Mention specific varieties of wine and my taste buds start to salivate for certain foods. For example, say “Cabernet Sauvignon” and like many of you, no doubt, I’m thinking red meat, preferably grilled. Similarly, viscous or oily-textured whites such as Viognier immediately evoke thoughts of savory mushrooms, butter, and plump chicken pieces simmering in wine and broth.
In the Roussillon region of southern France – which specializes in vins doux naturels (sweet wines) such as Banyuls, Maury, and Rivesaltes – one quintessentially dry wine style is a blend of Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris, often with a splash of Macabeu, Marsanne, Roussanne, or Vermentino. On wine-searcher, I found the following explanation for this popular blend:
“Grenache Blanc is the lighter of the two varieties; it brings subtle flavors of green apple and peach to the blend, as well as a backbone of crisp acidity. Grenache Gris provides a fuller texture, oiliness and more stone fruit characteristics such as apricot, leading some to liken it to Viognier. In blends, the two complement each other, making balanced yet weighty wines with a range of flavor characteristics.”
Lately I’ve noticed that weight (or mouthfeel) matters as much as flavor in putting together a successful wine/food mashup. That’s why my thoughts turn to poultry when pairing food and a viscous wine like the Bila-Haut Côtes Du Roussillon I opened for the next #winophiles chat.
Now granted, we’re all different and you may be inclined to go in another pairing direction. There is much to be said for intentionally going against the grain or trying something outside of one’s comfort zone. I’m blown away by the creative Chinese and Korean pairings some of my fellow French Winophiles post monthly. What spunk!
On Saturday 7/18, the Winophiles blogging group will be chatting about their pairings with white wines from Roussillon. Lynn at Savor the Harvest is hosting and has put together a preview post with pertinent details about this wine region. Of French wine regions, small Roussillon is the most committed to organic viticulture and biodynamic practices.
Hope you can join us on Twitter at 8 am PT/11 am ET for this chat. Simply follow the #winophiles hashtag.
The producer and the wine:
2014 Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Côtes Du Roussillon AOC
Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Macabeu
The Côtes du Roussillon appellation, created in 1977 to encompass all the dry wines from Roussillon, covers the eastern side of the Pyrenees Mountains and lower lands of Roussillon along the Mediterranean coast. In 1999, Michel Chapoutier, well-known Rhône winemaker and head of Maison M. Chapoutier, purchased an old mountain villa high in the Côtes du Roussillon commune of Latour-de-France, as close to the Spanish border as you can get.
Domaine Bila-Haut comprises about 185 acres of land cultivated under biodynamic farming techniques (some certified Biodynamic but not this one) and characterized by steep pebbly slopes rising almost 500 feet above sea level. Cool winters and very hot summers, combined with little rain and the drying Mistral breeze during the growing season, favor three main grape varieties – Grenache, Carignan, and Syrah.
Grapes for the Les Vignes de Bila-Haut are hand harvested. Some grapes are from limestone and clay soils in the Agly Valley; others are from granite soils at higher altitude. According to the producer, these later-ripening sites are responsible for the wine’s high acidity. Fermented in stainless-steel tanks.
My tasting notes: Yellow in color. Nose was a blend of apricot, dried apricot, and hints of melon and flowers. On the palate, I got green apple and grapefruit pith upfront with a touch of lime and minerality on a medium+ finish. Medium+ acidity. Tangy and creamy at the same time. Alcohol: 13%. Price: $10.
I was unaware when I ordered this wine from a local shop that it was a 2014. My bad! I usually pay attention to vintage on white wines. The wine was a bit reductive at first from having been treated with sulfur when bottled and then remaining closed for so long. After a good amount of air, the balance shifted and the wine started to breathe and reveal its flavors. Fortunately, it wasn’t over the hill – yet! However, I do recommend buying a more recent vintage.
Pairing this Roussillon blanc:
One-pan savory chicken and mushrooms
Back to the chicken. I consider myself more wino than foodie, so I tend to keep my cooking plain. Here are my simple steps for one-pan savory chicken and mushrooms – gleaned and adapted from various recipes:
- Pat four skinned and boneless chicken breasts dry and coat in flavored breadcrumbs. Season with salt and ground pepper.
- Melt a tbsp. of butter in a large skillet. Brown the chicken and both sides. Remove from the pan.
- Sauté ½ cup of chopped onions and 4-6 oz. of sliced mushrooms. Add ½ cup of chicken broth and deglaze the pan. Add ½ cup of wine and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and return the chicken to the pan. Add ½ cup of halved grapes on top of the chicken. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Test for doneness and remove chicken to a serving dish.
- Create a flour roux by mixing 2 tbsp. flour to 3 tbsp. water. Stir roux into the liquid in the pan along with a tbsp. of butter. Boil and stir over medium heat for a minute. Check seasoning and pour over chicken.
- Serve with a jasmine or brown rice and salad – and the wine, of course. Enjoy!
For more ideas on pairing Roussillon white wines, please check out these posts:
- Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm pairs American Bay Scallops with French Roussillon Blanc.
- Cindy at Grape Experiences shares A Perfect Al Fresco Lunch in Roussillon: Domaine d’Aussières Chardonnay 2018 and Creamy Crab Quiche.
