Food and Wine Pairings

[wkl]

you would be fine to chill your bojo slightly. zins and bar b q is great. zin and summer heat not so great.

you could find cru beaujolais for 10 or under wholsale, these would have a bit more complexity and maybe won't be as fruit forward as beaujolais or beaujolais village.

[KatieLoeb]

Don't laugh, but Lambrusco and BBQ go great together. Seriously. I thought the same thing until I tried it. Delicious and a completely surprising pairing.

[Jaymes]

Don't laugh, but Lambrusco and BBQ go great together.  Seriously.  I thought the same thing until I tried it.  Delicious and a completely surprising pairing.

Actually, it sounds good! So good that in fact I think I'm gonna have some really soon. Maybe even tomorrow.

Thanks, Katie.

[gfron1]

I'm not sure what Aiden will do but for me these are great suggestions. And thanks Brad for the specifics - I'll see what the cowboy and cowgirl are willing to do.

[wkl]

Don't laugh, but Lambrusco and BBQ go great together.  Seriously.  I thought the same thing until I tried it.  Delicious and a completely surprising pairing.

Actually, it sounds good! So good that in fact I think I'm gonna have some really soon. Maybe even tomorrow.

Thanks, Katie.

←

sparkling lambrusco is suprisingly good also.

[KatieLoeb]

Don't laugh, but Lambrusco and BBQ go great together.  Seriously.  I thought the same thing until I tried it.  Delicious and a completely surprising pairing.

Actually, it sounds good! So good that in fact I think I'm gonna have some really soon. Maybe even tomorrow.

Thanks, Katie.

←

sparkling lambrusco is suprisingly good also.

←

Actually, that's what I meant. The slightly effervescent red that's slightly sweet as well. Picks up on the flavors in BBQ sauce really well, in addition to having enough oomph as a red wine to stand up to pork or beef over fire.

The first time a very well trained sommeliere friend suggested this to me, I laughed out loud. But it totally works. Really truly.

[Amida0616]

Some people from work and I are going to a vegan dinner club. I would like to pick out some wines to split between the group that would pair well with dinner.

Any advice as far as pairings, as well as recommendations to specific wines that might be easy on the budget would be welcome.

1st course

"summer squash roulade with

macadamia 'salata' and basil pesto"

Gewürztraminer?

2nd course

"wild arugula with sesame onion rings

and sweet mustard seed tahini dressing"

Dry Chardonnay?

3rd course

"young coconut 'pad thai' with

snow peas and almond chile sauce"

Pinot Noir??

4th

chocolate 'cheese' cake with

strawberries and black mint syrup

I think 3 bottles will probably be enough for this group of 6 so maybe nothing with dessert.

I drink a lot of wine for dinner but it is mostly just good bottles of dry cabernet that i split with my girl. This would be my first attempt at a "higher level" wine pairing.

Tips?

Suggestions?

Specific wines you recommend?

[Daniel Rogov]

Two perhaps silly questions:

1. It is my understanding that many vegans object to the use of eggs in any form and quite a few wines are fined with egg whites. Will this be a problem?

2. Do the wines have to be organic?

[Amida0616]

1. It is my understanding that many vegans object to the use of eggs in any form and quite a few wines are fined with egg whites. Will this be a problem?

No. Only one person is truly vegan and i dont think he is quite that strict.

Good question though i have actually talked to strict vegans who got wine from "pure food and wine" and were upset that they were not served vegan wines and found out afterward.

2. Do the wines have to be organic?

No, although it would not be a bad thing, however the only organic wine i have had was really horrible.

I am not sure if this is how all organic wines are.

I am basically only concerned with flavor.

Edited June 23, 2008 by Amida0616 (log)

[thirtyoneknots]

Chinon can be a good option with veggies, (esp grilled ones) and could perhaps stand in in lieu of the pinot. The other nice thing about Chinon vs. Pinot is that top-notch Chinon seems to typically be available for 1/3 the price of what a Pinot Noir of similar quality goes for. On the other hand, the place may not even carry any.

[Amida0616]

the place does not carry any wine, it is byob.

Can you recommend a specific bottle of Chinon.

I guess i should have mentioned that most people going are not wine enthusiasts so i would not see spending more than 20-40$ per bottle (preferable 20$!) .

Thanks again

[Brad Ballinger]

A very good Chinon producer in that price range (and probably even less) is Charles Joguet. They also make a Chinon Rose, which might be a better match for these dishes.

