Help Me Select A Wine, Please??

Jumping in first always has risk, particularly in a group that is as diverse as this one. Yet, folks of my persuasion boldly go where....etc. into cliche.

You not quite obviously the monochromatic nature of the meal. I'd recommend strongly against carrying the them to the Vichysoissea and Floating Island finish unless you require all quests to come attired in white and can depend upon the weather for a total whiteout. It's too much of a good thing.

Yet, if you are committed, then you might be right about keeping the wine colorless as well. For white to go with the cream sauced chicken, I'd suggest a Sauvignon Blanc--it adds crispness and a bit of acidic bite to an otherwise somewhat blandly cloying meal.

Chardonnay is way too butter/vanilla to clear the taste buds from the onslaught of white flour, cream, butter, that you propose.

You might consider Alsace reisling (much drier than German) or the recommended Gewurz for its spiciness. There's also Pinot Gris and Grigio for a crisp note as well.

If red is acceptable, I would lean toward maybe something full-bodied (although here is where the resident savants will challenge me surely), such as a Burgundy, Oregon Pinot Noir or really big Zinfandel--the idea being contrast with blandness.

Nothing is going to fit as a one-wine/full meal match, but there definitely needs to be some spark--in taste if not in color.

Ed Rasimus Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret) "When Thunder Rolled"

Assuming the wine recommendations are good, that's kind-of refreshing. I love the idea of tasty wines that can be enjoyed often and that's exactly what I like to have suggested to me. While the wine industry has actively been shooting itself in the foot for the last 10 or 15 years by creating the impression that you have to pay a lot of money to get good wine, the truth is there's plenty of good or even great wine that doesn't cost a great deal. Sometimes it takes help to find that wine.

The general nature of the suggestions (a couple of reds and a Gewurztraminer) makes me think you're might be getting some good advice. Now, it's possible that the salesperson is pushing some bargain brands, but the LCBO is government-operated (isn't it?) so you probably are getting some good advice. If you don't like what the person suggested, go back and talk to her, odds are she'll have a better idea then of what you'd like next time - and, at lower prices - you can afford to experiment a little.

That's cool.

Dana

I would drink Chardonnay, or maybe Moulin a Vent if red.

Several things popped into my head:

1. Forget this dinner plan and try REAL food and a nice Brunello.

1. But I thought that you would protest.

2. Such a bland, colorless, inert meal invites doing something adventurous with the wine. Try a big Barbera for the meat (if you can call it that) and a nice Gavi di Gavi or Roero Arneis for the rest of the 'meal'. This 'meal' calls for Piedmontese wines, to be sure.

1. As for myself, I would prefer to see you cook lamb or venison in Barolo.

Actually I think you could easily find a good Ontario Chardonnay from a cooler summer (like the last few) that had plenty of crispness and acidity.

I tend to like my Chard big, fat, and oakey so I'm not a biggest fan of Ontario Chardonnays. But what I see as a fault may be an asset in this situation.

In message , Canucklehead writes

With chicken and cream dishes my reference book from Sainsbury's (UK supermarket chain) recommends unoaked southern French Chardonnay but also suggests light Italian whites such as Frascati, Soave, Vernaccia or Vermentino or Spanish whites Penedes or Conca de Barbera.

jumping in with my .02 For a little more than the ST Veran go with a Pouilly Fuisse or a Chablis theses would not be the butter creamy vanilla oaky wines but crisp and clean wines that compliment your menu well.

For red a nice burgundy or the aforementioned Moulin a Vent with the chicken (though the cream sauce really screams for the white reccommends)

That's what I would say in this situation, as well; except I find it really difficult to find a Chardonnay that matches what I'm thinking of. I also have the worst memory on record for names, but know I've tasted some that would fit the bill. Any names to go with this idea?

On a slight tangent, I was at a nice restaurant in Napa over the summer. For my friend's birthday. Started with a fantastic Zenato "Ripassa" Valpollicella, but then my friend's boyfriend wanted to order. It was all I could do to keep the White Zin off the table, but he went with a Godspeed Chardonnay from Mt. Veeder (the appellation, not the winery). Our waiter recommended against it, but the boyfriend was not to be denied. Although it wasn't a good followup to the Valppollicella, I really liked it. One might call it the anti-Napa Chardonnay and was more like a Meursault than the usual buttery & oak flavour.

Sorry about the tangent, K

For the chicken course, a Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire or a crisp Grand or Premier Cru Chablis. An Alsatian Riesling would also do well, perhaps one of the nice Trimbach Reserve Personnel wines.