By The Glass
CHUCK FURUYA
Wednesday, September 5, 2001
THE more and more I get into wine and food, the more and more fascinating it all becomes. I find, for instance, food-friendly wines are often very different in profile to "trophy"-styled wines. With meals, try light,
food-friendly winesCompare for instance, the following suggested wines to any California Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon, first by themselves and then, in terms of food. The Chardonnay or Cabernet will be bigger, more cumbersome, overpowered next to a dish. These wines are lighter, crisper and pair better with a very wide spectrum of foods .
2000 Monte Corba (about $10): BBQ wine extraordinaire! Get the picture? This wine actually comes from a warm Mediterranean climate along the Ebro River in Spain, and therefore has loads and loads of ripe, tasty fruit, but without any sense of heaviness.
We recommend you just chill it down a little and serve it at any barbecue, or sip while you are barbecuing.
2000 Wolfberger Pinot Blanc ($14): A deliciously dry, fruit driven, UN-heavy, UN-oaky Pinot Blanc from Alsace, France, that is a sensational value for your money.
At home, I would serve this with a simply prepared fish. For instance, take a skillet and heat. Add a little olive oil. Salt and pepper a fillet of fish, such as ono or mahimahi. Sear it on both sides (a little brown showing). Set aside.
To the pan, add 4 ounces white wine, 1 teaspoon chili pepper water, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and reduce by three-quarters. Add some minced garlic and capers. Sauté for a couple of minutes, then turn off the heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter. Whisk until the butter is melted and incorporated. Spoon over the fish. Sante!
2000 Chianti "Codirosso" ($12): Why do I love Codirosso? Because it is true Chianti, the ol' fashion way. NO Cabernet, Merlot or Syrah. NO French oak. NO fancy bottles or designer packaging. Just good, tasty wine with fantastic regional purity.
Sadly, such wines are getting harder and harder to find. Especially, at this price.
Foods? Here is an idea. Simply roast some vegetables, whatever you have around the house. Eggplant, tomatoes, red bell peppers, garlic, onions, mushrooms, carrots, celery ... you get the idea. Spread in a pan. Baste with olive oil and bake for 45 minutes.
Toss with some al dente penne pasta, arugula or basil pesto and Parmesan cheese. Serve with the 2000 Codirosso. A perfect wine for pasta or meatloaf night.
This column is a weekly lesson in wine
pairing written by a rotating panel of wine professionals.
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