For Bastille Day, "Tastings" columnists

Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher from The Wall Street Journal make white wine coq au vin and pair it with inexpensive French favorites.

The first decision we had to make was what kind of white wine we'd use in the coq au vin, and then drink with it. Dottie ultimately decided on Riesling from Alsace. She felt it would have the combination of acidity and heft to, at once, stand up to the chicken and lift its flavors. We bought a small sampling of some of our long-time favorite Rieslings from Alsace (Hugel, Willm, Trimbach, Sparr and Blanck) and, before she cooked, conducted a quick tasting. They ranged in price from $10.99 to $20.99. We liked all of them, but the Blanck stood out. Riesling from Alsace is a remarkable wine, with earthiness, some white pepper and all sorts of fruits, from lychee to kiwi to white peaches, but it can sometimes be a bit somber. We especially liked Paul Blanck 2006 ($17.99) because it had a particular liveliness, with its white peach and pepperiness, that added charm and vigor.

 

 To read the full article click on this link:

 

Where & When
16400 216 Avenue N.E.
Woodinville, Washington 98077
July 17, 2009
6:30-9:00PM