WINE   &  FOOD  MARRIAGES                                                                         By  Harvey  Bliss We’re going to eat together a 100 course meal  -  conceptually, of course. We’ll deal with : 1   Wines alone, on a summer afternoon ( all year here ). 2    Aperitifs. 3    Snacks and appetizers 4    Soups. 5    Omelettes and eggs. 6    Seafood. 7    Poultry. 8    Lamb. 9    Beef and veal. 10   Pork. Game.   Organ meats. Italian.   German/Alsatian. Oriental.   Garlic. Vegetarian.   Cheese – a world of its own. ( Salad – after cheese, no wine   Desserts Digestifs   22    Others/questions We’ll consider not just what wine with what food, but how wine CHANGES with the preparation, choice of sauce, white or brown, with tomatoes, onions and garlic. I’ll try to cover European wine matches and New World equivalents. I’ll deal with decent to good or great wine, not bulk commercial wine; e.g. MUSCADET-SUR-LIE, not Remy-Pannier MUSCADET. The subject could fill a book – not 1 book but several – and I’ve only got ½ hour so we’ll miss some things, but touch on most. Food without wine is inconceivable to me. In France I read the wine list first to find what’s most attractive (considering age, price, rarity) and then choose food to match the wine. I never eat a pepper steak; any strong spices are the enemy of wine. The food must speak for itself. Spices were often originally used to disguise rotting meat or fish. They have lost their usefulness. Unfortunately, people got used to them, or they have become faddish. Mexican food is not wine-friendly. For spicy food – this is my personal opinion -  drink beer – or sangria. Other no-nos for wine drinking ; NO perfume        Aftershave lotion        Tobacco        Scented candles        Stinky flowers        Chlorinated water nearby (pool) The scent of wine and food is as important as the taste. Another good thing to remember is to serve mineral water, to alternate with sips of wine : mineral water is alkaline and helps to neutralize the acidity of the wine. You’ll feel better after. In the course of a dinner or tasting, wines progress from lighter to heavier, from champagne and white to red. Climate affects food and wine – both lighter when warmer. 1  WINES  ALONE ,  on a summer afternoon ( all year here ) CHAMPAGNE, anytime – entire meal  from start to finish – light to heavy, i.e. more chardonnay to more pinot noir. RIESLING – GERMAN, NOT ALSACE                         LATE HARVEST – KABINETT                                                              SPATLESE                                                              AUSLESE                         OR CALIFORNIA OR ALSACE EQUIVALENT – LATE HARVEST                                          OR OTHER GERMAN – SYLVANER MADEIRA Try with strawberries or roasted almonds.                                APERITIFS  -  i.e. before dinner - on own, before appetizers                              -  all chilled        CHAMPAGNE DRY SHERRY MUSCAT, e.g. Beaumes de Venise WHITE PORT – a discovery, comes bone dry to semi-sweet VERMOUTH  - say ½ and ½ red and white   APPETIZERS  AND  SNACKS CHAMPAGNE  with almost all OYSTERS  -  CHAMPAGNE Northern acidic whites, such as French CHABLIS (village level, if possible),     MUSCADET-SUR-LIE, SANCERRE or                         other SAUVIGNON BLANC Light dry red, such as ST-NICOLAS-DE-BOURGUEIL, a cabernet franc from the Loire, or 10 year old RIOJA RESERVA, dry ROSE, VINHO VERDE   CAVIAR  -  only champagne   GREY SHRIMP with sea salt  -  bone dry RIESLING, Alsace or Canadian   LARGE  BOILED  SHRIMP  -  good fat WHITE BURGUNDY or CHARDONNAY SMOKED SALMON – GEWURTZTRAMINER, RIESLING REAL FOIE GRAS  -  CHAMPAGNE or SAUTERNES   PATE (meat or liver, not pepper )  -  ALSACE, particularly GEWURTZTRAMINER                         Coastal Ridge from California, available at Paz, is excellent. GOUGERES (cheese puffs) – most white or red, not too dry   SOUPS CONSOMME  -  DRY SHERRY FISH  CHOWDER  -  WHITE  -  CHARDONNAY                                         RED  -  ROSE REAL  BOUILLABAISSE  -  PROVENCALE  WHITE                                                      CONDRIEU                                                      WHITE  CHATEAUNEUF-DU PAPE                                                      DRY  ROSE, such as TAVEL MEAT  SOUPS  -  try various reds CREAM SOUPS  -  probably no wine BORSCHT  -  no wine   OMELETTES   Basically  CHARDONNAY                   SAUVIGNON BLANC                   LIGHT RED Depends on contents. Omelette with goat cheese – SAUVIGNON  BLANC         Crane Lake from California is very good – available at Paz. OTHER  EGGS   MEURETTE  -  BEAUJOLAIS, LIGHT  RED EN  COCOTTE, with blue cheese – VIN  JAUNE                                                                    6    SEAFOOD SIMPLE POACHED LIGHT FISH, e.g. trout – SIMPLE WHITE BURGUNDY, LIGHT CHAR WITH SAUCES  -  MORE COMPLEX CHARDONNAY SOLE BONNE FEMME  -  CORTON  CHARLEMAGNE SOLE  IN  CHAMPAGNE  -  CHAMPAGNE SOLE  IN  RIESLING  -  ALSATIAN  RIESLING PROVENCALE  FISH  -  PROVENCE  OR  RHONE  WHITE  OR  ROSE SALMON  OR  LOBSTER  -  HEAVIER  WHITE BURGUNDY OR CHARDONNAY – depending on sauce, with salmon could take a chilled red. MUSSELS  -  CHARDONNAY or crisp whites OTHER  SHELLFISH  -  depends on preparation PORTUGUESE DUNGENESS CRAB – VINHO VERDE CREAMED SALT COD – FINO SHERRY Alternate wines – ROSE or ST-NICOLAS-DE-BOURGUEIL (red)   CASAL DE GORCHS RESERVA CHARDONNAY and RINCONADA – TRY VARIOUS south American CHARDONNAYS, particularly the RESERVA or RESERVA ESPECIAL, if you can find them (eg SANTA EMILIANA, more nuanced and goes well with fish.   7     POULTRY  -  CHICKEN   ROAST/BBQ  -  robust white or red                                         CHARDONNAY, e.g. Rinconada or Santa Emiliana                                         PINOT NOIR or RED BURGUNDY (not Bordeaux)                                         COTES-DU-RHONE                                         ZINFANDEL                                         CABEZAC (CARIGNANE) – at Paz         COQ  AU  VIN  -  AU VIN DE TABLE  -  VIN DE TABLE                                  AU CHAMBERTIN  -  CHAMBERTIN                                  AU RIESLING (ALSACE)  -  RIESLING D’ALSACE                                    AU CHAMPAGNE  -  CHAMPAGNE                                  AU VIN JAUNE/SHERRY  -  VIN  JAUNE or ½ chardonnay & ½ dry sherry                                                                                         (recipe in CASA book)        HEARTY  -  tomatoes, onions, garlic – HEARTY RED (like roast), e.g. southern French CHICKEN  PIE  -  CHARDONNAY,  milk   TURKEY/GOOSE/DUCK  (Thanksgiving,  Xmas) PINK  CHAMPAGNE ROSE SPARKLING LAMBRUSCO – pink or red - Paz RIESLING               CHARDONNAY  HEARTY  RED  BEAUJOLAIS    GAME BIRDS – RHONE, ZINFANDEL, PETITE SIRAH     LAMB   ROAST  LEG  -  greasy, needs cutting wine. The marriage is Bordeaux, particularly                         GRAVES  -  preferably northern – Pessac-Leognan                                                 PAUILLAC                         Some MARGAUX, on graves, down by river, e.g. D’ISSAN, GISCOURS         Good selection of Bordeaux at La Europea and Sam’s. CHOPS  -  same SHANK  -  depends on preparation Alternate wines  - RHONE, ZINFANDEL, CABEZAC, CALIFORNIA CAB OR MERLOT, RIOJA or RIBERA DEL DUERO, DOURO.       BEEF   PRIME RIB ROAST  -  greasy, needs cutting BORDEAUX – GRAVES, ST-ESTEPHE, PAULLIAC ENTRECOTE BORDELAISE (Bordeaux specialty) – BORDEAUX STEAK  -  BURGUNDY,  PINOT NOIR,  RHONE STEAK FRITES - BEAUJOLAIS BEEF  STEW  -  almost any HEARTY RED Heavy CHAMPAGNE with lots of pinot noir will go with even a steak.           VEAL More delicate – LIGHT CHARDONNAY,  LIGHT RED BREADED VEAL CUTLET/ HEARTY VEAL STEW  -  HEARTY LIGHT RED,                                         HUNGARIAN, ITALIAN     PORK   White meat but strong taste – don’t use expensive wine – CHARDONNAY, GERMAN SPATLESE, ROSE, BEAUJOLAIS (young and fruity) WHITE ZINFANDEL HAM & PINEAPPLE  -  GEWURTZTRAMINER Maywine is made from cheap German wine steeped with sweet woodruff. (In Germany Maibowle, made with waldmeister.) Woodruff is a pretty ground cover, spreads well, likes shade and throws pretty tiny white flowers in May – end May/early June depending on the climate (in the north). HAM  SANDWICHES  WITH  MAYWINE  make a wonderful picnic. TOURTIERE – a hearty Quebec ground pork pie, to fight the winter – RHONE, CABERNET   11  GAME  -  furred          (gibier a poil)    or                          feathered     (gibier a plume) Big in Europe. In the fall the butcher windows are full of game. Here, it’s mainly farm raised. The marriage is RHONE WINE.  Alternatives: ZINFANDEL, PETITE SIRAH.   SIDE  DISHES  -  WILD RICE                                  WILD MUSHROOMS, particularly MORELS          ORGAN  MEATS   Ideal with red wines from the central Loire from the cabernet franc grape :                                         CHINON                                         BOURGUEIL                                         ST-NICOLAS-DE-BOURGUEIL Or try cabernet franc grown elsewhere such as Canada, South America or Mexico.   Alternates :                   BEAUJOLAIS                                         CHIANTI or other SANGIOVESE – Crane lake is outstanding.                                         BARDOLINO,  BARBARESCO or other light NEBBIOLO.   ITALIAN  -  pasta, pizza, veal, etc.          Decent Italian wines are hard to find in Mexico. Of the northern wines based on the NEBBIOLO grape, BAROLO is the heaviest and BARBARESCO, DOLCETTO, and BARDOLINO are lighter. VALPOLICELLA can be good.      Of Tuscan wines based on SANGIOVESE, there is both good and bad CHIANTI, even at moderate prices. A good CHIANTI  RISERVA or BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO with a few years age can be a joy. Crane Lake sangiovese is excellent – at Paz.      