice, team up to bring us wine education with “normie” vibes. Elizabeth describes herself as a certified cork-dork...but literally, she is a certified sommelier and also a published author. Her hubby on the other hand is your normal wine-loving person. For this pod, we really love our Robert’s Road Pinot Noir as well because this is the perfect wine to sip on and analyze while you learn all these fun new wine things! Pick up the leather and fruit notes within our Sonoma wine while learning what a tannin is or unique facts about the region.

 

My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark - 2016 Poseidon Cabernet Sauvignon

Murder mysteries, true crime, and ghost stories are the absolute best. Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark co-host this awesome podcast, telling their favorite true crime stories and on a different note, they have maybe the best podcast voices we've ever heard! Once a week they put out a longer episode which usually talks about a hometown murderer (could be your hometown!) and later in the week they put out a mini episode, reading listener’s stories that they’ve written in! You will always have an episode to listen to. To go with these dark tales, we’re pairing this podcast with Poseidon for the dark, velvety color of this 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

Bring a Bottle - The Three Drinkers - 2015 Broken Rock Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 

This is the podcast to play when you want to feel like you’re drinking with your hilarious besties. Aidy Smith & Helena Nicklin talk all things drinking, interview a variety of guests, you can enjoy their awesome Australian accents, and especially look forward to Helena’s “can you guess what wine this is by the weird noise I’m making” segment. We paired this with our Broken Rock Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon because it’s perfect to sip on while you’re cooking steak dinner with mushroom risotto, laughing away with Helena and Aidy (who you’re now on a first name basis with, duh).

 

How to Save a Planet - 2017 Sea Bird Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills

How to Save a Planet is the podcast we all need to be listening to right now. Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson is joined by co-host and journalist Alex Blumberg as they discuss climate change, often talk about the ocean, and analyze policy surrounding the global climate crisis. Dr. Ayana most recently interviewed Dr. Jane Goodall, famously known for her long term study of chimpanzees in Tanzania. Ocean lovers, this is the podcast to "nerd" out to! Dr. Ayana makes climate change and earth issues more approachable while also telling things in her scientific, matter of fact way. For this reason, we’ve paired this podcast with our 2017 Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay, to keep things light and refreshing while dealing with topics that require a bit more attention. 

 

Pop a cork, tune in and enjoy! Don’t forget to let us know which ones you love most and tag us while you're listening and sippin' @seabirdwines


Flocking To These Sea Bird Wine Regions

“AVA - The acronym for American Viticultural Areas. This indicates a wine’s geographical pedigree. Wines that have a designated AVA are required to have 85% or more of the wine derived from the grape grown from within the boundaries of that designation. “

One of the most unique and fascinating part about wine is how the same varietal can be so uniquely different depending on where it’s gown.

The French call it “terroir” which loosely translates to “a sense of place” and in California regions, each AVA brings it’s own sense of soul into every bottle. There is no place in the world as unique and geographically diverse than California wine country, that spans hundreds of miles both inland and along the coast.

At Sea Bird Wines, we get top of pick of our grapes each year from premiere, boutique vineyards in our favorite AVAs including the Sonoma Coast, Santa Rita Hills, and Napa Valley.

Stretch your wings and do a little flyover on some of our favorite regions to find Great Vines and turn them into Great Times.

Sonoma Coast

Every bit of this wild, wind-swept coast contributes to some of the West Coast’s most coveting wines. With over 2,000 acres of planted land in this AVA, Burgundian varietals like Pinot Nor and Chardonnay thrive here. Direct daily influence from the Pacific Coast brings cool, foggy mornings, warm afternoons for even ripening that maintains the AVA”s signature lively acidity and balance.

We love to see that balance shine in our wines, with minimal interference in the cellar. Wines like our  Sangiacomo Robert’s Road Chardonnay brings forward a gorgeous concentration of fruit, with that signature California Chard influence of topical fruits and hints of pears, vanilla and honey. Whereas a bottle like the Sonoma Stage Vineyard Pinot Noir comes from a vineyard nestled in the Petaluma Gap region of the Sonoma Coast AVA brings together a pinot noir that is both bold and balance with notes of cocoa powder, bridle leather and dark cherries.

