The Good Life
April 21, 2012, by: Lisa Duff Khajavi
Chinese Chicken Salad with Spicy Ginger Dressing by Giao Trac
Spring is in full swing—the perfect time to share some simple and delicious recipes, paired with some of our favorite Montesquieu wines. We hope you enjoy these spring-inspired delights, enjoy!
Chinese Chicken Salad with Spicy Ginger Dressing
Recipe adapted from original by Giao Trac of Kiss My Spatula
Serves 2
You may also substitute the chicken with grilled tofu, shrimp or any protein of your liking.
Chinese Chicken Salad
Ingredients
1 boneless chicken breast, skin removed
1 medium-sized Napa (or Savoy) cabbage, thinly sliced
2 carrots, shredded
1 small tomato, thinly sliced
1 mango, thinly sliced
4 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 tbsp. roasted sesame seeds
handful of fresh mint, chopped
handful of cilantro, chopped
handful of roasted peanuts
Spicy Ginger Dressing
Ingredients
2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
1 tablespoon Sriracha chili sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Preparation
To poach chicken, place the breast in a small saucepan and add water, about 1 inch above the chicken. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiled, immediately lower heat to a very slow simmer and partly cover for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the chicken to cook in hot water for another 15 minutes. Once cooled, shred chicken and set aside.
If you prefer grilling or barbecue, use boneless and skinless chicken thighs instead, lightly brushed with vegetable oil.
In a large bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the spicy ginger dressing.
Add the cabbage, chicken, carrots, tomato, mint and cilantro to the large bowl and toss gently. Top with mango slices and roasted peanuts. Garnish with scallions and roasted sesame seeds, and serve immediately.
Pair with our 2009 Symmetria, a California blend of Viognier, Roussane and Marsanne or our 2009 Hammel Chardonnay from the Willamette Valley.
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March 28, 2012, by: Stephen George
Our barrel room
Montesquieu Winery has long been committed not only to sourcing and crafting for our clients some of the finest wines in the world, but also to offering our clients a unique experience of the good life. In all that we do, we seek to champion the value of direct relationships and the joy of personal experience. After all, what else is great wine about?
It is with this in mind that we designed The Montesquieu Winemaking Experience. For the first time, we are offering our clients the opportunity to experience what it means to be a winemaker in Napa Valley. A limited number of clients will have an opportunity to purchase an entire barrel of our best 2010 wine (approximately 25 cases) to call their own – to name, brand, label and even blend in person in Napa with their broker under the guidance of our winemaker Hélène Mingot. View Full Post
August 10, 2011, by: Stephen George
Intimate Asado Dinner with Federico Benegas-Lynch & Don Zofanor
History. Tradition. Family. You’ve probably noticed that these words get thrown around a lot in the wine industry. These days, everyone seems to be claiming that they’re family-owned and family-run, that they are tapping into a tradition as old as the sun, that they use historical vineyard techniques or winemaking methods or what have you.
It’s easy to tune out this sort of rhetoric as marketing-based background noise. And as merchants who are barraged by wineries who want us to introduce them to our clients, we at Montesquieu Wines know how critical it is to be able to separate the wheat from the chaff. To truly determine whether there’s real history and tradition in play, and whether it matters to the quality of the wine, we have to do more than just scratch the surface. We have to dig deeper, to pull back the veil to see whether these buzz words reflect something real and unique, or whether they’re merely a marketer’s fancy. View Full Post
July 12, 2011, by: Lisa Duff Khajavi
With so many decanters and accessories to choose from, for some the idea of decanting may be intimidating or seem pretentious. We at Montesquieu Winery would like to share the basics of decanting because it is actually a very simple and extremely valuable tool that can bring out the best in your wines!
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July 2, 2011, by: Lisa Duff Khajavi
Happy Birthday America! Independence Day is upon us, the Fourth of July- the day in 1776 that the wording of the Declaration of Independence was approved by Congress.
