Sauvignon Blancs From Around the World: First Wine/Food Pairing Event

The Objective:

I want to experiment over the next few months with home wine and food pairing events, so that I can try to develop a workable model for a marketable business involving food and wine pairings in the future.  Lucky for me, I have several wine loving friends who are enthusiastic about joining into my experiments!  I recently hosted my first such event, and here's the report.

The Format:

Four guests and I brought wine.  The only criteria were that the wine be a Sauvignon Blanc varietal, and be above a certain modest price.  Three guests and I prepared food we thought might pair well with Sauvignon Blanc.  There was a sea of glasses on the table, because the five wines were served in flights.  Guests were invited to take their time, first sampling each wine without food, and then trying each of the wines with the food offerings.  All were provided with charts on which to take notes if they wished.

The Wine Lineup:

• 2007 Domaine Cordaillat Reuilly "Les Sables"  12.5% alcohol
• 2007 Highfield Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand) 13.0% alcohol
• 2008 Domaine Patrick Coulbois Pouilly-Fumé "Les Cocques"  12.5% alcohol
• 2009 Guenoc Lillie's North Coast Sauvignon Blanc, California.  13.5% alcohol
• 2009 Aresti Reserva Sauvignon Blanc D.O. Curico Valley, Chile.  13.0% alcohol
   

The Cuisine: 

A young goat cheese gouda with crackers

Potato Chips with Chèvre, Pepper Jelly and Bacon

Basil Leaves Stuffed with Chèvre and Pine Nuts

Herbed Tomato and Zucchini Gratin

Asparagus Salad with Herbs and Parmesan

Grilled Shrimp with Citrus-Sambal-Oelek Dressing

Smoked Salmon with Crème Fraîche and Capers

And for dessert,

Marcia’s Zippy Lemon Bars (Recipe below)

The Votes:

There were wild and interesting variations in individual pairing preferences, which was a lot of fun.  However, here are some generalizations:  The Chilean wine got raves with the goat gouda.  The two chèvre appetizers got votes with the New Zealand wine, although they also got some votes paired with the two French wines.  The two vegetable dishes were favored with the Guenoc.  And there were several votes preferring the shrimp and salmon with the two French wines.   

A couple more personal pairing notes:  I thought the shrimp dish paired nicely with all of the wines, and was not surprised at that.  However I was somewhat surprised to find that Ialso enjoyed the Asparagus Salad with most of the wines - I expected that to be a tougher pairing.  My favorite wine to just sip was the Pouilly-Fumé ( a view not shared by all), but interestingly, the Guenoc and Chilean wines I thought were the best food wines overall, working with the largest number of the foods, even though they were the ones I enjoyed a bit less on their own.

Parting Thoughts: 

It is endlessly fascinating to me, observing the different taste notes people will pick out of  various wines and pairings, and the different preferences guests experience.  After the obvious pleasure of enjoying great wines with great food, this is the most exciting thing to me about wine and food pairing events: the subtle differences in people's palates, and the things I can learn from others as we discuss what we taste!  We all had a great deal of fun, and we're all looking forward to the next party!  Here is a final picture of a well used table!

Marcia's Zippy Lemon Bars

Prep time approx. 40 minutes.

BASE:
2 c flour
½ c powdered sugar
1 c butter (softened)
 

Mix above and press into 9 x 13 pan. Bake 20 minutes @ 350 degrees. Let cool a little. Top should be slightly browned with a bit of lighter color showing thru. Watch the corners and edges for faster baking than the middle.

LEMON CUSTARD TOP:
4 beaten eggs
2 c sugar
1 tsp baking powder
4 Tbsp flour
4 Tbsp lemon juice and a bit of rind

Mix well and pour over warm base. Bake 25-30 minutes longer until top is slightly browned. Cut while slightly warm. Sprinkle top with powdered sugar by hand or w/sifter when cooled. Top must brown before removal from oven. Custard topping may be quite runny if undercooked or cut while hot. Let it cool and settle before cutting. Seems to form a bubbled up thin, caramelized crust w/even browning.

NOTES: I stick to basic baking practices not outlined in the original recipe: I blend the butter and sugar first, add the flour in stages, etc. I use my fist and arm to spread out the base in the pan. Otherwise it is a bear to spread out with a spoon or scraper. I use a whisk on the eggs and remaining ingredients. Meyer lemons don’t have enough zing and acidity, use regular lemons. I don’t measure the amount of juice. I’ve used b/w 1-2 lemons in the past to no measurable difference in texture or flavor. Same with the rind. The more fresh rind, the better though. I use a Pyrex baking pan. Metal seems to induce more dry out in the baking process. I cover all with foil for keeping for a few days. I’ve heard it helps to dip a knife in hot water to aid in cutting, but I’ve no definite answers this works great. Just be gentle.

