Twice-Baked Baby Potatoes with Caviar and Reserve Ranch 1 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon

We love Bubbly, but for this caviar-topped dish, only a fresh, rich Red will do. Black currant, pomegranate, wild violet, and green coffee bean meet clean, rich-from-the-sea brine, and boom – it’s almost like we planted our Ranch 1 vineyard just for this. Sparks will fly.

Beaulieu Vineyard Reserve Ranch 1 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon

Soft, spring cherry blossoms and summery red fruit aromas drift from the glass. On the palate, flavors of fresh, sweet plum and rich, chocolate-covered cherries are accented by oak spice and framed by plush tannins for an exceptionally well-structured wine. The brightness and balance of this wine’s fresh acidity linger through the finish, making it age-worthy, but truly approachable and enjoyable now.

Twice-Baked Baby Potatoes with Caviar: Choose the Right Potatoes for Airy Texture and Buttery Flavor

You can choose any variety of baby potatoes for this dish, but we recommend Yukon Gold potatoes. While Russet potatoes have always been the traditional choice for baking, we think the qualities of

Yukon Golds – lovely buttery flavor, creamy texture, and a smooth, thin skin that crisps up beautifully while holding its shape – make it ideal for this melt-in-your-mouth treat.

Ingredients

1½ lb cherry-sized baby potatoes

¼ cup crème fraîche, plus more for garnish

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbsp fresh finely minced chives, plus more for garnish

Caviar

Method

Heat oven to 400°F.

In a steamer pot over medium-high, steam potatoes about 7–10 minutes, until they can be easily pierced without falling apart. Remove from steamer and cool.

Trim about ¼ inch off top of each potato and trim bottoms flat so potatoes stand upright. Using a small melon baller or ⅛ teaspoon, carefully scoop flesh from potatoes, leaving some flesh intact around sides and bottom. Stand hollowed potatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place flesh from potatoes in a bowl.

Press reserved potato flesh through a ricer or smash with a fork. Stir together crème fraîche, salt, pepper, and chives until very smooth. Place mixture in a piping bag or zipper bag with corner cut off. Fill each potato. Bake about 10–15 minutes, until heated through. Remove from oven; let cool slightly.

Place upright on platter; top with a dollop of crème fraîche, caviar, and chives. Serve warm.

Q&A

Q: What Beaulieu Vineyard wine pairs best with Twice-Baked Baby Potatoes with Caviar?

A: Beaulieu Vineyard Reserve Ranch 1 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon. Its combination of lighter-bodied richness and fresh acidity bring out the best in the luxurious crème fraîche and bright caviar.

Q: What does Beaulieu Vineyard Reserve Ranch 1 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon taste like?

A: Beaulieu Vineyard Reserve Ranch 1 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon has fresh, rich flavors of sweet plum and chocolate-covered cherries accented by oak spice.

Q: Why does Beaulieu Vineyard make a Cabernet Sauvignon dedicated to its Ranch 1?

A: Beaulieu Vineyard Reserve Ranch 1 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon is grown in the Rutherford AVA on our original vineyard, Ranch 1. Purchased in 1903, this property in the heart of Rutherford, sits next to our winery. Ranch 1 is the place where our co-founder, Fernande de Latour exclaimed, “quel beau lieu,” or “what a beautiful place,” giving our winery its name. It’s where Beaulieu Vineyard began and it remains our favorite vineyard because of the complex flavors it still creates in our Bordeaux-variety grapes today.

Q: If I don’t have crème fraîche handy, can I substitute sour cream or Greek yogurt?

A: Crème fraîche, sour cream, and Greek yogurt are all great choices for our Twice-Baked Baby Potatoes with Caviar recipe. However, we prefer crème fraîche because it’s the richest and thickest of the three options. Plus, its mild cream taste lets the delicate, fresh-from-the-ocean flavor of the caviar shine through.