1-2-3-4 Chili and Four Vines Zin

I guess you are a fairly serious wine drinker when instead of cracking open a beer to go with your chili (or drinking a glass of milk), you contemplate what wine would pair best with it. OK, so I like wine with my food--and so there is an entry in my cookbook recipe/wine pairing project for the chili I made the other night.

Christmas was good to our kitchen. We got a new crockpot, and a copy of Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook by Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufman to go with it. As a slow cooker novice, I figured chili would be a good place to start. I made the 1-2-3-4 Chili with Beef & Beans, which I'd describe as a moderately spiced chili. It relies on a combination of green chilies, regular chili powder and ancho chili powder for its flavor. And I had some white wine on hand that wasn't good for anything but cooking, so I used that instead of the beer called for by the recipe.

Zinfandel is a natural for chili. I paired this with the 2007 Four Vines Old Vine Cuvee ($12), a natural choice for me as Four Vines is one of my go-to zins. This one is fruitier than spicy, with a big berry taste. Spice does come in a bit on the finish. It definitely has the heft to stand up to the chili, and is a pretty good match. If you want to repeat this experiment though, something with a bit more spice would be optimal. Coppola's Directors Cut zin is one that comes to mind. But most importantly, if you like wine with your food, don't shy away from pairing it with chili!

Macaroni & Cheese Lite with a Qupe Syrah

A sign of my eclectic tastes perhaps that the first entry in my cookbook recipe & wine pairing project was Butcher Shop Bolognese--chicken livers and all--and last night I was cooking from the vegetarian classic, Moosewood. Jodi was vegetarian when we first met, plus I really couldn't afford much more than pasta, so I got my start cooking vegetarian meals. Thus no surprise that Moosewood was one of my first cookbooks. Carrying around an 11 lb baby put an end to Jodi's vegetarian days, but still at least half of the meals I prepare are vegetarian.

The Moosewood Mac & Cheese Lite lightens up this classic comfort dish using a pound of cottage cheese along with cheddar, and adding an array of sauteed vegetables. Key elements for wine pairing are the savory baked cheeses, cabbage and the dill. A full bodied white such as a chardonnay or white Rhone would work I'd say, but I was in the mood for red, thinking a medium-bodied, fruit forward one would stand up to this comfort food without overpowering it.

I recalled there was a Qupe Syrah in the cellar, one remaining bottle from a tasting this summer. I was thinking it was the single Bien Nacido version, which I thought would have the fruitiness and herbal element I sought. But alas, it was a different bottle there, the 2007 Qupe Syrah Central Coast ($17). You don't need to feel too sorry for me, this has one Food & Wine's best Syrah under $20 for 4 years running. More notes on the wine, which is sourced from Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties, on the Qupe website.

The Central Coast Syrah has a nice floral bouquet, ripe cherry fruit and very silky mouthfeel--this silkiness worked well with the melted cheeses. While this simpler wine didn't have some of the elements that would make a perfect match, it definitely had the fruitiness and body I was looking for. Definitely a thumbs up on this match.

If you do want to match a red with this dish, take care in selecting a Syrah. Many Syrah would overpower this dish, either with a spicy element or high alcohol content. I'd think Merlot would actually be a safer bet for a red with this one; if you don't know the taste of the Syrah you are contemplating. Many Cote du Rhones would also work well here.

And if you came to this article looking for a recipe, I'm generally not copying cookbook recipes here if I haven't modified in some way--but there are some sites that have done so easily found with a quick search. But I do have a few good mac & cheese recipes of my own here, including Mac & Gruyere Casserole with Sauteed Leek Tops and Not My Nana's Mac & Cheese.

Butcher Shop Bolognese with an Aglianico Del Vulture

Butcher Shop Bolognese, from Barbara Lynch's Stir, provides a straightforward starting point for my cookbook recipe and wine pairing project. I used the combination of ground veal, lamb and pork as recommended for this rich meat sauce with a bit of tomato. There's also a "secret ingredient", probably should let you get the cookbook for that. I've made similar preparations before, would say this is certainly a very good version of this classic dish. A nice option for long simmering on a cold winter day.

