A Wine from the Smallest Grand Cru in Beaujolais Plus a French Stew with Italian Beans #Winophiles
This month I am hosting French Winophiles as we explore the wines of Beaujolais. You can read my invitation here.
The Line-Up
A Wine from the Smallest Grand Cru in Beaujolais Plus a French Stew with Italian Beans by Culinary Cam (you're here)
Celebrating Fall with a Venison Stir Fry and a Beaujolais-Villages by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Fall Dinner with a Sandrine Henriot Beaujolais Cru by Food Wine Click!
Fleurie in the Fall by Crushed Grape Chronicles
Chénas
I wanted to find some new-to-me wines and came across Chénas. Eureka!
Chénas is the smallest grand cru in Beaujolais in terms of surface area. Named after the ancient oak forests that used to cover the commune, cleared by the Gallo-Romans then by the local monks by order of Philip V of France, known as ‘The Tall’. The vines stretch across the hills and valleys with the gamay grapes producing rich, age-worthy wines. I poured two different bottles from Chénas. The second took a few meals to find a good match. But this was a smash hit on day one!
2020 Chénas Quartz
The name of - Quartz - refers to a component of the substrate beneath these vines that average half a century old. The grapes are grown on a very steep slope, of granite covered with quartz, that ranges from 310 to 380 meters high. A single varietal of 100% Black Gamay grapes that are grown sustainably. The grapes are hand-harvested and partly destemmed before a first stage of semi-carbonic maceration for a few days. Then it's followed by a more classic maceration before being aged in aged oak for nearly 8 months.
On the nose, there are floral aromas of peony and lilac with a tinge of white pepper. On the palate, the florals abound followed by silky tannins and a finish of salinity. I knew it would be a great match with a slow-braised French stew.
A French Stew with Italian Beans
I was inspired by a trip to the farmers' market where Borba Farms had fresh borlotti beans which are also called cranberry beans. I love their creaminess. I only wish that they would retain their gorgeous pink spots. Sadly, after cooking they are stark white. Still delicious though!
I had initially thought about making a cassoulet, but I didn't have time to confit the duck legs. So I went with a more simple French beef stew.
Daube de Boeuf à la Gasconne
Bold and full flavored, this beef and root vegetable stew from the Gascogne region of France is country cooking at its best. Traditionally Madiran, a red wine from the Gascogne region, is used in the stew. It’s a tannic red wine made with tannat grapes, which produce a very strikingly bold flavor. I subbed in a Malbec.
Ingredients
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 to 1-1/2 pounds beef, cubed
1 cup onion, peeled and diced
3 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled and pressed
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced parsnips
2 cups diced potatoes
2 cups red wine (I used a Malbec)
2 cups diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 sprigs fresh thyme
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups fresh borlotti (if you are using canned beans, cut down on the cooking time)
Procedure
Heat the oil in a large, Dutch oven. Add the beef into the pot. Sear on each side for 3 to 5 minutes - until a nice brown begins to appear. Add the onions and garlic to the pot. Let them cook until the onion is translucent and beginning to caramelize. Add in the carrots, parsnips, and potatoes. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.
Pour in the wine. Stir in the tomatoes, bay leaves, oregano, thyme sprigs, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Let the meat braise for 3 to 4 hours - longer is fine, if you need to. You can leave the beef in cubes or shred the meat a little bit.
Once the beef is tender. Remove the cover. Add the beans to the top and turn up the heat to reduce the sauce to your desired thickness. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
That's a wrap on my official offering for this month's event. Next month we have two different events coming up. On December 5th a few of us will be Celebrating South African heritage with Stiekema Wine Co. And our actual December event will be hosted by Linda of My Full Wine Glass. Our topic is the hidden diversity of sparkling wines. I can't wait to share some fun bottles and pairings.
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