Viognier – Tasting Pour by Jade Helm

Curried Mango Chicken Salad – No Mayo

tastingpour@gmail.com — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 16:03:07 +0000

I am pretty excited about this Curried Mango Chicken Salad. It is spicy and sweet and crunchy and fresh.

I don’t like mayonnaise. Yes, they may take my Southern card away. I can only tolerate small homemade quantities. So am often looking for ways to reinvent mayo centric recipes. Like this No Mayo Cold Slaw.

I DO love chicken salad. Mark said he would support some no mayo chicken salad recipe experimentation. He doesn’t like mayonnaise either. The first attempt was a smashing success and absolute perfection with Maryhill Viognier. Now let’s see if I can recall what I did. Maybe we should not have finished the bottle.

Curried Mango Chicken Salad – No Mayo

5.0 from 3 reviews

Curried Mango Chicken Salad - No Mayo

Save Print

Prep time

30 mins

Total time

30 mins

Author: Tasting Pour

Recipe type: Entree

Serves: 2 servings

Ingredients

For chicken salad:
1 lb chicken, cooked and shredded (I used thighs)
1 container Trader Joe's Whole Milk Yogurt Coconut Cream
1 inch ginger root, peeled and diced small
1 tablespoon curry powder
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons Major Grey's Chutney
½ red bell pepper diced
salt and pepper to taste
For green salad
6 cups mixed spring lettuce
2 Tbs chopped fresh mint
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tablespoons chopped hazelnuts
For garnish:
2 red scallions chopped small (including 3 inches of green stem)
½ cup grapes, cut in half or quarters
¼ cup Trader Joe's Pomegranate Vinegar
1 lime
¼ tsp allspice
½ tablespoon brown sugar.

Instructions

Garnish:
Combine vinegar, lime juice, allspice, sugar in bowl. Add scallions and grapes. Soak while preparing rest of dish to make a quick pickle.
Chicken Salad:
Place all ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine. (yogurt, ginger, curry, red pepper flakes, chutney, bell pepper, chicken, salt and pepper)
Green salad:
Divide lettuce greens between two plates. Garnish with cilantro, mint, and hazelnuts
Assemble:
Top lettuce with chicken salad. Strain onion and grapes from "pickling juice". Garnish chicken salad.
Makes 2 entree sized servings or 4 salad course or lunch servings.

2016 Maryhill Viognier

Sip it on the porch, veranda, deck – choose your outdoor seating and pour a glass. Vanilla custard, marshmallow, peach, apricot, and light honey on the nose. Viscous on the palate but with balanced acidity. A little off dry with sugared apple slices, a touch of grounding minerality, and a perfumey floral bite on the finish. $16

Anyone else hate mayo? What are some of your favorite no mayo recipes?

The post Curried Mango Chicken Salad – No Mayo appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

Sweet Pea Pesto Meets Wines of Summer #winepw

tastingpour@gmail.com — Sat, 08 Jul 2017 02:35:46 +0000

I first had this sweet pea pesto at Sommelier Camp in Umpaqua Valley. Sue Brandborg served it spread on French bread with Brandborg Vineyard and Winery’s 2016 Scarlet Cuvee Rose and 2015 Riesling. Everyone went mad for it.

I am always looking for make ahead appetizers that can be served cold or room temperature. This is all that plus, a little sweet, a little minty, a little tangy, super fresh tasting and it pairs with almost any summer white you might open.

I am a huge fan of traditional basil pesto but I have to say this Sweet Pea Pesto is winning. First you can make it with frozen peas. Sue almost looked apologetic when she told me that. Are you kidding? I can get frozen peas year round plus, hello how many vegetable servings is that? I used Green Giant Brand 12 oz Sweet Pea Steamers.

Second, while I have not done the math this has to be less fattening than basil pesto because there aren’t nuts. If am wrong don’t tell me. Finally, it isn’t nearly as garlicky, in fact you could omit the garlic completely. Eat up then pucker up because you will still be kissable.

The recipe was a deconstructed version of pesto when I got it. I have reconstructed it and played with different ratios. It is hard to mess up and you can make it to your taste.

