Winter’s final bone chilling month, a.k.a. February, doesn’t have too many great social opportunities save Superbowl & Valentine’s day. Leaving many of us on the search for quick cures to the cold weather in the weeks leading up to Spring. A sure fire way to keep you warm from tip to toe is enjoying classic Soups, Stews & Casseroles. Slow cooked flavors steeped from simple, yet rich ingredients have been the backbone of American winter eating. With every spoonful, we propose a sip of something vinous to give old man winter a double dose of something deliciously warm!
Simple soups often come up big with bold, herb laced and earth tinged character. Whether yours starts with Vegetable or Chicken stock, the goal is to have any additional ingredients shine in liquid form. Finishing with creams creates weight, richness and a mouth-coating experience. A brilliant pairing would be a medium bodied bottle of Red Bordeaux. Chateau Tarin is fresh off the highly touted 2015 harvest and is drinking to great balance of fruit, earth and wood notes. Its supple texture married to a savory edge makes it an excellent candidate with almost any soup in your recipe book!
A winter Stew has no equivalent in February. Often starting with the same combination of core ingredients as most soups, with heartier portions of protein and root vegetables. Bridging the gap between a liquid meal and that of the fork & knife variety. Stew’s can be made from a host of materials, yet nothing quite delivers like that of Old Fashioned Beef Stew. Deep, savory flavors and mouth filling chunks of your favorite veggies can only be topped with the addition of some wine to your pot! So be adventurous and throw a cup of the good stuff in! Be sure to save enough for your glass, because you’re going to love the way a hearty, spicy, racy red blend like Buena Vista’s The Count 2014 works with this dish! Crafted from a proprietary blend no fully disclosed, this Zin/Syrah based red has all the stuffing to insulate you on a cold winter’s night!
There’s a lot to be said of the ‘set it and forget’ method of cooking. Especially when it’s freezing out and you’re binge-watching your favorite series! Casseroles are the perfect way to get your dietary essentials married into one big dish. Whether it’s pasta or potato based, the simple combination of carbs & protein have a way of warming one up from the inside out! Such fare can call for a variety of wines, but which direction to go? Something softly spicy & medium body? How about something savory & racy? Our suggestion is to say yes to it all! Ilauri’s Salto Sangiovese 2016 is a central Italian red with bold fruit, sublet spice and a touch of herb. Perfect for your casserole creation!
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