As a retailer, you have to look upon gimmic wine labels with a skeptical eye. You have to weigh several factors before deciding the fate of a wine with a whimsical label: How is the wine?, Is the label offensive?, Do I have customers who would be attracted to the label? What about the price? All of these factors weigh in differently at different times of the year. For instance, recently I picked up a label called The Sopranos. One is a chianti and the other a pinot grigio, the two most identified Italian wines. The label features the t.v. logo and silhouette handguns...pretty cheesy. Not to mention that the show has been off t.v. for two or three years. But then again, the chianti was decent; full, medium body, touch of tannic dryness and a splash of black cherry fruit finished off with some spice. And then I knew of two or three Italian heritage customers who were fans of the show. So I picked them up and they are selling well currently.
The newest of the gimmic wines to come my way is Big Claw. It's a wine purportedly designed to go "perfectly" with lobster. And just to make sure you understand that, there is a giant Maine Lobster claw gracing the label. The wine is a blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Colombard. It's sort of a classic French white Bordeaux styled blend with the colombard tossed in to give it a bright flash of citrus fruit.
I was skeptical, to say the least. it would be akin to finding a wine label that showed a cow's hindquarters on the label and was called Tender Hoof: the Perfect Steak wine. But I could see the value of finding a gimmic wine that took the guesswork out of pairing a wine with lobster. And priced at 11.99, it was in the right ballpark. So I decided to put it to the test.
On July 4th we hosted some long lost friends for the weekend to indulge in food and wine. While neither Rhonda nor I are big fans of lobster, we thought we could serve Big Claw with some mussels and get the same effect. We started by making a broth with half a cup of the wine, chopped onions, chopped garlic, chopped tomatoes, and cubed pepperoni. After bringing this savory stew to a boil we dropped the mussels in and covered the pot, letting the mussels absorb the steamy aroma of the broth. In just minutes it was done and we served them on a big platter, with plenty of the broth in the bottom for dipping with bread. The wine paired perfectly with the mussels and we all agreed that it truly would be perfect with lobster or shrimp. The wine had plenty of structure, almost too heavy in the mouth at first, but then the acidity sparkled through and carried the fresh fruit finish to all corners of the mouth. It was fine to drink on its own, but it was truly meant to be a food wine with plenty of power and finish to enhance seafood prepared in most any style. We actually tried two other white wines, but they paled in comparison to the Big Claw.
So I will be carrying this wine at Foodstop, and not just because of the pretty label!
Monday, July 13, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
The "Wine Expert"
555 is the street address and name of a prestigious Portland restaurant that I had the pleasure to enjoy recently. Located on Congress Street in a very unassuming building, the dark, swanky atmosphere surrounded us as we were led upstairs to a commanding table overlooking the interior balcony setting that reminded me of an inner city vista, gazing down on a the diners below. The occaision was the 37th Anniversary of some very dear friends of ours and they asked us to join in their celebration: a party of ten vibrant old married souls.
The evening was perfect in that the company was talkative, attentive and lively. The food was near perfect and the wine list was seductively broad and adventurous. But before I get ahead of myself we all started with a cocktail...which meant all of the men selected a single malt scotch (and one of the wives indulged as well). To our delight, we had each chosen a different scotch without discussing our choices out loud. For me, Oban has been my scotch of choice when money is no object; Johnnie Walker black suffices in the interim.
While we were pondering our dinner choices I was asked to make the wine selection for the table. My gracious host asked for one bottle of red and one bottle of white. I was in a social dilemna. First of all, it is a lot of pressure to be asked to make a group selection, especially with people you don't see often. Secondly, since I am always conscious of the food pairings, how can you possibly choose only two wines that will match ten dinner plates? And then there are the other issues: how much does the host want to spend? will two bottles suffice with this crowd of tipsters?
I pored over the wine list and found it to be on the outside of ordinary. I was able to recognize many of the labels and I found a deep selection of grape varieties beyond the run of the mill ChardonnayMerlotCabernetPinotNoirSauvignonBlanc.
