Wine Review: Hess Select 2011 North Coast Sauvignon Blanc

This wine is a pale straw color. The nose has aromas of citrus, and beautiful tropical fruit notes. The palate has those same flavors of lemon, grapefruit, but a hint of tropical fruit flavors, which seems like a whisper of pineapple on the mid palate. This wine has the crispness and freshness found in most well made Sauvignon Blancs, along with a nice finish. This wine is a spring and summertime keeper. I also love that the bottle is a screw cap. I like easy access, and the screw cap allows for saving any leftovers with ease; but I doubt that you have any leftovers with this wine.

This wine is great to sip on its own on a warm day, or to be paired with fresh goat cheese on a thin slice of baguette, grilled chicken or grilled pork with a citrus based glaze.  I'd also love this wine with a crab cake. Note:  This wine was a sample provided by The Hess Collection http://www.HESSCOLLECTION.COM SRP $11.00

Lorrie’s Crab Cakes

     Ingredients

1lb of jumbo crab meat (check for shells)

2 teaspoons of good Dijon Mustard

1 teaspoon of New Orleans Seasoning http://www.vgourmet.com/

1 pinch of sea salt

½ of lemon

½ of a small red bell pepper (if bell pepper is large ¼ of red bell pepper)

2 tablespoon of mix seasonings (flat leaf parsley, celery, and sweet onions)

3 stalks of chopped green onions

3 tablespoons of olive oil *(1 tablespoon for the seasoning and 2 tablespoons to fry the crab cakes)

2 tablespoons of unsalted butter *(divided in half, 1 tablespoon is for cooking the mixed seasoning, the other tablespoon is for frying the crab cakes))

¼ cup of mayonnaise (I use Blue Plate brand mayonnaise )

1 egg

1 ½ cup of Panko Bread crumbs (1/2 cup for the mixture and 1 cup to coat the crab cakes before frying)

Preparation

Check crab meat for any shells. Saute` the mixed seasoning, red bell pepper, and green onions in a pat of butter and one tablespoon of olive oil. Allow the seasoning mixture to cool. Mix, the crab meat, mixed seasoning, New Orleans seasoning, salt, lemon juice, egg, ½ cup of Panko crumbs, and mayonnaise. Form the mixture into 12 patties. Chill for at least 30 minutes; the longer the better. Note: Chilling helps the crab cakes stay together. Coat the crab cakes in Panko crumbs. Place a pat of butter and a tablespoon or so of olive oil in a frying pan on medium high heat and brown crab cakes on each side; repeat until all the crab cakes are browned. Place the crab cakes on paper towels to drain any excess oil. I like serving this as an appetizer or with angel hair pasta and a salad to make a meal.