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by Manos Angelakis
Seasonal Wine and Food Pairings.
The Holy Grail of food and wine pairing is to have a wine that truly enhances the taste of food and vice versa. During spring, a few excellent pairing possibilities are based on meals traditionally served for the holidays.
First pairing; it is Ham and Riesling. Trocken, Halbtrocken, or simply Kabinett Rieslings from Germany’s Mosel, Pfalz, Rheinhessen or Rheingau vineyards, or a New York State Riesling from Dr. Konstantin Frank’s Vinifera Wine Cellars make for a divine pairing with ham. Whether you like your Rieslings very dry (trocken), off dry (halbtrocken) or even with a little sweetness (Kabinett), the bright acidity of these wines cuts right through the fattiness of the ham and the aromas from the wine glass enhance the aromas of the dish. Even the tastes are very compatible with honey being usually part of the ham’s glaze as well as in the wine’s palate. For wine suggestions, see LuxuryWeb’s “A Riesling Journey” or here, at The Oenophile Blog “Riesling Update”.
Another excellent pairing is Pinot Noir and Lamb. This is a pairing that you would want to experience at least once a year. Leg of lamb, either domestic American (a bit fattier) or from Australia or New Zealand (a little leaner), can be oven-roasted, or charcoal-grilled and is delicious with a Pinot Noir, whose palate is dominated by black cherries and plums. Add some lemon potatoes spiced with fresh oregano and thyme, and you will be in seventh heaven. The United States has increasingly become a major Pinot Noir producer, with some of the best wines coming from the Willamette Valley in Oregon and California's Russian River Valley, as well as the Central Coast's Santa Lucia Highlands appellation and the Sta. Rita Hill in Santa Barbara County. Traditional red Burgundy Pinot Noir is famous for its fleshy, barnyard aromas, but new easier-to-grow clones have favored a lighter, fruitier style, which I personally prefer.
A third pairing you might want to explore is Sauvignon Blanc and Salmon. Salmon, whether farmed or wild caught, can be backed, poached, or charcoal grilled and the taste varies from pronounced to subtle. No matter how you cook the salmon, the floral/citrus/tropical-fruit/grassy aromas of Sauvignon Blanc and the delicate acidity, pair beautifully with the fish. In France, Sauvignon Blanc is grown in Bordeaux and Sauternes as well as the Loire Valley. The climates of these areas are favorable to slowing the ripening on the vine, allowing the grape more time to develop a balance between acidity and sugar content. The asparagus, gooseberry, and green pepper flavor commonly associated with New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc becomes more pronounced and concentrated in wines from cooler regions. Australian Sauvignon Blanc wines exhibit riper flavors such as passion fruit, white peach and lime and slightly higher acidity. At its most unripe stage, the grape is high in malic acid, but as it progresses further towards ripeness, the grape develops red & green pepper flavors, very evident in Chilean Sauvignon Blanc wines, and eventually achieves a balance of sugars.
Salud!
© April 2008 The Oenophile Blog. All rights reserved.
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