Banana Bread Wine Paring

Here at Rubino Estates, we believe that every dish should have its own elegant wine pairing! Banana Bread is delicious, comforting, and quite adaptable. Every recipe is different, making this dish especially accessible for personal preferences, allergies, and experimentation! In honor of National Banana Bread Day, we’re sharing a recipe we love and some wine pairing options to make it shine.

Hearty Banana Bread

Ingredients

• ½ cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 3 large bananas. mashed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup chocolate chips or chopped nuts (optional)
• 1 additional whole banana (optional)

Instructions 

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a standard loaf pan with butter or cooking spray. If desired, line with parchment paper. 
2. Using a large bowl, combine the coconut oil and sugar. Add in the eggs, one at a time, and beat lightly until fully incorporated. Mix in vanilla, sour cream, and mashed bananas. Whisk carefully until completely combined. 
3. Add in all of the dry ingredients: all purpose flour, rolled oats, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon to the wet ingredients. Incorporate into a cohesive mixture using a non-stick spatula. If using chocolate chips or nuts, add and fold into batter. 
4. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, scraping the bowl to get all the better into the pan. If desired, sprinkle additional chocolate chips or nuts on top. Alternatively, use the whole banana as a garnish by slicing the banana (width- or lengthwise) and gently pressing into the batter. 
5. Bake in the preheated oven for about 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out nearly clean. 
6. Allow the bread to cool on a cooling rack for at least 20 minutes before removing from the loaf pan. Slice once the loaf has come to room temperature. 

The oats in this recipe give it a great, substantial bite. The sour cream brings just the right amount of nice tang and moisture. We enjoy this recipe most with our new vintage of Riserva Chardonnay, which features complimenting notes of baked goods and honey. If you’d like to take more of a dessert-inspired approach, pair with our sparkling white dessert wine, Moscato. This banana bread also makes a playful pairing for Fumé Blanc, which brings passionfruit and pineapple notes to make a delightful tropical medley on the palate. 

Do you have a favorite Banana Bread recipe? Share it with us @rubinoestates on Instagram and we’ll share wine pairing recommendations to go along with it!

National Drink Wine Day Inspiration

Tomorrow is National Drink Wine Day, and we hope this is the kind of holiday we can all celebrate. We think it’s only appropriate to enjoy the very thing we create here at Rubino Estates Winery: fantastic locally grown and produced wines. We pour quality and excellence into each and every varietal and blend, and we want you to enjoy it too! For this holiday, here are 8 of the wines we recommend right now:

Fumé Blanc

This crisp and vivacious white wine is a New World take on Sauvignon Blanc that involves aging in neutral oak. With notes of vanilla, mango, white nectarine and more, this wine lends itself well to lighter dishes with bright flavors like sole piccata with lemon, or a French-style chicken tarragon.
 

Primitivo

One of our most rare varietals, Primitivo is Zinfandel’s Italian twin. Sumptuous flavors of dried cherry, fresh raspberry, wrapped in a perfect touch of tannin. This wine is delicious alongside dishes with creamy-salty-sweet synergy, like bacon wrapped dates with chevre or deep dish pizza.
 

Trebbiano

Similar to Primitivo, Trebbiano is a very rare find here in California. A classic Italian white wine varietal, this wine offers adaptability, fresh minerality, and food friendly acidity. Enjoy this wine with fresh sushi rolls or a lightly flavored Italian seafood dish like spaghetti allo scoglio. 
 

2017 Tuscano 

A club-exclusive wine selected from our Library Collection, this red blend brings hearty flavor and refined maturity. Modeled after the Super Tuscans of the Old World, a tenacious structure and balanced flavors pair well with delicious dishes like bistecca alla fiorentina, otherwise known as a Tuscan porterhouse, or a rustic ragu with Italian Sausage. 
 

2017 Chardonnay

This Chardonnay, also featured in our Library collection, is graceful on the palate and brings a  sophisticated touch to your Chardonnay selection. We’re enjoying this wine with delicious crostinis with smashed avocado and grilled halloumi and kabocha squash bisque with cashew cream.
 

Riserva Cabernet Sauvignon

Called the king of wines, Cabernet is an easy go-to classic for Drink Wine Day! This critically acclaimed vintage boasts notes of blackberry, cocoa, and toasted oak, all wrapped in a blanket of fine tannins. Enjoy with a hearty baked rigatoni bolognese or a pork tenderloin with balsamic glaze. 
 

Salute Rosé

This delicious and dry Rosé is crafted from Sangiovese, a gorgeous Italian varietal. Lively freshness is present within the full, smooth body. Wild strawberry notes mingle with floral and verdant character, along with perfect acidity for food pairings. Fresh caprese salad and lobster risotto both make ideal companions. 

Night Owl Barbera

Another Italian classic, Barbera brings robust flavor and ideal balance for enjoying on its own or alongside food. Savor enticing notes of cherry, strawberry, and a sultry hint of chocolate. For pairing, lean into phenomenal Italian cuisine like classic pork saltimbocca or bucatini all'amatriciana made with real guanciale.