I'd probably go white. An Alsatian producer, Josmeyer, uses organic methods and produces Pinot Gris (for your first course), Gewurztraminer (for your second), and Riesling (for your third). All at the low end of your price range, if not lower. The only exception might be if you seek out the "Le Dragon" bottling of their Riesling.

For your dessert, many people like muscat with chocolate and berries. Others prefer something like Late Bottled Vintage Port. Again, both options are in your price range, probably on the low end.

Edited June 24, 2008 by Brad Ballinger (log)

[Amida0616]

Thanks for all the help!

Heres is what i am thinking now.

1st course

"summer squash roulade with

macadamia 'salata' and basil pesto"

91726 06 Lucien Albrecht Pinot Gris ''Cuvee Romanus''

2nd course

"wild arugula with sesame onion rings

and sweet mustard seed tahini dressing"

1095 05 Trimbach Gewurztraminer

3rd course

"young coconut 'pad thai' with

snow peas and almond chile sauce"

94454 05 Domaine Charles Joguet Chinon ''Cuvee de la Cure''

4th

chocolate 'cheese' cake with

strawberries and black mint syrup

1489 03 Ramos Pinto Late Bottled Vintage Port

Comments?

[Brad Ballinger]

Looks good from here...

[doctortim]

In a week I'm planning on serving roast lamb shoulder stuffed with a apricots, couscous, pine nuts, and herbs. On the side will be boiled potatoes dressed with a parsley & mint vinaigrette.

Can anyone recommend a good style of wine to serve alongside? I don't usually have trouble with lamb, but I don't want the sweetness of the apricots to clash. If you're naming specifics, a bonus would be Australian wines since that's where I am.

[nickrey]

White, Red or Bubbles?

For red, try a Zinfandel or even a McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon (the berry flavour should complement the sweetness of the apricots).

For white, you'd probably be hard pressed to go past a Riesling (apricot is one of the taste descriptors for this wine). Given that it's lamb, go for a slightly sweet version rather than a very sweet one.

For bubbles, try a sparkling Shiraz or Pinot Noir (adult Ribena)

Edited December 24, 2008 by nickrey (log)

[jackal10]

Good fruity Pinot with a bit of age, such as a Chalkers Crossing http://www.chalkerscrossing.com.au/tumbaru...notnoir2001.cfm

[Mano]

With only 24 hours notice I was given the wine pairing assignment for dolci, who I always thought was an Italian painter. A google search for dolci also came up dolce, an Italian pastry or cake.

Suggestions please? Price isn't much of an issue as I'm willing to spend $100 for two bottles.

Grazie!

[Mano]

Okay, the host just told me it's cannolli. I love cannolli, but what wine do you pair with cannolli?

Katie Loeb here recommended Moscato d'Asti or Brachetto d'Acqui if having chocolate.

Anyone else?

[thirtyoneknots]

I would second the Moscato d'Asti recommendation, or some imitation thereof. The Australian winemaker Two Hands makes a fabulous Moscato called Briliant Disguise. Locally it's about $17 for a 500ml bottle. That's pretty much the most you'll be able to pay for that type of wine, Italian examples should be a bit less, in general.

For my preferences though, I might have coffee with the dessert and drink the wine after that.

[Mano]

Thanks for your helpful input. I bought Moscato Passito di Pantelleria, which should pair well with the cannolli.

[Mano]

I've been given a wine challenge to pair wines with salmon but they cannot be French or American. No information on how it's being prepared but it'll probably be grilled. I need two bottles at up to $50 each.

Here are my thoughts and I welcome all input:

Spain

Albariño

Verdejo

Tempranillo

Germany and Alsace

Pinot Noir (I've heard there are good ones out there but need direction)

Full bodied Riesling

Alsatian (Tokay) Pinot Gris

Italy

Pinot gris

Barbera

New Zeland

Sauvignon Blanc

Australia

???

[Chris Amirault]

Salmon prepared in what manner? That would have quite an impact....

[Mano]

Salmon prepared in what manner? That would have quite an impact....

Yes, and the host hasn't responded to my email asking that same question. I'll send another but may not be told as a) our wine and dinner group likes to assign difficult challenges or b) she may not decide until just before the dinner which is in two weeks. As of this time the folks assigned the two meat entree's are given no more information than that.

The hosts are fairly straight forward cooks so my best guess is grilled and not poached. Don't know about spices, sauces or other prep info.

[Chris Amirault]

I'd go with two pretty different bottles, then, and pray there are no artichokes on the table. A flowery reisling on the one hand and a flinty pinot gris/grigio on the other?