<taps mic> This on?
Small Bird, Big Flavor
Since I started taking my barbecue seriously, smoked Cornish game hens have become one of my favorites, not only because it’s a tasty bird, but it’s not that long of a cook. A few hours and you have a whole little chicken for everyone in the house.
I’ve done game hens several times, so I pretty much know what to do now. This time, instead of following a particular recipe, I created my own rub, but didn’t pay attention to measurements. I’m trying to develop my season instincts, so for this cook, I winged it (no pun intended).
After brining for a few hours in water, Worcestershire, and soy sauce, I made the rub. I used kosher
salt, coarse ground pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, sage, and thyme – heavier on the salt and pepper, and lighter on the other elements, particularly on the chili powder. Before applying the rub, I injected each bird with chicken broth to ensure a little more moisture.
I used a combination of pecan and hickory wood in the smoker to build on the rustic flavors. On the smoker, and as usual, it only took about three hours before these juicy birds were ready.
As always, a gorgeous color. Juicy and tender, with all the flavors popping from the rub. I’ve never been let down when I set my mind to serving Cornish game hen, and this day, I continued my satisfaction streak.
One quick note: I would have bound the legs with butcher twine for the sake of a better visual presentation, but we’re doing some kitchen renovations in the house and it is a mess right now. And when I say, “a mess,” it’s probably worse than you think. Needless to say, we moved a bunch of stuff around and I couldn’t find the butcher twine. So, aesthetically not what I wanted the chicken to look like.
The Wine: 2018 Cave Spring Riesling
I confess that if I had been paying better attention, I probably would have passed on this wine. It was in the Riesling section of my favorite shop, Collier’s of Centreville, next to the Rieslings from Mosel, Germany. Mosel is known for dry (vs. sweet) Riesling and that’s what I wanted to pair with this rustic style chicken. So I grabbed this bottle without thinking much about it.
However, Cave Spring is NOT in Mosel; it is, in fact, in Canada. And this is probably why I was a little disappointed. Admittedly, I should have been paying more attention.
Cave Spring Vineyard is located along a sloping terrace of the Niagara Escarpment. If you’re familiar with the Finger Lakes, kind of the same region – off Lake Ontario. I’ve had Rieslings from the Finger Lakes, but there’s a reason I don’t really think of them as my go-to wines when there are so many available from Old-World and New-World regions that develop really enjoyable versions of this varietal.
Nothing wrong with a Finger Lake Riesling, and it’s wonderful that a region one wouldn’t think as a wine-producing area, like the one this winery is located, can pull off a perfectly good wine. But again, given the options available to me, I stick to what I know will please my palate.
However, I did visit the winery’s website, and here’s just a little bit about the region and the owners of Cave Spring:
First named by European settlers in the late 18th century for the limestone caves and mineral springs found on the site of our estate vineyard,
Within Niagara, the noble Riesling grape develops to its fullest potential only in specific areas. We have crafted this wine from selected vineyards throughout our region, where limestone-clay soils, elevation and moderating breezes from Lake Ontario have combined to produce an enticing dry Riesling defined by its crisp citrus character and steely acidity.
Cave Spring is nestled along a gently sloping terrace of the Niagara Escarpment. Overlooking Lake Ontario, this area known as the Beamsville Bench has proven ideal for cool-climate viticulture. As with any exceptional terroir, ours begins with the soil. Derived primarily from escarpment limestone, shale and sandstone, these stony clay tills are rich in minerals, yet limited in organic matter, creating the perfect balance of nutrients for growing grapes displaying character and sophistication.
…in 1973 the Pennachetti family acquired its first farmland at Cave Spring on Niagara’s Beamsville Bench. To realize the region’s full viticultural promise, they focused on planting time-honored European grape varietals, and cultivating these vines with a mixture of traditional and modern techniques. In 1978, the Pennachettis were among the first to plant Riesling and Chardonnay vines on the Niagara Peninsula, helping to pioneer this emerging North American wine region.
In 1981, recognizing his passion for Niagara’s promising wine industry, Len built a house on the vineyard. “I saw a chance for getting back to the land and creating a place where our family could do something special,” says Len. “Vineyards exist from generation to generation. The way they grow and evolve reflects all the energy and commitment you put into them. What better family business could there be?”
Five years later, Len and the Pennachetti family took the next step, partnering with winemaker Angelo Pavan to found Cave Spring Vineyard in the picturesque village of Jordan. A true family business, Len is joined by his wife Helen, as well as his brothers John Jr. and Tom. John is active in the business planning side of the winery, while Tom, and along with his wife Anne (of the Weis family, owners of the famed St. Urbans-Hof winery in Germany’s Mosel Valley) directs the winery’s sales and marketing activities.
Certainly, a great family to own and run a winery in a region that is just getting started in making its mark in the wine world. And while Anne’s family owns a winery in the Mosel Valley, the wine doesn’t quite match the characteristics I come to expect from a dry Riesling from that region.
There were definitely aromas associated with the region’s terroir – deep melon fruits, stone, and slight hints of grass. On the palate, while it wasn’t sweet, there wasn’t a dryness that I really wanted to enjoy with a rustic-style chicken. The fruit flavors were pleasant and reminded me of pear, grapefruit, and melon. With a regular roasted chicken, this might have been just the ticket.
Not this time, I’m afraid. Not the perfect pairing. Again, fine wine. No complaints in and of itself. And I see that the wines from this vineyard receive high ratings. Just not a good partner with this day’s dish.
But this is the reason for trying more varietals from different parts of the world – we get to expand our horizons and find more pairing options when we fire up that smoker and enjoy something delicious.
Cheers!