Outside the box

Last week we discovered the link between the English and their love of Bordeaux wines. The wine imported by the English wine merchants was known as Claret. This name was derived from the French word clairet, which was a pale or rosé wine. Claret was made in a similar manner as a rosé wine is made today, a method the French referred to as “Vin d’une Nuit”; a wine that spends a single night in the vat before being drawn off the lees, into barrels to ferment as clear juice. It would be somewhat akin to a Beaujolais Nouveau; however, the flavors of the Gamay grape in Beaujolais are completely different to the Claret, which was produced from the ancestors of Cabernet and Merlot.

Claret wine was transported from Bordeaux to the English ports by ships called “cogs.” The number of “tuns” they could carry measured the capacity of a cog. The French word “tonneau” has the same meaning as the English “ton,” or in old English “tun,” having a liquid capacity of 954 liters. For the purpose of transport, the tun would be divided into four “hogsheads,” now referred to as barriques (225 litres). Interestingly, we still use this system today to determine the capacity of our merchant fleets.

From the 13th century onwards, Claret wine was in high demand in England. Wine was purchased and shipped in great convoys to the English markets; however, the wine did not age well and once the new vintage arrived the old wine would be sold at a discounted price or discarded. In the Middle Ages Claret wine was flavored with herbs.

Nowadays, we know Claret as a deep red “meritage” (blend), usually from one of the great houses of Bordeaux. The French only use the name “Claret” when referring to Bordeaux wine for export, most likely for the U.K. market.

For this week’s recipe let’s go “outside the box.” A good chili recipe, especially this award-winning one, requires a beverage that will stand up and complement the layered flavours and heat.

Last week, quite by happenstance, I tasted a wonderful stout created by Alex Nichols, brewmaster of Barley Days Brewery. This stout has a wonderful silkiness to it, slightly bitter with a hint of dark molasses. What a great combination with Lili’s Chili. It reminded me of a Murphy’s stout from Cork, Ireland—a little bias? Perhaps. I suggest you purchase some soon, as Alex only made a small batch of this stout and St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner.

Barley Days Brewery is located at 13730 Loyalist Highway just west of Picton.

Considering a wine compliment, this Chili screams Baco Noir! Waupoos Estate Winery has a sturdy 2009 Baco Noir ($17.95), produce by winemaker Amy Mumby. Enjoy the welcoming nose of ripe red berries and Mexican chocolate with a palate that draws you into layers of red fruits and prune. It is smooth to the finish and sufficiently full bodied enough to reckon with the complexity of this champion chili.

Waupoos Estate Winery is located at 3016 County Rd. 8. Call ahead to be sure they are open.