Top Ten Classic Food & Wine Pairings

I always say, "Fear no food and wine pairing!" While there is no such thing as a wrong pairing, certainly some work better than others. Pairing food and wine has come so far from the old school theory of red wine with red meat and white wine with white meat. With the introduction of fusion cooking and the growing wine market, there are so many options it can be overwhelming. This list of food and wine pairings has stood the test of time and always come out on top. Here are the top ten classic food and wine pairings:

1. Champagne & Caviar

Champagne can pair with almost any dish. It's arguably the most food friendly wine under the sun. The wine's low alcohol content, refreshing acidity, and bubbly texture make it a great match for almost any food. But Champagne, specifically Blanc de Blancs and Caviar is a pairing fit for a king, literally. Blanc de Blancs Champagne comes from the Champagne region of France, and is made from 100% Chardonnay, one of the three principal varieties in the region.

Caviar is just a fancy name for the salted eggs of the Sturgeon, a fish commonly found in Russia. The marriage is said to have been discovered as a result of religious practices. In ancient Russia eating meat was forbidden 200 days a year. They supplemented their diet with various types of fish; insert caviar. It's likely that the Czars of Russia were the first to discover this classic pairing since only the wealthy and prestigious imported and drank Champagne. From the first time light, lively Champagne refreshed and cleansed the palate after each bite of salty caviar, this pairing has been a classic. While many use it to ring in the new year, the match makes a great pairing any time of year.

2. Sancerre & Goat Cheese

Sancerre and goat cheese is as much a regional pairing as it is a classic pairing. There is an expression used when pairing, "If it grows together, it goes together." That applies here. Sancerre is a region in France known for producing flinty, crisp, refreshing white wines from the Sauvignon Blanc grape. While the region also makes reds from Pinot Noir, this pairing is about the whites.

In Sancerre, wherever they don't grow grapes, they raise goats. Hence the reason "grows together, goes together" fits here. The salty, chalky goat cheese is enhanced without being overpowered by the refreshing, medium-bodied Sauvignon Blanc from the region. To say this is a classic may be an understatement. This pairing has encouraged many wine novices to become connoisseurs.

3. Bordeaux & Roast Spring Lamb

Staying in France, this next classic is a carnivore's dream. The origin of the expression, "red wine with red meat" exists if not for one reason: tannins. Tannins are found in red wine. They are that mouth drying sensation that can leave you begging for a glass of water to hydrate the palate. Proteins like red meat and Lamb love a little tannin to help cut through them. This is why a red wine producing region like Bordeaux in France makes such a great pairing for meat. Bordeaux is well known for its full-bodied red wines made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. The reds from the region, when done well, are complex mixes of dark fruit and earth notes.

Beyond world-class red wines, the region also raises lamb, making this another "grows together, goes together" pairing. Bordeaux sweet and tender salt marsh lamb roasted with herbs is a perfect pairing for a red from the Medoc (left bank of Bordeaux), especially from sub-regions like Pauillac and St. Julien. These wines, especially when aged, mellow out creating a symphony of flavors that compliment and enhance the dish. This meal is definitely the time to bring out the blue chip (expensive & high-quality) bottle of Bordeaux you have been saving.

4. Sauternes & Foie Gras

With this classic, rich meets even richer. Sauternes is a region in France that produces stunningly sweet white wines from the Semillion and Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Sauternes is sweet because the grapes used to produce it are effected by a mold called Botrytis Cinerea, aka the Noble Rot. Botrytis doesn't occur everywhere in the world. It requires an environment where moisture can meet the sun at the perfect time to create just the right mold. The resulting wine is usually expensive, but more importantly sweet and rich, displaying flavors and aromas of peaches, apricots, and honey.

Foie Gras is a delicacy made from duck or goose liver. The birds are force-fed to fatten the liver to the size of one pound to a pound and a half. The enlarged liver is then cooked in its own fat and oils, butter, and a mix of spices to create a rich, succulent dish. While it may sound unappetizing and cruel, the pairing is remarkable. The rich, sweet Sauternes cuts through the rich Foie Gras creating a perfect balance of flavor and texture.

