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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

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.

Comments

  1. Great post! The reduction sounds amazing. Looking forward to exploring its suitability with other proteins . . . and Uruguayan wines, of course!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was so excited to learn more about Uruguayan wines, too.

      Delete
  2. This dish looks amazing. I have never had quail.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We'll have to see if we can fix that come August! ;)

      Delete
  3. The reduction you made for the quail - wow! I can practically taste it. A showstopper of a dish, paired with the perfect wines. Cheers to that!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Pretty cool the handwritten numbers on the bottles. I've seen that once or twice before. Makes it so much more personal than these large scale wineries.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sounds like a great introduction to Uruguay wine! Quite a creative dish, once again!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, David. I was so excited to learn about the wines from this group.

      Delete
  6. Wow! Those quail look seriously amazing! Love the idea of the Lapsang Souchong Reduction. YUM

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Also just a quick note to drop in my link since happened to notice it's not up there: https://www.sommstable.com/2019/02/two-rounds-with-bodega-garzon-tannat.html

      Delete
  7. Your quail looks and sounds amazing Cam! Could I substitute Cornish hens for quail?

    ReplyDelete
  8. What a fun dish! We've never cooked quail but it looks wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for stopping by. We LOVE quail when we can get it.

      Delete
  9. Looks great, I'll have to give the lapsang souchong sauce a try on fowl!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You definitely do. I think it would be a stunning addition to any fowl.

      Delete

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