Inspired By: Davis Estates Winery
From Napa to Montana: The Strawberry and Beet Gazpacho Recipe I Haven’t Stopped Making Since Our Trip to Napa Valley.
Anne Mihelich · At Whiskey Ridge
Last September we took a trip to Napa Valley and visited Davis Estates, one of the most beautiful wineries we experienced on our trip. This Strawberry and Beet Gazpacho recipe comes from that visit, and I have been making it ever since back home here at Whiskey Ridge in Montana. If you are planning a trip to Napa Valley or looking for a unique gazpacho recipe, this is one worth saving.
Enjoying a glass of wine at the Davis Estates winery in Napa Valley
Davis Estates, Napa Valley
Last September my little sister turned 40 and we went to Napa to celebrate. Davis Estates was one of our stops — and it was my favorite.
Davis Estates not only had amazing wine — the property itself was absolutely stunning.
We started with a tour of the barn, which honestly could have been the whole visit and I would have been happy. Then we made our way upstairs to the tasting room, which overlooked the vineyard. One side had a sitting area. Outside there was a porch with a giant porch swing where you could sit and look out over the vines as far as you could see.
Our group sat at a long table and when we arrived, there was a custom menu waiting at each of our places with our names on it. That detail got me. On the other side of the room was an open kitchen where the chef was creating the food pairings to go alongside each wine as we tasted.
It was one of those places where everything — the wine, the food, the setting, the way they treat you — all of it is considered. Nothing is an afterthought.
The Davis Estates vineyards and porch view from the tasting room.
The gazpacho
When they poured the Sauvignon Blanc and set the gazpacho in front of us I honestly did not know what to expect. But the pairing was so good — so immediately, obviously right — that it made me want to become a Davis Estates member on the spot. And I did.
The gazpacho itself has these really interesting flavors. Bright. A little earthy from the beets. Sweet from the strawberries. It is not like anything I had tasted before.
When they handed us the recipe on a little card at the end of the tasting I looked at the ingredients and thought — this is actually really good for you. I am not someone who naturally reaches for a plate of vegetables. Getting them into my diet is genuinely something I have to work at. But this? Beets. Cucumber. Strawberries for the antioxidants. Basil oil for the omegas. All of it blended into something that tastes this good alongside a cold glass of wine.
That is why I saved the recipe and came home and made it.
I tend to make it most when it is warm out — there is something about a bright sunny day that sends me straight to this recipe. But I have made it in the middle of winter too, just as a way to get my vegetables in without feeling like I am eating my vegetables.
Strawberry and Beet Gazpacho
Recipe by Davis Estates, Napa Valley. Made at Whiskey Ridge, Montana.
This recipe belongs entirely to the team at Davis Estates and I am giving them every bit of the credit. I am just the one who brought it home to Montana.
A few honest notes before you start:
The color is going to surprise you. Beets and strawberries together make this deep magenta that looks almost too dramatic for a bowl of soup. It is not. That is just what it looks like and it is stunning.
I have made this with homemade basil oil and with store-bought and honestly both are great. Olivelle makes a beautiful one that I reach for when I do not want to make my own. If you want to make it yourself though it is easier than it sounds and I will share that recipe separately — once you have a jar of it in your refrigerator you will find yourself putting it on everything.
The crème fraîche and basil oil make this feel rich and indulgent. It is. But look at the ingredient list — everything in here is real and whole and actually good for you. That combination is rare enough that it is worth paying attention to.
For the basil oil
Ingredients
— 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed — ½ cup extra virgin olive oil — Pinch of salt — Ice water
Method
Bring a small pot of water to a boil and prepare a bowl of ice water alongside it.
Add the basil to the boiling water and blanch for 5 to 10 seconds only. Pull it out immediately and drop it into the ice water. This keeps the color vivid and bright.
Remove the basil from the ice water and pat it very dry. Do not skip this — water will make the oil cloudy.
Blend the basil, olive oil, and salt until completely smooth.
For a clear refined oil strain through cheesecloth. For something more rustic leave it as is. Both are beautiful.
This keeps in the refrigerator for up to a week. Make a full batch — you will use it on everything.
For the gazpacho
Ingredients
— 1 cup strawberries, about 8 medium, hulled — 1 medium beet, cooked and peeled — 2 garlic cloves, peeled — ½ medium cucumber, peeled and chopped — 2 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped — 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped — 1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar — ½ cup basil oil — Salt to taste — 2 to 3 tablespoons cold water as needed — Sliced almonds, shaved radish, diced cucumber, sliced strawberries, and crème fraîche to finish
Method
Cook your beet first. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the beet, and cook for 20 to 50 minutes depending on size. It is ready when a fork slides in easily. Let it cool and peel the skin under cool running water — it comes right off with your hands.
In a blender combine the strawberries, cooked beet, cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, garlic, red wine vinegar, salt, and 2 tablespoons of cold water. Blend until completely smooth.
With the blender still running slowly drizzle in the basil oil until the soup turns silky.
For the smoothest result strain through a fine mesh strainer. Optional but worth it.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 to 2 hours. This is best served very cold.
To serve stir well and ladle into your favorite bowl. Finish with a drizzle of basil oil, a spoonful of crème fraîche, sliced almonds, shaved radish, and a few pieces of fresh cucumber and strawberry.
Pour a cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc. Sit somewhere you can see the sky.
Pair it with
Davis Estates 2023 Sauvignon Blanc. I became a member on that trip and this wine is a big part of why. It has a brightness that cuts right through the richness of the crème fraîche and makes the whole bowl taste more like itself.
If you cannot find Davis Estates, my go-to is Kim Crawford from New Zealand. It is crisp, bright, and easy to find almost anywhere — and it is a fraction of the price without giving up much at all. Either way you want something very cold.
This recipe belongs to the talented team at Davis Estates, Napa Valley. If you have not visited, put it on your list.
@davisestates
Anne Mihelich · At Whiskey Ridge
