Sips: An odd couple that proves to be a superb food and wine matchup

I had a delightful revelation about food and wine the other night. But first, a little background on how I got there. For years, I’ve had an unwritten rule about Italian-inspired food: match it with Italian wines, which so often seem just the right choice. With linguine and white clam sauce is there anything better than a pinot grigio from Alto Adige or a Vernaccia di San Gimignano? Don’t tomato-based sauces, with or without meat, seem made for Chianti Classico or Barbera d’Alba? With that in mind, I was headed in the direction of Italian wine the other night as I made a simple sauce built around the last Ziploc bag of tomatoes I had picked at their peak ripeness in late summer and early fall, then frozen to be enjoyed many months later.

After cooking the tomatoes down and breaking them apart with a wooden spatula, I poured them into my favorite cast-iron skillet, in which I had sautéed three or four cloves of chopped garlic in olive oil. I tossed in a handful each of chopped basil and parsley  and a pinch or two of salt and cooked everything for a few minutes more. A quick taste revealed a sauce sweeter than anything that might have started in a can, confirming the rewards that come from the time and trouble of storing fresh tomatoes. Meanwhile, a pot of fusilli was now done to al dente, which I combined in the skillet with the sauce. To finish things off, I sprinkled a generous amount of chopped fresh mozzarella over the pasta and put the skillet under the broiler until the cheese and the top layer of fusilli were a crispy brown, but not burned (cast-iron is best for withstanding the high temperatures of the broiler).

Now about the wine. Since my instinct steered me toward Italy, I opened a bottle of red I had on hand, a negroamaro from Salento in Puglia. Alas, I knew immediately that this wine was not going to cut it. It was earthy with low acidity, a wine more for a juicy roast than a lively sauce. I wanted something that jumped out of the glass, a wine with refreshing acids that wouldn’t be overpowered by the tomatoes. And so, throwing caution to the wind, I opened a red from France’s Loire Valley I had bought that day.

By now you might be thinking it was a cabernet franc, the region’s principle red, or perhaps a pinot noir or a cot, as malbec is called there. In fact, it was the 2009 Gamay from Serge Batard’s Domaine Les Hautes Noelles, a Vin de Pays from this top producer of Muscadet from Cotes de Grandlieu sub-zone. Its transparent, light-ruby red color suggests a wine of delicacy that might easily be overpowered. But just the opposite was the case. Packed with flavor and with great underlying acidity and minerality, it more than held its own against the sauce and, slightly chilled, provided the perfect refreshing counterpoint. With flavors or red and black cherry, a touch of gingerbread and a very long finish, this is a wine of unusual finesse and, at just $10 here in New York, is one of the great bargains out there right now. Alcohol is 12 percent.

And so, my rule about Italian food and wine was broken. A humble gamay, the same grape grown in Beaujolais, proved itself exceptionally well with, of all things, a big-flavored pasta sauce. A Daniel Johness Selection, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, New York.

del.icio.us Tags: Daniel Johness Selections,Michael Skurnik Wines,Edward Deitch,Loire Valley reds,Loire Valley gamay,Gamay,Wine and food pairings,Domaine les Hautes Noelles,Serge Batard,Italian food and wine,Cotes de Grandlieu,Muscadet,Wines under $10,Wines under $20,Great wine values

Sips: A roundup of notable new wines from France, California and Argentina

Since I’ve been leaning heavily toward wine news in recent weeks, I thought I would share some exciting new releases that will make for excellent spring and summer drinking. With one exception, all the wines are under $20. Also of note, given my piece earlier this week about alcohol levels, four of the five wines here are under 14 percent, which, no doubt, is part of why I enjoyed them.

Bieler Père et Fils 2010 “Sabine” Coteaux d-Aix-en-Provence Rosé. $12. This appealing and well-priced rosé  demands food with its considerable herb notes that punctuate strawberry, raspberry, citrus and subtle vanilla tastes. With its pretty, light-salmon color it shows considerable complexity and came into its own the herb-roasted chicken. The  blend is 50 percent syrah, 30 percent grenache and 20 percent cabernet sauvignon. Alcohol is 13.5 percent. Imported by Bieler Père et Fils, Sausalito, California.

Alta Maria Vineyards 2009 Chardonnay Santa Maria Valley, California. $28. This superb chardonnay from Santa Barbara County shows perfect balance, with pear, white peach, orange and lime, plus subtle vanilla and cream notes. Oak is seamlessly integrated. The fruit was sourced from the famed Bien Nacido and Solomon Hills Vineyards and the wine bears their unmistakable signature. Alcohol is 14.1 percent.

