I do hope you are not wringing your hands, washing and re-washing muttering “out damned spot” or something like that wondering what to pair with this dish. You’re going to have to work that thought through to understand what I mean. Unless the Queen of England, the President of the United States, the President of France or other leaders decide that your table is The table du jour, I would not worry about that much about the pairing. I will tell you why. This past Spring, as some of you may recall, I harped on a favorite topic of mine, Champagne and our fear of drinking it unless we had a reason to celebrate or cry. Living always seemed to me like a pretty good reason to drink Champagne. So wine pairing with pork really comes down to what wine is grabbing your fancy today because all will pair well even a white (the secret is thus revealled to all) – It’s like grabbing the bottle from the hand in the lake… Moving along, I might suggest a Savennières blanc or a Bourgogne (Burgundy) Aligoté that are both light and relatively fruity wines. On grilled pork I would opt for red wines such as a Bordeaux supérieur and if you have pork leftover – cold pork pairs wonderfully with wines like a Beaujolais – a Fleurie, Chiroubles or a Saint-Amour. Pack a lunch go off en campagne and prove me wrong. If your pork dish has something slightly salty to go along with it which could be anything, lentils if your feeling biblical, a wine like a Bourgueil or maybe even a Morgon will do fine. In the end, if it makes you smile and get cozy then its all good in the end.
Provence – Côtes de Provence Rosé, I heard through the grapevine no less that the Domaine Houchart Côtes de Provence Rosé 2009 is a crisp glass of freshness and if you are somewhere basking in the hot, hazy, humid days of August …and liking it then add to your pleasure. Why not?
Vallée du Rhône – Côtes du Rhône Rouge, I am full of tips these days so here’s another one, the Guigal Côtes du Rhône Rouge 2005. There is plenty of surprising taste enough to possibly cause a revolution in your mouth. Beware once the masses start to comprehend the beauty of this wine they will be clamoring for more. Did you all follow that thought or was the pitchfork veiled reference just too much. After all it is summer and no one goes on strike not even our taste buds. Wait for after school. It’s coming…
Bourgogne – Côte de Beaune – Villages Rouge, Côte de Beaune-Villages Domaine Drouhin 2006 might be a good choice. Of course I know “people” (don’t we all) who find this wine is better appreciated with a Râble de lièvre, Pot au feu and maybe even a Ragoût de mouton. I appreciate that, I really do and I feel for them having hemmed themselves in. Where did I put my hunting rifle again? Misery, hate to see it. My new culinary-revolutionary slogan is “Power to the palette.” We the people are no going to stand for it any longer. We have suffered far too long under the boot of our master’s culinary tyranny. The time is now to rise up. Anyway, that’s another story.
Nappa Valley – Old Vines Zinfandel, the 2007 Girard “Old Vine” Napa Valley Zinfandel I hear tell is a sweet one. One of the wise men on wines has this to say about Old Vine “Another up-front, fruit-forward wine with lots of pepper, earth, and gamy, meaty notes.” The reason why it appeals to me is going to be real obvious, real quick: Old Vine is reminiscent of a Rhone Valley red.
Piedmont Italy – Vignota Barbera d’Alba, the 2007 Conterno Fantino Vignota Barbera d’Alba is reasonably priced wine that maybe a little more than you may be used to but really quite nice. This wine is inky purple in color with a big, bold aroma of juicy dark fruit. The key to drinking this wine is to enjoy its high-end taste while smugly knowing you got it for half the price. A complex thought for a complex wine.