Category Archives: Wine & Food

Well it seems I have been on an Italian kick lately, and have discovered some wonderful new wines from the region.

I am on a mission to try every Barolo and Nebbiolo wine and I recently tried this one.  It’s hard to find one under $50, but I found this one which sells here for $34.99

The Beni di Batasiolo Barolo from the vintage year 2009.   A lovely red brick color in the glass and aromas of spices, herbs and truffles on the nose   A very balanced wine with nice tannins.  It’s dry, but many fine Italian wines are, and I find they go very well with food.  You could pair this with pasta, creamy sauces, chicken, hearty meat dishes and anything with a tomato sauce – and it would be heaven in your mouth.

You can’t talk Italian without talking Pinot Grigio, the light crisp go-to Italian wine.   This is a beauty of a wine, under $20, it’s just $17.99 here.  Harvested in northeastern Italy, this wine will go with so many foods.  (Try it with the Caprese Chicken recipe at the end of the blog).  Gorgeous flavors of citrus, pear and a hint of apricot, make for a delicate wine that you will want to enjoy again and again.

Allow me to introduce you to one of the best deals at your local Liquor store.  It is the Tre Saggi Talamonti, and it’s priced at $16.99 here.  It’s a fantastic wine at a fantastic price.   Coming from Central Italy,  this full-bodied wine delivers bold flavors of cherries, floral notes and juicy tannins.   Very food friendly.  Try it with everything from sausage to beef to my recipe for Caprese Chicken.

Caprese Chicken:

Are you ready for the easiest fanciest looking dish ever!

Chicken cutlets

Mozzarella ball cut in slices

Tomatoes

Italian Salad Dressing

balsamic Vinegar

Basil

Cook your flattened chicken cutlets in the Italian salad dressing.  (or make your own by pounding a chicken breast.  I am terrible at this, so I buy them flat already)

When they are just about cooked, add a slice of mozzarella, topped with a tomato and some fresh basil.

Drizzle balsamic vinegar and serve.  People will go WOW!  It will look fancy, and it is probably the easiest chicken dish ever!

Serve it with any of the wines above.  Enjoy

Darlene

Everyone loves a long weekend, and we wine drinkers are no exception.  As many provinces across the Country celebrate a long weekend,  I have put together a list of some new wines I have tried recently, that would be perfect for the long weekend.  Please feel free to share your favorite ‘Long Weekend Wines’ with me.

I love finding a good deal and this wine is on the “Over 90 – Under 30” selection at the NSLC.  They are wines rated above 90, by Wine Spectator and are priced below $30.  This Malbec from the Mendoza region in Argentina is a beauty of a wine at under $22.  Gorgeous garnet color in the glass and as your bring it to your nose you’ll find yummy aromas of cherries and a bit of spice.  On the palate I loved the combination of cherries, peppercorn, and smoky oak.  Very elegant and the perfect balanced with a nice lingering finish.  Bring this wine to any BBQ or enjoy with pasta.

I do love a good crisp Sauvignon Blanc, and this one did not disappoint.  First time I have tried a Sauvignon Blanc from Chile and I was quite impressed.  Falernia is Chile’s most northern vineyard so some cooler temperatures come into play here.  Also, what sets this wine apart is that normally Sauvignon Blanc doesn’t see any oak.  95% of this wine is stored in stainless steel and 5% in oak.  Combined with mouth-watering grapefruit, lime and herbal notes, a perfect wine to accompany your favorite summer salad.

If you can find this next wine, buy lots of it.  A great price… under $20, and a gorgeous Zinfandel.   Many of my blog readers know I have an infatuation with Zinfandel, so when I saw Zinfatuation from the Napa Valley in California, I had to give it a try.  Medium bodied,  flavors of strawberry, spices, and oak.  It is fruity with good acidity and very food friendly.  Try it with any meal.

Lots of people have been asking me for my Southwestern Chicken Salad.  I have made it a few times recently, and have bought it into work.  Easy!!  Here it is… a great summer salad.

Darlene’s Southwestern Chicken Salad:

• Breaded chicken strips  (done as per instructions in the oven or on the BBQ – brush with BBQ Sauce)
• Romaine lettuce
• Tomatoes
• Can of Corn
• Shredded Mozzarella and Cheddar Cheese  (You can buy the combo already shredded)
• Real Bacon Bits
• Green Pepper
• Red Pepper
• Ranch Salad dressing
• Salsa
• Tortilla chips

Combine your lettuce in a bowl.  Add diced tomato, chopped green and red pepper, small can of corn, Bacon bits, and the Shredded Cheese.   When the chicken strips are cooked, cut them up in bite size pieces and add to the salad.  ( I love the salad when the chicken is warm)

Combine Ranch dressing with Salsa.  Half and half works for me.  Blend  into salad.  Adorn with Tortilla chips, which are delicious to use as a utensil when eating this salad.

Enjoy… isn’t that easy!!  And so delicious.  Some people also add black beans.

Till next week – Cheers

Darlene

When award winning Wine Writer and Sommelier, Natalie Maclean, asked me to nominate wines for the Great Canadian Wine Match, I was honored and thrilled.  I never dreamed my wine would win in any of the categories, but my pick for chicken – Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos Chardonnay won as the best wine for chicken.

