Wine Pairing Suggestions for Chicken, Potato and Carrot Empanadas

Pairing wines with Jill's ground chicken, potato and carrot empanadas leaves lots of open territory for wine pairing options. One thing to note is that though chicken (or turkey) plays by certain pairing principles, there is a spicy component to these empanadas (cumin and cilantro) that will play a central role for honing on the right types of wines.  The options are vast and the following suggestions are highly "Cliff-noted"; mainly a good starting point for you.

White wines to pair with this empanada recipe need to have certain characteristics to avoid being overtaken by some of the evident spice. One clear choice is a Pinot Gris, a wine that is at its best from the Alsace region of France, but also excels in Oregon's wine country. Here are a few suggestions.

·         Marc Kreydenweiss "Clos Rebberg" Pinot Gris (Alsace, France - may be difficult to find and costs a little more, but worthwhile)

·         Adelsheim  Pinot Gris (Oregon)

Dry Rose wines are a good bet .Their mouth filling pink fruit, typically somewhat sweet to the nose, but dry on the tongue, make them versatile pairing wines. Here are a few suggestions.

·         Chateau du Rouet Cotes du Rhone (France)

·         Hoya de Cardenas Rose (Spain)

·         Francis Ford Coppola Winery Sofia Rose (California)

Many red varietals and blends can pair well with this recipe, though two strong choices are Rioja Region wines from Spain, made with the Tempranillo varietal, and Malbec varietal wines from Argentina . Rioja wines for pairing need not be the longer aged reserva and gran reserva selection, though the extra aging of the higher tier Riojas will be more complex. The younger and affordable Rioja Crianza wines will be fine for pairing. Malbec hails from the Cahors and Bordeaux area of France, best known in the Bordeaux area as a lesser significant varietal component. Cuttings sent to Argentina really took off, and Argentine Malbec wines can be spectacular easy drinking reds, priced much lower than Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot offerings from France's Bordeaux region or California's Napa Valley.

Rioja 

·         Bodegas Muriel Crianza (Spain)

·         Capay Valley Tempranillo (California)

Malbec

·         Ben Marco Malbec (Argentina)

·         Finca Lalande Malbec (Argentina)