Chardonnay is also one of the most widely planted grape varietals in the world. It is also a wine with a wide range of flavors, aromas, and styles. Eric Taylor, Bottles manager and wine expert, talks about the range of Chardonnays out there, from warm climate to cool climate Chardonnays and oaked to un-oaked Chardonnay. Watch the video below to learn more and to find out Eric’s favorites available in the store.
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It is officially Spring! What better way to celebrate than with Fiddleheads, a vegetable that is only harvested for about two weeks. Fiddleheads have a flavor profile similar to asparagus and spinach, and we suggest pairing these short lived vegetables with a light, dry, and refreshing wine, Grüner Veltliner.
Named fiddleheads because they resemble the scroll of a stringed instrument, they are the furled fronds of a young fern. Though wild and technically a fern, they are picked young for use as a vegetable. A regional delicacy in New England, Quebec, Ontario and the Maritimes, fiddleheads are rich in iron and potassium with antioxidant properties. Fiddlehead patches are found in forests along the flood plains of rivers, and their locations are a closely guarded secret because of their limited harvest.
– Check out Farm Fresh for where to get these vegetables during the two weeks they are harvested.
– Fiddleheads in Rhode Island are in season from mid-April to mid-May.
– For some more information on Fiddlehead Ferns and other Edible plants in New England check out Native Plants and Wildlife Gardens
Located in the heart of the Austrian wine quarter (Weinviertel), the ancient wine village of Falkenstein is home to the Weingut Durnberg and their L&T Grüner Veltliner. Weingut Durnberg is at the forefront of a “new Weinviertel style,” with an emphasis on freshness and cool acidity. Winemaker Christoph Körner knows how to bring out the beautiful natural spiciness of the vines in the wine with a clear power of fruit and attractive harmony. Light and dry, this Grüner Veltliner is the perfect wine to pair with Fiddleheads. Its refreshing and easy to drink palate of grapefruit and green apple balances well with the fresh, grassy taste of the vegetables. Grüner Veltliner also pairs very well with Asparagus and other bitter vegetables.
Servings: 4 to 6
Source: The Kitchn
Ingredients:
1½ cups fiddlehead ferns
1½ cups asparagus tips
3 tbsp butter
1½ tsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 large leeks, no dark green parts, diced
2 scallions, white parts only, minced
1 clove garlic minced
2 cups arborio or risotto rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
approximately 5½ cups hot vegetable or chicken stock
zest of 1 large lemon
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Method of Preparation:
1. Prep the vegetables, ready a large bowl of ice water and bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil.
2. Wash the fiddlehead ferns thoroughly and then rub them with a kitchen towel to remove any of the brown paper-like chaff. Cut off all brown tips and blemishes and then rinse again.
3. Blanch both the asparagus and fiddlehead ferns for about 2 minutes by placing them in the boiling water and then once they are bright green, transfer them to the ice water to stop them from cooking.
4. Heat the broth to a simmer and then cover and keep warm over medium-low heat.
5. Heat the oil and 1½ tbsp of butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the diced leeks, scallions and garlic and sauté about 5 minutes, until almost translucent.
6. Add rice to the pot and stir continuously until the grains are translucent at the edges but opaque in the center.
7. Add the wine, and stir until it is almost completely absorbed.
8. Add the warm stock cup by cup, stirring until the rice has absorbed nearly each cup before adding the next cup.
9. When the rice is almost done, about 15 minutes, stir in the blanched and drained vegetables and the lemon zest. Stir in the last 1/2 cup of stock, cheese and remaining butter.
10. Serve immediately.
*Fiddlehead ferns have a toxin that can cause stomach distress when eaten raw. The health department recommends cooking them for 10 to 15 minutes you may wish to add the fiddleheads to the risotto earlier than the asparagus to give it some extra cooking time.
Cheers!
Kimberly Vroegindewey
For us, spring is the real beginning of the year. So many exciting wines start to arrive, the most notable being rosé from all over the world. When thinking about springtime foods, they mirror the season very well – fresh, light and with vibrant flavors and colors. To make a comparison, we think of Grüner Veltliner, Albariño and Cabernet Franc to be the Ramps, Fiddlehead Ferns and Asparagus of the wine world.
Look for our in-store display of spring wines, hand-selected to be perfect with almost any fresh and vibrantly flavored springtime dish.
