Team #2 James Brutus
James Brutus team 2
1 Canterbury Pinot Noir, New Zealand 2020
2 Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling, Columbia Valley, Washington 2020
3 Willamette Valley Gamay, Willamette Valley, Cantubury 2018
Basque Style Chicken is basically a chicken simmering in a mixture of dry white wine cognac with mild vegetables. It combines very well with the creamy Polenta, a mixture of cornmeal, butter, chicken or vegetable broth, and Parmesan cheese with salt and pepper. Those combinations of flavors could pair well with those vines: Pyramid valley wines Canterbury New Zealand made with pinot noir vintage 2020; GC Willamette valley Oregon made with Gamay vintage 2018, and Chateau Ste Michelle Columbia valley made with Riesling. The Canterbury pinot noir is the best pairing with the basque chicken style with creamy polenta.
This Pinot Noir has a light color with a medium concentration and a ruby secondary color. This wine smells of blue fruits, specifically tart blueberry and a little orange zest and cherry. Non-fruit characteristics are red flowers and forest flowers. This wine is bone dry and has a tart blueberry taste. A little bit of herbal note, medium tannin, and medium-plus acid. This wine has a light body and is really thin.
New Zealand is two Islands separated by the Cook strait with a maritime climate. Canterbury is in the south of the country, especially in Waipara valley, this region is recognized for its Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc. The whole region is a cool climate place with a long and dry summer with a constant wind to help keep the grapes healthy. Between late September to November Canterbury has frost that period is not good for the grapes.