After a good fifteen minutes (remember we were talking and drinking scotch, two of my favorite pastimes) I asked everyone to tell me what they were planning to order for dinner. Only one person was eating beef. All others were having either pork tenderloin or some sort of seafood. Relief. I decided on the spot to order a light french style pinot noir and a chardonnay (after one woman told me her favorite wine was Yellow tail chardonnay....ugggggh) I decided on a Perrin et fils La Gigondas cotes du rhone and a chilean Casa Lapostolle Chardonnay; both were forty two dollars but I knew they were only twice the retail price whereas I saw several wines that were marked up triple the suggested retail.
I guess if I have one advantage as the wine selector, I know what the retail price markup is!
The wines were a hit, and I have to say I was relieved to hear people enjoy my selections. We ended up getting a second bottle of the Perrin, a delicate red that developed a soft rounded character as it lay opened on the table. The Casa Lapostolle chardonnay was balanced, with some deep wooden undertones that served to slice through the sauces and butter that came with the seafood dishes. I should tell you that the Casa Lapostolle family is related directly to the Marnier family in France, the same family that makes the exquisite orange liquer Grand Marnier. Last year, Wine spectator awarded them the honor of being the vineyard of the year.
In retrospect, I enjoyed being the "wine expert", but it is very nerve racking. I didn't want to impress people with my knowledge, I just wanted to pick some wine that everyone would enjoy. In the end, it was my knowledge of what wines would pair well with certain foods that won the day. Had I chosen a Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine would have bowled over all of the food save the beef; and had I chosen a Pinot Grigio, the heavy sauces that came with the seafood dishes would have buried the light grape.
Practice does make perfect, and I urge you all to explore food and wine pairings. It will make for a much more enjoyable evening out.
The evening was perfect in that the company was talkative, attentive and lively. The food was near perfect and the wine list was seductively broad and adventurous. But before I get ahead of myself we all started with a cocktail...which meant all of the men selected a single malt scotch (and one of the wives indulged as well). To our delight, we had each chosen a different scotch without discussing our choices out loud. For me, Oban has been my scotch of choice when money is no object; Johnnie Walker black suffices in the interim.
While we were pondering our dinner choices I was asked to make the wine selection for the table. My gracious host asked for one bottle of red and one bottle of white. I was in a social dilemna. First of all, it is a lot of pressure to be asked to make a group selection, especially with people you don't see often. Secondly, since I am always conscious of the food pairings, how can you possibly choose only two wines that will match ten dinner plates? And then there are the other issues: how much does the host want to spend? will two bottles suffice with this crowd of tipsters?
I pored over the wine list and found it to be on the outside of ordinary. I was able to recognize many of the labels and I found a deep selection of grape varieties beyond the run of the mill ChardonnayMerlotCabernetPinotNoirSauvignonBlanc.
After a good fifteen minutes (remember we were talking and drinking scotch, two of my favorite pastimes) I asked everyone to tell me what they were planning to order for dinner. Only one person was eating beef. All others were having either pork tenderloin or some sort of seafood. Relief. I decided on the spot to order a light french style pinot noir and a chardonnay (after one woman told me her favorite wine was Yellow tail chardonnay....ugggggh) I decided on a Perrin et fils La Gigondas cotes du rhone and a chilean Casa Lapostolle Chardonnay; both were forty two dollars but I knew they were only twice the retail price whereas I saw several wines that were marked up triple the suggested retail.
I guess if I have one advantage as the wine selector, I know what the retail price markup is!
The wines were a hit, and I have to say I was relieved to hear people enjoy my selections. We ended up getting a second bottle of the Perrin, a delicate red that developed a soft rounded character as it lay opened on the table. The Casa Lapostolle chardonnay was balanced, with some deep wooden undertones that served to slice through the sauces and butter that came with the seafood dishes. I should tell you that the Casa Lapostolle family is related directly to the Marnier family in France, the same family that makes the exquisite orange liquer Grand Marnier. Last year, Wine spectator awarded them the honor of being the vineyard of the year.
In retrospect, I enjoyed being the "wine expert", but it is very nerve racking. I didn't want to impress people with my knowledge, I just wanted to pick some wine that everyone would enjoy. In the end, it was my knowledge of what wines would pair well with certain foods that won the day. Had I chosen a Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine would have bowled over all of the food save the beef; and had I chosen a Pinot Grigio, the heavy sauces that came with the seafood dishes would have buried the light grape.
