Francis Ford Coppola Chardonnay (2007)

On Friday night, Doug headed to a bachelor party in New Hampshire, leaving me to my own devices. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to revisit some tried and true habits from my days of living alone: a bottle of Chardonnay and a big bowl of vegetables for dinner. I know...it got crazy.

I grabbed the wine from a discount liquor store on my way home from work. I knew I wanted something easy and affordable, but, as often happens to me, I found myself feeling undecided in front of a row of wine. I ended up choosing a 2007 Francis Ford Coppola Chardonnay from their Diamond Collection - partly because of the price, but also because I visited the winery back in 2007 on a girl's weekend in Napa.*

The Chardonnay was a rich yellow-gold color in the glass. I tasted the classic flavors of chardonnay - some buttery notes, oak, and a bit of tart apple. It was drinkable and balanced, which is sometimes hard to find in a Chardonnay under fifteen dollars. I'd happily buy it again.

Francis Ford Coppola 

Diamond Collection Chardonnay (2007)

$10.99

And, about those vegetables. Have you roasted cauliflower yet? I recommend it highly. The vegetable morphs from something forgettable into a slightly sweet and toasty dish that takes to a variety of sauces. I tossed it simply in olive oil, lemon juice, capers, and parsley.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Olive Oil and Capers

Gourmet, November 2006

• 1 head cauliflower
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsps olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp capers (drained)
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 cups loosely packed parsley leaves

Preheat oven to 450°F. Lightly oil a 9-inch pie plate or square baking dish. Core cauliflower, leaving head intact, and put cauliflower head in pan. (It also works to chop the cauliflower into small florets.) Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over top of cauliflower and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bake until tender, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Transfer to a serving dish.

Whisk together lemon juice, capers, pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl, then whisk in remaining 1/4 cup oil. Chop parsley leaves and toss cauliflower with dressing and parsley.

*I loved, loved, loved the wines we tried during that tasting, but I can't say for sure whether it was the wines themselves that blew me away, or the fact that I had been on the tasting trail since 10am. We've got a bottle or two of Coppola wines that I cellared upon my return home and I'm eager to try them in the cold (sober) light of day.