5. Vintage Port & Stilton

With this classic, sweet meets stinky. Stilton cheese is a traditional English blue, or bleu, cheese made from cow's milk. During production, the cheesemaker pierces the wheel with long stainless steel needles to allow the mold to attack the inside. The result is a rich and creamy, not dry and crumbly, cheese that displays aromas and flavors of old leather, dark chocolate and spice. Blue cheese usually inspires a love or hate relationship with most people. But paired with a rich, sweet dessert wine like Vintage Port, all bets are off.

The term port refers to a fortified wine from Portugal. Fortified is just a fancy name for wines that have had a spirit, usually brandy, added to them. With fortified wines the end result is often, but not always, sweet, and this is the case for port. The name port carries a specific meaning and restrictions. Although the name should not be used for fortified wines outside of the region, it often is.

The term vintage port simply means that all of the grapes are from one year's grape harvest. Vintage is usually declared 3 times a decade. The vintage ports of Portugal are rare, accounting for less than 1% of the country's dessert wine output. They are sweet with high alcohol content (which it should be seeing as they add liquor to the juice) and display flavors and aromas of dried fruit, vanilla, and spice. The full-bodied, sweet vintage ports cut through the stinky blue cheese creating a sweet and savory pairing that will shock even the most extreme blue haters.

6. Chablis & Oysters

With this classic, salty meets refreshing. Chablis is a region in Burgundy, France that produces clean, refreshing whites from the Chardonnay grape. The wines produced aren't the buttered popcorn style you may know Chardonnay to be. Instead the Chards from the region are elegant and refined, displaying a wonderful, racy acidity with flavors and aromas of green apple and spice.

This pairing works so well because the salty oysters are tamed by the refreshing acidity in the crisp, white Chablis. Oysters also have a weightier texture, and full-bodied Chablis has the strength to hold up to it without masking the dish. A match made in heaven.

7. California Chardonnay & Lobster

With this pairing, the same grape is used to make the wine, but the style couldn't be any different than that of Chablis. In Chablis, as I mentioned, the style is crisp and refreshing with tree fruit flavors and aromas. California vintners, on the other hand, tend to produce a style that is big and rich with flavors and aromas of butter and tropical fruit. The lush California style Chards make a perfect pairing for a dish like lobster.

Lobster is usually served with butter, a perfect compliment to the buttery style of Chardonnay produced in California. Lobster is also a weightier seafood. It requires a wine that can stand up to that weight while complimenting the flavors. A California Chardonnay does both beautifully. This match isn't as aged as something like caviar and Champagne, but a classic none the less.

8. Muscadet sur Lie & Mussels

This classic pairing is yeast meets west. Muscadet sur Lie is a sub-region in the western part of the Loire in France. The area is close to the sea making this another great "grows together, goes together" pairing. Muscadet sur Lie is a white wine made from the Melon de Bourgogne grape. The term "sur Lie" signifies that the wine was aged with its sediment, or dead yeast cells. The sediment imparts texture, flavor, and aroma. The end result is a wine that is light-bodied, dry, and acidic, with flavors and aromas of yeast and tree fruit.

Muscadet has the characteristics to pair well with a variety of seafood, specifically shellfish, dishes. The reason this particular pairing works so well is because of Muscadet's racy acidity. I sound like a broken record, but salt needs acidity to ready the palate for the next bite. Couple that with the lightweight characteristics of the Muscadet, and you have yourself a classic French pairing that will allow both elements to shine.

