#MerlotMe with Markham and L’Ecole No. 41 Merlots and Army Ramen #WinePW

L’Ecole N° 41 2017 Merlot from Columbia Valley and Markham Vineyards 2017
Sustainably Made Merlot from Napa Valley

#MerlotMe is a global movement to unite wine lovers all over the world to celebrate Merlots, especially in the month of October. Our fellow #WinePW blogger, Jeff Burrows from Food Wine Click is hosting this year's celebration and has arranged #samples for the lucky bloggers. I am so thrilled to receive L’Ecole N° 41’s 2017 Merlot and Markham Vineyards’s 2017  Sustainably Made Merlot, and am curious how well these Merlots pair with my latest obsession, Chinese-styled “army ramen”.  

One person serving: meat-based ramen that is cooked in and consumed directly from a wide saucepan,  a feast that won’t let down a soldier’s appetite.

TASTE THE WINES

L’Ecole N° 41 2017 Merlot is one of Washington State’s finest Merlots, produced in Walla Walla Valley. Found in 1983, L’Ecole N° 41 is a third-generation family-owned, artisan winery that focuses on the ultra-premium, distinctive wine market. 

L'Ecole No 41 is found in 1983 in the Walla Walla Valley, Washington State, and produces ultra-premium wines that reflect the terroir.

With soft oak and rose petal on the nose, L’Ecole N° 41’s Merlot exhibits the perfect balance of yin and yan when the masculine features like the full body, pronounced structure and layers of complex aromas are softened by notes of cinnamon, cocoa and elegant acidity. The finish of this wine is memorable with lingering of cherry and plum notes.

L’Ecole N° 41 2017 Merlot (SRP$25, a blend of 81% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 3%Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot)

Markham Vineyards’ founding father, Jean Laurent left the Bordeaux region of France in 1852 to join the Gold Rush in California, leading him a journey to establish one of the first wineries in Napa Valley. Nowadays, being one of the few 10% wineries which attain the dual Napa Green Certifications, Markham produces Merlot as their flagship wine in vineyards that focus on replenishing natural resources, improving air and water quality and protecting the ecosystems and wildlife habitats. The 2017 Sustainably Made Merlot has a silky mouthfeel to start and is accentuated with notes of Bing cherry, berry reserves, milky chocolate. Gradually, it overlays with baking spices, vanilla oak and subtle expresso. The wine unfolds increasing denser mouthfeel that has a long and intense finish.

Markham Vineyards 2017 Sustainably Made Merlot (SRP$20, a blend of 87% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petite Sirah, 1% Malbec)

Merlots, due to various misconceptions, are somehow mistaken as plain wines or wines without characteristics. I totally debunk these misconceptions as these Merlots I tried have everything I am looking for in not only a good wine but a food wine - the structure, complexity, warm spice notes, which is especially suited to pair a rich, meat-based noodle soup, a.k.a Chinese-style “army ramen”. “Army Ramen” or “Budae Jjigae” is originated in Korea when a wide variety and huge amount of protein like meat, eggs and cheese is added to a spicy noodle soup. When everything is cooked in and consumed directly from a wide saucepan, this is a feast that won’t let down a soldier’s appetite. For my Chinese-style Army Ramen, I simple cut out the hot soup base and use beef broth instead. Let’s see how easy you can cook this at home.

Chinese-style “army ramen” is a one-pot meal that is easy to prepare and is satisfying!

 
COOK CHINESE-STYLED ARMY RAMEN

Chinese-styled Army Ramen Ingredients (one person serving) ·                     16 oz of beef broth or stock ·                     1 pack of instant noodle your choice ·                     1 thick slice cut of cooked pork belly or 4 slices of cooked bacon ·                     8 slices of ham, turkey or chicken cold cuts ·                     4 pork or beef pre-made potstickers  ·                     2 eggs ·                     Vegetable of your choice (e.g., mushrooms, cabbages, sweet corn, scallion)  ·                     Sesame oil (optional) Instructions 1.       Pour beef broth or stock and the instant noodle seasoning pack into a wide saucepan.  2.      Organize all the ingredients nicely in the saucepan and bring the noodle soup to boil. 3.      Put the noodle in the soup last until all the other ingredients are cooked if you prefer your noodle to be al-dente. 4.      Drizzle sesame oil over the cooked soup and enjoy it directly from the saucepan.

