Marshall Davis Chardonnay paired with Grilled Baby Corn with Shrimp
A summertime food & wine pairing

By Linda Kissam
Photos by Allan Kissam,, Marshall Davis Winery* and Melissa’s**

Recipe: Grilled Baby Corn with Shrimp by Chef Tom Faulkner

Seems like every pairing guide will tell you not to pair Chardonnay with spicy foods.  I am here to tell you, it’s really up to you. As a long-time member of the Wine Review Council, based out of Southern California, I’ve come to appreciate what I don’t know.  What I learned from this group of wine writers is that you can’t be sure a wine will or will not pair with a food item until you try it. Period. It’s kind of like the time I brought corn dogs to pair with Champagne. A few eye rolls later, the group loved it. Who knew?

 

So, today’s pairing of a somewhat spicy shrimp dish (courtesy of some red peppers) and a lovey, slightly oaky, Marshall Davis 2017 Estate Chardonnay, may be out of the box, but give it a try. You may find you can go beyond your normal pairing go-to’s for this one.

The Wine

I use to be an ABC (anything but Chardonnay) drinker – thinker. But…as my palate changes and more thoughtful Chardonnays hit the market, I am beginning to think that a really good, well-structured Chardonnay  has earned a place in my cellar – especially for summer sipping on my boat and pairing with curious partners.

As other boaters will attest to, choose wisely what you bring aboard and store on your boat.  There is so little room for anything, whatever finds a home aboard better be reallllly good. The Marshall Davis 2017 Estate Chardonnay earns its place in my 2019 summer boating sipping.  Just sayin’.

 

Think smart crafted barrel fermented, aged 16 months on French Oak, 150 small lot case production. You’re going to enjoy the nose and the long finish, so go slowly with this wine.  It showcases notes of Asian pear, green apple and tropical fruit with a lovely dash of butterscotch and vanilla thread nicely throughout the sip. It’s not too sweet and not too oaky. The group I served this to, loved the Marshall Davis 2017 Property Chardonnay. I served it simply with Havarti cheese, crackers and green apple slices on a short cruise around the San Juan Islands (Washington State). With more time available, a BBQ salmon or crab cakes topped with a corn relish would prove to be an ideal pairing.

The suggested retail price is $39. I realize this is somewhat above the “sweet spot” of wine pricing, but it’s worth it. This is a wine you serve or gift when you want to impress. Share it with your friends who appreciate wine. Pour it for yourself after a long-day’s run on the water.

Marshall Davis Wine is a small family owned and operated vineyard and winery located in the Yamhill/Carlton AVA in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. Founded in 2011 by brothers Sean Davis, Ryan Marshall and Matt Marshall, we have a winner.

 

Winemaker Sean Davis gets it right from the beginning, He crafts small batch vineyard designate wines. Davis believes in minimal manipulation letting the grapes and vineyards tell its own story leading to wines that are varietal focused, complex and easily aged in your cellar.  Most of the better wines share this characteristic in common.

You can find the Marshall Davis Winery located within the Yamhill-Carlton AVA of the Willamette Valley.  The winery consists of eight acres of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines” The winery website sits at an elevation of 450 ft with volcanic topsoil and exceptional drainage. The grapes for this wine were planted on 101-14 rootstock, with Dijon777, Pomard, Dijon 114 and Mariafeld clones in a vineyard that faces south-southwest. The gentle slopes, shallow volcanic topsoil, and basalt outcrops provide excellent drainage for excellent grapes.

The Dish

Seafood is a staple aboard most boats, especially if you have fisherman aboard. Rockfish, salmon, prawns, crabs, shrimp and lobster are just a few of the things Yachties live for each tour. Today’s recipe features shrimp, but prawns could easily be substituted. What’s the difference between a shrimp and a prawn? You’d probably be hard pressed to tell them apart by taste alone. The two are actually different species,  that look very similar. Probably the biggest difference is that shrimp have two sets of claws on their five sets of legs, while prawns have three. Normally, prawns are harvested from fresh water, while shrimp come from saltwater. And, prawns will typically be larger than shrimp. In many parts of the world it’s simply a matter of terminology.

Enjoy this wonderful shrimp recipe courtesy of Melissa’s.  It’s a bit spicy, but this Chardonnay can hold it’s own with it.

The Recipe

Today’s recipe is courtesy of Melissa’s/World Variety Produce “Delivering The Global Market.” Melissa’s is located in Los Angeles, California. I’ve been blessed to visit their facility many times to meet cookbook authors. Everything within their warehouse is either tasty, creamy, tangy, aromatic, tart, sweet, crunchy or delectable falling into  the category of , “quality products with exceptional value and first-class service.”  Melissa’s/World Variety Produce, Inc. is currently the largest distributor of specialty produce in the United States.

 

 

Melissa’s Corporate Chef Tom Fraker created this dish. “My earliest memories are of cooking with my mom when I was 5 or 6 years old. She taught me well throughout the years to come. I told her ‘When I grow up, I’m going to be a chef.’ So, naturally I went into construction. Go figure.”

Eventually Chef Tom resigned his position in construction and enrolled at The California School of Culinary Arts – Le Cordon Bleu, to follow his original dream of becoming a chef. Before finishing his studies at Le Cordon Bleu, Chef Tom joined Melissa’s as a Corporate Chef.

Since joining Melissa’s, Chef Tom has worked his way up to now manage the Melissa’s Corporate kitchen doing  research and development of new and existing products, designing and testing recipes, and writing website recipes.

Melissa’s/World Variety Produce, Inc.

 

Grilled Baby Corn with Shrimp
By Chef Chris Faulkner

 

Ingredients

12 Bamboo Skewers

12 ears Baby Corn

2 large Organic Bell Pepper, Red

1 pound Jumbo Shrimp (about 21-25)

4 Scallions

1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinaigrette

1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 pound Romaine Leaves or Mesclun (Mixed Baby Greens)

Directions

Prepare grill and soak skewers in water 30 minutes. Quarter one bell pepper lengthwise. Shell and devein shrimp. Holding 2 skewers parallel and slightly apart, thread 4 shrimp onto each pair of skewers (this will make shrimp easier to turn on grill).

Grill corn on a lightly oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals, turning occasionally, until browned and tender, 8 to 10 minutes, and transfer to a large bowl. Grill bell pepper and scallions, turning occasionally, until browned and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes, and transfer to bowl. Grill shrimp until just cooked through, about 1 1/2 minutes on each side, and transfer to bowl.

Cut kernels from cobs into another large bowl. Peel bell pepper and cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Thinly slice scallions. Add bell pepper, scallions, shrimp, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste to corn and toss to combine. In a small bowl whisk together vinegar, oil, and salt and pepper to taste.

Arrange greens on 4 plates and top with corn mixture. Drizzle salads with vinaigrette.

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Author’s Note: The decision to taste this wine and share this recipe is entirely my choice and any reviews given are obligation free.