9. Cru Beaujolais & Charcuterie

Before you jump to Beaujolais conclusions, let me explain. Beaujolais is a region in France that produces red wines from a grape named Gamay. The Beaujolais region is inside of the greater Burgundy region. Some years, Beaujolais makes more wine than the rest of Burgundy, with nearly half of the wine being sold as Beaujolas Nouveau. You may have seen Beaujolais Nouveau at your local retailer. Lately it has arrived in plastic bottles, very sexy. In short Beaujolais Nouveau is a mass marketing campaign disguised as a celebration of the new harvest. Each year on the third Thursday in November, Beaujolais Nouveau is shipped around the world to be consumed by the masses in “celebration.” I'd almost rather celebrate with ether and koolaid.

Nouveau is consumed very young. The grapes are picked, fermented and aged all within 6-8 weeks. The result is a purply-pink, very light wine that usually tastes like bubble gum. The wines generally lack structure and need to be consumed before the first of the year.

But Beaujolais is so much more than Nouveau. Even the regular wines from the region or the Village show more depth and character than the Nouveau. The real star from the region is Cru Beaujolais. Within the greater Beaujolais region, there are 10 sub-regions that have superior conditions for growing grapes. These sub-regions are called Crus, which means "growth" in French. While Cru Beaujolas is made from the same grape as Nouveau, gamay, the styles couldn't be more dissimilar. Cru Beaujolais has more structure, depth, and character, and makes a great partner for food. Enter charcuterie.

Charcuterie is a glamorous name for cured meats. A plate of charcuterie usually consist of a variety of pork products including but not limited to: bacon, ham, sausage, galantines, pâtés and/or confit. The plate is usually salty and weighty, a common theme with classic pairings. Cru Beaujolais, as I mentioned, has a remarkable acidity and a touch of tannin to hold up to the plate. This classic is usually a shocker for people who haven't tried Cru Beaujolais.

10. Fino Sherry & Olives

With this classic pairing, salt meets...well...more salt. When pairing food and wine you basically have two options: compliment or contrast. This last pairing is definitely an example of complimenting. Fino Sherry is a fortified wine made from white grapes that grow in the Jerez region of Spain. What separates this fortified wine from the vintage port above is timing. With Port wine the spirit is added in the middle of fermentation to kill the yeast, what is left is sugar which results in a sweet wine. With Fino Sherry the spirit is added at the end of fermentation, once all the sugar has been eaten up. The result is a wine that is dry with a high alcohol content.

Like Muscadet sur Lie, Fino Sherry sits with its yeast. But instead of the yeast floating in the wine, it grows on top like a film, protecting it from air exposure. This film, called flor, imparts a distinct salty, nutty component to the wine. Salty olives just love to be complimented by a salty Fino Sherry. While this isn't a main dish pairing, it makes for a classic hors d'oeuvre.

There you have it, a list of the top ten classic food and wine pairings. I think one of the most important ingredients to success when pairing wine with food is to let the dish be the star and the wine the supporting actor. Wine should act like a condiment for food. Imagine the dish is the hot dog and the wine is the ketchup. While that sounds a little crude, it's true. One needs the other to be complete.

As I mentioned before there is no such thing as a wrong food and wine pairing, some just work better than others. If you like Sauvignon Blanc with your meal and you're eating steak, rest assured, there is a better pairing. But it's ultimately your glass, and you have to fill it with what you like. Try to match weight, acidity and flavors, and you will be set. With sugar you always want the glass to be sweeter than the dish, hence the reason Foie Gras and Sauternes works so well - the Foie Gras is not nearly as sweet as the wine.

Thanks to today's fusion cooking craze and the increasing number of wines present every year, you can pair salmon from Washington state seasoned with Indian curry with a Gewurztraminer from Alsace, France. But still, the classics, well...they're classic.

If you have a chance to try some of these pairings or if there is a classic pairing you like, please let me know by emailing me, posting a comment here on the blog, or contacting me on Facebook. Make sure to check out Cru Wine Online to learn more about food and wine pairing and how to received daily wine & recipe pairings with video.

Until next week, thanks for reading.

