Do Scallops Pair Better With Tenbrink Chardonnay or Acquiesce Roussanne?
Our local restaurant, Vine 18 has been closed to indoor dining with the Covid pandemic. Our county just changed “color code” meaning we were now allowed to have go to 25% capacity for indoor seating. So without dining indoors for a year in California, we made reservations and set off for a nice dinner.
The menu comes out in advance via their website and specials are also noted. I had my sights on the seared scallops, English pea and fava bean risotto and lemon thyme beurre blanc. The other couple we were having dinner had targeted the special Jamaican hot pepper spicy shrimp marinated in lime juice, diced jalapeno peppers, paprika and allspice. Served over rice and coleslaw.
The dilemma now was which wine to pair the meal. I thought the Roussanne with its creaminess would surround the “spicy dish” and yet I knew it paired so well with scallops. With the lemon beurre blanc on the scallops, I also thought a Chardonnay would go well. So I elected to bring both bottles down for dinner and the other couple also brought a red wine.
Tenbrink Chardonnay
The Tenbrink Chardonnay already had made my “Best of 2020 Wine List”. It is from Suisun Valley, California just southeast of Napa Valley. The pale straw coloring provided an array of honeysuckle, pear and apple on nose and later on the palate with a medium and enjoyable finish. It had a touch of citrus on the finish that was unexpected. The retail is $28. To read more about Tenbrink Wines click a previous article:
Acquiesce Roussanne
This wine also made my Best Wines of 2020 list. The 2018 Roussanne on the eye is a light golden straw and medium viscosity. On the eye and palate, it possessed an elegant finesse with floral aromatics, hints of pear, apricots and with a rich and silky smooth mouthful texture almost creamy. The finish had a soft nutty texture of almond and a hint of honey with a distinct minerality with a medium long finish. Roussanne brings more acidity, elegance and floral aromatic complexities to the wine which makes it perfect for fish. The retail is $34. Click on previous article on Acquiesce Winery:
I have always wanted to compare and contrast these two varietals with the same food. As we partook of the food, lots of discussion about the flavor profiles of each wine and how it brought out different characteristics in the mouth with the seafood. Since both wines were held in high esteem, the banter went on for a while. In the end it was a standoff as the table was deadlocked. So both wines were declared winners! The only thing to do is to rate it yourself! Kudo’s to both wineries for making excellent wine varietals and providing for an exquisite pairing with the scallops and spicy shrimp.
Sláinte,
Michael
California Wines & Wineries 