Chateaumar “Cuvee Amandine” Blanc 2024

Andy Says: Pairing wine with traditional Indian Cuisine can be challenging, especially when a dish brings together several, intensely different flavors.
   One of the most difficult pairing assignments of my career came when John and I selected wines for "Brown in the South" dinner at the inaugural ChowChow Festival. Each course featured a dish created by 4 Indian Chefs from around the country with ingredients ranging from habanero relish to charred chicken. Finding one wine to accommodate all those flavors was quite a challenge.
   Meeting with Meherwan Irani to discuss the menu, we asked him what he usually pairs with traditional Indian food. "Bordeaux," he responded, explaining that India's history as a British colony had established a taste for the blend! But, we asked incredulously, "does Bordeaux really work with Indian flavors?" Meherwan paused for a moment, considered the question and finally said: "Well...No."
   For Modi's table, with its combination of paneer, morels, lentils, saffron and aromatic spices, I suggest a white with enough body to complement the richness, enough acidity to keep everything lively and some floral aromatics to play alongside the spices. One grape immediately comes to mind: VIOGNIER!
   Châteaumar's Cuvee Amandine is made primarily from Viognier with a small amount of Grenache Blanc offering the generous fruit and floral aromatics you would expect from Southern France while retaining enough freshness to work beautifully at the table.
   Expect flavors of peach, Meyer Lemon and a touch of chalky minerality. "Amandine" is a lovely match for these flavors but equally at home with richer seafood and other vegetarian dishes.