Sweet Bordeaux Paired with Asian Carbs - Chinese Sticky Rice and Korean Japchae #Winophiles

French #Winophiles bloggers have been invited by Linda Wipple from My Full Wine Glass to taste sweet Bordeaux wines in November. We are so luck to receive multiple #Sample of sweet Bordeaux, organized by Jeff Burrows of Food Wine Click. When most food and wine pairing 101 would recommend pairing sweet wines with desserts or cheese, I think about sipping these sweet Bordeaux  wines with a couple of hearty Asian carb-loaded dishes – sticky rice with Chinese sausage and Korean Japchae. Let’s learn some facts about these sweet wines from Bordeaux.

Photo Credit: Flickr

WINE FACTS TO KNOW

Botrytis aka Noble Rot Grown on the Grape Clusters (Photo Credit: jjbuckley.com)

• The dominant sweet wine region in Bordeaux is located 20 miles south of the city of Bordeaux, reaching both banks of the famed Garrone River and stretching into the beginning section of the Ciron River. The rivers provide the perfect condition for a misty morning microclimate that grows Botrytis, also called Noble Rot.
• Botrytis grows on the grape clusters late in the harvest, bolstered by cool morning fogs that envelop the entire vineyards as well as the hot dry afternoons that evaporate the moisture and concentrate the flavors on the grapes.
• The grapes to make sweet Bordeaux are mostly Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc, plus a bit of Muscadelle or Sauvignon Gris.
• Sauternes and Barsac are the most famous sweet wine regions in Bordeaux, producing the more expensive sweet wines. There are many other AOCs,  such as Loupiac and Sainte Croix du Monts, in Bordeaux that produce much more affordable sweet wines.
• Loupiac AOC, which is located between Cadillac and Sainte Croix du Monts, requires by laws to make wines of greater ripeness than those of Sauterne, yielding slightly sweeter wines.
• Sainte Croix du Monts AOC, which looks across the river to Sauternes, is a hilly area with chalk and limestone soil made from decomposing oyster shells.
• Entre-Deux-Mers is the largest appellation within Bordeaux, but doesn’t appear on the wine labels that often. By law, the Entre-Deux-Mers designation is given only to dry white wines made there from Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Muscadelle.

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SWEET BORDEAUX TO SIP 

exotic fruit, citrus, a touch of vanilla, light and fruity

Château La Hargue Bordeaux Blanc Moelleux Semi-Dry 2019 (SRP$15)

This Château, which was acquired in 1954 by Henri Ducourt, has been known for producing quality sweet white wines. Planted with only white varieties on loamy soils, it is blessed with its proximity to the running water and amble exposure to the sun. The fluctuation between hot days and cool nights intensifies the aromatic expression of the grapes, forming the winning terroir for white-wine producing in this part of Entre-Deux-Mers.

aromatic intensity, Acacia flower, candied fruits, distinguished by its minerality and vivacity which gives it freshness and elegance

Château La Rame Sainte Croix du Mont 2016 (SRP$35)

Château La Rame, which is currently under the direction of the family’s seventh generation winemaker, Yves Armand, is a well-sized estate, with fifty hectares of vineyards planted, of which over one third of the hectares are dedicated exclusively to Sémillon and the production of Sainte-Croix-du-Mont.

intense on citrus fruits and candied fruits, supple, fresh

Château du Cros AOC Loupiac Vin Liquoreux 2014 (SRP$30)

Under the leadership of Catherine Boyer, the vineyard of Château du Cros lies on the hill-slopes at the right bank of the Garonne River, 40 km South of Bordeaux on argilo-calcareous soil. The limestone subsoil and chalky clay topsoil bring the freshness to the sweet wines.

savoir faire, easy to drink, strong presence of fruit, mouthful of freshness

Château Loupiac-Gaudiet Loupiac Vintage: 2016 (SRP$20)

At the Château Loupiac-Gaudiet, their wines are built around the delicate balance between fruit, sugar and acidity, allowing each vintage to be able to reveal at its freshness and best aroma.

ASIAN CARBS TO EAT

Sticky Rice with Chinese Sausage

Sticky rice with Chinese sausage is a hearty meal for the winter. The rice is also called “sweet” rice, which is glutinous rice that releases a lot of starch when cooked. In addition to the rice, the other main ingredients are finely chopped Chinese sausage (like salami), dried shrimps and dried shiitake mushrooms. I typically cook the rice, according to the cooking direction, in the non-stick pressure cooker or rice cooker first, and let it sit in the cooker and dry up a little bit before transferring it to the frying pan. In the frying pan, sauté all the chopped ingredients with sesame oil, use two spatulas to mix the sausage into the cooked rice, drizzle with dark soya sauce for the color and regular soya sauce for the taste. The starchy sticky rice is slightly sweet with rich umami flavors like dried shrimp and mushrooms, a perfect accompaniment to the sweet Bordeaux.