The eloquent second sentence of the Declaration shines and endures, one of the most celebrated and revered of American history:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Ahh, the pursuit of happiness. One of the many great things about our country is that we provide people the freedom to choose their path to happiness. No matter the challenges we face and the many issues that warrant change or improvement, the fact remains how very fortunate we are! View Full Post
June 15, 2011, by: Lisa Duff Khajavi
Whether you have an almost endless summer climate or the full swing of four seasons, summer is here! With Father’s Day approaching and the 4th of July shortly after, it seems the perfect time to share some of our favorite recipes and wines that we particularly enjoy this time of year.
We love hearing from our community of wine lovers, which of course includes our Montesquieu Wine Brokers who are well-versed in all things food and wine. A natural occupational passion is the discovery of meals that work particularly well with our diverse selection of Montesquieu wines. Join us as we kick off summer in search of the perfect pairing….. View Full Post
June 11, 2011, by: Lisa Duff Khajavi
Grand Canal at Sunset
It’s no secret Montesquieu Winery is fond of exploring wine regions off the beaten track, inspired by the thrill of adventure and discovery as we seek new and exciting sources for our international portfolio of Montesquieu Wines.
That being said, we also relish the wealth of experiences one finds traveling to classic destinations such as Paris, Rome, New York, London, Barcelona and the like. Even though these cities are not wine regions, and not off the beaten track, the opportunities to be immersed in fine food and wine are great with an abundance of world-class dining and top-notch wine lists, plus in many cases wonderful wine regions nearby! Add the museums, shops, and cultural treasures galore, and you have all the ingredients that most consider essential to the art of living well. View Full Post
May 6, 2011, by: Lisa Duff Khajavi
Roasted Cod With Vegetables
We at Montesquieu Winery are very passionate about finding and making the very best wines possible—wines we are inspired by and know our clients will love. It is natural that when we discover particularly delicious pairings that we would want to share them with you!
With the recent spring holidays and warmer weather now upon us, several delightful dishes jump to the forefront that are especially fabulous this time of year. The recipes are straightforward, yet elegant, and include recommendations for pairings from our eclectic portfolio of international Montesquieu Wines.
What could be more enjoyable than sharing a lovely meal and wines with friends and family? Not much in our book! As you all juggle busy lives, we hope that you find these recipes to be a helpful part of your food and wine repertoire. View Full Post
April 16, 2011, by: Stephen George
Michel Rolland’s home in Fronsac
This is a story about Argentina. But like so much in the wine world, this story starts in France, one year ago.
During last year’s Montesquieu Winery trip to Bordeaux to taste the 2009 vintage en primeur, Michel Rolland invited us to his house to spend the evening. He lives in a beautiful old farmhouse on a hill overlooking the Fronsac appellation, just outside of Libourne on Bordeaux’s Right Bank. Not surprisingly, he makes a wine there too – a terrific Merlot/Cab Franc blend sourced from the vines surrounding his home. View Full Post
April 2, 2011, by: Lisa Duff Khajavi
2008 Damaru Cabernet compliments Grilled Steak Skewers with Balsamic Rosemary Butter
The good life? Definition: savoring delicious food and wines among friends and family. We at Montesquieu Winery would love to share 5 simple and fun recipes to pair with some of our favorite wines in order to help make enjoying the good life just a little easier.
The recipes were chosen and adapted by Paige Richards of Kiss’d Cuisine, San Diego for their convenience of procuring ingredients and ease of preparation. The Montesquieu Wines were chosen by Missy Carpenter of our Orange County division, specially selected to accompany the meal. The meal was executed as a Kiss’d Cooking class which was a hit—an evening full of smiles and fun—and everyone came away with an approachable menu to pair with a lovely variety of our wines.
We wanted to share these with everyone as the recipes can be done with ease even on a busy weeknight. Some of you may have these wines in your cellar. For those that don’t, we have included general varietal recommendations. Enjoy! View Full Post
