He Says, She Says — August 2008

** If you are looking for the lower-alcohol content wines refered to in our latest issue of Relish magazine, click here.

Perfect Rub for Churrasco

Wini says: Mmmmm! Lots of warm, spicy flavors here—with love from Brazil.

A good choice to get into he-man, Gaucho spirit of churrasco (Brazilian barbecue) would be a big, bold Malbec from Argentina. Still, I’m going for something a little more savvy for summer.

I’ll stick with Argentina, but reach for a one-of-a-kind label: New Age White and Rosé ($9). These slightly spritzy, highly refreshing, serve-’em-cold sips are moderately low in alcohol (9.3% to 11.3%), making them great for summer evenings when high temps and high alcohol just don’t mix.

They’re inexpensive and playful, but not entirely frivolous—consider them a wine cooler for serious wine drinkers (if there could be such a thing!). I’d especially reach for the rosé with this one—it’s made from equal parts Malbec and Merlot and sings with bright red-fruit notes.

Chuck says: I believe you may actually be serious about this! Now, you did notice we’re talkin’ steak here, right? Just want to make sure you didn’t mistake this for, oh, say, taco salad? Wow. I’m just trying to imagine how it would feel to have someone set a magnificent steak in front of me and then hand me a wine cooler to go with it. “But they’re NOT WINE COOLERS!”, I can hear you shouting . . . but sheesh—close enough!

You do have it right on Argentina for this, of course. But instead of the go-to choice of Malbec — which would certainly be good — I might be tempted to try one of their Tempranillos. With just slightly more of a tart up-tick on the finish compared to a Malbec, this ought to be about right. Mapema’s version, which sports a price tag in the mid-teens, would be one to reach for.

Wini says: BUT THEY’RE NOT WINE COOLERS. . . . Truly the only resemblance between these lovely New Age wines and icky, super-sweet commercial wine coolers is that both sparkle, refresh and go down easy in summer. Much easier than, say a Tempranillo. Guess we’ll have to disagree on this one.

Cilantro Chimichurri

Wini says: Yikes. Two things that always trip me up when pairing wine with food are cilantro and vinegar, and this recipe stars both of those troublemakers! If you insist on a red for this one, I’ll sit this round out and have a beer, thank you.

A better idea: Sparkling wine. I recently enjoyed a great bubbly with a cilantro-and-avocado topped steak, which echoes the flavors here and was a truly dynamite pairing!

I can’t tell you how happy it made me to learn that steak and sparkling wine can go so well together — so often I want to start the evening with a glass of bubbly, but then I feel I have to open something red if I’m going to serve steak.

Of course, it depends on the sparkling wine — a wimpy one won’t do with the hefty meat, and an austere and acidic one won’t play nice with that vinegar. But if ever there were a bottle of wine that could take you from appetizers to dinner and through dessert, it’s Mumm Napa Reserve Brut Sparkling Wine ($26). Methinks the Pinot Noir (60 percent) in the blend may have something to do with its versatile food-friendliness.

Chuck says: OK, I certainly see where you’re coming from. But given that spot-on identification of the troublemakers here, I guess I’ll opt for the beer. Yeah, I might’ve been inclined to forge ahead with a red, but the thing is, you couldn’t then really hit the steak with the healthy slathering of Chimichurri it ought to have. Not willing to make that sacrifice. Beer it is.

Senora Mercedes Sanchez’s Gazpacho

Wini says: I love the side note to the garlic! The recipe calls for 2 cloves or “4 if you are Spanish.” Let me tell you—you’ll want to claim Spanish heritage for this one and go for that extra garlic. And don’t skip the bread—those soggy slices are the “why is this so good?” clincher to making a great Spanish Gazpacho.

But . . . what to drink? Certainly, you could stick to my sparkling wine theme and go for an expensive cava from Spain. But how about a wee glass of sherry with this? After all, Gazpacho and sherry hail from the Andalusian region of southern Spain, and wines swill well with foods they dwell with.

I suggest a nicely chilled Fino with this. Fino is a pale, dry, nutty-but-tangy sherry with an intriguing air of sea salt in the sip. Think how good a tomato is on its own; now add a little salt on that juicy slice. Even better, right? That’s the idea behind this pairing.

Though often served as an aperitif, Fino is also a good food wine, especially for small bites starter courses — tapas, for instance. It’s definitely not for everyone, but it is worth a try—especially since many are under $10 a bottle. Look for Osborne Fino Quinta.

Chuck says: Whoa!!! I can only congratulate you on making a stupendous pick — that rocks. Gazpacho is just so special — and underappreciated – and those qualities apply equally to sherry. Better yet, the flavors are going to adore each other here, as you so beautifully explain.

I know we both keep waiting for that big explosion, when sherry finally catches on with masses of wine lovers, but so far, it just doesn’t seem to be happening. What a shame — even more, when you consider that there are so many different styles there’s something for just about everyone.

OK, with this style of sherry, perhaps one further heads-up for the uninitiated may be in order: When you first get a sniff, the tantalizing nuttery-buttery depth of the aroma may lead you to believe you’re about to taste something sweet. It sort of leads you in that direction, and that can be a little unsettling at first. If it strikes you that way, instead of a quick “no, thank you,” give it a little time to explain itself. Chances are, you’ll be glad you did.

One last note . . . you might add the Pedro Romero Manzanilla to the list — extremely light, dry and utterly perfect for the hottest August days. Its sub-$10 price-point is pretty cool, too.

Crawfish, Shrimp, and Lump Crabmeat Etouffée

Wini says: This month’s recipes are all about bringing on bold flavors! As we often say, a wine that’s bravely game with fearless flavors is Riesling.

With crawfish, shrimp and crabmeat in this recipe, this is no time to pour a mediocre, flatly fruity bottle. Step up and reach for a good one from Alsace. Hugel is a kingpin label for Riesling; I recently tasted the Hugel 2006 Riesling — a crisp and refreshing finesse-filled pick. I can’t help but think it its fruit will harmonize beautifully with this recipe’s bold spice; but just as important, the wine’s elegance will be worthy of the dish’s opulent seafood.

Chuck says: You’re on a roll! Even though this is also another dish one might well pair with beer, I like your idea better. (Hey, by the way, do you know whether New Orleans’ Dixie Beer has been able to get back up and running? That was a real winner . . . .) And I love the Hugel, too. But what else would work if you were more domestically inclined? The Oregon producer, Elk Cove, is famous for its Pinot Noirs, but their Estate Riesling seems a good bet here.

See you next month, Wini!

Wini says: Look forward to it, Chuck. Meanwhile, I’ll be thinking of you this month as I sip my sparkling, refreshing New Age Wines while you try to beat the heat with a glass of red Tempranillo. Have fun and let me know how it goes.