Korean Japchae

Japchae is a savory and slightly sweet dish of stir-fried glass noodles, minced beef and vegetables that is a signature carb dish in Korean. It is typically prepared with dangmyeon, a type of cellophane noodles made from sweet potato starch. The noodles are mixed with assorted vegetables, meat, mushrooms, and seasoned with sugar, soy sauce and sesame oil. Japchae is a fun party dish as it looks very colorful and is affordable to make. It goes well with the sweet Bordeaux as the sugar and soya sauce is seasoned through the noodles.

 

For other sweet Bordeaux sipping, check out the blogs of my #Winophiles friends:

• Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla: “Surprise! Pairing Spicy and Savory Dishes with Sweet Bordeaux”
• Terri at Our Good Life: “Spicy Hot Tacos and Sweet Bordeaux”
• Martin at ENOFYLZ: “Pairing Sweet Bordeaux with Southern Fare”
• Lauren atThe Swirling Dervish: “Golden Bordeaux Meets Savory Pumpkin and Smoked Bacon Tart: a Delicious Thanksgiving Twist!”
• David at Cooking Chat: “Pairings for Sweet Bordeaux Wine"
• Katrina atThe Corkscrew Concierge: “Golden Bordeaux Delights in Louisiana’s Cajun and Creole Cuisine”
• Payal at Keep the Peas: “Four Sweet Bordeaux Wines with Four Courses”
• Jane at Always Ravenous:“Golden Sweet Bordeaux Wines: Tasting and Pairings”
• Wendy atA Day in the Life on the Farm: “Hot Chocolate and Halva Pudding paired with Lion De Tanesse L'Amour”
• Jeff at foodwineclick: "Sweet Bordeaux Meets the Smoke"
• Jill at L'OCCASION : “Sweet Bordeaux Wines Aren’t Just for Dessert”
• Lynn at Savor the Harvest: “Sweet Bordeaux Wines Get Savory Pairings”
• Rupal at Syrah Queen: "Sweet Bordeaux Is A Sweet Delight - Savor These Perfect Food Pairings"
• Robin at Crushed Grape Chronicles : “Sweet Bordeaux Wines and pairings from opposite sides of the globe”
• Pinny at Chinese Food & Wine Pairings: “Sweet Bordeaux Paired with Asian Carbs - Chinese Sticky Rice and Korean Japchae”
• Susannah at avvinare: “Delightful Sweet Wines from Bordeaux”
• Nicole at Somm’s Table:“Château Loupiac Gaudiet with Cinnamon Apple Crème Brûlée”
• Gwendolyn at wine predator: "Successful Pairings of Salty and Savory with Sweet Semi-Dry Bordeaux"
• Jennifer at Vino Travels: "A Look Into the Sweeter Side of Bordeaux Wines"
• Linda at My Full Wine Glass: “Appetizers, entrées and yes, dessert please, with sweet Bordeaux”

Sipping Tissot-Marie Crémant du Jura Brut Lapiaz and Snacking Fried Pork Skin #Winophiles

Tissot-Marie Crémant du Jura Lapiaz Brut with Fried Pork Skin, Dill-infused Cheese, Pitted Dates and Almond

#Winophiles bloggers are taking a virtual journey to the smallest wine region, Jura in France in November. David Crowley from Cooking Chat Food is inviting us to share the delicious pairings of Jura wines with our choice of food. I have purchased a bottle of Tissot-Marie Crémant du Jura Brut Lapiaz and found it exceptionally tasty with snacks like the fried pork skin. To start, let’s learn some fun facts of Jura wines.

