Sharing My Wine Pairings

Depending on what survey data you believe, American wine consumers drink all but between 2-4% of the wine they purchase within 48 hours of said purchase. So with as little as 2% of wine at stake, why write about wine storage? For me, it is that 2% that can really be the best wine; consumed at the optimal time and in the best of conditions.

So let me start my case for wine storage with a few basic ideas to ponder. First, not all wines are worthy of storage. I base my comment of worthiness not on some snobby notion, but the fact of the wine itself. Many wines like Beaujolais and Sancerre are generally crafted as wines that are ready to be consumed at the time of purchase. They way these wines, and many others for that matter, are produced, make it so aging or cellaring is not only not necessary, but may cause the wine to be listless and lacking in the flavors and aromas that make the wines what they are. So my first suggestion is if you want the experience of aging a wine pick a wine that will be worthy of being aged. A few examples are Spanish Rioja, Italian Barolo and California Cabernet. This is a intentionally abbreviated list, so if you are not sure if the wine you are buying will “hold” you can ask the purveyor, if they seem knowledgeable, or better yet, drop me a line!

Now that you have found a gem to cellar, what comes next? The simple answer is have a storage plan. To that I mean a place those bottles of wine can rest mostly without being distributed for a period of time. Traditional wine storage needs to have three characteristics, cool, damp and dark. I am always struck by pictures I see of huge wine cellars with dinning tables and the like in them. A cellar is a place with poor lighting, average temperature in the mid to upper 50’s and humidity approaching 70% and full of cobwebs. Not the place I want to consume a three hour meal.

If you want to hold your wines, think of cool, damp and dark. The wine chillers or mini cellar units are a great investment if you love wine and want to buy some bottles to hold. Two pieces of advice here, buy one that is bigger than you think you need and use it for the intended purpose only! Why bigger you ask? The smaller versions hold less than 4 cases and while that sounds like a lot, if you catch “collectors fever” that won’t take long to be insufficient. As to the purpose, think of your storage as a sleeping infant; the fewer times you open the door, or turn on the lights the better chance you won’t disrupt the meaningful slumber!

So the next logical question should be when do I drink the wine? This is where I say have some fun with your storage. If you decide to buy three bottles to hold and by reading the winemakers notes, or contacting me (hint, hint) that the optimal drinking time is between 2016 – 2020. The span of time already suggests that the way the wine is stored will effect when it hits its peak. That aside, what I suggest is try a bottle on the front side of the time range, one in the middle and one towards the end. Hopefully you will have three different and wonderful experiences with this wine.

Are there pitfalls in storing wine? Unfortunately the answer is yes. A few things you need to know before you start are key factors to storing wine. First and for me, most importantly is the provenance of your purchase or in plain English, how was your wine handled before you purchased it? My emphatic advice is only buy from wine dealers or wine shops. Online auction services and resellers sound like great places to get wine until it shows up damaged and non refundable. I had that personal experience, so you don’t have to repeat my mistake.

Secondly, sometimes, and in spite of all best efforts, the wine is bad. This can be caused by adverse handling in transit, cellar storage issues at the winery or a thousand other reasons. It is rare, but I had a friend who had two rotted corks on the same older Bordeaux. I have included a photo of one of the corks for your viewing pleasure. It is the tough part of waiting and then being disappointed that makes holding wine heartbreaking.

My last advice, is it is better a little too early than a little too late. I have been with people who are beaming to open their “prized” bottle, only to have it be flabby, lacking fruit and slightly oxidized. You can’t fix these issues in any way. If on the other hand, the tannins are still tight and the fruit in “slumber” a decanter can really help to coax out the brilliance of the bottle. The term slumber refers to a long held winemakers belief that wines will “shut down” just before they start to peak; a calm before the storm if you will.

If you choose to start collecting let me offer you three pieces of advice. First, be patient with what you buy. Do not let a 10+ year hold preclude you from buying a special wine. Second, be organized in what you buy. If you have the desire and the wallet to buy some cellar worthy wines, don’t let them get “lost” in your cellar. The fact is wine does not have just one peak day, but if you miss the total peak period, a wine in full decline is one of life’s greatest disappointments. My final piece of advice is make any day a special day! Through the ages, wine has been a celebratory beverage. Not just champagne, but all wines have those special qualities of marking an occasion. So what I am saying is if you have several special bottles that are ready to drink, celebrating that it is Friday and drinking a great wine is better than holding the wine too long waiting for a monumental occasion. Sharing a great bottle of wine makes it a monumental occasion for me.

