One of my favorite ways to use my wine knowledge is pairing food with wine.  I’ve had two opportunities to do that in the past month and want to share some of the pairings that worked particularly well, in my opinion.

It’s often difficult to pair wine with salad or vegetables.  The wine has to have enough acidity to cut through oily or creamy sauces and dressings, but also provide enough body and complimentary aromatics to not be overpowered and taste like water. 

Many people turn to Sauvignon Blanc, which I find competes with the flavor of the vegetables, or a Dry Reisling, which sometimes gets lost next to strongly-flavored vegetables.  I thought an Etna Bianco or Catarratto, white wines from Sicily, might work well.  Terre di Giafar Catarratto 2016 is an interesting bottle of wine.  Without food, I don’t think it’s very impressive.  It’s a little too smokey (from the volcanic soils) and full-bodied for my usual taste in white wine.

However, paired with roasted carrots in a curry hummus sauce on one night, and an iceberg wedge with blue cheese and bacon dressing on another night, it was a standout, reminding me that food and wine pairings can be greater than the sum of their parts.  The Terre di Giafar Catarratto is full bodied, golden yellow, with lemon and apricot flavors, a floral bouquet, and a smokey finish.  $12 at Wineworks. Tenuta also makes a Catarratto.  (I also highly recommend Etna Bianco in general as a fantastic food wine.)

Another one of my favorite surprise-it-works pairings is salmon with a Gamay.  Many people might pair salmon with a white wine, or possibly branch out and pair a grilled salmon with a Pinot Noir.  I find Beaujolais Cru or Beaujolais Villages (not Beaujolais Nouveau-we’ve discussed that before) pairs beautifully with salmon.  Beaujolais is produced in the Beaujolais region (South of Burgundy and just North of Lyon) and made from Gamay, a thin-skinned, low tannin grape.  It’s a medium-bodied red wine, fruity with higher acidity and light tannins, that does not overwhelm the fish.

When young, Gamay is very aromatic, with flavors of cherry and red berries, and nice acidity. Aged 10 years or more, Gamay can acquire more Burgundian Pinot Noir flavors such as mushroom and forest floor. I think of Gamay as Pinot Noir’s underrated cousin.  The underrating keeps the prices low, in comparison to Pinot Noirs from Burgundy. My favorite Beaujolais Crus are from the Villages of Morgon, Fleurie, or Moulin-a-Vent.  (When shopping, remember that a French wine will say the Village on the label, rather than the grape variety.) 

I choose to serve a Jean-Marc Burgaud Beaujolais Villages Les Vignes de Lantignie 2017 from the Village of Thulon, a village just west of Morgon.  I happen to like this wine very much on its own, with its cherry, raspberry, and blackberry flavors and lilac aroma, but it’s extremely versatile when pairing with food.  Aside from salmon, I paired it with lamb on one night, and with filet mignon in a blackberry sauce another night. I would pair this versatile wine with cheeses and pork, as well.  $15 from Wineworks. 

Here’s to more perfect pairings in the future!