As you are sipping the Merlots and enjoying this massive “army ramen”, my advice to you is to focus on the gastronomical pleasure and forget about the calorie!

Check out which Merlots my #WinePW blogger friends are drinking to celebrate #MerlotMe:

• Andrea at The Quirky Cork shares "Three Turkish Merlots"
• Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla shares "Merlot: A Varietal That Plays Well with Others"
• Cindy at Grape Experiences shares "Sip Merlot with Vegetarian Favorites"
• Deanna at Asian Test Kitchen shares "Fall Vegan Menu Paired with 2016 Napa Merlots"
• David at Cooking Chat shares "Merlot Food Pairing: Tips and Favorites"
• Gwendolyn at Wine Predator shares "Meatloaf and #MerlotMe with Sonoma’s Selby and Columbia Valley’s L’Ecole No. 41"
• Jane at Always Ravenous shares "Merlot Pairing: Baked Pasta with Sausage Ragù"
• Jeff at Food Wine Click! shares "A Tale of Two Merlots at the Grill"
• Jill at L'Occasion shares "What’s So Special About Merlot?"
• Jennifer at Vino Travels shares “Fall is Here! Warm up with a Merlot and Pot Roast Pairing”
• Lauren at The Swirling Dervish shares "October is #MerlotMe Month: Here’s What I’ve Been Sipping"
• Linda at My Full Wine Glass shares "Kicking off #MerlotMe in the Pacific time zone”
• Liz at What's in that Bottle? shares "Make Room for Merlot!"
• Lori at Exploring the Wine Glass shares "Leaves on the Ground and #MerlotMe in my Glass"
• Lynn at Savor the Harvest shares "Next Gen Merlot From Where It All Started"
• Martin at Enofylz shares "A Meatless #MerlotMe Redux"
• Nicole at Somms Table shares "5 #MerlotMe Nights"
• Payal at Keep the Peas shares “Kicking Off Autumn With #Merlotme”
• Pinny at Chinese Wine & Food Pairings shares “#MerlotMe with Markham and L’Ecole No. 41 Merlots and Army Ramen”
• Robin at Crushed Grape Chronicles shares "Merlot from elegant to badass. Time to #Merlotme."
• Rupal at Syrah Queen shares “#MerlotMe - Best Food Pairings For Merlot”
• Susannah at Avvinare shares “Brazilian Merlot Is Always Welcome At My Table”
• Terri at Our Good Life shares "Merlot Me with Noodless Lasagne"
• Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm shares "Woohoooooooo....It is #MerlotMe month"

Celebrating Moldova National Wine Day with Chinese Food #WorldWineTravel #MoldovaWineDay #WineOfMoldova

Rosu De Purcari Red Blend, Castel Mimi Feteasca Alba Dry White, Radacini Saperavi Feteasca Neagra Merlot and Suvorov-Vin Viorica Dry White are exceptional wines to represent Moldovan wines. 

The Moldova National Wine Day #MoldovaWineDay falls on the third and fourth of October 2020. To celebrate the special day, #WorldWineTravel bloggers, such as our host Lynn Gowdy from Savor the Harvest, are tasting the wines from Moldova – a country that has rich winemaking history dating back to around 3000BC. While the wines from Moldova are impressive, the wineries there are no doubt one of the main drivers of tourism.

WINE TOURISM

While wines in Moldova are impressive and are treasured all over the world, the magnificent Moldovan wineries are a great part of attraction of the tourist dollars, developing the country's tourism. Being the world's largest wine cellars, these wineries were established in former limestone quarries with more than 200 kilometers of tunnels which can be driven through. For example, Mileștii Mici winery has Gothic-style galleries, which go undergroud at a depth of 80 meters, that collect more than 1.5 million bottles of wine and are famously registered in the Guinness Book of World Records for holding the largest wine collection in the world. 

