Wine and Food Matching

Domaine de La Bastide Roussanne 2006

Importer: Weygandt-Metzler

OK, this is from France, so it doesn’t fit the American themed Thansgiving. But it’s a great wine for matching with everything on the table, and it’s different!

Tasting Notes

Nose is clean, pure ripe peach and some pear, with a spicy vanilla element. On the palate it is silky smooth, almost honeylike, with flavors of pear, peach, citrus, a bit of vanilla spice and a slight hint of mineral. Acidity is low. Citrus becomes more apparent in the finish, which is easygoing. This is a nice wine as an aperitif, and a good match for lean meats, veggies, and possibly as a counter to hot and spicy dishes. The low acidity won’t get in the way of lean turkey, and it will mesh well with most of the assorted dishes you might find on the Thanksgiving table.

a-8 t-8 b-8 fc-9 v-8 ~ 91 Points

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Wyatt Pinot Noir 2006

Tasting Notes

Nose exhibits ripe red berry fruit – raspberry, black cherry, and a touch of earth and a floral element (rose petals?). In the mouth you get good ripe strawberry, raspberry, and black cherry. There is the slightest hint of a green / stemmy / herbaceous flavor that melds well with the ripe fruits. Some spice – a touch of vanilla, black pepper, and earth. Acidity is appropriately medium, tannins are soft. Texture is smooth. A touch of hotness / alcohol in the finish, which is otherwise pleasant. The flavors are ripe and enjoyable for drinking alone but subtle enough for favorable food matching. An outstanding wine for the Thanksgiving table, as it pairs well with turkey, herbaceous stuffing (i.e., rosemary, thyme), and most of the other Thansgiving fixins’. Overall a very well put together Pinot Noir at a very fair price. This wine is as close to Burgundian in style as I’ve experienced from California (that is a compliment); in fact if tasted blind I might have guessed it was a simple Bourgogne or possibly a Monthelie (if you’re a geek you might know what I’m talking about; if not, take my word for it, it’s a very nice wine).

a-8 t-8 b-8 fc-9 v-10 ~ 93 Points

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Following up the last post, here are my quick suggestions for wines to match with your Thanksgiving meal.

Sauvignon Blanc

Generally speaking, Sauvignon Blancs go well with poultry and white meats such as turkey, due to the citrusy flavor profile. Some Sauvignons can be “greener” or more grassy than others, so it is up to your taste as to which you pick. French Sauvignon Blancs, such as from Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume, will tend to be more grassy, while those from New Zealand usually have more tropical fruit character. From California, the Sauvignon Blancs can be either, and some are also dosed with oak. Overall, Sauvignon Blanc is a safe choice for most of the foods you’ll find on a typical Thanksgiving table.

My favorites for the Thanksgiving table: Geyser Peak, Simi, Brander – all from the US.

Chardonnay

Personally, I prefer to go with lesser-oaked, or non-oaked Chardonnays when matching with food, because I find an overabundance of oak can clash with food (except hot buttered popcorn). So try to find an oak-free or only slightly oaked Chard from California (if you want to stay with the born in the USA theme), or go with a non-oaked Australian Chard or French Chablis.

American favorites for Thanksgiving matches: Francis Coppola Diamond Collection “Gold Label” (it’s actually orange), Edna Valley, La Crema.

Pinot Noir

Always a nice wine for food, Pinot Noir is an experience in itself — and a good one can be costly. However, there are some US-made Pinots under twenty bucks that are delectable and meld well with the typical Thanksgiving spread. Specifically, I’ve found all of Estancia’s Pinot Noirs to have a high price:value ratio, and the winery is in California so it fits in with the “American theme” of Thanksgiving. From the US, I also like the Pinots from Wyatt, Easton, Robert Mondavi Carneros, and Silver Spur. From New Zealand, Drylands and Vicar’s Choice both have excellent Pinot Noirs under twenty bucks, and Kim Crawford has a good one for a bit over $20.

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Ah, the perennial feast of the United States — for the foodie it is the ultimate holiday, with its succulent roast turkey surrounded by what seems to be every side dish known to mankind. And those “other” dishes are what makes the wine match a serious challenge.

A wine to go with roast turkey is easy enough: go with a mild-to-medium-bodied red, such as a Pinot Noir from Burgundy, or try a full-flavored white, such as a white Burgundy, a Califoakian Chardonnay, or a Pinot Gris from Alsace. However, the turkey is not the only thing on the table, so what wine can you choose that will go with everything?

