Turkey Burger + Pinot Noir Pairing

Analise Gregory January 28, 2021

“Food isn't like anything else. It's something precious. It's not a commodity.” - Alice Waters

It has been years since I’ve had red meat, and I’ve been trying out several turkey burger recipes, that would satisfy my occasional burger cravings. When seasoned and dressed properly, turkey burgers can be juicy, moist, and super flavorful. I love pairing my turkey burgers with a nice glass of red wine, Pinot Noir to be exact.

This pairing provides a lovely balance, and one I enjoy so much, read more about it below.

Turkey Burger

This turkey burger is packed full of flavor. The ground turkey is seasoned and marinated with black pepper, onion and garlic powder, Trader Joe’s Everyday Seasoning spice blend, red pepper flakes, Worcestershire sauce, and whole grain mustard. It is topped with Swiss cheese, homemade smoked bacon, pickled red onion and jalapeños. Then, garnished with spinach and avocado on a buttered brioche bun.

The balance and elements of this turkey burger are wonderful blend of:

Spice
Heat
Smoke
Salt

I truly enjoy pairing my burger with a delicate and soft Pinot Noir - learn more about my favorite pairing below.

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Saude Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018

Saude Creek Vineyard is a winery I’ve featured on this blog a few times (read the post here). It is a local Virginia Winery that has a stunning view, and some lovely wines. This year Saude Creek debuted their brand new Pinot Noir, and I was super excited to get my hands on it. Their 2018 Pinot Noir is quite delicious - it is soft, and delicate - a wonderful wine to sip by itself, or pair with a turkey burger.

Here are the tasting notes on this beautiful wine:

Light-bodied
Delicate and smooth finish
Low tannins
Red fruit: cherry, raspberry, and pomegranate

Pinot Noir is a lovely choice, as it is a very versatile wine, and pairs well with so many things. Also, this varietal does not overpower the burger at all. It’s acidity pairs well with Swiss cheese, and the various salty notes on the sandwich. Pinots compliment every element on this sandwich, from the smoked bacon, to the pickled veggies - each bite and sip are the perfect pair.

Additional Wine Pairings:

Sparkling Rosé
Pinot Gris
Chardonnay
Beaujolais

XO, Analise

Spatchcock Smoked Chicken + Claret Pairing

Analise Gregory September 12, 2020

“My favorite fall meal has to be a simple roasted chicken. There is just something about roasting your own chicken and vegetables that screams 'fall' and 'home' to me.” - Chrissy Teigen

The absolute best way to enjoy a whole chicken is to spatchcock it. What is spatchcock you ask, let me break it down for you (no pun intended).

The spatchcock (or butterflying) technique, drastically cuts the time it takes to smoke, roast, or grill a whole chicken. During this process you’ll remove a chicken's backbone so that it lays flat. This process is really fantastic. You’re able to evenly distribute seasonings all over the protein, and enjoy your bird at a much quicker rate than keeping it whole.

Spatchcock Smoked Chicken

This spatchcock smoked chicken goes through a lengthy preparation process. A two-day wet brine, followed by a two-day dry brine, ensures that the flavor of this chicken goes all the way down to the bone. Our dry brine is a sweet, spicy, and herb seasoning blend that gives this chicken such a unique flavor. In total this chicken has a four-day seasoning process before hitting the smoker.

When smoking this chicken, the goal is to have a nice hearty flavor. A mixture of mesquite and hickory wood is used during the cook time. This gives the protein a nice smoke flavor while promoting all of the wonderful sweet, spicy, and herb notes that the chicken was marinated in.

2016 Claret

My recent trip to Linden Vineyards was a dream, and one of my absolute favorite wine trips during this pandemic. Their wines are simply lovely, but one of the standouts was their 2016 Claret.

This is a medium bodied red wine, and you’ll smell an abundance of raspberries, earth, and herbs on the nose. One of the descriptors Linden's winemaker used for this wine is 'sun kissed' - you most certainly can taste the ripe red fruit on this wine, giving it a well rounded body with subtle tannins.

This Claret is comprised of the following grapes:

50% Cabernet Sauvignon
25% Merlot
14% Cabernet Franc
11% Petit Verdot

The tannins on this wine are very soft, but present. Also, the acidity is almost refreshing, a compliment really to a smoked or roasted chicken. This pairing was really lovely, and the blend of four grapes were so balanced and a joy to drink.

I’d pair this wine with roasted or smoked chicken, braised lamb shanks, or grilled portobello mushrooms.

XO, Analise

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich + Lambrusco Pairing

Analise Gregory August 15, 2020

“I like to cook with the philosophy of using great ingredients and not altering them too much.” - Aaron Sanchez

Buttermilk fried chicken is a classic, and truly one of my favorite things to make at home. It is rare I make one of my favorite dishes. Lately, I have been craving a buttermilk fried chicken thigh sandwich, and decided to create this dish at home.