Le Clos Jordanne makes two kinds of wine, and only two kinds.  Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and is probably the reason they do it so well.  Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos Chardonnay is the perfect treat wine, and in my opinion, the perfect wine for so many chicken recipes.   Smooth, supple, full-bodied and rich.   And a Chardonnay not over-powered by oak.  Gorgeous.

It’s a treat wine for most people.  It’s $83 a bottle here in Nova Scotia and similarly priced across the country.  So most of us don’t enjoy $83 bottles of wine every day of the week.   But you know what.  Treat yourself.  It’s worth it.  Don’t wait for a birthday or anniversary.  Make your own special occasion.  Celebrate life and a good meal with a spectacular bottle of wine.  We all need to do that every once in a while.  That’s where the happiness comes in.

When Natalie asked me to participate in a 3-way interview with Le Clos Jordanne winemaker Sebasian Jacquey (pictured above), I was so nervous I almost cancelled.  But I was so glad I didn’t cancel.  Two great people who know so much about wine, I had a fantastic evening sharing a glass of wine with these two fine people.

I also loved the name Natalie put on the feature, so that’s what I’m titling the blog this week.  Here’s the video.

Wine, Happiness, Chicken & Sommelier’s in Training

During Segment 2, Natalie asked me my favorite recipe to go with this wine.  I had a couple.  I am always getting asked for my recipes, so here is one of my favorite chicken recipes.

            

Darlene’s Maple Dijon Chicken

• Chicken breasts (or thighs can be used – skinless and boneless are my preference)
• Maple Syrup  (the real stuff – not pancake syrup)
• A grainy Dijon mustard.
• A couple of tablespoons of Low Sodium Soya Sauce
• Splash of red wine vinegar
• Minced garlic
• A shake or a squeeze of lime juice
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients and pour over the chicken.  Now, if you have time, put the chicken in the fridge and marinate it for as long as you can.  Try marinating in the morning and leave it in the fridge all day.

Ensure you have enough sauce to cover the chicken at least half way.  You can cook in a casserole dish in the oven or even on the BBQ.

I have done this one my BBQ 2 ways.  I love cooking the chicken in the sauce.  Put it in an aluminum foil baking dish and enjoy a glass of wine while this cooks on the BBQ.   (this is my favorite way.)  Or you can take it out of the marinade and cook it right on the grill.   Either way tastes delicious.

Your family will love this chicken recipe.

Enjoy your favorite wine with it.  Till next week, thanks for reading and Cheers.

Darlene

As the temperature inches up towards 30-degrees Celsius here in Halifax, Nova Scotia, I come to realize that Summer is here!   And one of my goals this summer is to fully enjoy my patio.  And to enjoy a new wine each week.

So, over the past couple of weeks, I have tried some new ones that I wanted to share with you.

I have been enjoying the wines from the McManis Family vineyards for several years.  They make a fantastic Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel, but this past week I have had the opportunity to enjoy the Merlot.  Well, I had it with a grilled stuffed butterfly pork chop (Recipe below).  Spectacular.  Gorgeous deep purple color in the class and cherries and strawberry greet your nose.   On the palate there is a vanilla flavored oak and I’m sure I detected some caramel.  It’s under $20, which means you can enjoy it any night of the week.

Every time I see the words Mendocino County, I think of the song Mendocino County Line by Willie Nelson and Lee Anne Womack.   This is a beautiful Grand Reserve Zinfandel and comes in at about $25 here in Nova Scotia.  A nice spicy fruity Zinfandel with flavors of cherry and plum and a bit of black pepper.  Fantastic with a BBQ!

 

I can honestly say this is my first time writing about a Rose wine, and definitely my first writing about a Malbec Rose.  Until one week ago, I didn’t know a Malbec Rose existed.

This Malbec, when harvested, is vinified in stainless steel at temperatures below 18-degrees.  Recommended by my friend Rayell, this wine is perfect for summer.  It’s fun and refreshing and a real conversation piece.  Aromas of grapefruit, its crisp with a real nice acidity and has a beautiful finish.   People who love red or white wine should definitely try this, and at just $15.99 a bottle, why wouldn’t you try it.

Another fun wine this summer is this gorgeous California Pinot Grigio from the makers of Menage a Trois.   I have written about their Red wine before, and I love it.  Well last weekend, I enjoyed the Pinot Grigio.  Tropical fruits, big and beautiful fruit flavors and a refreshing crisp acidity.   It’s under $20 here in Nova Scotia, and so food friendly.  Or you can enjoy it all by itself on a patio, as I did last weekend.

Enjoy the summer, and I would love to hear what new wine you have tried this summer!  Many people ask me my recipes, so here is my simple recipe for Stuffed Pork Chops.  You can also use it for pork tenderloin as well.  You can also mix and match any of your favorite ingredients

Stuffed Pork Chop.

1 butterfly pork chop  (not to thick, because it will be harder to grill)

1 piece of bread cut up into small pieces

Bacon bit – the real ones.  Or fry a couple of pieces of bacon and cut those up into small pieces

Feta cheese  (I use crumbled or feta with sundried tomatoes

I have added olives, jalapenos, sundried tomatoes and peppers for a different taste

A dash of basil

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix the ingredients with a bit of olive oil or butter, and lay on 1/2 of the pork chop.  Fold over and secure with tooth picks.

Grill all 4 sides of the pork chop, marinating with mustard and a bit of BBQ sauce.

Enjoy.

Darlene