Wine Club Notes:
Do you love chicken and red wine, but never thought about serving the two together?

Traditionally, chicken – whether it’s baked, broasted or fried…and whether it’s lightly seasoned or flavored with “11 herbs and spices” – is served with white wine. Chardonnay is usually a good match, and so are varieties such as Chenin Blanc and Pinot Grigio.

Rare is the red wine that doesn’t simply overpower the flavors of poultry, leaving the diner with a culinary conundrum. But as one member of our tasting panel discovered when she took a bottle home, the 2011 California Merlot from Quail Hollow Winery is a wonderful match with both chicken and turkey – as long as you’re noshing on the dark meat of the bird.

The Quail Hollow Merlot is soft, supple, fruit-forward and easy drinking, not to mention extremely food-friendly. And, in an admittedly rare occurrence, that friendliness extends even to some of our formerly feathered friends.

Tasting Notes
Grape Composition: Merlot and Other Red Varieties
Grape Source: Select Vineyards in Various California Growing Regions
Aromas and Flavors: Black Cherry, Plum and Assorted Herbs
Aging Vessels: Assorted Oak Barrels
When to Drink: Now through 2015
Food Pairing Suggestions: Dark-meat chicken or turkey.

My Thoughts

First, who writes this shit?! I think they’re a little too excited about being able to pair Merlot with poultry. Ok ok, I know, they’re right on this one. It went great with some leftover lemon chicken and white rice. As for turkey? I wouldn’t be offended if this graced the Thanksgiving dinner table.

It has a very light, but fruity and fragrant aroma. Those first sips I detected notes of black cherry and possibly a hint of citrus. I would call this a Merlot with training wheels. If you fear red wines, as I did for quite some time, this is an excellent choice to broaden your wine horizons. This, this right here, is the white wine drinker’s Merlot.

Yes, I am partial to white wines. Yes, I have been trying out loads of red wines, because dammit, I will find some that I love! I have been having some luck lately. And this one has definitely earned its spot on the Red Wines I Love list. So far I believe there are now two…

On a scale of “this tastes like piss” to “oops, I just drank the whole bottle” I would give this a “Someone’s gonna get Mer-loaded tonight!” Would I buy it again? Absolutely! I may use this as an excuse to make a turkey…

Final Grade: A

From the bottle:
50% Chardonnay / 50% Viognier – UCO Valley Mendoza
Each barrel is a unique universe where the wine acquires unique characteristics. The winemaking team at Finca Eugenio Bustos has worked to create wines that capture the distinct characters of the variety and uniqueness of each barrel component. Enjoy with seafood, blue cheeses and spice food.

Notes from the wine club:

The Andes stand majestically to the west.

The range provides plenty of “melt water” when needed. The days are long and sunny. The nights are cool. The pristine setting means that the vineyard requires little spraying — perhaps two organic sprays per year. It is an ideal environment for growing top-quality winegrapes.

This is the home of Altivo, developed by Argentina wine pioneer Eugenio Bustos, who is understandably enthusiastic about the cuvees being made by winemaker Cristian Garcia. “Altivo wines have a very distinctive character,” Bustos notes. “They are bold in flavor, lush in texture, and have great structure and length.”

That’s an apt description for the 2010 Altivo “Barrel Selection” Chardonnay-Viognier, which vintner Garcia crafted by blending equal portions of the two varieties. Garcia says the cuvee has “an important structure in the mouth, with a harmonious and elegant ending.” It’s a gorgeous wine made from exceptional grapes grown in a perfectly situated vineyard.

Aromas & Flavors: Red Apple, Coconut, Vanilla Cream, Melon, Toast & Nuts

Aging Vessels: Assorted Oak Barrels

When to Drink: Now Through 2015

Food Pairing Suggestion: roasted chicken with lemon and garlic.

My Notes:

Pleasantly aromatic. I could smell notes of crisp apples and vanilla. The first sip had strong notes of apple, oak and a strong vanilla aftertaste. Not too bad. Definitely a good white blend. I haven’t had much luck with white blends. Usually the red blends work out better.

I think ANYTHING goes well with spicy foods. Then again, I just love spicy foods. I’m pretty sure my blood type is Tabasco. This wine went very well with the leek and dumpling soup I made as well as the extra spicy vegetarian chili I made. I’m thinking next time a good lemon chicken or even some spicy Thai food.

On a scale of “this tastes like piss” to “oops, I just drank the whole bottle” I would give this a “I finished half the bottle last night and forgot to write something about it. The second half with dinner tonight was even better.” Would I buy it again? Well, I can’t try it with lemon chicken if I don’t pick up another bottle!

Final Grade: B+