Practice does make perfect, and I urge you all to explore food and wine pairings. It will make for a much more enjoyable evening out.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Birthday prequel
It has been a few days since my last post due to a combination of Memorial Day weekend, increased business at the store and my birthday...yeah, I know, at my age it's really not a big deal, but I do get to enjoy my family more and I always get cool surprises.
Before I describe the birthday weekend I will quickly recap the wines I tried during the interlude. I enjoyed a little red blend called Lodi Red, a not very inventive name, but it was a delicious red gem for eleven dollars. It had some Cabernet Sauvignon and some Syrah and some other grapes I don't remember...it was just a yummy, touch of oak, spritz of fruit kind of table wine. A real powerhouse wine that I tried was Tobia Seleccion from the Rioja in Spain. Some time later I will pour out my love and knowledge of Rioja Tempranillo, but this wine was dynamite: cherries, spice, earthy loam and lingering finish; a classic Spanish profile, but it was very upfront with it's flavors and still had a light body that encouraged thirsty drinking.
Finally, continuing on my discovery of Portuguese wine, Rhonda and I cooked up an Iberian storm so that we could try a vinho tinto chilled for the warm Saturday afternoon on the 30th. I worked on a Spanish style pasta dish made with Orechiette (pigs ears) pasta (actually, I thought the pasta looked like little World War I helmets). While the pasta was cooking I heated oil in a fry pan, tossed in some crushed red pepper and sliced onion. When the onion was browned I added chopped garlic and prosciutto. Then after a few minutes I added Broccoli Rabe (It was kinda like Kale or Spinach, I guess) olives and squeezed lemon juice over it. By now the pasta was perfect, so I scooped a cup of the water (just teeming with starch from the pasta) and drained the pasta. I then poured the pasta into the fry pan with the starchy water and cooked it down for a few minutes. Finally you toss the whole mix into a bowl that has chunks of Feta just waiting for it to blend...let me tell you,it was fragrant colorful to look at. All during this time, Rhonda was pan searing a rack of Lamb to perfection with oil, salt, pepper and rosemary. We had fun and to top it all off, the chilled red wine complimented the meal nicely. Quinta de Alorna Vinho Tinto. If you recall,vinho tinto simply means red wine and this one was a blend of four grapes (which I have since forgotten) but it was bright and fruity, not soft at all, but showing a nice edge that cut through the olives and the Feta while enhancing the Pan seared Lamb. I strongly urge you to lightly chill your favorite red wine, especially if it is a more delicate wine, like,say a Pinot Noir. You will have an entirely different experience with a wine you thought for sure you knew very well. We ate that night on the deck (I live a charmed culinary life for sure)and I dreamed of cooking dinners like this every night. It was a perfect combination of being creative, being with the love of my life and enhancing it all with fine bottle of wine. What more could you ask for in life?
Before I describe the birthday weekend I will quickly recap the wines I tried during the interlude. I enjoyed a little red blend called Lodi Red, a not very inventive name, but it was a delicious red gem for eleven dollars. It had some Cabernet Sauvignon and some Syrah and some other grapes I don't remember...it was just a yummy, touch of oak, spritz of fruit kind of table wine. A real powerhouse wine that I tried was Tobia Seleccion from the Rioja in Spain. Some time later I will pour out my love and knowledge of Rioja Tempranillo, but this wine was dynamite: cherries, spice, earthy loam and lingering finish; a classic Spanish profile, but it was very upfront with it's flavors and still had a light body that encouraged thirsty drinking.
