An Italian favorite: Chianti Classico with Baked Salmon and Stuffed Mushroom Caps #ItalianFWT

To start the 2021 #ItalianFWT (food, wine, travel) season, our host, Jennifer from Vino Travels Italy selected a winner category: Favorite Italian Reds and Whites.  I don't get many chances to revisit wines I love, and I am excited to share a favorite with you this month.  

In addition, we host a Twitter chat this Saturday and you can come and learn more about our favorites and tell us about yours as well!  Use hashtag #ItalianFWT to find us.

My husband and I love two Italian wines and it was difficult to decide which one we wanted to go with.  Our first love is Santa Margharita Pinot Grigio and our second is Chianti Classico. We had determined earlier in the week to do salmon, so we decided to go with the meatier Chianti Classico to go with this dish.

The wine: a beautiful ruby red with the brick red colors of the Sangiovese grape.  Herbs, cherries, tobacco notes are apparent, with a light body, soft tannins, and a long savory finish.  The wine is dry and a perfect example of a classic, old-world Chianti. Priced at $14, another reason it is a go-to wine.

The dish: Oven-roasted salmon drizzled with a bit of good olive oil, 400 for about 15 minutes for a medium finish.  Before roasting, sprinkled a rub called Southwest Salmon Rub (purchased at the spice store at Branson Landing in Branson, MO)  Added garlic butter to the top, and broiled it for two minutes.  In addition to the salmon, we had stuffed mushroom caps purchased from Aldi and green beans poached in butter.  

The salmon's naturally strong flavor, the garlic, and the deep woodsy tastes of the mushrooms went beautifully with the Chianti Classico.  Find other wonderful pairings at the blogs below!

• Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm featured ;A Lovely Bottle of Taurasi paired with a Delicious Meal of Beef Tips Marsala.
• Robin at Crushed Grape Chronicles served up Bacon and Butternut Pasta with a Langhe DOC Nebbiolo.
• Susannah at Avvinare was ;Taking a Closer Look at Vernaccia di San Gimignano.
• Camilla at the Culinary Adventures with Camilla was ;Capping off the Old Year with Cappelleti in Brodo + G.D. Vajra Barolo Albe 2016.
• Lynn at Savor the Harvest showcased how ;Lagrein Reigns in Alto Adige.
• Terri at Our Good Life cooked up An Italian favorite: Chianti Classico with Baked Salmon and Stuffed Mushroom Caps.
• Linda at My Full Wine Glass asked ;What If You Could Blend Your Own Pinot Grigio?
• Li at The Wining Hour was ;Keeping it Fresh and Fun with Fiano.
• Cindy at Grape Experiences brought us on ;A Return to Piemonte with Marenco Scrapona Moscato d’Asti 2019 and Bagna Cauda.
• Gwendolyn at Wine Predator was ;Going with Lugana.
• Katarina at Grapevine Adventures will be sharing 3 Wines to Get 2021 off on the Right Foot.
• Jen, our host, at Vino Travels was Starting the New Year off Right with Chianti Classico.