A few weeks ago I was asked if I would like to take part in a blogging wine challenge of which 20 bloggers will be chosen to take part to pick the perfect summer recipes and pair them with Summer French wines.
From this challenge One of the bloggers will be chosen as the overall winner who will get the opportunity to learn more about the styles of French wines by attending a full-day tasting.A great treat for anyone who loves wine.
Most weekends we like a few glasses of wine. Sometimes being led by price rather than what we are eating.The problem with this is you enjoy the food you have and wine, but as two different experiences rather than as one whole. The chance to better understand wine and match up a wine to a food was therefore a rare treat.
We got sent a gift hamper including two International Wine Challenge award-winning French wines, as well as a couple of ingredients perfect for summer barbecues...
The first bottle we got to try was - Cave de Turckheim,Riesling Vieilles Vignes 2008.
This is a dry white wine made with riesling grapes and is enjoyed with fish,shellfish and hotpots.
Origin Alsace,France
Abv 12.5%
Price £10-00 per bottle
Retailers All about wine,Slurp
We decided to enjoy this with a Sunday late afternoon tea of tuna and cheese melts,cheese,pork pies and french mustard.We love to have wine with nibbles as a family of 6 with 4 children we like to get them all sorted and the little 2 ready for bed before we begin which is not always early.The wine went great together with the food.
For me the perfect food for this wine would be Paella this wine would really bring out the flavours of the seafood in this dish but this is not a dinner I have mastered the art making myself ...yet!! ...
Next up was the Cellier des Dauphins,Cotes du Rhone villages 2011
This is a medium red bodied wine that uses GrenachemSyrah grapes which is perfect partner for a hearty beef stew.
Origin Rhone,France
Abv 13.5 %
Priced £7-49 per bottle
Retailers Waitrose,Ocado.
For me red wine is perfect with any kind of pasta,spaghetti or pizza meals.We served ours with Italian styles meatball and sauce spaghetti and topped with mature cheese.What I will take from this, is not to rush into buying any wine, rather actually planning a meal around a wine so that you really make the wine and meal special.
Many years ago whilst on holiday in Corfu I first enjoyed wine having a bottle with my moussaka almost every night. I have tried to make this dish many times at home and have always failed miserably. Perhaps the moussaka has been good all along? and all I am missing is the wine that best bought out the flavour of this dish. If I leave out the holiday brochures the husband might take the hint. If not I may actually now read the labels of the wine and not the price tag......
We have really enjoyed being asked to be a part of this and what a amazing prize for the winner...
About this post...
I was sent this hamper free of charge to take part in this competition 20 blogs were asked to join and one of the blogs will be chosen as the overall winner who will get the opportunity to learn more about the styles of French wines by attending a full-day tasting Master Class led by award-winning international sommelier Gérard Basset OBE at the Wine&Spirit Education Trust in London (16 August, 13 September, 4 October or 6 November).
The prize includes travel, overnight accommodation and dinner for two at the new 28°-50° Wine Workshop and Kitchen in Marylebone* (Ts and Cs apply as usual).
update- We did not win :(
