Pairing: Chili Paired with NV Otter Creek La Crescent

Food:  There are probably hundreds … or thousands … of recipes for Chili. Our’s is a simple, meatless version made of tomatoes, kidney beans, chopped onions, cubed green peppers (or cucumbers), and chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper to taste. Not only is this recipe yummy and easy to make, it is also ridiculously low in calories and high in protein. Would you believe that the bowl of chili shown in the photo below contains less than 300 calories, and that includes the melon cubes and grated cheddar! (but not the wine). For the recipe, you can go to my wife’s blog, fastingme.com.

Wine:  First of all … yes, white wine is usually the best pairing for  spicy dishes.

Our quest continues for wines from lesser known, out-of-the-way wine regions and wineries. That quest has brought us to the cold northern climes of upstate New York to Otter Creek Winery in the tiny town of Philadelphia, NY up near the Canadian border. New York is rightly famous for their wines from the Finger Lakes Region (notably Riesling) and Long Island. They can now boast of some excellent wines from the cold, snowy north. The La Crescent grapes grown by Otter Creek were developed at the University of Minnesota for its cold-hardiness and good flavor. My sister, who lives in that area of the state, brought us some wines to sample … delicious! Thanks, Sis!

Tasting Notes:  A pale gold color. Melon and apricot are present on the nose. Lovely ripe cantaloupe and apricot emerge on the palate and continue on the finish, along with a little touch of peach and honey. The residual sugars present a pleasant sweetness to the wine and bring wonderful balance to the spicy Chili as well as to other such flavorful dishes. This might best be described as a semi-sweet wine similar to a Riesling.

Other Wines That Pair Well with Chili:  German Riesling (Spätlese or Auslese), Gewürztraminer (Alsace), Grüner Veltliner (Austria), Zinfandel (Mexico or California)

Other Food That Pairs Well with  Otter Creek La Crescent:  Indian Curry, Chinese Cuisine, Mexican Dishes, Thai Food.

Read About:  http://taste1000islands.com

A Source:  ottercreekwinery.com