Santa Rita Hills

This specifically region is home to 59 vineyards and over 2,700 acres planted to “cool climate” grape varieties like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The unique microclimate in the Santa Rita Hills contains marine sediment dating back to 20 million years ago when the mountains rose out of the ocean from the Pacific. Today, the maritime climate, elevated calcium in the soil and soils that make the grape vines “struggle” to produce some of the most delicious and balanced wines we’ve ever tasted (if we do say so ourselves!). Burgundian varietals like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir thrive here, as the midday sun and cool mornings and evenings allow for even ripening without spiking the sugars and alcohol, which allows that balanced acidity to shine through.

It’s not surprise that our award winning Chardonnay- 2017 Courtney’s Vineyard – is from here, a which has been a Flock favorite across the board since its release after scoring 94 points from Robert Whitley, and Platinum Medals at the 2020 San Diego International Wine Competition and 2020 Critic’s Challenge Wine Competition.

Napa Valley

One of the most iconic AVAs in the world, Napa Valley, is home to our Bordeaux varietals, where we love our tiny single vineyards in Atlas Peak and Rutherford.

Broken Rock is one of favorite vineyards in Napa where we typically source our Bordeaux varietals. Sitting at the base of Atlas Peak, these rocky volcanic soils cultivates soft, supple fruit with hints of dusty tannins. The vineyard itself benefits from warm days with plenty of sunshine, along with cool nights that allow the vines to produce fruit of the highest quality with soft, supple tannins. Broken Rock is home to our single-vineyard 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, where the harmonious balance of mountainside structure marries with Valley Floor fruit for that classic Napa Valley elegance.

You can also experience Broken Rock with 2016 Aphrodite, the newest addition to our Flock as our signature Napa Valley Merlot.

The wine that rules them all, Poseidon, is sourced from one of Napa’s most prestigious subregions, Rutherford. If you’ve ever heard a Somm talk about “Rutherford Dust” this is where you’ll find it. The GIII Vineyard in Rutherford is so classically Napa, bringing together polished tannins, lush fruit and wild berry flavors for a timeless bottle of wine that will age for decades.


The Best Wine & Cheese Pairings For Happy Hour

There are few things more classic, awesome, and primed for Great Times than cheese and wine. Whether you’re entertaining your Flock or enjoying your own personal happy hour - some of our best moments have been made over wine and cheese.

We’re breaking down our go-to pairings for each Sea Bird Wine varietal so you know exactly what to grab when you’re snacking and sipping.

When pairing wine with cheese, or really, any food, the things that will taste the best will be things that have a little bit of similarity. If you’ve ever heard the phrase “what grows together goes together,” this applies perfectly! If you’re drinking regionally, it helps to choose cheeses that are grown geographically close, if you can. If you can’t get that in-depth, try to identify nuance in the food that may come from spices, herbs or minor ingredients. This can be things like olive, fruits, bacon, etc…then select a wine that contains similar features like herbal notes, for example.

Chardonnay

Sea Bird Chardonnay (like our 2017 Courtney's Vineyard!) tend to be medium bodied, which pair perfectly in the “medium range” of cheese. Work your way down the list depending on the vintage. Newer vintages should pair with the top of the list, and if you’re drinking the Chardonnay young, could even venture into a salty, more crumbly cheese (feta, Cotija, Halloumi) and as it develops (2015 Robert's Road, anyone?), move further down the list into more buttery and then into harder, nuttier styles with age.

Avoid anything particularly pungent with Chardonnay - which means, sorry guys but blue cheeses is off the menu.

If you're looking for a more sour style of cheese, pair with:

  • Sour cream
  • Ricotta
  • Havarti
  • Chèvre

Charodonnay also love buttery, delicate cheeses like:

  • Brie
  • Camembert
  • Burrata
  • Device de bourgogne

If you’re looking for something more on the harder, nutty style to go with your older vintage Chard, go for:

  • Aged gruyere
  • Comte
  • Provolone
  • Emmental

Pinot Noir

Hard, nutty styles of cheese are the perfect pairing with a Sea Bird Pinot Noir (looking at you, 2013 Sonoma Stage Vineyard). Our Pinot Noir style is light bodied, more of a Burgundian style that captures the essence of California terroir. As a result, choosing a cheese too creamy, salty or pungent would take over your palate.

