There are a few things that are guaranteed whenever I take a trip to Santa Ynez Valley wine country: great wine, beautiful scenery, tri tip sandwiches, potato salad. Yes, potato salad.
Now, this wine country potato salad that I’m talking about comes from Los Olivos Grocery and believe me when I say it is not your average potato salad. It’s loaded with bacon, olives, garlic and lots of pepper, and it hits the spot between wine tasting stops. I crave this potato salad so often that I’ve been working to replicate the recipe at home so I can indulge in this dish anytime I like!
It’s only natural that this Wine Country Potato Salad recipe comes with a recommended wine pairing.
When I tried Bells Up Winery’s 2018 Titan Pinot Noir recently, I knew it was a perfect accompaniment to my version of the Wine Country Potato Salad. Notes of black pepper, baking spice, and the characteristic earthiness of Oregon Pinot Noir give a savory quality to this wine that compliments the rich, umami flavors of the potato salad. The bright red fruit flavors and balanced acidity of the Titan Pinot Noir kick in to provide a palate-cleansing flavor contrast between bites of luscious potato salad.
Enjoying this Wine Country Potato Salad with a bottle of Bells Up Titan Pinot Noir is a surefire way to experience a wine country-esque afternoon in your own backyard. Here’s how to make my Wine Country Potato Salad at home:
Wine Country Potato Salad
Makes about 10 cups
Ingredients:
- 1 pound red and yellow potatoes
- 12 oz bacon
- 1 tablespoon Minced garlic
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard (if you don’t have this, just double the amount of Dijon used)
- Salt to taste (go easy on the salt at first…the bacon and olives add a lot of salt on their own!)
- 1 tsp black pepper (more to taste if needed)
- ¾ cup Kalamata olives, sliced
- ¾ cup Chopped scallions
- Chopped parsley, to taste
Steps:
First, decant the wine! For the best tasting experience, allow the Titan Pinot Noir to open up for at least an hour. This Pinot Noir is bold and can easily age for 7-10 years, but if you want to drink it on the younger side like I did, an hour or so in the decanter will allow the wine to oxidize slightly. As it opens, the flavors and aromas become more recognizable and distinct. It is worth the wait to allow this wine to open up!
Meanwhile, in a large pot, add the potatoes and cover them with water. Bring water to a boil and cook potatoes until fork tender.
While potatoes are cooking, cut bacon into approximately 1-inch pieces and set aside.
Once the potatoes are cooked, drain the pot and move the potatoes to a cutting board to cool. Once cooled, cut the potatoes in half or quarters if needed. You should have fairly large, bite-sized chunks for the salad. Set aside.
Return the large pot to the burner. Add bacon and cook until crispy. Remove bacon bits with a slotted spoon, leaving bacon grease behind—you should have about ¼ cup. This will form the base of your dressing (now do you understand why this potato salad is so good?!).
Turn off the burner temporarily and allow the bacon fat to cool slightly before proceeding.
Now it’s time to make the dressing! Over low heat, add garlic to the bacon grease and cook for 1-2 minutes until it is fragrant and slightly browned. Add apple cider vinegar, pepper, salt, and both Dijon mustards (regular and whole grain). Whisk until well combined. Carefully taste the dressing and adjust seasonings if desired.
Once the dressing is seasoned to your liking, remove from heat. Add potatoes back into the pot with the dressing and fold gently to mix. The potatoes will slowly absorb the dressing over the next several minutes. Add bacon, Kalamata olives, and sliced scallions. Mix well, and continue to stir every few minutes until all of the dressing is absorbed. Add parsley once potato salad is mostly cooled.
Now, the fun part—taste! If you like your potato salad to pack a punch, you may want to add more black pepper. The Los Olivos Grocery potato salad—the inspiration for this recipe—doesn’t shy away from the pepper. Plus, the kick of pepper pairs beautifully with the Titan Pinot Noir!
Speaking of Pinot Noir, here are all the details for Bells Up Winery’s 2018 Titan:
Production: 111 cases
Clones: 41.4% Pommard (Chehalem Mountains AVA) – 10-year vines
29.3% 115 (Yamhill-Carlton AVA) – 18-year vines
29.3% 777 (Yamhill-Carlton AVA) – 18-year vines
Soils: Loess (Chehalem Mountains AVA) & Willakenzie (Yamhill-Carlton AVA)
Harvest: October 4, 2018
Harvest Brix: 25.3 (average)
Cooperage: Aged 12 months in French oak (38% new)
Bottled: December 17, 2019
Released: September 1, 2020
Alcohol: 13.7%
pH: 3.46
TA: 6.8 g/L
Price: $44 per bottle
Fun Fact: Willamette Valley is now on the world wine map!
