MRE Menu 22: Asian Beef Strips

For a red wine pairing, turn to Rioja, that famous Spanish region that has seen ups and downs in quality over its history, but is now riding high on at least two decades of success both in the vineyards and cellars.  The reds in this region are based on tempranillo, with garnacha, graciano, maturana tinta, and monastel being permitted in the blend.  As in many other classic wine regions, there is a spectrum between traditional production and the modern viewpoint, the latter emphasizing high degrees of extraction and lots of new oak.  Everyone has their preference on this spectrum, but for the Asian beef I recommend a traditional version, and in particular a reserva.  By the regulations, this means the wine will have aged for a minimum of three years, including at least one year in oak barrels.  This aging regimen will offer complexity and structure while preserving the fruit character of the wine to complement the Asian spices on the beef.

For a contrasting pairing, we will go in what will be an unexpected direction for some.  On the left bank of the Garonne River in the southern part of Bordeaux, a unique golden liquid is produced from sémillon, sauvignon blanc, and a bit of muscadelle affected by the “noble rot,” courtesy of the fungus Botrytis cinerea.  Under the appellations Sauternes and Barsac, these are late-harvested wines that can be high in residual sugar, yet may also have appreciable acidity when young.  Tradition has relegated them to the cheese or dessert course, to be brought out for a special occasion after a couple of decades or more of bottle age.  But that same sweetness can make them excellent foils for spicy appetizers and main dishes, provided they retain their natural acidity.  The best part is that you won’t have to store them in your cellar for countless years, waiting for the next generation to enjoy your purchase.

Complementary Pairing:  Rioja, Spain

Try:  (Granja Nuestra Señora de) Remelluri Rioja Reserva

[www.remelluri.com]  Vines have been planted on the site of this former monastery at the foot of the Sierra de Cantabria since the fourteenth century.  The tempranillo is joined by small amounts of garnacha and graciano, which are individually fermented with natural yeasts.  Afterwards they spend a year and a half aging in a mixture of new and used French and American oak, the latter comprising roughly a third.  Winemaking has returned to the hands of the owning family, in the form of the renowned Telmo Rodríguez, who produces internationally acclaimed wines all over Spain.

Contrasting Pairing:  Barsac, Bordeaux, France

Try:  Château Coutet Barsac

[www.chateaucoutet.com]  This Premier Cru Classé property is the largest estate in Barsac, with vines averaging 35 years of age, approximately three-fourths of which are sémillon.  An even larger percentage of sémillon comprises the grand vin, which ages entirely in new oak.  Currently under the care of the Baly family, this château is not only one of the preeminent estates in Barsac, but also a vocal proponent of the versatility of Barsac and Sauternes for pairing with all sorts of foods.

MRE Menu 21: Lemon Pepper Tuna

While this MRE may bear no resemblance to actual seafood, for the purposes of wine pairing, let’s treat it like it does.  When eating of the sea, it’s best to also drink that which reminds us of the sea, and few white grapes will kindle that memory better than albariño.   A good place to find just such an albariño is Rías Baixas in the southwest corner of Galicia, which itself is in the northwest tip of Spain, adjacent to the border with Portugal.  Albariño in Rías Baixas is planted in loose, sandy soils at low altitudes, adjacent to rivers and the ocean.  A recent increase in quality production at a small group of wineries, as evidenced by wines that show best after 2-3 years of bottle age, has led to an increase in demand, and therefore a substantial increase in plantings.  Choose your producer carefully.

A red wine with naturally high tannins would be a bit much for the tuna, despite its overcooked density and dryness.  A fruity, medium-bodied wine such as one made from barbera would be a better fit.  Although not uncommon throughout much of northern Italy, the Piemonte is where it achieves its most ideal expression, particularly in the area of Monferrato and Asti.  Perhaps it would do just as well or better toward Alba to the west, but the prime vineyard spots there around Barolo and Barbaresco are devoted to nebbiolo.  While disagreement exists with the aforementioned nebbiolo and many other Italian varietals on the merits of aging in small new French oak barrels, few would argue that barbera doesn’t benefit from at least some barrique treatment.  For the tuna, choose a version where the cherry and plum fruit stand front and center, while the oak elements remain in the background.

