Vin de la Journée (Wine of the Day)

Sauvignon Blanc

While this lovely grape can claim is roots in France, it has been wonderfully adopted by wine growers throughout the world. It has done particularly well in the New World vineyards of California and even more so in New Zealand (I love the gooseberry, grassiness, and incredible acidity of NZ Sauv Blanc). Yet like most things in life, the best Sauvignon Blanc is found closest to its origin. It is in the upper area of the Loire Valley in central France where these green grapes offer their purest, most unrestrained characteristics.

The Loire river, the longest in France, flows through the region, cutting deeply into the earth, eventually releasing itself into the cool Atlantic Ocean near the city of Nantes. The combination of the river and ocean help shape the climate that allows for such perfect wine-growing conditions.

Along the upper area of the Loire river, two towns in particular stand out for their exquisite production of Sauvignon Blanc - Sancerre and Pouilly-sur-Loire. The latter is located in the appellation of Pouilly-Fumé, along with a few other towns (Saint-Andelain, Boisgibault, Tracy-sur-Loire).

The terroir (everything from the soil to the climate to the sun exposure that impacts the growing of the grapes) of Upper Loire, along with traditional Old World wine production methods, are what allow the Sauvignon Blanc grape to shine in this part of the world. Limestone, sandy soil, and chalk give the Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé appellations their delicious combination of tantalizing acidity, brilliant minerality, and crisp citrus fruit. Pouilly-Fumé wines also offer hints of flint or lead, a lovely complexity.

With this combination of brilliant acidity and a more delicate palate, the best food pairings are grilled chicken, white fish, scallops, and raw oysters. For cheese, Pecorino (firm, sheep's cheese) and Chevre (soft, goat cheese) are superb. Other good food pairings include fennel, arugula, and lighter citrus dishes, using caution since too much acidity in the food will overpower the wine. These wines are also delicious on their own, especially on a warm summer evening served as an aperitif.

Another great aspect of Loire valley white wine is the price point. With $15-$20, you can pick up a great bottle, a claim few bottles of good California Chardonnay, White Bordeaux, or White Burgundy can say.

Some of my favorites are Domaine de Saint Pierre (Sancerre), Domaine Vacheron (Sancerre), Domaine Herve Seguin (Pouilly-Fumé), and Domaine del Bel Air (Pouilly-Fumé).  See the links below to their websites.

À la vôtre!

-Jeff

Winery Links:

http://www.domainedesaintpierre.com/english/index.html

http://www.jondavidwine.com/PDF/Domaine%20Vacheron%20Info%20Sheet.pdf
http://www.domaineseguin.com/
http://www.bel-air-pouilly.com/belair-pouilly-fume-the-domaine-9.html

Comida Mexicana

La Noche de Chorizo (The Night of Chorizo)
Skimming through a recent issue of F&W, Joe Hargrave's (chef of Tacolicious http://tacolicioussf.com/about) fresh chorizo and potato taco recipe caught my eye. Chorizo, a delicious combination of garlic, chili pepper, and cumin, not to mention the fatty indulgence that saturates every bite, is the perfect ingredient to spice up your tacos.

The first secret to amazing chorizo tacos is fresh, high-quality chorizo. Good delis and higher-end grocery stores, such as Whole Foods, typically carry fresh chorizo. And it's cheap too, at $4-$6 per pound.

The second secret, is a delicious, tangy, spicy fruit salsa. I chose this time around to use some amazing New Jersey peaches, from a farmer's market at Rockefeller Center. Juicy, sweet...perfect for my salsa.

Mixed with chopped cilantro, Vidalia onion, jalapeños, sea salt, and a dash of lime juice, it's a perfect compliment to the savory, deliciously oily chorizo mixture. If you can't find good peaches, a mango-avocado salsa or a strawberry-avocado salsa would be other options. Just sub the mango or strawberries for the peaches, and skip the lime juice.

Okay...so you have your chorizo and fruit salsa ingredients. The other key things you need are corn (not flour) tortillas, baby red potatoes (although, other potatoes would work too), shredded cheddar cheese, and some chopped avocados. Sour cream is also something you could add, if you want a more creamy flavor for your taco compilation.

Ingredient List [to serve 4 people]:

Peach Salsa:

4 peaches, pitted and diced

1 jalapeño, finely diced

1/4 cup Vidalia onion, diced

1/4 cup cilantro, finely diced

Juice from 1/4 to 1/2 lime (to taste)

1/4 tsp ground sea salt (to taste)

Taco Meat:

3/4 to 1 lb. fresh chorizo, casings removed, and meat broken into small pieces

1/2 cup red onion, diced

1 medium green pepper, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp smoked Spanish paprika (or regular paprika)

1/2 tsp Ancho chili powder

1/2 tsp Chipotle chili powder

2 T. olive oil

sea salt & black pepper, to taste

Potatoes:

1 lb. baby red potatoes, cut into 1/2" pieces

1 tsp smoked Spanish paprika (or regular paprika)

1 tsp Ancho chili powder

1 tsp Chipotle chili powder

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp ground sea salt

2 T. olive oil

Other:

12-16 corn taco-sized tortillas

1/2 lb. cheddar cheese, shredded

1-2 avocados, diced

Sour cream (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F

2. In an oven-safe baking pan, mix potatoes with other potato ingredients (spices, oil, salt)

3. Bake in oven for 45-60 minutes, or until slightly crispy (avoid stirring too often)

4. While the potatoes are baking, you can make your salsa, and cook the taco meat mixture

5. For the salsa, simply mix all ingredients together in a large serving bowl

6. For the meat mixture, begin by heating a large pan to medium heat

7. Add oil

8. Once hot, add onions and peppers, along with a little salt & pepper

9. Stir every 2-3 minutes, letting sauté for about 10 minutes, or until veggies are softened

10. Add chorizo meat, stir well, and add the spices; stir well

11. Let sauté for 10-15 minutes, or until the chorizo is cooked through

12. Add garlic, stir, let sauté for 1 minute

13. Serve with warmed tortillas, potatoes, and condiments (avocado, cheese, sour cream)

Enjoy the combination of spicy chorizo and tangy fruit salsa, all wrapped up nicely in a warm corn tortilla. Some rice and beans, fresh corn on the cob, and guacamole would be great additions to this dinner.

I served a dry Riesling from New York's Finger Lakes region (specifically, the producer was Treleaven http://www.treleavenwines.com/). This Riesling's acidity paired nicely with the spicy tacos. But I was also tempted to make some fresh margaritas or maybe caipirinhas. Anything with crisp acidity to stand up to the smoky paprika and chili powders, and spice from the jalapeños and chorizo.

This is my first 'daily dish.' I hope you enjoy this meal as much as I did! More delicious dishes to follow soon...

-Jeff