Need Help!

[sadistick]

Hey folks,

A friend of mine gave me a nice bottle of Cali. Pinot yesterday, and I wanted to pick your brains on what food would do this nice bottle justice...

So please, can you help me?

Cheers

[Rebel Rose]

Cali pinots range in style from dark cherry and cinnamon bombs to brick red, mushroom and earth over pie cherry styles. Can you give us more information about the wine?

But basically, I think any medium weight or braised meat with side dishes of wild rice and sauteed mushrooms are always great with pinot!

[Brad Ballinger]

Many people also enjoy California Pinot Noir with grilled salmon. But I agree with Mary -- knowing the producer would help.

[carswell]

Ditto the above. That said, a pretty safe bet is The Slanted Door's Shaking Beef.

[sadistick]

Sorry for the lack of info...

The bottle is a 2002 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir

Hope this helps...Oh, and one more thing, one of the only foods I dislike, is cooked salmon

Cheers

[carswell]

Haven't had a WS in quite a while, so bear that in mind. If fish appeals, seared red tuna will do the trick, especially in combination with red wine-friendly ingredients like mushrooms. Most any fowl will pair nicely — I'd incline toward quail — as will lighter game meats like rabbit and boar. I find beef, especially filet, the most synergistic red-meat match with pinot noir.

edit: How could I forget veal? Especially grilled or (pan-)roasted thick-cut chops, especially especially with mushrooms.

Edited October 26, 2005 by carswell (log)

[Daniel Rogov]

I hate to complicate matters but Williams Selyem released at least a dozen different Pinot Noirs in 2002 (e.g. Precious Mt. Vineyard, Westside Road, Allen Vineyard, Russian River Valley, Sonoma, Coastlands Vineyard, Central Coast, Rochioli Riverbank Vineyard, Flax Vineyard).

The good news is that nearly all of these are excellent wines and indeed will go as well with grilled salmon as with roasted quails, grilled lobsters (stuffed with crabmeat or plain), veal schnitzels (a la holstein or other), and pork cutlets.

Enjoy!

[DTBarton]

I enjoy pinot noir with mushroom dishes like a wild mushroom lasagne or risotto (no red sauce on the lasagne, use white sauce).

Herbed roasted pork goes well also.

[JohnL]

Sorry for the lack of info...

The bottle is a 2002 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir

Hope this helps...Oh, and one more thing, one of the only foods I dislike, is cooked salmon 

Cheers

←

Assume this is the "Russian River" bottling.

(Williams/Selyem make quite a few different pinots--grapes sourced from different vinyard etc)

I happen to like their wines quite a bit.

I wouldn't disagree with any of the recommendations you have received here.

The WS pinot is balanced and has some complexity.

there's oak but it is not overwhelming in these wines --they also get pretty ripe fruit.

I have had a few W and S 2002's (not the Russian River) and they were very nice.

With these wines I like simple dishes like basic roast chicken or seared tuna , (simple duck preparations work also--say some ducklegs seared then roasted in the oven with just salt and pepper)

[sadistick]

Thanks for all the replies...

It is a "California Coast" 2002 Pinot...

Went and picked up a nicely marbled Rib Eye, gonna pan sear it, slice it thin, and serve with some Sauteed King Mushrooms, and some type of Herb Potatoes...not sure whether to bake them or maybe mash...we'll see!

[Rebel Rose]

This conversation is making me drool. I'd mash those potatoes, herb them up, and serve topped with melting dollops of butter and Gorgonzola with a heavy sprinkling of coarse-ground Tellicherry peppercorn and fine sea salt. But it all sounds good. Be sure to let us know how dinner turned out! Photos, maybe?

[Abra]

Since we're on a California Pinot topic, I was down in Santa Barbara this week and given a bottle of Sanford Santa Rita Hills Pinot 2002. Any food ideas about this one?

[Rebel Rose]

Sanford is a tight, elegant style and '02 was a lean vintage, so that bottle should have some pretty bracing acidity. I believe I had that vintage a few months ago; I recall a definite cinnamon dust finish. I'm thinking some penne pasta with late-season heirloom tomatoes, gently warmed with garlic in olive oil, served with Parmesan and a sprinkling of the last of the pre-frost basil and maybe some fresh thyme. Hmm, on second thought, if you can get late-season heirloom tomatoes, I'd slice the tomatoes and warm them gently in the microwave, drain off any tomato water, and then pour the garlic and olive oil over the penne and tomatoes. Chicken optional.

[sadistick]

I apologize RR - No photos...but it turned out great...

I decided to make some home made Fries...cut em up in to your typical fry shape, then slathered on some good EVOO, some sea salt, garlic, thyme, pepper, and some onions for good measure...

All in all my GF loved it, and I was pretty satisfied as well

[Abra]

Thanks for the interesting suggestion, Mary. I seldom think of tomatoes and wines with a good acidity as going together, but I see right away how the roasting, olive oil, and cheese could mellow it out to Pinot level.