Head for the harder, nutty style cheese including:

  • Aged gruyere,
  • Comte
  • Provolone
  • Emmental
  • Smoked Mozzarella
  • Scamaroza

Merlot

You at me at Merlot! Aphrodite is the newest addition to our Flock - a plush, decadent Napa Valley expression with a kiss of oak makes for the happiest of hours. When sipping, opt for nutty, hard cheese or cheeses that have more of a fruity or umami quality which could be anything from:

  • Aged gruyere
  • Comte
  • Provolone
  • Emmental
  • Smoked Mozzarella
  • Scamaroza
  • Cheddar
  • Smoked Gouda
  • Muenster
  • Colby
  • Ossau-Iraty

Cabernet Sauvignon

Our Cabernet Sauvignon styles of wine (most notably, Poseidon or Broken Rock from Napa Valley) are full bodied, and express the boldness of California terroir with the balance that holds age incredibly well. The bigger and bolder the wine, the more it can lead the show.

When sipping a Cab, avoid anything too sour or creamy - leave the ricotta and chèvre on the table. Cheese that play with fruity, nutty or umami flavors are your go-to, including:

  • Cheddar
  • Smoked Gouda
  • Muenster
  • Colby
  • Ossau-Iraty

This is officially your permission to have wine and cheese for dinner. Have a particularly favorite pairing we need to know about? Tell us over on our Instagram page and tag us while you're enjoying Great Vines to Great Times with a bottle of Sea Bird.


10 Gifts For Wine Lovers 2020

It’s safe to say that 2020 has certainly been a doozy! If there’s ever been a time to treat a friend of a loved one (or yourself!) to a gift for the holidays, it is now.

If you’re searching for gifts for wine lovers, we’ve collected a few of our favorite things to share with your nearest and dearest this holiday season.

If you’re thinking about adding a bottle of Sea Bird Wine with your gifts this year (10/10, highly recommend!) you can gift with joy knowing that the bottle you send is going back to the planet as well. All profits from Sea Bird Wines are donated back to marine wildlife habitat conservation efforts. It’s our core belief that you can’t make great wine without the help from a healthy ocean so we are full of gratitude to do our part. So go ahead, throw an extra bottle in for yourself while you’re at it.

Riedel Buffing Glasses

Linty, smudgey wine glasses are not a vibe. Gift a pack of these buffing glasses to a wine lover who is also kind of a clean freak and watch them get excited because #adulting is happening big time.

Porch Pounder Sweatshirt

Wine geeks know a “porch pounder” is a low-alcohol, light bodied wine that sips perfectly with or without food. The queen of Making Wine Approachable, Samantha Sommelier, launched her own march line this year ripe with sassy wine swag tees and pullovers and we can’t get enough of them!

Take it a step further and book a private virtual wine tasting with Samantha for an “experiences over things” kind of gift!

Porch Pounder Sweatshirt

Vintorio Wine Aerator

The only wine “gadget” that you need besides a corkscrew is definitely this Vintorio aerator pourer. You might have seen your friendly tasting room pro using one of these on your last visit to your fave winery and it’s for a reason! Help open up a young red wine (a little Broken Rock Cabernet Sauvignon, anyone?!) with this bottle-top aerator that keeps drippage at bay.

Wine Aerator

The Gift Of Ocean Royalty

The latest vintage of 2016 Poseidon Cabernet Sauvignon and 2016 Aphrodite Merlot is the ideal gift for a Napa Valley lover. Luxurious, limited, and lovely, this dynamic duo is a top tier expression of the Napa Valley region and with limited production, they’re exclusively available through our online shop – perfect for your giftee who loves a little exclusivity.

Poseidon and Aphrodite

Custom Wine Glasses

The perfect gift for your introverted friends. They’d invite you over for a glass but….does that mean they need to put pants on? Maybe another time…

Social Distance Wine Glasses

Wine Bottle Stoppers

We hear that there are people out there who don’t drink the “whole bottle” in “one sitting” so for those people, we applaud you. These wine stoppers are for you to save that bottle for tomorrow.

Wine Bottle Stopper

Wine O Glass Trackers

The time where we had groups of friends together in the same room to drink wine may be a fading memory, but we’re here to bring back hope that such a time will return into the New Year. These felt wine glass tags are very chic, minimalist and make us yearn for the days when you went around asking “wait, is that my glass or your glass??”