Traditionally buttermilk fried chicken pairs wonderfully with Champagne, Crémant, or Prosecco - but today I’m switching it up, and pairing this meal with Lambrusco.

Not familiar with Lambrusco? I’m sharing all the details on this lovely wine below.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich

Fried chicken is truly a classic. Marinated boneless chicken thighs for 24 hours, in a special blend of herbs and spices was the key to making this protein perfect.

On the day of cooking, I put each chicken thigh into a bowl of buttermilk, ensuring the flavor sets in just right. This really helps tenderize the meat, and upon frying the chicken, it was able to get the perfect golden crispy crunch.

The sandwich was simple - a buttered potato bun, fresh arugula, avocado, garlic and herb mayo, with the crown jewel of course - a buttermilk fried chicken thigh.

Buttermilk fried chicken thigh sandwich with garlic herb mayo, avocado, and arugula on a buttered potato bun.

Lambrusco

Lambrusco is an Italian red grape, and this is a sparkling wine. The region of this particular Lambrusco is Salamino di Santa Croce. They are typically lighter in color, semi-sparkling, and is either semi-sweet or dry style. Also, this varietal gets in name from its resemblance to sausage as a grape cluster - pretty cool, right?

All in all, Lambrusco is great to pair with a rich or fatty dish, as the acid and tannins of this wine really help balance one another.

Now, lets dive into this particular wine!

I picked up this bottle at my local bakery, Prosperity Kitchen & Pantry - a popular spot near my home in Virginia Beach, VA. It is rare that I’m able to find a lovely Lambrusco, so I jumped at the opportunity. Immediately I knew what I had to pair it with a fried chicken dish. The cool thing about this wine is that it is organic, and I’m always interested in trying these particular types of wines.

The notes on this wine are:

Red Fruit: cherry and cranberry
Earth: minerality and balsamic
Black Fruit: plum, black cherry, and blackberry
Malolactic: yeast and dairy
Spice: pepper, clove, anise, and cinnamon

Also, there are some subtle notes of apple and peach. Overall, for a price point of under $25, this wine is complex and overall very well done.

This wine would pair well with pork, salmon, tuna, cheese, cured meat, and of course chicken - particularly buttermilk fried chicken.

XO, Analise

Coravin Model Two Elite Pro Review

Analise Gregory August 8, 2020

“I've always wanted to improve on the idea of living well, In moderation, wine is good for you - mentally, physically, and spiritually.” - Robert Mondavi

When I first saw the Coravin in action several years ago at a local wine shop, I was really fascinated by it. This tool was the perfect item to taste some delicious wines without having to go through the trouble of uncorking your bottles. Immediately when I saw this gadget in action I loved the fact that it could preserve and lengthen the life of your wine - it’s truly a total game changer.

Over the past year or so, I’ve really dived into my wine education, and diversified my palate so much. Adding the Coravin into my collection made sense - the ability to enjoy wine at ease, and not having to rush through a bottle.

If you have been thinking about getting a Coravin, I’m here to tell you all about it. I’m sharing my experience, which model I selected, and some tips on how to use it best.

Coravin Model Two Elite Pro

After doing a lot of research, and consulting with my cousin Alisha who owns one herself, I decided to go with the Model Two Elite Pro. A Coravin in general come with a hefty price tag, but it pays for itself in the long run in my personal opinion - think about all of the wine you’ll be saving!

Here is why I decided to make the leap in purchasing one:

Excellent Reviews: The Model Two Elite Pro itself received fantastic reviews from buyers - and it is one of the most popular models.
Cost Savings: I love pairing my wines with meals that I curate right at home. Most times, I prefer to enjoy one glass with that dish - not a whole bottle. In the long run I save money and wine by only drinking exactly what I’d want, when I want, without ever over indulging.
Enjoy Wine at Ease: Writing about wine is something I do quite often, and many times I’m often tasting several varietals. Having to open a bunch of bottles at one time would really be a bummer, especially if it is one that I fall in love with and want to enjoy at a later time. The Coravin really comes in handy when you just want to have a sip and not an entire bottle.
Lengthens the Life of Your Wine: My husband and I have both invested quite a lot into our wine collection. We have had bottles shipped to our home from out of the country, as well as own vintages we’ll never be able to find again. Again, the Coravin saves the day, so we can enjoy a glass here and there without having to open an entire bottle, forcing us to drink it quickly before it goes bad.
Sale Price: Lastly, and this was a major reason why I invested in a Coravin - it was on sale. I love a good deal, and this model came with a lot of perks, and was heavily marked down from its original price.

Coravin Model Two Elite Pro Features

What sold me on the Coravin was how wonderfully made it was, and all of the variety of colors in came in. It has chrome accents, and is very sturdy - this item will last for a very long time, as long as it’s treated with care.

