Pairing: Caesar Salad (with some additions) Paired with NV Luckett Vineyards Helena Sparkling Apple and Blackcurrant Wine

Food:  The original recipe for the famous Caesar Salad was created by restauranteur Caesar Cardini  in his Tijuana establishment in the 1920’s. It is composed of romaine lettuce and croutons, with a dressing made with olive oil, lemon juice, black pepper, parmesan cheese, garlic, and Worcestershire Sauce. A raw egg yolk was then beaten into the dressing. There are dozens of variations that have been developed over the years, and there remains some controversy around the actual creator of the dish. Regardless, it is a fabulous  salad. Our version usually eliminates the egg (though not always) from the dressing, and adds tomato, ham and chicken slices for a more complete meal while retaining much of the delicious flavors of the original recipe.

Wine:  Returning to Nova Scotia, we enjoy another different wine, this time a sparkler from Luckett Vineyards in the bucolic Gaspereau Valley. Luckett’s Helena is a sparkling wine made from sparkling apple wine with blackcurrant added to it. For those who have yet to sample wine made from fruits other than grapes, I say you are a missing a whole other universe of delicious wine, both for pairing with food or drinking by itself. And don’t assume that all fruit wines are sweet. Many are demi-sec or dry.

Tasting Notes: A lovely bronze color with streams of tiny bubbles. On the nose … one can                        imagine strolling through an apple orchard with the fragrance of fully ripe red apples permeating the air. The palate is a palette (get it?) of ripe strawberries, apples and raspberries. The blackcurrant is finally revealed in the finish. Delicious … one could sip this as an aperitif, a thirst quencher, or as a nice companion to the complex flavors in the salad. Bravo, Luckett … we’re headed down your way to get more!

Other Wines That Pair Well with This Type of Salad:  Ruilly (Burgundy), Champagne or Crémant (France), Chardonnay (Oregon), Rosé (Bordeaux), Soave (Italy).

Other Foods That Pair Well with Sparkling Fruit Wine:  Goat Cheese, Brie, Camembert (as well as other soft cheeses), Indian dishes, Asian cuisine.

Read About:  https://winesofnovascotia.ca

A Source:  www.luckettvineyards.com