The 2021 Milestii Mici Wine Run will be held on February 7th, 2021
(Photo Credit: https://milesti.winerun.md/en/)

Another symbol of Moldovan winemaking is the underground wine city of Cricova, which has galleries stretching over 70 kilometers. It was founded in 1952 and is Moldova’s biggest sparkling wine producer. Cricova is also home to Moldova’s national wine collection, which features a number of historic wines including old vintages of Moselle, Bourgogne, Bordeaux and Port. The oldest bottle in the collection, and the only one of its kind in the world, is the wine known as Easter Jerusalem, which was produced in just a single batch in 1902.

Cricova has the oldest vintages of Moselle, Bourgogne, Bordeaux and Port from Moldova.

Other stunning wineries that wine lovers should visit include Castel Mimi and Purcari Chateau, where tour packages are available.

Castel Mimi is a jewel of Moldovan Wine Tourism, attracting tourists with exceptional wines and food. (Photo Credit: Castel Mimi)

Nestled between the Dniester River and the Black Sea, Purcari Chateau presents not only world class wines but also a breath-taking view (Photo Credit: Purcari Chateau)  

MOLDOVAN WINES AND CHINESE FOOD

Feteasca Alba is a grape variety that is grown widely in parts of Eastern Europe, most notably Romania but also in Moldova, Hungary, Bulgaria and Ukraine.

Feteasca Alba 2018 White Dry Wine and Steamed Whole Fish

Feteasca Alba 2018 White Dry Wine (sample, $19 SRP) is produced by Castel Mimi, the first chateau in Moldova, which was built by  Constantin Mimi, a pioneer wine maker. He applied the winemaking techniques that he acquired from the western Europe and implemented new technologies, produced great wines and raised the standards.

Tasting notes: light, elegant, expressive citrus flavors at the beginning, and stone fruit notes gradually – a refresher that especially pairs well with fresh seafood.

Chinese Food pairing: Steamed whole fish with julienne ginger and scallion, drizzled with hot oil

Rosu De Purcari 2015 is a blend of 50% Cabernet-Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 10% Malbec.

Rosu De Purcari 2015 and Cantonese Braised Beef with Radish

Rosu De Purcari 2015 (sample, $19 SRP) is one of the most popular wines at Purcari Chateau. In 1827, Emperor of Russia Nicholas I issued a special decree granting Purcari the status of the first specialized winery in Bessarabia. Since then, the owners of Purcari have become Moldovan boyars Dancila and Clot. The last decade of Purcari’s almost two centuries has seen the winery reach its most advanced stage of its development. With the vineyards planted in 2003 reaching maturity, the quality of the grapes has improved significantly.

Tasting notes: oaky on the nose, noticeable notes of warm spices, chocolate, forest herb, complex, deep - a red wine lover’s dream.

Chinese Food pairing: Cantonese Instant Pot Braised Beef with Radish

Viorica, which is a symbol of Moldovan white wines, is an indigenous grape variety from the Country. 

Suvorov-Vin Viorica, Moldova 2018 and Sweet and Sour Chicken

Suvorov-Vin Viorica, Moldova 2018 (sample, $18 SRP) is produced by Suvorov Vin, which is the holding company that includes two wine companies “Suvorov – Vin” and “Kazayak – Vin”. They own around 500 hectares of vineyards located in the southern part of Moldova, where the climate is perfect for quality grapes cultivation.

Tasting notes: passionate fruit, mango, creamy, mild acidity but still dry – a charming white wine that pairs well with slightly sweet Asian food.

Chinese Food pairing: Sweet and Sour Chicken

Feteasca Neagra is a dark-skinned grape variety native to Moldova. Saperavi is native to Georgia, but is also grown in Moldova.

Radacini Saperavi Feteasca Neagra Merlot 2018 and Cumin Lamb Burger

Radacini Saperavi Feteasca Neagra Merlot 2018 (sample, $20 SRP), which is produced in the Stefan Voda region, is a beautiful blend of Saperavi (70%), Feteasca Neagra (20%) and Merlot (10%). Each grape variety has been fermented separately to allow each of the grape maximizing its favor before the blending.

Tasting notes: Fruity, spicy, exceptional bouquet of ripe black cherry jam, sour cherry, black pepper, thyme, and leathery – a bold red that pairs well with heavy red meat.

