WineVentures » Featured Pairing

Tuna Burger with Rosé

jaclyn — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 00:08:43 +0000

I had the pleasure of noshing on one of Gott’s Roadside’s famous Ahi Tuna burgers today. A beautiful piece of Ahi, lightly seared, a toasted egg bun, Asian slaw, and wasabi-sesame mayonnaise made up this delicious concoction.

With it, I enjoyed a glass of Bieler Père et Fils “Sabine” Rosé. This dry rosé is one of my favorites each year made by one of my favorite winemakers Charles Bieler (I mean, who doesn’t love a guy that rolls around the U.S. in a vintage pink convertible to sing the praises of good, dry rosé?) “Sabine”, named after Charles’ daughter, is a lovely rosy-pink colored wine from the Coteaux d’Aix en Provence region in France. Made up of primarily Syrah, plus some Grenache and Cinsault, this wine is crisp, refreshing, and perfectly-suited for summer…and Ahi burgers!

Arugula Salad with Verdejo

jaclyn — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 16:05:21 +0000

Last night I had a delicious arugula salad at Zuzu Restaurant in Napa Valley that was composed of crisp arugula, shaved Sao Jorge cheese, portobello mushrooms, sliced artichoke, and a zippy lemon-truffle vinaigrette.

I paired the salad with a crisp white wine from Spain, called Verdejo. This grape is the primary grape of white wines from the Rueda region in Northwest Spain. It used to be utilized in more oxidized, sherry-like wines, but more recently it has been made into more of a clear, clean, and crisp white wine perfect for shellfish, chevre, and, well, salads.

Pizza Margherita & Chianti

jaclyn — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 01:39:40 +0000

About the wine:
Chianti is a wine region located in Tuscany, Italy. Here, they are known for their high-acid, medium-bodied reds made primarily with the Sangiovese grape. These wines are notoriously good matches to tomatoes and tomato-based sauces, hard and salty cheeses, and dishes flavored with dried herbs. So you can see why it would be a perfect match for Pizza Margherita!

Rib-Eye & St Émilion

jaclyn — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 01:15:14 +0000

How to prepare the Rib-Eye:
Set at room temperature while you prepare your grill. Salt each side liberally with salt and pepper. Grill the rib-eye for about 4 minutes on each side (this will cook them to about a medium-rare doneness). After removing from the grill, allow the rib-eye to rest for about 10 minutes.
While the steak is resting take 1 tablespoon of softened butter and mix in 1/2 teaspoon of minced shallots (or chives) and 1/2 tablespoon of crumbled blue cheese. Top the rib-eye with the butter.

About the wine:
St. Émilion is a wine region on the Right Bank of Bordeaux, France. Here, they are known for crafting wines that are made primarily from Merlot, with a smaller amount of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and/or Petit Verdot. The wines are typically complex and relatively tannic; with notes cassis, cherry, and herbs. The St Émilion that I personally enjoyed with this rib-eye preparation was Chateau Quinault’s “L´Enclos” St. Émilion Grand Cru 2000 made up of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Malbec.

Why it works:
Tannic wines are well suited for fattier foods because the fat will soften and smooth out the tannin. Rib-eye is a rich, marbleized steak with a fairly high intensity, that does best with heavier, more intense wines like Cabernet, Merlot, or Malbec. Plus, with the addition of even more fat and richness, with the blue cheese butter, the St. Émilion really comes alive.