Wine

August 4, 2023 0

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food

I Turned Back Time

For today’s pairing, I turned back time (with a nod to Cher) to a recipe I that first tasted on Easter Island in 2019. It is a grain-forward dish that is complemented by a plethora of seasonal vegetables. I didn’t officially get a recipe from the hotel chef… just a list of ingredients. I put the rest together myself and recreated his... [...]
June 30, 2023 1

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food

Never Have I Ever

If any of you are familiar with Garagiste, you know that sometimes they offer mystery wine purchases. They give a general description, but no real idea of what the varietals are or where it’s from. If the price is right, I enjoy playing the mystery game. I think of it as my wine-centered version of "never have I ever."... [...]
June 3, 2023 1

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food

Perle Blanche

When planning our recent trip to Morocco, none of our small group (which included PWZ’s Susan and Towny) had any idea there would be a winery owned by a man from Châteauneuf-du-Pape. But there we were and there he was. Charles Mélia moved to the small village of Ounara — just 20 minutes east of the seaside town of Essaouira — in 1994, and started Domaine du Val d’Argan. 

Earlier in his life, he worked at his family’s vineyard, Château de la Font du Loup (in Châteauneuf-du-Pape) and, after exploring other wine growing areas (Argentina and New Zealand), he settled on Morocco. The climate was perfect for growing Rhône grapes such as Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Muscat, and Roussanne. Sadly, the... [...]
Photo of bottle of Clos Saint Michel CDP White
May 6, 2023 1

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food

If At First You Don’t Succeed…

Let me start by saying that I did succeed the first time with the wine pairing. What didn’t go so well was the execution of the recipe. Don’t get me wrong — all the flavors blended perfectly to pair with this exquisite wine, but my sous vide wand failed and the halibut was severely overcooked! Technology… sigh.

That said, the recipe — which I made twice before and twice since “the disaster” — is probably one of my best creations inspired by... [...]
March 3, 2023 1

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food

Upgraded Again

Very rarely in life do you come across a Côtes du Rhône Villages so incredible that it might as well be a Gigondas. Today’s wine is exactly this. A nice upgrade.
It is big and bold, rich and intense, and it paired perfectly with my recipe for Steak with Hatch Chile Cream and Tomato-Corn Salsa. There is some spice... [...]
February 4, 2023 3

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food

Springing into Spring!

As we turn our thoughts to spring, there are foods and wines that come to mind immediately. On the food side of things, my mind turns to spring vegetables: asparagus, peas, fava beans. For wine, I find it time to leave the wintry red wines for a while and focus on the crisp, bright, floral whites. That isn’t to say I don’t enjoy a red with a... [...]
November 5, 2022 5

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food

Timeless

In early December last year, Susan, Towny, Mark, and I descended upon Sue and Rodney Tipton at their winery, Acquiesce, located in Acampo, California, in the Lodi wine region. Sue and Rodney are the consummate hosts — they fed us, entertained us, and set up one of the most incredible days of wine tastings that I have ever... [...]
1 2 3 4 5 … 31

Copyright © 2025 | MH Purity WordPress Theme by MH Themes

UA-53855671-1