Jul 21 2010

Send Over a Black Chicken, Please

Published by at 1:49 pm under Appetizers,Food,Red Wine,Vegetarian,Zinfandel

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In the 1940’s, a phone would ring on the outskirts of the town of Napa and on a party line, a voice would greet Aldo Biale with a seemingly simple request, “Please send produce, a dozen eggs and a black chicken.”    A delivery would then be made within Napa, with the items requested but hidden therein a bottle of zinfandel.    Today, as the Robert Biale Vineyards (“Biale”) holds out, “Black Chicken” was Aldo Biale’s secret code for requesting wine during a time when it was otherwise difficult to obtain.   While the Prohibition ended in December of 1933, many vineyards previously had been transplanted with table grapes or Alicante Bouschet, and many wineries had gone under.   While some California wineries survived Prohibition, many did not and wine that might have been previously made for home consumption might have tentatively been sold “under the radar”.   Since that time, the Biale Family continues to make quality Zinfandels (and now other varietals), but commercially and legally, and as a tribute to the winery’s origins, features one Zinfandel wine in particular aptly named, “Black Chicken Zinfandel”.

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Biale’s zinfandels typically sell out quickly but when you are able to either share or obtain a bottle of the Black Chicken Zinfandel, you are in for quite a treat.   Everyone loves a little Napa folklore with their wine and, given the tale above, this is no exception.   What is the exception, however, is that lore or not this wine stands on its own for its extraordinary quality, structure, fruit and spice.

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As previously mentioned, Biale’s Black Chicken Zinfandel typically sells out quickly but once you have your hands on a bottle, you will not want to let go and you will instantly recognize what all the fuss was about years ago.  Pouring the 2008 Black Chicken Zinfandel into the glass, the wine is rich in color like it is rich in history.  Before the nose even truly begins to explore the wine, it is evident that gorgeous deep dark aromas are slowly wafting forth.   Taking the first inhale of the bouquet, the imagination is enchanted with such rich diversity that one wonders where to begin descriptively and similarly where that description should end.   Characterized by aromas of earth, allspice, cola, black cherry, anise, raspberry, a wisp of cedar and a caress of leather, it is easy to get sensually lost in the nose of this wine.   Taking a sip of wine, the wine slips across the palate smooth like silk with a twist of cherry on the front followed by flavors of toasty oak, cassis and blackberry.   As the wine continues to open, a slight nuance of pipe tobacco saunters forth along with a semi-chewy note of roasted plum.

Even though the wine is young, it is extraordinarily rich in the mouth and earthy reflecting a true product of Napa soil.   Given these characteristics and summer produce continuing to abound in the garden, this week’s menu hosts:

1)      Baked Breaded Zucchini Sticks With a Homemade Tomato Sauce; and

2)     Parmesan Couscous With a Basil Heirloom Tomato Caprese Relish.

With plenty of zucchini ripening daily in the garden, constant creative ways to use it help it grace the table for enthusiastic guests.   To add some depth to the Breaded Zucchini Sticks, a combination of freshly grated Parmesan and Italian Cheese with Black Truffle is mixed with texturally light Panko Bread Crumbs.   Also abundant in the garden are now Heirloom Tomatoes Black from Tula and Carmello.   A combination of these varieties make a quick robust sauce to place beneath the zucchini sticks.

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With the wine, the Italian Truffle Cheese accentuates the earthiness of the 2008 Black Chicken Zinfandel.   Similarly zucchini and tomatoes from the garden pair beautifully while paying homage to the agricultural nature of Napa Valley and the Italian heritage of Biale.   Enjoying each bite with the wine triggers visions of toiling on the land by day and enjoying its fruits by night.  

To accompany as either another side dish or to make a vegetarian meal, the Parmesan Couscous with a Basil Heirloom Tomato Caprese Relish counters the earthiness of the zucchini sticks by setting forth gentle rich, sweet flavors.  The sweet flavors can be attributed to a medley of Thai and opal basil, minced sweet onion from the garden and a combination of Sungold, Sweet Baby Girl and Green Zebra cherry tomatoes.  Chunks of fresh mozzarella add a subtle creaminess to the dish.  Selecting a fine grained couscous is a lighter summer alternative to pasta on warm nights.

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When paired with the wine, the sweetness of the couscous and basil heirloom tomato caprese relish allows the zinfandel’s dark berry flavors to tumble forth, embracing the acidity of the tomatoes.   Similarly, the use of Thai basil in the dish mimics the wine’s notes of anise as that type of freshly grown basil has a similar black licorice smell.  The soft texture of the couscous shows off the wine’s silky nature.

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Both dishes are so simple, yet so deliciously flavored that if you have not grown your own tomatoes yet, you will going forth.   The flavor of home-grown tomatoes is unparalled; even a local produce stand’s fare cannot quite parallel.   For vegetarians, this can be a delicious meal on its own; for those who cannot go with “meat”, slices of basil-black pepper grilled chicken would pair well alongside.

Finishing the meal and still lingering with the wine, each taste is like a bit of Napa heaven.   The 2008 Black Chicken Zinfandel truly embodies the character of the earth and soil.   While easily enjoyed this summer, admittedly I cannot wait to see where this will go in a year or two.   And while it will take marked discipline to set it aside, a further aged 2008 Black Chicken Zinfandel will mesmerize some fortuitous unsuspecting guest in the future.

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