Provençe Meets Burgundy #FrenchWinophiles

Sometimes I feel way out of my league in this wine blogging stuff.  Especially when we visit the different regions of France.  Having been a California wine drinker all my life I am used to buying wines by varietal (Chardonnay, Cabernet, Merlot) rather than by region (Champagne, Bordeaux, Burgundy).

I have never been to France or even to Europe and geography has never been my strong suit. I have lived in the USA, my entire life and I would probably have a hard time placing the States in their proper locations.  You don't know how many times we will be flying or driving somewhere on vacation and I will suggest a side trip only to have Frank look at me as if I am crazy and respond that it is "a little" out of the way.  That usually means like several States away.

So last month when I saw that we were visiting Burgundy, I went to the wine shop and picked up a nice white burgundy to pair and share.  Then I discovered that I was in the completely wrong section of Burgundy.  The good news was that the wine I purchased, a 2013 bottle from Macon-Villages was further south and in the area that we are visiting this month.

A little trick that we learn as food bloggers is that, when pairing food with wine, you can't go wrong if you make a recipe from the same area in which the grapes are grown for the wine you are serving.

So, of course, I decided to make a chicken dish from the Provençe area.  Because that is just the way I roll....

And I am glad that I do because this Provençal chicken paired perfectly with this White Burgundy, even if they are 300 miles apart.

I made a vinaigrette flavored with Herbs de Provençe and allowed the chicken to marinate for several hours in the refrigerator.  I found this recipe on the Weber Grill website and adapted it to fit our tastes and to use what I had on hand, including Dijon mustard which is from an entirely different area of France.

I am about done rambling on....pretending that I know anything about anything.  All I do really know is what I like and I loved this wine with this chicken.  And I also know that the host of this party, Lyn of binNotes/Red Thread can provide you with much more information about this area and the wines that it offers.  You can find all of that information on Part 2 of the Tour of Burgundy..

I am sharing my recipe for this wonderful and easy Provençal chicken.  You will find links to all the other French Winophile's posts immediately following.  I am anxious to read them as I always gain fascinating information and if I follow these great bloggers long enough I will soon be able to say, with confidence, that I am a French Winophile.

Provençal Chicken

adapted from Weber's Way to Grill

1 c. dry white wine

1/3 c. good olive oil

3 T. Dijon mustard

3 T. white wine vinegar

2 T. dried Herbs de Provençe

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 large pinches kosher salt

6 chicken legs

6 chicken thighs

Place the wine, olive oil, mustard, vinegar, herbs, garlic and salt in a gallon size plastic bag that seals shut.  Seal and knead and shake until well combined.  Add the chicken legs and thighs, remove air from the bag and seal.  Place bag in the refrigerator for several hours, turning occasionally.

Heat the grill to med high heat (400*) using all burners. Turn off the middle burners leaving the remaining burners on med high.  Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and place over the middle burners. Discard the remaining marinade and cook the chicken over indirect heat for approx. 1 hour until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165*.  Print Recipe

More Wine Pairings from Burgundy

• Jeff Burrows of FoodWineClick serves up “Salmon and Morels with the Domaine Wines of Louis Max.” 
• Jill Barth of L’Occasion shares “Historic Vineyards of Burgundy.” 
• Michelle Williams of Rockin Red Blog regales us with: “A Journey Through Burgundy Part 2, Exploring Mâconnais with #Winophiles.” 
• Gwendolyn Lawrence Alley of Wine Predator takes on: "Journey to Burgundy Part 2"
• Lynn Gowdy of Savor the Harvest steers us through “Navigating Southern Burgundy: Mâconnaise and Beaujolais.”
• Jane Niemeyer of Always Ravenous explores “Discovering Rully Chardonnay + Bouzeron Aligoté in Burgundy’s Côte Chalonnaise.”
• Nicole Ruiz Hudson of Somm’s Table schools us with “Cooking to the Wine: Jean-Marc Brocard Sainte Claire Chablis with Clam and Burrata Pizza.” 
• Wendy Klik of A Day in the Life on the Farm dips her toe in “Provence meets Burgundy.” 
• Lauren Walsh of The Swirling Dervish swirls up “Mercurey Rising: Pinot Noir from Burgundy’s Côte Chalonnaise.” 
• L.M. Archer of binnotes.com pours forth on “Burgundy’s Overlooked ‘Other’ White Wine.”