The Chopping Block’s wine team has been hard at work – tasting, tasting, tasting – to find new wines for you to pair with food, whether at home, during Happy Hour or while you’re hard at work - tasting, tasting, tasting - in your next Chopping Block class. Here are some of our new wine finds to pair with your favorite classes and cuisines this summer.
For Grilling Classes
Pair dynamic flavors from the grill with wines that are rich, but without hard tannin that grates against the grill’s charry, smoky accents.
For classes including Chicken on the Grill (Monday, July 29, 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm; Lincoln Square); Shellfish on the Grill (sold out in July, coming in August!) and The Argentine Grill (Saturday, July 27, 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm), we recommend:
- Soave Classico “Otto”, Pra 2017, (Veneto, Italy): Pra is an international reference point for Soave. Medium-bodied, mouthcoating and dry, with citrus, raw almond, grated ginger and mineral complexity, sip this delicious vino bianco for cocktails right through to seafood, lighter meats and pasta. Bottle: $21.50
- Rosé of Tempranillo, Bodegas Pinuaga (Castilla-La Mancha, Spain): Expansive aroma with dry-ish strawberry flavor, delicate brown spice accents and appealing tannin from certified organic vineyards. A versatile complement to appetizers, seafood, vegetables and light meats and a mouthwatering cocktail year-round. Bottle: $16.50
- Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Barone Cornacchia (Abruzzo, Italy): Plump and luscious with cherry, herb and currant complexity and velvety tannin. Serve as a rich cocktail and complement to flavory dishes including meaty pasta, rich poultry and the heartiest vegetarian fare. Bottle: $18
The Italian Table
Don’t fight the logic of pairing Italian wine with dishes you’ll create in classes like Italian Surf and Turf al Fresco (Saturday, July 5, 6pm to 8:30 pm Lincoln Square) or Tuscan Villa (Saturday, July 13, 7pm to 9:30 pm Merchandise Mart). Start with a glass of Italy’s fabulous fizz (Prosecco Superiore, "Bosco di Gica", Adami, Glass: $10), then enjoy one of the wines below. Delizioso!
- Pino & Toi, Maculan (Veneto, Italy): Fresh as an orchard breeze, this northern Italian white blends three regional grapes (including Pinot Grigio) for soft flavors of pear, star-fruit, a delicate salty tang and bracing acidity. Serve as a bright aperitivo and with lighter dishes including shellfish, risotto, salads, and eggs. Glass: $9; Bottle: $17
- Chianti Classico, Il Molino di Grace (Tuscany, Italy): Ohio-native Frank Grace purchased ancient Tuscan vineyards, adding modern organic techniques to produce this eminently drinkable red, rich but refreshing. Pair with world meats, roasted poultry and rich veggie dishes. Bottle: $24.50
- Nebbiolo , Langhe Rosso “Bricco Magno”, Villadoria (Piedmont, Italy): A silky, complex red from Italy's noble Nebbiolo grape. Meduim-bodied with classic rose aroma, dry flavors of wild berries, chalky tannin and long finish. Classic with meat, meat-based pasta, truffle and mushroom. Bottle: $21.50
Organic Selections
Wine’s fastest growing category is “natural wine”. But sometimes, wine that makes itself, with few or no official regulations, tastes a little too natural. The following wines are organic – certified and delicious too!
- Rosé of Tempranillo, Bodegas Pinuaga (Castilla-La Mancha, Spain): Expansive aroma with dry-ish strawberry flavor, delicate brown spice accents and appealing tannin from certified organic vineyards. A versatile complement to appetizers, seafood, vegetables and light meats and a mouthwatering cocktail year-round. Bottle: $16.50
- “Sincero” Rosso, Cosimo Maria Masini (Tuscany, Italy): Grown in organic and biodynamic vineyards this rosso blends Sangiovese and Cabernet's Sauvignon and Franc for cherry flavor and pleasing tannin. Enjoy with salami, meat, and meat-based pasta. Glass: $9.00; Bottle: $17.00
The International Table
Richly-spiced dishes call for fruity, delicately sweet wine, to cool the flames of chili, wasabi and red pepper in classes including Street Food (Tuesday, July 2, 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm; Merchandise Mart); Sushi Workshop (Saturday, July 6, 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm; Merchandise Mart); A Touch of Seoul (Monday, July 29, 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm; Merchandise Mart).
- Rosé, Gruet (New Mexico, USA): An American classic, 100% Pinot Noir produced with Champagne technique for palate-tickling effervescence and dry-ish strawberry flavor. Guaranteed to turn any event into a special occasion! Pair with a wide range of dishes, including spicy cuisines. Bottle: $19.50
- Le Rose de S, Chateau Coussin (Mediterranee, France): Inviting stone fruit and spice aromas introduce rich, ripe but bone-dry fruit flavors and easy acidity, for a delicious cocktail and complement to the widest range of cuisines. Bottle: $17.50
- Vive la France! Celebrate our sister in Liberty with our French Fête: A Bastille Day Celebration (Sunday, July 14, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm; Lincoln Square) and wine – from France, bien sur!
- Cremant d’Alsace “Clos St. Landelin”, Mure (Alsace, France): Delicate, jewel-bright bubbles, caressing texture and crystal-clean flavor, farmed from northern France’s sun-drenched peaks by the twelfth-generation of Mure’s. A blend of Pinot’s Blanc, Gris, Auxerrois and Gris with a dash of Riesling. An easy, elegant cocktail and complement to all hors d'oeuvres and lighter fare. Bottle: $25.50
- Malbec “Le Croizillon” Chateau Les Croisille (Cahors, France): Taste Malbec from its traditional homeland in southern France! Organic farming yields deep, dark flavor with aspects of berry, leather, cocoa, firm tannin and the regional dried herb accent. For carnivores! Glass: $9.00; Bottle: $18.00
P.S. No wine recommended for Kids or Teen Camps, but parents can pick up a bottle from our retail shop for later!
If you want to taste some of these fine wines and learn their nuances from a wine pro, join us for an upcoming class.
