The Name Game of Wines
Gnarly Head: Twisted Inspiration
Impressed by the tangled trunks and branches of the 35- to 80-year-old vines found in the old vineyards of Lodi, California, a winemaking team on a quest for great Zinfandel knew they were onto something great. Their search led them to a sea of free-standing, “head-trained” vines with twisted branches and a mayhem of leaves sprouting in all directions. An avid surfer among the group took one look at the vines and exclaimed, “Those are gnarly heads!” And so the name was born, a moniker that embodied bold fun. And that’s exactly what the Gnarly Head team believes—that wine should be fun, accessible and easy to understand and enjoy.Rex Goliath: Ruling the Roost
Around the turn of the 20th century, at a circus in Texas, a 47-pound rooster left audiences aghast with its mammoth bulk. Folks came from near and far to gawk at the giant bird, suitably named HRH (His Royal Highness) Rex Goliath. A large hand-painted poster bearing his likeness hung proudly above his throne. Nearly 100 years later, the Rex Goliath line of wines was born, sporting a label replicating the vintage artwork from the circus banner that hung above Rex’s roost (the original artwork is displayed in the Rex Goliath headquarters in San Francisco). Rex Goliath wines are a tribute to their larger-than-life namesake, with big fruit flavors and a robust in-your-face personality.Pinot Evil: Wicked Ways
Underdog Wine Merchants are industry suppliers distributing wines to retail venues across the nation. They like to think of themselves as the “Champions of the underdogs of the wine world,” traveling the world looking for the more interesting and sometimes misunderstood or under-appreciated wines. Through their endeavors, they found the curiously named Pinot Evil. Pinot grapes are coveted, making Pinot wines an expensive variety. Well, the makers of Pinot Evil believe a good Pinot should never be “wicked on the wallet” and Pinot Evil is a guilty pleasure that everybody can afford. (Now we just need a sandwich company to come out with Hero Evil.)Cupcake Vineyards: Sweet Sensations
Our friends at Underdog Wine merchants also bring the world Cupcake wines. Cupcake Vineyards strive to craft creamy and deliciously textured wines. Like a cupcake, crowned with a tower of sugary icing, these wines are that special treat designed to make you feel good. They offer a dozen Cupcake varietals, including Chardonnay, Merlot and Shiraz. They even have a Red Velvet wine, a sensationally sweet treat.Fat Bastard: Insultingly Good
It started among friends, Thierry Boudinaud, a renowned French winemaker and his pal, Guy Anderson, an Englishman with a penchant for colorful expressions. Both men had collaborated on the creation of great wines before and looked at the opportunity as a way to catch up, enjoy each other’s company and of course, drink wine. Thierry had an experimental wine stashed in the back of the cellar and pulled it out. First they sniffed the vino, taking in the heady aroma, and then they sipped, rolling the vintage around in their mouths. Thierry excitedly proclaimed, “Now that is what you call a fat bastard!” Guy also often used the expression to describe great things. Both men knew they could not withhold this from the wine-drinking public. When the time came to give the wine a name, there was only one that could truly do the Fat Bastard justice. You can find several varieties of the wines above at most Sprouts locations, but please note that not all stores carry wine. Always remember to drink responsibly. From a previous issue of Sprouts Farmers Market’s monthly e-newsletter. Hungry? Sign up now!Only the Best for Baby
Choose from these eight organic flavors:
- Spinach & Sweet Potato
- Sweet Potato
- Tropical Mango
- Pear
- Carrots
- Applesauce
- Apple Mango
- Apple Banana
Cedar’s
Hommus Chicken Salad
How do you up the ante with your chicken salad? Simply swap out mayo for hommus! Doing so will pack even more protein and nutrients into your sandwiches and give them a burst of flavor no one will expect.- 3 cups Chicken, cooked and shredded
- 1/4 cup Onion, minced (about 1/4 medium onion)
- 1/2 cup Bell pepper, diced (about 1/2 bell pepper)
- 1/2 cup Celery, diced (about 2 stalks)
- 1 10-oz Cedar’s Artichoke Spinach Hommus
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 1/2 tsp. Paprika
- 1/4 tsp. Cayenne pepper
Directions:
- Transfer Cedar’s Hommus to a bowl and stir in shredded chicken and onion.
- Stir until completely combined. Add in diced bell pepper and celery.
- Taste and season with salt, paprika and/or cayenne pepper as needed.
