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Pasta Rustica with Primitivo (Italian Zinfandel)

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Pairing: Pasta Rustica with 2009 Leone de Castris Primitivo di Mandoria Villa Santera

Food: Pasta Rustica is a favorite meal of ours that we enjoy frequently (on Wednesdays … of course!). It is made with turkey or chicken sausage, canned tomatoes, herbs, and three cheeses … ricotta, fontina (or mozzarella), and Parmigiano-Reggiano. A link to the recipe can be found here. Although the recipe calls for penne, almost any shaped pasta can be used. We prefer tortiglioni. Our dish is accompanied by toasted olive bread and Italian green beans.

pasta-rustica

Wine:  The vineyards of the Leone de Castris winery are found near the tiny village of Salice Salentino on the Salento Peninsula in Puglia, the southernmost wine region in Italy. Think of the “heel of the boot” when looking at a map of Italy. Savvy travelers know this to be among the prettiest coastal areas in all of Italy and not nearly as touristy as other more well known regions of the country. The Primitivo grape is widely planted across Puglia. Fairly recent DNA testing has revealed that Primitivo and Zinfandel (grown widely in California) are genetically the same, both grapes tracing their origin to the Crljenak Kastelanski, an ancient Croatian variety. We like to think of Primitivo wine as Zinfandel with “elbows” (our own term), a desirable roughness found in many Italian wines.

primitivo-di-manduria

Tasting:  This full-bodied wine is a deep reddish purple color. The nose is rich in blueberry and cherry notes. On the palate, flavors of dark fruit, cinnamon and cloves are present. There is an overall gentle sweetness to this dry wine that goes well with the sweet tomato sauce and cheeses used to make the Pasta Rustica.

Other Wines That Pair Well with This Food:  Chianti Classico, Barbera d’Alba or d’Asti, Valpolicella

Other Food That Pairs Well with This Wine:  Aged Cheeses, Grilled Chicken, Sausage, Pasta with Spicy Tomato Sauce

Read About:  www.winesofpuglia.com/index.php/en/dop-en/462-primitivo-di-manduria

A Source:  www.wine.com

 

Tuscan Roast Chicken paired with a Super (Duper!) Tuscan Red Wine

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Pairing:  Tuscan Roast Chicken with 2008 Arcanum Valadorna Toscana

Food:  Most of the time, we plan out what we want to eat over the course of a week, then decide which wine in our inventory would make for a good pairing. Occasionally, however, we start with a wine that we have been looking forward to drinking and construct a dinner that we think will showcase the wine particularly well. The Arcanum Valadorna has been sleeping quietly in our cellar for a few years. It seemed that now might be a good time to enjoy it. Knowing that the wine is from Tuscany, we looked for flavors that help define that local cuisine. Chicken is a good canvas to work with, especially a home-grown hen.  Rosemary, garlic, olive oil, and lemon all are staple ingredients in a Tuscan kitchen. So we made a paste using a generous amount of chopped fresh rosemary (about 3T), garlic (4 cloves), olive oil, salt and pepper. Tucked some of the paste under the skin of the breast and thighs, and rubbed the rest all over the outside of the chicken and sprinkled it with some additional salt and pepper. We then stuffed the cavity with four sprigs of fresh rosemary and a quartered lemon (squeeze each quarter a little bit before putting each in). Roast at 425F for an hour (check after 45 minutes and bast with some of the juices). Let stand for about 15 minutes while you make a simple sauce with the pan juices, a bit of wine, and a little butter. Mind-blowing how good the chicken is prepared this way!

tuscan-roast-chickenjpg

Wine:  Speaking of mind-blowing, we now come to the Arcanum Valadorna.  It could be said that this wine defines a Super Tuscan, or at the very least is a wonderful exemplar. 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, both key components of French Bordeaux, which the Italians are showcasing in a Super Tuscan. Some Tuscan winemakers would say that they are showing up the French by beating them at their own game (but I’m not going to go there!). Arcanum’s vineyards are located in the southeast corner of the Chianti Classico wine region, bordering the ancient town of San Gusmé not far from the city of Siena. The Arcanum website linked below showcases the stunning estate, vineyards, wines, and region.

valadorna-super-tuscan

Tasting:  Wow … where to begin. First note that this wine benefits from decanting about 1.5 hours before the meal. Medium to dark ruby in color. One gets leather, black currant, chocolate and coffee on the nose. The palate presents flavors of sweet red cherries, red currants, rich earth, and spices. The extraordinary depth and layers of flavors are what stand out in this wine. One can almost sense the rosemary from the chicken on the finish. Anyone who has been to Tuscany surely catches the overwhelming smell of rosemary in the air. Hedges of this herb are everywhere … an important part of the terroir. This is a very special wine … perhaps to be served on a very special occasion. One of the best wines we have tasted.