There’s an easy answer to this: don’t try to match everything with one bottle. Instead, choose a few bottles with differing characteristics.

OK, that was too easy — and chances are you’re not going to buy eight different bottles of wine to go with the myriad dishes. So, if you’re invited to someone’s home for Thanksgiving dinner, what is an appropriate wine to bring?

The first choice is Champagne; what better way to celebrate a holiday than with bubbles? Forget the cheap stuff — spend some money and get a full-bodied, legitimate Champagne from France. A vintage brut cuvee, rose, or Chardonnay (often called “blanc de blancs”) can carry you through the day, or get a “non-vintage” (NV) for about half the price. Choose one from a reputable house such as Pommery, Mumm, Bollinger, Moet, or Perrier-Jouet. Or, if you’re willing to look a little harder, find a sparkler from Billecart-Salmon or Besserat de Bellefon, two houses that are lesser-known but will provide a great bottle to start the day and will have the power to drink throughout the meal (so maybe two bottles would be better!).

The second choice, in my book, is a Beaujolais, such as a Julienas, Moulin-a-Vent, Brouilly, Chenas, Fleurie, or other cru. Beaujolais wines have good acidity and just enough tannins to stand up to a variety of foods. The fresh, fruity ripe cherry flavor matches nicely with just about everything at the table, including the cranberry sauce. In additon to a cru Beaujolais, you may also find it fun to bring along a Nouveau, which is worthwhile as a conversation piece and will be enjoyable for the less-serious wine drinkers (i.e., the white zinners).

The aforementioned Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris are not only good matches for turkey, but will also match with a variety of other foods at the table. If you choose a Pinot Noir, the suggestion — as it was with the Champagne — is to take the ducats out of your wallet and lay them down on a real Pinot Noir from Burgundy, France. As you may have seen on Sideways, there is something rather special about these wines; a good Burgundy is more an experience than a mere beverage. What better time to drink it than on a holiday, surrounded by loved ones?

Finally, if you want to have a white wine at the table, go with either a Pinot Gris from Alsace or a German Riesling. Simple Pinot Grigio, such as from Italy, is OK for appetizers, but doesn’t have the substance to follow along to the main course. Conversely, an Alsace Pinot Gris (which is the same grape, but from a different place) has significant weight in the mouth, much fuller bodied, and adds a riper, spicier note that melds well with both the turkey and many of the trimmings. German Riesling — specifically a dry QbA or Kabinett (the designation will be printed somwhere on the label). These wines have a lot of bright, fruit flavors of apple and peach, with searing acidity and mineral notes that pair well with all kinds of foods from creamed onions to sausage and herb stuffing. Perhaps best of all, German Rieslings tend to be around six to eight percent alcohol — not much more than a beer — so you can drink them all day without feeling the effect of wines double in proof.

So there you have it, a quick rundown on several wines to choose from for the Thanksgiving feast. Stop by the site a little later to read about more specific wine suggestions.

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One of the more difficult wine-and-food matches is finding a wine to go with spicy foods, such as curries. Before you start trying, understand the difference between spicy — meaning heavy with spices — and hot and spicy.

Many Pan-Asian dishes can be heavily spiced yet not have intense heat. For example, many Indian dishes have pungent aromas and complex flavors, yet are not necessarily hot on the palate. Similarly, Thai cuisine can be intensely flavored, with the heat of the dish dependent on density of the pepper flakes.

So how to match? Again, start with the heat. If you’re having a high-heat dish, try to go with lower-alcohol wines that have some residual sugar or a perceived sweetness. For example, German Rieslings — specifically from the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer — have very low alcohol levels (as low as 6%), and can simultaneously offer a touch of sweetness. A German wine labeled as “QbA” will give you some perceived sweetness, as will one with “Kabinett” on the label. For a bit more sweetness, move up to a Spatlese. All three are likely to offer a refreshing foil to hot and spicy cuisine. Vouvray (from France) has a similarly fruity, almost-sweet flavor profile, though the alcohol is higher. Gruner Veltliner, from Austria, can also be a good choice, as is Alsatian Gewurztraminer, which has complementary aromas and flavors of litchi and rose petals and can be nearly bone-dry or mildly sweet.