Collecting wine and drinking that wine at an optimal time is a wonderful experiment. It tends to be a great mix of science and art. Cellaring conditions and trying to pick the perfect day are not as daunting as you might think. If you work within the ranges and are comfortable that you may never hit it perfectly, then I welcome you to the world of wine aging. Just remember that close enough can be amazing!

Happy 2016 to all of you! It was a great New Year’s Eve for me and my friends. I hope you had a great holiday and made a resolution to drink more wine. So what is the most popular questions we all get asked at functions; red or white?

If you have ever been to a party or event and as everyone is milling around during the cocktail hour the inevitable question comes up, red or white? This is the best place to learn a few tips that make the choice easier and more rewarding. Here is my three point plan to answer the question.

It is usually (but not always) a fact that midrange white wine is far less expensive than its comparable red brethren. To that end, ask what the wines actually are that you are being offered. Is it the choice of a Chardonnay versus a merlot? French versus California? If you like one of the grapes on a general basis, go with that one. But, don’t be afraid to try something new, particularly when a glass of the unknown may be a revelation. Not to be a snob, but it is never as simple as white or red in that scenario!

My second piece of advice is do you recognize the producers? Is the label familiar in any way? If one of the choices resonates with you in either a positive or negative way, use that to your advantage. My early days of wine obsession started with a few key wines I liked and they were widely available and modestly priced. If Pinot Grigio is a favorite of yours, and you have had the wine being offered before, embrace your good fortune, and enjoy!

My third piece of advice, don’t be afraid to “cheat off your neighbors paper.” If you have a friend or coworker at the function and you have a belief that they have a keener sense of wine than you, don’t be afraid to “have what they are having.” I learned a lot about wine and particular producers, grapes and vintages this way. Sometimes that other person is not as knowledgeable as you think, or enjoys different varietals than you, but it is still not a bad way to choose.

A few little tidbits to consider are environmental in nature. Don’t judge a book by its cover; by that I mean, don’t let the venue cloud your choice. Fancy hotels and meeting spaces buy cheap and poor quality wines. It hasn’t been that long since we were offered wines in carafes at nice hotels.

My second tidbit is to ask the server. Often times these folks have some working knowledge of what they are serving. I have also found that they will be honest if they don’t know what to offer. These folks mostly work for tips, so they have an incentive to be helpful.

Lastly and most important tidbit is check out the glassware. I will go “full snob” here and say that a great red wine in a bad glass, may not be great. Chardonnay is more forgiving than a nice burgundy or Cabernet. If the glassware is standard narrow stemware, don’t expect any wine to shine. My personal snobbery is at its height when I order a bottle of wine and the server does not offer the proper glassware. It tells me they don’t understand how to properly serve the customer. How many terrific bottles of wine have been “dumbed down” by the wrong glassware?

So when presented with the question of “red or white,” again, you are now armed with the tools to make a good choice. I would always choose to expand your wine tasting if you can, but as I always tell my friends when asked, drink what you like, even if it’s rosè!

As 2015 draws to a close, it is time to plan how to end the year and ring in the new one. As a lover of food and wine pairings, this is my Super Bowl and I am prepared to win the trophy with you! As my final installment for 2015 I will offer you a few thoughts and recipes to have that party that will make you the winner of the big game!

If you are planning a casual gathering with finger foods and beverages, here are a few choices. If you like a tray of cocktail shrimp, cheese and crackers and meatballs here are a few wines to pick from. Shrimp, or any seafood of that type go best with a wine of high acid. A New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc like Kim Crawford or Whitehaven are ideal options. As to the meatballs and cheese and crackers, go red. If you ever wonder why milk in tea makes it taste better, it’s because the calcium in dairy softens the tannins in tea. The same can be said about red wine and cheese. My suggestion here is a French red burgundy or an Oregon Pinot noir. I am not personally a big fan of most of the California Sonoma Coast Pinot noir’s, but they are some good ones in the bunch.

