what to pair with Insignia?

[jende]

My husband and I are finally going to open the bottle of Phelps Insignia (I think it's a '96) that we've been saving for a few years, and I'm wondering what to eat with it. We're definitely having a red wine risotto with parmesan broth (cribbed from Cyrus), but I'd like to do a meat course and maybe a salad too.

I love beef, but I'd prefer to have something a little lighter because the risotto is extremely rich. Any suggestions?

[Brad Ballinger]

Is lamb lighter? Perhaps a couple of chops each. The thing about Insignia is that it's a pretty bold wine.

[JohnL]

My husband and I are finally going to open the bottle of Phelps Insignia (I think it's a '96) that we've been saving for a few years, and I'm wondering what to eat with it. We're definitely having a red wine risotto with parmesan broth (cribbed from Cyrus), but I'd like to do a meat course and maybe a salad too.

I love beef, but I'd prefer to have something a little lighter because the risotto is extremely rich. Any suggestions?

←

Brad's lamb suggestion is a good one. I recently had the Insignia with a simple

roast leg of lamb (au jus) and the pairing worked very well.

A basic loin of lamb pan seared and then roasted with some string beans would be IMOP a great follow up to the risotto. (which should also be nice with the Insignia!).

[jende]

We don't eat a lot of red meat, so probably anything is going to seem heavy to me (beef, lamb, etc.). I know that this is a big Cab, though, so maybe it's silly to try to pair something other than red meat with it.

I have a recipe for pork loin with caramelized onions and figs that I've wanted to try, but I didn't know how the sweet flavors would work with the wine. Maybe I will try the lamb, though. I think my husband has only eaten lamb once in his life, so it might be fun to try it.

[JohnL]

We don't eat a lot of red meat, so probably anything is going to seem heavy to me (beef, lamb, etc.). I know that this is a big Cab, though, so maybe it's silly to try to pair something other than red meat with it.

I have a recipe for pork loin with caramelized onions and figs that I've wanted to try, but I didn't know how the sweet flavors would work with the wine. Maybe I will try the lamb, though. I think my husband has only eaten lamb once in his life, so it might be fun to try it.

←

I think something like quail with a wine or port reduction would work also rather than roast pork a pan seared or grilled pork chop would be fine.

Also duck would be a good pairing with this wine. I have had it with D'Artagnan confite duck legs over simple braised red cabbage. By searing or grilling you will get some carmelization that will help the meat stand up to what is a big wine with loads of fruit.

another idea for this wine--

Roasted winter vegetables--snips, beets, turnips, carrots, shallots, roast garlick, potatoes, mushrooms etc.

[jende]

We don't eat a lot of red meat, so probably anything is going to seem heavy to me (beef, lamb, etc.). I know that this is a big Cab, though, so maybe it's silly to try to pair something other than red meat with it.

I have a recipe for pork loin with caramelized onions and figs that I've wanted to try, but I didn't know how the sweet flavors would work with the wine. Maybe I will try the lamb, though. I think my husband has only eaten lamb once in his life, so it might be fun to try it.

←

I think something like quail with a wine or port reduction would work also rather than roast pork a pan seared or grilled pork chop would be fine.

Also duck would be a good pairing with this wine. I have had it with D'Artagnan confite duck legs over simple braised red cabbage. By searing or grilling you will get some carmelization that will help the meat stand up to what is a big wine with loads of fruit.

another idea for this wine--

Roasted winter vegetables--snips, beets, turnips, carrots, shallots, roast garlick, potatoes, mushrooms etc.

←

I was wondering what kind of vegetable might be appropriate, so thanks for that recommendation (as well as the others). Roasted winter vegetables sounds perfect.