A Virtual Visit with Burgundy Friends #Winophiles
French #Winophiles Admire Bourgogne January is Burgundy month for our French #Winophiles group. Just back from our first trip to the region, we celebrate by featuring our new favorite mustard and by enjoying two wines purchased from the cellars in Burgundy. (click on a photo for slideshow, escape to exit) Visit and You’ll Never Be … Continue reading
The Undiscovered France: Sud-Ouest & Jurançon Sec #Winophiles
Southwest France (Sud-Ouest) Gets No Respect The Southwest France wine region is a real Cinderella story. Look at the map, wicked step-sister “Bordeaux” in the same geographic region gets all the glory. The remainder of the entire region is relegated to anonymity. I know a Wine Bible can’t include every single region in every single … Continue reading
Thanksgiving from the Veneto: Turkey, Pomegranate Sauce & Valpolicella
#WinePW Wine Pairing Weekend Thanksgiving Edition November is here! And that means it’s time to start thinking about the turkey and other Thanksgiving dinner fixings. Our challenge this month is to find a creative wine & food pairing to use at Thanksgiving. If you see this early enough, please join us November 8th at 10 … Continue reading
Cut Me Smash Me Burn Me: Spatchcock Chicken Under Bricks
Cut Me Smash Me Burn Me ChickenI’ve always been impressed with photos of “How to Spatchcock a Chicken”, but it seemed a bit intimidating. Couldn’t be farther from the truth; it’s so easy it may become your new standard preparation of a whole bird! Grilling the chicken under a brick comes naturally with a spatchcocked … Continue reading
BBQ Chicken part 2: Pairing with Idlewild Arneis
Which White to Pair with BBQ Chicken & Sweet Barbecue Sauce? As part of #NWTW, we were testing out Zinfandel with an easy grilled chicken breast smothered in sweet barbecue sauce. Always curious to find both red wines and white wines to pair with food, I wanted to try a white wine with the same … Continue reading
#NWTW: Zinfandel with BBQ Chicken
#NWTW: Zinfandel #NWTW (New Wine This Week) is fun, but it does involve working on a deadline. If I don’t finish by Sunday evening, I’m out of luck until the next wine and the next week! This week: Zinfandel. It isn’t new to many American households, but I’ll happily share my experience with my buds … Continue reading
Roast Chicken Pairing: Viognier or Pinot Noir?
Viognier Exploration #3: Wine Pairing with Roast Chicken Our next Viognier experiment will test two very nice wines with a locally sourced roast chicken dinner. For roast chicken, I would often pick out a nice Pinot Noir. If I’m really open, would a Viognier be a better match? Going Local in Late Fall All summer … Continue reading
Viognier Exploration: Curry Chicken, Sweet Potato & Cauliflower
Getting to Know Viognier It’s time to explore a varietal that is surprisingly easy to find, but a little less known: Viognier. Wines made from the Viognier grape tend to have a bigger body: perfect for colder weather. I purchased wines from a variety of different places: California, Washington, Oregon, Australia and France. The samples I … Continue reading
Who Would Pick Nebbiolo for a Chicken Dinner?
I never really understood the whole “chicken is a blank canvas” thing until today. Sure, chicken pairs with different wines depending on whether it’s been baked vs. grilled. I have made a variety of sauces to serve over chicken and they make the bridge to a lighter red like a Pinot Noir. But Nebbiolo? Powerful, … Continue reading
Which Wine with Roast Chicken?
With a houseful of guests over the holidays, I thought a nice roast chicken dinner would be easy, pretty, and a healthy choice in advance of all the rich foods ahead. I picked out two very nice wines to serve with the chicken, I was curious to see if one would prove to be a … Continue reading
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