Feat. Chardonnay

 

Originating in France, chardonnay has become one of the most popular wines in the world. It wasn’t until the 1960s when it started to gain widespread popularity; however, now there are nearly 100,000 acres of chardonnay in California alone.

 

Despite its popularity, chardonnay is one of the most polarizing wines amongst wine drinkers. Some love the buttery, oaky flavors it has while others find it too sweet. When it’s an oaked chardonnay, it has a flavor profile that is distinctly buttery, but it also tends to have the flavors of butterscotch, vanilla, green apple, among others. It’s these kinds of flavors, along with its full-body, creamy texture that makes it appealing to the masses. That being said, unoaked chardonnay is produced more and more. Unlike oaked chardonnay which is aged in a barrel, its unoaked counterpart is in stainless steel. Unoaked chardonnay is crisper and has less of a butter flavor. If you’re on the fence about chardonnay, try an unoaked bottle – you may very well change your mind.

 

Food it pairs well with: Salmon; Halibut; Cod; Chicken; Asparagus; Mushrooms;

 

Recommended Recipe: Lemon-Oregano Chicken from MyRecipes

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 4 whole chicken legs (thighs with drumsticks; 2 1/3 lb. total)
  • Salt

How to make:

  1. In a large plastic food bag (or bowl), combine lemon juice, oil, oregano, garlic, and pepper.
  2. Trim and discard excess fat from chicken legs. Rinse chicken and place in bag (or bowl). Seal and turn bag to mix chicken with marinade (or mix in bowl and cover airtight). Let stand 10 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally. If making ahead, chill chicken in marinade up to 1 day.
  3. Lift chicken from marinade and place pieces slightly apart on a rack in a 10- by 15-inch broiler pan; reserve marinade.
  4. Broil about 6 inches from heat, turning as needed to brown evenly, until meat is no longer pink at bone (cut to test), 25 to 30 minutes total; up until the last 10 minutes, baste occasionally with the reserved marinade. Add salt to taste.

 

 

Recommended CO Wines: Wild Women Wine Naked Chardonnay; Plum Creek Chardonnay (Aspen series & Redstone reserve); Balistreri Colorado Chardonnay; Two Rivers Winery Chardonnay; Avanti Winery Chardonnay

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