Foxen Ernesto Wickenden Vineyard Chenin Blanc (Santa Maria Valley) 2012

For dinner tonight I made Tyler Florence's Grilled Shrimp with Mango, Lime and Radish Salsa (cutting it by half). To make it into a main course salad, I added a package of Annie Chun's Rice Express Sprouted Brown Rice. I also omitted the chili powder, replacing it with half of a seeded and finely diced jalapeño pepper. Since the porch was sopping from our recent rains, I grilled the shrimp indoors using my trusty Cuisinart Griddler. Yum.

To go with this sort of light but spicy meal, I wanted a dry, fairly acidic, low oak white wine. The Foxen Chenin Blanc was a great choice. A lovely, clean bouquet dominated by apples and lemons. On the palate, it was crisp with bright acidity, clean, and suggestive of apples, pears, flint, lemons, and melon. Grade: B+

Recommended combination.