Weekly Winery Adventure: Gundlach Bundschu

Restless on a beautiful weekday afternoon, I decided to head over to Gundlach Bundschu for a tasting.  I’ve had their wines in the past, but had never visited the tasting room, even though it’s minutes from my home.  Well, it turns out it’s an interesting spot.  Their grounds are beautiful, and the winery hosts musical concerts and special events throughout the Summer and Fall.  Visitors with reservations can also take a tour of some of the vineyards and the Barrel Cave (seen below). 

Tito was my server for my tasting, and he had time to chat with me throughout because they weren’t very busy – this is one of the reasons I like tasting mid-week.  Gundlach’s vineyards enjoy cooler weather than that of many vineyards nearby, and I think it shows in all their wines.  Here’s what I tasted:
·    2008 Chardonnay – nicely balanced, pleasantly crisp, and not over-oaked notwithstanding that it is 100% barrel fermented.  I tasted toffee and a hint of tangerine.  I couldn’t get the classic Chardonnay-lobster pairing out of my mind.
·    2008 Tempranillo Rosé – 100% Tempranillo, very dry, and sort of smoky.  Notes of plum and kiwi.
·    2007 Pinot Noir – lovely nose, with hints of red cherry and blueberry.  I wanted a grilled salmon salad with it.
·    2006 Mountain Cuvée – A Bordeaux blend of 70% merlot, 29% cab and 1% petit verdot, with black cherry, spice and dark chocolate in the finish.  Lovely for the price; I bought one.
·    2007 Zinfandel – Tito brought this wine to me blind, and I didn’t guess it was a Zin because it’s not as huge and brash as many other Zins produced nearby, a pleasant contrast.  At first the nose was an explosion of strawberry jam, but in a minute or two, some interesting floral aromas emerged.  I tasted strawberry, black plum and white pepper, a hint of chocolate in the finish.  We discussed pairing it with lasagna or pasta with sausage, or something similar.
 

·    2007 Cabernet Franc – notes of black fruit, coffee, dark chocolate in the finish, nicely balanced.  I wanted a simple grilled steak.

I took the time to wander about the grounds a bit.  Lovely!  Quite pleasant wines, and a beautiful setting.  I suggest you visit!  Bring a picnic and enjoy the scenery!  And be sure to say hi to Tito!

Too Bad I Can't Photograph An Aroma!

Because this dish smelled insanely good while cooking!
 

I love Joanne Harris’ and Fran Warde’s cookbook, The French Market, which I bought a while back when our then-Supper Club was planning a French meal.  Since then, I’ve prepared a number of delightful dishes from it.  I had been eying their recipe for Lentilles du Puy, or Wine-Braised Puy Lentils, for quite some time, and I finally decided the time had come.  It’s easy, and I often have all the ingredients on hand.  I cut the recipe in half, but it calls for:

¼ c. olive oil
2 red onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups Puy lentils or brown lentils (I used brown)
2 cups hearty red wine (I used a simple, fruity Shiraz)
1 (14½-oz) can chopped tomatoes in juice
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs oregano (I didn’t have fresh oregano, used thyme sprigs from my garden instead)
2 sprigs rosemary (I used a bit of dried)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat the oven to 350, heat the oil in a Dutch oven or other oven-safe covered pan over medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic, cook for 5 min. Add all the remaining ingredients PLUS ¾ cup water, and bring to a boil.  Cover and bake for 30 min.  Stir, and continue baking till the lentils are tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 30 min. more.

The heady aroma of this dish while it baked was amazing, and I loved the hearty, rustic flavors.  I enjoyed the lentils with left-over pork roast and an arugula salad, with the same Shiraz I used in the dish.  The Shiraz was lovely with the lentils, not a perfect match for the pork but not at all bad.  A very satisfying meal, and I’m sure I will be making these lentils again and again.

Note:  They are even better the next day!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Mine grows in boxes and pots.  I just got my EarthBox planted with Brandywine and Big Girl tomatoes, and some arugula and heirloom lettuce seeds - not visible yet, obviously.  Of course, we also have mint, thyme and sage in front.  (The parsley and basil are coming soon.)

It's a SALAD GARDEN!

I can't wait to see how it will grow.  Oh, the salads I shall make!

Weekly Winery Adventure: In which we taste some Superb Napa Cabs and a Knock-Your-Socks-Off Cab Franc

My friend and fellow blogger, Bon Vivant, recently scored an invitation to a private tasting at the Napa Wine Company and, lucky me, I got to participate too!  BV had tasted a couple of these wines at JV Wine & Spirits recently, and after her enthusiastic review, I was eager to give them a try.  The wines we tasted were from Hoopes Vineyard, and its sister label, Liparita, produced by the same winemaker, Jason Fisher.  Both labels make well structured 100% Cabernet Sauvignons, sourced from various Napa appellations.  What a taste treat! 

