A good glass of wine and some heartwarming comfort food. What could be better? Recipe pairings, of course.
Proudly made in Washington State, Spoken Barrel includes two rustic bold reds including a flavorful Cabernet Sauvignon and a complex, rich Meritage Red Blend. Highlighting the exceptional quality of grapes from Washington’s famed Columbia Valley, the resulting collection is both rugged and refined—the signature of Spoken Barrel. Spoken Barrel debuts a sleek and handsome bottle, sans paper label, with each bottle adorned with the number 42, a nod to the brand’s roots in the heart of Washington, the 42nd state.
Deep ruby in color, the Cabernet Sauvignon is bold and complex with classic aromas of cherry, black currant, dark chocolate and roasted oak. Lush, concentrated flavors of blackberry and cherry lead to a toasty vanilla finish with fine, velvety tannins.
Black garnet in color, the Meritage Red Blend is a rich and complex wine that features fresh fruit aromas of blueberry and red plum with notes of leather, black licorice and deep roasted oak. A dense, rich mouthfeel is accented by flavors of bright red fruit, toasty oak, smoke, chocolate and citrus rind.
Pair this duo of Spoken Barrel wines with the recipes below for a delicious and cozy dinner this season.
Spoken Barrel Wines is available nationwide for $19.99 at local retailers. To learn more, visit www.spokenbarrel.com.
Sticky Grilled Wings with Red Wine BBQ Sauce
Wings:
3 lbs chicken wings
1½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp garlic powder
½ onion powder
2 Tbsp olive oil
Red Wine BBQ Sauce:
1 cup Spoken Barrel Red Wine
1½ cups ketchup
⅓ cup red wine vinegar
⅓ cup honey
2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
1. Preheat a grill to 350° F. In a large bowl toss the wings with the next six ingredients. Arrange the wings evenly on the grill, flipping occasionally, until they are golden brown and the skin is crisp, roughly 45 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan bring 1 cup of Spoken Barrel Red wine to a boil. Reduce the wine by half (½ cup). Stir in the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes over medium low heat, until thickened and flavorful, then remove from the heat.
3. In a large bowl, toss the grilled wings with the red wine BBQ sauce. Serve the wings warm with any extra BBQ sauce, lots of napkins and Spoken Barrel Wine.
Spoken Barrel Apple, Shallot and Blue Cheese Tart
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 ½ cups shallots, thinly sliced, (about 3 large shallots)
1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed in the refrigerator overnight
1 small pink lady apple, thinly sliced and seeds removed
1 ½ tsp thyme leaves, roughly chopped
4 oz mild blue cheese, crumbled
1 Tbsp honey
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Over medium high heat, sauté shallots with olive oil and a pinch of salt until soft and starting to caramelize, about five minutes. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
3. Using a rolling pin, roll out the puff pastry until 12×12″, dusting your work surface with flour as needed.
4. Assemble the tart by evenly spreading the shallots over the pastry, followed by the apples, thyme and blue cheese allowing a ½-inch border.
5. Bake the tart for 20 minutes or until golden brown, puffed and crisp. Drizzle over the honey and serve warm or at room temperature with Spoken Barrel wine.
Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese
1 lb cavatappi pasta
1 ½ cups whole milk
1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
½ lb smoked Gouda, grated
½ lb sharp cheddar, grated
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
⅓ cup chopped chives, optional
1. In a large deep sided skillet, bring 4 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Once, boiling add the cavatappi pasta and kosher salt. Bring back to a boil and stir frequently for 10 minutes, until almost all the water has been absorbed and the pasta is cooked.
2. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining ingredients, stirring until the cheese is melted and everything is fully combined.
3. Serve with a sprinkling of the chives and eat immediately with Spoken Barrel Wine.
