He Said, She Said, April 2007

Relish the Healthy Table – Shrimp, Sausage and Quinoa Jambalaya

Wini Says: I love pairing wines with “healthy” foods, because I don’t think the two are mutually exclusive at all. I truly believe that wine in moderation can be part of a healthy lifestyle (unless of course, your doctor has told you otherwise). When I dine with wine, I tend slow down and enjoy everything more. This makes me feel more satisfied without having to stuff myself.

I’d go for a Riesling with the Shrimp, Sausage and Quinoa Jambalaya. However, rather than the steely-dry ones from France I usually yap on and on about, I might try one from our own West Coast—a fruitier pick, like Holly Creek Oregon Riesling or the off-dry (which means “kind of sweet”) Clos du Bois California Riesling. I’ve found that zippy foods—like those spiked with tomatoes and garlic—can bring out a lovely lushness in sweeter Rieslings.

And you, Chas.?

Chuck Says: Such a great point on pairing wines with healthy food! Totally compatible—and what’s more, healthy food choices tend to feature exceptionally pure flavors and ingredients, with no manipulation or whacked-out cooking techniques. How can that not work with wine? It puts the spotlight right where it should be: On honest expressions of flavor in both the food and the wine.

I can’t argue with your choice of Riesling here, either. Just one thing: if we’re talking about off-dry Rieslings, let’s not forget Germany, home to some of the best Rieslings around. But my usual warning about avoiding the ultra-cheapies applies doubly here. Thanks to only a couple crummy mass-market brands (I’m not naming names) the entire German wine industry has basically been in recovery mode for years—a classic case of a few bad apples spoiling the barrel. For quality German Riesling, look for QmP (Qualitätswein mit Prädikat) on the label. And, if you want to spring for one marked “Spätlese” you could be in for a real treat—the best of these just might make you a Riesling fan for life.

Relish a Classic Dish - Popovers and Shrimp Salad

Wini Says: Popovers? Aren’t these a little like Gougères—those cute little cheese puffs that the French often pop in their mouths while sipping their famous Burgundy wines? Of course, the French flavor theirs with French Gruyère (a.k.a. Comté) cheese, but hey, Cheddar works for me, too!

What’s most important to me with this one is matching elegance with elegance. The puffs with Shrimp Salad are indeed elegant, so I’m going with an elegant Chablis. I recently tasted a true Chablis—that is, one from the Chablis region of Burgundy, France. And let me tell you, if I were from that region, I’d be steaming mad at American wineries that started generically slapping the name Chablis on any old bottle of white wine!

True Chablis is a gorgeous white made from Chardonnay grapes. The oak influence is minimal (if present at all), so you get a more pure fruit character with hints of herbs and citrus and a pleasant flintiness on the finish. Chablis wines are pricey, but a good entry-level pick is Joseph Drouhin Chablis, at $20 a bottle. For something a little less pricey, try Louis Jadot Chardonnay or Joseph Drouhin Saint-Véran (also made from Chardonnay). These aren’t actual Chablis wines, because they’re from outside that specific region, but they’re refined enough for these pretty puffs and cost around $14.

Take it away, Chuck!

Chuck Says: Aw, man, you beat me to recommending Saint-Véran for something! They can be such wonderful food wines—definitely underrated and sometimes a pretty darned good bargain to boot. Great call, Wini.

Gotta say, I don’t see any reason to stray from French white wines for this popover/shrimp salad combo. And I’m thinking hard about that flintiness you mentioned, which I think would be a super complement to the food here. So, as an alternative to the whites you mentioned from in and around Burgundy, might I propose Sancerre? Now, we are talking 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc, but in a classic style featuring razor-sharp balance and Sancerre’s characteristic mineral-like finish. Unlike lots of New World Sauvignons, there’s nothing puckeringly acidic here. Pascal Jolivet is a dependable Sancerre producer to keep an eye out for, offering several different versions at various price points.

Relish a Food Festival—Monte Cristo Cornbread Skillet Supper

Wini Says: Eeeeek—eggs! Eggs are always a tough call in pairings—sparkling wine would work, but with all this meat-cheese richness, I’d want a red wine. How about a Beaujolais (not Beaujolais Nouveau, but good old Beaujolais that’s available year-round)? This Gamay-grape-based wine is light—and that’s going to help as you enjoy this rich dish. And Beaujolais’s fruitiness will also echo the jam or jelly that classically accompanies Monte Cristo sandwiches. Many Beaujolais are named by the region’s villages—try Brouilly, Fleurie and Moulin à Vent. You should be able to find bottles priced between $10 and $15.

