Thank you to Chateau Gaby for sponsoring this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

We're serving up Sausage and Tomatoes with homemade flatbreads for a hearty yet casual meal that is perfect for the warmer weather. Serve alongside a fresh gremolata and garden salad and a glass of wine.

My recent wine reviews here have been a vinicultural tour of California and New York, Chile and Argentina, and then back to the Old World to sample offerings from Greece and Galilee.

Truth be told, it’s been a shockingly long time since I visited either of the ‘wine epicenters’ of Italy and France – and I suppose that was in part by design. I wanted to diversify what I had been sampling here, but today I think it’s time I revisit more familiar vines with a quick tour of Bordeaux, courtesy of Chateaux Moya and Chateau Gaby.

First up we have the Chateau Moya 2015 Vin de Bordeaux, via the Cotes de Bordeaux Castillon AOC (appellation d'origine controlee). For the uninitiated, Cotes de Bordeaux Castillon is a sub-region of the Cotes de Bordeaux AOC, and is itself a relatively new addition to the virtually changeless Bordeaux classification system, being the result of a 2009 restructuring of several AOCs on the far east border of the Bordeaux region, which combined the Cotes of Castillon, Blaye, and Francs, as well as the district of Cadillac. While the AOC produces small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and a handful of white varietals, Merlot is the star of the show in Cotes de Bordeaux Castillon, and it is Merlot-based ‘Bordeaux blends’ that comprise the large majority of what this AOC produces.

With that said, how does today’s wine hold up? To start, the wine introduces itself with spice and herb aromatics, perforated by hints of toasted oak. Towards the middle of the glass, there is a faint dusting of cocoa, and the toasted oak matures into what I’ll describe as antique wood, with thin traces of vanilla or ‘spiced sweetness’ towards the bottom. On sampling, characteristic dark fruit essences predominate, think sliced black cherry and currants. The wine is carried on a smooth mouthfeel, and features a lasting finish that ends on the toasted oak and spice essences from the aromatics.

For pairing, red meat entrees would serve excellently alongside things like grilled vegetables and herbed potatoes. Game meats such as pheasant, venison, and duck would also serve excellently. Charcuterie arranged with goat and sheep cheeses would also meld very nicely with this wine.

Up next we have Chateau Gaby 2010 Canon-Fronsac. The Canon-Fronsac is an AOC just east of Bordeaux, and just North-West of Libourne, and is devoted primarily to Merlot-led ‘Bordeaux Blends,’ which are generally considered to be the premier offerings of the wider Fronsac region. Today’s wine introduces itself with spiced dark fruit aromatics, which carry through to the bottom of the glass. Hints of licorice or perhaps muted cherry essences perforate through the bouquet. On the palate, the wine is moderately tannic, and the aromatics largely carry over, but with the addition of cassis notes, with faint shades of something earthy in the background, perhaps cinnamon or leather. It’s a pleasantly complex profile that I quite enjoyed.

For pairing, I’m going to say that this an entrée wine through and through. I’ll side with the winemakers themselves who suggest fatty fish such as salmon. Personally, I would suggest an oil and herbs preparation for the salmon if you want to go that route. Beyond that, think braised meats, garlic and spice red sauces, and ‘posh’ burgers, such as the lamb burger recipe I have here on Living the Gourmet.

Today’s recipe, Sausage with Tomatoes and Homemade Flatbreads, paired with a fresh gremolata, would be, in my opinion, an ideal pairing for either wine, see below for the recipe.

Sausage & Tomatoes with Homemade Flatbreads and Fresh Gremolata

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Author: Living the Gourmet
Total Time: 42 minutes

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Ingredients

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For Sausage and Tomatoes:

2 1/2 lbs. sausage
2 pints cherry tomatoes
2 large sweet onions - sliced
1 tbs. capers
5 sun dried tomatoes - chopped
1 head of garlic - chopped fine
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
Romano cheese for grating
Olive oil for drizzling
For the Gremolata:
1 cup of fresh Italian parsley or cilantro
4 cloves of garlic - grated
4 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. capers- chopped
3 - 4 sun dried tomatoes - chopped fine
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

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Instructions

For Sausage and Tomatoes:

Heat a large cast iron frying pan and place rosemary in the pan and the sausage links on top of the rosemary to cook.
When the sausage is slightly charred and almost cooked remove from the pan and set aside. Discard the rosemary.
Place the sliced onions in the same pan with half of the garlic and cook.
Sprinkle the onions with salt, fresh ground black pepper, dried oregano. Let the onions cook and get a slight char. Drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil over the onions and toss. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside.
Place the tomatoes in the pan and sprinkle with salt. Let the tomatoes get a nice char and the gently smash with a spatula.
Add the onions back in the pan, along with the capers and toss. Add the sausage back in the pan and the rest of the garlic, place the heat to a gentle heat. Taste for seasoning. Cover the pan loosely.
Let this simmer at a gentle heat for about 25 – 30 minutes.
Serve with fresh grated Romano or Parmesan cheese, flatbread and the gremolata.

For the Gremolata:

Chop the parsley very fine and place in a small bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss.
Taste for seasoning and serve the with fresh flatbreads.

Prep Time: 12 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Nutrition

Serving Size: 4

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With that said, I was very pleased with both of the wines I received, and I can wholeheartedly recommend them to any of my readers looking for quality red wines that are affordably priced.

Cheers!

This message is intended for persons 21+, please drink responsibly.

Sausage & Tomatoes with Homemade Flatbreads and Fresh Gremolata