Other Foods That Pair Well with This Wine: Grilled Meats (especially Steak), Roast Lamb, Roast Pork, Pasta with Meat Sauce

Other Wines That Pair Well with This Food: Chianti Classico, Brunello, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Red Bordeaux (especially Saint-Émillion)

Read About:  http://www.arcanumwine.com

A Source:  www.wine.com

Rumbledethumps (?!)… with White Hungarian Wine

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Pairing:  Rumbledethumps Paired with 2011 Patricius Tokaj Hárslevelü

Food:  Rumbledethumps … sounds like something used on roads to slow cars down! But, no … it’s an old Scottish dish similar to Irish “Colcannon” or English “Bubble and Squeak”.  Indeed there are many, many variations of this dish that originated among the peasantry of northern Europe. The potato is the star here … mashed … with steamed cabbage, broccoli, and leeks mixed into the potatoes in a casserole dish, topped with melted cheddar cheese. Our recipe is from the cookbook, Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant, a renowned  vegetarian eatery in Ithaca, New York. The recipe can be found here. According to legend, after taking your first bite together as a family, everyone shouts “Death to the Red Hag!” driving away the specter of starvation.

rumbledeethumps

Wine:  This wine is made up of 100%  Hárslevelü, the grape used in making the famed Hungarian sweet wine, Tokaj. It is been grown in this part of the world for many hundreds of years. This dry white wine is made by the Patricius Winery located in the wine region of Tokaj-Hegyalja in northeastern Hungary and parts of Slovakia. Tokaj was declared a World Heritage Site in 2002 because it is the locale where the first botrytized wine (Noble Rot) was ever made in the early 1700’s. The dry version of this wine made by Patricius is a most enjoyable sipping and pairing wine.

hungarian-white

Tasting:  A pale greenish yellow color. A gentle, delicate wine with a light fragrance of lemon and melon. On the palate one gets green melon, diluted lemon, and hints of green apple. The cabbage and broccoli in this dish make it a somewhat difficult food to pair with wine. But this relatively unknown wine (at least to those of us who live outside the countries of Eastern Europe) does a very nice job as an accompaniment to the Rumbledethumps.

Other Food That Pairs Well with This Wine:  Assorted Soft Cheeses, White Fish, Grilled Trout, Assorted Vegetables

Other Wines That Pair Well with This Food:  Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Gruner Veltliner, Gewürztraminer, Dry Riesling

Read About:  http://www.patriciustokaj.com/tokajiwines

A Source:  www.bluedanubewine.com

Shepherd’s Pie (or Cottage Pie) Paired with a Tuscan Red

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Pairing:  Shepherd’s Pie/ Cottage Pie Paired with 2011 Brancaia Tre

Food:  A traditional English dish that dates back to the late 18th century when the potato started becoming a more widely planted staple food. Farm families would stretch their meat diet by taking leftover roast lamb or beef, mincing or grinding it, and putting into a casserole with a topping made of mashed potatoes. It’s usually called Shepherd’s Pie when made with lamb and Cottage Pie when made with beef. Most people just call it Shepherd’s Pie  whether it is done with lamb or beef. For this dish, we used leftover roast beef from Christmas combined with leftover brown or mushroom gravy, and topped with leftover mashed potatoes. Doesn’t get any simpler than that!

shepherds-pie

Wine:  A blended red wine made of 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Although the La Brancaia winery is located in the heart of the Chianti Classico region just outside of Florence, the presence of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the blend does not conform to the requirements to be called Chianti. Hence its classification as a IGT (Indicazione Geographica Tipica) instead of DOC. See http://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-docg-doc-60449 for an explanation of these designations.

tre-super-tuscan

Tasting:  A deep dark red with a nose dominated by a clean, earthy smell, along with some plum and cedar. Leather, earth, cedar, and black fruits are all identifiable on the palate. If they made fruit leather out of the berries found in a hedge row, it would taste like this wine. Some dusty tannins and light acidity round out the flavor profile. Very nice and pairs very well with the rustic flavors of the Shepherd’s Pie.

