A to Z Chardonnay, $15.99, Mussels Steamed in Chardonnay

She is the wine world’s most popular grape. She can produce exceptional wines in the most extreme cases, from the frost-prone vineyards of Chablis to the torrid, sun-drenched region of Riverland, Australia. She is a vital player in the world’s best sparkling wines, including Champagne. She is sought-after by wine drinkers at all levels, from low-priced value wine to those seeking ethereal Grand Crus of Burgundy.

The "She" I am alluding to is Ms. Chardonnay--America's Beauty Queen of wine; though this title is merited not so much by her looks, as there are wines much prettier, but rather by her inner beauty, specifically her ability to adapt to any situation. She will succumb to your needs as a winegrower, winemaker or winedrinker.

Despite this friendly demeanor though, there are of course those that are just not fans and at no fault of her own, winemakers responsible for the well-being of the grape can be blamed.

Once the secret of how well this grape adapts to any envirnoment, resulting in significant crop levels, as well as its favorsome flavors among wine drinkers, chardonnay became one of the most planted and produced grapes anywhere, from its home in France, to California and Australia to the less obvious countries of England, India and Moldova. As production increased, quality decreased.

However, to conceal any notion of low-quality, winemakers looked to the use of oak to add both flavor and structure to their chardonnay. The complex minerally flavor profile known throughout Burgundy became the victim of the overuse of oak treatment, compromising the purity of the grape, and causing a lot of winedrinkers to shun chardonnay. At times, I must admit , I have even found myself openily disgracing chardonnay. However, times are changing and so am I.

Many winemakers are now approaching the vinification process of chardonnay with either minimal or no oak at all, with very successful results. While many chardonnay drinkers choose this wine for its depth of toasty notes and sweet scents of vanilla, others appreciate the clean taste of fruit.

There are more and more winemakers making this switch, to show off one in particular, I chose the A to Z Chardonnay. This Oregon winery takes a fresh approach on winemaking, using a blend of grapes, mostly Dijon clones –the best chardonnay grapes—to produce a clean wine with aromas of lime blossoms, lemon honey, and wet stones, with tangerine, apple and tropcial flavors of guava, accented by a touch of brioche.

Because this wine has no oak, its food pairings are endless; chicken, fish, pork and cheese are all potential partners with this wine. I took the seafood route, Steamed Mussels. I used the wine to steam the mussels and drank the rest together while eating. The purity of the wine shines, the tropical fruits are enhanced by the sweet minerality of the dish, while the clean texture refreshes each bite after sopping up the buttery broth with toasted bread.

This wine is likely to break you from any ABC (anything but chardonnay) club that you have joined or introduce you to different style and approach to this grape!

Mussels Steamed in Chardonnay

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 shallot, finely diced

1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

6 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 pound fresh mussels,such as Prince Edward or Chilean, scrubbed and debearded

2 cups Chardonnay or other white wine

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Salt

1 baguette, sliced

Directions

Heat the one tablespoon of olive oil and one tablespoon of butter in a wide, deep pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the shallots, garlic, fennel, thyme, and pepper flakes and sauté for 2 minutes, careful not to let the mxitre brown. Add the wine and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the mussels, decrease the heat, cover with a lid and cook just untl the mussels open, discarding any that do not. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mussels to individual bows, reserving the cooking liquid in the apn. Set the pan back on the heat. Add the garlic, parsley, remaining tablespoon of olive oil and butter, stir until the butter is melted. Season to taste with salt. Pour the sauce over the mussels. Served with toasted bread that has been brushed with olive oil and rubbed with a garlic clove.