Two Meals & One Fantastic Wine

Yesterday evening I was still, “recovering” from The Wine Country holiday party, I would love to say that after 12 years I am so over the drinking everything that is open and getting a scoach silly but alas I cannot, I drank as long, (even longer….had a glass of wine when I got home) as it was flowing and woke up with the tell tale signs of an evening full of wicked over indulgence. I had taken a brief nap in the afternoon, (and can I just say again I am so NOT a napper. Woke shakey, confused and had a bitch of a time falling asleep last night) and was sure there was no end in sight to my jammie clad day….was not feeling like hitting the grocery store and going out….”um have you seen my hair?” not happening. When the dinner issue came up I was quick offer a “no work for me” suggestion, “Dumplings” I declared, “I want dumplings”. Once the details were ironed out, the from where and steamed or fried, (oh yeah one order of each) I settled back on the couch and waited for my sweet husband to return like a hunter with the evenings grub.


Now as much as I love dumplings I loathe the sweet dipping sauce they tend to serve with it, I always make one if not two of my own sauces for to plunge my little pockets of goodness into, last night…it was two; my soy sauce, sambal and toasted sesame and my all time, number one favorite, half soy sauce and half lemon juice…grrrr, lemony salty perfection and that little tang against that soft creaminess of the noodles…damn. The hubby returned with my steaming styro containers of dumplings and I knew exactly the wine I wanted, the 2007 Sylvain Bailly Sancerre Rose, ($21.99).




This wine won our Rose of the Year this year, no wonder why….it is damn near perfect in that very French kind of way. No ripe round soft fruit, this wine is tangy, tart, laced with minerals and uber racy on the finish. With my dumplings, both crispy and steamed the wine was brilliant, lifted the meaty flavors and was sturdy enough to handle that lemon juice, I ate more than I should but managed in my hungover state to take it easy on the wine, corked up a half full bottle and stashed it in the fridge before trotting off to bed for a wretched night of tossing and turning…damn you naps….damn you!




I was back in the store and feeling much fresher today but the holiday shoppers were working us this afternoon, seemed like everyone had trepidations, they were unsure what they wanted…that late Thanksgiving is throwing everyone into a bit of a tizzy, like the, “Holy Crap Christmas is almost here” moment just hit them….and they hit us back. By the time the hubby and I touched base I was feeling a bit strained but in definite need of dinner cooked at home, something comforting…as I felt a little shiver run down my back from the bit of snap in the air I knew breakfast was in order….hell I barely slept so breakfast sounded perfect! The hubby got the eggs, chives and bacon and I brought home some very fine Italian Fontina from the store. Now I am more often than not the cook in the house but when it comes to omelets, Hot Hubby is Da Man…seriously. After watching his post flip, “I should so be on Top Chef” victory dance I grabbed my plate, shook my head at him and grabbed that half bottle of Bailly Sancerre Rose. The wine was still very lively and fresh and against the fatty, eggy, cheesy plate full of bacon and chive numminess…damn again. I was knocked out at how versatile the wine was, from dumplings to omelets and it was firing on all cylinders…simply beautiful and is now on my list of one of the most food friendly wines in the store!