Finally, continuing on my discovery of Portuguese wine, Rhonda and I cooked up an Iberian storm so that we could try a vinho tinto chilled for the warm Saturday afternoon on the 30th. I worked on a Spanish style pasta dish made with Orechiette (pigs ears) pasta (actually, I thought the pasta looked like little World War I helmets). While the pasta was cooking I heated oil in a fry pan, tossed in some crushed red pepper and sliced onion. When the onion was browned I added chopped garlic and prosciutto. Then after a few minutes I added Broccoli Rabe (It was kinda like Kale or Spinach, I guess) olives and squeezed lemon juice over it. By now the pasta was perfect, so I scooped a cup of the water (just teeming with starch from the pasta) and drained the pasta. I then poured the pasta into the fry pan with the starchy water and cooked it down for a few minutes. Finally you toss the whole mix into a bowl that has chunks of Feta just waiting for it to blend...let me tell you,it was fragrant colorful to look at. All during this time, Rhonda was pan searing a rack of Lamb to perfection with oil, salt, pepper and rosemary. We had fun and to top it all off, the chilled red wine complimented the meal nicely. Quinta de Alorna Vinho Tinto. If you recall,vinho tinto simply means red wine and this one was a blend of four grapes (which I have since forgotten) but it was bright and fruity, not soft at all, but showing a nice edge that cut through the olives and the Feta while enhancing the Pan seared Lamb. I strongly urge you to lightly chill your favorite red wine, especially if it is a more delicate wine, like,say a Pinot Noir. You will have an entirely different experience with a wine you thought for sure you knew very well. We ate that night on the deck (I live a charmed culinary life for sure)and I dreamed of cooking dinners like this every night. It was a perfect combination of being creative, being with the love of my life and enhancing it all with fine bottle of wine. What more could you ask for in life?
Saturday, May 23, 2009
A special Portuguese treat
Let me tell you how lucky I am: to enjoy wine and its journey that it takes you on is well enough, but to be able to sample great wines at the invitation of others is quite a bonus. Just a few days ago, I received an invitation from National Distributors to attend a special Portuguese wine tasting at 288 Fore Street. This was a small focused tasting with few attendees (probably more because of the ninety day than the exclusiveness) There were six tables showing three or four wines from Portugal with the actual winemakers showing there wares. I have learned that anytime you get a chance to talk to the winemaker you get real insight into the wine you are drinking, the culture and the business of wine.
Lynne and I drank white arinto, dao, duoro and red touriga nacional and some other grapes I cannot remember. The wines were elegant, displayed intense fruit character and sparkled with great color. We both were stunned by Donna Marie Arinto which was smooth, creamy with a soft fruit palate...ideal for seafood dishes. All I could think of was serving a Lobster dinner and pouring this wine. Casa de Santar showed a reserve dao white which was a touch oakey, buttery and sweet with a tingle of minerality, it was a jem, but it was not cheap either. I couldn't see my store selling it, but I could easily see myself drinking it. The reds were all served slightly chilled, this was to emphasize the fruity, berry like character. The CARM red blend vinho tinto smacked of cherries and blackberries and was so refreshing cool. Lynne and I found all of these wines to be easy to drink and dangerously so. It's a wonder why Americans do not take to Portuguese wines: their value price and drinkability alone make them irresistible. Perhaps it's their Old World lables with Casa de ... and Quinta de ..... and vinho verde and vinho tinto.
I feel if I could only get these bottles into peoples hands they would catch on like wild fire. Until then, I guess they'll hide in secrecy on my shelves waiting for the right adventurous drinker.
Before I leave, a quick note about Carlos from Casa de Santar. He is a pleasant middle aged man who looked more like a balding High School Principal than a winemaker, but Lynne and I enjoyed talking to him. I think he liked having people who were patient with his broken english. At one point he told us he had to go to Angola to tout his wines there and I blurted out..."oh, 'cause Angola used to be a Portuguese colony." and he just rambled from then on. He got quite excitable and insisted that I travel to Portugal and be guests of Casa de Santar for a week...you see how lucky I am...
Of course, all I have to do is get the time and money to do it.
Lynne and I drank white arinto, dao, duoro and red touriga nacional and some other grapes I cannot remember. The wines were elegant, displayed intense fruit character and sparkled with great color. We both were stunned by Donna Marie Arinto which was smooth, creamy with a soft fruit palate...ideal for seafood dishes. All I could think of was serving a Lobster dinner and pouring this wine. Casa de Santar showed a reserve dao white which was a touch oakey, buttery and sweet with a tingle of minerality, it was a jem, but it was not cheap either. I couldn't see my store selling it, but I could easily see myself drinking it. The reds were all served slightly chilled, this was to emphasize the fruity, berry like character. The CARM red blend vinho tinto smacked of cherries and blackberries and was so refreshing cool. Lynne and I found all of these wines to be easy to drink and dangerously so. It's a wonder why Americans do not take to Portuguese wines: their value price and drinkability alone make them irresistible. Perhaps it's their Old World lables with Casa de ... and Quinta de ..... and vinho verde and vinho tinto.