If you are going the route of a sit down dinner for your New Year’s Eve party, let me suggest a tasting menu approach. This is the one day for sure, that you can break the bank on food and wine.

My passion for trying to pair the right wine with the perfect “bite” grew out of a single transformative experience I had over a decade ago. I had read a number of articles about the “dinner as theater” that was taking place in an exclusive restaurant in Napa called The French Laundry. Thomas Keller was changing the landscape from a quick dinner before a play or movie, to a three hour plus affair with wines paired with each course. The food was small plates of food; generally a few bites with a list of ingredients and preparations that created the need for a staff, that caused Keller to charge $350 a person for the experience.

Tasting menus have become very common place now and I am not suggesting that the French Laundry created this concept, but they did take the idea to a new and inspired place that made the price tag a bit more tolerable. If you like the concept and challenge of creating a tasting menu party, I can offer you three tips.

The first tip is pick a theme. In the past, I have hosted New Year’s Eve parties with themes like steakhouse, French bistro or using one cookbook as the source for all the recipes of the meal. By having a theme, it will do several things for you. It will help the meal have a flow or progression. As a rule, start with a lighter choice of fare and build up to heavier or richer dishes. A theme will also help with selecting wines. That’s not to say that you cannot serve an Oregon Pinot Noir at your French bistro, but you probably won’t find pulled pork on the menu!

My second tip is choose your menu to fit your culinary skills. I have used “The Boulevard” cookbook from the famous San Francisco restaurant as a theme in the past, and the recipes are complex with a number of sauces and complimentary items on the plate. Several of the recipes require multiple days to prepare. If you lack the time, skill or confidence to undertake such a menu, pick some old standards, like prime rib, lobster Mac and Cheese or roasted duck as your main protein. These when done well, evoke a luxury and comfort food in the same bite. If you are up to more complex menu, my strong advice is to practice. My family enjoys the trial and error of making dishes for my New Year’s Eve party in September.

More than just pleasing my family, practice serves to help me get a feel for true cooking time, preperation complexity and do I like the dish. We have all had those dinners where the protein is not ready as your side dishes dry out and cool off. The practice often times helps me get a feel for what the dish tastes like and that helps me select a “perfect pairing” for that dish with a wine.

My third suggestion is make the tasting menu fun for your guests, make it interactive. No matter what menu you choose, preperation and plating of food will leave gaps of time where your guests are sitting at the table awaiting your return. You can’t be in two places at once, so I offer two options. Invite everyone in to the kitchen to watch you finish cooking and plating the next course or put the guests “to work.” The work can include clearing plates, assisting with cooking and plating, handling wine service or setting the table for the next course. My experience is the guests who enjoy the multiple course dinner party are very happy to help and it makes it everyone’s party!

Now that you have made a choice of the casual, sit down simple or complex party, we should spend a minute talking about the food. I would suggest you need to know your guests. I am not talking about the obvious attendee who is a vegan or allergic to nuts, I mean, where can you take the menu without scrapping plates of uneaten food in the trash. To that end, I am also not suggesting you “dumb” down the menu, but if you have dined with the guest before and they are not an adventurous eater, stay away from too many foods outside of the comfort zone. This may seem obvious, but I am never surprised by hosting failures based on trying to stretch the limits.

So here are three sample menus with wine pairings as well.

Casual Dinner

Shrimp with cocktail sauce and garlic aioli- sparkling wine

Meat and cheese board (don’t buy the pre made ones) with dried fruit, olives and crackers – Oregon Pinot Noir

Roasted chicken sliders- Chardonnay (French or California)

Crab and artichoke dip – French rosè

Brownie or cheese cake bites

Tasting Menu – less challenging

Oysters Rockefeller – sparkling wine

Wedge salad with homemade dressing – French rosè

Phyllo cups filled with diced roasted root vegetables- Chardonnay (French or California)

Chicken breast stuffed with cherry tomatoes, spinach and Gruyere cheese and a mushroom pan sauce – Pinot noir or French burgundy

Prime rib with potatoes and vegetables of your choice – California Cabernet or French Red Bordeaux

Cheese cake bars with fresh fruit

Tasting Menu – more advanced cook

Caviar on blinis – French champagne

Cauliflower purée soup with lobster – French rosè

Pear and butter lettuce salad with buttermilk dressing – Chablis or white Bordeaux

Pork belly with candied butter nut squash and mini potato pancakes – Oregon or French Pinot noir

Duck breast stuffed with brandied apples and roasted chestnuts- French red Bordeaux (choose one with a significant merlot content)

Mini filet of beef with individual lobster mac and cheese – California Cabernet

Apple gallettes with vanilla bean ice cream

I have made everything on all the menus, so if you would like a recipe, drop me a comment. Lastly, thank you for reading and responding to my blog. Enjoy New Year’s Eve, drink responsibly and plan a safe ride home. Cheers!

