Chilean Dinner and Wine Pairing

Every few months, we get together with friends and put together a gourmet dinner, based on a country, or cuisine, chosen by the host. This time around, it was my turn to host, and since my wife and I recently spent a few weeks in Chile (trip recap here), we decided to give Chilean Cuisine a go.

Since Chile is located in South America, most people would expect something similar to Mexican food, but you would be wrong.  There is a strong influence from traditional Spanish cuisine, but it is mixed with local ingredients, and more importantly, the influences of European cuisines, particularly from Germany, Italy and France. When we traveled to Chile, we experienced fresh fruits and vegetable, an array of seafood and meats. 

Chile and Peru have a long running argument over who is responsible for the potato. I will stay out of the argument, but will attest to the prevalence of the potato, particularly in the south around Chiloe. In the north, we experienced quinoa in multiple forms, but the most unusual was puffed quinoa. Corn, known as “choclo” was also abundant.

With the extended shoreline of Chile, seafood was found everywhere. Salmon farms in the Lake and Patagonia districts are very common. Hake was a particularly common fish in restaurants, but rarely found in my local grocery stores. Lamb cooked on a rack, set up around an open fire pit was a memorable tasting experience.

At almost every meal, we were served local “street bread” known as Pan Amasado. I would liken it to hard tack. It was a small, often tasteless roll or biscuit, always indented with the tines of a fork on top. The bread was served with a form of salsa, known as Pebre, and sometimes with as many as three different dipping or spreading sauces.

The goal for this dinner was to create a menu that represented the different regions of Chile. We incorporated all the main ingredients and searched for recipes in a number of Chilean cookbooks. In a few cases, the herbs or proteins were not to be found, or required some searching. But, what resulted was one of our better dinner/wine pairing experiences. And, the total cost (including wine) was only $50/person!

The first course was an appetizer course of seafood items: Merluza Rellena con Pimientos y Coulis de Ceboletta (Hake filled with Piquillo peppers with scallion coulis); and Salmon ahumado en tazas de pepino (Smoked salmon in cucumber cups). Hake was nowhere to be found, so it was substituted with Talapia. This was a wonderfully light opening dish that was paired with the 2013 Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc. The couple who made this dish smoked their own salmon and were able to source piquillo peppers for the dish. The wine had a crisp acidity to it, with fruit and mineral notes. It was a nice pairing, particularly with the smoked salmon dish.

Our second course consisted of a traditional ensalada (salad) course: Ensalada a la Chilena (Tomato and sweet onion salad) along with Humitas de Choclo (Corn tamales). For this course, we paired with the 2012 Bodegas Re "Chardonnoir". The salad was pretty standard, but the Humitas required some tamale making skills, as well as experimenting with the consistency of the filling. The couple who were responsible for this course watched a few youtube.com videos to hone their assembly techniques. Additionally, they were able to find Aji pepper paste at a local Mexican grocery store, to keep this dish authentic. The wine pairing was interesting, in that the wine was a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (not unusual for sparkling wine, but this was a still wine).  It had a pink/orange hue to it, and was fairly high in acid, and medium body.  On the nose, there were aromas of stone fruit, tangerine, and minerals. Again, a very nice pairing.

The main course was my responsibility, as the host. Since I don’t have an open pit fire, I resorted to a barbecue to make Cordero a la Parilla con Merquen y salsa menta (Grilled Merquen Lamb skewers with mint salsa). With this, I served Papas Rostizadas (roasted  multi-colored fingerling potatoes). The lamb marinated for about two hours in a yogurt and merquen  sauce. I was able to find the traditional Merquen pepper mix online, and it is worth finding. The lamb was put on skewers alternating with peaches and bay leaves, and slowly grilled, then served with a mint salsa. The fingerling potatoes were simply roasted with garlic and rosemary. With this course, I had two different red wines (I bought both while in Chile): 2011 Errazuriz Don Maximiano and 2008 Casa Silva Carménère Microterroir. Both wines are wonderful examples of what Chile can do. The Errazuriz was their founder’s reserve, and is mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, and has the typical Cab notes you would expect: cassis, currant black pepper, and clove, along with firm tannins. In hindsight, I wish I had held this longer, as I think it was still too young. The Carménère, on the other hand was perfect with the lamb. It was a powerful wine with sweet soft tannins. On the nose, black cherry and spice, with a long finish.