We were greeted by our host, Brian Bowman, who escorted us into the barrel-storage facility at Napa Wine Company, where these wines are made.  Our first sample was the 2006 Liparita Stags Leap District Cabernet.  I tasted black cherry, with hints of chocolate and raspberry, and dreamed of a classic roast beef pairing with it.  Next up was the 2006 Liparita Oakville Cab, also lovely, fascinatingly different from the first wine.  I tasted berries, plum, and a hint of unsweetened chocolate, and craved a braised or even grilled preparation to pair with it.  Next we tasted the 2006 Hoopes Vineyard Oakville Cabernet, with notes of cassis and leather and black pepper, with a hint of vanilla in the finish.   

I simply can’t pick a favorite – I loved them all, though I’d probably pair them with different things.  If I need a reason to return to my early love of Napa Cabs, these wines might do the trick!

Brian also treated us to barrel tastings of the 2008 Liparita Stags Leap Cab (black fruit, blueberry), the 2008 Liparita Yountville Cab (strawberry jam), and 2008 Hoopes Cab (black current, black pepper) – all of which promise to be amazing! 

Back in the tasting room with just a few minutes to spare before our next appointment, we tasted the 2006 Volker Eisele Napa Valley Terzetto, a blend of Cab, Merlot and Cab Franc.  It had lots of currant notes, and BV and I thought it would be The Bomb paired with a Turkey Molé. 

Our next stop was a trip to Sullivan Vineyards, one of BV’s favorites.  I had never visited before, and wasn’t disappointed.

Here is the list of wines we tasted, each one a big hit:

·    2006 Napa Valley Chardonnay – floral, lightly oaked, hints of honey, tangerine, Meyer Lemon
·    2006 Red Ink – a blend of 81% Cab, 19% Merlot, delicious.  I think it would pair wonderfully with the Kobe Beef Burger I had at the Boon Fly Café not long ago.  I bought some.
·    2006 Estate Merlot – big and balanced with eucalyptus notes
·    2007 Right Bank Bland – 75% Cab Franc, 25% Merlot, probably my favorite of the day, delicious currant notes.  I am a huge fan of well-made Cab Francs, and this wine was so big and complex, I gotta say I was blown away.

·    2005 Cabernet – smoky with notes of black cherry and blueberries
·    2005 Coeur de Vigne – delicious Bordeaux blend of 50% Merlot, 37% Cab, 5% Cab Franc, 8% Petit Verdot, with notes of cassis, leather, a hint unsweetend chocolate

Every bit as delightful as the wines themselves was our host, Asa Baird, who regaled us with stories and food pairing tips while he poured the wines.  Thanks Asa!

Book Review

What a long time since my last blog post!  My energies have been focused on business, and on my Sister Blog, Sonoma Freelance.  However, I am returning to the blog to report on a wonderful book that has stimulated a lot of thought of late, particularly in my thinking about some food and wine pairing events I’m planning (about which, stay tuned for future posts).

Mock Turtle gave me this lovely gift (thanks again, MT!), and I’ve really been enjoying reading through it.  It’s What to Drink with What you Eat, by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page (New York: Bulfinch Press, 2006).  This fascinating and beautiful book (absolutely stunning photos) contains a vast wealth of information on food and beverage pairings, incorporating contributions from sommeliers and restauranteurs from across the country. 

There is a very useful chapter called “Food and Beverage Pairing 101” that lists very practical considerations to help the reader analyze various wine and food characteristics that help inform pairing decisions.  Fascinatingly fun are the encyclopedic chapters called “What to Drink with What you Eat,” and “What to Eat with What you Drink.”  Each is comprised of an alphabetical list of foods and beverages, respectively, and the beverages – or foods -  that might compliment each.  Ever wonder what to drink with, say, celery?  Sauvignon Blanc, apparently!  Or tortillas?  Chardonnay, especially from New Zealand!  Naturally, the lists of possible beverages for certain foods are quite long; the list for oysters, for example, goes on for pages.  These chapters also include interesting quotes from chefs and sommeliers, and even the occasional delicious sounding recipe.

The last two chapters may be the most fun of all.  "At the Table with the Experts" contains descriptions from famous chefs of their restaurant pairing menus and the strategy that went into them.  Last is the fabulous “Desert Island Lists” of leading experts who were asked the question, what 12 bottles would they take with them to the proverbial desert island.  Their comments - and lists - are highly entertaining!