Complementary Pairing:  Rías Baixas, Galicia, Spain

Try:  Pazo de Señorans Selección de Añada

[www.pazodesenorans.com]  Located in the Val do Salnés, which is the largest sub-region of Rías Baixas, this house has been at the vanguard of producing quality albariño and encouraging others in the region to do the same.  The Selección is aged in stainless steel tanks on its lees for almost three years, followed by an additional year in the bottle before release.  The nose and palate may variably offer up apple, peach, citrus, olives, and fennel.  There will always be a streak of minerality and a full, textured mouthfeel, with substantial acidity on the finish.

Contrasting Pairing:  Barbera d’Asti, Piemonte, Italy

Try:  Araldica Barbera d’Asti ‘Ceppi Storici’

[www.araldicavini.com]  Araldica Vini Piemontesi is something of a cooperative of cooperatives, having brought together three cantine sociali and now comprising over 200 individual members.  They are proof positive that even large operations can produce quality wines, particularly at the top end of their range, which has the choice of the best fruit from all the vineyards.  The name of this wine is an uncommon way to say ‘old vines,’ with the translation being closer to ‘historic.’  Only a minority is aged in barrique, so the fruit and acidity will remain as the dominant elements.

Deployment Special Edition: Lobster Roll Redux—The Seafood Roll

Behold the Seafood Roll.  This alternative take on the Lobster Roll (see September 9^th) combines canned shrimp and crab mixed with chopped celery, mayonnaise, and celery salt, served on a toasted hot dog bun brushed with melted butter.  With the exception of the bread and celery, all other items came via care packages.  Also pictured are the canapés, crackers with a smoked salmon spread, all produced by full-time deployment chef and part-time pediatric surgeon, Dr. Timothy Weiner.

This pairing challenge requires a wine that will complement the delicate seafood components, while also possessing enough acidity to make short work of the mayo.  Consider a “mountain wine” from the region of Savoie, in the French Alps on the border with Switzerland.  White grapes are the most prevalent plantings, represented by such varietals as jacquère, roussanne, altesse, chasselas, and gringet.  Jacquère is the most common of these, and is noted to have distinct aromas of white flowers and wet stone, followed by citrus and white stone fruits on the palate, with sometimes bracing acidity.

For a red wine to accompany the seafood roll, we will travel to Champagne.  A small number of still wines are produced here under the name Coteaux Champenois.  The area most likely to produce still red wines is the same one that specializes in the highest quality pinot noir, namely the Montagne de Reims.  Amongst the villages rated grand cru here, Bouzy has the most examples of still reds, where it is known as Bouzy Rouge.  From Burgundy in the south, pinot noir can deliver some of the most ageworthy and sought after wines in the world, but in the colder climate of Champagne, the wines tend to be lighter and of higher acidity, and destined for early drinking.  This lightness and acidity both make it a great match for the seafood roll.

Complementary Pairing:  Jacquère, Savoie, France

Try:  Domaine Jean Masson Apremont Vieilles Vignes [du Sieclé]

Apremont is the largest of the many appellations within the Savoie region.  Jean Masson has old vine plots high on the slopes of Mont Granier, on a noteworthy terroir of mixed chalk, limestone, and rock rubble from a landslide in the thirteenth century.  This is made entirely from jacquère, which can make a lackluster wine unless it is produced at low yields as it is here.

Contrasting Pairing:  Bouzy Rouge, Coteaux Champenois, France

Try:  Jean Vesselle Bouzy Rouge

[www.champagnejeanvesselle.fr]  This family-run winery represents the latest in three centuries of vignerons in Bouzy.  All of the fruit comes from their estate, making this house a récoltant-manipulant, the sparkling product of which is a so-called “grower Champagne.”  The still red wine is 100% pinot noir from vines of greater than 30 years of age.

The author enjoying the seafood roll so much that he can’t stuff it in his mouth fast enough.  “Could you please send the sommelier over to our table?”

