The Mailbag - Wine Pairing Suggestions Needed

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I received the following email from a reader,

"Hi Alpana - our neighborhood wine tasting group is having our annual holiday dinner and I am in charge of selecting the wines. I would love to read your comments/recommendations. We want to have 2 whites and 2 reds. We have a budget of $20 per person, so I was thinking of one higher-level wine of each type ($25), with a more modestly-priced choice ($15) to balance it out. Thank you" - Rick

Rick provided me with the menu so let's see what pairings we could come up with.

First Course - Almond-Apricot Roasted Sea Scallops with Sautéed Spinach & Amaretto Cream

Considering the use of sweet apricots and amaretto cream, this preparation reads more like a dessert which means we need to balance sweet with savory. A high acid wine such as a Sauvignon Blanc or steely French Chardonnay will do wonders for the minerally scallops and nutty almonds but it will make the apricots taste sour. What we need here is a white wine with a fat round texture to match the richness of the cream and a hint of tropical sweetness to compliment the apricots but still be refreshing enough to allow the flavor of the scallops to come through. A nice ripe Alsace Pinot Gris should do the trick.

I recommend 2006 - Domaine Zind Humbrecht Pinot Gris Calcaire $30 - sometimes Pinot Gris from Alsace can run a bit lean but ZH is known for it's over the top fatness and explosion of fruit flavors which should meld beautifully with this dish.

Second Course - Grilled Asparagus, Sun Dried Tomato Cous Cous, and Goat Cheese Crostini with Orange-Basil Sauce

I know Rick wanted another white wine but this dish screams dry rose to me. In general, I find high acid whites such a Sauvignon Blanc, Albarino or Gruner Veltiner to be suitable matches for asparagus as well as goat cheese but the sun-dried tomato cous cous and orange basil sauce take me to the South of France where dry rose wines are very popular.

I recommend 2008 Domaine de Gournier Rose Costieres de Nimes, France $9 - fresh and juicy with plenty of tart cranberry flavors to match the Provencal features of this dish. Also, drinking rose during a Chicago winter is a great way to bring a dose of much needed sunshine to the dinner table.

Third Course - Salad of Mixed Greens

Finish the first two wines

Fourth Course - Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Garlic & Asiago Mushrooms, Horseradish Potato Croquette and Bordelaise Sauce

Beef and a heavy, rich tannic red wine go together like, well there are just too many analogies to pick from. Rick indicated in his email that he was thinking about a Bordeaux but was not sure he could find one under $25 and his list of possibilities for the second red included something from Spain or an Argentine Malbec. Since this is a wine tasting group, I'm thinking we could have some fun here. I would recommend doing a comparative tasting, perhaps blind if possible between a French Malbec, AKA Cahors - an appellation located in the South West of France, not too far away from Bordeaux proper - and an Argentine Malbec. The Appellation Controlée regulations for Cahors require a minimum content of 70% Malbec in wines produced from the region. In general, Cahors is very rich, darkly colored, tannic and powerful wine and is stylistically quite different from the fruit forward, plummy and chocolaty Malbecs from Argentina. The differences between the two should provide for a very nice comparative tasting, especially for a room full of wine enthusiasts.

Rick expressed an interest in Ben Marco Malbec from Argentina which I can absolutely agree with. For the Cahors, I would recommend 2005 Domaine la Berangeraie Cahors Cuvee Maurin which sells at Binny's for around $16 a bottle.

Wines for Easter Brunch

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What an adorable Easter Pug!

"We are hosting Easter brunch this year and I was wondering if you can help me with a wine pairing. The main course will be a honey baked ham with sides of honey glazed carrots, potato pancakes and haricot vert. We enjoy both whites and reds and I might well serve one of each. Thanks in advance for any help!" - T. Costello

When it comes to traditional Easter brunch foods, I tend to think of a mix of both sweet and salty dishes very much in line with Mr. Costello's menu. The right wine must balance these elements so you don't want to pick a wine that is too tart or astringent- since it will taste even more sour and bitter once you take a bite of something sweet and you don't want to pick a wine that is too heavy for the same reason.