In July 2021, the Willamette Valley (home to Bells Up Winery and many other world-class wineries) was given “Protected Geographical Indication” (PGI) status by the European Union. They are only the second region in the United States to be given this recognition—Napa Valley was the first.
PGI status is a big deal. From a practical standpoint, this designation helps ensure authenticity and quality worldwide. Perhaps even more importantly, PGI status puts the Willamette Valley on a world stage, recognizing the wine growing region as special, unique, and of the highest caliber. Check out this article on WineBusiness.com to learn about the significance of this designation.
If you’ve considered visiting the Willamette Valley but haven’t done it yet, now is the time! Throughout the vast region, you’ll find top quality wine but with significantly fewer crowds than other wine regions like Napa. As a result, the Willamette Valley feels more down-to-earth and approachable.
Sara and Dave Specter, the “brains” behind the Bells Up Winery operations, are perfect examples of the relaxed, hospitable environment that you’ll find in the Willamette Valley. As a micro-boutique winery, they focus on building relationships with their clients through private wine tastings geared toward winos of all types—from newbie to expert! It’s worth a visit to Bells Up to try their award-winning wines and experience a pure example of all that the Willamette Valley has to offer.
If you can’t find the time to make a trip to the region, considering purchasing wine from reputable Willamette Valley winemakers instead. Bells Up Winery is a great place to start! They have something on the wine menu for everyone, from the complex-yet-refreshing Prelude Rosé of Pinot Noir, to the mineral-driven Helios Seyval Blanc, to earthy, peppery Pinot Noirs and even a Syrah from the Walla Walla Valley AVA in Washington. Purchasing from Bells Up means supporting a small, family-owned and operated business that is driven by a passion for producing and sharing fine wine. There’s nothing better than that!
I hope you serve this Wine Country Potato Salad as a side dish at your next BBQ or family dinner, and pour a glass of Titan Pinot Noir (or whatever other Bells Up wine suits your fancy!) alongside it. Cheers!
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Sips N Tips Wine Country Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb red and yellow potatoes
- 12 oz bacon
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard (if you can't find whole grain Dijon, just double the amount of regular Dijon used)
- 1 tsp kosher salt (approximate amount, season to taste)
- 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper (more to taste if needed)
- 3/4 cup Kalamata olives sliced
- 3/4 cup scallions chopped
- parsley chopped, to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, add the potatoes and cover them with water. Bring water to a boil and cook potatoes until fork tender.
- While potatoes are cooking, cut bacon into approximately 1 inch pieces
- Once the potatoes are cooked, drain the pot and move the potatoes to a cutting board to cool. Once cooled, cut the potatoes in half or quarters if needed. You should have fairly large, bite-sized chunks for the salad. Set aside.
- Return the large pot to the burner. Add bacon and cook until crispy. Remove bacon bits with a slotted spoon, leaving bacon grease behind—you should have about ¼ cup. This will form the base of your dressing (now do you understand why this potato salad is so good?!).
- Turn off the burner temporarily and allow the bacon fat to cool slightly before proceeding.
- Over low heat, add garlic to the bacon grease and cook for 1-2 minutes until it is fragrant and slightly browned. Add apple cider vinegar, pepper, salt, and both Dijon mustards (regular and whole grain). Whisk until well combined. Carefully taste the dressing and adjust seasonings if desired.
- Once the dressing is seasoned to your liking, remove from heat. Add potatoes back into the pot with the dressing and fold gently to mix.The potatoes will slowly absorb the dressing over the next several minutes. Add bacon, Kalamata olives, and sliced scallions. Mix well, and continue to stir every few minutes until all of the dressing is absorbed. Add parsley once potato salad is mostly cooled.
- If you like your potato salad to pack a punch, you may want to add more black pepper. The Los Olivos Grocery potato salad—the inspiration for this recipe—doesn’t shy away from the pepper. Plus, the kick of pepper pairs beautifully with the Titan Pinot Noir!