2012 Château D’Oupia ‘Les Hérétiques’, Languedoc, France, $11.99
2010 E. Guigal Côtes du Rhône, Rhone Valley, France, $14.99
2009 Frederic Mabileau ‘Les Rouilleres’, Loire Valley, France, $17.99
2012 Matua Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand, $12.99
2012 William Hill Chardonnay, North Coast, California, $14.99
2012 K Vintners Viognier, Columbia Valley, Washington, $24.99
2011 Burgáns Albariño, Galicia, Spain, $12.99
2012 Château Les Valentines ‘La Caprice de Clementine’, Provence, France, $14.99
2013 Anton Bauer ‘Gmörk’ Grüner Veltliner, Wagram, Austria, $15.99
Cheers!
– Eric Taylor
Bottles General Manager
Winter is coming to an end and Spring is just around the corner. What better way to transition to the next season than with seared, fresh Sea Scallops gathered from Narragansett Bay? To enhance the mild flavor of the scallops, we recommend a bottle of Muscadet, a dry, bright, and minerally white wine. Down with the reds! Bring on the whites and rosés!
Found in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean, sea scallops are harvested anywhere from Newfoundland down to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Generally shiny and creamy white in color, scallops have a sweet, rich taste that is mild or briny. Don’t worry about a slight orange or pinkish tint when raw; it’s natural and won’t affect the flavor. High quality scallops have an ivory translucence to them and should keep their oval shaped structure.
Located in the far western portion of the Loire Valley, in France, wine grower Marc Ollivier makes some of the top Muscadets from the AOC Muscadet Sevre et Maine appellation. Hand-picked by Ollivier himself, this Muscadet is unique because of the use of natural yeasts. Taking longer to ferment, the wine is bottled later, but it is well worth it.
The Muscadet vines are grown in terroir that is thick with granite stones and debris, giving the wines a particularly lemon-tinged, mineral edge that makes it perfect for seafood. His Muscadet Sevre et Maine sur Lie has beautiful, bright and energetic aromatics that are fruit forward and floral. The palate displays similar characteristics, with lots of pleasing texture and substance.
This Muscadet is a fantastic complement to this simple seared scallop recipe that only takes 10 minutes to prepare. We recommend enjoying this pairing on your veranda on a fresh spring day.
Ingredients
1 lb Sea Scallops
2-3 tsp grapeseed oil or olive oil
2 large cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
A handful of Parsley, chopped
1 tsp unsalted butter
Fresh ground pepper
Juice from half a lemon
Sea Salt
Method of Preparation
1. In a bowl gently toss the scallops with the oil, garlic and parsley. For increased flavor, store in the refrigerator for some minutes before cooking.
2. Over medium heat, melt the butter in a sauté pan.
3. Once the butter starts to bubble, add the scallops, season with ground pepper and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
4. Very carefully, turn over the scallops. After about 1 minute squeeze the lemon juice over top and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Once they have become opaque, stop cooking them!
5. Serve over salad greens and sprinkle with sea salt. Yields 4 servings. *Recipe by Savoring the Thyme.
Looking for other spring food and wine pairings? Try Asparagus with Grüner Veltliner or Arugula with Sauvignon Blanc.
Cheers!
by Kim Vroegindewey
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| Every day I’m hustlin’! |
“Chef & owner of Farmstead, Matt Jennings is a skilled butcher, forager, preserver & cooker of all things delicious. He is a two-time finalist for the James Beard Foundation’s “Best Chef Northeast” award, is named one of America’s “Most Sustainable Chefs” and was selected as one of Food & Wine magazine’s “Big thinkers, changing the way Americans eat.” Together with his wife, the Jennings’ influence on regional New England cuisine is reflected in the menus, care of the dishes & support of local growers.” www.farmstead.com
Have you eaten fresh fava beans recently? No? Well, you are missing out on a wonderfully sweet, tender, and versatile legume. Only the perfect bottle of wine can make a fava bean dish even better. In this case, we’re pairing Chablis with this newly in-season vegetable. Discover more food and wine pairings on our seasonal recipes page.
In Season Now: Fava Beans
June – September
While common sense tells us to avoid the culinary recommendations of cannibals, fava beans are actually a great summer ingredient! Fresh, earthy, creamy in texture, and sweet like peas, you can make a delicious risotto, sauce, or pilaf with fava beans. Split the pod, remove the beans, blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes, and cool immediately in an ice bath. Drain, and now they’re ready for a killer salad. A simple way to serve fava beans is tossed with extra-virgin olive oil, salted to taste, and topped with pecorino cheese.