Chinese Food pairing: Cumin Lamb Burger 

Photo Credit: Wine of Moldova

Moldova Wines – History and Regions

Moldova’s history of winemaking began around 3000 BC, and the initial traces of grapevines have been dated back to around 7000 BC. Since 2013, Moldova has embraced a wine quality system mirroring the EU model of protected geographical indications (PGI), and established geographically around the three traditional vine growing areas, which have differences in climate and growing conditions. These PGIs are Valul lui Traian, Ștefan Vodă and Codru plus a special geographical denomination for grape distillates called Divin. Check out my Moldova Wines post in July for more detail about the history of winemaking and PGIs of Moldova.

 

Check out how other #WorldWineTravel bloggers celebrate the Moldova National Wine Day!

• Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla shares "Two Indigenous Moldovan Grapes - Fetească Albă and Fetească Neagră - Paired With Colțunași Harnici (Hard-Working Dumplings)"
• Wendy from A Day In The Life On The Farm is “Celebrating the Food and Wine of Moldova”
• David from CookingChat has "Food Pairings for Moldavan Wines" 
• Lori from Exploring the Wine Glass shares "Sitting Down with Master of Wine Caroline Gilby to Discuss Moldovan Wine" 
• Terri from Our Good Life shares “Moldova Wine Day Celebration!” 
• Linda from My Full Wine Glass is "Celebrating ‘My Wine Day’ and the little country that could" 
• Robin at Crushed Grape Chronicles shares "Moldovan Wine – moving forward while not losing track of the authentic grapes of their past" #WorldWineTravel 
• Susannah from Avvinare writes “You say Feteasca and I’ll Say Moldova” 
• Jennifer at Vino Travels tells us about “Eye Openers to the Wines of Moldova” 
• Melanie from Wining With Mel is "Exploring new territory with Moldovan wines" 
• Jeff from foodwineclick asks the question "Are Local Grapes the Future of Moldovan Wines?
• Lynn at Savor the Harvest I share "Moldovan Native Wine Grape Discoveries" #WorldWineTravel 
• Jill from L’Occasion discusses “Wines of Moldova: Worth the Adventure” 
• Payal from Keep the Peas pairs "Kashmiri Yakhni Pulao and Moldovan Wine" 
• Nicole from Somms Table is "Celebrating Moldova National Wine Day with More Food and Wine Explorations" 
• Rupal at Syrah Queen shares "Celebrate Moldova National Wine Day - Exploring Native Varieties"
• Here Pinny is Celebrating Moldova National Wine Day with Chinese Food #WorldWineTravel #MoldovaWineDay #WineOfMoldova at Chinese Food and Wine Pairings

A Crémant de Loire, a Vouvray, and a Rosé D’anjou – I’m all set for the summer #Winophiles

Loire Valley Wines - Crémant de Loire, Vouvray, Rosé D’anjou for the Summer

The #Winophiles bloggers are invited by Jill Barth from L'Occasion to explore wines from the Loire Valley of France this summer. I had the opportunity to sip a few beautiful Loire Valley wines last winter in a wine tasting event in New York. What resonates with me the most from the tasting is the diversity of wines that come from this wine region, the largest in France. You could effortlessly find wines from Loire Valley that will suit for each season of the year, every occasion and budget. Let’s “travel” to this wine region...through the lenses of the Langlois-Chateau Crémant de Loire Blanc Brut, Vigneau-Chevreau Vouvray Cuvee Silex Sec, and Chateauvieux Rosé D’Anjou.

Loire Valley is home of 51 AOP regions and 4 PGI Regions (Credit: www.loirevalleywines.com)

For geo, terroir and wine geek details of Loire Valley, you could check out my previous Bourgueil (a Loire Valley AOP) blog posted in January this year. I’m zeroing right into the wines and see how each of these wines helps you “taste” Loire Valley.

 

A Crémant that has bready and dried lemon rind notes. Taste almost like a Champagne, without the hefty price tag! 