PROSECCO: I would recommend starting with a Prosecco since it is lower in alcohol than traditional Champagne and the fruity, apricot and peach notes are right in line with a late morning, early afternoon luncheon. You can even mix in some peach puree or orange juice to make refreshing breakfast cocktail. Try the Bisol "Jeio" Brut Prosecco di Valdobbiadene for around $14 per bottle. The Mionetto line is another good option, especially for mixing.

RIESLING: Seven Hills, Washington State - Ham is really salty so the slight fruitiness and honey notes of this wine will provide a nice contrast. The Seven Hills really surprises people - especially those who think they don't like Riesling as this particular one tastes like biting into a fresh green apple. $14

ROSE: Susana Balbo Crios Rose of Malbec - I love this wine because it just screams SUMMER and it would be awesome for a lunchtime meal. The color and flavor reminds me of cranberry juice but not as sweet. Rose is also very flexible when it comes to pairing it with food as you don't have the tannins of red wine to deal with yet the flavor and weight is deeper and richer than a white so it can stand up to heavier dishes with over powering anything. $14 As a side note - a fully colored Malbec would also be quite nice with ham.

NEGROAMARO: Li Veli Passamente Salento - This ripe selection from Southern Italy is soft on tannins and big on fruit. Again - we're contrasting ripe, raisin flavors with the salty component of baked ham. This wine would work equally as well with a leg of lamb. It's quite a show stopper for the price - $11.

GREEK RED: When it comes to lamb, the Greeks do it best so it seems only logical to pair it with a Greek wine. The Boutari Ode is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Agioritiko (eye-your-ree-tea-ko) and is a style that is right in step with other New World wines. If you want something more traditional and not so fruit forward, try the Boutari Nemea which is made from the 100% Agioritiko. Ode is $25 and the Nemea is around $15.

Mendoza - A perfect storm for growing wine grapes

Buenos Aires may the political capital of Argentina but when it comes to wine, the most important region is Mendoza. Located at the foot of the Andes and a 10 hour car ride from Buenos Aires, this high desert town of 1.6 million inhabitants is the 4th largest city in Argentina and is known as the epicenter of all things wine. Approximately 70% of all the wine produced in Argentina comes from this one area and most of the major producers are located here as well. Indeed there is something in the water that makes this area so great for grape growing but it turns out that very special water is hard to come by. Mendoza is in essence a desert which makes it one of the most perfect places in the world to grow grapes - especially Malbec. Yes, a desert! The combination of desert climate, high altitude and low rainfall combines to form a perfect storm for grape growing.

Mendoza's proximity to the Andean mountain range makes it a high altitude desert oasis. Grapes are grown at a high elevation - 2500-5000 feet above sea level with intense sunlight and little to no rainfall (less than 8 inches per year). The sunlight is much stronger at higher altitudes since the atmosphere is thinner. Grapes grown at higher altitudes will develop thicker skins in order to protect the seeds. Just think about how strong the sun light is when you go skiing at a high elevation - your skin will burn in order to protect your organs. Thicker skins result in wines with deeper color (polyphenols & anthocyanins) and structure.This is one of the reasons why red wines from Argentina are very purple and opaque in color. Believe me, I was working the SPF while I was out visiting the vineyards. By the end of the day we were all beet red - now I know what Malbec feels like. Higher alitude also leads to huge temperature shifts from day to night which results in longer hang time, increasing the color and flavor and forming a better balance of structural components. If you go to Las Vegas you will notice it is dramatically cooler at nighttime than during the day. This is typical of desert climate. Grapes will ripen during the day but at night cool off which in turn extends how long it takes for the grapes to reach full ripeness. This shift in temperature is why Argentine reds are so balanced when it comes to alcohol and acidity even though the grapes are cultivated in such intense sunlight. So - if this is the desert, where does the water come from? The only way farmers can get anything to grow in the very poor soils is with irrigated water that flows down from the mountain tops. The lack of water and careful control of irrigation stresses the vines which reduces yields and concentrates the flavor. With water, anything is possible. There are channels and aqua ducts dug throughout the area - you have to be really careful to not to fall into one. Calculating how much water a vine needs is a precise science - too little and the vine dies and too much results in bloated grapes and diluted wines. It is nearly impossible to replicate these growing conditions anywhere else in the world. Mendoza is truly a very special place that makes extraordinary wines.