Wine O Trackers

California State Of Wine Cork Collector

Wondering what to do with all those corks you have stashed in your pantry that you don’t want to throw away? Skip the crafting and collect them all in this handmade cork collector with Wine Country Lifestyle vibes.

California Cork Collector

Wine Art

Elysia Myers takes everything you love about wine, and turns it into art and it couldn’t be more perfect. Know a friend who has a blank wall that could use some inspiration? Elysia’s prints are all made with her proprietary wine paint, taking varietals and mixing and matching them into a dreamy landscape.

Bonus points: take it another step further and book a virtual wine & paint night with Elysia – everything you need for a super fun at-home date night or girls night arrives straight to your door so all you have to do is sip and get inspired!

elysia myers wine art

Rewined Wine Candles

These candles capture everything we love, these up-cycled wine bottle candles that mimic the scent of wine for sustainable wine vibes all around.  Perfect for your hostess-with-the-mostess type friends who know the value of ambiance (hint: it’s #priceless).

Rewined Merlot Candle


The Durbin Thanksgiving Stuffing

Sausage & Smoked Mussel Stuffing Recipe

We love our wines from the West Coast but our roots are on the East Coast. So when Thanksgiving rolls around, we love a little coastal influence on our table. Cue: Sausage & Smoked Mussel Stuffing!

We’ve had this stuffing (or do we call it dressing?) since 2011 on our table. Courtesy of Carolyn Wright at Coastal Living, this smoky, savory stuffing comes together much easier than it seems and is truly delicious.

The smoky oysters and the sausage make this a beautiful pairing for a crisp glass of Courtney’s Vineyard Chardonnay (a new release!) as well as a Pinot Noir with a little bottle age on it like our 2014 Sangiacomo Robert’s Road Pinot Noir. 

Whether you’re gathering is large or small this year, we are certainly grateful for the chance to serve you Great Vines To Great Times this year, with many epic vintages to come!

Happy Thanksgiving from our Flock to Yours.

Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

Directions

Instructions Checklist
  • Preheat oven to 400°. Arrange bread pieces in a single layer on 2 baking sheets; bake about 10 minutes or until bread is toasted but not browned. Transfer to an extra-large bowl.

  • Meanwhile, cook sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, 10 minutes or until sausage crumbles and is no longer pink. Add sausage to bowl with toasted bread pieces using a slotted spoon. Reserve drippings in skillet.

  • Cook shallots and next 2 ingredients in hot drippings over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, 6 to 8 minutes or until tender. Stir in mussels and next 4 ingredients. Spoon mixture into sausage mixture, tossing until all ingredients are well blended. Add broth and eggs, stirring until well blended. Transfer mixture to a lightly greased 3-quart baking dish; top evenly with butter pieces. Cover with aluminum foil.

  • Bake 30 minutes; uncover and bake 10 more minutes or until golden brown.

Original Recipe Published:

Caroline Wright
Recipe by Coastal Living November 2011


Sea Bird Joins The Robert Whitley "Platinum Parade"

We were pleased to pour a little splash of Sea Bird Wines for Wine Critic and columnist Robert Whitley, during the 17th annual Critics Challenge Wine and Spirits Competition in San Diego. During the competition, reviewers evaluated more than 250 young wines over two days, assigning a platinum, gold, or silver award to wines of outstanding merit.

We were thrilled to receive a place among other great wines in Robert Whitley's "Platinum Parade" column. According to Mr. Whitley, "to earn platinum, a wine "must achieve a score of 94 points on the infamous 100-point scale. Over the weekend at the Critics Challenge, I had the opportunity to taste dozens of truly exceptional wines, but only 15 of those rose to the level of platinum on my personal scorecard." Sounds like we have another feather to add to our caps! 

Here's what they were sipping:

Sea Bird 2017 Chardonnay, Courtney’s Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills

Full-bodied and rich but without losing its edginess, this is a beautiful example of what California Chardonnay can be. With complex layers of baked apple, lemon creme, and toasty wood spice, it has a little something for everyone.

Rating: 94 points

With every bottle we share with critics, friends and family alike, we are proud to be able to share our mission. First and foremost, we want to bring you great wine that makes every moment better. Every vintage is a chance for us to produce something amazing, and we hope you agree! Second is our namesake mission; to help preserve and protect our coastlines for marine wildlife for future generations to come. When you buy a bottle of Sea Bird Wines to enjoy, we give back 100% of our profits to marine wildlife conservation efforts (most recently, the Marine Mammal Stranding Center). We couldn't do it without you, and every drop counts!