- Jeff from Food Wine Click! presents Banyuls Pet-Nat with Treats à La Buvette.
- Allison and Chris from ADVineTURES discuss Domaine Lafage Cuvée Centenaire: The Essence of Rousillon.
- Melanie at Wining With Mel tells us about her Adventures in Roussillon White Wines.
- Linda from My Full Wine Glass explains A Roussillon Blanc Turns My Thoughts Toward Chicken.
- Gwendolyn at Wine Predator give us Testimony to Potential: Chapoutier’s Bila-Haut Cotes du Roussillon Blanc Paired with Halibut.
- Robin at Crushed Grape Chronicles talks about Snow Capped Pyrenees to the Mediterranean Sea – Exploring the Stunning and Diverse Roussillon Wine Region.
- Cathie from Side Hustle Wino shares Why You Will Love the White Wines of Roussillon.
- Lauren at The Swirling Dervish tells us about Biodynamics and the Butterfly Effect: A Labor of Love in Roussillon.
- Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla offers A Summer Pairing: Salade Niçoise + Bila-Haut Côtes du Roussillon Blanc 2017.
- Susannah from Avvinare pours Muscat de Rivesaltes – A Marvel from Roussillon.
- Katrina from Corkscrew Concierge hosts An Exploration of Roussillon White Wines.
- Terri at Our Good Life writes about Summer Love and White Wines from Roussillon.
- Payal at Keep the Peas whips up Northern Thai Food and a Roussillon Muscat.
- Nicole at Somm’s Table is having Fun with Ramen & Saint-Roch Cotes du Roussillon Vieilles Vignes Blanc.
- Lynn at Savor the Harvest shares Distinctive Roussillon White Wines for your Buy List.
So funny that you got this bottle, too. It must have been easy to source for all of us as weren’t sheltered in place. Gotta say the difference in price is funny to me. You list it as $10; Wendy paid $15; and I paid $18! 😉
M.Chapoutier is a big producer and a well-known name. Next time, I’d like to taste Roussillon from some of the smaller producers in the region.
As I told Camilla, Bila-Haut is a staple in our house. Wonderful wine and terrific value…another great pairing for us to try!
I totally get how this Bila-Haut would be a staple. Perfect for poultry or seafood, summer salads, and cheeses.
What a lovely combination! I tried another wine from Bila-Haut and am going to be on the lookout for this one!
This one is such a great value for price!
How funny that you, Cam, and Wendy ended up with the same wine. It’s been so interesting to read each of your tasting notes. The chicken looks really delicious, BTW.
I noticed my earlier vintage Bila-Haut had different grapes in the blend compared to the one Cam and Wendy opened. I’m sure that had something to do with the differences.
How fun that several of us opened the same bottle. It is interesting to me how different palates are. I think your pairing would be lovely with this wine.
You’re so right! My palate often leans toward savory foods heavy on umami, like roasted veggies, pan-fried mushrooms, and seared tuna. Love a white with round mouthfeel or a nicely acidic, food-friendly red.
Your discussion of the two Grenache then mouthfeel, so true, as is how different foods and wines feel for different people. When you find something that works for you, bingo. Would you do the same pairing here again?!?
Next time, I’d try bay scallops or mussels simmered in a buttery wine sauce. Same mouthfeel with an added touch of the sea!
I always think it’s interesting to taste aged wines, even when they weren’t intentionally aged. (And $10 is a great price for an experiment!) I’m glad it wasn’t over the hill, and I bet that it worked wonderfully with the mushrooms in the chicken dish.
Now that you mention it, yes, it was a cool experiment. Thanks for helping me to see it that way! I feel like the dried apricot on the nose (in addition to apricot) may have been the result of a little age.
Mouthfeel and weight have been on my mind lately also, Linda. We started to chat about this in the twitter thread. My wine, like yours, was older. I had a 2015. My blend was Grenache Blanc, Maccabeu, and then Roussanne and Marsanne. It did rest sur lie a bit. You mention here that Grenache Gris provides a fuller texture and oiliness. I am trying to narrow down where the weight and texture came from. Was it the varieties (the Maccabeu and the older Roussanne)? Was it the age? Was it the battonage and the time sur lie? A combination? What are your thoughts?
You mentioned reductive notes when you first opened it. I had petrol that dissipated as it opened up. Of course I associate petrol with riesling. Was I smelling something else?
I’m really curious and would love your thoughts.
I’m really interested in mouthfeel and weight too, Robin. The Bila-Haut I opened for this post was fermented in stainless steel without spending any time sur lie. So I’m inclined to conclude the Grenache Gris contributed to the round mouthfeel in this blend. I definitely was getting the reductive odor of sulphur when I opened the bottle – which makes sense for how long it was closed. The sulphur was doing its job of protecting the wine from spoiling. With some air, the wine revealed its flavors.
This is a such a great line from Chapoutier with the QPR that it provides. I’ve never been disappointed by these wines.
Definitely great QPR!
This is my kind of weeknight food and wine pairing! Sounds delicious and perfect for summertime.
What a perfect pairing for any night of the week. I always love a new chicken recipe and this is it – and with a glass of wine from Roussillon, it’s the best dinner ever!