Hot Summer Days: Quinoa Salad Paired with a Vinho Verde
A Summer Wine not to be Missed: Vinho Verde (pronounced veeng-yo- vaird) is a super refreshing Portuguese wine that has been around for over 2000 years. The name suggests that the wine is green wine but, the correct meaning is young wine. A pleasing signature of a Vinho Verde is its light effervesces that tickles the pallet with each sip. This is must try for every wine drinker.
The WIne
Maria Papoila, Vinho Verde, 2014
Made from,70% Loureiro, 30% Alvarinho, that have been grown using and Organic farming practices and handpicking grapes that are treated very gently throughout the wine making preserving the freshness desired in a Vinho Verde. Stainless steel fermentation and natural yeast allow the purity of fruit and soil characteristics to shine in this wine. Butter cup pale yellow in color with bright aromas of lime zest nectarine, and subtle kumquat backed by clean minerality; This wine is bolder than most Vinho Verde yet light and refreshing with flavors of ruby red grapefruit, quince custard and kefir lime with well integrated, minerals and balanced bright acidity with very very light effervesces that caries to a lingering finish. This wine is ideal for an aperitif and pairs particularly well with Mediterranean cuisine, fish and seafood. A summer steal at $10.99 and a scorching steal $8.79 by the case (one of the best values we ever offered)
The Wine Enthusiast gave this wine 90 points and Robert Parker gave it 89
The Pairing
Tuna & Quinoa Salad
Gluten and Mayo free and almost no cooking and perfect for dinner or lunch in this heat: Here’s what you will need:
For the salad:
This recipe is for a single serving, double, triple accordingly
1 Can of the very best quality tuna you like
1 Cup Cooked Quinoa
1/2 Celery Stalk (thinly sliced or chopped)
6 Black Olives (cut in half)
1 Tb Finely Chopped Red Onion
1/2 Cup Clover or Alfalfa Sprouts
1/2 Avocado (sliced or chopped) I used 1whole medium Avocado per person
Salt/Pepper to taste.
Other Add Ins you may like; cherry tomatoes, sweet peppers, cucumbers, heart of palm, and mango
For the dressing:
1/4 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
1 Tb Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Tb Milk, 2 Tb Fresh Dill (chopped)
Pinch of Salt,
Pepper & Garlic Powder (I subtitled 1 small crushed fresh clove of garlic, and strained the dressing through a sieve to remove it after 20 minutes of sitting
How to prepare it:
Dressing: Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate at least 20 minutes before serving.
Salad: Cook quinoa ahead and refrigerate until cool. Follow quinoa package directions. Mix all tuna salad ingredients together. Add or omit ingredients according to your preferences, and, drizzle the Lemon Dill Dressing.
I served this with finely sliced toasted semolina bread covered with lavender goat cheese and the Maria Papoila, Vinho Verde
Recipe adapted from http://wonkywonderful.com/gluten-free-no-mayo-tuna-salad-quinoa-recipe/
Cheers,
The Wine Guys