Before irrigation

After irrigation

Vines receiving water from irrigation lines

Nets are placed over vines in order to protect them from soft ball sized hail, a common occurrence in this region.

Edgardo del Popolo from Dona Paula Winery giving us a lesson on the unique terroir of Mendoza. Notice the brambly brush in the foreground and lush vineyards towards the back.

Pedro Machevsky, the Godfather of viticulture in Argentina, offering his thoughts as well. Pedro is married to Susana Balbo, the President of the Wines of Argentina Association.

Beef...it's what's for dinner in Argentina!

An Argentine sommelier once told me "To be a vegetarian in Argentina is like being a priest at the Playboy mansion. You are bound to suffer." Okay, so this is an exceptionally crass way to describe the Argentine love affair with all things meat but it is true. The per capita meat consumption in Argentina is 150 lbs every year and if you visit the country you will see how easy it is for them to rack up this number. A typical meal is a Dr. Atkin's dream come true and will include a small salad of mixed vegetables, sausages, sweet breads and other organ meats, french fries, potatoes tossed with mayo and of course MEAT! Despite this diet, the Argentine people are all slender with model-esque physiques. I read in Michael Pollan's Omnivore's Dilemma that grass fed meat is supposedly better for you as the fat from grass fed meat is rich in Omega 3 - a healthy fatty acid. Who knows if this is true or not but the meat did taste really good to me. You can find grass fed meat in the US for example Bill Kurtis' Tall Grass project. Grass fed meat has a different flavor and texture vs. corn fed or corn finished beef but if you pair it with a strong, chewy red like Malbec or Cabernet Sauvignon, it all makes sense.

We visited the famous La Cabrera Steakhouse in Buenos Aires. The fries covered with scrambled eggs were amazing! The diet Coke was surely not going to help the caloric count at this point but I needed the caffeine. We paired the meal with Dona Paula Los Cardos Malbec.

This was at Don Julio Steakhouse also in Buenos Aires. Notice the tablecloths and menus are made of leather. Malbec was also consumed this evening but I don't remember which one - must of had too much of it. Oopers!

I also really enjoyed the grass fed beef during my visit to Uruguay. In fact, Uruguayan beef is probably some of the best meat I have had in my entire life! It had a softer texture with a melt in your mouth consistency. Argentina does not export their beef to the US but Uruguay does. Now, I just have to find a place to buy it! An Uruguayan winemaker told me if you drink Tannat (Uruguay's most famous grape variety) with beef you can reach the soul of their ancestors. Pretty heavy stuff but it was delicious indeed!

This was at Lo de Tere Restaurant in Punta del Este

And this massive steak was served at Panini's Restaurant in Montevideo. It had a horseradish crust. We also had several Tannat wines at this dinner.

Argentina Tasting with Sommelier Marcelo Rebole - Palacio Duhau, Buenos Aires

What better way to start off a wine vacation in Argentina than to have perhaps one of Argentina's best sommeliers, Marcelo Rebole lead a discussion and tasting of some of the finest wines of his homeland which he personally selected for us to try. Marcelo is the charming sommelier for the Park Hyatt Palacio Duhau in Buenos Aires and a great ambassador for the wines of Argentina. It was a wonderful opportunity to get a perspective from a fellow sommelier and and learn how important wine is in Argentine culture. I would like to share some interesting tid bits that I learned from his presentation. Further below you will find a list of the wines we sampled along with my tasting notes.

Argentina has over 1800 wineries but only 300 wineries export to the United States. There are 145 wineries in the Argentine Wine Association and they are responsible for over 90% of what is sold in the US. The great majority of what is produced in Argentina stays in Argentina.

Argentine wine culture is born from an Italian ancestry. Per capita wine consumption in Argentina is 30 liters per year. The US consumption is approximately 11 liters per year - the same as Chile. I'm pretty sure my consumption is closer to Argentina.

