Fall is the time when the harvest is celebrated in the Rhône Valley, in Southern France. The winegrowers and their families gather to enjoy the fruits of their labor with dishes made from seasonal ingredients -olives, herbs, lamb, fresh fish – served with local wines. I recently tasted several Rhône Valley wines and found them to be delightful!

Ventoux Delas 2018. Deep ruby red color, made predominantly from Grenache with a bit of Syrah for body and structure. Soft tannins. Dark fruit flavors. Lovely pairing with 7-Hour Lamb Roast and fabulous with dark chocolate truffles!

Recipes compliments of Rhône Valley Wines

7-Hour Lamb Roast

Serves 6 – 8

Serves 6 to 8

1 (4 lb) shank end leg of lamb or shoulder; Olive oil

2 cups broth

1 bottle dry white Ventoux wine

20 cloves garlic, unpeeled

10 sprigs each rosemary, thyme and savory

5 bay leaves

Salt and freshly ground pepper

 Heat oven to 300F.

2. Rub lamb with olive oil and season with Salt and Pepper. Heat a 6-quart Dutch oven and brown lamb on all sides over medium heat.

3. Add 1-cup broth and scrape browned bits from bottom and side of pot. Add the remaining broth, the wine, and all the aromatics and cook, checking frequently that the liquid is covering the lamb, until the meat falls off the bone 3 to 4 hours. Check seasoning.

4. Serve the lamb with roasted potatoes and broth.

90% Muscat Blanc and 10% Clairette. Clairette de Die is a sparkling wine produced in the Rhône Valley. Following the Ancestral Method, Cuvée Impériale is made with hand-picked grapes. Fresh with a touch of sweetness, fruit forward with notes of lychee and citrus grapes with fresh apple.

PortoVino Wine Purse

Just in time for holiday gift giving! The PortoVino Wine Purse is the way to discreetly take your wine, or any beverage, and pour from the spout  anywhere you go. Fashionable, every day tote that holds all your essentials. It keeps your drinks chilled and hidden in the secret, zippered compartment designed for storing your beverage pouch – no glass bottles.

The PortoVino Scarf Mask will make you feel stylish as you navigate our current COVID world.  Simply insert the removable carbon filters into the pouch in the backside of the Scarf Mask to ensure you are safe.  When not in use, tie it around your PortoVino for a great accessory that’s within easy reach. Stylish. Functional. Safe! PS- Mix and match to make your PortVino even more fun! 

Costières de Nîmes 2017. Blend of 60% Grenache with equal parts of the Syrah and Mourvèdre grapes, an elegant wine, with an enveloping core of spicy dark berries and balanced tannins. Starchefs recommends pairing this lovely wine with pizza!

Campuget 2019 Tradition Rosé Costières de Nîmes. Elegant notes of cut stone, smoke and cherry blossoms perfume the nose of this peachy, pale-pink rosé made from Syrah (70%) and Grenache (30%). Silken on the palate, it offers delicate flavors of white peach, raspberry, strawberry and pink grapefruit lifted by stony minerality before finishing with lemony acidity. An excellent pairing with a charcuterie board.

Domaine du Mistral Grignan Les Adhemar 2018. Aromas of ripe red fruits, smooth tannins, lucioius and supple with a long fruity finish. Pair with an olive tapenade served with baguette slices and crisp fresh vegetables:

Tapenade

Tapenade Ingredients (Makes about 1.5 cups):

1.5 cups pitted black olives; 1 tablespoon brine-packed capers, drained; 2 canned anchovy fillets in oil; 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil; 2 to 3 garlic cloves; 1 teaspoon fresh thyme;1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Baguette slices or raw vegetables for serving (carrots, celery, radish, cucumber)

Method:

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor.

2. Pulse until all ingredients are chopped, but not totally pureed.

3. Serve on grilled baguette slices or with raw vegetables.

Delicious recipes on the Behind The Page Blog: theroanoker.com

Southern Spoonful Recipe Column ~ The Roanoker Magazine

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The post Rhône Valley Wines ~ Red, Rosé And Bubbly To Celebrate The Fall Harvest appeared first on Bubbly Bee.