I first made it as a spread for our Rosé on Rose Street. Since then I have had it for breakfast, spread on a cracker and topped with slices of hard boiled egg. And spooned on top of oven baked rockfish. I think you could layer it on cardboard and it would be good.

As far as a wine to pair…

I was absolutely blown away by Troon Vineyard 2014 Applegate Valley, Southern Oregon Vermentino. I don’t have a ton of experience with this white Italian grape but many white Italian wines seem to be mostly citrus flavor and acid. This reminded me of a Chardonnay IF the bottle managed to capture every ounce of flavor a Chard can give on its own plus the texture and flavor of French Oak. So often Chardonnay is one or the other or worse neither and I get bored or angry. The more I tasted the Vermentino the more I loved it. And folks it is a steal at $25. Don’t serve it too cold – think white Burgundy temperature – and you will get major aromatics – lemon pound cake, banana bread, vanilla, apple, floral, marzipan and Old World minerality that keeps you coming back for more. Delicate, beautiful, bright. It speaks quietly but has a lot to say so settle in and enjoy a good long conversation that will keep you interested until the end.

AND because there are so many beautiful summer wines and this sweet pea pesto is some freaking awesome and versatile here are some suggestions:

Riesling: In addition to Brandborg Vineyard and Winery’s originally listed, Domain Pouillon has a fantastic own rooted old vine Riesling in their tasting room in Lyle, WA. I just had the pleasure of tasting Rain Dance Vineyards Riesling and would highly recommend. We are always fans of Chehalem Winery’s Riesling – especially Corral Creek Vineyards.

Viognier: Southern Oregon is a great place for affordable, well made Viognier. Try Dobbes Family Estate Viognier sourced from (Rogue Valley), Ledger David Cellars Rogue Valley Viognier, and Cooper Ridge Vineyards Umpqua Valley Viognier – where the secrets are a long time on the vine and a splash of Riesling and Gruner Veltliner. Or really go off the beaten Viognier path and get a Snake River Valley Viognier from Cinder Wines in Idaho.

Chardonnay from Oregon are typically fresh, crisp and clean regardless of wood influence. Stoller Family Estate and Knudsen Vineyards are always top on our list.

Sauvignon Blanc: As much as I like Brandborg Winery’s Riesling on my last tasting trip it was their Sauvigon Blanc that blew me and the other sommeliers away. In a wine packed 3 days, we asked for a second pour of this one. Also making a beautiful Sauvignon Blanc in Umpqua Valley is Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyard.

So many suggestions. I guess I recommend getting some Oregon white or rose wine and eating it with this Sweet Pea Pesto – even straight off the spoon.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Sweet Pea Pesto

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Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

Author: Tasting Pour

Recipe type: Appetizer

Serves: 2 cups

Ingredients

2 cups peas, fresh or frozen, I used Green Giant Brand 12oz Sweet Pea Steamers
2 teaspoons sea salt
⅔ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons olive oil, I used Oregon Olive Mill
½ clove of fresh garlic
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
¾ - 1 cup packed, chopped fresh mint

Instructions

Steam peas in microwave according to package directions. Place in food processor with remaining ingredients and puree until smooth. Can be served garnished with more mint and balsamic.

*Some recommended wines were given as samples from the winery and enjoyed by the wine writer.

This article is part of a Wine Pairing Weekend #winepw group pairing hosted by Nancy Brazil of PullthatCork.com The theme: Summer Supper and Wine. I can’t wait to get more ideas from my wine pairing friends.

Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm will share Eating and Drinking Locally for the Summer Months #WinePW
Cindy of Grape Experiences will pair Summer Supper: Cool Pasta Salad and Côtes du Rhône Refreshers
Ellen of Family Around The Table will prepare Hassleback Chicken Cordon Bleu
Jane of Always Ravenous will prepare Southern Summer Supper with a French Twist
David of Cooking Chat will pair Grilled Shrimp with Pineapple Salsa and a Summery White Wine
Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla will share Ceviche + Scheid’s Albariño #WinePW
Jade of Tasting Pour will share Sweet Pea Pesto Meets Wines of Summer
Jeff of FoodWineClick has prepared Cool Kitchen Seafood Rolls for an Easy Summer Supper
Julie and Edgar of Wine-N-Friends will share Tintilla and Ribs: Superb Summer Pairing #winePW
Gwendolyn of Wine Predator will share Getting to know Napa: Bison Steak BBQ with Rombauer Atlas and Stice Cabs plus Conn Creek Atlas Rose! #WinePW
Peter and Nancy of Pull That Cork will share Lamb Gyros and a Super Sauvignon Blanc for #winePW

The post Sweet Pea Pesto Meets Wines of Summer #winepw appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

Fresh Corn Soup and Abacela Viognier

tastingpour@gmail.com — Fri, 25 Sep 2015 20:50:00 +0000

We are aware it is officially fall and for some, white wines go the way of white pants after Labor Day. We are still getting fresh corn from our farm share. It has been a treat all summer and we have enjoyed it in our favorite corn soup recipe.

The problem has been a good wine pairing. One of the few hard and fast wine pairing rules we follow is if the food is sweet, the wine has to be sweeter. The corn is sweet, not sugary sweet but you know, sweet corn sweet. A super dry acidic wine just goes bitter in comparison, but we don’t want a dessert wine with dinner.

Viognier from Abacela to the rescue. This wine is fermented completely dry, but the varietal character makes it a match. Viognier is a grape of the Northern Rhone. It has a short picking window before the little bugger fattens up and loses acidity. If not handled correctly on the vine and in the winery, it can easily become a candidate for fat camp and rival any department store cosmetics counter for overwhelming perfume.

Abacela picked their Viognier at just the right time and didn’t let it sit around in a barrel picking up even more texture and aroma. The result is a mix of floral, stone and citrus fruit, and tinge of nuttiness that tricks your palate into thinking it is a tinsy bit sweet.

The soup is similar. Simple treatment brings out the natural sweetness of the corn with an added bite from a bit of warm pepper and a fresh boost from sweet basil.

Abacela, by the way, is a beautiful space in Umpqua Valley – the work of Earl and Hilda Jones. The winery is globally recognized and earlier this year the couple were honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Oregon Wine Symposium. Oregon’s first commercial varietal bottles of Tempranillo were from Abacela. Read more about them and other Umpqua Valley wineries in Autumn in the Umpqua Valley.

Fresh Corn Soup and Abacela Viognier

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

40 mins

A tasty way to experience the height of summer corn. So decadent you'll swear it must be fattening, yet it is quite lean.

Author: Tasting Pour

Recipe type: Soup

Serves: 4 cups

Ingredients

3-4 ears or approx. 3 cups
fresh corn kernels
3 cups water
1 7.5 oz jar roasted red peppers or equal amount fresh
2 Tbs. butter
1½ - 2 cups fresh basil
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

Instructions

Remove kernels from corn.
Melt butter in large pot. Saute corn kernels and chopped pepper.
Add water.
Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer about 15 minutes.
Add roasted red pepper and basil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until heated through, approx. 3 minutes.
Puree entire mixture in food processor until almost smooth but flecks of corn and basil remain. Return to pot to heat through.
Serve warm.

Fresh Corn Soup

Prep time: 10
Cook time: 20
Total time: 30
Yield: 4 cups
Ingredients

3-4 ears or approx. 3 cups
fresh corn kernels
3 cups water
1 7.5 oz jar roasted red peppers or equal amount fresh
2 Tbs. butter
1 1/2 – 2 cups fresh basil
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Cooking Directions

Remove kernels from corn.
Melt butter in large pot. Saute corn kernels and chopped pepper.
Add water.
Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer about 15 minutes.
Add roasted red pepper and basil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until heated through, approx. 3 minutes.
Puree entire mixture in food processor until almost smooth but flecks of corn and basil remain. Return to pot to heat through.
Serve warm.

The post Fresh Corn Soup and Abacela Viognier appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

A Swag Bag of Potatoes?

tastingpour@gmail.com — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 18:24:00 +0000

We went to lunch with a winemaker and all we got was a sack of potatoes… and we were thrilled.