Carmel Road 2009 Chardonnay, Monterey County, California. $18. A beautifully balanced chardonnay with nuanced oak, pear, vanilla and a hint of orange. Effortless to drink and a real value. Alcohol is 13.5 percent.

Domaine de la Madone 2009 Beaujolais “Le Perreon,” Beaujolais Villages, France. $15. This first-rate Beaujolais from an excellent vintage is distinguished by the unusual concentration of its fruit, mainly blueberry and black cherry, with an appealing note of braised meat that adds to its complexity. From the gamay grape, it’s the kind of red wine I could drink all summer. Alcohol is 13 percent. Imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, New York

Argento 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendoza, Argentina. $11. An excellent budget cabernet with classic blackberry tastes joined by plum and red berry notes as the wine opens up, revealing surprising complexity. Smoke, cinnamon and brown sugar round things out, all of it framed by a good tannic structure. Should serve as a wake-up call to California for what’s being produced elsewhere for $10 or so. Alcohol is 13.5 percent. Imported by Lion Nathan USA, Overland Park, Kansas.

Technorati Tags: Beaujolais,Provence rose,Rose,Bieler Pere et Fils "Sabine" Rose,Alta Maria Vineyards,Alta Maria Chardonnay,Carmel Road Chardonnay,Edward Deitch. Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay,Santa Barbara Chardonnay,Argento Cabernet Sauvignon,Argentina cabernet sauvignon,Michael Skurnik Wines,Lion Nathan USA,Domaine de la Madone Beaujolais "Le Perreon",Beaujolais Villages

Sips: Debunking the idea of “the right wines for the right seasons” with some outstanding Beaujolais

As I think about it, this whole notion of winter wines and summer wines is largely a gimmick embraced and promoted by wine writers and marketers. For my part, I am going to enjoy a good Beaujolais or two (as I recently did) whether I’m sweating in the summer heat or trying to stay warm in the frigid late autumn we’ve been having here in New York. All right, maybe I’ll appreciate the depth of a full-bodied California cab a bit more in the fall than I would on a stifling August evening. But the point is, I find myself turning to all kinds of wines in every season and enjoying them no less, as I did with a range of new offerings in  recent weeks.

As I tell you about them in coming days, let’s start with a couple of notable Beaujolais. The 2009 cru Beaujolais (from 10 specific villages and areas in the region) have been out for a few months or so, and one worth seeking is Clos de la Roilette’s ‘09 Fleurie, which shows subtle notes of ripe raspberry, red cherry, earth and a nice tannic structure that belies Beaujolais’ reputation among some as simple, unsophisticated wine. This outstanding $20 Fleurie has great fruit and a good deal of complexity and will match well with everything from fish to a simple pan-seared steak, which is how I enjoyed it the other night. Imported by Louis/Dressner Selections, New York. And by the way, the ‘09 vintage is considered an outstanding one.

In case you didn’t realize it, there is such a thing as white Beaujolais, made in very limited quantities from chardonnay. And Chateau du Chatelard’s 2008 Beaujolais Blanc is an excellent example. It shows a lot of minerality, some pear and apple notes and the slightest touch of butterscotch. Uncomplicated but delicious, it’s a very good value at about $18. Look for the ‘09 vintage as well. Imported by Wineberry America, Valley Cottage New York. Wines received as press samples.

Technorati Tags: Chateau du Chatelard,Beajuolais Blanc,White Beaujolais,Wineberry America,Edward Deitch,Louis/Dressner Selections,Fleurie,Cru Beaujolais,Beaujolais,Clos de la Roilette,Clos de la Roilette Fleurie

The Daily Sip: at a wine tasting for a good cause, two delightful and affordable Burgundies stand out

It’s not every day that I get to go home with two lovely discoveries from Burgundy while also supporting a good cause. Friends had invited us to a walk-around wine tasting last night to benefit Partnership with Children, which, for more than a  century, has been providing programs and services to help kids from low-income families here in New York succeed in school and in life.   More than 50 wines from around the world were poured by eight importers and distributors; a retailer, Grapes – The Wine Company, also took part.

In this type of broad tasting, it’s important to be organized. To start, I like to look over the wine list to see which wines interest me. Then, I circle around the room once to sample the whites and then a second time for the reds.

