Hello Prince Albert! The first meal I ever cooked for my wife (that’s how I snagged her!) was a variation of chicken piccata, which I whipped up from leftovers in the fridge, powdered milk and a bottle of wine I had brought for our first date. The bottle I brought happened to be made with Pinot Grigio grapes from the Masi brand called Masianco (made using the Ripasso method). Pinot Grigio is not a varietal I talk about much because quite honestly, it tastes too neutral for my tastebuds. I came across a video recently which showed how easily traditional chicken piccata can be made and I purchased a bottle of Bask Pinot Grigio to complete the dish. I’d like to share the recipe with you today and encourage you to give it a try sometime!
For the recipe, you’ll need 2-3 chicken breasts, salt and pepper, 1 teaspoon of paprika, a small handful of capers, olive oil, 1 tablespoon of fresh garlic, 1 fresh lemon and 1 cup of Pinot Grigio white wine.
Start by cutting 2-3 chicken breasts in half (you can also flatten the chicken out instead of cutting it). Add salt, pepper and paprika to taste then dredge the chicken in flour a few times, making sure to shake out the excess flour (you can add lemon flavoring, paprika or thyme to the flour for an extra burst of flavor). Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. Once the oil smokes lightly, add your chicken pieces and allow them to brown fully on both sides (the chicken should be almost completely cooked). Remove the chicken and dry on paper towel/parchment paper.
While the pan is still hot, take the capers and gently crush them into the surface of the pan then add the garlic. Allow the capers and garlic to brown for a minute or two then add the cup of wine. At this point, simmer the mixture until you can no longer smell the wine (by now, the wine will have deglazed the pan) then add the butter and a slice/twist of citrus peel followed by the entire lemon’s worth of juice. Allow the liquid to cook down to about half of the original content then add the chicken back into the pan. Evenly coat the chicken with the lemon/wine/butter mix until it is all hot and then put the contents into a nice dish to serve family-style with a glass of the Bask Pinot Grigio on the side.
This recipe is really easy to make, and it tastes fantastic! The Bask Pinot Grigio is a simple wine with basic flavors and the acidity can seem somewhat harsh or sour but put it together with this chicken piccata dish and the wine tastes incredible. The acidity and lemon flavors of the wine along with the sea-like savory elements of the capers are in prefect tandem with the base flavors of salt & pepper (with that little kick of paprika). The wine lifts all the flavors and then washes away from the palate cleanly. Now that I know how easy it is to make, this will become a staple dish when I need some good comfort food to soothe my soul.
It may seem harsh to say that Pinot Grigio can be too neutral, but part of my position comes from the inevitable comparison I make in my mind with the noble grape of a similar name: Pinot Gris. Yes, Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris are closely related genetically, but the difference comes from the treatment in the vineyard and the ability for Pinot Gris to develop in the bottle over time. Pinot Grigio on the other hand, is usually much simpler and will not develop positive flavors in the bottle. You will notice many finer, delicate details in a bottle of Pinot Gris vs. Pinot Grigio but Pinot Grigio has the ability to taste more intense or concentrated overall. It comes down to the quality of the producer, the region of production and the quality and intensity of the grapes used to make the wine.
I didn’t have much time for more than the Bask Pinot Grigio this week, but I did manage to sneak in a few more crisp beverages. During the hot portion of the week, I enjoyed a bottle of the Henry Weston Perry cider (a cider made exclusively from pears) which was off-dry with a light flower-blossom background and crisp pear flavors on the forefront ($8 per 500ml bottle). It also seemed like Fall was arriving midweek, so I switched to a beer from Black Bridge Brewery (Swift Current, SK), the California Common Ale ($5/can). This beer has a delicious malty backbone but still manages to taste light and crisp with a touch of hop flavor to balance everything out. All I could think of was warm, freshly baked pretzels that I would love to pair with this awesome beer. Here is my wine pick of the week!
Bask Pinot Grigio 0 Sugar: (Product of Canada). Dry white, pale lemon color. The nose is simple and light with hints of apple, bright citrus fruit and peel (grapefruit & lemon). The palate is simple and basic with medium-plus acidity and a touch of bitterness. This wine is light-bodied and clean with notes of lemon citrus, citrus pith, grapefruit and the tiniest hint of mineral rock. While I typically enjoy wines with elevated levels of acidity, the quality of this Pinot Grigio falls a bit flat with its lowered intensity and lack of concentrated flavors but 0 grams of sugar makes this a great choice for health-conscience people, diabetics or those on a Ketosis diet. The wine is a bit of a miss by itself, but when paired with food, the acidity becomes an asset and adds a delicious touch to simple meals like Italian-influenced cuisine or lemon-infused dishes like lemon potatoes. Average! $14, 12% ABV
Cheers and thanks for reading!
