MRE Menu 3: Chicken with Noodles

There are certainly no strong flavors to contend with in this dish, which opens a wide range of possibilities.  A harmonious match in vino bianco can be found in arneis grown in the Roero, across the Tanaro River from the Albese zones of Barolo and Barbaresco.  While this area is better known for its nebbiolo-based reds, a few conscientious producers have resumed vinification of this native varietal so that you may enjoy its floral and pear notes with your meal.

On the red side, a Beaujolais from one of the ten cru appellations in the northern part of the region makes a great match, offering a wide range of aromas and delicious fruits, with a pleasant palate-refreshing acidity.  Each cru will offer its own unique expression of gamay, with varying degrees of backbone, and often at great value for the quality they represent.  Don’t confuse these with the light and fruity nouveau releases in November—in the hands of conscientious producers, these are serious wines that deserve several years of bottle age to truly show their best.

Complementary Pairing:  Roero Arneis, Piemonte, Italy

Try:  Deltetto Roero Arneis ‘San Michele’

[www.deltetto.com]  Approximately one third of the blend for this single-vineyard wine is fermented and aged in barrique, with the balance in cement and steel so as not to overpower the elegant aromas.  While this wine will harmonize nicely with the chicken and noodles, don’t hesitate to enjoy it as an apéritif as the MRE chemical heater is sputtering and smoking to bring your main course to a nice lukewarm temperature.

Contrasting Pairing:  Fleurie, Beaujolais, France

Try:  Coudert Fleurie Clos de la Roilette Cuvée Tardive

On the border with and formerly part of the Moulin-à-Vent appellation, you can experience the violet perfumes of Fleurie together with the structure of Moulin-à-Vent offered by these 80 year-old vines.

MRE Menu 2: Chicken Fajita and Refried Beans

For complementary flavors here, consider the light citrus and minerals combined with elements of sweet and spicy herbs that can come from chardonnay grown on the rolling slopes of the Jura, nestled between its far more renowned neighbor, Burgundy, and the border of Switzerland.  Although white wines from this region are frequently made in a unique oxidative style, for this dish a more Burgundian approach to the élevage would offer a more pleasing pairing.

For the red wine lover seeking contrast for this dish, imagine dining on your chicken fajitas under a burning hot desert sun, and you’ll immediately see the appeal of a gently frothing Lambrusco from the area surrounding the export epicenter of balsamic vinegar, Modena.  These effervescent wines are vinified in a range from lightly sparkling (frizzante) all the way to the traditional method of a second fermentation in the bottle (metodo classico).  But behold, they are not the sweet and sticky versions so prevalent decades ago.  Quality producers in Emilia are creating wines of rich perfumes and robust structure that match wonderfully with a variety of dishes.

Complementary Pairing:  Côtes du Jura Chardonnay, Jura, France

Try:  Jean-François Ganevat Côtes du Jura ‘Les Grands Teppes Vieilles Vignes’

The winemaker combines his mastery of winemaking, acquired in Chassagne-Montrachet, with chardonnay from vines planted in the first part of the twentieth century to offer a splendid expression of both his varietal and his terroir.

Contrasting Pairing:  Lambrusco secco, Emilia, Italy

Try:  Cavicchioli U. & Figli Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro ‘Col Sassoso’ [www.cavicchioloi.it]  This sub-region within Lambrusco traditionally creates the most full-bodied versions, and this particular cru from a family firm amidst many large cooperatives near Modena is done in a rich and dry frizzante style.

MRE Menu 1: Chili with Beans, Cornbread, Jalapeño Cheese Spread

There is no shortage of capsaicin spice in this combination, particularly if the diner makes use of the accompanying red pepper packet.  This hearty, potentially fiery dish demands a wine of no small body to match.  In this case, a pleasing complementary choice might be a Primitivo di Manduria from the Salento region of Puglia in Italy’s heel.  The iron-rich clay soils over limestone give these wines fruit-forward plum notes on a background of spice and earth, but with enough tannic structure to handle the chili.

From the contrasting viewpoint, a white wine with a bit of residual sugar could counterbalance the heat.  A demi-sec chenin blanc from Montlouis-sur-Loire would fill the bill nicely.  Particularly with some bottle age, this should show a mixture of honey and floral notes together with golden apple and pear flavors.  The residual sugar will likely not be at the forefront thanks to balancing acidity around a core of minerality, continually refreshing the palate in the face of this spicy dish.

Complementary Pairing:  Primitivo di Manduria, Puglia, Italy

Try:  Morella Primitivo La Signora
[www.morellavini.it]  This single vineyard wine from vines averaging 55 years of age should offer an abundance of spicy notes to match this dish.

Contrasting Pairing:  Montlouis-sur-Loire demi-sec, Loire, France

Try:  Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Demi-Sec
[www.jackyblot.fr]  Jacky Blot’s rigorous fruit selection at all levels from his exceptional terroir ensure this will be a meal to remember, even if the main course is eminently forgettable.

In the Beginning...

As I embark on this blogging adventure, a little historical context seems appropriate.  I write these words from the Zabul Province in southeastern Afghanistan, a bit east of Kandahar.  Far closer and within view are the city of Qalat, and the fortress first built by the Macedonian king Alexander the Great over two thousand years ago during his push to India.  The remnants of this “castle” are visible in the distance over the author’s left shoulder, on the right bank of the river Tarnak near the road between Kabul and Kandahar.  Alexander was reputed to have died shortly after the consumption of a large quantity of wine for reasons still debated, but at least he died happy.  Given this propensity for wine in his life, it is doubtless that he consumed it at his nearby fortress. 

Fast forward to the mid-nineteenth century, when the wine-loving British Army occupied this same fortress, then known Kalat-i-Ghilzai.  In 1842, a British garrison was held under seige at the fort by the Ghilzais for six months, as seen in the painting by Lieutenant James Rattray, courtesy of the British Library.  I can only hope for the sake of my former military colleagues from the mother country that they had an ample supply of wine to carry them through those long months of siege. 

Sadly, I don’t have that same luxury of a nearby wine cellar as enjoyed by militaries past, but these musings on matching wine with MREs in the coming days will surely fill the void.  Cheers!