Tomato-Peach Salad and Sauvignon Blanc
On the wine: Matanzas Creek Sauvignon Blanc - Sonoma County, 2022
Paula and I first visited Matanzas Creek back in 2010 while in California finishing up a CWE exam in Napa. We had a spare day, so we decided to wander west toward the somewhat hidden Bennett Valley, which felt far removed from the bustle of Healdsburg and Santa Rosa.
It’s a stunning estate, butted up to the back of the Mayacamas range, and surrounded by lavender. I mean, engulfed with lavender. So much so, that when tasting through the wines in the tasting room, most everything smelled and tasted alike. I’ve always loved this style of Sauvignon Blanc because of it’s restraint, perfectly tropical tones, and elevated acidity. It’s the perfect daily drinker and readily available.
Why does this wine pair with peach tomato salad with herb whipped ricotta:
For me, the first rule of thumb when pairing food and wine is to consider the weight of the dish together with the weight of the wine; both should be similar weight. Both of these are fairly light.
Sour, tangy, or acidic foods should be paired with equally acidic wines. Thinking about the tomatoes and peaches, both high in acidity, worked really well with the bright and fresh style of Sauvignon Blanc (this is also why goat cheese and Sancerre is one of the classic pairings of the world). If the foods are more acidic than the wines, the wine will feel suppressed and thin.
And lastly, Sauvignon Blanc is inherently herbaceous. This Matanzas Creek is showing a real Bordeaux-like quality, meaning it’s lean with notes of basil, thyme and a whiff of green bell pepper. These flavors matched up perfectly with the herbs of the ricotta creating a complementary pairing.
On the food: Peaches, tomatoes, herbs, ricotta cheese
This tomato-peach salad is one of the great representations of summer here in Colorado. Peaches from the western slopes envelop the flavors and brightnest of the hot days of summer. We wait (impatiently) for the first peaches to arrive at the farmers market and find many ways to use them.
Scott and I visited Ela Family Farms, from where the peaches and tomatoes come, in 2009 as part of their annual farm tour. It was the first year we purchased a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture share) and the farm tour was a great opportunity to meet the farmers growing certified organic fruit. The CSA bounty was the reason I got into preserving, first making jams and later expanding into other products.
As for the ricotta cheese. We get whole milk ricotta from Kevin at Five Freedoms Dairy, and although it is different from the traditional whey ricotta, it is one of the best we had tasted - even after living in Italy for two years.
For the salad:
- Cut peaches and tomatoes in wedges
- Drizzle olive oil, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper
- Add chopped basil
For the ricotta:
- Whip the ricotta and add parsley, chives, basil, salt and pepper
Let us know how you like it!
~ Paula & Scott