Saucy Dinner Monday

Start

plate of French cheese and olives.

Main

warm port reduction Brussels sprouts sprinkled with fresh Parmesan Reggiano.

chicken and caramelized onion, wild mushroom & white wine sauce.

Vin sur la table

We enjoyed a favored aperitif of De Ponte Cellars tangy rosé, and munched on our starter while whipping up the main plate.

Concho y Toro Amelia 2006 Chardonnay paired fabulously with the white sauce and earthiness of the wild mushrooms. The gorgeous gold wine held marvelous candied pear flavors without being over oaked or flabby. I regard this Chardonnay as if he were an English Lord, come to high tea for a pleasurable afternoon of tea and scones. Top-notch, I'd say.

The Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Villages 2008 (chilled, of course!) added an airy mouthfeel and tingly dry fruitiness to the meal. Beaujolais is extremely light bodied, as it is made from the Gamay Noir grape, whose lineage is intertwined with Pinot Noir. Everyone knows Pinot pairs marvelously with chicken and mushrooms, so why not a Beaujolias, c'est magnifique!

One word encompasses our wine pairings to the light, saucy dinner: sprightly. With refreshing libations, the meal was ideal for a hot summer evening under dim lighting and a ceiling fan.