Four Vines, Naked. Chardonnay

[Innkeeper]

2001 Four Vines, Naked, Chardonnay, Central Coast ($11 Blue Hill Wine Shop). What is Four Vines? From what I can tell, it is a boiler room in Paso Robles. That is where they are. They don’t have a street address or a route address, just a P.O. Box in PR. They are not on the Paso Robles Winegrowers website. They have a website of their own that does not tell you much more other than they make other wines too. The wines are “vinted and bottled” by them. Since they are distributed widely, and I did buy it locally; my guess is that they have a big brother. I also guess that bb starts with an M and ends with an N.

The grapes they got for this one had a lot of hang time. It weighs in at 14.3% alcohol. Now, for the good news. It is a very nice wine in the tradition of Unwooded Chards from OZ; and of course very big. Comes across with pears and apples on the nose and upfront, and full body across the palate, with a lovely finish. Matched it with temped fried chicken, blue cheese potato salad, and triple cheese Nachos. Highly recommended if it is your area too.

[Innkeeper]

Not snubbing WOW's post of 11/05 but using this for continuity.

2005 with a Santa Barbara County appellation with a price one buck ($11.99) higher at the Rochester NH Liq Store. The alcohol is down to 13.5% and the wine is still a big contender as less expensive at this point than the ones from Down Under.

Matched with a casserole of chicken salad in philo, along with a nice salad. It was a near perfect match, and Bev loved it too.

[Glass_A_Day]

I've bought some over the last four or five vintages and have never been dissapointed.

[Innkeeper]

Another bottle tonight with Rosemary Chicken. Wonderful, especially with rosemary from our garden. Great crop this year.

ROSEMARY CHICKEN:

2 Medium onions (preferably Vidalias)
1 ea Red and yellow peppers (or two of any color)
2 tbl+ Olive oil
1 tsp Crushed garlic (2 cloves)
2 Healthy sprigs fresh rosemary
2 lg or 3 med Chicken breast halves
1 tbl Lemon juice
1/2 C Chicken broth or bullion
Salt, pepper, granulated garlic (or garlic powder)

Peel, eighth and parboil onions two minutes. Drain, saving some of water for chicken bullion. Spread two tablespoonfuls olive oil in oven proof (no wooden handle) cast iron skillet. Add onions, and peppers which have been cored, seeded, membrane removed, and cut into 1" squares. Chop rosemary finely, into two or more tablespoonfuls, and add to skillet with crushed garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss all together. Wash and dry chicken breast halves. Rub tops into rosemary mixture until some sticks to skin. Set upright on top of veggies, and sprinkle with lemon juice and additional olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and granulated garlic. Roast in a 450 degree oven for 20 minutes. Turn heat down to 375 degrees and roast another 25 minutes. Remove veggies and chicken to a warm platter with chicken still on top. Add bullion to skillet on top of stove and bring to boil, deglaze and boil for one minute. Strain onto food on platter. Serve.

[Kcwhippet]

What sort of rosemary grows in a garden that far north?