Lest the name of this MRE suggest something more, this dish
is ultimately an amorphous vegetarian mass presented in a sturdy foil pouch
without the pronounced garlic and herbs one might expect from the restaurant
version. For a suitable red wine,
let’s turn to a traditional area, Rioja, and a traditional varietal,
graciano. Normally this would be a
minor addition to the dominant tempranillo-based blends from this region, but a
few producers are vinifying it on its own so that you can appreciate its
intrinsic contribution. Naturally
low-yielding, it has pleasing aromatics and refreshing acidity, which is just
the thing to cut through the thick mass of vegetable mush in your MRE.
A white wine to pair with this dish mainly needs enough body
to match the overcooked vegetables.
In this case the wine itself will essentially act as the seasoning, and
the seasoning du jour is
viognier. As a mono-varietal wine,
viognier has surfaced here and there in a few New World locations outside of
its traditional home in the northern Rhone appellations of Condrieu and Château
Grillet. In Virginia, however, it
has arisen as practically the signature white grape of the state, despite fewer
acres planted than the universally ubiquitous chardonnay. Viognier from this area has evolved
from an élevage exclusively in stainless
steel to some versions now seeing a bit of oak treatment. This change in winemaking philosophy
has led to increased structure and a corresponding broader range of potential
pairings with food.
Complementary Pairing:
Graciano, Rioja, Spain
Try: Dinastía Vivanco Colección Vivanco Parcelas
de Graciano
[www.dinastiavivanco.com] This humble blending grape gets the royal treatment,
starting with a careful triage, destemming, and pressing, with transport only
via gravity feed. Each parcel is
fermented separately in oak vats before transfer to a variety of new American
and French oak barrels for a year and a half of aging without racking, and is
then bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Enjoy the black fruits with a sprinkling of cocoa on top, ending with a
lengthy finish.
Contrasting Pairing:
Viognier, Virginia, USA
Try: Chester Gap Cellars Viognier Reserve,
Rappahannock County
[www.chestergapcellars.com] In a short period of time, Bernd and Kristi Jung have taken their
vines, planted in 2000 with an easterly exposition on steep slopes, and used
them to reach the pinnacle of quality viognier production in Virginia. They utilize just a gentle kiss of
French oak to add creamy structure to the wine, while in no way subjugating the
expression of this variety’s distinctive aromatics and white stone fruit
flavors.