I’m going to be studying this book for some time to come, but here is a thought which I found so arresting, I had to bounce it off Bon Vivant after her fabulous Michael Chiarello inspired "Wines of the World" dinner party over the weekend.  One of the sommeliers interviewed states that it’s more important to match a wine to a person than it is to match a wine to the food.  Creating a memorable food and wine experience for others isn’t about displaying your own knowledge; it’s about making your guests happy.  There is a huge emotional component to enjoyment of dining experiences that might be colored by one’s comfort level with particular varietals or styles, or any number of other things.  If we ignore that emotional component and focus just upon the “science” of what pairs best with what, we may fail to create the enjoyment we’re aiming for.  The sommelier went on to give the example of a customer who really wanted a big, bold red wine because that was his idea of the best wine in the world.  So the sommelier served him the monster Cabernet with the caviar first course (Bon Vivant and I were appropriately aghast), and the sommelier kept his own preferences to himself.  Because it’s about making the guests or customers happy, not about imposing wine pairing rules on them.

This resonates with my belief that successful entertaining is not merely, or even primarily, about preparing the perfect food and pouring the perfect wine, even though we strive for that.  It is about creating the perfectly magical, memorable dining experience, the laughter and conversation and sharing and joy that can come from sharing a great meal with others.  And creating that experience is my goal when I entertain.

(Nevertheless, take note friends: there will be no big Cabernets served with caviar at my parties.  Just sayin’ . . . .)

Winery Adventure – Special (Belated) New Year's Edition

Mock Turtle and I have a long-standing New Year’s tradition of visiting a new (or revisiting an old) wine region, tasting and generally having fun bringing in the New Year. This year’s annual New Year’s Wine Tasting Weekend took place in Napa, close to home for us both. We visited four wineries over the course of the weekend: Nicholson Ranch, Plumpjack, Turnbull, and Peju. (We usually hit more, but the wine tasting was interrupted by Bon Vivant’s fantastic New Year’s Day Karaoke and Bubbly Party! No posts on that topic however; all wild behavior will be kept secret.) One of these four wineries stood out – although it stood out in a mixed manner, as you will see. The grounds and the wines were great, but the wine tasting experience was a mixed bag. But first things first.

Peju Winery in Rutherford is an exceptionally beautiful facility, and the sculpture-filled gardens and the art exhibit are tasteful and elegant. I’m linking to the website’s photo gallery, so you can get a taste (no pun intended, although I like it). Peju Gallery.

And we also loved the wines! It was a generous tasting; we sampled nine wines, and there wasn’t a single one I didn’t find to be quite lovely. A few of them I thought were jaw-droppingly good! In particular, I loved the well-balanced 2008 Sauvignon Blanc, with pear and citrus in the nose, and a fuller mouth-feel than many Sauvs, and grapefruit and pineapple notes. I also loved the 2005 Estate Cabernet Franc Rutherford Reserve, balanced and lush, with notes of spice and leather and plums and cocoa. Wonderful! The 2005 Estate Cabernet Rutherford Reserve was superb as well (Bing cherry, milk chocolate), and honorable mention goes to the 2006 Fifty/Fifty Red with notes of cherries and coffee and a very soft mouth-feel.

However, the tasting setup itself is one I take some exception to (as do many of my local friends, I’ve found). In lieu of one large tasting room, Peju has numerous (I don’t know how many, but I saw at least three) small tasting stations set up for a max of about 8 -12 people, and tastings are done in groups. We actually had to wait in line for 10 or 15 minutes before we were escorted to our tasting area. Once there, the tasting was almost like a small – very basic - wine class, in which all 8 of us tasted each wine together after listening to the server’s comments about it, and the approach seemed to be geared toward folks who are wine novices. Which generally isn’t what I want when I go tasting.

Why does Peju do this? I can but speculate, although it does utilize their lovely space well, and it does enable them to move people through a tasting on a set, predictable schedule. However, MT and I like to linger over our tastings, discussing each wine in excruciating detail (along with discussing the latest movies, fashion, gossip, or whatever else flits across our minds). And we both felt rushed by this tasting experience. Don’t get me wrong; our server, Jeff, was engaging and friendly and well informed about the wines. He also quickly figured out that MT and I were very knowledgeable, and he tried his best to let us take our time, and I have no complaints whatsoever about his excellent service. But the scheduled “roll ‘em up, move ‘em out” tasting format just isn’t my cup of tea, to mix metaphors.

Having said that, I will certainly return to Peju to purchase wines. Nor would I discourage anyone from visiting – again, because the wines are worth it. And I might even consider taking friends there who are perhaps newer to wine, and might enjoy the “wine class” tasting approach.