Chasing the winter blues away with a bowl of Turkey Sweet Potato Chili paired with Côte de Brouilly Beaujolais. It’s that time of year when I step outside and exclaim, “Baby, it’s so cold out here!” I just want to hibernate inside and cook up some comforting food. So how do you get the “comfort” without the heavy, weighty feeling of comfort food? Turkey Sweet Potato Chili is a lighter version of a traditional chili, substituting ground turkey for beef and adding good-for-you ingredients like sweet potatoes, quinoa, cilantro, and black beans. What better wine to pair this lightened-up chili than a low-tannin, fruity, and spicy Beaujolais Cru like Château Thivin Côte de Brouilly. As Karen MacNeil says, ” Beaujolais is fruit and joy.”
Côte de Brouilly Beaujolais
Côte de Brouilly is one of the ten distinctive Beaujolais Crus found in Northern Beaujolais. Côte de Brouilly earned its appellation status for its unique terroir and for producing quality wines. The vineyards are planted on the dormant Mont Brouilly volcano’s slopes and are surrounded by the vineyards of the larger Brouilly Cru.
Chateau Thivin
Château Thivin is the oldest estate on Mont Brouilly, dating back to the fifteenth century. The Geoffray family purchased the château in 1877 with two hectares of land. The estate has been passed down and is now in the 6th generation of the Geoffray family.
The certified organic vineyards for this wine are located on steep slopes with a 48% grade and have South, East, and Southeast exposures. The grapes are hand-harvested, traditional whole-cluster vinification, fermented for 6-12 days, and aged in oak foudres for 6 months before bottling.
Sources Used: Château Thivin and Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant
Wine Tasting Notes
2023 Château Thivin, Côte de Brouilly
13.5% abv | $37.00 Wholefoods | 100% Gamay
Fresh, fruity flavors of wild strawberries and cherries with hints of peony, herbs, minerals, and pepper. The wine is well balanced with medium body, tannins, and acidity.
Food Pairing Notes
I refrigerated the wine for about 30 minutes before serving it with the chili. The slight chill on the wine enhanced the fruity character and brightened the acidity. The juicy, fruity notes in the wine matched the sweet potatoes in the chili, while the turkey, beans, and spices brought out the earthy components in the wine. The acidity of the tomatoes complimented the wine’s acidity. The overall weight of the wine and chili were in perfect balance.
Turkey Sweet Potato Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (divided) extra virgin olive oil I use California Olive Ranch EVOO Global Blend - for everyday
- 1 lb. ground dark meat turkey
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
- 4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 3-4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1- 14.5 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1- 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, well rinsed
- 2 cups sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½- inch cubes
Toppings for Serving
- cilantro leaves, chopped
- scallions, white and light green part only, sliced
- shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a large heavy Dutch oven ( I used a 5½ qt Le Creuset enameled cast iron round Dutch oven), heat 1 tablespoon of the extra virgin olive oil over medium high heat. Add the ground turkey and brown the meat, breaking it up with a wooden spatula as it cooks. Season with salt and pepper. When the turkey is completely browned and cooked, transfer it to a bowl and set it aside.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to the Dutch oven. Add the red onions and sauté for about 5 minutes or until the onions are softened but not turning brown. (Adjusting the heat if needed.) Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and ½ teaspoon of salt, stir to combine. Add the chicken broth, tomatoes, black beans, and quinoa, stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then cover. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
- Add the cooked ground turkey and sweet potato, stir to combine. Return the chili to a simmer and cook for another 15 minutes covered (or until the sweet potatoes are softened.)
- To Serve: Ladle the chili into bowls and garnish with the toppings.
Shopping Links
Chili bowl from R. Woods Studio
Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Round Dutch Oven
Looks / sounds fantastic Jane! And super pairing. I’ve always been delighted by Thivan’s wines.