Condesa de Sarabella Viura, Chicken with leeks and carrots

Condesa de Sarabella, Calatayud, Spain Viura 2007; October, 2008; Trader Joes, $4.99.

Last week we had the Granacha from this vineyard. This wine is made from viura which is found mostly in the Calatayud are of Spain. It is a very pale color with a slight nose, and is very fresh and fruity on the tongue.

Our meal was chicken breast on the bone covered with rosemary and thyme in olive oil in a covered pan cooked slowly. It came out a slightly dry. Brigette called it even mushy (She is very critical of her cooking. I doubt that many would have thought the chicken dry.). Fortunately, she had surrounded the chicken with longish, thinly sliced leeks and carrots, plus onions, garlic, the olive oil, and a single Scotch Bonnet chili pepper . I usually do not like cooked carrots, but these were good. When eaten together, the dish was excellent.

The wine elevated the chicken by itself and made it taste more chickeny. As with most supermarket meat, it didn’t have much flavor (sometimes we shop at a local chain called “Giant”.). The wine helped. The first bite of vegetables I had included part of the chili pepper, which was hot (this original heat stayed with me the entire meal!). All of this heat flattened out the wine for a time, but it came back.

The meal cost less than $8 without the wine. We eat very well, often for very little (it wouldn’t have cost that much more if we had gone to a better source for the meat). This cheap wine upped the level of the meal’s style, and taste.