Many Italian reds could work well with the hearty meat sauce. A wine of substance, with enough acidity to match the tomatoes is needed (this dish is lighter on tomato than some pasta sauces, but there's enough for it to factor into the wine pairing considerations). Barbera I think would be a good choice, and a Chianti could do the trick as well.

I opted for something a bit off the beaten track, at least here in the U.S. I served the meal with a 2006 Tenuta Del Portale Aglianico Del Vulture. For the uninitiated, Aglianico is a red grape common in Southern Italy, and there is also a DOC wine region Aglianico Del Vulture where this grape is the basis for the area's wine. I just recently tried an Aglianico for the first time, paired with a somewhat similar dish, this pork ragu.

This Aglianico has an herbal bouquet with sage and lavender scents. It has a rough edge on the first taste, with notable tart acidity and taste of currants. Like many Italian wines, this is not something that makes for great sipping by itself, but after a bit of time in the decanter, it served as a good match for the Bolognese. The wine opened up a bit, with a bit more blackberry and currant fruit taste. But it retained the structure and firm acidity, that stood up well to the dish. As I noted, many Italian reds would work well with the dish, but the Aglianico I served is certainly one good match.

A Cookbook Recipe & Wine Pairing Quest

I was reluctant to wrap and give Barbara Lynch's beautiful new cookbook, "Stir". Needless to say, I was pleased to see my sister & brother-in-law, for whom I'd bought it, had also gotten it for me! We're a cooking family I guess.

Plotting out what I'd make from Stir, I found myself wishing there were wine pairing suggestions for the recipes. "Taleggio-Stuffed Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken with Tomato and Olive Salad" is one in particular I plan to fix soon that seems a bit challenging for the wine match. Savory cheese might suggest a red, but what about the saltiness in the prosciutto? I started thinking about a full-bodied white, but my plan for now is to pick up something in the sparkling department. I'm open to suggestions, but you probably see what I'm getting at.

Thinking about my desire for pairing suggestions for Stir, I realized that most cookbooks I have do not speak to wine matches. In fact, the only ones that do that I have are those that are explicitly about food & wine pairing. This seems like a problem to be solved, and I'm going to start making my own modest contribution.

Starting with an easier pairing, last night's Butcher Shop Bolognese, I'm going to begin recording my wine pairing notes. With the wonders of our digital world, I'll be able to organize these posts by my different cookbooks, creating a resource for me and my fellow cooks to consult. Stay tuned...

3 Holiday Wine Values

In these lean economic times, I feel a moral obligation to share about the good wine values I come across. I've tried three recently that would lend themselves nicely to a variety of holiday situations. Put any of these (or all 3) under your arm as you go to a holiday gathering where a tasty, casual wine is called for, and you'll certainly be invited back.

2006 Monte Antico Toscana ($12) This Tuscan red is a blend of Sangiovese (85%), 10% Cabernet, and 5% Merlot. Good structure, a bit more fruit-forward then some Sangiovese. It worked well with pasta with chickpea and tomato sauce. If a tray of lasagne or something along those lines is in your Christmas present, this could be just the thing.

2008 Ludovicus ($10) This Spanish red blends Garnacha (35%), Tempranillo (30%), Syrah (25%) and Cab Sauvignon, and drinks like something twice the price. Full-bodied, ripe berry flavors, this can pair nicely with pork, pizza or be a sipping red for a party. Warning, I picked this up from Bin Ends Wine where they have some great deals. You might need to pay a few more dollars elsewhere, but I'd say up to $15 it's still a good value.

2007 CNW Chenin Blanc ($12) Zippy white with enough citrus to make it refreshing, but not in an overpowering way. A great white option for sipping along with a variety of appetizers, especially if some of them are on the spicy side. From Clarksburg, California, which in Sacramento County.

A Cahors Malbec and its Cousin from Argentina

On Saturday night we sampled two Malbecs displaying markedly different styles. First, we relaxed with a glass of Gascon Malbec after doing some Christmas shopping at Masa Southwest Bar & Grill. This was what I'd expect from a good, moderately priced Malbec. Full berry fruit and a bit of spice, which made it pleasant enough to sip alone but also worked with the various spicy elements in the tapas sampler that we nibbled on.

