Menu for a wine-tasting

Last week, at a conference on heavy oil, in trying to persuade a geologist to drink Bordeaux instead of his usual tipple, I suggested that next time he's in town (late November) we should get together and have a wine tasting. There was a chorus of "me toos", each offering to contribute his favorite wine (all reds). Since there will be business meetings during the day, I'll have to keep it simple. The wine types will be:

  1. Argentinian malbec (his wife is Argentinian)
  2. A Barolo or Tuscan (not sure at present) from an Italophile.
  3. A GC Burgundy (his wife is from that area)
  4. A '96 St.Julian from me.

There may be more if others hear about it!

The #3 contributor is a veggie (cheese OK but not even fish). My inclination is to serve a Tuscan bean soup (for the veggie) followed by a simple lamb roast with a selection of cheeses to hand. An alternative is to ask a local caterer to prepare a number of tapas.

I would be grateful for any advice, particularly on the types of finger food should I take the easy way out.

Graham

Reply to
graham
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Graham, Most of the wines tend to go well with items such as beef or lamb, so finding a good veggie option can be challenging. If you choose to go with a single dish that would work across the wines (and protein proclivities) you might consider something as simple as a risotto with pumpkin or butternut squash, containing cheese - parmagiano reggiano or some such. The goal would be to provide richness against which the wines would work.

If you go with a caterer or do tapas or antipasti, you can still include lamb - rack of lamb cut into the individual portions and grilled served with romesco is a great combination and would work really well with a Malbec or Bordeaux. A variety of sausages and cured meats (chistora, jamon serrano, prosciutto, or various salumi) would be good. Additionally, you could include roasted veggies such as eggplant, peppers, and fingerling potatoes, some braised greens such as chard or kale drizzled with a little olive oil and a selection of cheeses. Just keep away from anything that would include vinegar, lemon or lime as the acid in these can kill tasting the wine.

Just some thoughts...

Tom AZ

Reply to
tomaz.alt.food.wine

This is all wrong. You don't compare wines, you drink them.

Reply to
UC

Many thanks for those suggestions, Tom! (sorry for the delay in replying but I was at a conference in Banff, Alberta). I have an excellent butternut squash risotto recipe from a cookbook produced by

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that I have made in the past. A friend also suggested that I stuff some portobellos. Best wishes Graham

Reply to
graham

Surely, that's the attitude that street-dwelling winos have{:-) Graham

Reply to
graham

You don't serve 'finger food' to complement wine; you serve wine to complement food. You have it all backwards.

Reply to
UC

I have some wine. I want to do the right thing. According to UC, I shouldn't taste it, I should drink it. Ok, I'll drink it.

But UC says I shouldn't drink it alone. I should drink it with food. Ok, I'll do that. Let's see, what food should I have it with?

Now UC says I shouldn't have food to complement the wine. Things that make you go "hmmmm".

Perhaps if I used a fork, it wouldn't be "finger food" and it would be ok? :)

Jose

Reply to
Jose

Of course there is no "wrong" when it comes to taste...

Actually, when possible I DO serve food to complement wine. Starting with the wine can be much more interesting, and can lead to much better pairings of the type I call "1+1=3"...

Mike

Reply to
Mike Tommasi

Nah....you prepare a Neapolitan dinner,,,then choose Taurasi or Fiano di Avellino or whatever...It makes no sense to start with the wine. The meal comes first, then the wine.

Reply to
UC

Recently, while visiting the French Laundry we had this exact conversation. It really depends upon what you want to showcase, Food or Wine. Not that there are any rights or wrongs just personal tastes.

The next night at Ad Hoc, a newer restaurant from Thomas Keller, they have a

4 course prix fix meal. That night it was Chicken Cacciatore. I had with me a Robert Sinskey Stags leap cellar wine. I brought it because it seemed the acid would be fine with the tomatos. It was also a very smooth, mild food wine.

During dinner a man behind us Cliff Lede of Cliff Lede Vineyards offered us a taste of his not yet released Cab Blend, "Poetry" and it was big, elegant, super rich....and on its own very nice. My guest says to me this wine is much better then the Sinskey.

So I suggested to taste the food, the Sinskey and the food again. Then do the same with the Poetry wine. In the end which stood out more, the food or the wine.

With the Sinskey, the food stood out more, with the Poetry the wine out shined the food. Was to powerful.

At that point we agreed the Sinskey was better with this meal and the Poetry would have been better with a dense beef with a reduction red wine sauce.

To me the wine should compliment the food. I rarely drink wine when food is not present.

I think it is a cultural thing.

Reply to
Richard Neidich

Yes, too many Americans don't have a clue about wine and food. The two go together. Every time I'm in a wine shop and some blonde comes in and says she's having a wine tasting with her friends, I cringe...

Reply to
UC

You shouldn't be afraid of women like that. :-)

Reply to
Young Martle

I want to show her the true ways of amore...

Reply to
UC

Can you spell m-i-s-o-g-e-n-y?

Reply to
Bi!!

You mean "misogyny"? Yes.

Reply to
Paul Arthur

It was meant to be a bit of humor but interestingly enough my spellcheck wouldn't allow it to be sent when spelled correctly.

Reply to
Bi!!

I like blondes. Who doesn't?

Reply to
UC

While walking, a blonde comes to a river and sees another blonde on the opposite bank.

"Yoo-hoo!" she shouts, "How can I get to the other side?"

The second blonde looks up the river then down the river and shouts back, "You ARE on the other side."

:-)

Reply to
Young Martle

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