“The ideal chicken wine”
April 13, 2022
Cambridge, MA
Branchline has long been a family favorite. If you have not had their rotisserie chicken, you are missing out. It has set the standard for my teenagers who rate any new restaurant by “not as good” or the very, extremely rare, “as good as” roasted chicken. Because the chicken is their signature preparations, almost every wine must go with the chicken but also their range of salads, appetizers and fish. The red meat entrees are the only exceptions since they require a more hearty pairing.
Sean Mack is the Sommelier here and he immediately engages you by talking passionately about wine – he intentionally uses descriptors from the fashion industry because that is his other passion. His verbal painting is based on metaphors like “this wine is a summer dress” or “this wine’s structure is like an Italian suit.” It is a wonderful way of expressing a mood and context for the wine. This approach allows him to come at the by-the-glass selection from a new direction. It also helps to walk a delicate balance – wines familiar enough to be appealing to both a novice and an enthusiast – and yet intriguing enough to challenge people to try something new. It might become their next favorite wine after all.
The wine-by-the-glass selection at Branchline is a reflection of the season and as we transition to spring and warmer weather, the menu will evolve. I am reviewing the list which still has more “winter” wines on it, so expect some changes as the days get longer and warmer!
The wines are listed on the menu from sparkling to rosé, lighter whites to heaviest reds, making it somewhat easier to choose based on your meal.
The first wine I tried was a Paul Mas Côté Mas Cremant de Limoux Brut. This wine pops with fine bubbles and a sharp acid tang. The nose is full of lemons and bruised apples which indicates a more oxidative process. But because it is a “crémant”, it also indicates that it was made in the traditional method, which means adding sugar and yeast into a low alcohol base wine, closing it with a crown top and waiting – usually 9 months to a year – for the second fermentation to finish and all the yeast to impart a brioche flavor. Then the “lees” are disgorged and you are left with a clear sparkling wine, ready to drink. This crémant is, as I always recommend, a perfect aperitif while you browse the menu but also to pair with almost anything on the menu.
The second sparkling wine was the Pere Mata “Cupada” Rosé Cava Brut. Many people are not sure what to make of cava. It is both bubblier and less sweet than Prosecco because it is made in the traditional champagne-style method described above, but using Spanish grapes. Xarello, Macabeo and Parellada are all white grapes and are blended with 25% Monastrell, a big, juicy, tannic red wine grape, hence the rosé. This blend gives the wine a bit more body and a bit more texture while being dry, dry, dry. It conveys hints of bright raspberry and creamy spice. This is a wine that will certainly stand up to the roast chicken.
On to the whites with Domaine du Rin du Bois Touraine Sauvignon Blanc. It has such a pretty nose, I felt I could be happy just smelling it all day. On the palate it avoids some of the grassy, tropical notes of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, but also softens the austere dry and crisp nature of a Sancerre. It is very aromatic as I mentioned and while very high acid, also soft and quite light-bodied. It would be good with any veggies and salads.
The second white wine was Domaine Ménard Gaborit “Les Princes” Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie. It has a light floral nose and a satisfying tangy, almost salty character. The wine is dry and crisp with a lovely, fresh-baked bread flavor on the finish. “Sur Lie” means it was aged on the lees or yeast for around 9 months, a characteristic of Muscadet wines from the western most section of the Loire. This is a wine that reflects its terroir – a cool, marine environment on the Atlantic coast that produces oysters and scallops. It pairs beautifully with any seafood.
Next was a Riesling-Muscat blend, Domaine Kientzler La Soif. Riesling and Muscat are both highly aromatic grapes and also an unusual combination of grapes. I was very curious to try it. I really like dry Riesling, which tames some of the ferocious tropical aromas and bring out its delicate fruit and floral notes. And Muscat, if made with care, is a beautiful “grapey” grape for want of a better description, customarily with a soft sweetness. This wine was a revelation – very dry and while I could smell both of these aromatic grapes, I also got a really nice herbaceous flavor. Sean called this “an ideal chicken wine”.
When we moved on the reds, we began with a Beaujolais. Beaujolais, not just the juicy nouveau, strikes me as a happy wine. There is something exuberant about the flavors revealed through carbonic maceration (whole-cluster fermentation), like strawberries, candied melon, even bubble gum. This wine, Domaine de Peuble Pere et Fils Bourgogne, satisfies all those criteria. Bursting with fruit, the smooth tannins and very nice acid add structure and balance, I would also call it an ideal chicken wine. In a similar flavor profile, it has since been replaced by a Frappato from Sicily.
Another staple on the menu is a cool climate Pinot Noir. The one I tasted was the Bugey Pinot Noir, Famille Peillot from the alpine air of the Jura Mountains in France. Cooler climates allow the grapes to develop more slowly and retain much of their volatile aroma compounds. This is especially true with Pinot Noir, which can easily become jammy and lose its character in warmer areas. This Pinot has a beautiful nose, all the classic bright red cherry, dried violets, a hint of mushroom. It is an acid driven wine so the fruit is definitely on the tart side and would be refreshing with lighter, fatty meats and pastas. The current selection is from the Loire valley, also a cool climate, so the profile again should be very similar.
And finally, we got to the one wine Sean would not recommend to have with chicken! The Clos Siquier Cahors 2018 is a Malbec from its native country and region. Argentina may have made “Malbec” into a household word, but Cahors is where the magic began. Unfortunately, it has been overshadowed by its neighbor, Bordeaux, but it is now finally coming into its own. This expression is full of dark brooding fruit, smooth but chalky tannins, black tea and pepper. It is a wine best served with a steak, but is flexible to go with a hamburger as well.