Chuck Says: As tasty as this skillet sounds, I agree: It ain’t the easiest for wine pairing. Along with the richness and sweetness you mention, there are a lot of different textures involved. Fruity is the way to go, so I’m not going to disagree with your pick one bit. I’m only going to offer a unique option . . . so, uhhh, anyone up for a scavenger hunt?!!! If so, start looking for a hard-to-find red wine called “joven,” which in most examples is Spain’s answer to Beaujolais. In fact, made in several different Spanish wine regions, jovenes are typically fermented the same way as Beaujolais, with a process called “carbonic maceration,” a technique that absolutely SUPER-SIZES fruitiness.

Why go out of your way for this basically unsophisticated sip? It’s all about the mouth-popping fruit. Yet, because of that killer fruitiness, you’ve got to keep in mind that these things don’t age worth a hoot. The Spanish refer to jovenes as their “yearly” wines, meaning that they actually should be drunk within a year or so of their release. If you’re lucky enough to find one at all, don’t buy a joven older than the 2005 vintage. (If you DO find one, please post me a comment on the Relish site—I told you this was a scavenger hunt.)

My favorite joven is called “R.” (“Erre punto”), from one of the most prestigious Rioja bodegas, Fernando Remirez de Ganuza—look around restaurant tables in Rioja and you see a lot of this stuff. Even though many of Ganuza’s incredible wines are available in the United States, I’m not sure R. is imported. In any case, look for Spanish wines with the name “joven” and you should get at least a hint of what I’m talking about. (Can you forgive me for recommending yet another wine that’s as scarce as hen’s teeth? But, if I can keep it to just one a month . . . . )

Wini Says: You’re geekin’ me out, Chuck, but it does sound good. And anything that echos Beaujolais sounds good to me.

Relish the Holiday – Easter Brunch

Wini Says: What? Eggs again! Well, I’m a huge fan of sparkling wines at brunch, but I also like to take it easy on the alcohol. A few months ago, Relish ran some fabulous punches made with Prosecco, a fruity and light Italian sparkling wine. I’d recommend pairing these egg dishes with one of the clever Prosecco-based concoctions at: http://www.relishmag.com/recipes/search.html?q=Prosecco&x=7&y=8. I especially like the strawberry-studded Rossini Cocktail—how pretty for spring!

What would you recommend, Chuck, for the purists—those who would rather drink a glass of nails than mix their wine with something else?

Chuck Says: Right! Errrr, I mean: That’s some nerve, Sister! How dare you suggest adulterating wine with . . . with . . . well, adulterating wine! Come on purists, we’re outta here: Let’s jump back across the border into France and grab some Crémant.

Yup, that’s right, I like bubbly with brunch, too.

Now, I’m guessing this pick won’t appease the truly rabid purists out there, either. Yet, isn’t it fun that some of the top French regions for still wines make interesting sparkling wines that most people never hear about? Examples include Crémant de Bourgogne (Burgundy), Crémant de Bordeaux, and my choice for this brunch, Crémant d’Alsace. All of these are made with the same quality-minded process as pedigreed Champagne. Frankly, I think the zingy acidity and satisfying depth of Crémant d’Alsace are just the ticket for a special occasion such as this—especially since there’s such a wide variety of delicious food choices to match up with.

Relish a New Ingredient – Smoked-Dried Tomatoes

Wini Says: Sun-dried tomatoes are a challenge, too—they can be kind of tinny. For this, I’m going with a sip that’s every food’s friend: Pinot Grigio. Though this white is sometimes disparaged for being too mild, I think that’s going to be just the thing with these powerhouse flavors. However, I enjoy Pinot Grigios with a little heft in them—not the all-too-common watery, ultra-light ones. Look for labels from Pighin, Montevina and MacMurray Ranch (this one will be called Pinot Gris—same thing).

Chuck Says: Hmmm . . . I hear you on the sun-dried turning metallic with the wrong wine—especially the wrong red. But what if you’re simply in the mood for a red, and nothing else will do? In that case, I might think seriously about a Sangiovese here, and maybe even a California Sangiovese. (And that should pretty much take care of that final remaining purist out there. . . .)

OK, I need to confess, my reasoning has a lot to do with the smoke-dried tomato option. That’s a slightly different critter from your conventional sun-dried. But the accent they’ll lend to the Sun-Dried Tomato Pizza will be nothing short of dynamite. I think Sangiovese will work with that smoky ethereal-ness in a very beautiful way, and without overpowering. If you can’t bring yourself to drink Pinot Grigio—even the winners above—then try Sangiovese with this.