wine club food pairings – 2015 Figurine
Collectors Club April from Dr. Faith Frankel
Each month we will select a bottle or two from one of the clubs and provide some pairing notes and a recipe created by Faith, especially for your Sculpterra wine. Today we have the 2015 Figurine and yummy wine-braised greek lamb shanks with feta polenta that really shows Faith’s Greek roots.
Tasting Notes – 2015 Figurine
2015 Figurine is a complex blend taking you on a journey of wild taste and heavy textures. lLve that it’s unorthodox blending Cabernet and Primitivo together. This full-bodied wine bids a depth of brambly blackberry, smoky clove, and chocolate that make it persuasive and inviting. The palate is velvety-smooth and well integrated with oak and tannin. The finish is a touch spicy, carry out more of the herbs and a shake of black pepper. Rustic, it shares a juicy underbelly that provides a welcome deliciousness on the palate. Drink now and for best results hold until 2020.
Shelving – drink now best in 2020
Taste – blackberry, smoky clove, and chocolate
Pairing – see below
Wine-braised greek lamb shanks with feta polenta
Ingredients
serves 4
- 4 lamb shanks
- 1 cup red wine (Figurine)
- 2 cups Marinara sauce (I prefer Raos, yes it is pricey but worth it!)
- 1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olive
- 2 Tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
- 5-6 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock
- 1 3/4 cup polenta
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
Directions
- Spay a 4-6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Season lamb shanks generously with salt and pepper and add to the slow cooker.
- Mix wine and marinara sauce together and pour over shanks.
- Cook on low for 8 hours.
- During the last hour of cooking, bring 5 cups of the stock to a boil. Gradually add the polenta, whisking constantly.
- Return to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook, stirring frequently and adding more stock by 1/4 cupfuls if the polenta is too thick until the polenta is tender about 10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese, cream, and 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.
- When done serve lamb over polenta topped with olives and parsley.