Brett happens

VDP des Côtes Catalanes 2010, Les Calcinaires, Domaine Gauby ($25.15, 11463060)
The estate is certified organic. 50% Muscat from 15 to 50-year-old vines, 30% Chardonnay from 20-year-old vines and 20% Macabeu from 30 to 50-year-old vines. Fermented with native yeasts. Aged eight months on the lees. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. 13% ABV.
Sour apple, limestone, pine resin. Rainwater entry quickly expands to apple, pithy lemon and a soft grapiness (the Muscat speaking?) given focus by the acidity. As the fruit fades, the minerals surge and are joined by a sour-bitter note that lingers through the finish and sets you up for another sip. Less complex and profound than the Vieilles Vignes but a delight to drink. Made an excellent pairing for the Catalonian recipe you’ll find after the jump.

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Adapted from a swordfish recipe in Anya von Bremzen’s The New Spanish Table (NYC: Workman Publishing, 2005) that in turn is based on a monkfish dish served in Xavier Franco’s Barcelona restaurant Saüc.

Rinse and pat dry 12 oz (340 g) large scallops. Rub with coarse salt and black pepper, then brush lightly with olive oil. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, place 2/3 cup (160 ml) fresh squeezed orange juice and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice. Reduce by half over medium heat. Off the heat, whisk in 1 tablespoon orange blossom or acacia honey. Taste, adding more honey if necessary to blunt the citrus juice’s sharpness. Season to taste with salt. Set aside.

In a large skillet over high heat, sauté 2 crushed garlic cloves in 1 1/2 tablespoons (20 ml) olive oil. Add 1 1/2 lbs (680 g) trimmed and cleaned thin asparagus, tossing until the spears turn emerald green, about 1 minute. Add 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves and 1/2 cup fish stock. Bring to a boil, cover the skillet and cook until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the scallops on a grill or grill pan or under the broiler, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Do not overcook.

If the orange sauce has cooled, gently reheat it over low heat (don’t let it boil).

When the asparagus are done, divide them among 2 or 3 serving plates, leaving any liquid behind. Reduce the liquid until syrupy, then drizzle it over the asparagus. Arrange the scallops on the asparagus. Spoon the orange sauce over the scallops. Drizzle each plate with a fruity finishing olive oil. Sprinkle with Maldon salt or fleur de sel. Serve immediately.

2 main course or 3 appetizer servings