I also thought I'd pair a Malbec with my Cumin & Sage Rubbed Pork Chops with Onion Sauce that I planned to make that night. This time, though, I'd be drawing from Malbec's French roots and opening the 2006 Clos La Coutale Cahors. Like many people, I'd come to associate Malbec as the signature red wine from Argentina, and had only previously had it from France as a Bordeaux blending grape--it is one of five allowable grapes in a red Bordeaux blend.

Malbec does play the leading role in Cahors reds wine from Southwest France, with a minimum requirement of 70% Malbec and Merlot and Tannat allowed to make up the difference. The Clos La Coutale is 80% Malbec and 20% Merlot.

I had my first taste of the Clos La Coutale as I started fixing the pork chops. Deep purple in the glass, earthy nose, it was quite tight with high acidity. I poured a bit more into the glass and the rest into the decanter. As I sipped and cooked, I noted the leathery tannins and good structure, and that it also didn't have much of the spice that I associate with the grape, at least in its Argentine incarnation. I sensed the wine had positive qualities, as I would expect from a Kermit Lynch selection, but casual sipping was not among them!

But then it was time to eat, and the Clos La Coutale was ready to play its proper role. It had opened up to show more fruit along with the good structure. The wine took on totally different qualities enjoying it along with the meal, as the acidity and tannins that seemed a bit overbearing when sipping alone were quietly there in the background, supporting the match with the food. This cross-country Malbec comparison is a great example of how so many French (and Italian) wines are created to be enjoyed with food as opposed to on their own.

A word more about the food...this is a great recipe to convert everyday pork chops into a Saturday night meal (one of my main nights for cooking something a bit more special than I have time for during the week). The cumin/sage rub gets nicely browned on the stove top, searing in the cumin flavor. The spicy/sweet onion sauce is a nice contrast on top. I served it with spinach sauteed with garlic, and mashed sweet potato/yellow potato mix. I recommend this one for a meal that is still fairly easy to make but doesn't taste that way!

Passion on the Vine

Last night I finished Passion on the Vine by Sergio Esposito, and I'm eager to seek out some wine from the characters he describes in this recounting of his tour through Italy's wine regions. And of course to make some good Italian food to go with it!

Esposito was born and spent his early childhood in Naples. He moved with his family to New York but brought with him that Italian appreciation for good food shared with family and friends. He developed an early interest in wine prompted by many leisurely meals around the family table. After studying up on wine including the classic French varietals, he realized his true love and calling was the wines from his native Italy that are intrinsically linked to the regional food culture.

This book certainly piqued my interest in some new Italian wines and producers I want to try. The other piece that really grabbed me in this book, as it did in Lynch's Adventures on the Wine Route, was how those who hold fast to traditional means of making wine seem to be such interesting characters! I suppose those that are willing to buck trends and seek something deeper in their work are going to be people of substance and passion.

That probably is enough for the book review element of this post; I really wanted to record for myself and any others interested some of the wines and food I now want to try. And as Esposito's Italian Wine Merchant's seems to have a good website, it shouldn't be too hard to track some of these producers' wine down!

• Josko Gravner First made a name and developed a following for his innovative techniques that tapped modern technology; but then he shifted to very old time production methods, burying amphorae as the ancient Romans did. I understand from a recent tweet from @inside_iwm that his 2002 Anfora Breg is the last chance to try this one as he's no longer making it.
• Ales Kristancic who is actually just over the Italian border in Slovenia, makes a Ribolla, a white varietal native to Friuli. Esposito shares this producers explanation of why he uses biodynamic methods. I've previously thought those that follow strict biodynamic practices, including harvesting by the moon cycle and burying manure in a cow's horn, were a bit out there. But upon reading this I can see some of the merits of these old time methods!
• Mascarello Barolo I love the sound of these winemakers, who's sole marketing strategy seems to be making great wines and keeping an open door to anyone who wants to stop by their cellar and give it a try!

While the book was mostly about wine, there were certainly many descriptions of great food that made my mouth water! I'm eager to try what he describes as a Neopolitan classic, Pasta alla Genovese. The method is described as dicing large amounts of onion, sauteeing them prior to adding meat, tomatoes and some herbs...cooking up for 6 hours or so. Yum!

There's certainly a lot more insight on Italian wine, food and culture in Passion on the Vine, but I'll stop here and let you read the book yourself!