2010 LWC Durell Vineyard Chardonnay

The eggplant has been streaming in from the garden at an alarming rate. We've been eating it prepared in a number of ways for the past few weeks: eggplant Parmesan, stuffed eggplant, grilled eggplant, ratatouille, etc. This morning my wife came across an Emeril Lagasse recipe for eggplant and goat cheese ravioli in a tomato cream sauce. Looked pretty good so I looked over his recipe and then set off to put my own twist on it. Great results. The kids wolfed it down and said they wanted it again tomorrow night. My wife called it "restaurant quality." I wouldn't have guessed "Chardonnay" as the recommended wine pairing (next time I think I'll go with a white Rhone-style wine), but that's what Food Network said so I played along.

Not having a whole lot of Chardonnay available in the cellar, I chose the 2010 Loring Wine Company Durell Vineyard Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast. You can tell just by looking at the deep, golden color that this is going to be a full-bodied, high octane wine. Massive nose of diacetyl, roasted peanut, brioche and baked apple. Mouth-coating richness with tropical notes and a very nice bitterness that provides balance to the sweet, buttery characteristics. I don't drink a whole lot of wine made in this style, but every once in a while you just have to indulge with a "guilty pleasure." That being said, the food and wine didn't really do anything for one another. If I get my hands on another bottle of this, I'll save it for some seared scallops or butter-poached lobster. About $40