A Malaysian BBQ Wine Pairing

One of the greatest things about a wine club, apart from the fun time spent with great friends, are the challenges.  Very rarely are challenges expressly stated.  They are often implied.  For example, when the host couple decides to prepare a Malaysian BBQ dinner, it creates a challenge for the couple who is tasked with pairing wines to each course.  That challenge was presented to my beautiful Angel and myself.  

To add to the challenge, I did not have as much time as I would have liked to research each potential pairing.  With our newest arrival, I have not had nearly as much time to cook, work on the blog or just read about food.  (This is not a complaint, because I love our new son and enjoy every moment that I have with him and Clare.)  Still, with less time to prepare, it required a little more faith and gut-checking when it came to the selection of the wine.  I was able to come to a rather quick decision on the wine styles and/or grapes, but the actual choice of wines would prove a little more difficult.

Familia Pisano - Río de los Pájaros Torrontés Reserve (2012)

Paired with Grilled Turmeric and Lemongrass Chicken Wings

For the first course, the host couple prepared Grilled Turmeric and Lemongrass Chicken Wings.  As I reviewed the recipe, I immediately focused upon the ingredients that would need to considered when it came to the pairing.  Ingredients like turmeric, lemongrass, fish sauce, lime juice and ginger.

I immediately began to think that a white wine would seem to be particularly appropriate, given the citrus flavors, the turmeric and the chicken.  A fruity wine, like a Pinot Grigio or a Vinho Verde, would not stand up to the earthiness of the turmeric or the fish sauce.  A smoother white wine was needed.  I originally thought of a Viognier, which has been served at quite a few wine club dinners in the past. 

However, as I stood in the wine store, none of the Viognier wines caught my eye.  Instead, a different wine caught my attention.  Actually, it was the winemaker who caught my attention ... Familia Pisano.  I was staring at their Río de los Pájaros Torrontés Reserve (2012).  I have previously tried the Pisano Cabernet Sauvignon (2009), which is a very good wine.  I also have a bottle of the Tannat sitting in my wine cage for the right time.  So, I decided to go with the Torrontés as the pairing for the first course.

The Torrontés is a white grape varietal that is principally grown in Argentina, although it can also be found in Chile and, in the case of the Familia Pisano, from the "River of the Painted Birds" or Uruguay as it is known in the native language of the Guarani, Uruguay's native inhabitants.  The Pisano family can trace their winemaking history back to 1870, when their great grandfather emigrated to Uruguay from Italy.  The vineyards and winery passed down the generations to three brothers -- Daniel, Eduardo and Gustavo Pisano-Arretxea.

This wine comes from their the Río de los Pájaros selections, which includes the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Tannat.  This particular Río de los Pájaros is produced with 100% Torrontés.  The wine pours a clear golden color, and had an aroma of citrus (such as lemon or lime), with a floral element.  The taste of the was was principally peach and citrus flavors, although there was a slight hint of honey and minerality in the background.

This wine was a great start to the evening because it paired very well with the delicious marinade used to make the chicken wings.  It was also my favorite wine of the night.

McManis Family Vineyards - Pinot Noir (2010)

Paired with Steak Skewers with Scallion Dipping Sauce and 

Grilled Shrimp with Chile, Cilantro and Lime

The second course actually consists of two completely different courses.  One course, for the carnivores in the group, is Steak Skewers with Scallion Dipping Sauce.  The steak is marinated in among other things, fish sauce, lime juice, Thai chiles, lemongrass and ginger.  These are some potent flavors, both in terms of taste and heat.  The other course is grilled shrimp with chiles (long red chiles), cilantro and lime.

The wine for this course has to be able to reach across both red meat and seafood.  This is a fairly difficult task for most red wines, because they can be somewhat difficult to pair with seafood.  There is one wine, however, that can bridge that gap between land and water with relative ease ... a Pinot Noir.  The only question is which one.  Although a real pain to cultivate, there are several very good countries and regions around the world that produce some very good Pinot Noir wines.  Countries like France, and regions like the Willamette Valley in Oregon. 