I feel if I could only get these bottles into peoples hands they would catch on like wild fire. Until then, I guess they'll hide in secrecy on my shelves waiting for the right adventurous drinker.
Before I leave, a quick note about Carlos from Casa de Santar. He is a pleasant middle aged man who looked more like a balding High School Principal than a winemaker, but Lynne and I enjoyed talking to him. I think he liked having people who were patient with his broken english. At one point he told us he had to go to Angola to tout his wines there and I blurted out..."oh, 'cause Angola used to be a Portuguese colony." and he just rambled from then on. He got quite excitable and insisted that I travel to Portugal and be guests of Casa de Santar for a week...you see how lucky I am...
Of course, all I have to do is get the time and money to do it.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Tempranillo Torres Style
One thing I have discovered that I am sure of during this journey into wine exploration: I LOVE Spanish wine. I was intrigued by it when I began to get serious about my education in wine and I continue to be enthralled by its flavor, body and adaptability. Perhaps it has to do with my affinity for the foods which crave the bravely fruity, yet mysteriously spicy and leather like wines I discover on a continuing basis.
At first, we all check out wine from Spain because of its enticing price point (most fall in the 10 dollar range and several top level choices can be had for under 30) but the journey can be difficult with many of the labels sporting the old world names, the Spanish language and the unfamiliar grape names. Miguel Torres is a world wide respected wine maker and his wines are an excellent start to a discovery of good Spanish wine. Sangre de Toro, his ordinary table version of Grenache is the most balanced and consistent wine we sell at Foodstop. Someday I will write a blog about that wine (its one of our top sellers), but today I'm writing about Torres' new entry. Banking on the name of Sangre de Toro, they have released a Tempranillo under that label. Tempranillo is the master grape of Spain and one of the giants in the wine industry. Very resilient and maleable in the hands of a good winemaker, Tempranillo (Temp*Rah*Nee*Oh)can develop well aged,blended or on its own. This particular bottle is quite simple; about 20% of it is aged in American oak and it is blended with unaged grapes. The result was a fruity, slightly structured red wine that was delicious upon first opening but then, as the oxygen opened it up, it became a full, jammy sweet wine...not my taste. I never seem to like the real fruity-smooth wines, like beaujolais, so I didn't finish the bottle. But I realize that there are people who like a relaxed red wine that is sweet and easy on the mouth. Ah well, I can't love 'em all!
At first, we all check out wine from Spain because of its enticing price point (most fall in the 10 dollar range and several top level choices can be had for under 30) but the journey can be difficult with many of the labels sporting the old world names, the Spanish language and the unfamiliar grape names. Miguel Torres is a world wide respected wine maker and his wines are an excellent start to a discovery of good Spanish wine. Sangre de Toro, his ordinary table version of Grenache is the most balanced and consistent wine we sell at Foodstop. Someday I will write a blog about that wine (its one of our top sellers), but today I'm writing about Torres' new entry. Banking on the name of Sangre de Toro, they have released a Tempranillo under that label. Tempranillo is the master grape of Spain and one of the giants in the wine industry. Very resilient and maleable in the hands of a good winemaker, Tempranillo (Temp*Rah*Nee*Oh)can develop well aged,blended or on its own. This particular bottle is quite simple; about 20% of it is aged in American oak and it is blended with unaged grapes. The result was a fruity, slightly structured red wine that was delicious upon first opening but then, as the oxygen opened it up, it became a full, jammy sweet wine...not my taste. I never seem to like the real fruity-smooth wines, like beaujolais, so I didn't finish the bottle. But I realize that there are people who like a relaxed red wine that is sweet and easy on the mouth. Ah well, I can't love 'em all!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Because all good things must
All good things MUST come to an end, and yesterday signaled the end of the wine tasting spree that began in earnest in March. Mariner Beverages hosted their first large format, traditionally styled wine tasting at DiMillo's Restaurant and managed to surprise and satisfy me. Not that I have anything against this wholesaler: in fact I find their approach to business fresh, young and energetic. But looking at their wine portfolio, I simply did not expect to find anything worth picking up this time around. I went into this show basically curious but really just wanting to show the flag and support Mariner's "Big Kahuna", Tim Wisseman.