Other Wines That Pair Well with This Food: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Zinfandel, Beaujolais

Other Food That Pairs Well with This Wine: Pasta with Tomato Sauce, Pizza, Hamburgers

Read About:  https://www.chianti.com/chianti-map/

A Source:  www.wine.com

Halibut and Chickpea Ragout with a Spanish White Verdejo

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Pairing: Halibut and Chickpea Ragout paired with 2013 Finca Las Caraballas Verdejo White Wine

Food:  Full disclosure … halibut is a very stressed fishery and we are very careful from whom we get it. We buy a whole fish (30-40 lbs) directly from a fisherman just down the road from us on Prince Edward Island. This lasts us a full year in the freezer, after sharing some of it with neighbors. PEI manages the halibut fishery very tightly allowing fishermen only a couple of days a year to fish for halibut, and for a very limited catch by weight. With that said, this dish would work fine with other more available white fish. The ragout is simply made with stock, canned garbanzo beans (chickpeas), onion, shallot, garlic, tomato, and herbs. The fish is poached directly in the ragout for an easy one-pot meal. Oh … and did I mention it’s really low in calories?

halibt-and-chickpea-ragout

Wine: Verdejo is widely regarded as Spain’s finest white wine, and is grown extensively in the Rueda region of the high altitude country northeast of Madrid. It has been grown there for over a thousand years and is believed to have been brought from North Africa by the Moors.  A very drinkable wine that pairs well with many different foods, especially seafood.  And … very affordable at less than $15. Enjoy!

caraballas-verajelo

Tasting:  Medium yellow in color. Green apple on the nose. A bracing, clean acidity with flavors of green apple and white flowers. Just a hint of grapefruit to make it even more interesting. Does a nice job complementing the flavors of the ragout.

Other Foods That Pair Well with This Wine: Pasta with Pesto, Crab Cakes, Salad, White Fish, Spicy Dishes (e.g., Jambalaya)

Other Wines That Pair Well with This Food: Albarino (Spain), White Bordeaux (France), Sauvignon Blanc (US), Verdicchio (Italy), Vinho Verde (Portugal)

Read About:  http://www.bbr.com/grape-vj-verdejo  

http://www.intowine.com/verdejo-spain’s-signature-white-grape

A Source: www.wine.com

Croatian Wine with Fish Cakes

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Pairing:  Homemade Fish Cakes with 2009 Coronica Gran Malvasia Istria Croatia

Food: These fish cakes are from a recipe in The Legal Sea Foods Cookbook. Here is a link to the recipe. For those readers who may not know, Legal Seafoods is a highly regarded Boston institution that started as a fish market in the early 1050’s, then a restaurant in the mid 60’s. There are now dozens of branches all over the Boston area and elsewhere. We encourage you to eat there if you are in the area. They also have a terrific wine list. One of our favorite things to have with the fish cakes (or indeed with any white fish) is pickled beets. My wife puts up several jars of them every summer. Relishes of most any sort are also wonderful with the fish cakes.

fishcakes

Wine: The Istrian Peninsula is located due east across the Mediterranean Sea from Venice. The peninsula is actually part of three countries — Italy (just south of the city of Trieste), Slovenia, and Croatia. The Coronica winery is located in the sparsely populated, beautiful hilly countryside of the Croatian part of Istria near Umag. Many different varieties of the Malvasia grape are grown throughout the Mediterranean from Greece to Portugal. The local clone of Malvasia grown by Coronica is Malvazija Istarska.

croatian-wine

Tasting: This is a very special wine. A lovely golden color. Apple blossoms and honeysuckle on the nose. A very delicate sweetness is present, but is still very much a dry white wine. Tastes on the palate are mostly ripe melon notably cantaloupe, with blended tropical fruits on the flavor landscape. And, a touch of pepper and allspice on the finish. A delightful wine from a beautiful part of the world.

Other Wines that Pair Well with This Food: Albarino (Spain), Chenin Blanc, Grüner Veltliner (Austria), Vouvray (Loire, France), Soave (Italy)

Other Food that Pairs Well with this Wine: White Fish, Shellfish, Pasta with Light Cream Sauce

Read About:  http://www.jancisrobinson.com/learn/grape-varieties/white/malvasia   http://istra.hr/en/regions-and-towns/town-and-cities/ltz-umag

A Source:  www.klwines.com

Tourtiere paired with a Rhone-style South African Red Blend

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Pairing:  Pork Tourtière paired with 2011 Boekenhoutskloof The Wolftrap Red Blend