The final course was a dessert course, and this couple had more of a challenge, as the recipe really didn’t exist.  We had Tarta de Fruta con Quinoa soplada (Fruit tart with puffed Quinoa) along with Helado de rica-rica (rica-rica ice cream). After some searching, we found puffed quinoa to make the tart crust. The crust was then lined with a layer of chocolate, and filled with custard and fruit. The tart was served with “rica-rica” ice cream. I put the “rica-rica” in quotation marks, because it is impossible to find this herb outside of Chile (if anyone finds it, let me know where). We tried to recreate the flavor of rica-rica by combining rosemary, mint, sage and lemon zest. An unusual ice cream flavor, but it worked. With this course, we made Vaina, a blended drink consisting of Ruby Port, Cognac, Crème de Cacao, eggs, powdered sugar and ice, then topped with cinnamon. These go down too smoothly, so be careful!

There you have it, a four course Chilean dinner, including wine, for only $50/person. And, a fun evening with friends and fine food, made with your own hands. If you want any of the recipes, let me know in the comments section below.

Sagrantino

When you think of Italian wine, what comes to mind? Chianti? Brunello? Or maybe the thousands of grapes that most of us haven’t heard of. I have one that you need to seek out, and try: Sagrantino.

If you were to travel east from Tuscany, you would find yourself in the region of Umbria, which has long been thought of as an appendage of Tuscany. Matter of fact, several of the major players in the wine region, have their home base in Tuscany, and the most planted grape is Sangiovese.  But have no doubt, the wines are distinct.

The Sagrantino di Montefalco D.O.C.G. (Italian for “controlled designation of origin guaranteed”) produces 100% Sagrantino based wines, which is one of Italy’s least known high quality red wines. There are less than 400 acres of the variety planted, and some of that is interplanted with Sangiovese. The DOCG was created on November 5, 1992, and applies to dry and passito style sweet reds made exclusively from the Sagrantino grape. The D.O.C.G. requires that the wines are aged for a minimum of 30 months, twelve of which must be in oak. According to wine legislation, the typical cultivation area for Sagrantino di Montefalco includes the Municipality of Montefalco and part of the municipalities of Bevagna, Gualdo Cattaneo, Castel Ritaldi and Giano dell'Umbria, all situated in the province of Perugia. These areas are located in a basin of the Apennine Mountains, which receive warm summer temperatures, moderated by a mix of sea and mountain breezes. The sloping landscape is made up of soil composed of clay and sand, over limestone, and tends to be relatively rich in organic matter.

There is also the Montefalco Rosso D.O.C. which is mostly Sangiovese, but can contain up to 15% Sagrantino. And, there is a small production area known as the Montefalco Sagrantino Passito D.O.C.G., that is worth seeking out, because the quality of the wines is, to my mind, one of the worlds most delightful.

Sagrantino is an Italian grape variety that is indigenous to the region of Umbria in Central Italy. The origins of the grape are mysterious. Some think that it was brought to Umbria by the Greeks, while others say it was brought by the Franciscan friars. But the more “colorful” story has St. Francis of Assisi bringing it from the Middle East to be used as a sacramental wine. And that might be closer to the truth, as it is known that Sagrantino was initially used to make a dessert wine (sacramental wines were typically sweet). But, beginning in 1976, the wines were made in a dry style, and that is how they are primarily produced today.

Sagrantino is a thick-skinned grape. The grape ripens late, but is resistant to both winter and spring frost. Sagrantino is generally harvested by mid-October or even later, to get perfect ripening.  That thick skin translates into powerful, black colored wines, making Sagrantino one of the most tannic grape varieties in the world. The high tannins and affinity for oak mean that it matures particularly well. Since Sagrantino’s tannins are more sweet than bitter, an aged Sagrantino will often develop silky ripe tannins, making them approachable in youth. Remember, wine laws require 30 months of aging before release. These wines can age effortlessly for decades.

Stylistically, these are dark, brooding wines, with intense black fruit flavors (black cherry black currant, and blackberry) with hints of plum, cinnamon, licorice, spice and a certain earthiness.  Depending on the winemaker, the wines can be “jammy” and/or savory, with a quality that some associate with “pine tar”. Sweet AND savory!

As mentioned, a passito style wine is still made in the Montefalco Sagrantino Passito D.O.C.G. These concentrated wines are made from semi-dried grapes (traditionally dried on straw mats). They would be comparable to Vintage Port in their intensity and longevity. The wine is a sweet, syrupy wine with raisin and blueberry qualities. The alcohol content is usually around 16 percent.

