Tyrrells, 2012 Old Winery Verdelho & Mussels and Shrimp in White Wine Sauce

For this week’s installment we are featuring the Tyrrells, 2012 Old Winery Verdelho from Australia’s Hunter Valley and Mussels and shrimp in white wine sauce. A great combination, two of my favorites.

We have featured a Verdelho before but for a quick recap it is a grape grown initially in Portugal and a region in Spain. It is now being grown in Argentina and has also been particularly successful in Australia. Wine produced from Verdelho grapes in Portugal are often used to make fortified wines and the wine produced in Spain is called Verdello.

The Hunter Valley in Australia is a small wine growing region about two hours’ drive north of Sydney, just west of the Pacific ocean and the city of Newcastle. The wine growing region in the Hunter Valley consists of rolling hills with the Brokenback Mountain Range and the Polkobin State Forest as the backdrop. Kangaroos can sometimes be seen grazing near the many vineyards which adds a uniquely Australian aspect to the Hunter Valley experience. The climate in the Hunter Valley is mild with summer averages around the 70° F and winter averages around the 40° F range. Some summer days can be hot, but evening ocean breezes and occasional thunderstorms tend to provide a cooling effect and pleasant growing (and drinking) conditions. 

http://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/hunter/hunter-valley

http://www.winecountry.com.au/

The Tyrrells Estate was established in the 1850’s by an English emigrant, Edward Tyrell, the nephew of the first Anglican Bishop of Newcastle. The wines produced today can be sourced from the Hunter Valley, several Australian regions, and countries such as Portugal and New Zealand. The Old Winery wines are named after the original winery from the 1850’s and are typically intended for immediate consumption, providing good quality at a reasonable price.

https://www.tyrrells.com.au/

The Tyrrells, 2012, Old Winery Verdelho is a great example of the wine variety. It has strong tropical scents with a touch of spice. The wine is a medium white with strong fruit, including citrus, overtones with distinguishable lemon flavors. It is a very good light summer wine and goes well with seafood salads and light cheeses. It can be enjoyed on its own but goes particularly well with seafood.

The Mussels and Shrimp in white wine sauce is a favorite of mine and has been developed from many different recipes over the years.

Paul E’s Mussels and Shrimp in White Wine Sauce

2 Tablespoons butter

2 Shallots

½ White onion

4 cloves Garlic

2 blades of Lemon Grass (could use the Zest of 2 lemons, could also use more Lemon Grass depending on taste).

1 cup of white wine (Usually a dry variety)

1 cup Parsley (flat leaf)

2 lbs. Fresh Live Mussels

½ lb. Uncooked shrimp (Prawns)

1/3 cup all purpose flour

Clean/Purge The Mussels

I have used salt in the past to purge the mussels but you can also use flour, the salt can sometimes give the mussels an overly salty taste if not rinsed thoroughly.

Put the mussels in a large bowl of water and flour for approximately 30 minutes.

Drain.

Throw out any mussels that are wide open or do not close when gently tapped.

Remove any beards from mussels.

Clean shells with a brush as necessary.

Rinse several times in clean water.

Preparation

Finely chop the following:

·         Shallots

·         Onion

·         Garlic

·         Lemon Grass

Remove all shells from shrimp except the tail.

Cooking

Melt butter in a saucepan.

Add the shallots, onion garlic and lemon grass, cook until onions are translucent (a couple of minutes). The aroma at this stage is fantastic.

Add the following to a large pot (at least 4-quart)

·         Contents of the saucepan

·         1cup of white wine, for extra “sauce add more wine or add additional water. 

·         Mussels

·         Shrimp

Cover, bring to the boil and then reduce heat to low.

Cook until shells have opened, approx. 5 to 7 minutes and shrimp are cooked through. (Do not overcook, as they will become tough).

Remove mussels and shrimp from the pot and add to serving bowls

Discard mussels that are broken or unopened.

Set aside the pot and remaining contents for a minute or two.

Gently pour out the majority of the contents of the pot evenly into serving bowls, discarding the last inch or so and the grit that has settled in the bottom.

The fluid from the pot can also be filtered using a sieve.

Add Parsley.

Enjoy!

Additional seafood can also be added such as scallops or firm white fish, be careful though as too much additional seafood will require additional other ingredients.