He Says, She Says October 2007

Bibimbap

Chuck says: I found the background on Bibimbap absolutely fascinating—especially the part about it being served on the battlefield in upside-down helmets! But I think I’ll forego authenticity and serve it in bowls instead.

Now, I have to admit, when I first glanced at the mélange of flavors in the ingredient list, I got a bit nervous about finding the right wine for this. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that the only potential trap here is the red pepper sauce. And to dance around that, all we have to do is avoid an excess of tannin in the wine—obviously, put searing heat together with tongue-tying tannins, and you’ve got a big-time loser, baby.

So yes, Cabernet is off the table. But a whole passel of other beef-lovin’ reds are fully in play. In particular, I’m intrigued by the idea of pairing this with the bold, juicy, red fruit flavors—and naturally low tannin—of the humble Gamay grape variety. Uh-huh, as in Beaujolais. In fact, set me up with a deep, ripe Morgon or Moulin-à-Vent—upscale versions named for the Beaujolais villages in which they’re produced—and you might even get me to eat my Bibimbap out of an old army helmet. Shall we make that 2 helmets, my friend?

Wini says: You know the thing I love the most about this recipe? No, not the bit about eating it in a helmet (ewwwww—let’s forget you even mentioned that!). Rather, the fried eggs. I adore fried or poached eggs as the finishing touches on everything from Croque Madame sandwiches (those famous French ham-and-cheese sandwiches topped with an egg) to that new darling of American bistros—the poached egg salad. I just love the way a little warm yolk counts as a sauce when it melds with other warmish ingredients. Sigh.

You’re absolutely right about Beaujolais—and it’s one of my all-time favorite wines. I’d only add Brouilly to the list of villages to look for—it’s an easy-drinking, loveable bistro wine that even white-wine-only drinkers warm up to. I might only remind our dear readers that we’re not talking about Beaujolais Nouveau in this instance. Avoid that simple quaff with its splashy labels and once-a-year hoopla, and ask your wine merchant for straight-on Beaujolais wines (known in wine-geekdom as Beaujolais cru).

Cider Braised Pork Loin with Carrots and Onion

Chuck says: After giving this recipe the once-over, I’m officially on the prowl for some well-marbled, locally raised pork loin. And how about this idea—if you’re into watching fall football on TV, you could start this thing braising at halftime, and it’ll be ready to go by the end of the game. Win or lose, you’ll have something tasty to look forward to. For a wine to go with it, I feel pretty strongly influenced by that sweet apple cider-pork combo. And I’m thinking major-league fruit, maybe a hint of sweetness, and some spice in the aroma department ought to provide a darned nice match-up. On all counts, Gewürztraminer scores big—I’m going with it. If I had my druthers, I’d home in on one from Alsace for this.

Wini says: Gewürtz, schmamurtz! That wine sounds way too complicated for me—with all its spice and roses and honey amidst the fruit (and come to think of it, Chuck, is this really a wine for football fans? Where do you come up with this stuff?).

Nope, I’m heading for a flat-out-fruity Riesling for this one. And I might even stay home, foregoing the French and German styles I usually tout and reaching instead for a domestic Riesling that’s even a little on the sweet side. Recently, I got turned onto Willamette Valley Riesling. Deeply fruity at first sip, I found the wine’s brilliant acidity came out when I tried it with a pork dish much like this one.

Chuck says: I stand corrected: Boorish football fans such as myself couldn’t possibly understand and appreciate anything more sophisticated than Bud Light. My bad.

Mesclun Salad with Broccoli and Red Apple

Chuck says: For salad wines, my usual suspects sport citrusy zing, and in spades. We’ve just got to face it, acidic vinaigrettes aren’t always the kindest partners for wine, and to hang in there, it often takes an assertive, ultra-tart wine. But this salad is somewhat different, leaning a tad more toward the sweet side, with its orange juice, apple and honey. Sure, lemon does pop into the mix, but only in a supporting role—a mere 1 tablespoon. So, for that reason, I’m sorely tempted to blow off conventional wisdom and make an unusual choice. Aaaah, what the heck—I’m going for it, Wini—why not Muscadet for this?

Now, many times, wine lovers look to Muscadet when they want a seafood wine, par excellence. (And if you need evidence of that ambrosial affinity, I invite you to pour a cool glass next time you sit down to a plate of oysters—you’ll find out exactly what I’m talking about.) But for a change of pace, I really like the idea of serving subtle, sophisticated Muscadet with our elegant salad. Nowhere near as racy or over-the-top as. say, a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadet still sports all the tangy backbone we need. And the thing is, dialing back the zing factor just a whisker is going to make all the difference in showing the salad at its freshest and best—without any scene stealing. For this, we’re after style, grace and charm in a wine—not a tongue-tickling twit. I have in mind Domaine de la Quilla Muscadet de Sevre et Maine, which will set you back something like 13 or 14 bucks—a bargain for its quality and class.

Wini says: I’m SPEECHLESS! That’s perfect, Chas. You’ve totally made up for the Pork-Loin-Gewürtz gaffe, and left me totally scrambling for anything that could possibly outdo this suggestion.