Sagrantino is a food friendly wine that matches nicely with most Italian foods: Pizza, pasta, and anything with black truffles. They have the tannins to pair with wild game, braised meats, squab or pheasant, or even a nice steak or lamb. Of course aged cheeses go well too.  Just remember to open the bottle and decant about an hour before serving. They go nicely with pastas or pizza. Add some truffles if available for a great match. Of course, the passito version is perfect with dark chocolate, dried fruits, or just sipping with a fine cigar.

Logo of the Montefalco Consortium

Outside of Italy, Sagrantino has been experimentally planted in Australia, California and Argentina. I have found interesting versions in California’s Central Coast. Mosby is one that comes to mind. But, Montefalco is the true wine.

As a final comment, when I passed my level III Sommelier Diploma exams, the few of us who passed, gathered together to celebrate. Each of us brought food, and a special wine to share. My choice for the celebration was a Montefalco Sagrantino Passito. I had been holding it in my cellar for a special occasion. So, Sagrantino has a special spot in my palate. I hope you will discover one of Italy’s most distinctive and powerful wines.

Dinner in South Africa...or was it?

It’s a new year, and what better way to kick it off, than to gather a group of friends, and indulge in the cuisine of South Africa. Followers of this blog know that about every three months, we gather a group together, do some research on a regional cuisine, then create a dinner and wine pairing.

“Cuisine of South Africa” you say? What exactly is that?  To say the least, South Africa has a variety of cultural influences. There are the indigenous people, who would relish a dinner that started with fried caterpillars, and had a main course of crocodile. But, most of the modern cookery emerged through varies waves of colonization from Europe, and the cuisine of their slaves/servants. The Dutch East India Company had a huge influence, as they increased the trade between South Africa, Europe, and India. The slaves came from the east and worked mainly as farmers or fishermen. They brought with them various spices that added flavor to commonly bland Dutch and English dishes.

This night, we chose to focus on the cuisine of the Cape Malay people (slave/servant). The foods have many characteristics of Indonesian and Indian cuisine. Many of the foods are crosses of Malay and European cuisine. Curry, raisins, and multiple spice blends found their way into all dishes, with the exception of dessert. The challenge for pairing wine was to determine the dominant flavor profile for each dish, and choose the appropriate wine. And, since the wines had to come from South Africa, the challenge was complicated….there are limited suppliers of South African wine in our area. The only choice was to purchase wines online, and choose based on winemaker profile notes.

Our first course was a fried dish, known as Samoosas.  These are traditionally an Indian snack of potatoes, meat and peas, wrapped in dough, and fried.  Our version took a little more modern approach, in that we used phyllo dough, and baked the triangle-shaped pouches. There were no less than 14 spices blended with the beef, onion and garlic mixture. We served this with a dollop of Major Grey Chutney. My first pairing thought was a sparkling wine, due to being fried (even though we baked them). I wanted something heavier, to hold up to the beef and spices, and I wanted a slight amount of residual sugar to hold up to the spice, and the sweetness of the chutney. Ultimately, I went with Solms-Delta - 'Cape Jazz' Sparkling Shiraz NV.

For our second course, and first sit down meal of the evening, we had a South African Butternut soup. This simple soup recipe is highlighted by the sweetness of the butternut squash, the hint of heat from the chili pepper, and the richness of cream (which was artistically added to the top of the soup prior to serving). I could have gone in all types of directions with the wine for this course. Again, the focus was to stay within the region for the wine, which many left Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc (known as “Steen”) Chardonnay, and Riesling. Due to the body of the dish, and went with something a little heavier, and chose Muratie - Isabella Chardonnay 2012. This Chardonnay had a nice creamy texture that worked nicely with the soup course.

For our main course, our hosts prepared Bobotie (a South African version of Shepherd's pie). Bobotie is like meatloaf with raisins and with a baked egg and cream topping. This was served with yellow rice, a cucumber-zucchini salad, and a side of mango chutney. Talk about filling! The fresh salad and lightly spiced yellow rice were a nice accompaniment to the heavy meat course. For the pairing, my immediate thought was to go with the local specialty: Pinotage. But then again, a nice Syrah could do well too. The compromise….have two wines available for the course. I chose the Diemersfontein 2012 Reserve Pinotage from Wellington, and the second wine was De Trafford 2007 Blueprint Shiraz. After trying both wines, the wine of choice for this meal was definitely the Pinotage. This classic South African grape is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault. It has become one of the signature grapes of South Africa.

