Brined Quail with a Numbered Bottle of Tannat #WinePW #UruguayWine #StoriesToTaste #Sponsored

This is a sponsored post written by me in conjunction with the February #WinePW event.

Wine samples were provided for this post and this page may contain affiliate links.

Jill of of L'Occasion is hosting the Wine Pairing Weekend - #WinePW - group this month as we explore the wines of Uruguay. You can read her invitation here. And several of us were also lucky enough to receive samples arranged by Amanda Barnes of South American Wine Guide who also shared this article and tech sheets on all the bottles. That really made my life easier since I had never had any wine from Uruguay! Always happy to learn though.

The Posts

• Pinny at Chinese Food and Wine Pairings presents Uruguay’s Bodega Garzon Tannat Paired with Lamb Skewers and Beef Short Ribs.
• Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla gives us Brined Quail with a Numbered Bottle of Tannat.
• Cindy from Grape Experiences provides Taste Uruguay: 1752Gran Tradicion Montevideo 2017 and Pasta with Caruso Sauce.
• David from Cooking Chat stirs up BBQ Baked Steak Tips with Wine from Uruguay.
• Wendy from A Day In The Life On The Farm presents Food and Wine of Uruguay: Chivito Sandwiches Paired with Garzon Cab Franc.
• Jeff from FoodWineClick! offers up Picturing Uruguay with Lentil Stew & Aguara Tannat.
• Jane from Always Ravenous stirs up Discovering Uruguayan Wine Paired with a Winter Plate.
• Steven from Steven’s Wine And Food Blog shares Tannat and Brazilian Feijoada.
• Linda from My Full Wine Glass asks Meatless in Uruguay –Is that Possible?
• Deanna from Asian Test Kitchen says Relax Your Mussels with Uruguayan Albarino.
• Sarah from Curious Cuisiniere pairs Tannat from Uruguay and French Cassoulet.
• Nancy from Pull That Cork offers Uruguay: a Wine and Food Sampler.
• Gwendolyn from Wine Predator shares Uruguay: Influenced by Immigrants Plus 7 Fun Facts.
• Jennifer from Vino Travels presents Bodega Garzón Tannat with Sausage Stew.
• Martin of ENOFYLZ Wine Blog writes A Taste of the Food and Wine of Uruguay
• Nicole from Somm’s Table serves Two Rounds with Bodega Garzón Tannat: Chivitos and Chipotle-Coffee Flank Steak.
• Rupal from Syrah Queen is ready with Tannat – The National Grape of Uruguay.
• Jill at L'Occasion, this month's host, rolls out To All The Foods I’ve Loved Before: Pairing Uruguayan Tannat.

In My Glass

I received four bottles from Bodega Bouza, via Elixir Wine Group in Oregon: two bottles of Bouza 2017 Albariño and two bottles of the Bouza 2016 "B6" Tannat. It's the latter that I will be sharing and pairing today. But, first, just a little bit about this winery.

In 2000, Juan and Elisa Bouza restored a 1940s historic winery in the outskirts of Montevideo and established their own: Bodega Bouza. In the past decade, they have cemented their status as one of the foremost producers in all of Uruguay. And Bouza's winemaker, Eduardo Boida, holds the reputation for being Uruguay's authority on all things Tannat. Talk about a great introduction.

I opened a bottle of the Bouza 2016 "B6" Tannat and Jake noticed something handwritten on the label. At first I didn't think it was actually handwritten, so I pulled out the second bottle. When comparing those, you can tell that it was definitely handwritten.

One read: 1481 and the other, 1482. That's when it struck me - these were numbered bottles! We had 1481 and 1482 out of 4036 total bottles. Sweet!

Bouza 2016 "B6" Tannat

Background
Sourced from Las Violetas, Bouza’s warmer vineyard with clay substrate, these grapes were harvested on March 4, 2015, aged in new French and Caucasian oak barrel for 16 months, and bottled  - unfiltered - on September 1, 2016.

Tasting Notes

This deeply hued wine was almost inky black in the glass with highlights of crimson. On the nose I got an intense mix of apples, roses, and toasted hazelnuts. It was sweet and savory at the same time. What an alluring mix of sensations that definitely felt autumn in a bottle. Plus it was deliciously balanced with smooth, silky tannins. What a wine!

On My Plate

Before I get to this pairing, I did want to share the Bouza 2017 Albariño Tasting Notes + Linguine alle Vongole match. That was another favorite pairing! 

To mirror the subtle flavors of the wine, and match the hint of salty sweetness, I decided to make brined, roasted quail and served it with a lapsang souchong-honey reduction on the side. The birds marinate overnight, so make sure to prep this the day before you want to serve them.

Ingredients serves 4 to 6, depending on appetite

Quail

• 6 quail (I bought these semi-deboned)
• freshly ground pepper
• Also needed: baking sheet, parchment paper

Brine

• 2 cups water
• 2 cups beer (I used a Belgian ale)
• 3 Tablespoons salt
• sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
• pinch of red pepper chile flakes
• 1 organic lemon, sliced

Lapsang Souchong Reduction

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 cups brewed lapsang souchong tea
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1 bay leaf
• pinch of anise seeds
• pinch of cardamom
• freshly ground salt
• freshly ground pepper

Procedure

Brine

Whisk together all of the ingredients. Submerge the quail in the brine; I used a shallow, lidded container that let all the quails be flat. Refrigerate overnight.

Quail

Remove quail from the fridge about 20 minutes before you want to cook them. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the birds on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle them with freshly ground pepper. I didn't salt them because they had been in a brine overnight.

Place the quail in the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Flip them over and return them to the oven for another 10 minutes. The birds should be cooked through and the skin nicely browned.

Lapsang Souchong Reduction

While quail is in the oven, make the sauce. Place all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the liquid is reduced to one half its original. Strain out the bay leaf and anise seeds. Season with salt and pepper. Return the sauce to the pan and cook until the sauce coats the back of the spoon. Set aside; keep warm.

Serve whole quail with the reduction on the side to let diners drizzle on their own. Buen Provecho! To round out the table, I served a green salad and roasted broccoli.

Looking Ahead

Please join the Wine Pairing Weekend bloggers next month as we explore Cabernet Franc with Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm. Cheers!

...y Muchas Gracias!

South American Wine Guide on the web, on Facebook, on Twitter, on Instagram

Bodega Bouza on the web, on Facebook, on Instagram

Elixir Wine Group on the web, on Facebook, on Twitter

*Disclosure: I received sample wines for recipe development, pairing, and generating social media traction. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the organizer and sponsors of this event.