Head on over to our online store to pick up some wine to enjoy!


Sip & Shuck Oysters | Your Guide To Oysters In September

With modern farming techniques, we are lucky to be able to enjoy oysters year around. But there’s something just a little above and beyond about enjoying food in season, and September is prime time for oysters.

If you are splurging an oyster in the US you are likely enjoying what is 95% of our farmed oyster supply. If the oysters are not farmed, they are harvested in a sustainable way so they can keep doing their essential work for our oceans. When it comes to keep our oceans thriving, oysters are the ones we can thank for maintaining the balance of their local marine ecosystem by filtering seawater through their gills, and reducing excess algae that might otherwise suffocate other marine life.

We are cracking open a bottle of crisp Chardonnay and shucking our hearts our while the last of the warm weather still makes it nice for outdoor dining while it lasts!

Why Chardonnay With Oysters?

With a crisp minerality and bright fruit notes, Chardonnay is a great pairing for oysters. You’ll want to stay clear of anything overly oaked, so a bottle of 2015 Robert’s Road Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is the perfect thing to reach for when you have a plate of bivalves to get shucking.

Best In The West Coast

Pacific oysters are small and sweet and the world's most cultivated oyster. They will tend to have a more pronounced cucumber or vegetal undertone.

Look for:

  • Kumamotos - small, sweet, almost nutty oysters. They spawn later and in warmer water than other oysters, so they remain firm and sweet well into summer months. Kumamotos used to be lumped in with “Pacific oysters”, but it ends up they are their own species.
  • Miyagis - these oysters tend to also have a mild nutty flavor, and are great to eat raw or even throw on the grill Rockefeller style.
  • Olympias - Puget Sound and British Columbia, Olympias are sweet, coppery, and metallic. These guys are the tiniest.

Can’t Be Beat In The East

Texturally, East Coast oysters tend to be solid bites—silky to meatier, whereas West Coast will be slightly creamier, custardy.

  • Bluepoints - typically harvested from the Long Island Sound, these oysters are probably the friendliest crowd-pleasers on the East Coast. They tend to have a moderate salinity, spring meat and a very light mineral finish.
  • Wellfleets - plump and clean, this type of oyster is known for its good balance of creamy sweetnesss and brine thanks to the cold and relatively clean waters in the Wellfleet region.
  • Malpeques - typically briner and fuller bodied than Bluepoints these meaty oysters can be found in medium tides from Malpeque Bay.
  • Beausoleils- farmed in the New Brunswick region, these are about as far north as you’ll find this specimen of oyster (considered a Virginia oyster) Beausoleils are some of the most beautiful oysters thanks to their even size, and refined, light taste. These are ideal for more novice oyster eaters thanks to their light body without too much brine.

Must-have for a great oyster shucking:

Ensure your mis-en-place is ready to go with some shucking essentials. A few things you'll need to have ready:

  • A glass of 2015 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay in hand, of course.
  • A shucking knife
  • A shucking glove (a sturdy kitchen towel will also work)
  • A classic mignonette sauce
  • Lemon wedges
  • prepared Horseradish if you like things a tad spicy
  • Cocktail sauce (use this easy DIY recipe) or pick some up at the store

Watch this video to become an expert shucker. Practice does indeed make perfect!

Much like enjoying your glass of Sea Bird Wine, eating oysters is a sensory experience! Oyster descriptors range from briny, buttery, sweet, metallic and mild. “Oyster Somms” can even pick out flavors like melon, cucumber, mushroom and more.

We love this six sense tasting guide from In A Half Shell to guide you through your shells like a pro:

My Six Steps of Pro Oyster Tasting // by In A Half Shell

  1. SEE: Feast with your eyes! Study the shell, shape, color.
  2. SMELL: It should smell sea-breezy and sweet, not fishy at all.
  3. SIP: Sip the oyster liquor to get a sense of the salinity.
  4. SLURP: Shimmy the oyster meat loose, tilt the flat edge of the shell to your lips and slurp! Don’t discard the oyster liquor (faux pas).
  5. SAVOR: Chew a few times to get the full body taste; notice the progression from nose (salty) to body (sweet/flavors) to finish (lingering aroma).
  6. SHELL: Flip the shell over and admire the collaboration between nature & farmer.

