Another Strange Wine

I received a sample of Ile de France Brie. Tonight's dinner incorporated this lovely cheese, and I had some leftover for dessert. I pulled out another unusual Italian wine to go with dinner. It paired beautifully with the meal and the cheese, but I don't think I'd drink this one alone. Grapes involved: Fiano and Greco.

The brie is lovely (I said that already, didn't I) - exactly what you would expect of a brie. Slightly bitter rind, creamy texture, excellent meltability. A lot of brie, I tend to discard the rind because it's too bitter. This one is just right and the flavor of the rind actually enhances the cheese itself. And it goes beautifully with the wine.


Wine: 2006 A Mano Fiano - Greco Puglia IGT
Meal: Brie-baked Chicken with pasta

Tasting notes on the wine:
Color: 5/5
Pale honey, almost straw-like. Fantastic clarity.

Nose: 11/15
Minerally, with a hint of honeysuckle and vanilla. Nice, but not complex.

Taste: 7/10
No heat, really smooth. Crisp, with good acidity. Melon and pear notes dominating. Again, very simple, but nice.

Finish: 6/10
Smooth finish, again minerally and clean. Apples show themselves here, but once again, no complexity to speak of.

Aging: 2/5
Will possibly hold up another year, but I wouldn't risk it. Drink it now if you've got it.

Overall: 3/5
I'm neutral about this one. It's nice. I don't know that I'd buy it again. Decent wine.

Total: 84pts

Hey, it's all about the experience, right? I couldn't pass up the chance to try two unusual grapes.

Want to make this meal?
2 chicken breast halves
1 cup wine
4 oz brie, sliced about 1/4" thick, rind on
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Season chicken with salt and pepper, and place in 8x8 dish. Pour in the wine and bake for 35 minutes. Pull out the dish and top chicken with cheese, then return to oven for 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese has melted.

The pasta dish was just a pre-packaged pasta dish with sundried tomatoes.

Enjoy!

Capellini Prawns and Sauvignon Blanc

Shellfish and whites are a no-brainer, but sometimes finding just the right white for the preparation of the dish can be tricky. You generally want to find something crisp, light, and refreshing, and not overly sweet or fruity. This one pairs pretty well, although I think I could have done better.

Wine: 2007 Wellington Vineyards Sonoma Valley Sauvignon Blanc
Meal: Capellini Prawns

Tasting notes on the wine:

Color: 5/5
Sparkling sunshine. There's a few bubbles clinging to the side of the glass. Perfectly clear though, and the color runs very nearly to the edge of the glass. Excellent cling, especially for a white. It's a happy color to look at.

Nose: 12/15
Minerally, earthy. I get some pear and lemon zest in there, but it's a little hot. Pleasant, but not one of those sit-all-day-and-sniff noses.

Flavor: 9/10
Very true to the varietal, there are definite grassy and tropical tones to it. Grapefruit, pineapple and pear lead the forefront with a touch of dandelion. It is crisp, slightly tart like a sweettart, but a little on the oily side. I think this is because I had this closer to room temperature than intended. A second glass, chilled, removes the oiliness and keeps the flavor, even making it a little more tart. Although Sauvignon Blanc is typically a dry wine, this one seems to lean a little more to the semi-dry, almost semi-sweet side. Really nice by itself, works well with food too.

Finish: 10/10
This is one of those finishes that just goes on and on. You can still taste it long after you've put the glass down. Much more grassy on the finish, like lemon-grass and more of the dandelion. Very smooth and pleasant, and leaves behind a fresh feeling. Superb!

Aging: 1/5
It's a white, and Sauvignon Blanc is not exactly known for its aging potential. This one is ready to go, right now, and I wouldn't keep it longer than 3-4 years. Then again, I'd probably drink all mine long before then anyway! Drink this now - 2011.

Overall: 4/5
Really nice white. Well balanced, as I've come to expect from Peter Wellington's wines, and really easy to drink. I'm pretty excited about this one!

Total: 91pts

Shellfish is obvious for this, the sweetness and crispness should balance well with the typically sweet shellfish meat. I'd like to give this a swirl with sushi, and I think pasta with marinara would be good as well.

Want to make this meal?

Capellini Prawns
1 rib celery, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1/4 red onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
pinch Kosher salt
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp artichoke dip
2 Tbsp freshly grated hard cheese (like parmesan), divided
1/4 cup dry white wine
6 prawns
balsamic vinegar
4oz capellini (angel hair) pasta

Cook pasta according to package directions.

In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add celery, carrot, onion, garlic, and salt. Allow to cook, stirring occasionally until the onion becomes translucent. Place prawns in skillet, allowing them to sit directly on the skillet (not on top of the veggies). Add wine. Cook prawns thoroughly until the shells are pink, then remove and set aside. Stir in artichoke dip and 1 Tbsp cheese. Remove from heat.

Toss skillet mixture with pasta and plate. Place prawns on top, drizzle with a little balsamic vinegar, and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Enjoy!

When you wish you could go back in time...

Last post about the Havens Albariño, but just as a "I wish I had made this when the Albariño still tasted like limey-lemonade" post. I went for a quick dinner tonight, with whatever I could find lying around. I found shrimp, pasta, butter, red bell pepper, garlic, shallots, parsley and Old Bay seasoning, along with the final dregs of the whites sitting in my fridge. Once it was all put together and tasted, it really felt like it needed a little lemon and acidity, which the Albariño would have given just beautifully as a pairing. But here's the recipe in case you'd like to try it.

Shrimp and Penne with White-wine Butter Sauce
1/2 cup white wine
1 tsp olive oil
1 stick unsalted butter
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1 small shallot
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
handful fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 package penne pasta
1 lb medium shrimp
kosher salt

Bring 6 cups water to a boil.

Pour the olive oil in a small sauce pan, add the shallots, garlic, and red bell pepper with a pinch of salt, and saute until the shallots begin to become translucent. Add the Old Bay seasoning and wine and bring to a boil, and allow to reduce by half. Cut the butter up into chunks and add, along with the parsley. Stir to let the butter melt evenly. Allow to simmer while the pasta is cooking.

When the water is boiling, add a couple of healthy pinches of salt, and the pasta. Cook according to package directions, about 11 minutes. Use a steamer basket on top of the pasta pot to steam the shrimp for 4 minutes until the shells turn red.

Remove the shrimp and rinse under cold water for 30 seconds, and then peel.

Once the pasta has cooked, drain and place in a large bowl. Add the sauce and shrimp, and toss to combine.

Enjoy!