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+--- Thread: Cabernet/Pinot Inquiry (/thread-6734.html)
- winerookie - 10-16-2000
I am recently getting into the wine scene and am very excited to learn everything about red wines. Can anyone please tell me what is the best Cabernet, Pinot and Burgundy wines I can buy that are affordable? Most of my recipes have Chicken as the main course and I'm curious which wines would best compliment my main courses.
Thx.
- Innkeeper - 10-21-2000
Hi Winerookie, and welcome to the Wine Board. Sorry, nobody has answered your question yet. That's because it is the sort that most of us don't want to touch with a ten foot pole. Starting with the end of it, chicken is not the dish that most people associate with red wine. This prejudice started to go away forty or so years ago when Coq-a-vin was the big thing. It was cooked in Burgundy (the kind from Burgundy) otherwise known as Pinot Noir. That sort of broke the ice. Now Pinot is drunk with various chichen dishes ranging from those made with just legs, to others with very rich sauces.
Other than Pinot, the list of red wines that go with chicken is short. Pinot's neighbor, Gamay does well too. That is the grape that goes into Beaujolais, and the bigger Crus Beaujolais' such as Moulin-A-Vent and Morgon. Italian Barbera d'Asti and some of the American Barberas do well too; especially those chicken dishes originating in Italy. Among the million or so other Italian reds, there are a few others that go with chicken, but it's quite easy and enjoyable to stick with the barbera.
Cabernet sauvignion does not go with most chicken dishes, but cabernet franc in some versions does. This includes the French Chinon. With barbera and cabernet franc, you can be safe with chicken dishes by price point. The lower priced ones are fruity and fresh, while the higher priced ones are much bigger and frequently oaky, and non-compatable with chicken in any guise.
For specific brands on these wines use the "Search" feature of this board. Also go to the "Best Buys" thread of the board and "Go" way back for many good ideas.
[This message has been edited by Innkeeper (edited 10-21-2000).]
- ddf68 - 10-31-2000
I have, on the recommendation of Julia Child, found red Bordeaux to go well with roasted chicken.
ddf
- Innkeeper - 11-01-2000
Julia on roast chicken and wine: In Mastering The Art Of French Cooking (1961) she recommends, "A light red wine, such as a Bordeaux-Medoc, or a rose'." In From Julia Child's Kitchen (1975) she says, "....either a white Cotes du Rhone or a rose' wine." In Julia Child And More Company (1979) she recommends, "...a full dry white would go with the (roasted) chicken, like a Burgundy or chardonnay, or you could present a light red Bordeaux or cabernet." Both times she recommends red Bordeaux or cabernet she uses the term "light." In today's environment she would surely add, "lightly oaked." If you can find such a critter, give a holler.
[This message has been edited by Innkeeper (edited 11-01-2000).]
- ddf68 - 11-02-2000
It was Mastering the Art to which I referred. I will concede that Medoc is likely more oak infested now than in 1961 when Julia made her recommendation, and she might not make the same recommendation now. Nonetheless, I was quite happy with the combination of roasted chicken with a brown sauce and the '95 Ch. Fontenil. (I know Fontenil's a Fronsac and Julia said Medoc. I thought it was close enough to give it a try.)
ddf
[This message has been edited by ddf68 (edited 11-02-2000).]
- mrdutton - 11-02-2000
Well gentlemen, I am glad that you got that bit settled.
How about a nice dry white wine from Maine made by Bartlett......
IK could provide the details, but let me tell you it went quite nicely with oven roasted, skinless chicken breasts......... they were tossed through a bit of an egg wash and some seasoned corn meal before they were roasted in the oven; no brown gravy was served, however.
- Thomas - 11-03-2000
Last night I had a Mercurey (red) with roasted quail over seared vegetables; an exquisite marriage and my wife said it was also wonderful with her dish of duck confit.
This was a birthday dinner for her.
[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 11-03-2000).]
- mrdutton - 11-03-2000
Foodie, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to your wife!
Duck confit, eh................. Oh how I wish it were my birthday!
- Thomas - 11-06-2000
We try to celebrate a birthday at least once a week, and since ours come only once a year, we continually search for birtrhday ideas. This week we are celebrating Amy Shwartz' birthday, whoever she was... .