Langlois-Chateau Crémant de Loire Blanc Brut (SRP$24.99)

Langlois-Chateau consists of 95 hectares of vines in multiple Loire Valley AOPs, including 51 hectares in Saumur, 11 Ha in Saumur Champigny and 33 Ha in Sancerre. Langlois-Chateau has been making sparkling wines since 1855. The French sparkling wines made outside the Champagne wine regions are called Crémants. Check out a recent post which I explored Crémants for more information. Particularly amazing about this Crémant de Loire is its freshness, complexity and balance. This Crémant is a blend of 40% Chenin Blanc, 10% reserve wines, and Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc making up the rest. At the initial sips, the vibrant green apple freshness and fine bubbles came to the forefront. Following with a few more sips, the yeasty and a tad dried lemon rind leveled up. The finish was long with a bit honeyed richness. This Crémant has that kind of “Old World” mouthfeel which savvy sparkling wine drinkers are looking for.

 

Lemony acidity, nuanced with notes of a tad honey, apricot and baking spice,
a long finish with minerality

Vigneau-Chevreau Vouvray Cuvee Silex Sec (SRP$19.99)

Vigneau-Chevreau has been a family run business since 1875. Currently, under the management of brothers Stephane and Christophe Vigneau, the Chateau, which is located in the Saumur AOP of Loire Valley, consists of 28 hectares of soils that are primarily of limestone, clay and silex. These soils are most favorable to the cultivation of Chenin Blanc. Vouvray is only made of 100% Chenin Blanc. While the lemony acidity was not surprising from this grape, this Vouvray was nuanced with notes of a tad honey, apricot and baking spice. I was very intrigued by the long finish which the minerality surfaced. I had to admit that this wine was the reason why I ate so much cheese at the tasting event as it just interacted so well with the nuttiness and the brininess of the cheese. Of course, gluttony is my main sin.

 

Photo Credit: Cellar Tracker

Chateauvieux Rosé D’Anjou (SRP$10.99)

Chateauvieux locates in the Anjou and Saumur AOPs of Loire Valley. The Rosé D’Anjou is a poster child of the region as the large economy of scale allows producers to use machines and automations in the process, driving the cost of the wines down while maintaining high quality of the wines. With strawberry on the nose and lively acidity, the Rosé D’Anjou was a screaming for summer in a glass.  

 

Chinese Foods to Pair with the Wine

While cheese is a great pairing option for these three wines. I would also recommend some Chinese foods that I think will kick up a notch of the tasting experience. Fried spring rolls and fried shrimp toast are the perfect accompaniments to the Crémant de Loire. With the Vouvray, I would have a Dim Sum feast with it as its minerality and warm spice notes gives this wine an edge to deal with the seasoned meaty Dim Sum dishes such as steamed beef balls with cilantro, steamed pork riblets in black bean sauce and braised chicken feet in oyster sauce. To pair with the Rosé D’Anjou, I would do a platter of Chinese desserts such as red bean buns and fried sesame balls.

 

See what other amazing Loire Valley wines other #Winophiles bloggers are sipping:

Muscadet is Not Muscat, Garbure Bigourdane, and (Our Version of) Faire Chabròl | Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Thierry Michon and Domaine Saint Nicolas - Biodynamic Loire Wines #Winophiles |Savor the Harvest

Savennières and Vouvray: Two Tastes of Loire Valley Chenin Blanc | The Swirling Dervish

Sweet Wines from the Loire | Avvinare

Made it to Dessert with a Vouvray | Keep the Peas

A Vineyard Visit: Organic Clos du Tue-Boeuf with Thierry Puzelat and his Sauvignon Blanc paired with a savory summer tart | Wine Predator

Turkey and Cabbage Skillet Recipe with Pouilly-Fumé | Cooking Chat

Enjoying Summer Food with Chinon Wine and a Fun Book | A Day in the Life on the Farm

Cooking to the Wine: "Brendan Stater-West Saumur Les Chapaudaises and Chicken Thighs with Apples and Onions | Somm's Table

Summer Sipping: B&G Chenin Blanc and Crispy Baked Pork Chops | Our Good Life

Montlouis-sur-Loire – 2 Rivers, 3 Zeros and some delicious sparkling wine #Winophiles | Crushed Grape Chronicles