Salut,
Nicholas Barth

Certified Sommelier

Wine Director

Cru Wine Online

Talkn' 'bout a heat wave!

Last weekend my family and I vacationed to the North Shore of Minnesota and landed in a sleepy little town named Grand Marais - population 3,500 give or take a few tourists. This trip has been a family tradition since my wife and I got married a few years ago. Each year over the 4th we escape the heat and humidity of central Minnesota to relax in the 65 degree comfort of Lake Superior. This year however was different. Rather than campfires and sweatshirts we were wading in the 40 degree waters of the world's largest freshwater source (by surface area) to cool down from the summer heat.

After spending the weekend commenting on my dissatisfaction about the weather (yes, that's right - I complained about the heat) I started thinking, is this going on everywhere? What will this mean for the 2010 wine vintage in the United States? The vintage on the bottle informs the buyer the year that the grapes were grown and picked. It's a reflection of the region's growing season that year. So if the summer was unusually hot the grapes ripen differently than if the season was cool. Same goes for rain, a wet growing season results in a completely different crop than a dry season.

A region's general weather tendencies, called climate, during the growing season is what helps a grower decide which grapes will grow best in a particular place or region. But climate is so much more than just a factor in helping vintners decide which grapes to grow, it also helps define wine profiles. Wines are a reflection of their surroundings. A hot climate is likely to produce lush, ripe fruit flavors and aromas whereas a cool climate tends to display crisper, leaner fruit flavors and aromas.

There are different categories used when defining a region's climate. For example Bordeaux is a Maritime climate, The Rhone Valley is mostly Mediterranean, and Alsace is Continental. Of course within each of these regions their are sub climates or micro climates and influences that make one site better than another. Climate coupled with soil type, aspect and location are important factors leading up to why you pay more for one wine over another. France is a great example of this, they have defined their best growing sites and prices dictate this. In regions like Burgundy they define their best wines using the term Cru and then qualifying it with a level inside of the classification. Cru meaning growth and referring to the quality factors from the sub region or vineyard where the grapes were grown.

Climate doesn't just allow you to charge more, it's a huge variable in a wines quality from year to year. The year on the bottle (the vintage) is a direct reflection of the region's weather that year. This is why people discuss how one vintage may be better or worse than another. Weather patterns change from year to year and can mean the difference between selling all of your wine at a premium price and having to dump it down the drain.

Bordeaux's climate as I mentioned earlier is defined as Maritime which just means that there is a relatively narrow annual range of temperatures. These usually occur around large bodies of water like seas and oceans. I usually describe this climate as being similar to that of San Diego, 78 degrees and sunny year round. While there's a little more variation than that in regions like Bordeaux the point is Maritime tends to be fairly moderate year round.

The 2006 Bordeaux vintage for the left bank was a bit unusual for the region. July was too hot, August was too cool and September was really wet. The unusual hot and cold resulted in grapes ripening unevenly and ultimately unbalanced (referring to acid and sugar levels). In addition, the excessive rain in the harvest month (September) resulted in watered down grapes. Just think of excessive rain at harvest like putting too much water in your Kool-Aid - where's the beef? The 2006 Bordeaux prices were less than other vintages because the weather resulted in a worse crop than other years.

To sum vintage up: climate is what it should be, weather is what it actually is. So what does vintage have to do with me swearing at a giant lake in Grand Marais? Well, there has been unusual weather all over the United States this year. The northeast and south are experiencing record temperatures and the west was drenched with rain in the spring. Needless to say 2010 is going to need some help to produce a good vintage. Whether it's irrigation, a hot fall or a strong wind something has to happen in order to bring balance and quality back to the 2010 crop.

In the same breathe, never count a vintage out before it's picked, it's a long growing season and a lot can happen. Good sites will produce good grapes year after year. That's why quality wine producers make good juice every year and command high prices even in less than ideal weather vintages. I think that climate change or global warming or whatever you want to call it is having an effect on wine around the world and over the last decade it appears to be a positive one. Take Bordeaux again, 4 classic vintages (2000, 2003, 2005, 2009) to kick off the new millennium. I'm not saying I'm against the environment, just stating there has been 4 outstanding vintages in 2010.