But I won’t throw in the towel just yet. I’m totally with you on looking for a subtle wine with this. How about another wine from the same region, but one that sparkles—such as a sparkling wine from Vouvray? Made from Chenin Blanc, the best of these are lusciously fruity but plenty elegant—akin to your Muscadet, but with a little sparkle. You see, I’m thinking dinner party here. Welcome guests with a Vouvray sparkler, then top of their glass as they sit down to this salad as a first course. Then, tuck into the Cider-Braised pork (with a Riesling and NOT a Gewürztraminer, might I remind you….)

Chuck says: Hey, thanks for that vote of confidence! (Even a blind, three-legged sow gets an acorn every now and then. . . . )

Garlicky Pumpkin and Broccoli

Chuck says: I feel the need for something Italian here, for sure! And since the pumpkin is going to add some hearty, rich flavor to this pasta dish, we could even go red—yippee!

Something else to ponder? That 1/2-cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano—I mean, that’s the real deal, and it’s going to pack a whole lot of flavor. Am I worried about the red pepper flakes? Not in the least. At a mere 1/4-teaspoon, their role is support and background, kind of like structure in a wine. I don’t expect any sort of harsh interaction.

So, here’s what I’ve got my heart set on: Matching the zesty vegetable and Reggiano character of this satisfying pasta dish with a soulful, northern Italian red. And no, I’m not going snoot-time with big-bucks Barolo or Barbaresco this time around. Those would be too powerful, anyway. But I do want to stick with their region, Piedmont, only latching onto something simple and fun—dolcetto d’Alba.

I know the name dolcetto seems like it might imply a sweet wine, but actually it’s a dry, light-ish red with lots of fruitiness. (By the way, dolcetto is not only the name of the wine, but the grape variety, as well. And the d’Alba part simply means that the wine comes from the area near the town of Alba.) These food and wine flavors ought to really sing together, and even better, this pairing has just the right attitude—laid-back and light-hearted. Just like my side-kick (when she doesn’t get on her high horse about Gewürztraminer, that is . . . )! And I guess you’re up, pal!

Wini says: Chuck, I love this suggestion, but what about people (like you) who live in places like MONTANA, miles from anything as civilized as boutique wine shop? I have the solution for quite a few states: Go to www.klwines.com, the World Wide Web outpost of a great California wine shop. They have everything; for example, plug in dolcetto d’Alba, and you’ll get eight choices for this wine alone.

Sadly, not every state allows residents to get wine shipped to their door. For those who want to tap into the fruity-red appeal of your pick, but have to settle for supermarket standbys, I’d suggest a medium-bodied red Zinfandel. I like the fruitiness of these wines—they can be bright and fruity, without all that cloying jammy-ness you sometimes get with heavier examples. Or, try a blend such as the Folie á Deux California Menage a Trois, a red blend with Zin, Merlot and Cabernet Franc that pops up in discount warehouse stores now and then.

Chuck says: Whenever I want something unusual, why I just hop on my trusty ol’ mule, and would you believe I make the trip to town and back in as few as three or four days? Of course, we don’t have anywhere near as many good wine shops as you have in high-brow . . . ummm . . . what was it again?

Wini says: OK, OK. Des Moines. Yeah, you got me. But at least we’re a “ship-to” state—meaning it’s legal to ship terrific wines to our doors, unlike some dark-ages states, like . . . oh, never mind.

French Pumpkin Soup Baked and Served in the Shell

Chuck says: Is this recipe creative or what?!!! I love it.

You know, it’s funny . . . sometimes when I first read a recipe so many different wine possibilities run through my head that I have to be really systematic and analytical in sorting them all out. It might take a while. That was DEFINITELY not the case with this one. By the time I got to the bottom of the ingredient list, I knew exactly the one wine I wanted to serve with it—Domaine Ehrhart Im Berg Pinot Gris from Alsace, France. Coming from a small property that’s been organic for two generations, this white wine is unusually rich, round, aromatic and a little bit spicy. The soup’s flavors—especially, the gruyère and nutmeg—will be sheer magic with this unique wine. I’ve got the cross-hairs locked on this and nothing else will do.

Wini says: Chuck, do you realize that five out of five of your picks are European, and four out of five of them are French? You barely mentioned a New World wine, and when you did, you obliquely referred to it as a tongue-tickling twit. What’s up with that?

In truth, I know what’s up with that—our job here is to pair wines with food, and nine times out of 10, I’d sooner reach for a European wine to go with my food than a New World wine. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy New World wines—I just tend to drink them during the cocktail hour instead of at the table.

Pinot Gris is a great exception. I think our own West Coast is producing some really nice, fleshy and round versions of this grape, and I think they’ll go nicely with food. In this case, I’ll put Keller Estate Pinot Gris—from the Sonoma Coast—up against your Alsace pick. And I’ll bet I’d save a few clams in the deal, what with the lousy dollar-to-Euro doldrums we’re experiencing right now.

Until next month!

Chuck says: After the drubbing I took this month, I can hardly wait.