Culinary Page Food/Wine Pairings

Peter Creasey

Peter Creasey
My mission was to provide data for a culinary page in a newsletter. Given various food presentations/dishes, suggest affordable, suitable wines from a wine list that was provided to me.

With NO pride of authorship, here's what I came up with...

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Tostado Station (various fillings and condiments) --
Tikal Patriota Bonarda/Malbec '09
Miner Viognier Simpson Vineyard '08

Oyster Special (elaborate toppings) --
Dry Creek Vineyard Fume Blanc '10
Pascal Jolivet Sancerre '10

ROCC Stir Fry Station (chicken, shrimp, tofu, etc. plus miscellaneous vegetables) --
Adele Rouze Quincy '10
Charles & Charles Rose '08
Swanson North Coast Merlot '07

Taco Action Station (tuna, steak, shrimp, etc.) --
Leitz Out Riesling QbA '10
Morande Edicion Limitade Carignan '06
Groth Napa Sauvignon Blanc '09

Lobster Night Special --
Anne Aime Pinot Noir Blanc '10
Talbott Sleepy Hollow Vineyard Chardonnay '10
Beringer Sbragia Limited Release Chardonnay '10

Sushi Station --
Vincent Delaporte Chavignon Sancerre '10
Domaine de la Janasse Terre d'Argile Cote du Rhone '06
Markham Napa Merlot '07

Fried Gulf Shrimp and French Fries --
Ridge Ponzo Vineyard Zin '09
Santa Margherita Alto Adige Pinot Grigio '10

Red Snapper (multiple presentations) --
Pine Ridge Dijon Clones Chardonnay '08
Dom Huet Clos du Bourg Vouvray Sec '09

Double Cut Lamb Chops --
Amici Mendocino County Pinot Noir '06
Slingshot Cabernet Sauvignon '07
Le Haut Medoc de Lascombes '07

Prime Filet of Beef and Steak (various dishes) --
Atlas Peak A Mountain Blend Cabernet Sauvignon '07
Chateau Genot Boulanger Mercurey 1er Cru '09
Croix de Beaucaillou '08
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Not an easy chore!

. . . . . Pete
 
originally posted by Peter Creasey:

Not an easy chore!

. . . . . Pete

And hopefully not a thankless one! I think the pairings with the Mexican dishes (assuming Tostadas are actually Mexican) should work well. I like the Tikal wines in these situations - they're reasonably priced, work with food, and the texture and fruit flavors are crowd pleasers. With the tacos, the Leitz Out offers a nice contrast to the Groth.

-Eden (but Merlot with sushi?)
 
originally posted by Eden Mylunsch: but Merlot with sushi?

E, I don't eat sushi so this pairing isn't very intuitive for me.

The rolls at the Sushi Station are Crispy Tempura Shrimp Roll, California Roll, Philadelphia Roll, Tuna Nigiri, and Salmon Nigiri (whatever all those things are!). Other items are Pickled Ginger, Wasabi, Beet Seaweed Salad, etc.

A lush red wine seemed to fit in there SOMEWHERE...to the extent that a Markham Merlot can be considered lush.

Am I confident on this? Not a chance!

. . . . . . Pete
 
Well, as long as the Merlot is low-iron, apparently, this pairing should be okay.

Personally, I'd think of something high-acid with maybe a little rs for the wasabe, but mostly we have beer with sushi, anyway.
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
Well, as long as the Merlot is low-iron, apparently, this pairing should be okay.

Personally, I'd think of something high-acid with maybe a little rs for the wasabe, but mostly we have beer with sushi, anyway.

Not wanting to sound like a broken record here, but I don't feel that wine in general pairs very well with sushi. Of course, there are all different types of sushi, but if we're talking about nigiri or norimaki sushi, the vinegar in the rice and the raw fish don't make for the easiest pairings. Champagne is OK, and off-dry Rieslings, but again it seems to me to be more about peaceful co-existence than actual harmony.

Mark Lipton
 
I prefer beer (something hoppy) or fizzie water with sushi. But whenever winemakers from Burgundy come to DC, Sushi-Ko is the restaurant they want to visit! I think they all know and like the owner so I can understand - but that's where they want to go even if we are going to drink Burgundy! It doesn't work - so I ignored the multiple vintages of multiple crus of Mugneret-Gibourg the restaurant used to have on its list.

I should have drunk them anyway, I think.
 
originally posted by maureen:
I prefer beer (something hoppy) or fizzie water with sushi. But whenever winemakers from Burgundy come to DC, Sushi-Ko is the restaurant they want to visit! I think they all know and like the owner so I can understand - but that's where they want to go even if we are going to drink Burgundy! It doesn't work - so I ignored the multiple vintages of multiple crus of Mugneret-Gibourg the restaurant used to have on its list.

I should have drunk them anyway, I think.

what about sashimi?

fb.
 
originally posted by maureen:
I prefer beer (something hoppy) or fizzie water with sushi. But whenever winemakers from Burgundy come to DC, Sushi-Ko is the restaurant they want to visit! I think they all know and like the owner so I can understand - but that's where they want to go even if we are going to drink Burgundy! It doesn't work - so I ignored the multiple vintages of multiple crus of Mugneret-Gibourg the restaurant used to have on its list.

I should have drunk them anyway, I think.

I''d have drunk the Burgundy and ordered a yalkitori (either that or ordered out for a burger)

More Mugneret at Morescience High!

Mark Lipton
 
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