Food:  Tourtière is a pork pie traditionally eaten in French Canada in winter, often on Christmas  Eve. It’s origins can be traced back to 14th Century France. Our recipe is from Craig Claiborne’s 1971 classic New York Times International Cookbook. A wonderful explanation of the dish can be found here. It calls for ground pork, pork or chicken stock, onion, garlic, cloves, cinnamon. savory, and a bay leaf. All wrapped up in a flakey, savory pastry. We’ve served it here with roasted vegetables (carrots, parsnips, and squash), pickled beets, and assorted relishes (maritime chow and mustard pickle). Hint: Make the Tourtière ahead of time, freeze it for a few days or weeks, then thaw it and bake it. It’s even better that way!

tortiere

Wine: This Rhône-styled red blend is from the Boekenhoutskloof Winery located in the stunningly beautiful Franschhoek Valley near the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. For those readers unfamiliar with South African vineyards, there is some fabulous wine coming from there … most notably Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinotage, and several excellent red blends. The Wolftrap is a blend of Syrah (65%), Mourvedre (32%) and Viognier (3%). Viognier is actually a white wine. The folks at this winery are borrowing a technique from the northern Rhône in France where vintners there  combine a little dollop of Viognier with their Syrah to make their world-renowned Hermitage and Côte Rôtie wines. And the addition of the Mourvedre creates a dynamite blend.

the-wolftrap-smvô

Tasting:  The strong presence of Mourvedre in this wine brings out a real earthiness that complements very well the spices in the Tourtière. On the nose, one gets leather and blackberry, along with a plethora of earth smells. The tastes of forest floor, earth and tobacco vie with the flavors of blackberry, allspice, and cinnamon. What a great tasting wine … and less than $15.

Other Wines That Pair Well with This Food: Beaujolais, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Tempranillo

Other Foods That Pair with This Wine:  Sausage, Grilled Meats, Venison, Mushrooms

Read About:  www.boekenhoutskloof.co.za/front

A Source:  www.wine.com

Enchiladas and Sauvignon Blanc … Mexico Teams Up with New Zealand

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Pairing: Creamy Enchiladas (Enchiladas Suizas) with Chicken, Tomatoes and Green Chile paired with 2014 Clifford Bay Sauvignon Blanc

Food: Our “go-to” source for Mexican cuisine is Rick Bayless. This recipe for enchiladas is from his cookbook, Mexico, One Plate at a Time. It calls for using shredded leftover roast chicken, but I’m sure any cooked chicken would work just fine. As  Bayless points out, these Enchiladas Suizas “… pay homage to a distant land where cream rules” (i.e., Switzerland). It’s a fairly involved sauce recipe which I won’t try to duplicate here. Suffice is to say, the recipe for the sauce makes a lot and freezes beautifully. The picture below shows leftover sauce from about 6 months ago made into fresh enchiladas. Once you have the sauce, the enchiladas are a snap. Here is a link to Bayless’s recipe for Enchiladas Suizas. It is well worth the effort. Positively delicious!

enchiladasjpg

Wine:  Yes, I know … why wouldn’t you pair this meal with a nice Mexican beer?  It’d be perfect. But this blog is about finding a good pairing of wine with most any meal. And, believe me, the cool, crisp, fresh taste of this Clifford Bay Sauvignon Blanc will surprise you with how well it goes with the creamy, spicy enchiladas. This wine comes from the Marlborough region of New Zealand which is the northern most part of the South Island. It is the largest wine-growing region in the country, and though they make other wines there (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, etc), Sauvignon Blanc is king. It is often described as one of the best places in the world for growing this grape.  And the price … $10. Terrific!

clifford-bay-sb

Tasting:  Pale yellow in color. A delightful, clean, fresh smell on the nose, with clear notes of lemon and grapefruit. A crisp, clean lemon flavor continues on the palate and really works as a terrific complement to the spicy, rich flavors of the enchiladas. On the finish, one gets some grapefruit entering the profile. Very, very nice!

Other Wines That Pair Well with This Food: Gruner Veltliner, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Beaujolais.

Other Food That Pairs Well with This Wine:  Jambalaya, Fajitas, Fish Tacos, Taco Chips and Salsa.

