Coquilles Saint-Jacques with Château de Chantegrive Graves Cuvée Caroline #winophiles

Welcome to the November  event for The French Winophiles, a wine-swilling, food-loving group coordinated by Christy of Confessions of a Culinary Diva. Here's where we've been and where we're going...

• June - Loire Valley (click for my post: here)
• July - Provence or Corsica (click for my post: here)
• August - Southwest (click for my post: here)
• September - Languedoc-Roussillon (click for my post: here)
• October - Côtes du Rhône (click for my post: here)
• November 21 - Bordeaux
• December 19 - Champagne
• January 16 - Burgundy
• February 20 - Alsace

To Bordeaux...

  

The Bordeaux region lies in the south western part of France, on the Atlantic coast. Almost all of Bordeaux’s great wine estates are near the Gironde Estuary or its two major rivers, the Dordogne and the Garonne. 

Bordeaux has a climate that's influenced by maritime airflow from the oceans with damp Springs, dry Summers, and mild Winters. And though grapes grow well there, not many other crops can thrive in Bordeaux.

What the French Winophiles are Pouring...

• Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla shares Coquilles Saint-Jacques with Châteaude Chantegrive Graves Cuvée Caroline
• David from Cooking Chat brings Bordeaux Braised Beef
• Jeff from foodwineclick shares Bordeaux Entrée: Mouclade de Moules & Chateau Les Bertrands
• Michelle from Rockin Red Blog is sharing Oh Bordeaux You’re SoFine
• Sarah from Curious Cuisiniere brings us Haricots Verts (GreenBeans) Amandine paired with White Bordeaux
• Wendy from A Day in the Life on a Farm spices things up with Indian Spiced Beef Bordeaux and a 2010 Chateau Dumas Cenot
• Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva shares Bordeaux by way of Burgundy

Don’t forget to join the live Twitter Chat Saturday, November 21st, at 8 am PST/11 am EST hosted by Jeff from foodwineclick using #winophiles. Au revoir!

In the Glass...

Bordeaux wines are generally made from a blend of grapes. Red blends include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère. White blends are typically Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Sometimes, however, winemakers use Sauvignon Gris, Ugni Blanc, Colombard, Merlot Blanc, Ondenc and Mauzac.

While I have had many a red Bordeaux, it was actually news to me that the region produced white wines. Naturally, I was on the hunt. I found a structured dry white Bordeaux from Graves. The Château de Chantegrive Graves Cuvée Caroline I found and poured was a blend of Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Partially vinified in barrels, this white Graves was simultaneously intense but supple. Pale straw color with a hint of peridot. It has a refined nose with delicate aromas of citrus.

Also, slightly musky, I thought it would go well with a dish I've been meaning to try: Coquilles Saint-Jacques, the classic French preparation of scallops in a creamy sauce, under a crust of bread crumbs and stinky cheese. I don't think the cheese is stinky, but that's what my boys said. Still, they devoured every single bite of it. I really enjoyed the combination of Coquilles Saint-Jacques with Château de Chantegrive Graves Cuvée Caroline. Magnifique!

On the Plate...

Coquilles Saint-Jacques

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh scallops
• lemon slices
• water
• 2 T white wine, divided
• 2 T butter
• 1 shallot, peeled and diced
• 1 t fresh thyme
• 2 T flour
• 1/2 C organic heavy cream
• freshly ground salt
• freshly ground pepper
• organic bread crumbs
• 1/2 C shredded Gruyere

Procedure

Heat the water, 1 T wine, and lemon slices to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the scallops and simmer on very low heat until cooked through, approximately 5 minutes. Drain the scallops, reserving 1/2 C of the poaching liquid, and set aside. Once cool enough to handle, cut the scallops into thick slices.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and add in the shallots and thyme.  Whisk in the flour. Add 1 T wine, heavy cream, and whisk until thickened and blended. If it's too thick add in the scallop poaching liquid to thin it.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Stir scallops into the cream sauce. Spoon scallops and sauce into shallow ramekins. 

Dust the top lightly with bread crumbs and sprinkle with the grated cheese. 

Grind pepper over the top. Bake the scallops until the sauce is bubbling, the cheese melted and golden brown, approximately 5 minutes.