MRE Menu 20: Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Lovers of Bordeaux have choices that span the globe, as the traditional varietals from here have migrated to every hemisphere, no matter how you slice it.  Since this dish is associated with Italy, that is where we will go to find a matching claret.  To some degree, these same cépages bordelais are ubiquitous throughout Italy in order to satisfy an international market, but today we will focus on the northern Italian region of Trentino.  This cooler climate region will yield wines of less unbridled power and alcohol, and more finesse.  With climate change a dynamic but slow process, a slight overall warming is helping the clarets from this region hit the perfect spot of ripeness, without hints of green or vegetal flavors.

For a white pairing for what most would consider a quintessentially red wine dish, let us consider another variety that has become ubiquitous worldwide—chardonnay.  From its traditional home in Burgundy, it has found success in many places, including California.  It is a grape that is quite capable of expressing its terroir, yet also the will of the winemaker.  Even in the confines of greater Napa and Sonoma, temperatures, altitude, and geology are widely variable.  Likewise, aging regimens range from pure stainless steel that leaves the emphasis on the fruit all the way to 100% new oak that can leave one with the sense of drinking liquid toast.  The best producers have struck a happy medium, growing or sourcing excellent fruit at low yields, and using a meticulous but gentle hand in the cellar.  To stand up to the meat sauce on the spaghetti, look for a California chardonnay that allows the minerality of some of its best growing regions to shine through, with just enough oak to add structure and subtle spice, and a bit of acidity on the finish.  If you close your eyes and can believe you’re drinking Burgundy, you’ve found the right one.

Complementary Pairing:  Claret, Trentino, Italy

Try:  Tenuta San Leonardo ‘San Leonardo’

[www.sanleonardo.it]  This claret is the grand vin, and is only produced in good to excellent vintage years.  It is composed of about 2/3 cabernet sauvignon and 1/3 cabernet franc, with merlot as a minor stakeholder.  Each variety is aged separately in a mixture of new and used French barriques in the style of Bordeaux, before being blended and bottled for another year of aging before release.

Contrasting Pairing:  Chardonnay, California, USA

Try:  Ramey Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard

[www.rameywine.com]  Winemaker David Ramey sources this fruit from 40 year-old vines in the center of the Russian River Valley.  This single-vineyard expression offers up tropical fruits and minerals together with herbs and spices on the finish.  While a substantial portion is aged in new French oak, these flavors are invariably well integrated and balanced with the acidity.

MRE Menu 19: Sloppy Joe

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.

MRE Menu 18: Beef Ravioli

The Taliban were busy little bees today, so much so that I thought I wouldn’t be able to produce today’s MRE pairing.  But I don’t want to let them win even the tiniest victory on September 11^th, so I’m pressing forward with the blog.  Without further ado:

This beef dish of some richness would pair well with a full-bodied red, and for that we’ll venture to southern Tuscany.  Here, in the vicinity of Montalcino, sangiovese achieves one of its highest expressions as Brunello.  This designation indicates geography, use of only sangiovese, and an extensive aging requirement.  As with other parts of Tuscany, some producers have adopted a modernist approach with the aging of sangiovese in new French barriques to create a wine that is more approachable in its youth and widely acceptable to an “international palate.”  Other producers cling to traditional methods of aging their wines in large Slavonian oak barrels from Croatia, such that the influence of the barrel is the way that the developing wine interacts with its environment more so than any flavors imparted directly by the wood.  Particularly for the wines produced in a more traditional manner, additional bottle age will help soften the tannins and bring out the secondary flavors of earth and tobacco to merge with the dark cherry fruit of the wine in its youth.  Bottles consumed less than a decade after the vintage deserve decanting for an hour or more to bring out their best qualities.

For contrast, consider white wines made from godello, a native white grape of increasing popularity from the northwest of Spain, particularly Valdeorras and Monterrei in Galicia, and Bierzo in Castilla y Leon.  Along with primary flavors such as white stone fruits and pineapple, in addition to spice notes like anise, godello is adept at expressing the minerality of its place of origin, and ends with refreshing acidity.  Production ranges from aging in all stainless steel to extensive use of new oak, although the latter style is easily overdone with this particular varietal, so choose your winemaker carefully.

