​Event #1  -- Unoaked Chardonnay
 
WINNER: LaPlaya Unoaked Chardonnay
COUNTRY: Chile
 
A favorite coming into the Wine Olympics is the Chilean wine, LaPlaya Unoaked Chardonnay.  We have introduced it before in a previous Buzz post and will continue to be huge fans of LaPlaya!
 
Back Story: For those who aren’t familiar with the difference between unoaked and oaked, unoaked wine isn’t aged in barrels, it’s aged in steel.  Oaked wine has a little more of a fuller, warmer flavor to it while unoaked is more crisp with more dominant hints of fruit.  Oaked Chardonnay will also be a little more yellow in color, taking away more than just flavor from the oak barrels.  If you tend to not like wines with a lot of oak, look into other parts of the world than say, California whites, which are known for being more “oaky” than other regions.
 
ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT
Chile isn’t known for sending big teams to the Olympics every four years, but there is a Marathon runner named Erika Olivera who deserves a mention for being forty years old and participating in her fourth consecutive trip to the Olympics.  While a fourth showing at the games is impressive enough, Erika has five kids and plans on running for office to become a member of the Chilean Congress when she retires from running.  WOW! Although Erika isn’t expected to medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, she is a winner in our book.  That’s one ambitious woman!
 
Erika will be running her event, the Olympic Marathon on Sunday August 14th. 
 
 
PAIRING UNOAKED CHARDONNAY
CHILEAN SEA BASS WITH GARLIC & HERBS

1. 2 six-ounce portions Chilean Sea Bass
2. kosher salt and pepper
3. 3 cloves garlic, minced
4. 1 Tbl chopped fresh rosemary
5. 1 Tbl chopped fresh thyme
6. 2 Tbl butter
7. Juice from half of a lemon
8. 2 Tbl Extra Virgin Olive Oil or 2 Tbl Coconut Olive

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat cast iron skillet
2. Add coconut olive
3. Heat until medium heat
4. Season Chilean Sea Bass with a pinch of kosher salt and pepper
5. Once skillet is hot, place chilean sea bass skin side up on cast iron skillet
6. Let sear for 1 minute until seared edge is nice and crisp
7. Flip over and sear skin
8. Turn heat down to medium temperature, ten fish with tin foil and continue to cook until cooked thru
9. Meanwhile, melt butter in small sauce pan. Add minced garlic and saute until starting to brown. Add minced rosemary and thyme. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Continue to saute until fish is fully cooked. Remove sauce from heat and stir in lemon juice.
10. Plate Chilean Sea bass
11. With a shallow, slotted spoon, gently garnish Chilean Sea Bass with rosemary, thyme, garlic sauce

We recently served this new version of the classic BLT with some guests... It was a BIG HIT !

1/2 lb Hickory smoked bacon
3 green onions
16oz ricotta cheese
White truffle oil
2 head belgium endive

1. Cook 1/2 pound of hickory smoked bacon until very crisp pat with paper towel to remove excess fat
2. Cool to room temperature and corsely chop
3. Chop 3 scallions
4. Incorporate bacon, scallions and 2 tablespoons of white truffle oil (spring of this ingredient its worth it ). 
5. With 16 oz of ricotta cheese - chill for at least 1 hour
6. Separate the leaves from the head of endive
7. Fill each endive with a tablespoon of the cheese mixture
8. Garnish with sliced red cherry tomatoes
9. Drizzle with a little truffle oil 

Serve with a lightly oaked Chardonnay.