Rose wines can also be excellent matches, as most have mild flavors, are lower in alcohol than reds, tend to have a refreshing profile that is similar to white wine, and have enough body and structure to stand up to complex dishes. In addition, many roses have a nice ripe strawberry or watermelon juiciness that resembles hard candy — offering a slight touch of perceived sweetness that foils well against spicy food.

If your heart is set on a red, try a Crianza (Spanish wine based on Tempranillo), which will tend to have a roasted, spiced character that melds well with similarly spicy food. A chilled Beaujolais Cru can be a refreshing match, as can an inexpensive Aussie Shiraz — just be careful about the alcohol level.

You shouldn’t fear matching spicy foods with wines; rather, take it on as a challenge. It can get expensive to try different combinations out at a restaurant, so browse a site like CurrySimple to find spicy additives for home experimentation. For example, you can get packages of Thai-style Red Curry, Green Curry, or Yellow Curry to add to meat, noodles, veggies, or fish, and taste a few different bottles next to the dish. Some matches may not work at all, but others may prove to be mindblowing. And that’s what wine enjoyment is all about — finding the ultimate match.

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After reading Picnic and Barbecue Wines - Part 1, you should have a handle on what makes for good wine selection for this Memorial Day weekend — as well as any other outdoor food fest you enjoy this summer. Now, I’ll suggest some specific wines.

Rose / Pink Wines

Personally speaking, I find pink wines absolutely perfect for barbecues and picnics (and I’m man enough to admit it) — for three reasons. First, they’re easy and light, fitting in with the casual atmosphere; second, pink wines tend to have mild flavor profiles and good acid levels, allowing for varied food matching; and third, they’re best enjoyed chilled, and therefore refreshing on a warm / hot afternoon.

When choosing a rose, stay away from White Zinfandel, unless you know for sure people in the party enjoy it. Most White Zins have a sugary flavor that clashes with many foods (though that same sweet element may be OK for foiling very spicy dishes). Instead, look for dry rose. The most reliable dry pink wines come from Spain (which are often labeled “Rosado”) and the southern regions of France — though there are plenty of good bottles from other areas as well (for instance, California and Portugal have some goodies). Go to the Spain aisle first for the best values, and look for “Navarra” somewhere on the label — that’s a region well-known for rose wine. If you don’t see one from Navarra, don’t fret, as other Spanish regions make fine rosado as well. Then walk up the French wine aisle and look for pink bottles. The best-known rose from France is Tavel, and is likely to have a light pink/orange, almost salmon color. No matter which region you choose from, be sure to get the freshest vintage possible (2006 or 2005 is ideal right now), as pink wines tend to lose their bright, fresh flavors quickly. Here are some of my favorites:

Mas de Gourgonnier Rose (France), Pink Criquet (Bordeaux, France), Sofia Pinot Noir Rose (California), Vega Sindoa (Spain), Guigal Tavel (France), Delas Tavel (France), Domaine Ott Rose (France).

White Wines

For many, the best option for an outdoor party is a nice chilled white wine — partially because a cold beverage is most appropriate on a sunny day, and also because white wines tend to match well with a number of different dishes. Best bets:

• Sauvignon Blanc from France (esp. Sancerre or Pouilly-Fume), New Zealand, South America, or California (make sure it’s unoaked)
• Chablis from France (not from California!)
• Vouvray or Muscadet from France
• Pinot Grigio, Orvieto, Soave, Vermentino, or Verdicchio from Italy
• Pinot Blanc from France or Italy (also labeled as Pinot Bianco)
• Riesling from Germany — make sure it’s dry; look for “Kabinett” on the label
• Albarino or Rueda from Spain
• Gruner Veltliner from Austria

Some suggestions: Sartarelli Verdicchio Classico, Fair Valley Sauvignon Blanc (South Africa), Bruni Vermentino “Plinio”, Domaine Seguinot Bordet Chablis AC (France), Norton Sauvignon Blanc (Argentina), Brander Sauvignon Blanc (California), Masi Masianco Pinot Grigio (Italy), Argiolas Costalomino Vermentino (Italy), Mount Nelson Sauvignon Blanc (NZ), Clean Slate Riesling (Germany), Pierre Boniface Apremont (France), Basa Rueda Blanco (Spain), Las Brisas Rueda (Spain), Bodegas Aldial “Naia” (Spain)

