BOOM! The Perfect Pairing!
Moroccan Chicken Tagine — You may even want to double the recipe for this dish, “because it will be even better tomorrow”!
A few weeks ago, I made a Moroccan Tagine, which is one of my favorite dishes. The exotic aromas are wonderful and make the mouth water! The combination of seasonings give this slow-cooked dish layers of flavor that touch every part of the palate. I add chopped dates to my tagine, which really begs for a more fruity wine.
What's in Altrotta's Ampora Today?
As you probably know, I love wine. Generally, my food selection follows my wine selection.
When I went to pick out the wine, I didn’t have to peruse the wine cellar very long, because I already knew the perfect pairing for this hearty dish. I had just received a bottle of The Deputy, which is a 100% Petite Sirah wine from Buena Vista Winery. This is a wine that begs for food and pairs well with stews and hearty meats, so I grabbed the Coravin and went for it.
The first thing you'll notice is the color. It is an amazingly deep and intense purple.
After a good swirl, you'll smell the bouquet of bright raspberry and blackberry aromas with a note of graphite.
On the palate, you'll get dark fruit flavors with layers of blackberry, baked black cherry pie, dark cocoa and dry figs.
This wine has well-balanced acid and plush tannins that lead to a long, satisfying finish.
You know that you have a perfect pairing when you take a drink of the wine after a mouthful of food and the flavors go "boom" in your mouth. This is that kind of wine!
Here are the tech notes for The Deputy:
Varietal: Petite Sirah
Alcohol: 13.5%
pH: 3.58
Total Acidity: 5.9 g/L
The regular price is $28/bottle. Boisset Wine Society members get a 20% discount so the price is $22.40/bottle.
What's Altrotta's Alternative Today?
Whether you need to fill out your purchase quantity, aren’t sure about 100% Petite Sirah (it’s wonderful, really) or simply want something for comparison, you might want to check out The Sheriff.
Buena Vista 2018 The Sheriff
Some folks refer to The Sheriff as the big brother of The Deputy. This is probably because The Sheriff packs a bit more punch with an alcohol level of 14.5% This wine is a blend of 8 different grapes and jumps from the glass with bold aromas of plum, black cherries and violets.
On the palate, this wine is silky to the touch and juicy with flavors of blackberry jam, black currant and freshly cracked black pepper. Rich layers of dark chocolate and star anise then emerge on the finish, balanced with firm tannins and bright acidity.
Here are the tech notes:
Appellation: Sonoma County
Alcohol: 14.5%
pH: 3.56
Total Acidity: 5.9g/L
Varietals:
33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Petite Sirah, 15% Syrah, 14% Grenache, 9% Petite Verdot, 4% Mourvedre, 4% Merlot, 2% Mission
Aging:
15 months in 100% French oak with 15% New oak
The regular price is $45/bottle. Wine society members get a 20% discount so the price is $36/bottle.
There's nothing better than the perfect pairing to make one appreciate the magic of wine. This is one of those magical moments!
As always, I am here to answer your wine questions and can offer recommendations to suit your palette.
To your health! A santé! Salud! Saluti!
Cheers!
Alan