Unicorn Chardonnay
Breaking news: full ML chardonnay aged in oak is good. Nutty, rich and succulent. But crisp and refreshing? This time yes!
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Let me be clear, I generally stay away from chardonnay. Most chardonnays taste like buttered popcorn in a glass, which is fine- just not my jam. Kenwood is just a quick jaunt down Highway 12 from my house, so I jumped at the chance to see what they got goin on!
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My favorite was this 2015 Chardonnay from Green Valley in the Russian River AVA. To me it has the best of both worlds: creamy and plush on the nose, tart and poppy on the palate. I love being able to treat myself to some quality cougar juice, without the heavy oaky aftertaste.
I paired this wine with a spinach and cheese raviolis with pesto and roasted cherry tomatoes. The richness of the pesto and cheese match well with the toasty nose on this wine, and the roasted tomatoes echo the pops of acidity on the palate. Take a sip, then a bite, and then a sip again- see how the basil brings out the herbaceous notes in this unicorn of a chardonnay!
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Honestly, this is the easiest recipe so far! The only thing you have to do is roast the cherry tomatoes at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, and then spoon them over the pasta. You could also use this as a topping for crostini, or serve it with crusty bread as an appetizer.
Another awesome surprise was the Blanc de Blanc sparkling wine from the same Green Valley chardonnay grapes. The winemaker at Kenwood teamed up with the winemaker at Mumm in Napa Valley to make this happen, and I am so glad that they did. I bought two bottles of this for my husband’s birthday party, and it was a crowd pleaser! Highly recommend stopping by Kenwood Vineyards to pick up a bottle or two for the holidays, and at less than $25 you can definitely treat yourself!