Wine Pairing
Chablis from Chablis, France are some of the best Chardonnays there are. The term ‘Chablis’ has been misused to refer to generic white wine, which is not what we’re talking about in this case. You should give real Chablis a try! Dry, steely, fruity, and super refreshing, Chablis is not your grandma’s buttery Chardonnay. Enjoyed with your favorite fava bean dish!
Or, just grab a bottle of nice Chianti…
It’s striper season in Rhode Island! You might have read our previous posts featuring food and wine pairings as they come into season in little Rhody. This week, we’re all about this mouth-watering combination: Striped Bass paired with Albariño, a white wine from Spain.
In Season Now
June – September
Striped Bass is a classic Ocean State food, and the Rhode Island state fish! Now is the season for catching your striper in the Narragansett Bay. Not a fisherman, or just unlucky? Pick up a few filets from local fishermen such as The Local Catch at your farmer’s market. The Local Catch also has a Community Supported Fishery (CSF) program, sign up today!
Mild and sweet, light and flaky, Striped Bass tastes great cooked right on the grill, or pan-seared (in filet form!). Just add your favorite fresh herbs, lemon, olive oil or butter, and season to taste for the perfect Rhody summertime dish.
Read Edible Rhody Magazine’s simple Grilled Striped Bass recipe or Striped Bass with Tomato Basil Relish and Sweet Corn Purée recipe.
Wine Pairing
Albariño is a native grape of the Ríaz Baixas (pronounced “ree-ass by-shuss”) region on the Galician Coast of Spain. White wines from this region are delicate, lively, and aromatic. Ríaz Baixas is also a region with an ancient, pre-Columbian history of fishing and seafood. If it grows together, it goes together, so enjoy this fantastic wine with striped bass this summer!
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| Photo: Santiago Ruiz |
Radishes are here in Rhode Island! As part of our series of blog posts featuring in-season foods paired with wine, this week we’re having Foris Pinot Gris with farm-fresh radishes. For more pairing ideas, visit our seasonal recipe page.
The other week, Darius Salko invited Nick, the Bottles Wine Director, to Allens Farms and The March Hare in nearby Westport, MA. Darius showed us around and gave us super-fresh greens to enjoy. Take a look at photos from our visit, here!
In Season Now
May – Mid-December
Radishes are a spicy root vegetable that grows best either in spring or early fall. Whether you prefer French Breakfast radishes or the familiar Cherry Belle radish (or both!), radishes are easy-to-grow and can be enjoyed fresh or cooked. Make an easy appetizer with a baguette, soft cheese, and chives, serve them with artisanal butter and sea salt, or even braise them with shallots. A great way to enjoy the local harvest!
Wine Pairing
Pinot Gris is medium bodied white wine with notes of pears, apples, and stone fruit. Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris happen to be the same grape, but the former is grown in the northeastern region of Italy, and is generally paler and lighter in style. Foris Pinot Gris is delicious example of Pinot Gris from Oregon, with aromas of melon, pear, citrus blosson, and a hint of vanilla. A great summertime wine!
Recommended Wine: Foris Pinot Gris
We love pairing farm-fresh foods with wines, as the ingredient comes into season here in Rhode Island. The other week we had asparagus and Grüner Veltliner (so good!), and this week we’re enjoying arugula with Sauvignon Blanc.
Nick, the Bottles Wine Director, was invited to Allens Farm and The March Hare, to meet with Darius Salko. Darius gave us a fun-filled tour of the Westport, MA farm, and we were lucky enough to taste super-fresh pea greens, mustard leaves, and more. Read this special post devoted to our visit to the farm!
In Season Now
May – November
Arugula is a flavor-packed leafy green that is comes into season in Rhode Island during spring. Its spicy, peppery qualities make it a tasty addition or main component in salads, or even tossed with warm pasta, crispy pancetta, cream, and parmesan! Our favorite arugula salad is with balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.
Wine Pairing
Sauvignon Blanc is crisp, tart, mineral-driven, zippy, and herbaceous. Because Babich Sauvignon Blanc is from New Zealand, it has a bright, citrus component that soothes the pepper of the arugula. Sauvignon Blanc is ideal summer wine; serve it nice and chilled!
Recommended Wine: Babich Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc