Pairing wine with vegetables

In last week's Kitchen Window on NPR, Natalie MacLean provided advice for those who are looking to increase their vegetable intake while still enjoying wine with dinner.

White wines generally pair better with vegetables than reds, as they often have complementary herbal, grassy aromas. My favorite white for veggies is sauvignon blanc, especially from New Zealand. Its aromas of asparagus, canned peas and citrus dance with greens.

Asparagus, interestingly enough, is one of the hardest vegetables to pair, according to MacLean. Along with artichokes.

MacLean provides solid advice on a wide range of dishes, from sauteed greens to spinach lasagna, recommending diverse whites and medium-bodied reds, which would also work for the dishes McLean forgot: broccoli smothered in cheddar cheese and creamy vegetable soups, one of my greatest autumn joys.

special thanks to Slashfood

2006 Rare Bird pinot noir

Color: Like many a pinot noir, the Rare Bird pinot is a lustrous, translucent ruby fading to salmon at the edges
Nose: Very fresh smelling with hints of cranberry, earth, greenery and slight flowery overtones
Palate: Wonderful, light mouth feel with good but not strong tannins. Excellent flavors of fruit with no overpowering alcohol heat
Finish: Sweeping and clean with few lingering flavors

This is a marvelous little wine that's versatile enough to be paired with many different meals from soups and pastas to sandwiches, roasted chicken, and some grilled steaks.. It probably wouldn't stand up to heavier meals, like bbq or steak au poive, but as an everyday wine to have with most meals, this is a delicious, affordable wine that many will enjoy.

Cheap-ass Wine: 2005 Bulletin Place Shiraz

It's tax season. If you played your cards right (or are crooked), then it's smooth sailing and Stag's Leap for you. If not--well, there's always some cheap-ass wine:

Color: Deep, blood red fading to purple at the edges.
Nose: Berries! A little rhubarb, a little cranberry and a little greenery or vegetation. Just a hint of smoky leather.
Palate: This is a big wine with rich berry favors--cherry, blueberry. Large body and good tannic structure.
Finish: Lingering fruit and a fair amount of alcohol heat.
Pairings: This seems like a fairly versatile wine. It paired excellently with mojo-roasted chicken (mojo is a Latin American sauce made with coriander seeds, black peppercorns, salt and other ingredients) and polenta. It would also work well with roasted pork, and many Italian dishes. It's lithe mouth feel might fall against heavy steaks or lamb.

You know, cheap-ass wine doesn't mean the wine is categorically bad. And bad wine doesn't even mean it's categorically bad. Someone's drinking the stuff, or it wouldn't get bottled and sold. But I think there is a difference between wines you can get at your local supermarket and wines you can get at your local wine merchant. Given a choice always go for the wine merchant.

In Gainesville, we have a great resource in Dorn's Liquors. The staff there are knowledgable and the buyers maintain an exhaustive tasting schedule, brining the store excellent values and some damn fine wines. I bought he Bulletin Place Shiraz and the Three Thieves Syrah at Dorn's and wasn't disappointed with either. The Bulletin Place Shiraz, in fact, was a really good, fun wine. Perfect for a party or spring bbq.

I've bought cheap-ass wine at the grocery store. One time I came away with a Little Penguin white shiraz that was sweet to the point of cloying and absolutely bereft of backbone. It was a high-schoolers' wine, clearly, and left me feeling like I'd had a handful of Jolly Ranchers muddled in maple syrup. Never again. So next time you're going for wine, seek out your local wine merchant. Hopefully, they'll steer you in the right direction, cheap-ass or otherwise.

Tasting Notes: 2005 Paringa Shiraz, South Australia

Color: Deep, inky red. Nearly purple
Nose: Definite fruits, such as cherry, and a lingering sweet smell not unreminiscent of grape soda. Underlying earth, pepper and spice scents create a full wine experience.
Palate: Big, bold wine. Some alcohol heat, but a solid structure with well-formed tannins and strong fruit flavors. This wine isn't for the timid, but it's perfectly drinkable and not nearly as bold as some old-vine zin I've had in the same price range.
Finish: The tannins sweep the mouth but leave a slight, lingering fruit that really activates the salivary glands and leaves you wanting another sip or another bite.

This was a fine food wine that could be paired with a wide rang of dishes from grilled or roasted chicken to seared salmon and even some steaks. If your meal is incredibly rich, I'd suggest going for something with a more solid structure, though the 2005 Paringa Shiraz's lithe mouth feel and strong tannins should not be overlooked. And it's considerably better than many other wines in its price range.