Wine and mustard cilantro chicken

June 24, 9:27 AMChicago Wine Pairing ExaminerBrett Ashley McKenzie

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This unoaked Chard is perfect with this flavorful dish.

Chicago Cooking Examiner Talitha Daelemans recently shared her delicious recipe for "Mustard Cilantro Chicken," which presents a particularly fun pairing challenge. Mustard (especially Dijon, which the recipe calls for) and cilantro both are highly and distinctively flavorful.

Traditionally with mustard-seasoned dishes, a Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay is a great accompaniment. For this dish, an unoaked Chardonnay, which has a flavor profile similar to that of a Sauvignon Blanc but is slightly bigger in body, would be divine.

The 2007 Gunn Estate Unoaked Chardonnay from New Zealand (available for $16.79 on JustGrapes.net or $20.99 in-store) is a perfect example of an unoaked Chard. Unlike oaked Chardonnays, which are most familiar to many Americans, unoaked Chardonnay is aged in stainless steel, which creates a more fruit-driven wine. Oak barrel aging can contribute notes of baking spice (like nutmeg and vanilla) and wood qualities to a wine.

Fruit forward and fresh with melon and floral notes, the Gunn Estate Unoaked Chard offsets the spice from the mustard and the strength of the fresh cilantro, and pairs perfectly with the tender marinated chicken.