It scarcely seems fair to name this MRE “Sloppy Joe,” given
that the contents of all 24 MREs could easily be called “sloppy.” Nonetheless, the ground beef in sauce
base of the dish lends itself to a red wine of some stature, with those of the
southern Rhône being worthy contenders.
These are typically predominantly grenache, with mouvèdre and syrah
being common in lesser amounts in the blend, although a host of varieties are
authorized. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is
the well-known appellation here, but neighboring Gigondas and Vacqueyras offer
a similar style, which is sometimes characterized as more rustic, but at
greater value. The climate
achieves a warmth that produces high sugar levels, and thus high alcohol
levels, which may be just the thing to help you forget how “sloppy” this MRE
happens to be.
In lieu of a white wine for contrast, let’s look to a
rosé. We’ll head south from the
Rhône to Provence, which is most well known for its rosé production over whites
and reds. The mix of varieties is
similar to its northerly neighbors in the southern Rhône, except that mouvèdre
must now comprise the majority of the blend. It is a warm climate, and the vignerons must watch their grapes closely to ensure they do not
become overripe. In addition to
flavors of various red berries, spicy and earthy notes are common.
Complementary Pairing:
Gigondas, Rhône, France
Try: Domaine La
Bouïssiere Gigondas ‘La Font du Tonin’
This is the tête de
cuvée for this domaine, made almost entirely of grenache with just a bit of
mouvèdre, and grown at their highest sites on the slopes of the Dentelles de
Montmirail. A
non-interventionalist approach in the cellar seeks to highlight the fruit with
the use of one and two year old barrels, and no fining or filtering. This wine combines the typical dark
fruit, earth, and spice of Gigondas with a bit of finesse from the higher
elevation and cooler temperatures.
Contrasting Pairing:
Bandol Rosé, Provence, France
Try: Domaine Tempier Bandol Rosé
[www.domainetempier.fr] This domaine was a pioneer in establishing Bandol as an
official appellation, and led the way with replanting mouvèdre in their
vineyards. The blend for the rosé
is half mouvèdre, with the balance coming from grenache, cinsault, and a bit of
carignan, all grown on clay and limestone soils.
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