Exploring the Loire Valley From My Balcony with #Winophiles! | The Quirky Cork

Funky Loire Pet Nat was born for goat cheese pizza | My Full Wine Glass

A Crémant de Loire, a Vouvray, and a Rosé D’anjou - I’m all set for the summer #Winophiles | Chinese Food and Wine Pairings

Touraine Chenonceaux in the Loire Valley – Where Wine and History Reign | Grape Experiences

Wine Thirsty? That's No Problem in France's Loire Valley | L'Occasion

A Successful Hunt Down of a Red Vinhao Escolha from Vinho Verde DOC #WinePW

 

Double down on a hard-to-find Red Vinho Verde at the Vinho Verde Experience Event

Vinho Verde is the biggest wine region (DOC) of Portugal, up in the cool, rainy, lushly green north west. A Vinho Verde also literally translates as “green wine” or “young wine”, indicatively referring to the white grape varieties, which account for 85% of the wine production in the Vinho Verde region. Cindy Rynning from Grape Experiences and Liz Barrett from What’s in that Bottle invited the #WinePW to discover Vinho Verde. I honestly didn’t have a Vinho Verde wine to taste right in front of me. I did have the fond memory of a Red Vinho Verde - Quinta das arcas Vinhão Escolha, taking three years to hunt down one...

5 Fun Facts of Vinho Verde:

• You can’t beat the price. Vinho Verde's SRP starts at $5.
• Reds (e.g., Espadeiro, Padeiro and Vinhão) and Rosés account for 14% of the total wine production in Vinho Verde DOC.
• Sparkling wines were permitted to be made in the DOC since 1999.
• Single-variety Vinho Verde wines, mostly made from Alvarinho or Loureiro, are age-worthy. The blend of white grapes (e.g., the previous two grapes, Arinto, Avesso, Azal and Trajudura), which are found in most Vinho Verdes, have lesser potential for cellaring.
• Red Vinho Verde is dark, high in acidity, low in alcohol, made primarily from the late-ripening, red-fleshed Vinhão grape. 

Photo Credit: Wines of Portugal 

The Hunt Down of a Red Vinho Verde

My experience with Vinho Verde started with the New York City Vinho Verde Experience Tasting Event back in 2017. Back then, I was hired as a pourer in the event, learned all about Vinho Verde myself, and talked about the wines I poured. However, even I learned about the Reds from the brochure, there were hardly any red Vinho Verde, not on my tables or others.

Pouring at the Vinho Verde Experience Event

In 2018, I went with a group of friends to the same event hosted atop a beautiful rooftop of a converted warehouse building. We tasted a lot of Vinho Verde cocktails as well as a lot of white Vinho Verde and some Rosés. But again, there were no sight of Reds.

Last year, I went back to the event that was held at night in a mid-town Manhattan  hotel for a very rush tasting, in and out within half an hour, as I had my teenage daughter waiting for me in the hotel lobby (don’t be an irresponsible mom like me!). I eventually found and tasted a red Vinho Verde - Quinta das arcas Vinhão Escolha 2014. What a big contrast with the thirty Vinho Verde I tasted there…Vinhão Escolha is violet but transparent in color. It’s dry, medium-bodied and tannic, and has high acidity, pronounced raspberries with a touch of grass, chocolate and oak. Unfortunately, this wine is still not available online or via retail in the US. The representative of Quinta das arcas told me that they were looking for a distributor. 

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SRP 16.80€ per the Winery's website; Vinhão 100%, ABV 12%

Pairing Ideas with Vinhão Escolha

I think the sky is the limit in terms of food pairing options with this Vinhão Escolha. It could be heartier finger foods such as stuffed mushrooms, mini meatballs, fried calamari, or entrée such as roasted chicken or duck, a lean cut of steak, or a burger. In the context of Chinese food pairings, I would strongly recommend Char Siu (roasted BBQ pork). For me, if I could get hold of this bottle again, I would cut out the cooking and just order from my favorite Chinese take-out place…anything with a bit sauce from the menu will go.