Argentines drink 60% red wine since their diet consists mostly of red meat. The average Argentine consumes 150 lbs of red meat every year. The beef is often cheaper than tomatoes.

The most popular white wines include Torrontes and Chardonnay. Torrontes is a cross between Muscat of Alexandria and Criolla Chica (a local Mission grape). Torrontes used to be bottled in brown Riesling bottles to prevent it from oxidizing too quickly.

Chandon is a synonym for Champagne or Sparkling wine - sort of like Kleenex doubles for facial tissue. Moet Chandon own 85% of the sparkling wine market in Argentina. If you want bubbles, just ask for Chandon but this does not mean you will end up with a Moet product.

We tasted an exceptional group of diverse wines made from various varietals and blends. The selections were not your average everyday wines but some of them would blow $100 California Cabs right of the water. The tasting was very special but if I had one complaint, I would say that some of them were a little too high on the alcohol. A few of the wines registered at almost 16%. They reminded me a bit of Kathy Griffin - loud, brash, in your face, a little goes a long way but at the same time intelligent and entertaining.

Here is a list of the wines we tried (I will update with the vintages once we receive the formal list, this is from my personal notes). I have seen many of these wines in the US but am not 100% sure what the retail prices are. You can always Google them to learn more.

2008 Crios de Susana Balbo Torrontes - geraniums, apricot skin, green guava, tropical fruit burst, crisp with honeysuckle floral notes.

2008 Terrazas Unoaked Torrontes Reserva, La Salta - slight medicinal aroma, high acid but with a crisp, broad texture. Drier than the Crios but also seemingly higher in alcohol.

2006 Quara Oaked Torrontes, Salta, Cafayate Valley - touch of pink hue with brass tint, notes of nutmeg, spice. Reminds me of Alsace Pinot Gris or a white Rhone blend. Very impressive and would pair well with molecular gastronomy dishes.

Chacra Pinot Noir, Patagonia, Rio Negro - Patagonia is currently Argentina's most up and coming region and is known for the production of Pinot Noir. Smoky, Mezcal tequila like nose, rubber, fleshy, dry firm tannins, bacon, feral. Not exactly a pretty Pinot Noir. Reminds me of Alsace Pinot Noir.

Achaval-Ferrer Finca Altamira Malbec, La Consulta - smells and tastes like a cross between Italian Brunello and ripe, figgy Amarone della Valpolicella. Warm on the palate with notes of dried leaves, raisins and stewed fruits. Definitely more terroir driven.

2004 Catena Alta Malbec, Argentina - 100% new French oak and it shows, toasted coconut shavings, kirsch liqueur, very ripe and concentrated yet silky. Fine firm tannins - definitely an exceptional wine.

Bodega Colome Reserva, Calchaqui, Salta - This is made by Hess Collection winemaker, Randle Johnson. Aromas of fresh turned soil, beets, cocoa nibs, glides down, very silky and smooth but still has nice acidity. A great bottle of wine.

Yacochuya, Salta - 90% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon - strange herbaceous nose - almost like thyme, rosemary or hemp. Palate is much different with tons of ripe extracted fruits, fleshy texture. Definitely interesting. A Michel Rolland project.

La Riojana Raza Syrah, Famatina, La Rioja - blueberry syrup cooked with thyme, high acid, very well extracted. Nice to try a Syrah from Argentina.

02 Bodega La Rural Felipe Rutini Apartado - Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec/Shiraz - cassis, herbaceous, very Bordeaux like in the nose, cooler climate style, more traditional French like in nature - old school.

03 Enzo Bianchi Red Blend, San Rafael, Mendoza - grown at 600 meters above sea level. Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Malbec - elegant old school style. Riper than the Apartado.

Mendel Unus - 65% Malbec, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon - full, fleshy style with notes of ripe figs, blackberries and almost a port wine like nose. Impressive.

Luigi Bosco Icono, Lujan de Cuyo - Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec - I don't know why I did not write something about this wine, I guess my palate got tired at this point.

Cobos Unico - 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Malbec - rich and full bodied. Made by Paul Hobbs, very concentrated yet super silky. Ripe raisins, figs, very warm but definitely enjoyable.