Red Wines

You can go two ways with red wine at a barbecue: get a bottle to go with everything, or find something specific to burgers (or steaks, if they’ll be on the grill). When trying to match with everything, the easiest route is a bottle of Beaujolais — preferably a Cru Beaujolais, which means you’ll pay somewhere between $12-25, and the label will include one of these names on it: Brouilly, Chenas, Chiroubles, Cote de Brouilly, Fleurie, Julienas, Morgon, Moulin-a-Vent, Regnie, or Saint-Amour. Any of those appellations can be chilled, and will match with a wide variety of foods — and will go particularly well with grilled white meats such as pork and chicken (i.e., bbq ribs, shish-kebab). Beaujolais-Villages is OK, too, though not as interesting as a Cru. Whatever you do, don’t get a Beaujolais Nouveau — its shelf death was mid-January. The brand that is most likely to be seen in stores is Georges Duboeuf, aka “The King of Beaujolais”. Louis Jadot is also reliable — but don’t be afraid to try different brands, as you may find a gem (if there’s a Beaujolais other than Duboeuf or Jadot on the shelf, chances are the store’s wine buyer found something he/she thinks is special).

Matching a wine with burgers is fairly easy, and should be an inexpensive exercise. Simple French reds such as Cotes-du-Rhone or Minervois work nicely, as do soft red Zinfandels from California and Shiraz from Australia. If you limit yourself to a price range of $9-$14, you will likely find that most of these wines will be excellent for burgers: Merlot, Shiraz / Syrah, Zinfandel, Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon (particularly soft ones from South America), Malbec, Garnacha, Monastrell / Mourvedre, Dolcetto, Nero d’Avola, and Petite Sirah.

Some of my all-time favorite red wines for burgers and barbecue are: Wrongo Dongo, Delas Cotes-du-Rhone “Saint-Esprit” (France), Domaine Cros Minervois, Vinos Pinol Ludovicus (Spain), Quinta de Parrotes Alenquer Tinto (Portugal), Chateau La Roque Pic Saint Loup, Croix du Mayne Cahors, Spadina Nero d’Avola, Chateau Calbet Cabardes, Kanonkop Kadette (South Africa), Mas de Guiot Grenache-Syrah, Rock Rabbit Syrah, Domaine de Gournier Merlot, Veramonte Cabernet Sauvignon (Chile), Elsa Bianchi Malbec (Argentina), Juan Benegas Malbec (Argentina), Kermit Lynch Cotes-du-Rhone (France), Punto Final Malbec Reserve (Argentina), Geyser Peak Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot (California), Castano Monastrell (Spain), Vinum Cellars PETS Petite Sirah

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The simple yet succulent Sunday dinner: roast chicken. It’s one of my favorite dishes to prepare, because it’s so easy (see this simple roast chicken recipe).

It’s similarly easy to pair roast chicken with wine — though it depends on how you personalize the preparation. If you stay simple, using little other than salt, pepper, garlic, and one of those “poultry seasoning” packets, then the most complementary wines would be an unoaked Chardonnay, unoaked Sauvignon Blanc, Champagne, dry rose, Cru Beaujolais, or a light, simple style of Pinot Noir.

If you must do Pinot Noir, make sure it is in the lighter style, or has a green / “stemmy” character (such as what you get from Alsace Pinot Noir). Many of the post-Sideways Pinots were formulated to appeal to the masses, and as a result are overloaded with jammy flavors that will clash with the white meat. Better to go with a fresh rose or a Cru Beaujolais if you prefer not to do a white.

Some of my favorite wine matches for roast chicken:

• Sauvignon Blancs: Geyser Peak, Goldwater “Dog Point”, Babich, Mount Nelson, Veramonte, Michel Bailly Les Loges Pouilly-Fume
• Chardonnays: La Crema, Geyser Peak, Edna Valley, Golden Kaan, Merryvale, Columbia Winery, Ravenswood
• Other whites: Colosi Sicilia Bianco, Francis Coppola Viognier
• Roses (pink wines): Pink Criquet, Mas de Gourgonnier, Domaine Lafond Tavel
• Beaujolais: any Cru from Duboeuf, such as Brouilly, Fleurie, Morgon
• Pinot Noir: Calera, Robert Mondavi (Carneros), Estancia Stonewall, Leon Beyer, Marcel Deiss,
• Other reds: Les Deux Rives Corbieres Rouge, Ludovicus Terra Alta Pinol

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