Standout tables featured the Thunder Stone wines and its newer additon: Big Claw, a clean crisp white that features a Large Lobster Claw on its label...so you'll know what to pair it with. Crossroads wines from New Zealand also showed off the same old Sauvignon Blanc/Pinot Noir set, but they were surprisingly complex and defied the same old taste profile. When you go to shows like these and taste 35 - 50 wines, it's nice to be surprised sometimes...It's also nice to have your expectations met as well, so you really have to weigh a lot factors when tasting these samples. There is so much good wine out there that you begin to look for a definition of style that fits what you want to sell. For instance, I already have three excellent New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs that jump out like a basket of fresh grapefruit, now I can offer this Crossroads Sauvignon Blanc that is more mineral, grass and fruit...I guess I'm diversifying. The problem as a retailer becomes: But most customers have a profile in mind when searching for a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, so won't I just confuse them? Hopefully they will be adventurous enough to want to seek out the differences. Time will tell.
Finally, getting back to the show, there was a table of just Spanish wines, and all of the red wines were good, some were excellent, and all were enjoyable. Although we could have stayed another 45 minutes, after drinking those Spanish labels we unanimously decided to finish with some port and go home.
It was a great way to finish the tasting season and now I will have to wait until the fall for more opportunities.
Standout tables featured the Thunder Stone wines and its newer additon: Big Claw, a clean crisp white that features a Large Lobster Claw on its label...so you'll know what to pair it with. Crossroads wines from New Zealand also showed off the same old Sauvignon Blanc/Pinot Noir set, but they were surprisingly complex and defied the same old taste profile. When you go to shows like these and taste 35 - 50 wines, it's nice to be surprised sometimes...It's also nice to have your expectations met as well, so you really have to weigh a lot factors when tasting these samples. There is so much good wine out there that you begin to look for a definition of style that fits what you want to sell. For instance, I already have three excellent New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs that jump out like a basket of fresh grapefruit, now I can offer this Crossroads Sauvignon Blanc that is more mineral, grass and fruit...I guess I'm diversifying. The problem as a retailer becomes: But most customers have a profile in mind when searching for a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, so won't I just confuse them? Hopefully they will be adventurous enough to want to seek out the differences. Time will tell.
Finally, getting back to the show, there was a table of just Spanish wines, and all of the red wines were good, some were excellent, and all were enjoyable. Although we could have stayed another 45 minutes, after drinking those Spanish labels we unanimously decided to finish with some port and go home.
It was a great way to finish the tasting season and now I will have to wait until the fall for more opportunities.
Monday, May 11, 2009
A touch of Wine Snobbery
It was Mother's Day, after all, and I really wanted to make something special for Rhonda, so you will forgive my indulgence in an opulent choice of wine pairing.
But reader, let me tell you, this wine was a perfect pairing like Streisand with Redford, or Tracey with Hepburn. Let me rewind a bit and give you the menu breakdown so you can appreciate what I am talking about.
I worked Sunday from 6am until 1pm and from there I would go home and offer to cook dinner for Rhonda at any time she would prefer. Normally, she is an early eater and it was quite possible that she would ask for Sunday dinner @ 4pm, but today she was willing to eat between 5 and 6pm. Now I had already purchased everything I would need on Thursday, so I relaxed until 3:30pm when I finally jumped into action in the kitchen.
I prepared a salad which I have dubbed "Salad Rhondalaise" a romaine based light salad of Feta, pecans, craisins, with a touch of mushroom and cherry tomato with a splash of Balsamic Vinaigrette. This sweet and nutty intro was followed by the main course: Pan-seared Pork medaillions with Dijon mustard cream sauce supported by Red skinned mashed potatoes and fresh steamed green beans and soft rolls.
Talk about a classic French country meal, I was actually excited making the cream sauce and testing it out with pieces of pork (and so was my son, David)
Now to the good stuff. I had thought this out a week before, believe it or not, and decided to go with the French theme I had kind of come upon with the menu. I really wanted a red Burgundy and one that would shine with this kind of meal. I selected Joseph Drouhin's Gevrey-Chambertin. That's just a fancy way of saying: "I selected a French Pinot Noir that retails for about $44.00".
