With the warmer weather now upon us (Saturday in Cape May not withstanding), it’s time to think about barbecues and other warm weather pairings. In addition to getting some good bargains on terrific wine futures at Hawk Haven Vineyard on Saturday, we stocked up on three classic wines for future pairings. You might call it wine pre-pairing. From left to right above are Reserve Chardonnay Clones 76 & 95, Pinot Grigio, and Flying Press Red. The Flying Press Red is a must for the barbecue season.
While I am a firm believer in drinking what you like, I also believe that if you are open to a few basic guidelines, you can enjoy your food and wine a lot more. Notice I said, “guidelines,” not “rules.” It helps to be a little flexible. I like to bring a bottle of red and a bottle of white whenever we go out to dinner. My wife and I often go back and forth between the white wine and red wine, depending on which course we are eating and sometimes just mixing it up and throwing out the rulebook and trying a unique pairing.
The following are a few basics about pairing wines with food:
- Reds with red meat; whites with seafood (though a lighter red like Pinot Noir pairs well with salmon). Chicken may depend more on the way it is prepared (Chicken Parmigiana vs. Chicken Piccata).
- Wines higher in acidity work very well with most foods (think Riesling and Pinot Noir)
- Sweet puts out the fire (sweeter Riesling or maybe a Gewurtztraminer with spicy, hot sauces).
- Wines high in tannins work well with steaks. The tannins in red wines soften the fat in meat to release its flavor and the fat mellows the astringency of the tannins in the wine.
- Terroir-grapes that are grown near the food source work well together. Mushrooms and truffles go well with Pinot Noir. They often grow nearby in Burgundy, France (where they have propelled Pinot Noir on the wine map for centuries).
- If you like to use a lot of vinegar in your salad dressing, stick to water, as vinegar may fool you into thinking your wine has gone bad. A semi-dry or sweeter wine, might also work for you.
- Sauces can change your choice of wine. Pork chops barbecued on the grill with a traditional tomato-based barbecue sauce may sway you from choosing a white wine to a red wine.
My Pairing for Saturday Night Dinner
After doing our wonderful barrel tasting at Hawk Haven Vineyard in Rio Grande, we stopped at the Lobster House in Cape May and picked out some fresh, wild-caught, local Fluke (medium sized fillets) for dinner. After chilling, I chose one of the bottles we picked up earlier at Hawk Haven-their 2017 Reserve Chardonnay, Clone 76 & 95.
I broiled the Fluke with a little butter, paprika, parsley and lemon. We enjoyed the Chardonnay, with its apple and browned butter notes. To paraphrase one of our past governors: “New Jersey wine and you-Perfect together.”
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Coming Attractions
- Heard it Through the Grapevine (Music in the Vineyards)
- Send in the Clowns (Wineries offering Comedy)
- Road Trip (a Central NJ trip along the Jersey side of the Delaware River; perhaps even visiting the PA side)
- Laurita Winery Delivers (Tasting some of their wines, without leaving home)
- Chilling out in the newly opened Autumn Lake Winery Tasting Room
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