Chicken breasts and chardonnay; few ingestibles strike indifference to my palate as much as these two. Chicken breast is a tasteless source of protein and the mere mention of chardonnay always inspires a trip to the basement, and a search for a viable alternative.
The Meal
Chicken Breasts stuffed with Goat Cheese and Basil and a mushroom wine sauce
I found this recipe on Epicurious and it was quick, easy and yes... tasty
! I added some roasted garlic and sun dried tomatoes to the goat cheese stuffing and a good mixed selection of wild mushrooms to the sauce. This type of meal requires a white that on one hand is rich enough for the meat and the cream in the sauce, yet has enough acidity to handle what the naturally acidic goat cheese and sundried tomato bring to the table.The Wine
Cote du Roussillon 2004, Le Ciste, Domaine LaGuerre ($24...importation)
Yet another Grenache Blanc blend (with marsanne, roussane, rolle and macabeu) and yet another superb, organically grown white from the south-west of France. The Grenache and marsanne bring the necessary richness to the blend while the roussane and rolle come with enough acidity to keep the ensemble fresh. The key here, as so often is the case with white wines, was service temperature. As the wine approached 10C (50F), the balance between acidity and richness was perfect, highlighting a nice mineral character, well integrated notes of oak, and an almost haunting bouquet of a field of white flowers.
Unfortunately this bottle, as are many of the best examples from the southwest, is only available on private import. Here a couple of good selections from the region at the SAQ…
Château Les Pins côtes-du- roussillon 2003 , 21,50 $
Bergerie de l'Hortus Classique vin pays val-de-montferrand 2004, 18,05 $
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