Layer Up, It's Cold Out There!

This final installment of the holiday favorites comes from the man in shadows, InShadows. He has a propensity towards whites, and this meal seemed to want a white, and there was only one wine we had in common in our cellars. Lucky for me, it was the one I wanted anyway!

Wine: 2007 Wellington Vineyards Marsanne Estate Bottled
Meal: Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Color: (5/5)
Pale lemony yellow, like pure lemon juice. Clear, very nice color.

Nose: (12/15)
Vanilla dominates with soft herbal and floral background. Musty oak barrels, like when you walk into a winery's barrel room, a smell I wish I could bottle up and take home. Pretty nose. Not super complex, but pretty.

Taste: (8/10)
Grapefruit and canteloupe are the first things to hit. There is a slightly sweet taste to this, although I believe it is considered dry. Nice summery fruitiness to it. I was a little worried there would be a lot of oak on the palate given the nose, but it really isn't there. Good acidity, crisp and clean. Slightly hot, though.

Finish: (8/10)
Ah, there's the oak. Very subtle though. A nice vanilla finish that stretches on. There's a touch of minerality in the finish as well, and way on the back end, a little vegetal.

Aging: (2/5)
This wine may not have peaked yet - seems like there's still a little integration that could happen in here. Will probably hold up well for another couple of years.

Overall: (5/5)
I must admit, I liked this more than I thought I would. I absolutely adore the combination of smelling that old-musty-barrels and tasting the fruits together more than I anticipated. Really pretty wine, worthy of the Wellington label.

Total: 90pts

I wanted something with a little sweetness and acidity combined together to go with this cheesy dish. For some reason I thought it was going to be spicier than it is, so I wanted a little sweet to counterbalance. Not sure why I thought the Marsanne was a semi-dry, but it works out pretty well. The heavy cheese is balanced out by the acidity, and the flavors complement each other really nicely.

Want to make this meal?

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

1 can (10 3/4 oz.) cream of chicken soup
1 can (10 oz.) tomatoes with green chilies
1 can (10 oz.) enchilada sauce
3 chicken breasts, cooked (approximately 1 lb.) Pulled or cut into bite size pieces after it has cooled a bit.
1 pkg corn tortillas
long horn* cheese (approximately .82 to 1 lb), grated
1 medium to large onion, chopped

Mix soup, tomatoes and cooked chicken together. Pour a bit of enchilada sauce in a 9" x 13" pan sprayed with Pam. Then a layer of tortillas. Next a layer of chicken soup, breasts and tomatoes with green chilies (about half the mixture). Next a layer of cheese and chopped onions (again, about half). Repeat layers. Top with remainder of enchilada sauce on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Please note that it is absolutely critical that you allow this to sit for at least 5 minutes before cutting or you will have goopy mess all over.

*Long horn cheese is mild cheddar, but it has to be firm.

Enjoy!