Visit Cedar’s website to learn more about Know Better Hommus and explore Cedar’s full product offering. You can also follow them on Cedar’s Facebook, Cedar’s Instagram, Cedar’s Pinterest and Cedar’s YouTube.
Superfoods for a Super New Year
Cauliflower
This cruciferous vegetable has grown in popularity over the past few years. It’s packed with cancer-fighting compounds and is an excellent source of vitamin C. Enjoy cauliflower raw, simply roasted, in a stir-fry or puréed into soup. Jump on the “cauliflower rice” trend with ease by picking up a package of Sprouts Cauliflower Crumbles in the produce section next time you shop.Chicories
Haven’t heard of this one? Chicories are those bitter winter greens like endive and escarole or purple radicchio. They are a good source of vitamin C and may also help boost heart health. Use endive to scoop and serve a bread-free tuna or chickpea salad. Grill or sauté radicchio for a warm winter salad or toss it into vegetable soup.Pomegranates
Pomegranates are one of the few foods that aren’t always easy to find. That’s not the case in the winter. They thrive in cooler temperatures from October to January. Pomegranates are known for their antioxidants. A beautiful, sweet-tart addition to greens, smoothies and winter fruit salads, pomegranates are an excellent source of fiber and vitamins C and K.Winter Squash
Though pumpkin gets all of the attention in the fall, it’s not the only gourd in the patch. Roast or purée an acorn, delicata, kabocha or butternut squash for some variety. Enjoy the different winter squashes prepared sweet, savory, curried or spicy. With a deep orange to yellow flesh, winter squash is bursting with vitamin A (as beta-carotene), vitamin C, potassium and fiber. Bonus: Roast or dry the seeds and enjoy a protein- and magnesium-rich snack or salad topper.Matcha
Though matcha is available anytime you want it, this green gold is a warm and comforting answer to cold temperatures. Regular green tea is a popular healthy brew. Matcha (a green tea powder) takes it to another level. Because you drink or eat the entire leaf, you get more. Chock full of polyphenols, matcha is lauded for its anti-aging properties. Importantly, it may help lower the risk of certain cancers and heart disease. Also, if you’re trying to stay focused on your goals this year, sip on this. Matcha is known to boost mental alertness too without the jitters you might get from other caffeinated drinks. This list is not at all comprehensive. It’s just a sampling of the many superfoods available at this time of year. Put one or all in the rotation for a super new year.About Marisa Moore
Helping People Eat Better One Morsel at a Time
Marisa Moore is a registered dietitian/nutritionist and owner of Marisa Moore Nutrition. Using a food first, mostly plant-based approach, Marisa helps people eat better one morsel at a time through group classes, writing and developing healthy recipes. She enjoys working as a consultant for small and large businesses including food and nutrition startups and being an ambassador for delicious food and a healthy lifestyle. A past spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, Marisa is a trusted food and nutrition expert and has appeared in most major media outlets including the Today Show, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and has had regular appearances on CNN. Marisa is a contributing editor for Food & Nutrition Magazine and U.S. News & World Report blogger. Before launching her consultancy, Marisa worked as an outpatient dietitian, the corporate nutritionist for a national bakery café restaurant and she managed the employee worksite nutrition program at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Always ready for new passport stamps, Marisa loves to explore new countries but in her spare time you might find her cooking, dancing salsa or on a walk with her dog Biscuit. Learn more at marisamoore.com.Wine Pairings
White Wines
Chardonnay (Shar-dun-NAY)
Dry. Medium-heavy body. Typically with oak (creamy, buttery, toast) and subtle flavors with aromas of apple, citrus, apricot and tropical fruit. Pairs well with: Mild Cheese, Salmon, Scallops, Chicken, Baked Ham, CheesecakeSauvignon Blanc (So-veen-YOHN-Blahnk)
Dry. Light-medium body. Clean and refreshing with crisp flavors of grapefruit, lemon, passion fruit and melon. Pairs well with: Oysters, Shrimp, Lobster, Chicken, Key Lime PiePinot Grigio (Pea-no-GREE-gee-oh)
Medium body. Crispy and dry with fruit forward flavors of citrus, green apple and floral notes. Pairs well with: White Sauces, Grilled Chicken, Lobster, Shrimp, Pork, Apple TartRiesling (REESE-ling)
Sweet. Light body. Traditionally sweet (off-dry) with flavors of stone fruit, melon, apple, citrus and notes of minerality. Pairs well with: Creamy Cheeses, Spicy Dishes, Baked Ham, Grilled Pork, MelonMoscato (MOS-cahtoh)
Sweet. Light body. Sweet flavors of apricot, peach and honeysuckle. Pairs well with: Oysters, Shrimp, Spicy Dishes, Peach Cobbler, SorbetSparkling
Light and bubbly. Pairs well with: Nutty Cheeses, Oysters, Clams, Crab, Spicy Food, Milk ChocolateRed Wines
Cabernet Sauvignon (ka-behr-NAY soh-vee-YOHN)
Dry. Heavy body. Rich flavors of blackberry, plum, black cherry and notes of earthiness. Pairs well with: Pungent Cheeses, Grilled Steak, Roasted Lamb, Red Sauces, Dark and Bittersweet Chocolate.Malbec (mahl-BECK)
Dry. Heavy body. Luscious cherry, black raspberry and plum notes. Pairs well with: Smoked Turkey, Carne Asada, Pulled Pork, Dark and Bittersweet ChocolateZinfandel (ZIN-fan-dell)
Dry. Medium–heavy body. Spicy flavors of ripe berries, pepper and jammy fruit. Pairs well with: Aged Cheeses, Spare Ribs, Brisket, Leg of Lamb, Pizza, Chili, Beef Stew, Chocolate CakeMerlot (mer-LOW)
Dry. Medium body. Lush and velvety with flavors of red berries and chocolate. Pairs well with: Aged Cheeses, Veal, Meatloaf, Hamburgers, Salmon, Red Sauces, Chocolate MoussePinot Noir (PEA-no-Nwar)
Dry. Medium body. Fruity at the core with flavors of strawberry, cherry and plums. Pairs well with: Creamy Cheeses, Roasted Pork, Smoked Sausage, Salmon, Crème BrûléeRed Blend
Off-dry. Medium body. Can be different styles but usually have flavors of jam, blackberry and plum. Pairs well with: Risotto, Lamb Chops, Grilled Steak, Hamburgers, Cherry PieWine and Cheese Pairings
1. Smoked Gouda and 7 Deadly Zins
This full-bodied Zinfandel pairs well with sharp and smoky Gouda. Gouda’s mix of salty and sweet, along with its deep nutty character, stands up well to the zin’s bold flavors.2. Chipotle Cheddar and Jaume Serra Cristalino Brut Cava
This fine Spanish sparkling wine has citrus and apple flavors with a clean, crisp finish. It’s a great celebratory wine that tames a zesty cheddar cheese.3. Monteforte Blue Wedge and Montes Classic Cabernet Sauvignon
This creamy, crumbly cheese pairs well with a medium-bodied red blend. The friendliness of the tannins, combined with its spice and acidity, makes the Montes Classic Cabernet Sauvignon the best choice.4. Jalapeño Cheddar and Apothic Red Blend or La Crema Chardonnay
“Everything is betta with chedda,” as the saying goes. This flavor-packed cheese pairs especially well with Apothic Red’s captivating blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.5. Carpa Goat Cheese Log and Starborough Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is the wine most often chosen to accompany goat cheese. Why? Because the zippy acidity in the wine matches the tanginess of the cheese. The combination of the two is fresh and invigorating.6. President Swiss Emmental and La Marca Prosecco
Refreshing effervescence and lively fruit flavors give La Marca Prosecco a cheese-friendly profile. The Italian sparkling wine pairs well with a semi-hard, cow’s milk cheese such as Swiss.7. Screaming Dutchman Red Wax Gouda and Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling
Riesling is a semi-sweet wine with peach and citrus undertones. Its lightness complements mild Gouda, which is creamy and easy on the palate.8. Parmesan Reggianito and Bodega Norton Malbec Reserve
Bodega Norton Malbec Reserve characteristic spice and explosive fruit flavors hold their own when paired with Parmesan’s salty personality.9. Pe’re Brie and Gnarly Head Pinot Noir
In general, softer cheeses go best with light-medium red wines, as the lighter flavors are more in tune with the subdued textures and buttery flavors. Pinot Noir’s robust flavors complement Brie’s buttery texture and mellow flavor. Wine is not available in Colorado, Oklahoma or Utah. Items may vary by location.Who Ensures Our Produce Is Up to Par?
At 8am, the Sprouts produce warehouse in Colton, California, is buzzing. Then again, that’s when we arrived for a tour. It had actually been buzzing since about 4am.
