What
did we learn at our most recent tasting?
Plenty!
We
learned that John Eld can come up
with the right wine for any dish! If you
need to pair “squirt cheese” on Savoritz
crackers, or foie gras on rustic white bread with white pepper, John will find
the right wine.
We
learned that Kevin Dering, Mary Eld, Terry Germanoski, Susan
Coleville and Mary Ann Hirt are
fantastic cooks. Any cuisine, from American to Zimbabwean, they have it covered.
We
learned that we have some VERY talented people in the Pittsburgh Chapter, and
we thank them for their contributions to our tastings.
We
learned that pairing wines with vegetable-focused dishes, including vegan and
vegetarian foods, is easy, but it's also a way to show your creativity. Choosing
wines for these dishes can result in some great pairings if we remember some of
the basic principles that were presented:
1.
Powerful
flavors and richness in food call for powerful wines.
2.
Lighter
food flavors require lighter wines.
3.
Spicy,
salty, or smoky flavors in food are best with lighter, fruity reds, or off-dry
to semi-sweet whites.
4.
You
can pair food with wine by creating complementary pairings, where the food
tastes like the wine (pasta with fresh herbs, olive oil, and olives paired with
Sauvignon Blanc). Or you can make contrasting pairings, where the food and wine
have opposite flavors and textures (a mushroom risotto with a fruity Pinot
Noir).
As
with all good food, the quality of ingredients is important, and these pairing
suggestions are based on the flavors in these ingredients when they're good.
Pairing a great wine with an out of season tomato salad isn't going to
highlight the features of the tomato that aren't there. But try a garden-fresh
tomato, basil, olive oil, Balsamic, and salt and pepper with fresh-baked bread
and a glass of dry Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc, and we guarantee happiness.
These
aren't hard rules. They’re guidelines to help you with your pairings.
Experiment on your own and have fun preparing, serving and eating a wonderful vegetarian
meal, and let your wine make it just a little better.
Pliny
the Elder is believed to have said, "In Vino, Veritas" ("In
Wine, Truth"). We agree with this ancient wine geek but let us humbly
amend his famous statement:
“In
Vino, Vegetas.”
The Wines
Les Fumées Blanches
Sauvignon Blanc SW France PLCB:79088 $9.99
Mazzei Ser Lapo Chianti Classico Riserva Toscana PLCB: 79094 $15.99
Fetzer Gewürztraminer Monterey County CA PLCB: 7229 $9.99
Colosi Nero D’Avola Sicilia PLCB: 7872 $14.99
Bogle Vineyards Essential Red Clarksburg CA PLCB: 6685 $10.99
Alasia Moscato d’Asti Piemonte PLCB: 4892 $12.99
