Lamb is a great choice for a winter dinner, and while it may have once been difficult to find that is no longer the case.  As Craig Camp from Anne Amie Winery (Carlton, Oregon) says “Frenched rack of lamb has become easy to find these days.  They are even easy and fast enough to cook for a weeknight dinner while remaining delicious and elegant enough for company. It’s one of my favorite meals.”  Give this simple recipe a try and maybe it will also become one of your favorite meals.  Craig recommends serving it with their Winemaker’s Selection Pinot Noir. 

Frenched Rack of Lamb

By Craig Camp, President Anne Amie Winery

To prepare, simply flip the rack bone side up and with a small sharp knife make narrow incisions, about two inches deep, between each rib at the thickest point. Into each pocket insert a slice of fresh garlic and some fresh rosemary. If possible, let marinate in the refrigerator overnight or for a few hours. If you’re in a hurry, go ahead and cook right away. Just before cooking, salt and pepper on all sides.

If you’re cooking in the oven, roast at 450°F for around 20 minutes to an internal temperature of about 130°F, measured with an instant readout thermometer. If you don’t like lamb rare (what’s wrong with you!), cook to 150°. I usually prefer to prepare this on my gas grill. First I brown the lamb directly over high heat, then move it to the upper rack and close the lid, leaving the heat on high. About twenty minutes will bring the rack to rare.  Remove from heat and let sit ten minutes before slicing.

Carve the rack rib by rib and serve with roasted potatoes, a fresh salad and 2004 Anne Amie Vineyards Winemaker’s Selection Pinot Noir.

Bon Appétit!

About 2004 Anne Amie Vineyards Winemaker’s Selection Pinot Noir

The seductively translucent color the 2004 Winemaker’s Selection Pinot Noir is a brilliant light ruby with sparkling garnet highlights. Leaping from the glass are smoky touches of oak laced with exotic spices and tart ripe wild cherry fruit. It is graceful and balanced on the palate with gripping wild red raspberry fruit flavors layered over hints of sweet tobacco, new leather and touches of just cracked vanilla beans. The finish is firm with a racy, tart acidity that makes the wine very lively and fresh bringing lightness of spirit to the rich fruit and oak flavors. This elegant structure gives mouthwatering zest and a distinctive Oregonian style to this wine. While drinkable now, the firm structure and balance would suggest several more years of aging before reaching its zenith.

About Anne Amie Vineyards

Pinot reigns supreme at Anne Amie Vineyards with Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc forming the heart of our production. Complimenting the Pinot family, we also produce small selections of Riesling from our Willamette Valley estate vineyard on the hillside directly in front of the winery. As with all great wines, ours start in the vineyards and we are fortunate to have some of Oregon’s best sites, both those farmed by us and those we contract with to purchase. Our vineyards (as do the ones we purchase from) receive only the minimal required treatments and yields are severely reduced to yield fruit with great depth and complexity.