Wine Trivia Returns for June's Hosted at Home

Chill the Russian River Rosé, dust off your Wine Bible and break out the game night wine snacks, because Far Niente Winemaker Nicole Marchesi and Hosted at Home emcee Todd Elliott are gearing up for another Hosted at Home Trivia Night.

To ensure you’re prepped and ready for June's virtual game night, we have one of our most versatile red oak plank grilled flank steak recipes, below, which will partner beautifully with the warm-weather wines heading your way: 2019 Far Niente Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and the just-released 2021 EnRoute Rosé of Pinot Noir, “Facile à Boire."

We're so excited to share these two special releases with you. They're two of our most limited-production wines, and they taste even better when paired with friendly competition! Which is excellent news, because Hosted at Home host Todd Elliot is planning to test you general wine knowledge and your Far Niente Family of Wineries & Vineyards IQ during our June 10 virtual event. Want to get a leg up on the competition? Check out these Five Fun Facts about our Far Niente Winemaker, Nicole Marchesi. You never know which ones will make it into the trivia lineup!

Five Fun Facts About Far Niente Winemaker Nicole Marchesi

1. “If I wasn’t making wine, I’d love to work in a bookstore. I actually worked in the UC Davis bookstore for three years, two years of which were in the textbook section. I could always tell what classes people were taking because I stocked the bookshelves!”
2. “I worked in New Zealand for a harvest after college and got to learn not only how to rack a tank of Chardonnay but also how to drive on the left side of the road!”
3. “My husband is also a winemaker and we met during harvest 2004. He was so impressed with my cellar skills that we decided to start dating…but only after I found another job!”
4. “I grew up in Vacaville and Napa was always a huge rival for high school sports; I never imagined I’d end up working here!”
5. “I participated in high school theater and played the lead role in a Shakespeare play, As You Like It.”

Bonus Fact: “The vintage of Far Niente Chardonnay I am the most proud of is 2011.”

& The Red Oak Plank-Grilled Flank Steak You'll Keep on Rotation All Summer

Pile it atop fresh greens, drizzle it with raspberry, dijon or shallot vinaigrette and pair it with a bottle of EnRoute Rosé. Or, upgrade your steak tacos and fajitas and uncork the Far Niente Cabernet! This plank-grilled flank steak is great in sandwiches, tossed in fresh pastas or served with wild mushroom salad and herb-crusted potatoes. We love the mild flavor that red oak planks lend to this lean cut of beef.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 Individual eight-ounce bavette steaks (also known as a flat iron or sirloin)

2 Red Oak planks

Kosher Salt

Fresh Ground Pepper

2 Whole shallots, shaved thin

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 Tablespoons butter

Method:

Heat the grill to 500 degrees. Soak your red oak planks in hot water for 20 minutes, then remove and towel dry. This will ensure they won’t burn as well as condition them for reuse.

Coat steaks in olive oil, and season liberally with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.

Turn off one quarter of your grill. If your grill is wood fired, use the coolest part of the grill. Place planks on the coolest side of the grill, allow to warm for three minutes, then remove. Place steaks on hottest part of grill and sear, two minutes per side. You should have nice cross-hatched marks on each side. Place steaks on planks, two per plank, top each with a nub of butter and sliced shallots and grill for eight minutes. For a medium-rare steak, the internal temperature should come to about 120, as it will continue to cook while it rests.

Slice steak thinly against the grain before piling it atop garden greens, stuffing it into your corn or flour fajitas, layering it across a crunchy baguette or serving it in your favorite pasta or stir fry. For salads and summer pastas, we love pairing this aromatic steak with a chilled bottle of EnRoute Rosé. When layered into tacos or served on its own, this tender, juicy cut, grows even more savory and flavorful when served alongside Far Niente's lush and silky Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvingon.