An Easy Dinner with Anchoïade and Mas Cavalier de Lascaux #Winophiles

This weekend the French Winophiles are heading to Languedoc, formerly Coteaux du Languedoc. It's an appellation in France's Languedoc-Roussillon wine region and produces mostly red wines. I read that 75% of all Languedoc wines are red; and the remaining 25% of the wines are split evenly between whites and rosés.

The typical Languedoc red is medium-bodied and fruit-forward wine. And most of the time, the grape varietals used are Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, sometimes with hints of Carignan or Cinsaut.

Here's What the French Winophiles Shared

• Martin from Enofylz Wine Blog shares 2014 Domaine L’Ostal Cazes “GrandVin” Minervois La Livinière
• Michelle from Rockin Red Blog says Say Yes to Languedoc Wine
• Nicole from Somm’s Table pours Domaine de Majas CôtesCatalanes Blanc with Butter Poached Salmon and White Asparagus
• Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm is Celebrating Languedoc with Cassoulet
• Gwen from Wine Predator makes Grilled Cheese with 4 Affordable Wines from Occitanie: new name for a fave region in France
• Jane from Always Ravenous shares Rustic Sausage Kale Pasta with Languedoc Wine
• Melanie from Wining with Mel posts French kiss: a glimpse into the food and wine of Languedoc
• Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla makes An Easy Dinner with Anchoïade and Mas Cavalier de Lascaux
• Olivier from In Taste Buds We Trust writes about Boutenac: Balancein the Languedoc
• Lynn from Savor the Harvest shares about Making Great Wines in the Languedoc-Rousillion
• Jill at L’occasion talks NewRoots Along the Canal du Midi

In My Glass...

The vineyards of Château de Lascaux have been in the family for thirteen generations. The name of the domaine, “Lascaux” comes from a limestone specific to the domaine’s vineyard sites. Jean-Benoît Cavalier took over management of the property in 1984. Over the course of the next decade, he consolidated the vineyards, restructured the ancient cellars, and created the official domaine, Château de Lascaux.

A quarter of a century later, the domaine has more than tripled its hectares of vineyards and is completely surrounded by three hundred hectares of forest, filled with deciduous oaks, evergreen pines, and garrigue. Those aromatics are reflected in the wines with notes of laurel, thyme, rosemary, and mint. There is an intriguing balance of freshness and finesse in the Lascaux wines.

I found this deeply hued wine approachable with subtle aromas of fruit with floral undertones. The same fruity richness bathes the palate to make this an easy-drinking Languedoc.

On My Plate...

For my pairing, I decided on a unique salad from Languedoc called anchoïade, a tomato and anchovy salad that is a celebration of land and sea.

I couldn't find the salt-packed anchovies that are traditionally in this salad. So, I used some sustainably fished anchovies packed in water. If I ever get my hands on the salt-packed ones, I'll definitely make this again.

Anchoïade (Tomato and Anchovy Salad)

Ingredients

• 8 anchovy fillets
• 1 to 2 large heirloom tomatoes, sliced into thin wedges
• 2 large eggs, hard-boiled, shelled and halved
• ¼ C extra virgin olive oil
• 1 T white wine vinegar
• 1 t Dijon mustard
• ¼ C capers
• freshly ground salt to taste
• freshly ground pepper to taste

Procedure

Arrange the tomatoes on a platter. Drape the anchovy fillets over the tomatoes and sprinkle with capers. Add the eggs to the platter.

Make the vinaigrette by whisking together the olive oil, vinegar, and mustard. Drizzle the dressing over the tomatoes and anchovies. Sprinkle with salt and pepper