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L'Amour dans une Bouteille ou Quatre #Winophiles #Sponsored

This is a sponsored post written by me in conjunction with the February #Winophiles event.
Wine samples were provided for this post and this page may contain affiliate links.
Mon Amour et Moi, California coastline
"The way to man's heart is through his stomach." I have heard that so many times and, given the three ravenous males with whom I share a house, I can say with absolute certainty that that is true! 

I have even heard Jake utter the words, "I might have married her anyway, but the fact that she could cook...that sealed the deal." So, yeah. Stomach, heart, marriage proposal. And that was almost nineteen years ago now.


Lynn from Savor the Harvest coordinated this month's French Winophiles and lined up some wines for our theme. Her preview post is here. But we were tasked with finding wines, either with name or label, that give a nod to love, l'amour. And, in honor of love and Valentines', the #Winophiles are posting early. Typically we post on the third Saturday of the month; this month, we are posting from February 14th till the weekend. So, keep checking back.

Given that we received a generous sampling of four wines, I decided to post L'Amour dans une Bouteille ou Quatre - love in a bottle or four! But first, here are the other writers' posts for the theme..

The French Winophiles Talk About l'Amour

 L'Amour dans une Bouteille ou Quatre 

As for me, we tasted, cooked, and paired meals to match all of the wines that were sent. I have to admit that I didn't completely get the 'French wines with a name or concept reminiscent of love' on some of these. But I went with it.

Roasted Lemon-Fennel Spatchcocked Chicken 
recipe here
With Bottle No. 1 Famille Bougrier, Pure Loire Rosé d'Anjou 2016

Famille Bougrier, a sixth-generation winery that was founded in 1885, is one of the Loire Valley’s last family-owned domaines. Pure Loire Rosé d'Anjou is made from 50% Gamay and 50% Grolleau with a blend of both macerated and pressed juices.

While I don't typically choose sweet wines, this one was alluring with a floral finish. And at less than $14, it's a wine to keep on hand for drinking all through the Spring and Summer. 

Tartiflette with Fromage Fort
recipe here
With Bottle No. 2 Domaine Jean Perrier et Fils, Apremont Fleur de Jacquère 2017

Jean Perrier & Fils is a family estate that's been handed from father to son for seven generations. Since 1853 they have been pioneers in making mountain wines in the French Alps. Due to the steep angles of their vineyards, all of the cultivation and harvesting is done by hand. That passion and dedication is palpable in the wine!

Jacquère is a grape variety that is completely new to me. It's an alpine varietal common in the Savoie region of France. I don't think I've ever described a wine as 'shiny', but I think this one does. And I can't call it 'sparkling' because it's a still, but it definitely has a glint of silver in its hue. On the tongue there is a delightful balance of complexity and pure freshness. The wine was very dry with a lot of minerality and a splash of citrus.

Steak and Potato Nachos
recipe here
With Bottle No. 3 Maison Vidal Fleury, Brune et Blonde 2013

Vidal-Fleury’s winemaking philosophy can be summarized this way: source quality grapes from the terroirs of the Rhône Valley and respect the required time to mature and age the wines.

A dry red wine from one of France's oldest vineyards, the Côte-Rôtie 2013 Brune & Blonde de Vidal-Fleury is comprised of 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier. The name refers to the different substrates under the vines: Côte Blonde is on the southwest side with soil rich in clay; Côte Brune, to the northeast, is richer in iron and manganese oxide.

The wine has a vivid crimson color with a complex nose full of fresh fruits, smoke, and spice. On the tongue, however, the wine is less intense and more balanced. It's full-bodied with a soft feel and moderate tannins.

Carpaccio di Tonno
recipe here
With Bottle No. 4 Vinescence Cave de Bel Air, Saint Amour 2016 (Vignerons de Bel Air)

Made from 100% Gamay, this wine was a deep, intense red with flowers and dried fruit on the nose. On the tongue, the wine was rounded with underlying tannins. 


However you celebrate Valentines' Day, may it be filled with the people you love, delicious food, and a lovely bottle...or four...of wine. Cheers!

Find the Sponsors..
Famille Bougrier on Facebook

Vignerons de Bel Air on Twitter

Vidal-Fleury on Facebook

Jean Perrier et Fils on the web, 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.

Comments

  1. I love the diversity of flavors in the wine and your meals! How true that romance happens around the table - some of my best memories with my hubby and (and our family, true love in another form) occured with a fork in hand. Great post!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Jill. I loved your piece about wine tasting with the senses. So smart.

      Delete
  2. You whipped up items with a cultural flair that would make my family happy! I'm drawn to the Carpaccio di Tonno with the Saint-Amour wine and look forward to trying that dish-wine combo. Great idea adding in sponsors Camilla!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Lynn. Can't wait to hear if you try the carpaccio with the Saint-Amour. It was fabulous.

      Delete
  3. Fun post, Cam. Love your pairings, especially the Carpaccio di Tonno. Cheers!

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  4. Great pairings. I really enjoyed all four wines. Super quality and each had something special to offer. I will be saving your Roasted lemon-fennel spatchcock chicken recipe. I must find more of the rose. Although the RS is low enough to be considered dry, I find the kiss of sweetness so inviting. I bet it paired great with the chicken.

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    Replies
    1. I can't wait to try your orange chicken recipe. Now I just need another bottle of rose!

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  5. Each of your pairings sounds divine! I especially like the idea of the spatchcocked chicken - simple yet flavorful. My favorite part of your post, though, was the first photo of you and your husband at the beach. That’s love!

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  6. What a nice assortment of dishes for the wines. I have never made carpaccio di tonno before, but your process looks very doable, thanks! I loved your final photo, very dramatic!

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  7. What a great and diverse selection of food and wine pairings! Thanks for sharing Cam...you always provide food for thought;-)

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  8. Fabulous food and wine pairings! My favorite is the Carpaccio di Tonno, on my menu for the weekend! Cheers!

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  9. Great pairings that are perfect year round. The steak and Cote Rotie sound divine.

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  10. All of these pairings sound so fun. Love the high-low combo of the Cote Rotie and potato nachos! And the carpaccio just looks beautiful.

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  11. You are making me so hungry (and thirsty!) These all look so good!

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  12. Everything looks delicious! I love Gamay and know I would enjoy the Saint Amour.

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  13. What a great sounding valentines day!
    Tartiflette is one of my favourite comfort dishes....so good.

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  14. I love all the pairings you shared! I'm going to check out several of these recipes and wines!

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  15. I love the range of dishes and the pairings - all look great!

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  16. I can't wait to find these delicious wines and make your recipe pairings for them. They all look amazing.

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  17. Fantastic foods and pairings! yum!

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  18. Thanks for sharing all of those pairings! they all look delicious!

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  19. What a great assortment of dishes and wonderfully paired!

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