However, we are working with a budget, which eliminates almost all of the good French Pinot Noirs and all of the Oregonian wines.  As I stood in the wine store contemplating my options, I saw a wine from a vineyard that both Clare and I really like.  The vineyard is the McManis Family Vineyards.  We are very big fans of the Petit Sirah, but that wine would probably be too forward for this dish, especially with respect to the shrimp.  We did see a bottle of the McManis Pinot Noir, which I have never had before.  So, we chose that wine to pair with the second course.

This particular wine is produced in California, which, from my experience, makes Pinot Noirs that are a less earthy and spicy than the wines from Oregon.  Californian Pinot Noirs then to be a little more fruit forward than their Oregonian counterparts.  That fruitiness was what I was looking for with respect to the pairing. 

The 2010 vintage, according to the winemakers provides a garnet color.  I was a little concerned about the color, looking at the wine in the bottle. However, my concerns were laid to rest.  The color is definitely a nice shade of red.  The wine did have aromas of fresh berry fruit, particularly raspberry with perhaps some strawberry.  The winemakers also suggest that there is a "subtle waft" of vanilla from the aging of the wine for six months in French oak barrels.  I sensed a little of the oak, but the fruit was definitely the principal aromatic element in the wine (as it should be).  The taste of the 2010 Pinot Noir was just as the winemakers described it: "mouth-watering cherry flavors" with "creamy mocha" lingering on the finish.  The oak aging was also present in the background of the wine, although it was not very noticeable.

Overall, we thought this wine would be a little lighter than the Oregonian type of Pinot Noir and a little more fruit forward with few to no tannins.  We were correct, as it paired very well with both the shrimp and the meat, as well as tame the heat from the Thai chiles and red peppers.

Marques de Monistrol - Seleccion Especial Cava

Malaysian Banana Pancakes with Sweet Corn Ice Cream

For the third and final course, the host couple made Malaysian Banana Pancakes with Sweet Corn Ice Cream.  This course was perhaps the hardest one to pair.  What wine goes with Banana Pancakes?  My thoughts instantly turned to dessert wines, but I could not really decide which dessert wine would be the best pairing for this course.  I was also concerned that the wines may be too sweet, which may be a little too much when one considers the flavors of the banana and the ice cream.  I had to change my thought process if I was going to decide upon a wine for the last course.   

Ultimately, the thought process was as follows.  Pancakes could be served as part of a brunch.  Mimosas are often served at brunch.  Mimosas are made with Champagne or sparkling wine.  Cava is a sparking wine produced in the Catalunya region of Spain using the methode Champenoise.  As I perused the offering of Cava wines at the store, I came across the Marqués de Monistrol Cava, which I thought would work well for the final course of the Malaysian BBQ dinner.

Like the Familia Pisano, Marqués de Monistrol can trace its history back to the nineteenth century, when its winemaking operations were first established at a property in San Sadurni d’Anoia in 1882, which is located in the heart of Penedès.  This is right in the middle of the Cava region.

Cava wines are principally made with three varietals ... Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada, although the rules allow winemakers to use a fourth grape -- Chardonnay -- in the production of the wine.  The Marqués de Monistrol is made with three standard grapes (Macabeo, Xarel-lo, and Parellada).

The Marqués de Monistrol Cava has a bright straw color when poured.  The aromas included apples, fresh herbs, and even a little pear.  As I tasted the wine, it was like a basket of fresh apples in every sip.  While I could not identify the exact apple, that taste element was very good and, with the carbonation, very refreshing.  There finish on the wine was a little dry, as expected.

The apples in the flavor of this Cava seemed to work very well with the flavors of the banana pancake and balanced out the sweetness in the ice cream.  This winwine has been described as having a bright straw colour, fresh aromas of herbs and apples and a full and long on the finish with a fine mousse.  A mousse finish seems appropriate for banana pancakes.

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In the end, I think all three the pairings worked out well. I was particularly pleased with the first and second pairings, but the third pairing effectively worked too.  I have to give myself a little leeway with the third one because it is a little hard to pair wines to banana pancakes and sweet corn ice cream.  The most important thing is that everyone had a great time.  The food was amazing and the wines were very good as well.  Until next time ...

ENJOY!

