As I have stated here before, I am not a fan of over oaked chardonnay. That said the chardonnay offering from Lamoreaux Landing was surprisingly approachable. The oak was used in such a judicious manner so as to add to the overall complexity of the wine instead of detracting from it, which is many times the case with oaky chardonnays.
This wine is brimming with a bright lemon acidity that blends well with the vanilla flavors cast off by the oak barrels producing a pronounced lemon cream nose. Aromas of crisp green apple can also be detected along with the lemon cream. This attractive nose leads to a palette that begins with green apple and tropical fruit and finishes with butter and vanilla. These tastes are all tied together nicely with a background of perfectly balanced acidity and complemented by a nice presence of minerality.
The full bodieness of this wine along with its pronounced flavors lends itself to pairing well with more full flavored dishes. It will go well with any meal from pasta to light game or chicken. When paired with a nice bowl of saffron rice and the Lebanese grilled chicken recipe below, this chardonnay was a delight. The recipe is spicy however not to terribly hot and it integrates well with the tropical fruit in the wine. (8.5/FLB)
Lebanese Grilled Chicken
Marinade:
-1 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, trimmed of any fat and cut into cubes
-1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
-1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
-1/2 small onion, grated
-1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon
-1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom seeds (from about 20 pods)
-1/2 teaspoon dried or fresh thyme leaves
-Salt and freshly ground black pepper
-1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cumin seeds, optional
-1/2 teaspoon Baharat, recipe follows
-1/4 teaspoon paprika 10 (10-inch) wooden or metal skewers
Baharat:
-3 tsp cup black peppercorns
-3 tsp cup allspice berries
-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
-1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
-Grind the peppercorns and allspice together and blend with the cinnamon and nutmeg. Store the mixture in a jar in your spice rack, away from sunlight. It will lose pungency as time goes by, but, properly stored, it will be good for many months.
-Marinate the chicken cubes in a glass or ceramic bowl or pan with the olive oil, lemon juice, onion, cinnamon, cardamom, thyme, salt, pepper, cumin, if using, Baharat, and paprika for 6 hours, covered, in the refrigerator, turning the cubes occasionally.
-Preheat a gas grill for 15 minutes on high or prepare a hot charcoal fire.
-Skewer the chicken cubes so they touch each other but do not press against each other. If possible, use a skewer rack so the chicken grills without touching the grilling grate.
-Grill until golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes, turning frequently. Serve hot.
