Apres Vin (French for “After the Wine”)
Being a Chef here in the Yakima Valley we get to meet some great people who are doing some really cool things. A couple of friends of mine who are doing just such a thing are Eric Leber, Ph.D. and Lori Ramonas, Ph.D. In early 2000 while a professor at Heritage University in Toppenish Leber challenged his students to come up with productive ways to utilize the waste of the growing wine industry. Many ideas were hatched with this project. One idea squeezed from the rest of the students in particular was to later become a business endeavor for these two semi-retired Ph.D.s called Après Vin- which is French for “After the Wine”. What Après Vin does is produce some incredible, healthy products from the waste produced after the grape has done its original job. Grape seed oil, produced by varietal, goes through a slightly complicated process; the grape seeds are collected from some the area’s finest wineries, kept separated by varietal, dried and later cold pressed with some of the finest imported oil presses in the world. “It takes 3,000 lbs of grapes (enough for 300 gallons of wine) to yield the 75 lbs of dried seeds needed to make a single gallon of grape-seed oil.”- Apres Vin
There are about 40 products produced by Après Vin, including; gluten free flour, handmade soaps and flavored oils, it’s main use is for culinary world (which makes me happy). Après Vin key is how they extract the grape seed’s fragrant essential oils found in the different grape seeds varietals, each having its own distinct flavor profile. The final product is the most delectable, fruitiest, full bodied oil I’ve ever tasted. A few oils lend themselves to being infused by other oils- the chardonnay is one of the main ones being infused with flavors like Vanilla, Morocco, Provencal and one of my personal favorites, Five Spice.
Speaking as a chef who uses these products nightly, there are some health benefits: high in omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids (the good ones), gluten free and they have a great high smoke point- 485˚F (important when searing ingredients like Ahi, that need hot oil).
The merlot seed oil lends itself well to dressings and marinades. It has become a staple of Picazo 7Seventeen.
There are many specialty shops and wineries where you can find these oils. Hope you enjoy them as much as I have.
Thank You Eric and Lori!!
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