A Tour Through Spanish Wine-Pairing

I have mentioned in the past that both Clare and I are part of a monthly wine club.  One couple cooks a four course meal, another couple pairs wines for each course, and everyone gets to enjoy the food and wine.  For October 2011, we were responsible for choosing the wines.  The couple who were cooking the meal planned to make a four course, Spanish meal.  They really wanted to prepare a dinner using the cuisine of a country with an established wine culture.  So, I undertook the challenge to  pair Spanish wines with the Spanish courses.  

Although it may seem easy to pair Spanish wines with Spanish cooking, I wanted to see if I could tap into the various styles and grapes grown throughout Spain.  This is a challenge because Spain has more than sixty-five DOs (Denominación de Origen) and DOCa's (Denominación de Origen Calificada).  These DOs and DOCa's cover the gamut, from white wines, to rose wines to red wines.  I decided to pick a different wine style for each course, and, in addition, to pick a wine from different regions of Spain.  No two wines could be the same style or from the same DO or DOCa, even if the wines were made from different grapes.  

So, here are my wine choices, along with the pairing.  A brief description of the winemaker (where available) and the wine is provided.  

Muga Rioja Rose (2010)

Paired with Pan con Tomate y Jamon de Serrano (Tomato-Rubbed Bread with Serrano Ham)

Bodegas Muga is located in the Barrio de La Estación, which is the historic railway district of Haro, a small town in the northwest part of La Rioja.  Muga's vineyards are located at the foot of the Montes Obarenses within an area called Rioja Alta.  The soil is mostly clay and limestone, although there are some variations that help provide character to the grapes and, ultimately the wines.  Muga has 620 acres of vineyards that it owns and the winery also gets grapes from an additional 370 acres of vineyards.  The primary grapes grown for red wines in these vineyards are Tempranillo, Garnacha (Grenache), Mazuelo (Carignan) and Graciano.  When it comes to white wines, the primary grapes grown in the vineyards are Viura and Malvasia.

The Bodegas Muga Rose is a blend of both red and white grapes.  The blend is 60% Garnacha, 30% Viura and 10% Tempranillo.  The wine is salmon pink in color.  The aromatic elements of this wine are said to include a lot of different fruits: pears, peaches, passion fruit, pink grapefruit.  One review even noted a little rhubarb. The tastes are said to be red berry fruit, with a little citrus zest and white pepper.  A "mineral streak" is also noted by some reviewers.  The body of this wine is light, and a little syrupy without being sweet.  

I chose this wine to pair head to head with the Jamon de Serrano, kind of how Lambrusco is paired with Proscuitto in Emilia-Romagna.  The light fruity flavors will also pair well with the use of fresh tomatoes, which are, after all, a fruit in and of themselves. 

Gran Vinum Albariño Nessa (2009)

Paired with Hot Pepper and Garlic Shrimp

When one thinks of seafood, the thought in Spain first focuses on the region of Galicia.  This region is renown for its seafood, so much so that the words "seafood" and "Galicia" could be synonyms. The second course features shrimp, along with crushed red pepper and garlic.  These ingredients call for a white wine, but I wanted to pair this course with a wine from Galicia, which proved a little difficult.

Ultimately I chose an Albariño.  The Albariño grape is grown in the Rias Biaxas D.O., which is found in southern Galicia, near the northern border of Portugal.  The grape has a thick skin and produces less juice than other grapes, which may be due in part to the cool and rainy environment in Galicia.  Yet, the Albariño wine is said to be very similar to Vigonier and Gewurztraminer, which are not grown in such wet conditions. 

The grapes for the Gran Vinum Albariño Nessa are grown on a hillside near the Atlantic ocean by a winery that has been owned by the same family for three generations.  The family, headed by Enrique Pineiro, also purchases grapes from other local vineyards to make this Albariño wine.  Most of these growers are located in a sub-region of the Rias Biaxas D.O. called Val do Salnes.  The wines are then picked and sorted by hand, pressed using a pneumatic press and fermented in stainless steel tanks.

The Albariño Nessa is gold in color.  According to the reviewers, the aromatic elements of this wine are supposed to include peaches, flowers, jasmine and honeysuckle. The flavors are said to include oranges and limes, along with pit fruits.  The medium body wine finishes with some more citrus and a "floral quality" in the finish. 

