email this pageyou want recipes combining "easy" and "delicious," you'd be hard pressed to top the lineup we've got this month, starting out with quite the seafood bonanza. What do you say we dive right in?<
Seafood Quiche
Chuck Says: One look at this quiche tells me I'm going to have an awfully hard time saying no to a second, or maybe even a third, slice. And when it comes to finding a wine to set beside it, all I can say is that whenever we've had similar dishes in the past, you and I have almost always seen eye-to-eye, and quite often landed together on sparkling wines as being the gold standard. With the subtle seafood flavors and decadent texture here, I see this as no time to rock the boat.
hey, to keep things interesting, maybe I can suggest something from an unusual place! Zippy-fresh, pleasantly tangy, and with a skosh of flashy spiciness, try New Mexico's own Gruet Blanc de Blancs ($25). Of course, New Mexico isn't exactly known for seafood (sure do love those mountain trout, though), but this surprisingly fun sipper is still quite the catch.
So, out with it—what are you going to suggest with Seafood Quiche? As long as it isn't . . . Crab-ernet Sauvignon! Ha! Oh, come on—I'm just trying to get you to come out of your shell a bit. What's that? Huh? Still floundering around for a response? OK, OK, I promise . . . .
Sorry everyone. Looks like I might have to scale this back.
Wini Says: Cod you please knock it off? You’re giving me a haddock.
Anyway, one of the things I adore about this recipe, right off, is how it helps stretch one cup of seafood into eight luscious servings. You’re right to head in the sparkling wine direction, but in keeping with the great-bang-for-the-buck appeal of the recipe, I’m going to go a little lower in price. For less than $15, Bouvet Signature Brut from France’s Loire Valley brings gentle bubbles and round fruit flavors that should prove subtly refreshing between rich bites of this yummy quiche.
Uncle George’s Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp, Asparagus and Mushrooms
Chuck Says: Hooray—another seafood recipe, and another opportunity for great puns! For example, one might say, "With flavors like this, it doesn't take a brain sturgeon to figure out . . ." YOWWWWW . . . or maybe not. Ouch.
OK, so you know what I forgot to mention? The Gruet Blanc de Blancs I just recommended is made from Chardonnay. And as it happens, the right Chard would go, umm, swimmingly with this seafood Alfredo dish too, matching texture for texture in such a lovely way. Heck, I can't think of a time I made back-to-back Chard picks, so let's go for it.
What I have in mind is a bright, zesty style of Chardonnay—one that freshens the palate, rather than loading it up with that buttery heaviness so many Chards have. The winemaking process that slathers on the buttery-ness—and what we want to avoid in this case—is called malolactic fermentation, and my pick, Morgan Metallico Chardonnay ($22), is having none of that. You may not even recognize it as Chardonnay, on account of its tart, citrusy finish—not something you experience in a lot of Chardonnays. Yes, it'll set you back a couple of fins, but it'll sure be a tasty way to balance out the luscious cream and Parmigiano Reggiano in this sauce.
Come now, what's in your glass with this, Wini? Don't be shellfish, now!
Wini Says:Hmm. Let’s sea. I must say I’m in the exact same school of thought with you, as my sole choice for this would be Chardonnay as well.
Yes, I’m with you on this hook, line and sinker—not only about the grape, but even the winery. Everything you say about Morgan’s Metallico is also true of the Morgan 2007 Highland Chardonnay ($25). Well, except that 35 percent of the wine in this bottle underwent malolactic fermentation. Still, it’s an amazing wine. With its unmistakable minerally and lemon-cream finish, it’s a Chard that has more in common with the Meursaults of Burgundy than the butter-bombs you sometimes get in a bottle of New World Chard, and it will go beautifully with this creamy seafood dish.
Great Northerns with Leeks and Bacon
Chuck Says: Well, aren't we just so relieved to finally have all those silly seafood puns behind us? Home free now, my friend! I mean, now we can focus exclusively on the seriousness of the pairing task before us. Indeed, even if we wanted to, we wouldn't be able to joke around . . . about . . . hey, wait a minute. No, you're right—not going there.
Where are we going? Well, thinking about this honest, rustic and hearty recipe could easily send you in a lot of different wine directions, and funny thing is, a lot of them might be worth a try. So let's make this simple and generous, just like the dish—Santa Rita's Reserva Carmenère ($14) from Chile. Dark, juicy flavors, and a plushy, easygoing mouthfeel make this red work just fine here because we're balancing big, bold flavors, but not steak- or roast-style meatiness requiring grippy-strong tannins.
Wini Says:Well done—Santa Rita’s Carmenère is a well-priced winner! Yet whenever I see white beans, I think “Tuscany”—the land of the mangiafagioli, or bean-eaters. And of course, whenever I think Tuscany, I think Chianti.
Now, we’ve talked about how some Chianti can be austere and tart to a fault, so I’m always on the lookout for bottles that offer the fresh, vibrant zip we expect from a food-friendly Chianti, but that doesn’t makes us pucker up and go, “no thanks.” Melini 2006 Chianti Classico Isassi ($16.99) has enough fresh liveliness to complement the bacon-y richness of the dish, but it’s not stingy with the fruit, either.
Warm Kidney Bean Salad
Chuck Says: I often get myself into trouble by assuming things (noticed?), but this time I do think we can safely assume that our bean salad isn't going to be served all by its lonesome, with no other food. So what's the wine-savvy answer to the unknown? And even if the salad does wind up taking center stage? Well, how about a supremely food-friendly wine that'll not only love this particular dish, but darned near anything else that comes along for the ride? To me, that sounds an awful lot like Côtes-du-Rhône.
My go-to inexpensive C-d-R, as I think you know, is the Delas Frères St.-Esprit ($13), which relies heavily on Syrah in its blend, and benefits greatly thereby. But ubiquitous on restaurant wine menus, and for very good reason, is the Jaboulet Parallèle 45 ($12). No scene stealer, and definitely not flashy, it is a simple wine that, as you happily sip away, calls so little attention to itself you forget just how much you're enjoying it. Now, admit it—you don't have to be a wine a-fish-ionado to get hooked on a wine like that!!! Ba-da-bing, ba-da-bang!
Wini Says:Nothing fishy about your choices, Chas.! I will say, however, in trying to think of how to morph this salad into a meal, I suddenly had an enticing vision of arranging it in the center of a huge platter surrounded by a few cheeses and meats, such as marinated grilled chicken breast and perhaps some leaner cuts of ham. (Let’s not go overboard on the accompaniments, however; we’ll want to keep in the healthful spirit of the legumes, right?). Just the right wine would make this spread into the sort of meal you could casually linger over with friends.
Any quintessentially food-friendly wine will work, and yes, your C-d-Rs definitely fall into that category! As would the Chianti I mentioned above. And so would a solid Pinot Noir. Keeping in the easy-on-the-wallet spirit of your choices, I’ll suggest Hayman and Hill 2007 Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir ($15)—a good, silky rendition of Pinot, with a balance of berry-bright and earthy notes.
Yes, indeed—that’s the bottle that I’ll proudly perch on my table for this meal!
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