Rhône Wines

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food

How Could I Forget?

Dining chez Susan and Towny is, well, an incredible treat. Not only due to the exquisite food, mind you, but because of the wine. Whatever I make, they have the perfect wine to pair. And this month’s selection is truly exceptional.

I made something for them which I can make in my sleep. In fact, until I made it for them, I hadn’t even written it down as... [...]

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food

White and Red, Daube and Wine

I’ve had a couple of firsts recently — the Swiss Fondue last month (see Savoie Faire) and now my first Daube. I knew daubes were generally made with red wine, but Susan introduced me to Patricia Wells’ recipe for a White Daube. Wells suggests that making it with a white Châteauneuf-du-Pape is traditional, but I find that a bit extravagant. Happily, she offered the suggestion to use “any drinkable white without too much oak.” That worked much better for me. However, when pairing with the daube, I did serve both a white and red Châteauneuf-du-Pape and thoroughly enjoyed both. For my version of Wells’ recipe, visit Cocoa & Lavender. For more about the two wines, read on.

If someone were to ask me what my favorite wine is, I would have to say it’s a Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc. While I could not bring myself to make the daube with this wine, I knew I had to try pairing it with this wine. I chose an E. Guigal 2019 vintage, and it was at its prime for drinking. The color of golden straw, it has aromas of candied melon and marshmallow, and a complex palate that offers apple compote, orange-fleshed melon, apricot, dried mango, jasmine, and a touch of pineapple with a nice long, citrusy finish. It paired beautifully with the white daube, highlighting the rich beef, vegetable, and mushroom broth... [...]

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food

I Turned Back Time

For today’s pairing, I turned back time (with a nod to Cher) to a recipe I that first tasted on Easter Island in 2019. It is a grain-forward dish that is complemented by a plethora of seasonal vegetables. I didn’t officially get a recipe from the hotel chef… just a list of ingredients. I put the rest together myself and recreated his... [...]

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food

Never Have I Ever

If any of you are familiar with Garagiste, you know that sometimes they offer mystery wine purchases. They give a general description, but no real idea of what the varietals are or where it’s from. If the price is right, I enjoy playing the mystery game. I think of it as my wine-centered version of "never have I ever."... [...]

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food

If At First You Don’t Succeed…

Let me start by saying that I did succeed the first time with the wine pairing. What didn’t go so well was the execution of the recipe. Don’t get me wrong — all the flavors blended perfectly to pair with this exquisite wine, but my sous vide wand failed and the halibut was severely overcooked! Technology… sigh.

That said, the recipe — which I made twice before and twice since “the disaster” — is probably one of my best creations inspired by... [...]

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food

Upgraded Again

Very rarely in life do you come across a Côtes du Rhône Villages so incredible that it might as well be a Gigondas. Today’s wine is exactly this. A nice upgrade.
It is big and bold, rich and intense, and it paired perfectly with my recipe for Steak with Hatch Chile Cream and Tomato-Corn Salsa. There is some spice... [...]
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