Warehouse staff push forklifts into 18-wheelers weighed down with pallets of fruits and veggies, then pull back to put the produce into their proper storage rooms. Quality Control Clerks move from cooler to cooler inspecting each shipment for freshness, color, size, shape and taste. As they weave through the maze, they dodge a forklift shuffling 800-pound bins of watermelons and a new shipment of mangoes that didn’t make the cut. The mid-morning frenzy assures Sprouts customers will be getting the best produce in town.
It’s a side of the food industry consumers rarely see. They shop at the Sprouts Produce Department with the expectation of “farm-fresh” produce, but they seldom know where the food they buy comes from. They have a vague idea of farms in California. However, they know little about how food gets from field to plate, and the complex logistics on which the system depends.
When fresh products arrive at the warehouse, they are inspected before they enter a world of organized mayhem—filled with the honking and humming of forklifts whirling back and forth, collecting the items. Filling an order is much more than matching the items on a pallet to words on an order form.
For instance, to the untrained eye a shipment of 17,000 oval mangoes appears the same shade of half-green half-red so common to fruit just off the vine. But under the critical eye of Sprouts’ Quality Control Team, those same mangoes have pinhead-size black spotting caused by hot water treatment.
“Do they taste great? Sure,” says Sprouts’ Assistant Quality Control Manager Jeff Provost. “But customers buy produce with their eyes. It has to be aesthetically proper. It has to have curb appeal.”
Back on the truck they go. An entire load has been rejected and will be sold to some other retailer that isn’t quite so particular.
The clerks are also checking to make sure the quantity and size of the product match up with what was ordered. They uphold a strict process for traceability, which means the product’s weight, country of origin, freshness, and condition are recorded and entered into the database. Each pallet is then given a “license plate number” sticker, thus enabling the end-user to look up the origin and history of the product in a database.
The pace is fast, as the warehouse staff processes about 50–60 truckloads and moves about 1,000 pallets a day. If the product is accepted, the truck drivers get to hop back in their empty trucks and head home. If it doesn’t make the cut, the drivers pull away with heavily laden trucks and have to find someone else to buy their produce.
“I don’t want to sell anything to one of our customers that I would not serve to my own family,” says Provost.
Provost is second in charge at the Castle & Cooke Cold Storage Distribution Center, the gigantic third-party facility that helps Sprouts operate its supply chains more efficiently.
From Farm to Fork
Sprouts’ quest for the best combination of quality and value begins long before the produce arrives in the warehouse. Our team of experienced buyers seeks out premium products from trusted growers. With storage and distribution centers in Arizona, California and Texas, Sprouts is then able to bring that level of quality home to customers in quantities that guarantee the most competitive prices.
With about 80 years of combined experience in the produce industry, the four-member California Sprouts Quality Control Team knows the life cycles of produce and understands the critical nature of temperature in that process.
From the time a piece of fruit or a vegetable is harvested, a biological clock begins. It’s a clock that can be manipulated, and even slowed to a crawl, but only if the proper storage principles are maintained.
All produce has a ripening timetable that continues after it is disconnected from its nutritional lifeline. Most are picked so the ripening timing will coincide with the arrival at the shopper’s home. Others, like tomatoes on the vine, will continue ripening.
Did you know?
When picking tomatoes on the vine, look for the yellow glow on the fuzzy stem—that means they’re fresh. If you rub the stem with your fingers, you’ll feel the sap and smell a very potent aroma. The vine gives the fruit good flavor and nourishment, so keep tomatoes on your kitchen counter until they are naturally falling off the stem. At that point, you’ll know they’ve gotten all of the flavor and nutrients possible.
Climate control is critical because improper temperatures can shorten the shelf life of fruits and vegetables by days.
Visit the warehouse any time and you’ll see employees in winter overalls, beanies and fingerless gloves. Inside the warehouse, the temperatures are carefully maintained to slow the ripening process and curb (natural) ethylene gas production rates that lead to quick deterioration.
The grapes, lettuce and avocados are stored in a 34°F room with wet floors and high-humidity fans. The hearty vegetables and tropical fruits (i.e. potatoes, onions, coconuts, pineapples and mangoes) are kept in a 55°F cooler. Produce such as berries, cherries and cantaloupes lay in a 34°F room without humidity. Too much cold can be just as damaging as not enough, so tolerances are tight and constantly monitored to maintain the optimum temperature.