Wine starts with farming and so did the family at Mercer Estates Winery. Farming runs in the blood, five generations deep. In fact the Mercers have farmed the same property in Washington since 1886. Beginning with row crops and moving to vines, they were the first to plant wine grapes in Horse Heaven Hills. Today they have over 2000 acres accounting for 18% of the plantings in the AVA. Somewhere along the way they became the first to supply baby carrots to Costco and we have proof at least one person with the surname Mercer is still digging up root vegetables.

The tasting lunch at Portland’s Andina Restaurant was hosted by Winemaker Jessica Munnell. Read until the end for some full frontal foodity. No fair scrolling ahead. Jessica “jumped to work at Mercer because of the vineyards, the Horse Heaven Hills fruit and the family.”

Jessica describes the fruit as elegant. “In Horse Heaven Hills reds I always get a high note of cherry and dusty feminine tannins.” Jessica enjoys the cohesiveness and mouth feel of blends. She describes a process involving blending experiments tasted over multiple days, at various times, and with as many tasters as she can recruit until she has the best possible result.

After tasting the Merlot based Bordeaux blend, Cavalie, we can appreciate her workmanship. All of the wines we tasted were food wines. The Mercer Estates 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon displayed the brightness and surprising delicacy Jessica attributes to the Horse Heave Hills fruit. While well structured, it did not overwhelm the entree. The same is true of the Mercer Estates 2013 Viognier. This varietal is known to be highly aromatic and full bodied. Many have adopted the unnecessary habit of adding wood influence. Jessica allows the Viognier to express itself subtly creating a wine that won’t wage war with your meal.

Jessica describes the Mercers as a family who are “dedicated to sustainability and future generations and who care about their staff.” Known for their generosity Mercer has created a label devoted entirely to charity, Eagle & Plow. The concept was developed because of two patriotic members of the Mercer team. Rob Mercer, President and Part Owner, served as a Captain in US Marine Corps in the 1990’s. He re-activated to serve in Iraq in 2007-2008. Vineyard Manager, John Derrick, lost his best friend on Flight 93. The Mercer family personally hand planted 911 vines in Block 93. This fall the first Eagle & Plow label will release a 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon. All proceeds will go to charities supporting people who served in and suffered from the events of 9/11.

It is nice when good wine comes from good people. Mercer produces three tiers of wines: Mercer Estates, Mercer Estates Reserve, and Mercer Canyons. Distributed in 38 states, some labels are easy to find in stores and many can be ordered online. Of course smaller productions like Jessica’s favorite Malbec (100 cases) may require a visit. For more information click here.

And now because you finished the article, here is the promised #foodporn.

Full Frontal Foodity from Andina

Lunch, tasting, and organic veggie swag bag supplied by winery, enjoyed by wine writer.

The post A Swag Bag of Potatoes? appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

Summer in a Glass – Maryhill Viognier

tastingpour@gmail.com — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 17:45:00 +0000

Sweetened apricots and a warm breeze carrying the scent of tropical flowers… This is Maryhill 2012 Viognier.

We tasted this wine with a virtual group via #maryhilltaste on Twitter. It was a crowd pleaser. When we were in our 20’s and too broke to go on vacation we had a staycation that involved swimsuits, the local Mexican restaurant’s outdoor seating, and large margaritas. Shame we didn’t have this Viognier then. It would have been a great choice for our festivities and we could have afforded it at ~$16.

We are not huge fans of sweeter wines. They are often out of balance and seem flabby because of lack of acidity. Not the case with this Viognier.

The Viognier grape, classic to the Rhone region in France, is known for a few things:

1. Super Aromatics. Perfume, fruit, and floral aromas leap from the glass.

2. Full Body They will be really thick on the palate, close to the weight of “half and half” creamer and they make wines high in alcohol.

3. Elusive Acidity. There is a small harvest window when Viognier grapes have a balance of sugars and acid. Miss the window and risk a flabby wine.