Albariño wines are known for being dry to bone-dry.  This feature of the wine highlights the spice and garlic without amplifying either flavor.  However, this Albariño wine differs from other such wines in that it is not as dry, thereby rounding out the spice and garlic flavors of this shrimp dish.  

Bodegas Bleda Castillo de Jumilla (2010)

Paired with Cocido Lebaniego (Cantabrian Meat Stew with Chickpeas)

The third course is a stew with pork (ham hocks, slab bacon, salt pork) and beef (veal shanks, dried beef).  Initially, my thoughts turned to a full-bodied red wine, such as a Priorat or a Toro.  However, Priorats and Toros are very full bodied, tannic wines that would be a little too "heavy" for this stew.  After thinking about it a little longer, I decided to go with a medium bodied red, such as a Rioja.  However, I already had a Rioja Rose.  Moreover, Rioja is probably the most well-known Spanish wine.  I wanted to find a different wine, one that may not be as well known.  

So I chose the Bodegas Bleda Castillo de Jumilla.  This wine comes from the Jumilla DO, which is an arid region located in the southern Spanish region of Murcia.  This DO is most known for the indigenous grape Monastrell.  This is a thick skinned, black grape that is high in tannin.  It is reportedly difficult to grow, with inconsistent results from year to year.  

The Castillo de Jumilla is a blend of 50% Monastrell and 50% Tempranillo.  Each grape contributes to the overall wine.  The wine is a bright violet in color.  The Tempranillo provides a lot of fruit to the aroma and the taste.  This fruit includes strawberries.  However, the Monastrell deepens the fruit aromas and flavors, most notably with dark berry flavors.  The layering of fruit flavors should produce an interesting wine.  The winemaker adds that the aromas include, not just berries, but also licorice

This wine is a "joven," which is a term for a DO or DOCa wine that sees little to no time in an oak barrel.  Instead, the wine is sold as "fresh" and/or "fruity."  

I ultimately decided on this wine to provide a contrast to the Cocido Lebaniego, pairing a fresh and fruity wine with a stew of meats and chickpeas.  This wine was the biggest wild card because it was a last minute substitution for what I had been planning to buy for this particular pairing.  

Mont Marcal Brut Cava Riserva (2008)

Paired with Tarta de Santiago (Almond Tart)

Tarta de Santiago is a Galician Almond Tart.  First thought would be to pair a Galician wine; however, I paired an Albariño with the Hot and Garlic Shrimp dish.  So, I needed to look for a white wine for a different region.  Not just any white wine.  I ultimately chose a Cava, Spain's answer to France's Champagne or Italy's Prosecco. 

Cava is typically associated with the Catalunya region in Southeastern Spain.  That is where most Cava is produced, although Spanish law provides that the sparkling wine may be made in other regions, such as Aragon, Extramadura and Navarra.  Sticking true to my challenge, the Mont Marcal Bruit Cava is produced in Castellví de la Marca, a small town outside of Barcelona, Spain.    

Cava is typically produced with a blend of grapes, typically Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo.  Other grapes used to produce Cava include Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Subirat.   The Mont Marcal is a blend of 40% Xarel-Lo, 30% Macabeo, 20% Parellada and 10% Chardonnay.  Each grape is picked and fermented separately.  The grapes are blended and go through a second fermentation in the bottle for at least fifteen months.

The winemaker describes this wine as having a pale yellow color, with good carbonation and "a perfect mousse."  The aromatic elements and taste include apples, banana and pineapple.  The body of this wine is slightly sweet and crisp. Although Cava is typically an aperitif, I decided to go with this wine because the lightness of this wine will help with digestion, particularly after three course and three different wines.  In addition, the carbonation of the wine will help to cleanse the palate, allowing the guests to enjoy the almond tart. 

There you have it -- a sparkling wine from Catalunya, a white wine from Galicia, a rose wine from La Rioja, and a red wine from Jumilla.  Four different styles of wines from four different regions of Spain paired with four different courses.  All of these wines are available at Calvert Woodley in Washington, D.C.

ENJOY!