Porc aux Pruneaux (Pork with Prunes) + Château de Parnay Le Blason de Parnay 2018 #Winophiles

Gwendolyn of Wine Predator is hosting the French Winophiles this month as we explore the organic wines of the Loire. You can read her invitation here.

If you are reading this early enough, feel free to join our live Twitter chat on Saturday, April 17th at 8am Pacific. Just follow the hashtag #Winophiles. And be sure to add that to anything you tweet so we can see it in the stream. Cheers!

Here's what the French Winophiles are sharing on the subject of organic wines of the Loire.

• Susannah Gold brings Vouvray – A Wine In Many Styles to  Avvinare.
• Nicole Ruiz Hudson does Cooking to the Wine: Domaine Huet Vouvray Clos du Bourg Moelleux & Pork Tenderloin with Citrus Gastrique on Somm's Table.
• Jane Niemeyer suggests Tasting and Pairing LoireValley Wines on Always Ravenous 
• Linda Whipple shares Organic Muscadet and Must-Have Oysters at My Full Wine Glass 
• Terri Steffes invites you to A Tasty Dance: Red Beans and Rice with Les Parcelles Mark Dupas Sauvignon Blanc on Our Good Life 
• Andrea Lemieux offers Pascal Jolivet & Sancerre the Way Nature Intended on The Quirky Cork 
• Camilla Mann has Porc aux Pruneaux (Pork with Prunes) + Chateau de Parnay Le Blason de Parnay 2018 on Culinary Adventures with Camilla 
• Host Gwendolyn Alley on Wine Predator shares Unusual Reds at Loire’s Biodynamic Manoir de la Tête Rouge.

In the Glass

 

Sometimes it can be difficult to find a wine that is not only organic, but actually certified as organic. I came across this issue when Gwendolyn hosted the French Winophiles back in January 2019 on biodynamic French wines. I ended up posting Learning about Biodynamic Wines + M.Chapoutier Wines withSome Cross-Cultural Pairings even though the two wines I bought didn't end up being biodynamic. So frustrating. 

But I was up to the challenge and finally got my hands on a bottle of Chateau de Parnay Le Blason de Parnay 2018, a Cabernet Franc from Saumur, Loire. Success!

The Château de Parnay, located along the Loire River, is one of the flagship estates of the AOC Saumur Champigny. In 2006, the property was acquired by Regis Vincenot and Mathias Levron who transformed the land and became certified organic in 2013. 

A single varietal wine, Le Blason de Parnay is sourced sustainably farmed from old-vine parcels. It poured a deep ruby with flecks of purple on the rim. On the nose, I got aromas of violets and black fruits. But I also noted some herbs and earthiness as well. A medium-bodied wine, it has the bracing tannins that linger like a good espresso.

On the Plate

When I was deciding what to pair with the Cabernet Franc, I considered doing a riff on the Steak au Poivre et Thé and I paired with the 2014 Martian Radiant Cabernet Franc back in 2019. But I opted for a dish that's a classic in the Touraine AOC, where plum orchards thrive amidst the Gamay, Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, and Sauvignon Blanc plantings: Porc aux Pruneaux (Pork with Prunes). 

Ingredients serves 4 to 6

• 12 pitted prunes, halved
• 1½ cups dry white wine
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 4 boneless pork loin chops, pounded to ½-inch thick
• 1 cup onion, peeled and thickly sliced
• 1 cup fennel, trimmed and thickly sliced (some of the green stems, too)
• freshly ground salt
• freshly ground pepper
• Also needed: mashed potatoes with créme fraîche for serving

Procedure

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper and place in a baking dish. You want chops to be somewhat snug in the pan. Scatter onions and fennel over the meat. Drizzle with olive oil.

In saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the wine and mustard. Stir in the prunes and let the sauce reduce by half. Pour the sauce over the meat and cover with foil. Place in the oven and roast for 16 to 18 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with créme fraîche mashed potatoes and a green salad.

That's a wrap for the organic Loire event. The  French Winophiles will be back next month with Jill of L'Occasion leading us in a discussion about Chablis. Stay tuned.