Saint-Aubin Premier Cru Paired with Corn and Lobster Chowder

This month  join the French #winophiles, a group of French wine loving friends,  as we tour Burgundy featuring Chablis and the Côte d’Or. Join the conversation every third Saturday on Twitter at 11:00 a.m. EDT using hashtag #winophiles.

Last fall I visited Burgundy for the first time.  Already a fan of Pinot Noir, I had no idea just how hard I would fall for the wines of Burgundy.  My tour started in Beaune, the village known as the wine epicenter of Burgundy. I immediately felt at home in Beaune.  It was easy to wander the walled village and not get lost.  Beaune had a real agrarian atmosphere surrounded by vineyards with the focus on food and wine.  I visited Domaine Chanson, Prosper Maufoux, Domaine Famille Picard and Joseph Drouhin, learning about and tasting the celebrated terroirs, known as climats that are unique to Burgundy.  Climat being the precise plot of a vineyard that creates a wine with a distinct personality. [“Discovering the Vineyard climates of Burgundy”, Youri Lebault Bourgogne Gold Tour]  The wines of Burgundy were not heavy but delicate, refined, complex, emerging slowly with layers of flavors and lingering on my palate and in my head.  The Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays of California and Oregon were different and the concept of climat or terroir became crystal clear.

And then there was the food.  Dinner was an all night affair with courses prepared with fresh local ingredients carefully paired to the wines of Burgundy.  Often the courses were not elaborate, but fresh and simple,  presented in an artistically French way.  While I was there I took a cooking class at The Cook’s Atelier  see the details in an earlier post here.

The Premier Cru Saint-Aubin was a wine I tasted and purchase while in Burgundy.
Map of Saint-Aubin,  Saint-Aubin is an appellation of the Côte de Beaune region (Côte d’Or).  Pitangeret is one of 30 climats classed as Premier Cru in Saint-Aubin.  I thought it fitting to pair the wine with a simple but elegant Corn and Lobster Chowder.

2012 Premier Cru Saint-Aubin, Pitangeret Au Pied du Mont Chauve

Tasting Notes A bright pale straw color with an enticing honeysuckle nose. Light to medium on the palate, nicely balanced with citrus, apricot and mineral notes. A beautiful lingering finish of toasted nuts and honey.

Pairing Notes The Corn and Lobster Chowder is a light version made with cashew milk and vegetable broth.  The lightness of the soup compliments the weight of the Saint-Aubin.  The lobster is a classic pairing with Chardonnay and fits the distinctiveness of the wine.  The cashew milk is echoed in the nutty flavors of the wine. The rustic basil oil with its herbal/earthy notes highlight the acidity in the wine.  The fresh corn is an endorsement to the Burgundian culture of appreciating seasonal fresh produce.

Corn and Lobster Soup

Print Recipe

A light version of a summer classic. Pair with a lightly oaked Chardonnay. Makes an elegant first course.

Course Soup

Servings 6

Author adapted from "Fast Food, Good Food" Andrew Weil, MD

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons + 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium white onion sliced
• 4 fresh medium sweet corn cobs shucked
• 3 cups of vegetables broth
• 1 cup unsweetened cashew milk
• 1 bunch of basil destemmed
• 1 medium Maine lobster tail
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

• In a large soup pot, heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and sauté, stirring until translucent and slightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add the corn, stir to mix. Add the vegetable broth and increase heat to high and bring to a boil.
• Cover the pot and lower heat, simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cashew milk and salt and pepper. Stir and simmer for another minute. Turn off heat.
• If the lobster tail is frozen, steam the lobster tail until the shell just turns red about 8 minutes.
• Pre heat broiler. Place lobster tail on a baking sheet. With a kitchen shears, cut the top side of the lobster shell lengthwise. Pull apart shells slightly, season with salt and pepper. Broil for about 8 minutes or until lobster meat is opaque. Cool and remove tail from shell. Cut into bite size pieces.
• In a mini food processor, process the basil leaves until finely chopped. Add 1/4 cup olive oil and process again to combine.
• In a Vitamix or other powerful blender, puree the soup in batches. Return the mixture to the soup pot. Stirring and warm up over low heat.
• Serve soup in bowls garnished with lobster meat and a drizzle of basil oil.

Check out my fellow French #winophiles and their adventures in Burgundy.
Jeff Burrows of foodwineclick lures us to “Northern Burgundy Served Up With Rabbit.”

Jill Barth of L’Occasion schools us on “Thomas Jefferson in Burgundy.”

Michelle Williams of Rockin Red Blog tipples towards “A Journey Through Burgundy, Part 1 Chablis and Côte d’Or.”

Lynn Gowdy of Savor the Harvest hosts “Saint-Aubin in Burgundy Invites You To Dine.”

Martin Redmond of Enofylz Wine Blog throws down “Back To Back White Burgundy; Chablis vs Côte de Beaune”

Gwendolyn Lawrence Alley of Wine Predator serves up “Chablis and the Sea.”

L.M. Archer of binnotes mulls over “Burgundy: Wines of Intention.”