Pairing with Ancient Peaks
Chardonnay has a reputation of being full-bodied and buttery, pairing perfectly with white fish and buttered scallops, creamy pastas and cheeses that range from pungent bleu to gouda. The ability of winemakers to truly be creative with chardonnay makes it one of the most versatile wines you can sip and savor.
When it comes to pairing Chardonnay with food, we have to take a look at the flavor profile, acidity, tannins, fermentation and aging regimen. We will discuss medium to full-bodied chardonnay food pairings that resemble our Pearl Collection Chardonnay.
Whoever said you need to wait until dinner for wine, was wrong.
Appetizers
Bleu cheese, Camembert
Hot or mild Sopressata
Caramelized Onion, Apple & Brie Flatbread
Peach and Ricotta Crostini
Entrees
Dungeness Crab Mac & Cheese
Almond-Crusted Chicken Tenders with an Apple & Brie Side Salad
Macadamia Crusted Mahi-Mahi
Butternut Squash Risotto Recipe
The wine is still being poured…
Desserts
Peach Crumble Pie (can also use apple and pear)
Lemon Bars
Rice Pudding
Snacks
Almonds, Hazelnuts, Peanuts, Walnuts
Sour Cream & Onion Chips
Spinach & Artichoke Dip
As you may notice, spicy dishes, acidic foods, and bitter foods are excluded from the suggested recipes. While they can make a Chardonnay taste sour, there are ways to make it delicious — We will follow up on those dishes as we experiment. More importantly, we suggest to take your Chardonnay out of the fridge and let it warm up to about 48 degrees before serving. If it’s too cold, the flavor profiles will be dull, and your pairing won’t be as delicious as you are expecting! This just goes to show the robustness of Chardonnay and how delicate, yet powerful it can be.
PEARL CHARDONNAY
We held nothing back on the making of this wine. The fruit was picked in stages, with the early picks establishing a base of fruit vibrancy, followed by a late final pick to incorporate rich tropical flavors. After gentle destemming and pressing, the juice was cold settled and fermented exclusively in 30 percent new barrels over a period of 10 days. The wine was aged sur lie for 11 months, with monthly lees stirring to accentuate the wine’s texture and mouthfeel. Every barrel underwent secondary malolactic fermentation to soften the profile and impart a sense of creaminess to the palate. The result is a Chardonnay that is unabashedly rich without sacrificing balance.
Have a recipe or food in mind, but unsure if it will pair with your Chardonnay? Ask us by emailing our team, here!