“We also have a daily quality check, at which point the staff creates an ‘ideal pick path.’ That means someone goes through and makes sure items nearing expiration dates are picked first,” says Quality Control Manager Neil Cullen. “They also ensure organic produce is separated from the non-organic produce to maintain the integrity, as mandated by the National Organic Program.”
“It sounds like a simple concept, but there’s organization and thoroughness involved.”
Any produce that does not pass the daily quality check, but is still fit for human consumption, gets set aside for charity. Sprouts partners with Second Harvest Food Bank, an agency that feeds 400,000 people a week in the Los Angeles area, according to Cullen. Second Harvest picks up excess or damaged fresh produce that would otherwise go to waste and distributes it to those in need. Whether it’s the fruit that is cut in half for quality checks, or a box of produce that has a few too many bumps and bruises, it’s perfectly edible, just not sellable. The organization also collects produce scraps for livestock. Sprouts receives tax benefits for its donations, but the warm, fuzzy feeling that comes from doing the right thing is far more valuable.
Monitoring Quality
To evaluate fruit, the Quality Control Managers use five very valuable tools: Their senses. They look for bruising, listen for hollow sounds, feel for firmness, smell for sweetness and taste for deliciousness.
But when they need a sixth sense to tell how sweet a piece of fruit really is, they use a refractometer. A refractometer measures the brix (or percentage of soluble solids, or sugar) of the fruit, primarily citrus, apples, grapes, melons, stone fruits and strawberries. To measure the brix, our Quality Control gurus will cut a piece of fruit and then squeeze some juice from the fruit onto the open refractometer. They will then close it, and look into the eyepiece (kind of like a kaleidoscope) to see what degree of sugar is measured.
When they want an exact measurement to tell how firm or ripe a piece of fruit really is, they use a penetrometer. To use this tool, they scrape off a small piece of skin on each side of the fruit to expose the flesh. Then, they puncture the fruit and take the reading. Though the USDA has not yet created pressure requirements for every item, there is a chart that dictates acceptable readings for harvest, shipment and consumption.
We Don’t Dictate What You Eat
Walking through the produce warehouse is an eye-opening—and sinus-opening—experience. The vibrant red, green, and orange hues pop out from the large stacks of boxes. The smells of aromatic ginger root, basil and Meyer lemons intrigue your inner foodie.
The wide assortment, however, is what truly sets Sprouts apart. “We don’t dictate what people should eat and what offerings they can have,” Cullen says.
A more gourmet shopper can find specialty items such as elephant garlic, which bakes nicely and turns to butter. At the same time, a run-of-the-mill shopper can stock up on old-school boiler onions, which are anything but gourmet. Same thing goes for potatoes: Sprouts sells “why-fix-what-ain’t-broke” red potatoes alongside time-honored white potatoes and new-fangled purple potatoes (which live up to their regal color nutritionally too).
In the case of tomatoes, Sprouts carries 12–15 varieties, from slicing tomatoes to heirloom tomatoes to Campari tomatoes to baby super sweet tomatoes. The Cherub tomatoes are one of the highest volume products in our stores. “We negotiate better pricing than a lot of our competitors, and pass that saving onto the shopper,” Cullen says.
The Best the World Has to Offer
The premise of our business is, and has always been, value to the customer. Our Produce Buyers source the best-quality produce at the best price available, whether it is conventional or organic, domestic or international.
Our “farmers market” reputation comes from our long-term relationships with local growers and vendors, coupled with our ability to sell fresh produce at great prices. Thanks to our international partners, fruits and veggies that were once strictly seasonal are now available year-round.
For example, early in the spring, Sprouts opts for imported grapes. “Domestic grapes at that time of year would taste like battery acid,” Cullen jokes. “But now, well into the summer, the California grapes are at their peak.”
Buying from international vendors also means we can bring in unique items such as Brazilian-grown strawberry papayas and Chilean kiwifruit in the summer.
In today’s marketplace, food safety verification and confidence are critical, especially for those imported items. Shoppers can look for Primus Labs third-party certification clearly labeled on imported produce cartons, which guarantee the highest standards of quality and sanitation.
“Our shoppers know that any imported produce with Primus Labs certification comes from a state-of-the-art facility that exceeds the sanitary standards of most domestic facilities,” Cullen says. “Hair nets, shoe booties, lab coats, and even foot baths are required to ensure a germ-free facility.”
We go to great lengths to guarantee that the quality is there every step of the way, even when we’re sourcing our products from around the corner or around the globe. We are proud of the processes, safeguards and quality-control protocols we have in place.