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Mussels with Pesto and White Wine

 

Mussels with 2014 Cultivar Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc

I went to the 2014 Cultivar Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc  immediately because I will admit up front, I’m not a huge sauvignon blanc fan so I was curious about what this wine was going to be like.  Sauv Blancs that I’ve had in the past have been really tart with some strong grapefruit flavors, which are off-putting flavors for me.

The 2014 Rutherford is not even close to tasting that way. In fact, this wine blew me away and has made me rethink Sauv Blancs, willing to give them more of a chance.  This wine has some deep and complex characteristics to it.  The oak shines through but doesn’t over power.  There is some light citrus notes but they are mellow and smooth. This is a great wine for sipping and savoring.

To balance out the oak I thought this wine would be great paired with some steamed mussels. I added some pesto and sun dried tomatoes for some added depth.  The slight salty nuttiness of the pesto enhanced the richness of the wine.

This meal looks fancy but comes together in about 15 minutes.  Quick and delicious!

Andrea’s Mussels with Pesto and White Wine

  • I used this recipe for pesto. You can sub in spinach for kale if you like.
  • 2lbs of Fresh PEI Mussels, cleaned
  • 1/4C Chicken Stock
  • 1/4C White Wine
  • 1/4C Pesto
  • 1/2C Chopped Sun Dried Tomatoes
  • 2TBSP Olive Oil for cooking

In a large high sided sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add in the pesto, stock, wine, and tomatoes. Gently stir then add in the mussels.  Cover and allow the mussels to steam until they open and are cooked.  About 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and serve with crusty bread.  Garnish with parsley and additional parmesan if desired.

I also sliced up a baguette and spread some of the pesto on the slices.  Baked at 400 for about 10 minutes until the slices of bread were crispy and the pesto had become bubbly.

The wine worked beautifully with this dish!  The slight sweet brininess of the mussels combined with the rich and oaky wine made for a fantastic date night dinner.

If you’re interested in trying out Cultivar Wine, as a reader of Food Embrace, you will be given 10% off your order.  Use the code, FoodEmbrace at checkout.

I am part of the Cultivar Wine Bloggers Club and receive some bottles of wine quarterly to sample and pair with recipes and foods.  This time I decided to pair the 2014 Cultivar Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc with fresh PEI mussels.

 

Disclaimer: I’m required to disclose a sponsored partnership between our site, Food Embrace, and Cultivar Wine. I have been compensated in exchange for this post in the form of product or experience. All opinions and recipes presented are my own.

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