Our final course (not that we had much room left) was a milk tart. The pressed flour crust was rich, and the sweet milk, wasn’t overly sweet. After my last blog, I had to find the other dessert wine from Constancia. I had already found the Klein Constancia "Vin de Constance", for my blog, so the challenge was to find the Groot Constantia Grand Constance for this dinner. I was able to locate a 2010 vintage (375ml bottle), which cost a whopping $58 (before taxes and shipping). The eight of us finished this bottle off!

In case you are wondering, I was able to find a nice selection of South African wines online, through www.cape-ardor.com. Some of the required spice mixtures were also not available in our area, so with a little bit of research, we were able to grind our own spices to create the needed blend.

As with all our wine pairing dinners, the idea is to have fun, learn about new cuisines and cooking techniques, and share with friends. I hope this quick recap will inspire you to create your own “gourmet tasting group” and share your experiences. Bon Apetit!

Prosecco

Wow, what a busy two weeks. Between my son’s college graduation and my 30^th wedding anniversary, I haven’t had time to do much writing. All that celebrating has me a bit behind in my wine writing. 

Speaking of celebrating, I think most will agree that Champagne is usually on order for big events. But what if you don’t want to spend that kind of money? There is always Cava, or Cremant, but I have found that a good Prosecco seems to make everyone happy. It is reasonably priced, and most are well made, and refreshing.

Prosecco is Italy's answer to Champagne. It is made primarily in the district of Valdobbiadene, in the Veneto region.  Unlike other wines in Italy, Prosecco is actually the name of the grape that is used to make the sparkling wine (probably because calling it “Valdobbiadene” would be too much of a mouthful). While the grape was originally known as Prosecco, it is now called Glera. The best examples are made from 100% Glera, but other varieties such as Trevigiana, Verdiso, Perera,  and Bianchetta are allowed in the blend.

Prosecco differs from Champagne in a number of areas. First, it is obviously not made in France, and second, it uses different grapes. But, the biggest difference is in the production method. In a previous blog, I wrote about the Champagne Method. Prosecco is made using the “Charmat” method. Since the grapes used in Prosecco are prized for their delicate flavors and aromas, aging the wine in the Champagne method would ruin the freshness that is so evident in these wines.

The Charmat method consists of a secondary fermentation that takes place in stainless steel tanks, rather than in the bottle (as is the case for Champagne). First, a still wine made from the grapes, and then that wine is put into a pressurized steel tank with specific amounts of sugar and yeast. While in the tank, the yeast and sugar react together to make carbon dioxide, which carbonates the wine. This makes the wine less expensive to produce. Fermenting the wine in steel tanks instead of in the bottle preserves the taste of the grapes, which gives the wine its fresh, fruity flavor, but also means that can't be aged for very long. The rules for the DOCG Prosecco Valdobbiadene also allow the use of the Classic Method (secondary fermentation in the bottle). Unfortunately, the Charmat method is also used to make some pretty bad sparkling wines, so its reputation has been suspect. On the positive side, Prosecco has really improved its reputation with the method, since it started producing dry or even extra dry wines, rather than the sweet wines that were commonly associated with Asti, which is produced in the Piedmont region.

Compared to other sparkling wines, Prosecco is fairly low in alcohol (only around 11 to 12 percent). This lower alcohol makes it perfect for most any occasion. Traditionally, Prosecco was made to cleanse the palate from afternoon espresso, in preparation of dinner. Outside of Italy, it is most often consumed as an aperitif. As with other sparkling wines, Prosecco should be served chilled,  at around 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

The flavor or Prosecco is typically aromatic and crisp. Most notable is the lemony-citrus aromas, and crisp green apple. Secondary aromas of almonds, pear, peach and apricot are also common. The color is usually light-straw, and the bubbles are small, but not as fine as Champagne. Overall, Prosecco is meant to be a fresh and light sparkling wine that is enjoyed within a year or two of the vintage. However, the best Proseccos can age for several years.

For what is considered the “best” Prosecco, look for: Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene, Prosecco di Conegliano or Prosecco di Valdobbiadene.  Also the sub-denomination Cartizze (indicating they were grown on the slopes around the village of San Pietro di Barbozza). These are known for their drier, more mineral characteristics. 

If you are looking to pair your Prosecco with food, the crispness of the wine pairs nicely with seafood. The sparkling nature of the wine works as a palate cleanser and is perfect for fried foods, or mouth-coating foods. Think fried calamari, pasta dishes, salads, and again, seafood. Prosciutto wrapped melon is a classic pairing. The refreshing nature of Prosecco also makes is a great summer wine. 

Prosecco is also popular as a Mimosa ingredient, and is famous as a component of a Bellini.