Which one are you opening on Drink Wine Day? Let us know on Instagram @rubinoestates!

All of these wines are available for tasting here at the Rubino Estates tasting room.
If you want to enjoy them at home, check out our Mixed Case Sale!

 

Food & Wine Pairings for Game Day

Are you ready for the big game? Whether you’re watching for the Chiefs, the Eagles, or the commercials, one thing’s for sure: you want to make sure you’ve got a strong roster of snacks! Take it easy with these uncomplicated foods, then elevate the spread with some delicious wine pairings. It’ll make your gathering into a true flavor party. 

Pretzel Snack Mix

A medley of crunchy textures and savory flavors hits every satisfying note for easy snacking as you argue with the ref and groove to the halftime show. Customize your own mix with additions like cheese crackers and Italian seasoning! We think a mix like this is enjoyable alongside our Cuvée Dray red blend. 

Slow Cooker Meatballs

For an easy hearty side, pick your favorite pre-made meatballs (pork, beef, or turkey), pop them in a slow cooker, and let them soak in a smoky-sweet barbecue sauce for a few hours. Serve on toothpicks right out of the pot and pair with a nicely drinkable and approachable red blend like our Salute Red. 

Chicken Wings

Wings and football go hand-in-hand, whether you make the wings yourself, get them to-go from your favorite spot, or get them from the freezer section. Keep it casual and enjoy each succulent bite. We like wings with our Salute Rosé, especially if they have a hint of spice since the body of the Rosé is just weighty enough to balance it out. 

Mozzarella Sticks

Just like the chicken wings, take it easy! Go for takeout or cook these from frozen. They’re great for pairing with an Italian-inspired wine, these breaded delights never disappoint. We recommend a Sangiovese with enough body and pleasant acidity to harmonize with the cheesy goodness. Of course, a marinara dipping sauce is also a must-have!

Seven Layer Dip

With a layer for each point of a touchdown, this dip is a reliable favorite for game day. Enjoy this delicious dip with your favorite corn chips and your beverage of choice! For a red wine, we’d suggest our Night Owl Barbera, and for a white wine go with a Fumé Blanc!

Potato Chips

Snacks don’t have to be complicated, and sometimes less is more anyway. Try pairing your favorite potato chip (whether barbecue, sour cream and onion, plain, or another) with a fun Sparkling Wine. As a bonus, Sparkling Wine pairs with just about everything, including all the snacks on this list. Stock up now and thank us later! 

Kickoff is Sunday, February 12th at 3:30pm.  If Rubino Estates wines make it onto your game day menu, let us know on our social media @rubinoestates. 

Dessert Wine & Chocolate Cake

During the month of February, we are celebrating the sweet romance of our Infinitum Dessert wine. A perfect combination of fruit and loving labor has produced this delicious port-style beauty. It’s ready to be enjoyed! As our only red dessert wine, the Infinitum brings dulcet delight to our wine selection. Wines like this can be a little trickier to pair with food because they are heavier and sweeter, but we have a splendid solution: chocolate. Rich dark chocolate desserts, specifically, offer a blissful combination. Below, we have included a recipe for one such dessert, a raspberry-topped flourless chocolate cake to the ultimate companion for the Infinitum. 

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• ½ cup solidified coconut oil
• ½ cup coconut sugar
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup cocoa powder
  Chocolate ganache:
• ½ cup dark chocolate chips
• ¼ cup non-dairy milk, almond, oat or coconut milk work
  Topping:
• Powdered sugar, for topping
• Fresh raspberries, for serving

Instructions 

1. Preheat oven to 375°F and grease an 8 inch cake pan or 8 inch springform pan.
2. Add chocolate chips and coconut oil to a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until fully melted. Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second increments, stirring in between until the chocolate has melted.
3. Let chocolate cool slightly then add coconut sugar, salt and vanilla and stir to combine.
4. Coconut sugar, salt and vanilla added to the melted chocolate and coconut oil in a saucepan.
5. Whisk in eggs.
6. Gently add cocoa powder and stir to combine.
7. Pour chocolate mixture into a greased or parchment-lined pan and bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
8. Let the cake cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from the pan. When removing the cake from the cake pan, loosen the edges with a butter knife and carefully turn it upside down onto a plate or serving platter. The bottom of the cake will now be the top of the cake! Let it cool completely before topping and serving.
9. While the cake is cooling, make chocolate ganache by adding chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave using 30 second increments and stirring between each. It shouldn’t take more than 90 seconds or so. Once chocolate is melted, add milk to the bowl and stir until well combined. Pour chocolate over the cooled cake and spread to cover.
10. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with fresh berries.

Recipe & recipe photo from by Brittany Mullins on Eating Bird Food 

The addition of the fresh berries (strawberries are a great option too) allow the jammy notes of our Infinitum to shine, while the combination of bitter and sweetness of the chocolate amplifies the vibrance of the wine’s flavors and finish. It’s like a match made with cupid’s arrow!

If you’d like to enjoy our Inifinitum dessert wine yourself, it is on sale for the month of February!
Treat yourself to a bottle (or more!)