Chateau St. Jean’s 2003 Robert Young
Alexander Valley Chardonnay
Perfectly Paired with Chilled Corn Soup
When you lift a glass of Chateau St. Jean’s aromatic Robert Young Chardonnay, you happily anticipate a burst of flavor that brings you the summer freshness of ripe peaches, the gentle tang of Key Lime Pie and lingering notes of lemon on the finish. Those elements were temptingly preserved by winemaker Margo Von Staaveren as she worked with the remarkable fruit from Robert Young’s Alexander Valley vineyard using classic winemaking techniques of barrel fermentation and sur lie aging in small French oak cooperage. But when she and Chef Rachel Robenolt sipped the wine in the company of Chef Robenolt’s spring-fresh Chilled Corn Soup, they both appreciated how the gentle flavor of young corn brought out unexpected nuances of perfect acidity and hints of smoke as the food and wine combined on their palates.
Creamy corn soup and St. Jean Chardonnay are not this team’s only alluring combinations. Ian MacNeil, hospitality operations manager invites visitors to the winery to join in the “Wine and Food Pairing Experience,” an hour-long exploration of wine and food flavors, offered each Friday, Saturday and Sunday at eleven am and one pm at the winery. The Chateau St. Jean educational host personally guides visitors through the secrets of balancing the diverse flavors of wine with those in all manner of foods. Each guest is presented with a handout that describes the wines, gives the basis of flavor matching and explains how the day’s pairings were achieved. There is a $25 fee for the seminar and reservations are requested. Call (707) 833-4134 to join the class. For your pleasure here is Chef Robenolt’s Chilled Corn Soup to try with a bottle of Chateau St. Jean’s 2003 Alexander Valley Robert Young Vineyard Chardonnay in your own home.
CHILLED CORN SOUP
Ingredients:
- 8 large ears of corn, husked
- 2 TBS butter
- 1/8 cup minced shallots
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1/4 cup Robert Young Chardonnay
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 TBS lemon juice
For garnish:
- fresh chopped chives
- white truffle oil
- crab meat, cooked and cleaned
Cut corn kernels from cob. Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Add corn kernels, chicken stock and wine. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Strain through fine sieve into large bowl. Cool. Add half & half and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Chill until cold, at least 4 hours. Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with chives, add a spoonful of
crab in the center and drizzle
truffle oil over the top.
Serve with Chateau St. Jean Robert Young Alexander Valley Chardonnay
