By The Glass
CHUCK FURUYA
I had an absolutely terrific time visiting Maui last week. We were filming the "Hawaii Cooks with Roy Yamaguchi" TV show and visited several interesting locations. Great winemaker’s passion
is reflected in the glassThe first stop was an inspiring visit to the Iwamoto Noodle operation in Paia. Run by Robert and Patsy Yamashita and their son Darryl, this is truly a family operation. It reiterated to me the specialness and uniqueness of small, family-owned operations.
This is the same inspiration I get with Bryan Babcock, his winery and his wines. He is a dedicated and passionate farmer and winemaker, and it shows in his finished wines. They reflect the same tender-loving touch I sense with the Yamashitas and their noodles.
To sample the artistry, consider the Babcock 2001 Pinot Grigio, at about $20. You will love its delicious dryness, lightness on the palate and its wonderfully crisp, refreshing edge, especially with simply pan-fried fishes, Mediterranean-inspired pastas and virtually any preparation of shrimp.
We then moved on to some of the island's landmark eateries. I was in awe of the longevity of some of these establishments. Komodo Bakery (home of some of the best cream puffs and macadamia-nut cookies), for instance, has been around since 1916; Kitada's Restaurant for more than 50 years! (I told Roy he only had 36 more years to go to catch up.) Incredible!
I feel the same awe every time I taste the wines of Hanno Zilliken. His family has been making world-class Zilliken Rieslings from the Saar region of Germany for many generations. They sell for about $17.
I remember tasting his 1975 vintage a couple of years ago. "My father made this one ... and he was proud," Hanno said. A few minutes later we tasted the 1983: "I made this one ... my father helped. It was one of our best ever at the estate." I am always reminded that it is much more than a business, fancy packaging, or image-building for him. It is a way of life.
In between takes, I overheard a friend interview Roy : "What do you think about when you are creating a recipe?" was one of the many questions asked. As you can imagine, the answer was comprehensive and involved. But three words that stood out were "flavorful, layered and balanced."
Interestingly, these are the components I most often look for in wine. A provocative, world-class, yet surprisingly affordable wine that really showcases these aspects is a tasty, hearty, rustic red from southwest France called Clos de la Coutale Cahors.
Yes, it is flavorful, layered and balanced. Plus, it becomes even more intriguing with food. What kind of food? Braise some short ribs with white wine, a little chicken stock and roughly diced carrot, celery, garlic, tomato and onions for six hours at 350 degrees. Then take the broth, add some quickly sautéed mushrooms and toss it all with some fresh noodles (Iwamoto, please) and serve with the short ribs. Voila! What could be better?
And you know what? It is one of the most intriguingly ageable wines available locally. And for just $20 a bottle!
This column is a weekly lesson in wine
pairing written by a rotating panel of wine professionals.
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