Read About:  http://www.cliffordbay.co.nz

A Source:  www.wine.com

St. Nicholas Day … Hungarian Goulash with Petite Sirah

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Pairing:  Hungarian Beef Goulash with 2005 Michael David Winery Petite Petit

Food:  December 6 is St. Nicholas Day, a really big deal throughout Europe. The custom of hanging one’s stocking for St. Nicholas to fill with gifts began with the “Legend of St. Nicholas.” The first time we ever heard of the celebration of St. Nicholas Day was in the Kate Seredy’s children’s book, The Good Master. As in the book, we started putting out our boots on the eve of St. Nicholas Day. Because this book takes place in Hungary, we began making Hungarian Goulash as our traditional meal for that day. Our recipe is adapted from Craig Claiborne’s 1971 classic New York Times International Cookbook. Generously season 2 lbs of chuck beef with salt, pepper and paprika. In a heavy skillet, brown the beef in some oil and or butter. Add 2 onions, chopped, until lightly browned. Add one or two Tbs of floor to the beef and onions and cook for a few minutes. Add to the pot 1 and 1/2 cups of beef stock and 2 Tbs tomato paste. Cover and simmer over low heat for about two hours. Check periodically to make sure there is sufficient liquid in the pot. Add more stock if needed. Serve over noodles. Note:  this stew freezes very well, and keeps for a few years in the freezer in case you want to save some for the following year (as we do!).

hungarian-beef-goulash

Wine:  OK … this is a little complicated. The Petite Sirah grape (spelled with an i, and also called Durif) is the offspring two varieties, Syrah and Ploursin. Petite Syrah (spelled with a y )  is a clone of the Syrah grape called Petite Syrah because it is smaller in size and yield. Now, to more thoroughly confuse you, this wine from the Michael David Winery in Lodi, California is actually a blend of mostly Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot. Hence, the name Petite Petit. Petit Verdot is often found in small amounts in French Bordeaux and Champagne. Petite Sirah is a relatively rare grape grown primarily in California, but also to a much smaller extent in Australia, Israel, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, and Argentina.

petite-syrah

Tasting:  This Petite Sirah is a deep red (almost black), lush, full-bodied wine that complements the beef goulash particularly well. Blackberry, black currant, and blueberry are all present on the nose. On the palate, these dark fruits come together into a “hedgerow jam” flavor. Add to that some leather, earth, nutmeg and cinnamon and you arrive at an extraordinarily flavorful wine. The paprika notes in the goulash seem to really bring out the spice flavors of the wine.

Other Foods That Pair Well with This Wine:  Steak, Game, Cheese (strong flavored), Mexican Cuisine.

Other Wine That Pairs Well with This Food:  Cabernet Sauvignon, Côte du Rhóne, Zinfandel, Rioja, Shiraz

Read About:  www.michaeldavidwinery.com    http://winefolly.com/review/petite-sirah-wine-guide/  

A Source:  www.wine.com

 

Penne with Fresh Tuna … and Soave

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Pairing:  Penne with Fresh Tuna, Herbs and Tomatoes paired with 2013 Le Battistelle Roccolo del Durlo Soave Classico 

Food:  A favorite pasta dish that we have enjoyed many times over the years. Our simple technique is adapted from a recipe in the marvelous cookbook, Diary of a Tuscan Chef. In a few Tbsp of olive oil, sauté some finely chopped garlic and 2-3 Tbs of fresh oregano until slightly browned. Add about 1/2 lb of 1/2 inch cubes of fresh tuna and cook until lightly golden brown, but still slightly pink on the inside. Splash in some of the Soave Classico and scrape up the bits from the bottom of the pan. Add a small box of cherry tomatoes, halved, and cook until softened and some of the juices have melted into the pan. Season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Mix everything into some already cooked penne, drizzle with a little more olive oil, and stir in 3 Tbsp of chopped fresh parsley. Check for seasoning and serve with a green salad. Great as leftovers, too!

tuna-with-tomatoes-and-penne

Wine:  Soave Classico is a white wine that comes from the Verona province of northeastern Italy in the beautiful hill country quite far west of Venice. Soave Classico is a region just outside of the town of Soave. The wine in this region is distinguished by the fact that it is made with 100% Garganega grapes, an ancient grape that has been grown in this area since Roman times. It is regarded as one of the finest white wine grapes in all of Italy. Other Soave wine is usually made from a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Trebbiano, and Garganega grapes. Consider, too, that this wine from the Le Battistelle vineyard is very reasonably priced at about $15.

soave-classico

Tasting: Pale gold in color. The nose of this wine reminds one of the smells encountered on a walk through freshly mowed green grass while munching on a Granny Smith apple. Green apple also pervades the palate along with some honeydew melon. A perfect complement to this pasta dish, but one could thoroughly enjoy this wine all by itself. A delight!

Other Wines That Pair Well with This Food:  Pinot Grigio, Un-oaked Chardonnay, Italian Chardonnay, Verdicchio

Other Foods That Pair Well with This Wine: Chicken Salad, Shrimp, White Fish, Pasta in a Light Cream and Seafood Sauce

Read About:  http://winefolly.com/review/how-to-find-great-soave-wine/

A Source:  www.klwines.com