In combining winemaking showmanship with culinary artistry, gorgeous
flavours with irresistible textures, Creation has gained an enviable
reputation for their Wine and Food Pairing. They work closely with top
chefs from around the world and in the run-up to the International Cool
Climate Chardonnay celebration, Creation cellarmaster Jean-Claude Martin
invited Canadian celebrity chef Justin Downes to select his favourite
Chardonnay and create a dish to match it.
Justin, who grew up in the small town of Vineland, was appointed
Executive Chef at Vineland Estates Winery in 2011. He had no hesitation
in selecting the Creation Art of Chardonnay 2014, and having sourced his
ingredients from local farmers and purveyors, created a true culinary
adventure: Fresh Linguine with Smoked Chicken Cream, Chantrelles, Oven
Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Monforte Toscano. Click here for the recipe.
The 2014 Art of Creation Chardonnay is described as ‘the ultimate
expression of place and provenance’. The grapes were whole bunch pressed
and only 3 120 individually numbered bottles were released. “The subtle
oak in the wine imparts a toasty character that gave me the inspiration
to create a smoked chicken dish,” said Justin. “The rich mouth feel and
amazing complexity of the wine stand up beautifully to the creamy
texture of the dish, the weight and intensity in both the wine and the
food match and the Chardonnay’s freshness delivers a cleansing quality
to the pairing,” he added.