So keep your eye on the 2010 vintage when buying in the future and remember where you were sweating the day those grapes were ripening. Needless to say I will be reminded of the less than perfect weather during my mid summer getaway.

As always thanks for reading and make sure to check out the Cru Wine TV Split on how climate effects a wines profile.

Salut,

Nicholas Barth

Certified Sommelier

Cru Wine Online

Wine Director

Cellar, you mean my box of wine over there?

Cellaring wine can be a daunting task. It begins with space and ends with money. If you are anything like me you want to save wine, but when your friends come over and drink all six of the bottles you purchased for the barbecue in the first hour of your party you are forced to go to the basement and select one of your crown jewels. Which by the way they are already intoxicated, you could give them swill and they would drink it.

Here are a few helpful tips that will assist you in creating and managing a cellar. The first is space, cellar conditions matter, especially if you have bottles that require 10 to 15+ years for aging. As a general rule people tend to drink their wines way to young, some wines need age to develope. Then again most wines produced today are meant to be consumed tomorrow. 85% of all wines produced today are meant to be consumed within three years of bottling. And for good reason, almost 90% of all wine purchased in a liquor store is consumed that weekend.

So if you are looking to build a or create a cellar in your living quarters here are some tips. Pick an area that is cool and dark. Wines ages best between the temperatures of 50 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything colder and the wines will not age appropriately, anything warmer and they will age prematurely. A room that is too warm can also cause wines to "cook". This may cause leakage, maderization (like Madera) or oxidation (like Fino Sherry). For these same reasons it is also important to create an environment with a constant constant temp. Putting a thermostat in the room will help you regulate the temp.

Humidity is another important variable. You want the humidity in your cellar to be around 80%. This is an important factor because if the cellar is too humid it can cause mold to form on the top of the bottle (some mold can be a good thing with older wines, it is a sign of appropriate aging). If the humidity in the cellar is too low this can lead to a contraction of the cork. This can cause the wine to be exposed to oxygen and ultimately turn in to a vinegar like state. Also, if the humidity is too low the cork can shrink and cause evaporation, and there is nothing worse than less wine.

It is also important to refrain from moving the bottles or having any vibration in your cellar. Movement can cause the wine to age prematurely and cause sediment to be disrupted. Also, it is nice to have a bottle rest for six months after you purchase it. Some times the ride over on the boat or plane or even the ride on the truck to the liquor store can cause a wine to be cloudy and unsettled. Letting it settle will ensure optimum drinkability.

Light is the last important factor in a cellar. You want to try not to use florescent lights. They cause the wine to prematurely age, especially in clear bottles. The light will literally chemically effect the bottle. Also light and sunlight in particular can cause heat, again affecting the wine. If you have a light in your cellar make sure you turn it off every time you leave. To sum it up you want your cellar to be a movement free, dark, damp, cool place. Which is why a basement is such a natural home.

There are a few ways to going about getting a cellar. One is to just put up some shelving in your basement and have a makeshift cellar with a humidifier and a heating and cooling unit. Make sure no matter what you do all of your bottles are laying on their side. This will allow the liquid from the bottle to help keep the cork moist which will leave less room for the bottle to be affected. The second option is to hire someone to come in and do it. There are some amazing manufacturers out there who do pretty great stuff, for a price. Usually to do this option right you must hire a professional. They will come in and look at your house, ask you how many bottles you plan to store, assess and give you a price. You can find a number of them in the back pages of the magazine The Wine Spectator. If you can afford it this is the most fool proof way to go.

