Chrysalis

Episode 27: Norton, The Real American Grape

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Norton

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Norton Wine by Chrysalis We are taking the show on the road to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) in Richmond this week to celebrate the legacy and cotributions of Dr. Daniel Norton and The Real American Grape.  This episode is all about the Norton grape and how many in Virginia are trying to preserve its rich history.

While Norton is hailed state grape of Missouri, its origins can be traced to Richmond and the innovation of Dr. Daniel Norton.  The Friends of Shockoe Hill Cemetery hosted a reception to honor the 175th anniversary of Dr. Norton’s death.  They will be erecting a new monument in his honor later this spring.

Dennis Horton of Horton Vineyards helped revive the beloved Norton grape with his bottling of Horton Norton.

Jennifer McCloud, owner of Chrysalis Vineyards has also fought valiantly to educate and inspire others about the Norton grape, in fact Chrysalis has the largest plantings of Norton worldwide. Learn more about the unique Norton grape by listening to my interview with Jennifer McCloud.

 

10 Must-Try Virginia Rosés

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By now, many of you know that I absolutely adore a great rosé. Hands down, it’s my go-to summer wine. I always have a chilled bottle ready to go in my refrigerator. Why? It’s incredibly versatile. Contrary to popular belief, many rosés are actually dry and make a great companion for many foods including salads, sandwiches, charcuterie, grilled meats and fried chicken. You get the picture. Think about all of the impromptu potluck parties you get invited to this time of year. A rosé would be the perfect companion to just about every summertime side dish you can think of. Rosés are the very definition of summer! They are easy-going, fun, light, fruit-forward with refreshing acidity that make it perfect for a summer sipper that works with many types of cuisine. They are also very affordable, many roses at your local wine shop range in the $15-$20 price point.

Rosés range from bone dry to sweet, so there is something for everyone’s palate. Some of my favorite dry rosés come from Provence, France, but I am absolutely loving some of the local options we have right here in Virginia.

Here’s my top 10 list of must-try Virginia rosés this summer (in alphabetical order).

  1. Barboursville Vintage Rosé – An elegant dry rosé made from a blend of Cabernet Franc, Barbera and Nebbiolo with aromas of summer ripe stone fruit. Pair with a charcuterie board. SRP: $14.95
  2. Breaux Rosé – A blend of three grapes are used in this dry rose. Tantalizing aromas of red berries, cherry and citrus zest dance in your glass. Pair with baked brie and fresh berries. SRP: $18
  3. Chatham Vineyards Rosé – An off-dry wine made from Cabernet Franc and Merlot has notes of juicy red berries and white peach and a kiss of residual sugar for those of you that like a hint of sweetness in your rosé. Pair with succulent sweet crab cakes from the Chesapeake Bay. SRP: $18
  4. Chrysalis Vineyards Sarah’s Patio Red – The semi-sweet rosé made from the Norton grape (America’s forgotten grape), boasts juicy aromas of ripe berry and tart cherry. It’s perfection paired with a strawberry, rhubarb pie. SRP: $17
  5. CrossKeys Vineyards Fiore Rosé – The off-dry 2015 vintage is made from Chambourcin and Cabernet Franc. The lusciously sweet berry and vibrant graperfruit notes are perfection with a fennel, feta and citrus salad. SRP: $19.50
  6. Early Mountain Vineyards Rosé – This dry fruit-forward Merlot based rosé boasts aromas of strawberry, melon, peach and a hint of sweet anise. It’s perfection with goat cheese rolled in Herbs de Provence. SRP: $24
  7. King Family Vineyards Croset Rosé – A dry Merlot based rosé with citrus notes of ruby red grapefruit, cherry, watermelon and lime.Refreshing on its own or enjoy with watermelon and feta salad. SRP: $19.95
  8. Stinson Vineyards Rosé – A complex and graceful dry rosé made in the southern France tradition using the Mourvedre grape. Juicy summer ripe watermelon and strawberries are followed by a hint of herbaceousness and smoke. Pair with smoked salmon. SRP: $20.99
  9. Trump Vineyards Sparkling Rosé – Whether you are a Republican, Democrat or Independent, all of our palates can agree on a delicious sparkling rosé when we taste it! This is such a delightful, crisp and refreshing sparkling wine made from 100% estate grown Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. This is the perfect brunch wine, think lemon-ricotta pancakes with fresh berries or a delicious frittata. SRP: $32
  10. Veritas Vineyards Rosé – A juicy, fruit-forward, dry rosé made from Cabernet Franc and Merlot grapes. Pack a bottle of this for your next picnic to serve with a great cheese & charcuterie board. SRP: $18

For more sips, tips and perfect pairings, join my exclusive membership to my online learning community for only$7.95/month.

Cheers,
Crystal

Meyer Lemon Chicken & Virginia Viognier

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I love using lemons and wine to cook with. The two combined provide a refreshing acidity to any dish and when you are going low carb, it’s all about packing a flavor punch. It’s easy to get bored with baked or poached chicken, so I spiced it up tonight a little with a Meyer Lemon Rosemary Chicken. I have found that almond flour is a great way to add a little texture to meat. You can use regular lemons, but I find Meyer lemons are a little sweeter and tend to pack more juice.

When choosing wine for this dish, you definitely want to stick with a white varietal and there are many that work. You want a wine that mirrors the citrus note and that has medium body. If you haven’t tried a Viognier, this is a great choice. Viognier is the official state grape of Virginia and is indigenous to the Rhone Valley of France. Viognier is quite unique, it tends to have the similar body of a Chardonnay, bright citrus notes of a Sauvignon Blanc and some of the floral aromatics of a Riesling. It’s a great choice when you are tired of the same old Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. It’s highly aromatic, but it’s not sweet.  Keep in mind Viognier is difficult to grow and can become bitter when conditions aren’t perfect.

Recommended Producers

There are several other wines that would work quite well with this dish such as a nice Chablis, Pouilly Fuisse or unoaked Chardonnay from the U.S. Since I am a Virginia girl, I need to recommend the Chatham Vineyards Church Creek Steel Chardonnay. They use dijon clones and make a really great unoaked Chardonnay with vibrant acidity and nice minerality that may remind you more of a Burgundian style than a typical American Chardonnay. It also offers a great value at under $20 a bottle.

Recipe: Lemon Rosemary Chicken (Paleo-friendly)

Ingredients 

4-6oz chicken breasts
2 tbsp. olive oil (plus more for brushing)
1 tbsp sea salt
1/2 tbsp pepper
1 tbsp Herbs de Provence (thyme, basil, savory, fennel & lavender)
1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup dry white wine (Viognier, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Unoaked Chardonnay)
2 meyer lemons (zest from one)
rosemary sprigs for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
Brush a thin coat of olive oil on the chicken, then sprinkle salt, pepper & Herbs de Provence on both sides of the chicken. Then dust both sides in a thin layer of almond flour to provide a little texture and nutty flavor.  Heat olive oil in a large saute pan (oven proof) and sear chicken on both sides for 5 minutes or until golden on each side.  This will help lock in the juices. Add  juice & zest from 1 lemon and 1/4 cup wine to the chicken. Put in oven and bake for 25 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with rosemary and lemon slices.