While things are slowly returning to normal, large family gatherings or brunch at your favorite restaurant may still not be possible. We asked 5 of our team members to share their favorite gift ideas or how they are gathering to honor Mom this year.

Kate Payne Brown, Winemaker

For all the stressors over the last year, this Mother’s Day comes down to the gift of time. Time together. For me, Motherhood is about finding harmony. As a family, we have slowed down and become more insular. The ability to take a breath and spend more time at home, which sometimes seemed really stressful, but now, after a year I’m feeling this time together in a different way. I have been gifted with the opportunity to spend more time with my family and be engaged. I feel like I’ll look back on this time with my kids and miss it a bit as the kids get older and everyone gets back to their activities again. I’ve chosen to find the silver lining in this past year as a time to bond and reconnect. That’s been true at the winery as well. We are really looking forward to this next harvest and coming together as a team after everything felt very sidelined last year.

As a mom, we are often doing things for everybody else. As a winemaker, my thought is always to take care of the wines, and I’m constantly in this nurturing position. It’s important to think about self-care and wellbeing. This year, I’m trying to give myself more grace and not feel like I have to have everything checked off my to-do list. My kids get very excited for Mother’s Day. They are now at an age where they like to bring me breakfast in bed with cards that they made. So I pretend to sleep in while I can hear them preparing everything. It is so sweet. When my family asked me what they could get me for Mother’s Day, I asked for time. Time for me to reflect and think about the next year. I may stay in bed all day!

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Becca Richards, Executive Chef

Cooking is a love language. This year, celebrate mom with a fun and easy recipe to follow together in the kitchen, or on a Zoom call. I love to make salmon cakes is because they go amazingly well with Stoller wines.  My mom isn’t the biggest salmon lover, but she loves these! When I can make her love something she would normally overlook, it’s nice to see her expression of surprise. Everything can be prepped before and cooks quickly, which leaves you and Mom time to catch up over a nice glass of wine! 

Mother’s Day Salmon Cakes

Ingredients:

2 lbs of salmon – poached and flaked

1 sm red onion – finely diced

1 aloha pepper (sub red bell pepper)

2 tsp chopped chervil

2 tsp chopped flat leaf parsley

1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

2 Tbsp mayonnaise

1 tsp sriracha

2 eggs

Juice and zest of 1 Meyer lemon

2 Tbsp gluten free 1-1 flour

1 C gluten-free panko

Salt and pepper

1 stick of butter (for cooking)

Canola oil (for cooking)

Directions:

1. Combine the above ingredients except the flour and panko
2. Season with salt and pepper
3. Add flour – combine again. Should have a slightly sticky paste
4. Scoop paste to desired amount, I like to use an ice cream scoop and a ring mold, but pattying like a burger is also great.
5. On a parchment lined sheet tray, place panko, drop the cake on, flipping it to coat in panko.
6. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to completely set, but they can be made up to two days in advance.

To cook:

1. Turn oven to 350 degrees.
2. In an oven safe pan, place a pat of butter and a splash of oil in on medium heat.
3. Brown one side of the salmon cakes.
4. Flip cake in pan, then place into the oven for 7 minutes.
5. Repeat for each cake.

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Corinne Gosnell, Horticulturalist

Corinne Gosnell has two important roles in her life: Head of Corporate Gardens for Stoller Wine Group and new grandmother. We asked her gifting tips for any nature-loving mom.

Mother’s Day coincides with the beginning of the gardening season, a time when I get to create a feeling of fun and joy, both in the garden and with my granddaughter.  I love to fill a plant saucer with water, add a simple hand tool, and find a muddy patch. No rules, just good old digging, making a muddy mess, and laughing about it all helps me shape my little helper for years to come. My son even has her collecting dandelions, with a kiss as a reward for every mangled stem.

For me, children deserve to learn how to use real things, and all moms can use a little mother nature interaction. Stainless steel hand tools and fine gardening spades or edging shovels with a nice Ash wood handle are timeless gifts. A trowel can help clean out a fireplace of coal ash or dig a hole for a seed dropped by a tiny hand. Whether it’s spending time planting an indoor herb garden or enjoying the great outdoors, quality time is a timeless gift across generations.

 

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Devin Andolsen, Director of Guest Experience

Whether it’s with the family, you’re born into or one you’ve created, Mother’s Day is a chance to be around those you love…and what better way to celebrate Mom than with wine?!!

Four wines come to mind with Mother’s Day approaching:

• 2018 Reserve Chardonnay
• 2020 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir Rosé
• Chemistry Willamette Valley Pinot Noir Rose Bubbles
• 2017 LaRue’s Brut Rose

My family has a tradition of strictly enjoying Chardonnay on Mother’s day because it’s my mother’s favorite variety. The Stoller Reserve Chardonnay has just enough richness to pair with a variety of cheeses that you hopefully will be enjoying with your mom and family like I will be.

Rosé all Mother’s Day! I am hard-pressed to find a single person who doesn’t like Rosé. The Stoller Rose is crisp, bright, fruity, and plain delicious. Sip it in the sun or pair it with a picnic and charcuterie. 

Chemistry Pinot Noir Rosé Bubbles bursts with flavors of peaches, buttered bread, strawberry, and watermelon, while remaining dry and crisp. Chemistry is priced to be fun and provides the celebratory atmosphere that mom deserves.

Finally, show mom that you love her and share the experience of LaRue’s Brut Rosé. It’s on par with the great French Champagnes and is one of Stoller’s more exclusive offerings. It’s incredible now, but it could also be cellared to enjoy on any mother’s day for the next 15+ years!

Cheers to all the hard-working Moms, enjoy YOUR day!!