With Burgundy wine you will either drink white, which is solely Chardonnay, or red, which is solely Pinot Noir. But with few exceptions, you will not see the words Chardonnay or Pinot Noir printed on the label; instead, you will find the name of the village in the Burgundy region from which the wine was grown. With these particular wines I had the pleasure of attending a wine luncheon with Laurent Drouhin from the Joseph Drouhin family (you see why I called this post wine snobbery?) During this lunch we opened with the LaForet red, their basic table version of Pinot Noir and then followed it up with Chorey-les-Beaune, a twenty-three dollar Pinot and finished a rack of lamb with the Gevrey-Chambertin.
So I knew which one would pair well with the pork and deliver the knock-out punch for Mother's Day.
The Gevrey-Chambertin starts out with a strong, wooden feel on the tongue and then finishes with bright vibrant, almost too intense fruit. All of this is going on in a wine that is still quite delicate and light to the mouth. This created a devastating attack upon the pork entree and made the meat come alive. Again, Rhonda rose to the occaision and sampled the red although I held a Chilean Chardonnay in reserve, but she agreed that the Pinot Noir was delicious and she enjoyed the red grape with her dinner.
Dinner was a success and I logged it on my computer as a menu to save for future use.
If anything, I felt very confident in making the correct wine choice for a special dinner and to be able to do that for the love of your life is something worth noting. I hope you all try to find the "perfect pair" of food and wine and enjoy what a complete dining experience is all about.
But reader, let me tell you, this wine was a perfect pairing like Streisand with Redford, or Tracey with Hepburn. Let me rewind a bit and give you the menu breakdown so you can appreciate what I am talking about.
I worked Sunday from 6am until 1pm and from there I would go home and offer to cook dinner for Rhonda at any time she would prefer. Normally, she is an early eater and it was quite possible that she would ask for Sunday dinner @ 4pm, but today she was willing to eat between 5 and 6pm. Now I had already purchased everything I would need on Thursday, so I relaxed until 3:30pm when I finally jumped into action in the kitchen.
I prepared a salad which I have dubbed "Salad Rhondalaise" a romaine based light salad of Feta, pecans, craisins, with a touch of mushroom and cherry tomato with a splash of Balsamic Vinaigrette. This sweet and nutty intro was followed by the main course: Pan-seared Pork medaillions with Dijon mustard cream sauce supported by Red skinned mashed potatoes and fresh steamed green beans and soft rolls.
Talk about a classic French country meal, I was actually excited making the cream sauce and testing it out with pieces of pork (and so was my son, David)
Now to the good stuff. I had thought this out a week before, believe it or not, and decided to go with the French theme I had kind of come upon with the menu. I really wanted a red Burgundy and one that would shine with this kind of meal. I selected Joseph Drouhin's Gevrey-Chambertin. That's just a fancy way of saying: "I selected a French Pinot Noir that retails for about $44.00".
With Burgundy wine you will either drink white, which is solely Chardonnay, or red, which is solely Pinot Noir. But with few exceptions, you will not see the words Chardonnay or Pinot Noir printed on the label; instead, you will find the name of the village in the Burgundy region from which the wine was grown. With these particular wines I had the pleasure of attending a wine luncheon with Laurent Drouhin from the Joseph Drouhin family (you see why I called this post wine snobbery?) During this lunch we opened with the LaForet red, their basic table version of Pinot Noir and then followed it up with Chorey-les-Beaune, a twenty-three dollar Pinot and finished a rack of lamb with the Gevrey-Chambertin.
So I knew which one would pair well with the pork and deliver the knock-out punch for Mother's Day.
The Gevrey-Chambertin starts out with a strong, wooden feel on the tongue and then finishes with bright vibrant, almost too intense fruit. All of this is going on in a wine that is still quite delicate and light to the mouth. This created a devastating attack upon the pork entree and made the meat come alive. Again, Rhonda rose to the occaision and sampled the red although I held a Chilean Chardonnay in reserve, but she agreed that the Pinot Noir was delicious and she enjoyed the red grape with her dinner.
Dinner was a success and I logged it on my computer as a menu to save for future use.
If anything, I felt very confident in making the correct wine choice for a special dinner and to be able to do that for the love of your life is something worth noting. I hope you all try to find the "perfect pair" of food and wine and enjoy what a complete dining experience is all about.
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