Complementary Pairing:  Brunello di Montalcino, Toscana, Italy

Try:  Baricci Brunello di Montalcino

The vineyards are well situated to the north of the town of Montalcino, on the farm Colombaio di Montosoli.  This is pure tradition in the cellar with aging only in large Slavonian oak botti.  There is no riserva, so the best grapes all go into the normale.  Then again, when you are #1 of the original 27 founding members of the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino, you probably don’t need a riserva, or a website, or a fancy tasting room.  You just need to make quality Brunello year after year, and the Baricci family is eminently successful at that.

Contrasting Pairing:  Godello, Bierzo, Spain

Try:  Luna Beberide Godello LB

[www.lunabeberide.es]  From 60 year old vines, these grapes undergo a temperature-controlled fermentation, followed by aging in stainless steel tanks.  The wine leads with diverse aromas, from flowers to fennel, followed by flinty mineral notes and spices on the palate.  The acidity on the finish is the key to the effective pairing with the pasta and beef filling.

Since it’s September 11, let’s take a moment to pause and reflect.  Pictured above is the sign at the entrance to our Forward Surgical Team building in Afghanistan.  It is dedicated to the memory of Special Operator Third Class Denis C. Miranda, a Corpsman and Navy SEAL who was killed while conducting combat operations in this province in 2010.  Let us never forget his sacrifice, and the ultimate sacrifice made by all those who have died before and since to defend freedom in the global war on terrorism.

MRE Menu 17: Maple Sausage

This menu almost cries out that it is a faux brunch, demanding a fine Champagne.  The sausage needs a pairing with both body and acidity to slice through its hefty fat content.  Look no farther than the chalky slopes of the Côte de Blancs, home to the finest chardonnay vineyards in Champagne.  A blanc de blancs uses only chardonnay, which will lend flavors of apple and pear that become more golden with bottle age, as well as a firm backbone of acidity and a delightful minerality from all that chalk.  Because the maple sausage has a bit of sweetness to it, the Champagne will require a hint of the same.  A brut should have just the right amount from its dosage, but the perception may instead be of a rich mouthfeel and biscuit notes that lean more towards brioche, which sounds like the perfect brunch accompaniment to a foil pouch of lukewarm sausage.

A heavy red would overpower the sausage, but the concentrated fruits and moderate tannins of lagrein from Südtirol (Alto Adige) in northern Italy provide flavors that will be additive to the dish with smothering it.  It is a wine that lends itself to barrel aging to tame a bit of astringency on the finish, but beware of the overuse of new oak that will not permit the fruit to shine through.  As mentioned above, the fat in the sausage needs a wine with acidity to balance it, and lagrein delivers.  You may find hints of smoke and a bit of minerality, but ripe fruits are always at the core.

Complementary Pairing:  Blanc de Blancs, Champagne, France

Try:  Veuve Fourny et Fils Millésimé Brut Blanc de Blancs Vertus Premier Cru

[www.champagne-veuve-fourny.com]  This maison is technically a négociant-manipulant and not a “grower Champagne,” but only in the sense that some of their fruit is purchased.   This is mostly a consequence of the inheritance laws requiring the division of land amongst the heirs of each generation, such that they are primarily buying from family. In fact, they embody their motto of “une Famille, un Clos, un Premier Cru.”  Charles-Henry and Emmanuel Fourny currently lead the house, which has vineyard sites in Vertus with underlying chalk and chalky gravel and various south and east expositions, including the Clos Notre-Dame.  Initial aging of the base wines for this vintage Champagne takes place in both steel and oak casks, prior to spending at least 5 years on the lees in the bottle before dégorgement. 

Contrasting Pairing:  Lagrein, Südtirol (Alto Adige), Italy

Try:  Kellerei Bozen Lagrein Riserva ‘Taber’

[www.kellereibozen.com]  This group of growers anchored in Bozen is actually the union of two previously separate cooperatives, Gries and St. Magdalena.  The grapes come from the Taber vineyard in Gries, which is the traditional source for the finest lagrein.  This particular selection was originally from the cooperative of St. Magdalena, and is still labeled with that name.  With only a minority of the oak barrels being new, this wine offers tremendous concentration with perfect balance.

Deployment Special Edition: The Lobster Roll

This is the gastronomic pinnacle of an Afghanistan deployment—the lobster roll.    

The roll with its component ingredients:  a toasted [hot dog] bun brushed with melted butter and filled with a mix of lobster tail, chopped celery, mayonnaise, and celery salt, with the latter two ingredients courtesy of a care package from home.

This rare royal feast for the taste buds demands a wine of equally noble pedigree, such as a white wine from Pessac-Leognan, on the left bank of the Garonne in the southwest corner of Bordeaux.  Composed of sauvignon blanc and sémillon grown on well-drained gravel and sand with a large percentage of quartz, the whites of Pessac-Leognan offer a unique minerality not found elsewhere in the region.  Variable degrees of wood treatment in the cellar lead to a spectrum of styles that range from fruit-forward with assertive acidity on one end, all the way to full-bodied and creamy versions that require several years of bottle age to achieve integration of the oak.  The richness and delicacy of the lobster would best be served by a style somewhere in the middle of this spectrum.

While it is a somewhat rich dish compared to many other seafood preparations, most red wines would still overwhelm this lobster roll.  But not the food-friendly blaufränkisch, a common variety found in Austria, Germany (where it is known as lemberger), and throughout eastern Europe, where it has a reputation of being a bit rustic.  Common flavors include dark fruits such as berries and cherries, with various spice elements and moderate tannins.  Avoid producers who rely on the heavy-handed use of new oak, which will overpower both the wine itself and the elegant lobster filling.

Complementary Pairing:  Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux, France

Try:  Château Larrivet Haut-Brion Blanc

[www.larrivethautbrion.fr]  Now owned by the quality-conscious Gervoson family,  the vines are about 20 years of age, with a slight predominance of sauvignon blanc over sémillon in the vineyard.  The élevage takes place for 12 months in new oak, with the frequency of bâtonnage varying by the characteristics of the vintage.  Flavors include citrus and stone fruits on the front, while the oak treatment adds a rich texture along with vanilla and spices.  There is suitable refreshing acidity on the finish to balance the melted butter and mayonnaise in the lobster roll.

Contrasting Pairing:  Blaufränkisch, Burgenland, Austria

Try:  Weingut Moric Blaufränkisch ‘Moric’

[www.moric.at]  The label with Moric in large letters is the reserve bottling of blaufränkisch from Roland Velich.  This comes from vineyards in Neckenmarkt and Lutzmannsberg, which have vines of up to a century old.  The produce of the oldest of these goes into his site-specific “alte reben” (old-vine) bottlings, but the average vine age in the reserve wine is still 40.  His winemaking style brings an unusual elegance and finesse to this variety, leading to frequent comparisons to the Côte d’Or, and villages such as Volnay in particular.  With minimal use of new oak, the wine presents floral aromatics, together with bright red fruit, cassis, pepper, and spices.

The deployment capo cuoco di tutti capocuochi, Dr. Timothy Weiner, mixing the lobster roll filling and proving his dominance over all other chefs in Afghanistan for creating this luxurious seafood dish smack in the middle of the desert.

An estimated 20 brave lobsters unwillingly gave their tails to provide the contents of this bin in preparation for an outdoor lobster roll feast.  Chef Weiner draws his lobster roll inspiration from his long-standing imaginary friendship with former First Lady Barbara Bush and her patronage of The Clam Shack in Kennebunkport.

MRE Menu 16: Pork Rib

The theoretical delicate smokiness of this pork rib demands smoky elements in the accompanying wine, such as those from syrah hailing from the northern Rhône.  The appellations that prescribe red wine production here allow for the blending of a small amount of white grapes to add aromatics and complexity, save for one—Cornas.  Located near the southern end of the valley, these wines have traditionally been considered among the more rustic of the northern Rhône.  This reputation is changing due to an increasing emphasis on attention to detail and low yields in the vineyard combined with better techniques in the cellar.  Common flavors are dark fruits such as currants and blackberries, with minerality coming from the granite underneath.

