One of the easiest and most crowd-pleasing dinners I whip up is cheesy chicken enchiladas. Easily adaptable to varying levels of spice, these luscious mouthfuls of texture and flavor suit everyone’s palate. You’re vegetarian? Nix the chicken and substitute an array of veges such as corn, black beans, lentils, eggplant, mushrooms… whatever you love!
What may not be as easy as making the enchiladas is choosing a wine that will complement each bite. Fortunately, I taste tested a few selections (hard job, but someone had to do it!) and found two terrific wines: 2023 Alma de Cattleya Sauvignon Blanc and 2022 Merry Edwards Warren Hill Pinot Noir (both sent as samples).
Photo Credit: Food52
If the photo above doesn’t make your mouth water, I don’t know what will! From Food52, I quickly put together the enchiladas that boasted, among the other expected ingredients, chopped onion, garlic, cumin and coriander amidst the sour cream sauce, jalapenos, Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses. After cooking, serve piping hot with your guest’s choice of cilantro, diced tomatoes, thinly sliced green onions, chopped green chiles, and dollops of sour cream as toppings. Consider sides of Spanish rice and black beans, too, for an extra boost of deliciousness.
You can find the Cheesy Chicken Enchilada recipe from the Food52 site HERE. Start cooking and enjoy what could be your new favorite chicken enchilada recipe!
How about the wines?
For starters, chill a bottle of beautiful 2023 Alma de Cattleya Sauvignon Blanc ($25) for a snappy counterpoint to the richness and spice notes of the enchilada. From Sauvignon Blanc cultivated in five vineyards in Sonoma County, the wine was aged in neutral French oak for a mere 5 months prior to bottling. I found glorious aromas of lemon, lime, jalapeno (yes!) wafting from the glass. Bright acidity and notes of grapefruit, juicy lemon, lime, and herbs on the palate were refreshing. The lingering finish was ahhh-inducing, having indulged in another bite of the cheesy enchiladas. Well done!
For red wine lovers, how about 2022 Merry Edwards Warren Hill Pinot Noir ($70) from the Russian River Valley in Sonoma County? Just stunning, especially after decanting for an hour or so, the Pinot Noir grapes are from 12 year old vines. Aged for nine months in new French oak, I discovered aromas of earth, moss, and rich ripe cherries. On the palate, moderate acidity and soft tannic structure framed notes of chocolate, ripe red cherries, hint of meat, lavender, and herbs. You’ll want to find more than one bottle of this beauty so that you can sip with your leftover enchiladas the next evening!
What’s for dinner? Just choose Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas with 2023 Alma de Cattleya Sauvignon Blanc and 2022 Merry Edwards Warren Hill Pinot Noir for the perfect night!
Cheers! ~ Cindy
