Does it surprise you that someone who has a good palate for wine also has a good palate for food? I’ve met many great winemakers who are as passionate about food as they are about wine. My conversations with them often stray from the topic of wine to reminiscing about a memorable meal. Many are talented cooks; others delight in dining out or sharing a wonderful meal with friends. Great winemakers understand how flavors work together in balance and harmony, whether they are at the dinner table or among barrels. For this reason, I thought I’d ask some of my favorite winemakers what food I should pair with their wines. These were their answers:Bill Easton, Terre Rouge & Easton Wines, Sierra Foothills2007 Easton Old Vine Zinfandel “Rinaldi-Eschen”Pair with: Spanish Lamb Stew with Chiles (recipe: http://www.terrerougewines.com/recipes/spanish-lamb.html)2008 Terre Rouge RoussannePair with: Tagine of chicken with fennel, oranges and olives (recipe: http://www.terrerougewines.com/recipes/tagine.html)Mary Elke, Elke Vineyards, Anderson Valley2009 Mary Elke Pinot NoirPair with: “This is mushroom season and I love my Pinots with wild mushroom risotto, or a mushroom-onion ragu over pasta.”Mary Elke Brut SparklingPair with: Raw oysters or Thai/Asian fusionBradley Brown, Big Basin Vineyards, Santa Cruz Mountains2009 Big Basin Vineyards Homestead (46% Grenache, 43% Syrah and 11% Cabernet Sauvignon)Pair with: Braised lamb shanks cooked with ginger, garlic, cumin and corianderJohn Cabot, Cabot Vineyards, Humboldt County2007 Cabot Vineyards Humboldt SyrahPair with: Pasta with wild chanterelle mushrooms, caramelized onions, garlic, chicken, sun dried tomatoes, and kalamata olives in a rosemary cream sauce.2007 Cabot Vineyards Klamath Cuvee (60% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Zinfandel, 5% Merlot)Pair with: Lamb lollipops (rack of lamb) with generous use of ground pepper (or Montreal Steak Seasoning), Yukon gold potatoes and grilled zucchini.Jonathon Lachs, Cedarville Vineyard, Sierra Foothills2009 Cedarville Vineyard ViognierPair with: Dungeness crab with lemon butter.2008 Cedarville Vineyard Cabernet SauvignonPair with: Prime rib with a traditional au jus or mustard cream sauce.Jim Schultze, Windy Oaks Winery and Vineyards, Santa Cruz Mountains2009 Windy Oaks Estate Cuvee Pinot NoirPair with: Anything that has mushrooms – a vegetarian mushroom dish, or chicken or game hen with a mushroom sauce2008 Windy Oaks Pinot Noir “Wild Yeast”Pair with: Duck breast “The earthy character of this wine brings out the flavors of the duck.”Josh and Carrie Bendick, Holly’s Hill Vineyards, Sierra Foothills2009 Holly’s Hill Grenache NoirPair with: Salmon with a caper cream sauce (recipe: http://www.hollyshill.com/recipes/salmon/salmon.html)Bob Lindquist, Qupé, Santa Maria, Santa Ynez and Edna Valleys2009 Los Olivos Cuvée (47% Syrah, 29% Mourvedre, 24% Grenache)Pair with: “I like the same kinds of food that you would often pair with a balanced Pinot Noir.” Mushroom risotto or grilled salmon.2008 Syrah “Bien Nacido Vineyard”Pair with: “One of my favorite Syrah dishes is grilled bone-in chicken thighs marinated in a combination of syrah, soy sauce, garlic and a healthy dose of jalapeño pepper.”You can read about these winemakers at backcountrywines.com. Most of the wines mentioned are available only through the winery. If you can’t get the wines in time for the holidays, try to at least match the varietal with their food recommendations. But keep in mind, these winemakers are as skilled at concocting a delicious wine as they are a delicious meal. So if you don’t try their wines now, make sure to do so in the future!
