wine of the night: 2010 Iconic Wines Heroine Chardonnay

What a bottle! Hands down my absolute most favorite label I have ever come across. This Chardonnay is the first wine from the guys at Iconic Wines. Although you shouldn't judge wines by the label, let this be your exception. An awesome label and equally awesome wine. This white is a blend of 4 barrels of Chardonnay, each containing juice from grapes of varying harvest dates and different levels of malolactic fermentation. See the breakdown on Iconic's site (www.iconicwine.com/).

Iconic Wines 2010 Heroine Chardonnay $33.99

Heroine a is high acid, mineral driven Chardonnay with a lingering finish of lemons. There a nice amount of complexity too, which I suspect is from the varying levels of malo and that this wines ages on the lees for 10 months.

And did I mention that there are only 104 cases of this juice!! That's right; so find it, grab it, and enjoy it!!

wine of the night: 2010 Donkey & Goat 'Improbable' Chardonnay from El Dorado

Saturday's wine of the night is a welcome change from the crisp, fresh Savignon Blanc wines I seem to drink on a regular basis during the summer. Tonight I'm drinking a Chardonnay from Donkey & Goat; a winery that is more than just a cute name; if you're a wine nerd like me, you'll enjoy reading about their winemaking process (clicky here). Donkey & Goat winery uses minimal sulfur in their wines and they even stomp the grapes with their feet!

This natural Chardonnay, called 'Improbable' is complex, with subtle flavors evolving in the glass as I swirl, sip, repeat. Tasting notes include meyer lemon, mango, and minerals. A pleasant finish with a roundness that is very enjoyable and interesting. This is a wine to serve when with others who like to taste, think and talk about the wine in their hand.

2010 Donkey & Goat 'Improbable' Chardonnay, El Dorado, $33.99

wine pairing: father's day shrimp and crab boil

Delicious food, loud laughter, a bit of banter and lots of wine. This is how I spent Father's day at my parents house in Pennsylvania Sunday night. There is something amazing about being around my mother's gardens, my father's cooking, and my awesome family that provides the perfect break from the city every once in awhile. 

With a family full of oenophiles, Sunday provided the perfect opportunity for a group wine pairing. My father cooked up a shrimp and crab boil. A slightly spicy, southern concoction of crab legs, sausage, mushrooms, garlic (the entire bulb was boiled and allowed us to squeeze the garlic cloves onto our food like small packets of ketchup!), corn, shrimp, mussels, and clams. With so much seafood, I instinctively decided to pair the meal with a white wine. But as hearty as it was, I wondered if a red would be nice too. I decided to pour everyone a glass of the two wines below, a California Chardonnay and California Cabernet Sauvignon, both Clos du Bois. 

2009 Clos du Bois Russian River Valley Chardonnay ($18), Clos de Bois North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon ($15)

Of the ten people (of drinking age) around the table, seven preferred the Chardonnay, one liked the Cabernet better with the dish, and two decided to curiously stick to Jameson. Although I too preferred the white, I enjoyed the Cabernet while eating the sausage and vegetables seasoned with the smoky spices, but of course the Chardonnay paired nicely with the main seafood ingredients. Overall, great food, great wine (especially that Chardonnay!) and great company!

wine pairing: tilapia with escarole and lemon-pepper oil

The heat has finally broke in New York City but it's still warm and a great evening for preparing a light fish and drinking a cool white wine. Today I used a recipe from foodnetwork.com; Tilapia with Escarole and Lemon-Pepper Oil. The recipe was accurately placed under Dinner Rush Recipes on the front page of the website. I typically do not steam fish, although I don't know why; it's healthier than sautéing, easy and delicious! I tasted 3 wines with the dish; a 2010 Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, a 2010 Chardonnay from South Africa, and a 2009 Dry Riesling from Germany.

Wine Tasting #1: 2010 Casa Lapostolle Sauvignon Blanc from Rapel Valley (right)
Although I like the wine, I cannot recommend it for this dish. The flavors clashed; I found the mineral and grapefruit notes of the wine were not pleasant with the tilapia.
$12.00

Wine Tasting #2: 2010 Excelsior Chardonnay from South Africa (middle)
This Chardonnay pairs nicely with the tilapia dish. It's a bright and fresh Chardonnay, very enjoyable especially for the upcoming hotter summer days.
$7.99

Wine Tasting #3: 2009 Selbach Dry Riesling from Germany (left)
Tonight's winner! This Riesling complimented all flavors of this meal. Everything tasted better with this wine; the escarole, tilapia, potatoes, and lemon. This wine took a good dinner and made it great. After the tasting, I filled my glass full of wine#3.
$13.99