In the sense of being a wine that comes white wine grapes, the “orange wines” of Friuli in northeastern Italy are white wines, and they have the structure to match the pork rib, with enough acidity to cut through the abundant fat hidden within.  So-called orange wines are produced from white grapes left in prolonged contact with the skins, which results in a variable degree of orange tint to the finished wine.  Although this technique is essentially an ancient wine, it has seen a recent revival amongst producers in Friuli, and in particular the area of Carso, which is adjacent to Trieste and on the border with Slovenia.  The resulting wines are frequently bottled unfiltered, and may appear cloudy in the glass, with the presence of abundant grape skin tannins not normally found in white wines.

Complementary Pairing:  Cornas, Rhône, France

Try:  Jean-Luc Colombo Cornas ‘Les Ruchets’

[www.vinscolombo.fr]  This is the grand vin from this leader in the renaissance of quality production in Cornas.  From vines farmed organically of up to 90 years of age, it spends two years maturing in oak.  The philosophy of this domaine is that wine is meant to pair with food, so despite the powerful syrah, these wines are inevitably balanced, with finesse and expressiveness of origin.

Contrasting Pairing:  Carso “orange wine”, Friuli, Italy

Try:  Vodopivec Vitovska Amphora

[www.vodopivec.it]  Like other vineyards in Carso, the vines are planted on limestone bedrock.  The grape variety is vitovska, which practically exists only in Friuli and neighboring Slovenia.  This version is macerated with its skins for 6 months in traditional vessels, clay amphorae from Georgia (the former Soviet republic, not the US state).  Expect this wine to be a unique experience that will change dramatically in the glass as it breathes, variously showing elements of stone fruits, herbs, smoke, and the limestone upon which it is grown.

MRE Menu 15: Mexican Style Chicken Stew

This meal potentially packs some heat, but not the thermal kind (which is generally lacking in all of the MREs).  There is plenty of fiery spice here, especially if you make use of the accompanying packet of ground red pepper.  Conventional wisdom suggests that a wine with some residual sugar will help subdue the heat.  Hopefully there will some acidity as well to aid in refreshing your palate as you go, so that your mouth is not continuously on fire.  Various styles of German riesling offer up both of these traits, but finding the right version can be tricky.  While great for many other dishes, the dry versions, labeled “trocken,” aren’t the ideal match for this MRE.  Assuming they are not also labeled trocken, you can expect to find progressively increasing amounts of residual sugar in those marked “spätlese” and “auslese.”  The higher sugar levels in these versions are generally assumed to accompany longer periods of ripening on the vine before harvest, with an associated increase in phenolic ripeness.  Climate change is blurring this situation a bit, but the aforementioned generalizations are a good starting point.  For this particular MRE, I recommend a spätlese unless you really intend to turn up the heat with the red pepper, when an auslese might be appropriate.

For a red, we can turn to the “lost” sixth bordelais varietal, carmenère.  Although not replanted in any significant amount in Bordeaux following widespread loss from oidium and phylloxera in the nineteenth century, it has found a new home as the signature red grape of Chile, despite having been planted there unrecognized for the better part of a century and a half.  Thriving in the dry climate of areas such as the Colchagua Valley, it produces wines of medium body and tannins, with red or black fruits mixed with spices and elements of earth, leather, and tobacco.

Complementary Pairing:  Riesling Spätlese, Nahe, Germany

Try:  Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese

[www.doennhoff.com]  This wine comes from the top producer in the Nahe, and he would be a contender for the top spot for all of Germany.  Hermannshöhle in Niederhausen is perhaps his best cru, with a base of slate and volcanic rock.  The nose should offer a mélange of citrus notes, with the same on the palate accompanying a core of slate minerality.

Contrasting Pairing:  Carmenère, Colchagua Valley, Chile

Try:  Viña Montes Purple Angel

[www.monteswines.com]  In this case the carmenère is blended with a bit of petit verdot, and comes from the Marchigue and the famous Apalta estates.  After spending 18 months in new French oak, it is bottled unfiltered.  This particular regimen leads to typical red fruits on the nose, followed by black fruits and hints of chocolate on the palate.  The tannins are soft and sweet, which will serve as an ideal foil for the spice of the dish.

Note for the Detail-Oriented:  “Carmenère” is the common spelling used in Chile and the one used in this post.  In French it is carménère, and it also appears as carmenere throughout the world.