Kudos to winemaker Richard Batchelor for delivering aroma, body, and a balanced acidity that keeps the wine refreshing enough for a warm day. This wine is definitely feminine. Think of her as a Southern Lady. She is warm, perfumed, and voluptuous with an unexpected acidic bite. She is also a bit dangerous. Alcohol is over 14% and hides behind those flowers – so watch out.

Don’t mistake this for a dessert wine. We suggest pairing with coconut shrimp, crab cakes, chicken or pork with a fruit chutney. See tips for pairing sweet wines and pairing by weight for more insights.

We also suggest pairing Maryhill 2012 Viognier with a lounge chair, umbrella and a glass. Like any Southern Belle her company may best be enjoyed on the veranda.

Maryhill Winery is located in Washington State in the Columbia Valley and overlooking the beautiful Columbia Gorge. Their wines are available through their website and are fairly widely distributed. Look for them at Fred Meyers, Albertsons, HEB, or with your local wine retailer.Wine samples were provided by the winery and enjoyed by the wine writer.

The post Summer in a Glass – Maryhill Viognier appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

Vina Robles White 4

tastingpour@gmail.com — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 16:23:00 +0000

Green apple Jolly Rancher candies, melon, white flowers, grapefruit, white peach . . . everyone in our wine tasting group was picking up different notes. This is what happens when uninhibited winemakers combine grapes as diverse as Viognier, Vermentino, Verdelho, and Sauvignon Blanc to create the flavors found in Vina Robles White4.

Estate grown in Paso Robles California, the grapes used in the blend are an interesting mix of familiar and less familiar varietals and each grape was selected for what it could add to the blend. Tasting Pour asked Vina Robles Winemaker, Kevin Willenborg, to explain the reasons behind this unique blend. “The attributes of these varietals synergistically enhance each other to create a bold fruit forward, yet complex wine with balanced acidity.”

Kevin Willenborg, Winemaker

Willenborg found notes of “Mandarin orange and peach” from the Viognier. Viognier is not an easy grape to get right. Classically grown in France’s Northern Rhone, it ripens very quickly and can be high in alcohol and low in acidity. But, what this grape lacks in acidity it makes up for in body and rich floral, perfume, honey and stone fruit flavors.

The Verdelho grape is interestingly a Portuguese grape used to produce a fortified wine called Verdelho, one of the drier styles of Madeira. Willenborg gives it credit for “citrus and melon notes” in the blend. Vermentino is used for “mineral[ity] and mouth feel.” Vermentino is another grape that we may not think about very often in the US. It is better known in Italy and the French owned island of Corsica.

Growing conditions in Paso Robles vary depending in part on whether the vineyards are cooled at night by ocean air or high elevation. At the Vina Robles estate Viognier, Verdelho and Vermentino are grown in the Huerhuero Vineyard where cooling ocean breezes slow ripening and help grapes retain their important acidity.

Just like a good cook might squeeze in some lemon juice to brighten a dish, Willenborg has added Sauvignon Blanc. Yes, we recognize the telltale flavors of Sauvignon Blanc. It is the source of tropical fruit found on the nose and palate, and adds acidity to balance the fatness and softness of the Viognier. Vina Robles’ Sauvignon Blanc is grown in their Jardine Vineyard which is slightly warmer than some of their other sites. One of the characteristics of Sauvignon Blanc grown in warmer climates is more fruitiness.

Vina Robles’ motto is “European Inspiration – California Character.” For owner, Hans Nef, this means “wines are made in a style that combines the balance often associated with European wines and the clean, bright fruit often associated with California wines.” We think this is reflected in the fresh mouthwatering fruity sensation that tempts us to simply pair this wine with a glass. The quality, however, reminds us that Vina Robles White4 is also a food wine. Don’t miss the opportunity to have this with a variety of dishes including pasta, white sauces, and seafood. Tasting Pour tried this wine with an omelet of mushroom, local pasture raised ham, and aged white cheddar – a simple and a pleasant pairing.

As is always the case when our group really likes a wine, someone finally asked the price. Expecting a special occasion price tag, they were happy and surprised when we told them ~$15 a bottle.

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