The last option is the wine refrigerator. This option is a tricky one, because every one who makes a cooling unit has a product on the market that they have deemed a wine cooler. Here are the things to consider when looking in to buying one. Is there dual temperature control? You do not need this feature, if the purpose of you wine fridge is to cellar wine than it all needs to be at 55 degrees F. If you want your whites cooler throw them in the fridge for fifteen minutes before you open it. Also, most of these fridges do not have humidity controls and usually the ones that do are very costly. These fridges also limit the number of bottles you can purchase. This is not a problem for most of us right now. But ten years down the line when we have 100 bottles we need a new solution. The wine fridge can be a great thing to get you buy right now, but it is really not the optimal storage facility.

In my opinion your best bet is to monitor and area of your basement and set up shop there. Try to keep the conditions as close to the numbers as possible. If you are handy and ambitious they do make devices you can buy that allow you to cut a hole in your foundation and vent to the outside. These are fairly inexpensive considering what you would pay to get those conditions. There are a number of books on the market for do-it-yourselfers that you can pick up that walk you through the different steps of building your own cellar. Whatever you choose consider your time, money, and investment in wine.

Wine is an investment, especially in these rocky times with the market being so touchy. Wine bottles bought on futures from Bordeaux in 2005 for $100 are already selling for more than double that price. If you watch the market and do just a little reading you can find some great prices in great regions. Some regions however you will just have to pay the premium, but they will still continue to rise in value. I like to read Robert Parker's early Bordeaux predictions. The market tends to fluctuate upon his command. So if he says it is good, whether you agree or not, the market will usually drift that direction. Then in 15 years you can sell if for four times what you paid for it at Zachy's or Christies.

I always tell people who are getting in to wine cellaring to buy what you like. If you only buy wine for investment purposes you won't experience the fun and excitement of buying. Plus if you end up not being able to sell it you will have to drink a wine that you don't even like. Also when purchasing wine remember to inspect it before you buy it. There is absolutely nothing worse than paying $150 for a bottle, aging it for 10 years and then opening it to discover that there was a problem with leakage all along.

Inspect the label, does it look preserved or beaten up? Did it get tossed around on the loading dock? Look at the foil, do you see any wine, did it get cooked on the ship across the Atlantic? Take the time to look over the bottle, because on the flip side some bottles sell for less than others due to a label problem. Perhaps the label machine put them on upside down for 100 bottles before they caught it. These bottle still hold amazing juice, they just have an upside down label, and are half the price. Simple inspection can save you a lot of time and money. If you are weary about the bottle, don't buy it.

Also know who you buy it from. I am real weary of these internet sites you purchase wine from. Of course the ideal situation is to get it direct from the winery, but that is not often an option. So the next best thing is to find out where it came from. This can be a problem at liquor stores but sometimes the buyer can inform you why in 2008 they have a new shipment of 85' Dow Vintage Port. Perhaps an investor just sold their lot back to Dow and now Dow is putting it back in to the market. Some times a winery hold bottles that they plan to introduce at a later date for more money. No matter what the reason it is always good to ask, the worst they can say is "I don't know" and again you don't have to buy it.

One last thing you will want to do when cellaring wine is monitor your wine collection. You will buy bottles and not bring them out for ten to fifteen years, in this time you may forget you even have them. Create a simple Xcel spread sheet to put your wines on. Write the date you bought them, how much you paid, and when you expect to drink them. Some people just categorize them as Drink Now, Hold/Drink, Requires Aging. Whatever your system make sure you continually check out sources of people who are consuming those vintages and regions. This will help you consume it when it is just right, or sell it.

Cellaring wine can be a fun adventure and does not have to be expensive. Wait for the buy to come to you. Look through bin ends and different stores to see what gems you can find. Take the appropriate steps to create and environment for your treasures to age. It is important to remember that wine is as much of an investment as you IRA. Whatever you do make sure you always have a few bottles of "drink now" on hand, because it is a bad day when the seventh bottle of wine you share with your friends has to be a 2005 Puillac.

Salut,
Nicholas Barth
Wine Director
Cru Wine Specialists