Wine is as old as man’s time on the planet. Archaeologists have found wine vessels dating back thousands of years. Wine was used for celebrating, religious ceremonies and generally quenching the thirst of humanity.

Wine and beer perpetuation grew out of not only of a desire to celebrate or religious ceremonies, but also for basic health reasons. The lack of good sanitation practices made water that hadn’t been boiled a dangerous choice. The brewing of beer and consumption of Meade and wine, were ways to avoid the issues of unclean water.

In 2015, clean water is readily available, so why drink wine now? A better question, is why not? Wine today is very much a part of religious ceremonies, celebrations and every day life. It also is big business. People buy and sell wine like other commodities and the international wine trade is vibrant as any point in modern history.

As a collector, I find myself in a state of conflict. Even if you only have a few bottles that you are aging, the question that challenges all of us is, “when should I drink that bottle.” Research has shown that only 2% of the wine purchased is consumed more than 48 hours after purchase. So I guess I am talking to the 2 percenters here!

The answer is a two part analysis of your situation. The first is a practical question; is the wine ready? The aging of wine has a lot to do with the storage conditions than almost anything else. If your wine is stored with the bottle on its side in a dark, cool and moderatly humid place, the bottle will age for a long time. The other factor is the wine itself. The questions you have to ask yourself make this a bit of science and luck. Was it a good vintage? Was it a good wine, that was meant to age? There are lots of wine rating websites that offer ranges of aging for wines by specific wines in specific vintages. These are good benchmarks, especially if you only have one bottle. If you have several bottles of an age worthy wine, I would suggest, a “sample” bottle should help you get a feel for how well the wine is holding in your cellar.

The second part of the decision process is much more complex; “do I need a special occasion to drink this?” In the late 1990’s a movement started called OTBN, short for open that bottle night. It was a random Saturday in January or February that was designated as the “special” night to open “that” bottle. It also became a night to get together with other oenophiles to share that special bottle. While a clever idea, and a cause I supported on multiple occasions, it still seemed to lack the ceremony of a truly special occasion.

My philosophy was tested by a friend who had a special bottle that they held. When it was finally opened, it was in such decline, the only emotion he felt was regret. Regret for not having enjoyed that wine at the peak. I think it would be a great tragedy to have that happen and certainly far worse than drinking that “special” bottle when it’s too young.

So, if you are thinking of starting to collect wine, or if you are already a collector of any size, I offer three pieces of advice to you.

First, wine still is a celebratory beverage for many people, but don’t set your expectations too high. A family meal and a great bottle of wine is as memorable as any function. So why not a Tuesday?

Second, frequent restaurants that allow you to bring your own wine. Corkage fees are a good thing to know in advance, but it has been my general experience that most restaurants, even the good ones, serve wines that are too young to be served. Bringing a bottle to dinner with friends or family makes it a special occasion.

Lastly, create a special event. Host a party with the sole purpose of sharing a special bottle of wine with people. Don’t invite people based on your perception of what they might think of the wine, but rather invite people who are fun to be with and “that bottle” might be the spark that makes them appreciate wine the way you do. I have been the person to do that a few times and unlike the cliché scene in “Sideways,” it is truly possible to have a transformative experience from a single bottle of wine. Is there a better gift than igniting a passion in another person that you enjoy being around?

So if you wonder if the wine you have qualifies as special, or aging worthy? I can help you with that. I can also offer a menu or recipe to pair with that wine. Leave me a comment here or on Facebook and I will reply.

If you are ready to leap in with both feet, I offer you this advice, pop those corks!

Thanksgiving is a great food and wine day. It provides us oenophiles a chance to share great wine with a great meal. It also is the official start of the holiday season.

