French Wine Week - Day 4 - C?tes du Rh?ne!
This post is part a series celebrating Fleming's Orlando upcoming French Wine Dinner with guest Raffaele Benassi - European Wine Expert- August 5th. Call (407) 352-5706 for reservations, or message me directly with any questions.
Third Course - Pan Seared Duck Breast -with parsnip puree and blackberry balsamic reduction
For our upcoming French Wine dinner, Chef Alec and I knew we had to do something with duck. What's more decadently deliciously French then a perfectly cooked duck breast? Chef seared the breast on blazing cast iron, and finished it with a light blackberry balsamic reduction that adds slight sweetness, with some acidity to cut the rich duck fat. The parsnip puree gives the palate a rest from the richness with smooth and subtle root vegetable notes.
So what on earth do we pair with all of that? C?tes du Rh?ne of course! We knew we needed something with a medium body, with flavors of dark berry/plum to compliment the berry/balsamic reduction. We also needed something with balanced acidity to pair with the alkalinity of the parsnip puree and cut the fat of the duck breast. What we found that fit this perfectly was Chateau de Beaucastel C?tes du Rh?ne Coudoulet Rouge.
Chateau de Beaucastel C?tes du Rh?ne Coudoulet Rouge. 2014
- 40% Grenache,
- 30% Mourvèdre
- 20% Syrah
- 10% Cinsault
Winemaking:
The coudoulet soil is made out of Molasse seabed covered by diluvial alpine deposits. These look like pebbles (called Galets Roulés - literally meaning "rollers") and they play a big role for the vines. They take in the heat during the day and let it off slowly at night, which gives the vines an exceptional start in the Spring. These pebbles are identical to those of the vineyard of Chateauneuf du Pape.
Grapes are harvested by hand, and sorted at the cellar. Each varietal is kept separate until after malolactic fermentation, which they are then blended and aged in French Oak Foundres (very large casks) for 6 months.
Nose/Taste:
Medium to full bodied with fleshy ripe blackberry jam and black raspberry preserves on the nose, with a matching palate. The finish is medium and with a hint of thyme.
This post is part a series celebrating Fleming's Orlando upcoming French Wine Dinner with guest Raffaele Benassi - European Wine Expert- August 5th. Call (407) 352-5706 for reservations, or message me directly with any questions.