Napa, California (NAPSI) - No matter what you’re cooking, and whether you’re dining alone or entertaining a crowd, the right wine can elevate a simple meal. Fortunately, selecting, serving and enjoying great wine doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive if you join the right wine club.
Consider this easy recipe and wine pairing tip provided by one of the oldest clubs around.
Grilled Chicken
Makes 4 servings
4 large skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Preheat grill to medium heat, pierce chicken several times with a fork. Place chicken into a resealable plastic bag and pour in olive oil. Seal and shake bag to coat chicken; add rosemary, thyme, oregano, garlic, salt and black pepper to the bag, seal, and shake again to coat chicken with herbs. Grill chicken until the juices run clear and the meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads at least 165 degrees F. Add fresh-squeezed lemon to finish the chicken.
This works well with a bright, fresh, crisp white wine. According to the experts at The California Wine Club, top picks are New World Sauvignon Blanc, Unoaked California Chardonnay, French Pinot Gris and Italian Pinot Grigio.
Wines like these are meant to be uncorked and enjoyed while young, so look for newer vintages, 2011 or later, depending on the winemaker and region. The acidic level of the wine is what makes for a good food and wine pairing. The flavors of the food and wine should complement each other, neither one overtaking the other and each becoming better because of the other.
The club was created to provide recommendations and selections, just as a friend would recommend a great bottle of wine to another. Members say The California Wine Club is like touring wine country from the comfort of home.
As a member, you can get convenient home delivery—monthly, every other month or even quarterly—and the best choice of handcrafted wine from small, family-owned wineries at the lowest possible price. There are experienced wine consultants to assist you with your wine choices and questions and even wine country travel experts to help you plan a wine country getaway.
What’s more, each shipment includes a newsletter called Uncorked that’s a fun and easy way to learn about wine and get to know the families behind each winery.
Bruce and Pam Boring, who founded the club, discover these small wineries and leverage their years of experience, exquisite taste and long-built relationships with craft winemakers to hand select and deliver award-winning wines to you. They know the wineries and vintners know them, so club members get introduced to wineries and wines they might never have found on their own.
Five kinds of membership are available:
• Premier Series—the most popular
• Signature Series—for collectors and connoisseurs
• International Selections—from small wineries around the world
• Aged Cabernet Series—Napa’s most prestigious Cabernets, aged eight to 12 years.
• Pacific Northwest Series—limited-production, award-winning wines from Oregon and Washington.
There are no membership fees, and customers can stop or modify their preferences at any time.
Learn More
For further facts, tips and wine suggestions and to learn how to get a gift membership or become a member yourself, visit www.cawineclub.com or call (800) 777-4443.