Your Second-Favorite Wine with Scallops

[Mark_Golodetz]

Ceritas Chardonnay. Scallops are best kept simple - especially if you are able to locate the elusive Nantucket Bay scallops.


When in doubt? Champagne, of course!

Santa Cruz Chardonnays with a little age. We paired some Mount Eden recently, and it was perfect.

[Brian_G_r_a_f_s_t_r_o_m]

… I was worried even a whiff of nutmeg would be too much. But i’m still intrigued by the idea … thoughts from the gallery?

Scallops sweet enough already. No need to add sweetness through nutmeg.

That was my worry as well. But now that I think about it further, I wonder, is nutmeg sweet? Or do we just think “sweet” when we taste it because it is frequently used in sweet dishes? (<-- meant to be conversational, not argumentative)

[W_Leonard]

Preparation will be very simple.

Pan-seared in butter. Little bit salt. Fresh fennel fronds. A few dots of vinegary cilantro sauce.

The 2013 L’Esprit de Chevalier blanc would be a nice choice. I think the sauvignon character would foil the fennel nicely

[Brian_G_r_a_f_s_t_r_o_m]

The Breuil is, allegedly, the driest of the lineup. And it is dry, but it comes with a moderately rich flavor. The '15 Breuil would have worked better — that one is sharp like a razor!

Well, having once tasted through the whole line-up Les Argiles certainly felt the driest to me, probably then because it was less concetrated and not as ripe-fruited as the others.

Solid working hypothesis. Argiles is listed as the next driest. The difference between the two is probably imperceptible.

Now, a tasting of their entire lineup! That sounds awesome! Did you have any main takeaways from that experience?

[Joseph_MR]

I once had heavily seared scallops and foie gras
Served with a lighter Nebbiolo! This worked surprisingly
Well.

[S_Rash]

Chablis or Unoaked Chardonnay would be my first choice. I would definitely go with a Rias Baixas Albarino as my second choice!!

[Tom_Dawber]

I always default to a nice Muscadet with scallops, but there are some great suggestions in this thread!

[IlkkaL]

The Breuil is, allegedly, the driest of the lineup. And it is dry, but it comes with a moderately rich flavor. The '15 Breuil would have worked better — that one is sharp like a razor!

Well, having once tasted through the whole line-up Les Argiles certainly felt the driest to me, probably then because it was less concetrated and not as ripe-fruited as the others.

Solid working hypothesis. Argiles is listed as the next driest. The difference between the two is probably imperceptible.

Now, a tasting of their entire lineup! That sounds awesome! Did you have any main takeaways from that experience?

Awesome it was! I guess my main takeaways would have been:

• I really like the wines
• They are a real study on terroir - despite being farmed and made the same way the stylistic differences are massive between the different cuvées, regardless of whether they come from Vouvray or Montlouis. For example Clos Habert was a huge, concentrated beast of a Chenin compared to the crisp, precise and minerally Les Argiles and I don’t think the small amount of residual sugar in Clos Habert (listed as ‘Tendre’ so drier than Demi-Sec) made that much of a difference. I think because of this before opening a Chidaine it is important to know what kind of a wine you are getting as the ideal food pairings for these wines are very different
• My pick for the cellar would be the Montlouis Moelleux which is not very sweet at all and perhaps their best wine. According to CT it is not made in all vintages so buy when you see it

[John_Danza]

I never pair scallops with a Chardonnay. I think the wine makes the scallops taste very fishy. Several friends have said the same thing.

If a simple pan seared prep, then I pair with a bone dry Riesling. If a cream sauce prep, then I pair with a Sercial Madeira, or an aged Vin Jaune.

[Morten_Batbukt]

I’m a big fan of pairing scallops with chenin blanc, one with a touch of richness while still retaining the tension of a classic Loire. So until they too become as hard to find as Raveneau I pair mine with the Raveneau of the Loire - Guiberteau.

[Mike_Francisco]

Good fresh Albarino like Granbazan Verde or even La Marea from Monterey