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By The Glass Chuck Furuya |
Understanding red wine
is a key to better diningGiven the huge growth in red-wine consumption, I am being asked more and more questions about red wine. Here are some key points to understand:
Tannins
Here is the easiest way to understand tannins: Peel the skin off a black grape. The grape will be sweet, at least until you get to the bitter seeds. Then taste the grape skins. They will be bitter, too. In both cases, the bitterness is mainly caused by tannins.Why is this good to know?
Marinating red meat in red wine overnight will help tenderize it because the wine's tannins (and acids) help break down the marbling in the meat.
That is why they say to pair red wine with red meat. The more marbling in the meat (lamb, rib-eye, etc.), the more tannins (pucker power) you will need in an accompanying wine (try cabernet, syrah or merlot, for example).
The less marbling there is (chicken, pork), the fewer tannins you need in the respective red wine (choose instead a pinot noir or gamay).
As an experiment, buy two wines -- a cabernet sauvignon and a light red such as a simple pinot noir or perhaps this year's beaujolais noveau. Taste them side by side. Which is more puckery and/or bitter? Usually it will be the deeper red, in this case the cabernet. So have the cabernet with grilled steak and save the pinot for your next roast chicken.
Having fun? As a warning: This works with simple dishes, but preparation of the meat also makes a difference in pairings.
Rusticity
I use rusticity to describe the earthiness found in many European wines, especially reds.In Californian reds, one normally smells fruit and oak first, whereas with French and Italian reds one normally smells earth, then fruit and oak. I bring this up not to be judgmental, but so you will consider Italian and southern French wines (to name two) in a different light.
For many, this earthiness is an acquired taste, kind of like the first time I had goat's milk cheese. I thought, "Oooh, there is something wrong with that cheese." Or the first time I had lamb. I thought, "Oooh, there is something wrong with that meat." Now I barely notice the gaminess of either.
Taste a Californian cabernet sauvignon with an Italian chianti. You should taste the earthiness of the Italian wine.
So what? Try a rustic red with a rustic dish, perhaps one with mushrooms or eggplant, bell peppers, fennel or tomatoes. See how the wine's rustic edge marries with such dishes.
Acidity
Acidity is a basic element that your palate experiences whether you are tasting a fish, a grape or a wine. It is very important to consider when pairing wines and foods.Think about this: When fish is served at a restaurant, a taste of lemon usually comes with it, whether it's a wedge on the plate or lemon juice in the sauce. Why? The lemon's acidity cuts through any oiliness or fishiness and cleanses the palate between bites.
A wine with a good, crisp edge interacts with fish just as a lemon would.
To further understand, try a good, old-fashioned Italian chianti. By itself, it may taste a little tangy or "sour," especially to the merlot drinker. You're right, the chianti usually has more apparent acidity than most California merlots.
Now try the chianti and a merlot with a rustic tomato sauce. The chianti works magic, because the tomato sauce has a lot of acidity and needs a red wine, like chianti, that can handle its own.
The lesson here is to look for a red wine with good, firm acidity levels when serving a red-meat dish with a lot of vegetables or tomatoes in it.
Chuck Furuya is Hawaii's only master sommelier.
This column is a weekly lesson in wine pairing written by a rotating panel of wine professionals. Write to features@starbulletin.com