Take a look at which Vinho Verde the other #WinePW bloggers is drinking:

Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Cam shares Foods from Around the World Paired with Pink Wines from Portugal 

Liz Barret of What’s In That Bottle? is thrilled with Va Va Va Vinho Verde: the Portuguese White That Wows 

Robin of Crushed Grape Chronicles answers What is Vinho Verde? 5 things I didn’t know about this perfect summer wine 

Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm savors Tomato Poached Cod with Vinho Verde Wine. 

Linda at My Full Wine Glass realizes that Distinctively ‘laurel” Vinho Verde Delivers with Seafood and Salad 

Nicole at SommsTable is loving Vinho Verde and Simple Seafood Feast 

Payal at Keep the Peas is pairing Sem Igual Vinho Verde with Peixe Caldine 

Gwendolyn at Wine Predator says Vinho Verde: A Green Wine That’s White from Portugal Paired with Tuna, Tomato, Basil, Orzo #WinePW 

Martin at Enofylz is Pairing Maria Papoila Vinho Verde with Summer Pizza 

Susannah at Avvinare explains how Vinho Verde Meets Homemade Sushi 

Terri at Our Good Life savors Scallops, Smashed Peas and a Great Vinho Verde 

Pinny at Chinese Food and Wine Pairing achieves A Successful Hunt Down of a Red Vinhao Escolha from Vinho Verde DOC #WinePW 

Cindy at Grape Experiences has been reminiscing upon last fall’s work trip where she spent A Beautiful Morning at Quinta da Aveleda in Vinho Verde

Pairing Bibi Graetz Casamatta Toscana Rosato with Drunken Cold Chicken Wing and Pork Knuckle, and Sautéed Julienne Leek #ItalianFWT

Pairing Bibi Graetz Casamatta Toscana Rosato with Drunken Cold Chicken Wing and Pork Knuckle, and Sautéed Julienne Leek

Having a stronger preference over red wines and typically shying away from the sun, sitting at the patio and enjoying chilled wines is not my usual summer pastime.  However, the summer of 2020, in so many ways, is very different from the past…staying in the house, no family travel plans, no summer street fairs, no wine tasting events. To extend my living space to outdoor, we have upgraded our patio with elevated garden boxes for some annuals and new patio furniture. All out of a sudden, checking out how my flowers are doing becomes a daily ritual and, slowly but surely, having our wines and meals outdoor is what I look forward to every evening.  Lauren from The Swirling Dervish invited the #ItalianFWT bloggers to discover the pink wines from Italy’s indigenous grapes. That helps me expand my summer patio wine list. Let’s sip some Bibi Graetz Casamatta Toscana Rosato and devour the chilled drunken chicken wings and pork knuckle plus some sautéed julienned leek.

                          Bibi Graetz Casamatta Toscana Rosato 2018 SRP$12.99:
cherry plum (GMO for sure), fuller-bodied, a good balance of acidity at the end; Dry Port?

What is Rosato?

Rosatos are pink wines coming from all over Italy. They are made with a wide variety of Italian indigenous grapes. The choice of grapes and winemaking methods, either direct pressing of red grapes or “saignée method” (bleeding off must from tanks to avoid too dark of the color from skin contact) presents a diverse and fun world of Rosato – different regions, shades of pink or light red, weight or body, aromas, tastes and price ranges.

Soft citrusy finish that kind of zips all the fruitiness of this wine
and leaves you with a refreshing and clean mouthfeel at the very end!

This Rosato doesn’t taste like Rose!

BibiGraetz Winery was found in 2000 when Bibi Graetz turns his passion of wines from drinking it to making it. Growing up in a family of artists, it’s not hard to find the artistic strokes on the wine labels. Not only I like the label of this Bibi Graetz Casamatta Toscana Rosato 2018, I’m also so excited to taste my very first Rosato which happens to be awarded a 91 rating from James Suckling.

This Sangiovese-based Rosato is strawberry and cherry on the nose. My first sip of it really sent some shockwaves…what is this? A dry Port? I immediately asked my husband, who is a Port lover, to “verify” the taste. It also tastes like a lighter Port to him too. But what makes this Rosato so interesting is the soft citrusy finish that kind of zips all the fruitiness of this wine and leaves you with a refreshing and clean mouthfeel at the very end!

Making drunken chicken wings and pork knuckles takes some time but it is so worth it!