There are a few precious weeks left in the year to spend time with friends and family. Let’s talk about three particularly great ways to end the year. First are holiday functions, second is gift giving opportunities and last is New Year’s Eve. Let me walk you towards 2016 with some advice for these year end wine milestones.

Everyone has been to the cliche holiday party with bad food, water downed eggnog and less than great wine. So the best way to avoid the failure of this type of party, think of four letters; B Y O B!

Bringing your own bottles is a great way to share your love of wine with friends and family. Offer to bring some “holiday cheer.” My recommendation for this event is to go with something sparkling. If you have the wallet for it, a French champagne is always a great choice. Pick a non vintage and you can spend $40 a bottle and get a good bottle and if you want to up the ante and spend $60 or more, buy a rosè champagne and impress the revelers. If your party and price tag don’t fit champagne, two good and more affordable alternatives are Spanish cava or Italian prosecco. Both of those fit in the $20-30 range for a very good sparkler.

If you want to give the gift of grapes, here are few options for you to pick from based on both price and the sophistication of the recipient. Here are three good options for you. If the person is newbie to the world of Bacchus, try taking one step up for them. If they like Chardonnay from California, try a French white burgundy, if they like entry level red wine, try a red French Bordeaux or a Barolo from Italy. Every person who loves wine has had that one transcendent wine experience, being the person that shared that bottle with a person is a gift for both parties.

If your desire is to give a great gift without taking out a second mortgage, try something from the wine service category. A cork screw made from old vine stock, a nice decanter or even a champagne bucket make great gifts for a person with a working knowledge of wine. These gifts tend to be anywhere from $25 and up depending on what you choose. My strong advice is to avoid glassware as gifts, unless you are willing to buy at least 6; that tends to be service minimum.

The third gift area is reserved for folks with a strong wine knowledge. I would put anyone on this list if you feel that they “know” more about wine than you. It may only be a perception, but it definitely pushes you to an anxious state to buy them wine, the best gift for that person is a wine experience. This can be as inexpensive as a tasting event at your local wine store (usually free) or a book on wine, $20 and up to a wine dinner at a local restaurant, generally $100 a person and up. I enjoy going to tastings as it gives you a chance to “rub elbows” with other wine geeks! It also lets you spend time with the person if you go the wine shop route.

So that leads us to New Year’s Eve and what are great ways to have wine help ring in the new year. A few tips if you are planning to host a party that night, go big early! By that I mean, if you buy a great champagne, serve it first. Everyone will be better able to enjoy the great gift you are sharing before midnight and you can really not go wrong. I would suggest any seafood starter (almost) will pair well here. Shrimp cocktails, oysters Rockefeller or even caviar, will make a memorable start to your soirée. My second piece of advice if you are planning a sit down meal, do as much cooking in advance as you can. Elegant New Year’s Eve parties require lots of planning, so try a menu of items you have made at least once before. My last piece of advice is to be a safe host. People tend to enjoy more wine on this evening than most any other all year, so plan a ride or a room for your guests. It is the best way to host a party and the guests will be grateful for your gesture. If you are the guests at one of these parties enjoy the food, drink and company and leave the driving to a sober person.

I would be honored to share some recipes and wine pairings to anyone who leaves a comment or message on Facebook. Happy holidays to all of you and here’s a toast to 2016!

As turkey day draws near, it is time to be thankful, and of course pair some great wine with your feast! It is said that more than 95% of us will have a turkey for thanksgiving, so for the other 5%, send me a note with your menu and I will do my best to help you pair a wine. For the turkey aficionados, here are the pairing suggestions.

There are more ways to cook turkey than probably any other protein. Deep fry, smoked, slow roast, high heat cooking, indirectly grilled and the list goes on. My view of the pairing option, is be mindful of the sides.

If you are going traditional with sage stuffing, mashed potatoes and green bean casserole, I offer you two options. First, and what will be on my table, an Oregon Pinot Noir. The sweet notes of the wine and the round mouth feel, hit all the high notes on your pallet. If you want a transcendent experience try a good Oregon Pinot Noir with a slice of dark meat. A good second option is a Chardonnay with the traditional meal. I prefer French Chardonnay because the oak is understated, but if you like the full buttery flavor, this meal holds up exceptionally well to an oaked Chardonnay. You should expect to spend $50 for a good Pinot and between $25 – $40 for a Chardonnay.