Of the wines I tasted, two Burgundies caught my attention last night. The first, a white, was the absolutely delicious 2008 Chablis from Vincent Dampt. When it comes to un-oaked chardonnay, Chablis is the gold standard, and this one shows why. Clean and focused, it has beautiful tropical fruit and lime notes with an underlying minerality that is a signature of Chablis. It was also poured at the correct temperature (just slightly chilled), which allowed the aromas and flavors to stand out. It sells at retail for about $22. Imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, New York.

In my second pass, it was a charming red Burgundy that got me excited.  Actually, it turned out to be a Burgundy oddball, the 2007  Bourgogne Passetoutgrains from Domaine Laurent. While almost all red Burgundy is made from a single grape (pinot noir), Bourgogne Passetoutgrains is a blend of pinot noir and gamay, which gives it a fresh and fruity character reminiscent of Beaujolais, in which gamay is the principle grape. This uncomplicated wine is marked by pretty cherry and strawberry fruit, a bit of spice and a refreshing acidity that will place it high on my list of Thanksgiving wine possibilities. About $20. Imported by Martin Scott Wines, Lake Success, New York.

The wines are available through Grapes – The Wine Company, among other retailers. More information on Partnership with Children can be found at its Web site.

del.icio.us Tags: Partnership with Children,Grapes the Wine Company,Martin Scott Wines,Michael Skurnik Wines,Burgundy,Chablis,Vincent Dampt,Domaine Laurent,Dominique Laurent,Bourgogne Passetoutgrains,Edward Deitch,Pinot Noir,Gamay,Beaujolais,Wine tastings

Sips: rosé season officially starts

Not only was Memorial Day weekend the unofficial start of the summer season, but the official start of rosé season.  As I sampled a number of rosés at various parties, lunches and dinners, I was reminded of the versatility of the wines, which can complement everything from burgers and hot dogs to spicy grilled chicken to roasted whole fish, in this case freshly caught black sea bass from our favorite fish market.

With their almost infinite shades of pink and salmon and copper, rosés have become a red-hot category in recent years, and with good reason. Not only are they great aperitif wines, but they can effectively bridge the gap between whites and reds (they are made from the juice of red grapes with just minimal contact with the color-producing skins). I have often enjoyed rosés with simply grilled meats like lamb and steak, which are typical red-wine foods.

I’ll be pointing out rosés frequently this summer, starting with two that stood out for me this past weekend. From France, Jean-Paul Brun’s 2009 Rosé d’Folie Beaujolais is an unusual example of rosé from that region and from the gamay grape. It’s quite dry with tastes of spicy cherry, some herbs, a touch or orange rind and a distinct minerality that gives it a real sense of originality and place. It’s also made with wild or indigenous yeasts, which the exception rather than the rule in Beaujolais. $15. Imported by Louis/Dressner Selections, New York.

From Australia, I also enjoyed Robert Oatley’s 2009 Rosé of Sangiovese from the Mudgee region of New South Wales. Fruit-forward in style with notes of peach and watermelon, this one practically screams out “summer.” It’s  effortless to drink and is a natural for the picnic table and patio. $15. Imported by Robert Oatley Vineyards, Petaluma, California. (Wines received as press samples.)

del.icio.us Tags: Jean-Paul Brun,Rosé d'Folie Beaujolais,Beajuolais,Beaujolais rosé,Edward Deitch,Robert Oatley,Robert Oatley Rosé of Sangiovese,Mudgee,Australian rosé,French rosé,Summer wines

We’re in the Loire Valley

I arrived today in the chilly Loire Valley of France, which is still one of the more under-appreciated wine regions, and I’ll be posting from here during my week-long look at the wines of the Loire, which include such well-known appellations as Sancerre, Vouvray, Muscadet and Chinon, but also many others that deserve to be better known. The centerpiece of my visit is a three-day event here in Angers, in the central Loire, known as the Salon des Vins de Loire. It’s a giant tasting that attracts hundreds of winemakers who hope to make an impression with their latest offerings on the world’s importers, retailers, restaurants and journalists. I’m here with a small group of American wine writers invited to attend the event and sponsored by InterLoire, the region’s wine trade body. The tasting and spitting begin bright and early tomorrow.

This afternoon, we had a delightful warm-up at Domaine Richou just a few miles outside Angers. Didier Richou, seen above on the right, took us around his vineyards and poured his expressive, terroir-driven chenin blancs, both dry and sweet, as well as his red gamays and cabernet francs. I’ll have details on our tasting shortly.