Tuesday, December 21, 2010

P.F. Chang's Vineyard 518 Sauvignon Blanc

P.F. Chang's private label is tasteworthy and green.
It was Green Dragon’s birthday and she insisted we have dinner at P.F. Chang's. The past few times we went to this upscale restaurant at Fallen Timbers we had to cool our heels and kill time due to the long lines.

Even though it was Monday, I thought the Christmas shoppers would cause us another long delay.

The Dragon must be a sign of good fortune because even though we were told that we couldn’t get a table until an hour after we wanted, we showed up early and slid right in.

We had been tipped off to try some of P.F. Chang’s special wine label. VINEYARD 518, is a new label of handcrafted wines produced exclusively for the restaurant. It was launched on May 18 (5/18) 2010. The number 518 is considered to be a lucky one for the Chinese.

The wine is created in partnership with Wattle Creek Winery, a family-owned estate in Mendocino. The wines are sustainably grown and harvested.

VINEYARD 518 wines are stored in a 10-liter recyclable container that holds more wine than an entire case of bottles. The lighter packaging, approximately half the weight of a traditional case of wine, reduces the carbon footprint during the shipping process, making it a more environmentally-conscious product. The box itself is created from post-consumer cardboard and both the plastic bag insert and box are fully recyclable.

The fruit for VINEYARD 518 comes from the Yorkville Highlands appellation in Mendocino, a high altitude, coastal growing region. The first two varietals available under the VINEYARD 518 label are a Sauvignon Blanc and a Syrah Blend.

Green Dragon went for Sichuan from the Sea, a shrimp dish with a spicy red chili and pepper sauce and I got the sweet and sour pork. We opened up with the chicken lettuce wraps. To go with our meal we tried the Sauvignon Blanc. The wine is crisp with citrus flavor notes in a New Zealand style. It’s very refreshing.This was a nice pick as it took the bite out of the spicy shrimp.

At one point I put a few dashes of a spicy chili sauce on my lettuce wrap. I boldly crunched away until I took a bite that unleashed an inferno in my mouth. Through the Sauvignon Blanc and some ice water I was able to get my voice back and enjoy a delectable meal.

The 518 wine is only $4 a glass, so it is a great deal for a pleasing wine that matches well with the Asian cuisine. The wine is easy on the environment and got the seal of approval from the birthday girl. P.F. Chang’s also has a varied wine list with a good selection of wines by the glass. We look forward to trying the Syrah during our next visit.

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