We love being able in enjoy culinary treats like oysters and wine, and it wouldn’t be possible without a healthy, thriving coastlines to allow us to grow and cultivate both of these things! While you’re shucking, we invite you to enjoy a glass of Sea Bird Wines knowing that the bottles you purchase help us donate back to marine wildlife habitat conservation efforts like the Marine Mammal Stranding Center so we can continue to preserve these amazing gifts from nature for years to come.

Shop more Sea Bird Wines here!


5 Things To Do With Leftover Chardonnay

If you’re one of those miraculous people who happens to have wine “left over” when you open a bottle, this one is for you.

Whether you have half a bottle of just a smidgeon left form the night before, don’t dump it down the drain and put your Chardonnay to good use!

Drink it!

How long does an open bottle of wine last, you ask? This is just a friendly PSA that if you are storing your wine in the refrigerator firmly corked after opening, you still have about 2-5 days to enjoy it! The taste will change subtly as the wine oxidizes (aka is exposed to oxygen). The fruit character of the wine will wane and it will be less vibrant, but the wine is still drinkable as long as you are enjoying it!

Freeze in ice-cubes to chill down a glass

If you’re sipping while it’s warm outside, use this trick to cool down your Chardonnay. Pour your “saved” wine in to ice cube molds and freeze them (covered with plastic wrap is best) for up to a month. Then simply pop a cube or two to chill down your “fresh” glass of Chardonnay! If you’re a wine with ice kind of person (no judgement!) then this is a great way to chill down your glass without diluting your wine with water.

Keep in mind, the alcohol will keep the wine cubes from freezing completely, so expect them to be a little slush.

Chardonnay should typically be served at around 50 degrees - which is about 30 minutes in the refrigerator from room temperature. At Sea Bird Wine, we typically find that white wines are enjoyed best when they’re not bracingly cold, since it helps open up the delicious fruit character. But the best wine is the wine you enjoy drinking, so whatever temperature pleases YOU is the best way to enjoy it.

Stir up Chardonnay sangria

Perfect for when we’re on the latter end of that “5 to 7 days” since the wine has been open, keep the good times going by making a Chardonnay sangria!

We love this simple sangria recipe from The Spruce Eats that’s perfect with just a few ingredients.

  • 3 oranges (cut into wedges; or 1 cup orange juice)
  • 1 lemon (cut into wedges)
  • 1 lime (cut into wedges)
  • 25 ounces/750mL white wine (1 bottle)
  • Optional: 2 ounces brandy
  • 2/3 cup white sugar
  • 2 cups/.5 liter ginger ale (or club soda)

Squeeze the juice from the citrus wedges into the pitcher. Remove the seeds and toss in the wedges. If you're using orange juice, add it now.
Pour the wine into the pitcher.
Add the brandy (if using) and the sugar. Stir very well to ensure that all of the sugar is dissolved.
Add the ginger ale or club soda just before serving so the sangria retains its sparkle.

Enjoy a Chardonnay spritzer

3 parts wine / 1 part club soda / squeeze of citrus

This is the perfect aperitif beverage if you’re sipping pre-dinner or day-drinking. No recipe needed, just eye-ball what you have on hand. Club soda is a great stand-in, but feel free to use any bubbly soda that isn’t too sweet like a lemon-lime sparkling water or your favorite La Croix.

Dish up a white wine sauce for a super simple dinner

As our girl Julia Child once said: “I love cooking with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food…” and that is the kind of Great Times we’re looking for.

Right now more than ever, we are loving any recipe that comes together fast with pantry essentials. This is our go-to on a Monday night when we enjoyed a little bit of Robert’s Road Chardonnay with Sunday dinner the night before!

  1. Sauté a few cloves of chopped garlic in a tablespoon of butter.
  2. Add in about a 1/2 cup of Chardonnay and reduce slightly.
  3. Remove from heat, stir in 1-2 more tablespoons of butter and some fresh tender herbs.
  4. Toss over piping hot al dente pasta with some cheese and lots of cracked pepper.

Remember, in order to have leftover wine…you need to have a good bottle to begin with! Start by popping the cork on our 2015 Sangiacomo Robert’s Road Chardonnay from Sonoma Coast. This wine is delicious, and award winning, if we do say so ourselves!