It comes as no surprise that Washington is not lacking in sources for outstanding wine. There is great bounty here — one can explore new AVAs, discover unique flavor profiles, and uncover hidden gems. With all this in mind, we encounter one of the few and proud sparkling wine makers of this state. Elentone — the passion project founded by husband and wife team Chris and Miggy Sherry — combines the old world style of sparkling winemaking with Pacific Northwest grapes. The result? Washington sparkling wines made in the traditional method.
Juno, the brand’s flagship Rosé of Pinot Noir, “isn’t wine for the occasion, it is the occasion,” says Miggy. “We want people to know the intentionality and love that goes into this labor. Our wine is a true DIY project.” And after being told stories about the countless hours of sanitizing machinery, disgorging, riddling, tasting — and how she personally wraps a ribbon around the cork of every bottle they fill — I believe it.
For a wine that remains the star of the show with notes of fresh strawberry, tart cherry and a kiss of dried coconut — an equally noteworthy companion is necessary.
Octopus Tostada with Pomegranate and Avocado Crema
Serves 2
Ingredients
8 oz of your favorite brand of tinned octopus (I use Matiz), cut into bite size pieces¼ Walla Walla sweet onion, finely chopped
¼ cup cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
½ cup pomegranate seeds
1 large lime, juice and zest
½ cup Mexican crema
1 ripe avocado, diced
½ cup of cilantro, chopped, plus more for garnish
¼ cup cotija cheese, crumbled
2 radishes, halved and sliced thin
Tostadas
Salt to taste
Directions
In a small bowl, toss the octopus, onion, tomato, pomegranate seeds and salt with juice from half the lime. Set aside. In a food processor, combine crema, cilantro, avocado, remaining lime juice, and salt to taste. To build, smear a spoonful of avocado crema on your tostada. Add your octopus and veggie mixture, and crumble a generous amount of cotija cheese on top. Finish with radishes, lime zest and extra chopped cilantro.
