CHATEAU DES CHARMES – ALIGOTE – 2014 ($14.95)

I live near a number of Asian supermarkets, and love having the weird and wonderful fruit right at my fingertips- bright pink flamboyant dragon fruit, alien-like rambutan, delicate star fruit, and perfectly round cream-colored pears. This wine took me to the produce aisle. On the nose, the first thing I noticed was the Asian Ya pears that I have come to enjoy so very much, with fresh green apple and hints of ginger. Similarly, the taste delivers the crisp and refreshing tropical flavor of those Asian Pears, with the richer sweeter flavor of apple. This wine is also a great value buy (I’ve found it on sale a number of times at the LCBO).

As this is a lighter, fruitier wine, pairing it with foods equally as ‘delicate’ will be a great match. Head to the grocery aisles with dim sum, fresh rolls and spring rolls and make a platter with a variety of spicy and sweet dipping sauces. However if you’re more ambitious, try the seared Asian marinated tuna recipe that follows. You can add it as a topping on a salad, use it in tacos, or have it as an appetizer, drizzled with wasabi aioli.

If you want to know more about Aligote and the other wines Chateau des Charmes offers, please check out their website: http://www.fromtheboscfamily.com/chateau-des-charmes/wines

Seared Asian Tuna:

½ C olive oil

½ C soy sauce

2 tsp worchestershire sauce

1 tbsp fresh ground ginger

1 tbsp minced garlic

Mix all of these ingredients together in a deep bowl, and place a fresh tuna steak in to marinate for about an hour. You can add more or less ginger to taste.

Heat a frying pan with 2 teaspoons of oil. When the pan is hot, place the tuna in and sear for 2 minutes (and no more than that) on each side. Remove tuna and let cool. When the tuna is cool enough to handle, take a sharp knife and cut in thin slices. The tuna should be rare in the center.

Drizzle with a wasabi aioli or add to an Asian-inspired salad.