Photo Credit: Wine LoveToKnow

Ten Facts of Jura Wines

• Jura is the smallest wine region in eastern France, between Burgundy and Switzerland.
• The climate in Jura is continental - long cold winters and hot summers, with more rain nearing the Burgundy side of the region.
• Jura is famous for the idiosyncratic sherry-like late-harvest wine Vin Jaune, made in the Château-Chalon AOC.
• Other important grape varieties in Jura include Pinot Noir, Poulsard, Trousseau, Chardonnay and Savagnin.
• Chardonnay is the Jura's most planted variety, and the growing success of Crémant du Jura has benefited from the unripe grapes that are used as the sparkling base.
• There are seven AOCs (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) in Jura, namely Arbois, Château-Chalon, Côtes du Jura, L'Étoile, Crémant du Jura, Macvin du Jura and Marc du Jura,
• Crémant du Jura is an AOC for sparkling wines. White and rosé sparkling wines are produced from Poulsard, Trousseau, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Savagnin.
• Crémant du Jura is made in the méthode traditionelle, like champagne and is styled from bone-dry to delicately sweet.
• The vineyard soils throughout the region tend to contain mostly clay in the lower flat lands with more limestone based soils in the higher elevation.
• Due to the cool climate, chaptalization, which is the process to add sugar to unfermented grape to achieve the desired alcohol content, is permitted in the Jura region and is sometimes a necessity to compensate for the low sugar levels in the underripen vintages.

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Crémant is French sparkling wine that is produced outside Champagne. Unlike Champagne, which restricts to Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay, Crémant simply expands creativity, affordability and varieties of grapes in the French sparkling world. Crafted with the the Champagne method, Tissot Marie Crémant du Jura Brut Lapiaz (SRP$18) is a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and local Jura varieties. It’s drier in style with notes of honey, ripe pear and white flowers. No doubt, this Crémant du Jura, which is a prime example of Jura wine, embraces affordability, tradition, and highly idiosyncratic Jura styles. • • #chinesefoodandwinepairings • • #jurawines #cremantdujura #henritissot #jurawine #burgundywine #frenchsparklingwine #cremantwine #cremant #cremantjura #sparklingwine #sparkilingwine #winepw #frenchsparkling

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Tissot-Marie Crémant du Jura Brut Lapiaz

Tissot-Marie Crémant du Jura Brut Lapiaz is one of the five Crémants, jointly produced by Henri Maire et Tissot and Groupe Boisset. Founded by Joseph Tissot in 1896, Maison Tissot started to sell wines before partnering with Henri Maire in early 2000s. Domaine Maire & Fils, another major Jura wine family, started its wine journey back in 1632. In 2000, the Tissot family draws closer to Domaine Maire & Fils, a long-time local partner and gives birth to Tissot-Maire, an alliance of winemaking knowledge inherited from more than 11 generations and with the largest winegrowing estate in the Jura region, to produce top-notched Crémants.

The company logo symbolizes the alliance of Tissot and Marie, two great Jura families, the connection with local traditional arts and craft, and the complexity that comes with winemaking

 

The Brut Lapiaz symbolizes the rough and rustic climate of the Jura. On the nose, it smells white flower blossom. As you sip this Crémant, the mineral, citrus, honey notes reveal, layering with creamy froth and dried apricot. The finish is amazingly fruity and long. No doubt, this Crémant, which has the Champagne feel, is a steal!

Tissot-Marie Cuvée Crémant du Jura Brut Lapiaz (SRP$18) - a blend of Chardonnay (50%) and Pinot Noir (50%) 

Food Pairing

To pair with this fresh and elegant Crémant, I put together a quick snacking plate that includes some dill-infused cheese, unsalted almond, pitted dried dates and store-bought fried pork skin. I’m particularly fond of the fried pork skin with this Crémant as the wine tones down the fattiness of the pork skin and the rich pork taste. Its bubble is so fun when it mingles with the crunch of the pork skin.

 

Check out other #Winophiles bloggers’ Jura wine journey and fun food pairings:

Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla will share "Seafood B'Stilla + Domaine Rolet Arbois Trousseau 2012"

Pinny from Chinese Food and Wine Pairings is "Sipping Tissot-Marie Crémant Du Jura and Snacking Fried Pork Skin"

Linda from My Full Wine Glass will be heading "Back to the Jura (virtually), for Crémant this time around"

Robin from Crushed Grape Chronicles is "Channeling the Jura for a rooftop getaway with a bottle of Savagnin and Friends"

Payal from Keep the Peas is sharing "Sherry? No, Jura"

David from Cooking Chat will be sharing "Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs with Jura Wine"

Terri from Our Good Life will tell us about "Sparkling Jura for Celebratory Moments"

Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm will serve up "Bourride served with a Chardonnay from Jura"

Nicole from Somm's Table will be "Cooking to the Wine: Two Savagnins from Domaine Daniel Dugois with Coquilles St. Jacques"

Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva is talking about "Jura in the Afternoon"

Gwendolyn from Wine Predator will share "Exploring Flavors of Jura Food and Wine Take Two: Trousseau and Melon"

Susannah from Avvinaire tells us about "Discovering Delights From Jura Region"

#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