My model came with several items that made its package complete:

Coravin Wine Needle - This is designed to specifically go into the cork and pours the wine right into your glass
4 Premium Coravin Capsules - The capsules are unique to Coravin, each one contains only the purest argon gas. This enables the Coravin to effectively operate, as each capsule pressurize bottles and allow wine to freely flow right into your glass. Each capsule can pour around 15 glasses of wine.
Carrying Case - The carrying case is perfect, as I can transport my Coravin outside my home without fear of damaging it.
Coravin Stand - This base is perfect, it is sturdy, and has a matted black finish. I’m easily able to display my Coravin elegantly on my bar.

Tips for Best Use

When investing in an item like this, you’ll what to make sure it stands the test of time.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when using a Coravin:

The Coravin works best with natural corks, and not synthetic ones. Synthetic corks do not naturally close back up, thus air will enter into wine bottle. Be sure, to carefully check your cork before using your Coravin.
Do not lay your bottle down after using the Coravin, keep it upright for at least 24 hours, to ensure the small hole in the cork closes naturally. It is important to make sure your wine does not drip outside of the bottle - so to err on the side of caution keep your bottle upright after using the Coravin.
This device is not meant to be used on champagne, prosecco, or any sparkling champagne corks - only on the traditional corks found in red or white wine bottles.
Gently run lukewarm water through your Coravin after each use. This will remove any leftover residue and will be nice and clean before you use it on your next bottle of wine.

Hope this review was helpful! I would love to hear your thoughts if you have Coarvin, or are thinking of getting one!

XO, Analise

Uncorked: WSET Level 1 + 2 Certification Q&A

Analise Gregory July 19, 2020

“The fact remains that the wine industry needs more women, more people of color in wine media, wine journalism, winemaking, and more support for the people in our industry who are not recognized.” - Julia Coney

One of the many goals I set this year for myself was to obtain my WSET Level 2 certification. Earlier this year before the world was turned upside down due to COVID-19, I started my 5 week in-person course at Crystal Palate in Norfolk, VA via the Capital Wine School. Last August, I completed and successfully passed my WSET Level 1 course, so continuing my wine education was something I deeply wanted. Both experiences were wonderful, and I was so thrilled to dive deeper into the world of wine.

Today, I am sharing some questions I’ve received around my experience pursuing my WSET certifications. Also, be sure to check out a Q&A that I did last year after passing my Level 1 certification!

What is WSET?

The Wine and Spirit Education Trust provides globally recognized education and qualifications in wines, spirits and sake, for professionals and enthusiasts.

Is the WSET the same thing as being a sommelier, and what’s the difference?

The key difference between the two is that WSET focuses more on product knowledge and tasting skills. Sommeliers hone in on service technique, glassware selection, and pouring.
For me the WSET was a perfect fit as I wanted to learn more about wine and the winemaking process. Since, I do not work in the restaurant industry, and my main line of work is in Information Technology, WSET aligned more closely with my wine education goals.

How much are the WSET courses and how long did it last?

For the WSET Level 1 course the price is approximately $315. I decided to take the class in person, and it lasted for about 8 hours with the exam the same day. We tasted about 6 wines during the course time.
The WSET Level 2 course costs around $650. It was a 3 hour class in-person, once a week for 5 weeks. Also, we were given a week break to prepare for the final exam.

What’s the difference between each level?

Level 1 covers the basics in wine, and only tapped into the differences in red and white winemaking. The course is truly an introductory class.
Level 2 goes much deeper, you’ll expound upon Level 1, and dive into champagne and fortified wines. You’ll learn about the different grape varietals as well as the various geographic indications.
This course was more of a commitment than Level 1, which only lasted one day. Level 2 had a lot of material to cover, and after each session, we were given required reading and activities in our workbook. It was essential to complete our readings as it prepared us immensely for the subsequent classes and final exam.
This course really taught me how to taste wines more efficiently. I definitely feel that my palate evolved, and was able to taste wines in a way I hadn’t previously.
Almost all of the students in my Level 2 class did skip over the Level 1 course, which is very common. Since I do not work in the food/wine industry solely, taking both levels was essential for me, and I’m so glad that I did.

What was the demographic in your class?

I’ve received this question a lot, and to be honest I was the only Black person in my class. Unfortunately, this is a common theme in the wine industry.
Per WSET’s recent survey, “…communities of color are notably underrepresented in the three-tier system with 84% of responders self-identifying as Caucasian/white compared to 78% nationally.”
For those who choose to self-identify as Black/African American we make up approximately 2%. It is definitely shocking to see it statistically, but it is not at all surprising. The Black community is far underrepresented in the wine community.
I’ve been so very blessed to be able to pursue an education in wine. Also, it is so necessary to have people in the wine community who support your endeavors. I was truly fortunate to also have an instructor that encouraged me to take the Level 2 course, Crystal Cameron-Schaad, from Crystal Palate.

Have you given much thought of continuing your wine education?

At this time, I’m super happy with how far I’ve come in my wine education experience. I’ve had a wonderful time growing and expanding my wine knowledge. For now, I’m very content and thrilled that I’ve completed and passed both WSET levels successfully.

XO, Analise