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Spring Wine Pairing: Sesame Chicken Salad With Our 2020 Riesling Blend

By , On , In Wine Pairing & Recipes
a woman sitting on an outdoor patio in a vineyard, enjoying a spring riesling pairing on a sunny day

Springtime in the Okanagan holds a special kind of magic. After a long winter, we finally get a glimpse of the sunshine and seems to everything comes alive. The colours, budding flowers, and prospect of outdoor picnics have us craving crisp wines and a visit to our favourite vineyards. 

Heaven’s Gate Winery’s 2020 Cloud Nine is a blend of Gewürztraminer, Viognier, and Riesling. It’s takes its fresh flavours from Okanagan peaches, limes, and pineapples. Light and refreshing, it makes for a fantastic mid-afternoon wine. While a great addition to any occasion, we’ve put together a food-and-wine pairing that’s best enjoyed from the comfort of your outdoor patio.

Heaven's Gate Winery's Riesling-forward 2020 Cloud Nine Blend, perfect for a Spring outdoor patio.
Heaven’s Gate Winery’s Riesling-forward 2020 Cloud Nine Blend, perfect for a Spring outdoor patio.

Our Feature Wine

Cloud Nine Flavour Notes

Our 2020 Cloud Nine blend relies largely on Riesling, with 67% of its taste deriving from the grape. Since Riesling is traditionally a sweet, aromatic grape, it forms an incredible alliance with the fruits of the Okanagan. Our Cloud Nine blend boasts local peaches, citrus, and pineapple. 

The Okanagan produces outstanding Riesling grapes thanks to its latitude. It’s one of the world’s most northerly wine regions, with growing conditions that are comparable to some of the world’s best Riesling growing regions: France’s Alsace region and Germany’s Mosel and Rheingau regions.

Pairing Cloud Nine With Food

Riesling is traditionally a sweeter wine that pairs beautifully with desserts. Cloud Nine is primarily made up of Riesling grapes, but it also blends full-bodied Viognier and Gewurztraminer grapes. Because of this, it complements dinners and late lunches splendidly. Certain tangy Asian dishes as well as various fish make a great food pairing with our Riesling blend. Consider it alongside these foods:

  • Fried or sauteed fish, especially mackerel and salmon
  • Mexican dishes with jalapenos and other spicy toppings
  • Seafood salads
  • Stuffed pork, especially with sage
  • Spicy or tangy Asian meals with citrus flavours

Springtime Flavours in the Okanagan

Sesame Chicken Salad With Ginger-Lime Dressing

When you’re drinking a traditionally sweeter wine, like Riesling, you generally want a meal that will balance the flavours, especially if you’re hoping to enjoy the wine at dinnertime. Many Asian-influenced dishes pair extraordinarily well with our Cloud Nine Riesling blend, including this Sesame Chicken Salad recipe from Food & Wine.

The ginger-lime dressing compliments the Riesling’s sweet notes and beautifully balances the meal. The recipe is easy and enjoyable to prepare. With hints of avocados, radishes, and sesame seeds, it offers a refreshing spring colour palette. Opt for a locally made white wine vinegar to bring even more Okanagan flavours to your dish.

Coconut-Mango-Lime Barfi

Being a wine that’s often enjoyed with dessert, we felt the need to include a sweeter option. This Coconut-Mango-Lime Barfi recipe from Bon Appetit continues the lime theme. It’s made using one bowl and no oven. With pureed fruits and no-too-much sugar, this barfi is a nice follow up to the sesame chicken salad. 

Read what our guests are saying

Birds eye view of Heaven's Gate Winery vineyard with Okanagan lake in the background
 Heaven’s Gate Winery in Summerland, BC overlooking Okanagan Lake

“This is one of my favourite Okanagan white wines ever. It goes great with a favourite meal and it’s decadent all on its own. It’s surprisingly not too sweet and has a crisp refreshing finish. I will definitely be back to get another case.” —Trina

“We really like this winery. Nice wines, they were having a great sale while we were there, and a complimentary tasting. The patio is very picturesque. Guests are encouraged to bring a picnic and enjoy a bottle of their wine. In our opinion, it’s one of the top three wineries in the area.” —Don

Visit Heaven’s Gate Winery This Spring

Heaven’s Gate Winery is located in Summerland, BC, on the famous Bottleneck Drive. The incredibly inviting family-run vineyard offers beautiful views of Okanagan Lake and vibrant colours that start to appear in spring. Come walk along the property and see the vineyard come alive, and enjoy a tasting while you’re here! Book your tasting today.