Wine Pairings

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Ok, Dan got me going on this the other night. I'm no wine expert but this could get fun QUICK..

So, post up what brand of wine and variety you like with what dishes.

I'll start..

Kistler (any) -Chardonnay with lobster, shrimp, fish and (occasional fried chicken entrees, BUT TRY THIS)

Bollig-Lehnert - Riesling Spatlese with Indian and Chinese

Beaulieu Vineyard - Shiraz/ Cabernet with beef

Antigal - Malbec with lamb

Yellowtail (cheap, but good IMO)- Pinot Noir with pork

Add to this and keep in mind everyone has a different palate and experience level.

Comment on thoughts and other suggestions.

J

 

[spressomon]

Uh oh...now you've done it R!

At the top of my long list: '08 or '09 TOR Cabernet Sauvignon [Mast (Howell Mountain grapes), any of the To Kalon single vineyard bottlings as well as their regular CS] with any prime beef cut put atop wood coals. For that matter...just about any respectable Napa vintner's CS is tops in my book to serve with fatty beef cuts.

And for roasted/grilled/smoked chicken and turkey: Most any Willamette Valley Pinot Noir; Penner Ash is a stand-out among about 20 top producers of Oregon WV Pinot Noir. 2nd place would be many offerings of PN from the Russian River Valley including Merry Edwards, Gary Farrell's Alysian Pinot Noir as well as many other more than adequate PN vintners in the valley.

For whites we are big fans of Albarino. Havens, now a defunct Napa winery, was one of if not the first stateside vintners of Albarino (I've never read what happened to the Albarino plants after they sold and subsequently went BK.

Abacela near Roseburg Oregon does a great job with Albarino as well as fantastic Garnacha, Tempranillo and other mostly Spanish varietals they grow and make themselves. I have a bottle of their somewhat rare/limited production 2005 Paramour stashed for a special occasion.

And for a stellar sweet white wine quite suitable for a special occasion aperitif, dessert or even shrimp or scallop entrees another incredible drink: TOR's Noble ROT. Inspired by the likes of Chateau d'Yquem...rare and unpredictable bottlings that are caused by Botrytis Cinerea or noble rot. Expensive but I guarantee you...you will NEVER forget this tasting!

There are some amazingly good values in wine right now...not quite like 2-3 years ago at the depth of the recession/big sell-off but IMHO never a better time.

Heading to Amador County this weekend with some LC friends for some much over due wine sampling!

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Show off.... HA! Thanks Dan who's next. I would like to expand on my wine knowledge and this is a good start.

J

 

[spressomon]

Wine talk = verbal diarrhea from me

 

[zags]

I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.

An old saying, I know. Unfortunately, my wife does not like wine at all, so we never got in to drinking it with meals. Although it seems that even if a recipe calls for a half cup of wine, it always seems to take a whole bottle!

 

[rusty_tlc]

No real specifics as far as brands go but in general;

Zinfandel with spicy stuff like Schezwan, or curry

For beef I agree with Spresso, hard to beat a glass of Cab. However lately I've been trying chianti and burgundy which both work really well with beef. (Forget your bias, the real deal is not like the Ernest and Julio jug garbage we drank as teens.)

I like Merlot with fish, the fruitiness works for me. I know its heresy to drink red wine with fish but give it a try.

I usually prefer beer* with pork, if I drink wine I like a sweet low alcohol white like Riesling. Keep in mind we usually do pork with sauerkraut, taters etc.

Pinot Grigio with a fruit plate or cob/chef salad in the summer. It has to be cool, not cold, IMHO most whites are served way to cold at restaurants.


*There could be a whole other thread about beer pairings.

 

[JohnVee]

Pinot Grigio with a fruit plate or cob/chef salad in the summer. It has to be cool, not cold, IMHO most whites are served way to cold at restaurants.

I think it was America's Test Kitchen's wine guy who said that we drink Reds too warm and Whites too cold. Thoughts?

I don't follow wine enough to know very much. I usually go with the recommendations of others at the table or drink bottles they give to me. The wife is better about it and has her favorites. I guess I spend too much time on brown liquor and beer.

--john

 

[Fast Eddy]

A good Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese with ground lamb raviolis with lots of fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano.

But is this really "Camp Cuisine"? I suppose...

 

[NorCal Cruiser]

Here's the only unique combo I know- Gewurztraminer with pepperoni pizza. The sweetness of the wine pairs well with spicy pepperoni.

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

The sulfates in wines and my wife are a bad combo. Causes her heart to race etc.. So, I get every bottle to myself usually. I like a glass or two to accompany a meal or to enjoy alone.

Who's got a good dessert wine recommendation..

J

 

[spressomon]

Lots of very nice dessert wines on the market today. For reds look for late harvest zins, cabs or muscat for a little more mainstream. Whites = late harvest anything...gewurtz, semillon, Sblanc and sauternes at the mid-to upper end, etc.

You might try Ferrari Carano Eldorado Gold and/or Eldorado Noir...pretty good value without getting crazy.

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Lots of very nice dessert wines on the market today. For reds look for late harvest zins, cabs or muscat for a little more mainstream. Whites = late harvest anything...gewurtz, semillon, Sblanc and sauternes at the mid-to upper end, etc.

You might try Ferrari Carano Eldorado Gold and/or Eldorado Noir...pretty good value without getting crazy.

D,

I'm completely new to dessert wines, so for that being said, reds would be a good start?

J

 

[spressomon]

Flip a coin if you're not pairing. Generally late harvest whites tend to be sweeter than late harvest reds. Late harvest whites very often have a peach/apricot thing going on...whereas the reds are more earthy. So maybe for say a dense chocolate cake/torte a late harvest CS or Zin would generally be a better match. Whereas lighter cakes, carrot cake, stone fruit galette/pie and the sort might be better with a late harvest white.


Have you drank port?

 

[rusty_tlc]

Spresso, what is a good port that won't break the bank?

 

[spressomon]

Warre's Tawny is consistently good. 10-yr old is around $25 +/- and about $15 more to get to their 20-year old. 30-year old is now over $100 and 40-year is 2 large and north if you can even find it. IMO the best value is 20-year old Tawny. Nice distinct layers of flavor that you typically don't find in 10-year old.

Cockburn and Taylor Fladgate brand Tawny port is also right there...

One of the neat things about port: Since its ~20% alcohol you don't drink quite as much relative to wine and since its fortified it has a longer shelf life after its been opened. Having said that its always a good idea to vac or rebottle to keep oxidation to a minimum.

If you go to Napa be sure to stop and visit Prager Winery. 2-brothers and a sister own it; very small operation focused on port (white, ruby and tawny); fantastic port; and they know their s***.

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Good info on port. I've had a glass or two but nothing that made me want to explore further. I'll try a few more eventually.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Back when I used tobacco I liked a cigar or pipe and a glass of port after a meal.
:sigh:

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

I was talking to one of my guys last week and he said his uncle owned a Texas winery. He brought me a partial sample of their offerings. Said he had them preparing a specialty case of reds and whites for me.

Too cool and I can't wait to try these out.

Kiepersol Estates Winery:

http://www.kiepersol.com/winery/winery.shtml

J

 

[JohnVee]

We opened this last night and I like it a lot.