An anytime favorite in my house is a savory baked mushroom galette accompanied by a spinach salad for lunch and/or roasted herb chicken for dinner. Of course, a glass of Bell’Aja 2021 Bolgheri Superiore from Tuscany is poured no matter which meal! French cuisine and Italian winemaking style is always a flavorful taste sensation.
My latest recipe of Mushroom Galette recipe was discovered just a few weeks ago. A snap to prep, this promises to be on my playlist for a very long time. Fresh mushrooms with a generous amount of herbes de Provence and garlic are nestled in puff pastry brushed with olive oil then baked to perfection. Whether you consider this French-style comfort food or a mouthwatering regional style dish or both, a lovely mushroom galette is the perfect main or side dish. You can find the recipe HERE.
Now the wine! There are so many options that will complement warm, sautéed mushrooms in all its glory. However, my favorite wine for pairing is a Merlot and a glass (or two) of Bell’Aja from Bolgheri in Tuscany ticked the box. Bright and balanced, this wine was produced almost entirely with Merlot from the oldest plot of the Bell’Aja vineyard located in the Le Sondraie area of Bolgheri. With a small addition of Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine refects its unique terroir of silt and deep sandy soil typical of the area. After fermentation and maceration for 25 days, the wine was aged for 18 months in French oak barrels. 16,000 bottles were produced from this vintage so find these now!
Replete with character and sense of place, I found aromas of bright cherries, pomegranate, earth, forest floor, and intense black fruit. Spice on the palate was pervasive and flavors of cocoa, anise, and ripe fruit were balanced as they were framed with soft tannins and food friendly acidity. Complex and concentrated with a full body, I gave the Bell A’Ja a slight chill before serving. Sipped with the Mushroom Galette, the soul of Provence met the spirit of Tuscany for a brilliant taste sensation.
San Felice’s Bolgheri estate covers six hectares. Bolgheri has long been famed for the breathtaking five kilometre Cypress avenue lined with 2,540 trees. It was immortalised by the Italian Nobel Prize winner Giosuè Carducci in his poem “Davanti San Guido”, which personifies the Cypress trees as giant youths, running and leaping. Today the San Felice estate is renowned for three highly prestigious wines, Bolgheri and Bolgheri Superiore. The Bell’Aja vines, averaging five years old, are planted in the silt-sand soils typical to the area. Two hectares are dedicated to Cabernet Sauvignon and four hectares to Merlot. The location captures a delicious sea breeze which blows over the vineyards, and the forests behind them cool the terroir at night. This creates ideal conditions for an elegant fruit ripening. Bell’Aja Wine Estate
Photo Credit: Bell’Aja Wine Estate
Thinking about your next autumn lunch or dinner? Find a bottle of Bell’Aja 2021 Bolgheri Superiore and create a beautiful Mushroom Galette.
Cheers! ~ Cindy
