Spring Sauvignon Blanc Pairing

Have you been adding Meyer lemon zest to just about everything these days?

Madson’s cellar - the office corner, tasting room, snack fridge, spare books stack - all but the vineyards are located in a lovely large warehouse on the west side of Santa Cruz, California. Folks on the team enjoy an occasional lunchtime wander around the neighborhoods adjacent to our building. And from Winter on through Spring you’ll witness Meyer lemons ripening from trees on nearly every street. Grateful for plenty of citrus to go ‘round, here is one way to employ the tangy rinds:

Joy of Lemon Zest Salad

Use 1 head of fresh lettuce or frisee, rinse clean and chop as you like.

Place greens in a large bowl and toss with a generous drizzle of olive oil, 2 pinches of flaky salt.

Add a scoop of toasted walnuts or almonds, roughly chopped.

Add 1/4-1/2 cup of dried Montmorency cherries or a handful of fresh raspberries.

Crumble a good bit of plain or honeyed goat cheese into the bowl, enough so that every second bite gets taste of that creamy tart flavor.

Lastly, using a microplane or other fine grater, grate the zest of 1 Meyer lemon over the salad. Toss the whole delightful mess together and savor with a slice of sourdough toast and a glass of Madson’s 2022 Sauvignon Blanc.

Serves 1 - 4, depending on the day, the crowd, the appetite.