 

Drunken Chicken Wing and Pork Knuckle with Sautéed Julienned Leek

With this fuller-bodied and solid Sangiovese-based pink wine, I decided to make some drunken chicken wings and pork knuckles that are served cold. I boiled the wings and knuckles for about ten minutes and washed off the fatty floatie stuff from the meat under the running water. I then fully cooked the wings and knuckles an Instant Pot (stovetop is perfectly fine too). One thing to keep in mind is not to stew the meat so it becomes too mushy and the skins of the wings and knuckles need to be intact. In a separate pot, I was making a brining liquid by boiling two cups chicken broth, ¼ cup rice vinegar, some Sichuan peppercorn, anise, scallion, ginger, salt, and pepper. After the broth was cooled off in a large bowl, I added ½ cup of clear Chinese cooking wine to the broth and submerged the wings and knuckles in the broth. Leave the meat in the fridge for at least 4 hours. 

Yes, it's a meaty pork knuckle. The pork skin is not fatty at all as the rice vinegar in the brining liquid takes care of it.

When you bite into the bouncy skin of the wings and pork knuckles, you know that all the work is totally worth it. The brining process turns the heavy meat into tasty cool summer eats that are substantial but not fatty, appetizing, umami, lightly sour and gingery…overall, a good match to the honest and impressive Bibi Graetz Casamatta Toscana Rosato.

If you don't like leek potato soup, maybe try to sautee leeks. I am quite happy with this leek dish.

With the vegetable side, I julienned a whole leek and sautéed it with Laoganma Spicy Chili Crisp until the leek was tender and slightly under-cooked so that it still had that crunch to it. 

Julienned leek sautees very fast and can be served cold. The leeks retains the vibrant green color after its cooked too.

The Laoganma sauce is an all-purpose condiment for spicy food lover. It is red pepper-based with oil that is infused with the spiciness. The crunchy peanuts and tinny dry tofu cubes in the sauce also add a lot of fun to your sautéed food too. This sautéed leek is spicy, oniony and literally healthy. Who can imagine one can eat a whole leek and drink Rosato – yes, I can… at my new patio.

Got this leek from a nearby farmer's market. It costs me $2.5 for three whole leeks.
A better alternative to onion, in my opinion. 

Let's check out which Rosato our #ItalianFWT friends is drinking:

• David from Cooking Chat writes about Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo: Pairings with My Favorite Italian Rosé
• Camilla from Culinary Adventures shows us with Sardinian Native Grapes, Italian Pinks, and Gamberi all’Aglio
• Terri from Our Good Life shares her pairing for Roasted Chicken Flatbread with Rosato Floats
• Linda from My Full Wine Glass says Summer Won’t Last: and Neither Will this Charming Chiaretto in Your Glass
• Martin from Enofylz Wine Blog is Dreaming of Sicily with a Graci Rosato
• Gwendolyn from Wine Predator offers Summer Dinner with Rosato from Tuscany and Sicily
• Marcia from Joy of Wine chats about Rosato d’Aglianico Vulture: Much More than a Red Wine
• Lynn from Savor the Harvest suggests Rosato: Drinking Pink Italian Style, from the Mountains to the Sea
• Nicole from Somm’s Table prepares Cheese, Charcuterie, and Ciabatta with Praesidium Cerasuolo
• Katrina from The Corkscrew Concierge advises us to Get to Know Lambrusco Rosato
• Susannah from Avvinare shares Italy's Chiaretto from Lake Garda Makes Waves
• Jennifer from Vino Travels presents Rosato from the Veneto with Pasqua
• Katarina from Grape Vine Adventures shares An Italian Rosé that Makes you Sparkle
• Lauren at The Swirling Dervish shares Cantele Negroamaro Rosato: Summer Wine from the Heart of Puglia
• Robin of CRUSHED GRAPE CHRONICLES presents Pallotte Cac e Ove & Orecchiette with Two Brilliant Cherry Red Rosatos from Southeast Italy.
• Pinny from Chinese Food and Wine Pairings writes about Pairing Bibi Graetz Casamatta Toscana Rosato with Drunken Cold Chicken Wings and Pork Knuckle, Sautéed Julienne Leeks #ItalianFWT