Wednesday 1 November 2017

What grows together, goes together!

Hey Fellow Winos

Just wanted to do a quick update and share a few meals I've had with some wine including some from my picks. When pairing food with wine the saying goes "What grows together, goes together".

Italian heavy ragu pasta with beef in the fall or winter, go northern Italian Piedmont for some heavy hitting red wines like Barolo, Barbaresco. Perhaps a simple pizza, go a little more simple like a younger Chianti. Italian food, Italian wine. French food, French wine.

Tonight, for instance, I'm having a Jamie Oliver inspired oven baked ragu and pairing it with a 2011 Morellino di Scansano, Tuscany, Italy for $19.95 The acidity in the Sangiovese grape (heck most Italian grape varietals) cuts through the acidity of the tomatoes and cozies up to the sausage.


Another meal I made recently was Julia Childs, Boeuf Bourguignon paired with a 2014 André Delorme Bourgogne, Pinot Noir, France at $22.95 French recipe from Burgundy, paired with a wine from....wait for it...Burgundy. The mushroom earthy tones of this meal pair exceptionally well with the earthy and mushroom tones from a Burgundy Pinot Noir. It's not science, just experience over hundreds if not thousands of years of trial and error. 



Let's say you are going to do a steak on the BBQ. Is this a large cut of meat that will have bold flavors by being covered in peppercorns or steak spice? If so, you may want to go with a bolder red wine from a hot climate. Perhaps a Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley in California or a Spanish Tempranillo from Rioja. Perhaps you are doing more of a quiet Fillet Mignon in a Bordeaulais sauce with scalloped potatoes, then maybe a bottle of Bordeaux from the right bank like Saint-Emilion or Pomerol, a moderate climate. Big steak, big wine. Quiet steak, quiet wine! 



Cabernet Franc, for instance, is a great varietal and is known for its green notes like bell pepper. A Cabernet Franc would then pair well with a steak and perhaps some roasted asparagus or roasted green peppers. Try to match the green notes in the wine to the green in the meal. See where I'm going with this? Below is when we were out at Terroni's on Adelaide, an Italian charcuterie plate paired well with a bottle of Etna Rosso from Sicily. Italian meats, Italian wine. 


Read the back of the wine label for some descriptors or simply scan the bottle barcode using your trusty LCBO app for insight into what to expect from the bottle and plan your meal accordingly. A mushroom and earthy Pinot Noir will go well with a mushroom and earthy meal like a winters stew. A bold black fruit 16% alcohol Napa Cabernet goes well with a charred steak spice filled cut of meat. Shiraz it's known for its peppery notes, perhaps a peppercorn steak with a bottle of Australian Shiraz? 

Remember one thing, and that is to have fun. Wine is about having a good time with friends and family preferably over a great meal. Sometimes though you just need to have a good time and wine can be the perfect starter, main and dessert. 




Happy Sipping,

Ryan Sullivan 



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