Southern cooking with tomatoes and garlic, or pizza or pasta, need a heavier wine, generally. For northern cooking, which is more delicate, follow the standard rules for meat and fish.      ZINFANDEL, California PETITE SIRAH or RHONE are alternatives.   GERMAN/ALSATIAN   Heavy German and Alsatian food, with sausages, sauerkraut, red cabbage, spatzle, etc., overpowers most wine. Beer is the usual choice. Wine from Alsace is dry but fruity and goes with this type of food.  Choucroute royale or  garnie with PINOT GRIS is lovely. Most German wine is not for drinking with food. It is for drinking with dessert or alone. German growers are trying for food wine with the trocken (dry) or halb-trocken styles, but they are not my personal taste. Try Mexican. Chilean or California cabs, but let them age.   ORIENTAL  -  CHINESE Drink SAKE (rice wine), as high as possible of the 10 grades, or beer. RIESLING – off dry. SAUVIGNON  BLANC  can go well  -  it is often bottled with a “Chinese” label If the food is pure – e.g. steamed fish  -  white wine, e.g. CHARDONNAY. Similarly if the beef is not too heavily gucked up with “American Chinese” sauce, RED  WINE. A sweet and sour sauce with pineapple may take a GEWURTZTRAMINER. Sweet sauces generally may take a LATE HARVEST. If the food is overpowered with ginger, black bean sauce, deep fried, generally avoid wine. Some Chinese drink cognac right through the meal. I do not recommend it.   JAPANESE Often purer than Chinese, often can better take wine to match the dish – white or red. GEWURTZRAMINER, off dry RIESLING, dry SHERRY SAKE or beer is still often the choice.   THAI/PHILLIPINE   As above. Wine is seldom the choice.                   GARLIC    Escargots bourgignons. frog’s legs, oeufs en cocotte au fromage bleu, air-dried beef, &c. Although the latter 2 are not with garlic, they are all, with many others, matches for VIN  JAUNE.  Try substituting ½ CHARDONNAY and ½ DRY SHERRY   VEGETARIAN   Quiche, vegetable pies, asparagus, etc. Try : SAUVIGNON  BLANC CHARDONNAY VINS D’ALSACE LIGHT RED OR ROSE   CHEESES  -  A  WORLD  OF  ITS  OWN   There is a specific progression of tasting cheeses. There are specific wine marriages. At dinner, cheese is served before salad, with wine, since the vinegar in salad kills wine. There is in France an association of Maitres-Fromagers, the very best cheese vendors who visit the producers to inspect and approve and select the cheeses. They are “affineurs” – they ripen the cheeses themselves, in 2 separate cellars, depending on the type of cheese, 1 moist and 1 dry. When you buy a cheese from them in the morning they ask: “for lunch or dinner?” and give you a cheese that will be perfectly ripe then. My favourite is Marie-Anne Cantin off  r. Cler in Ecole Militaire. There are only 3 members in the whole of North America. There is 1 in Montreal and we’re lucky to have 2 stores in Toronto which, between them, carry the world’s best cheeses: All The Best Foods, which carries some of M. Chaput’s cheeses from Montreal, 1 of the Maitre-Fromagers, and Alex’s Farms. You haven’t lived until you’ve tasted France’s greatest raw milk cheeses. Here are some suggestions, in order, with suggestions for wine matches. We start with the firm cheeses, then soft cheeses, from mild to stronger, then chevre, then blue. This is the order in which you are served 8 platters of cheese at Androuet’s restaurant, above the cheese store, rue d’Amsterdam, in Paris, beside Gare St-Lazare.  Two hours out of refrigerator. FIRM  CHEESES Brebis (ewe’s milk) from the Basque Pyrenees – either side of    ) the border – Spanish Manchego available at Goiti, Sam’s & La  Europea – NOT Mexican “Manchego”. St-Nectaire fermier (Auvergne)                                                          ) Reblochon de Savoie – Abondance or Tarentaise cows              )               CHAMPAGNE Morbier – morning and evening milk separated by a layer                                                                            of ash                     ) Tomme de Savoie                                                                 ) Other Tommes  (Mexican “Tomme” is good - Superlake)                             )               WHITE BURGUNDY OR                                                                                                                                                 CHARDONNAY SOFT, FULL CREAMY –MILDER Vacherin Mont D’or (French, not Swiss)-fall to Xmas                   ) L’Edel de Cleron (faux Vacherin)       at Goiti                                   )               CHINON/BOURGUEIL The 3 crus of Brie:                Meaux                                                 Melun                                                 Coulommiers (There is a Coulommiers from Normandy which is not the                                                                                 same.)                     )               BORDEAUX Chaource                                                                                               ) Croupet                                                                                                  ) St-Felicien                                                                                             )               CABERNET OR BORDEAUX –                                                                                                                                 NOT TOO YOUNG AND HEAVY St-Marcellin                                                                                          ) COMMERCIAL ( pasteurized ) Boursault ( raw milk if can find )                                                        ) Brillat-Savarin                                                                                       ) Pierre Robert                                                                                         ) Jean-Grogne                                                                                          )   SOFT, FULL, CREAMY  -  STRONGER Camembert                                                                                            ) Maroilles                                                                                               )               RED BURGUNDY OR PINOT                                                                                                                                                                 NOIR Langres ( washed with Marc de Bourgogne )                                 ) Demi-Epoisses                                                                                      )               RHONE Epoisses                                                                                                                )               ZINFANDEL                                                                                                                                 MARC DE BOURGOGNE CHEVRE  ( GOAT’S  MILK  )                                                             )               SANCERRE OR SAUVIGNON                                                                                                                                                                 BLANC Soft, young, creamy ( e.g. La Buche Paillee de Brezelle )              ) Mature, dryer, firmer                                                                            )               VIN D’ALSACE Crottin de Chavignol                                                                           )               YOUNG, FRUITY BEAUJOLAIS BLUE Soft, creamy, e.g. :                                                                                )               SAUTERNES                 St-Agur (Auvergne)                 Bleu d’Auvergne                                                                 )               ST-CROIX-DU-MONT, MONT-                 Bleu de Bresse                                                                                      BAZILLAC, MUSCAT, OTHER Danish or Italian blue                                                          )             SWEET                                                                                                                                 Stronger, e.g.                                                                        )               PORT, PREFERABLY OLD Roquefort                                                                                              VINTAGE. OR- TAWNY OR Stilton (farmhouse, English)                                               )               LBV OR OTHER SWEET                                                                                                                 RED. AMARONE.                               BREADS  AND  CRACKERS Hard crust real baguette Sourdough Portuguese corn bread Walnut bread Habanera Integral crackers – individual packages at Superlake, boxes at Soriana & Walmart.   SALAD – NO WINE DESSERTS   Often it’s a question of wine OR dessert – sweet dessert wine does not always go with dessert. Sweet champagne as dessert wine is no longer in fashion. Late Harvest or fortified wines are often chosen for dessert. Some specific suggestions: FRANCE SAUTERNES  -  sinful with crème brulee RIVESALTES MAURY  -  1938 may still be available There is an old Grenache called “Le Chocolat” which is the ONLY wine which can stand up to chocolate. MUSCAT LOIRE LATE HARVESTS ALSACE VENDANGES TARDIVES & SELECTIONS DE GRAINS NOBLES (SGN) Try Gewurtztraminer GERMANY  -  SPATLESE, AUSLESE, BEERENAUSLESE, TROCKENBEERENAUSLESE (TBA) GERMAN AND CANADIAN ICEWINE  /EISWEIN CALIFORNIA LATE HARVEST PORTUGAL PORT  -  try tawny with muscat raisin pie or Xmas cake SETUBAL   DIGESTIFS  (after dinner, with or without coffee)   OLD COGNAC  - FINE CHAMPAGNE,  NAPOLEON,  XO,  PARADIS OLD  ARMAGNAC OLD MARC DE BOURGOGNE OTHER MARCS OLD  CALVADOS OLD FRENCH RUM ARTISANAL EAUX-DE-VIE  -  from every fruit grown. A good eau-de-vie de Gewurtztraminer from Alsace is worth the detour.