Roasted Heirloom Bruschetta

First, I'd like to note that neither V. Sattui or Domaine Chandon have paid me to write this post.  I am just an absolute fan of both of these wineries, and the experiences I had at both wineries during my 2010 visit to Napa and Carnaros Valley inspire me daily to stop and enjoy good food and quality time with friends as often as possible, and (of course) include amazing wines with those events as often as I can.  Now on to the story...

Over Labor Day weekend back in 2010, I took a girl's trip to Napa Valley/San Francisco with my best friends from college.  The long weekend was filled with amazing memories of fantastic food, touring beautiful San Francisco, and tasting (drinking) our way through Napa and Carnaros Valley.

On our winery tour day, we visited many amazing wineries/vineyards, but Domaine Chandon and V. Sattui were my personal favorites.  I'll write more about Domaine Chandon later.  Today's post is heavily dedicated to V. Sattui Winery.

The Entrance to V. Sattui's Deli and Store

Side Note:  If I can ever convince my wonderful man to renew our vows in an extremely lavish (way more lavish than our actual wedding in 2007) way, I would definitely choose V. Sattui as the backdrop for our special renewal.  Also, if you are planning on touring Napa Valley anytime soon, aside from taking me with you, I suggest you make this winery your lunchtime stop because not only does this winery have an amazing selection of wines and ports, it is a fabulous picnic destination.

The picnic area at V. Sattui

V. Sattui Picnic Grounds provides a gorgeous backdrop to take in the sites and tastes of California wine country.  Pick up a bottle of their gorgeous wine, find a picnic table overlooking the vineyard, and swing by V. Sattui's Barbeque, Wood-fired Pizzas, and Mozzarella Bar for some of the most amazing, fresh food options you can imagine.  I am drooling now just thinking about the smells and sights of their outdoor food bar.

Sorry, this is supposed to be a food blog, right?  Well, I had to give you a background for today's recipe and set the stage for why I chose this particular recipe to be my very first post!  Today's recipe is Roasted Heirloom Bruschetta--a recipe I have adapted from V. Sattui's master chefs.  Yes, the provided me (via their Facebook page) the basic recipe for their bruschetta because they're awesome.

The Roasted Heirloom Bruschetta at V. Sattui

Heather's Roasted Heirloom Bruschetta
Adapted from a V. Sattui recipe

My Roasted Heirloom Bruschetta

Ingredients
Fresh Baguette from your favorite bakery or grocer
Mozzarella, fresh pulled
Roasted Heirloom Tomatoes
Balsamic Reduction
EVOO (a good one)
Garlic, fresh minced
Basil, fresh chopped
Salt, Pepper, Dried Herbs to taste


Directions
- Slice baguette into small medallions (because it's easier to eat this way) and drizzle each piece with EVOO
- Place medallions on a hot grill, turning till each side is golden brown
  Note:  You can also use an indoor panini press or warm cast iron pan to grill the bread if that's easier for you.
- On each grilled piece of bread, place one or two roasted tomatoes, then one slice of fresh mozzarella, chopped fresh basil
- Drizzle EVOO and balsamic reduction sauce
- Finish with a dash of fresh cracked sea salt and cracked black pepper; you can even dust it with some dried Italian herbs like rosemary and thyme, but that's up to you!


Note:  Though this is a great meal in and of itself, my husband is definitely a meat-eater, so to make this recipe suit his carnivorous taste, I add a slice of grilled chicken to the bread before I begin layering it.  You can use any grilled chicken, but I like to slice the chicken into medallions and grill with some balsamic vinegar, salt, fresh cracked pepper, and Italian herbs.