Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Capital Cooking on Let's Talk Live with Fall Wine Pairings

Fall is here!  I went on Let's Talk Live to give you some wine pairing suggestions for the season.  Enjoy!
Ruffino Prosecco ($15) – Ruffino Prosecco DOCG is a crisp, clean and delicate Prosecco from northern Italy. I really like this Prosecco because it isn’t overly dry or overly sweet. I love starting off any meal with Prosecco and I think the flavor is perfect with some fall appetizers or even after dinner. Clean notes of apples, pears and citrus.

Carpene Malvolti Prosecco Brut ($19.99):  Bubbles are a great way to get guests to start a party or celebration.

Dish: Crispy Leg of Duck Confit served with a barley risotto, parsnips, caramelized apples and a cider reduction from Art and Soul

Parings:

Battistina Gavi ($17.99):  notes of fresh citrus: ripe fruit - apples and pears; zesty with hint of minerality.

Once Upon a Vine, A Charming Pinot – Juicy cherry pie and plum create a simply decadent smooth finish with a hint of oak spice. It’s perfect for fall because it is irresistibly charming to sip on a velvety pinot during the crisp fall months.

Ruffino Riserva Ducale Chianti Classico: This Chianti Classico is a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet and Merlot that and possess notes of fresh fruit like cherry, wild berries and plum, accompanied by hints of pepper and spice. Its herbaceous notes – rosemary, sage – and rich red berries (which are often used in confit glazes) provide a savory/sweet dynamic that makes the rich and complex confit sing!

Dish:  Roasted Turkey and Stuffing from 1789

Pairings:

Bodegas Franco Espanolas Rioja Bordon Reserva ($19.99):  notes of vanilla and pie cherries - leather and earth flavors and spice and balsamic.

Ravenswood Vintners Blend Zinfandel:  An all American wine for an all American holiday. This California Zinfandel from Ravenswood winery is bold, delicious and very affordable – an excellent pick for your traditional Thanksgiving Turkey.

The recipe calls for a lighter red with a natural softness such as a Merlot to pair with it. This is because Turkey has very a delicate flavor and can easily be overpowered by big reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah.  Luce della Vite’s ‘Lucente’ fits the bill with a blend of Merlot (75%) and Sangiovese (25%). The Merlot portion of the wine has a seductive bouquet of raspberry and blackberry, followed by espresso and white chocolate. The small portion of Sangiovese in the blend gives the wine a delicate herbal note of mint and sage. On the palate, the wine is well rounded and finishes with a pleasant hint of cinnamon and nutmeg.

The 2011 Overlook Chardonnay features beautiful notes of spun honey and honeysuckle with hints of sweet apple pie and a creamy, smooth, full bodied mouthfeel makes this wine rich and great for heavier, earthy fall fare. This one is much better paired with food rather than on its own.

Dish:  Mushroom Tagliatelle from Al Tiramisu

Pairings:

Angelini Estate Sangiove Riserva ($24.99):  A full-bodied wine with notes of roses and leather. Perfect for mushroom and meat dishes.

Cakebread Cellars Pinot Noir: The earthy and red-fruit flavors of the wine, as well as its concentrated flavors and good minerality, will stand up well to the richness of the dish.

Ruffino Riserva Ducale Oro, an aged Italian Chianti Classico wine that perfectly highlights the earthiness of this Italian dish. Like a mushroom dish, Riserva Ducale Oro is supple and creamy almost, providing the perfect texture and earthy flavor, too, to marry with the pasta.

The recipe calls for a wine that can handle the richer, fungal notes of the mushrooms.  The Arnaldo Caprai Montefalco Rosso is an excellent match for this rustic dish as the wine pairs brilliantly with the kinds of strong flavored root vegetables and fungi for which Umbria is famous, truffles in particular. The wine combines the classic elegance of Italy’s famous Sangiovese grape (cherries, red fruit, cinnamon and herbs) with Merlot and the richer, full-bodied elements of Umbria’s indigenous Sagrantino grape (plums, blackberries, prunes, spice and leather).  The prominence of Sangiovese (70%) provides the right amount of acid and savory notes to match up to tomato-based sauces, while the Merlot (15%) and Sagrantino (15%) help provide some of the structure and bigger fruit needed to compliment the richer flavors of the mushroom.

Dish:  Uni risotto – sea urchin, shemiji mushrooms, edamame, Parmesan cheese from Zentan

Pairings:

Once Upon a Vine, Red Blend – This blend is sumptuous and fruit forward with just a little spice. It’s perfect for fall because its mix of Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel grapes provide rich juicy flavors that pair excellently with rich, flavorful fall dishes.


Pairings:

Fonseca 10 Year Old Tawny ($32): With an intense amber-tawny color, this wine has sweet, elegant apricot flavors, delicate wood notes and rich, seductive aromas of mature fruit. 

Rose ‘N’ Blum Semi-Sweet Red – Just sweet enough, this wine pairs nicely with heavier fall meals. Probably best with a dessert or could be in place of a dessert. 

Girl Go Lightly Chardonnay – Bright pear flavors will stand out along with bountiful fall desserts. This wine would be perfect for pairing with the whole Thanksgiving meal. I’m not usually a Chardonnay fan, but I really like this one. 

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