The Pedroncelli family is celebrating the 90^th anniversary of their family owned and operated winery in Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma. In honor of this celebration they have made my life a bit easier, not only have they sent me some wonderful wine samples, they have also sent recipes to pair with the wines. This has alleviated my need to search through recipes for a delicious weeknight food and wine pairing. Check it out.

The Wine: For four generations Pedroncelli Family Vineyards has been “quietly crafting authentic wines at incredibly reasonable prices.” The key to their success: “tight-knit family and farming their own vines in the greatest spot to grow grapes.” I have now enjoyed 7 different Pedroncelli wines and I have found them all to be crafted of high quality. Furthermore, their old world understanding of pairing the right wine with the right food elevate both is right up my alley.

“Pedroncelli wines are made with food, friends, and family in mind. California wines with an Old World twist. They pair as nicely with food as they do with a glass.” ~ Pedroncelli Wines

Here are the three wines they shared with me:

2016 Pedroncelli Sauvignon Blanc East Side Vineyards Dry Creek Valley USA ($15): pale gold in the glass; pronounced aromas of ripe peaches, apricots, grapefruit, ripe melon, lemon zest, grassy notes and white flowers; bright on the palate with tart lime and lemon zest, high acidity creates a zesty mouth-feel, highly refreshing and easily sipable

2016 Pedroncelli Dry Rosé of Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley USA ($15): medium fuchsia in the glass; medium aromas of candied violets, strawberries, watermelon, raspberry cream, and a hint of orange marmalade; dry wine with medium+ acidity that is refreshing and crisp on the palate, a great summertime porch sipper that has enough length and weight to pair great with bbq.

2015 Pedroncelli Sangiovese Alto Vineyards Dry Creek Valley USA ($17): poured a deep ruby in the glass; medium+ aromas of dried roses, plums, black raspberries, blackberries, dried herbs, dusty earth, sweet baking spice, cocoa, dried tobacco, and black licorice; full body wine with pronounced acidity and youthful tannins that are silky with a slight edge, juicy on the palate with balanced earthiness; elegant yet rustic with a long finish.

The Food: Three diverse wines, one recipe, I wonder how this will go?

My Choice: I chose to pair all three wines with Pedroncelli’s recipe of Feta and Kalamata Lemon Chicken. I included wheat orzo pasta with the chicken and added artichoke hearts as well. This is the second Pedroncelli recipe I have received. What I enjoy about their recipes is they come from mom and grandma in the kitchen cooking dinner for the family. These are not fancy restaurant recipes; rather, they are easy recipes to make for family and friends that all will enjoy.

The Results: The recipe itself was easy and delicious. Most of the ingredients it called for I already had in my kitchen. I was pleased with how it turned out. I really enjoyed the addition of artichoke hearts (I used frozen) with the freshness of the lemon juice and oregano and the earthiness of the olives and feta. A great spring meal! The recipe suggests pairing with the Pedroncelli Sauvignon Blanc, and rightly so because it was the best pairing. However, I found the Pedroncelli Dry Zinfandel Rosé (NOT white zinfandel) was also a lovely pairing. The Pedroncelli Sangiovese was a lovely wine, but not the right wine for this dish. It was better suited for Pedroncelli’s Minestrone recipe. If you are looking for a healthy, quick, and delicious recipe to pair with a crisp summer white or rose I do recommend the Feta and Kalamata Lemon Chicken.

To order these or any of Pedroncelli wines for yourself visit their web site.

My Song Selection:

Get your own bottles of Pedroncelli wines and let me know what song you pair with them. Cheers!