What about the fried or smoked turkey? This takes us two different places. A lot of these types of birds get a deep Cajun type spice rub. If your stuffing is jalapeño and chorizo laden, you need to get a reisling or Sauvignon Blanc to pair with that flavor profile. These wines offer more residual sugar and acid and will keep the spicy rubs from exhausting your tastebuds. These wines should be under $40 regardless of which varietal you choose.

If you are having a smoked turkey with a tradional hardwood or fruitwood smoking, the best options would be Zinfandel(red) or a sparkling white wine. The smoked birds tend to have a stronger smoked flavor, but not always. If you have a lighter smoked turkey, (white meat does NOT have a pinkish hue) go with the Oregon Pinot Noir or Chardonnay route. These wines will set you back $30 for the Zinfandel and $50 for a good sparkling wine.

A final consideration is do you have some sides that may play a staring role? Are you having a vegetarian holiday? I love fall vegetables like the many varieties of squash and brussel sprouts. Yes I said brussel sprouts! If these are the lead actors in Thursday’s play, then I am suggesting a Bordeaux wine of either red or white. White Bordeaux wines are a great values and pair amazingly well with foods like acorn squash and roasted brussel sprouts. Plan to spend $60 for the red and $30 for the white.

My last word is splurge. This is a day where someone has spent days, not just hours making a special meal, so if you are the guest, the host, or the spouse, buy a nice bottle of two. Enjoy the holiday, cherish the company you spend it with and be thankful for all you have. Lastly, save me a slice of pie, with ice cream of course!

Hope you all had a chance to enjoy my boeuf bourginon and if you have not made it, you will. So the next logical question, “What’s for dessert?” Fall opens up all the warm spice options, but nothing beats a great apple dessert. I would have to say, my clan loves them all; pie, turnovers, crisp and applesauce, to name the greatest hits. Before we get to a recipe and wine pairing, let’s probe the dessert area a bit further.

In many parts of the world, dessert is some fruit or a small biscuit or cookie. In most of Europe it follows a cheese course and is served with coffee or tea. The American pallet tends towards sweeter and richer desserts. I do subscribe to the theory that ice cream goes with everything, well almost everything! So what are the trends here in America?

Many of the fine dinning restaurants are using more savory items like herbs to flavor the final course. I can’t say that I am a fan of rosemary sorbet or basil gelato, but when mixed with vanilla bean or a ripe fruit, the herb partner seems to support an interesting twist to a dessert. I am more of a traditional dessert person, but do like to have my taste buds surprised.

A trend that I hope is coming to an end is deconstruction of dishes, especially desserts. If the chef thinks the items should be eaten mixed together, mix them please! I hope this fad is on the outs! What I do like are the familiar tastes and flavors that conjour up great memories of childhood or a great meal. Nothing does that as well as dessert.

So if you like a classic, nothing beats apple pie, except Apple pie a la mode. So I will give you my favorite pie filling recipe and wine pairing. I am purposely omitting a crust recipe as you either have one that works, or buy the refrigerated ones and it will work well.

For a 9″ pie, you will need 6-7 cups of thin (1/8″) apples. Toss the apples with a teaspoon of good ground cinnamon, 1/3 cup of granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. After well coated, add 1/4 cup of all purpose flour and toss gently so you don’t break the apple slices. Add the apple mixture to a prepared pie crust in a 9″ pie plate. Then add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, cut in to little pieces and dot the apple mixture. Cover the apples with a second crust, but be careful to not push all the butter pieces off the top. Cut a few vents in your crust after crimping the crust. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 40-50 minutes. If you like a sweet crust, beat an egg with 1 teaspoon of water and brush the top crust. Then sprinkle sugar on the egg wash. When the top crust is golden brown, your pie is ready.

Once the pie is cooled, cut and add a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. So what wine do I serve with my apple pie a la mode? There are 2 great choices. The first is a Moscato d’asti. It is a semi-sweet lightly sparkling white wine and it pulls the apple’s tartness out on your pallet in a pleasing way. My favorite is a Riesling from Germany. The choices are endless here, but in the $20 range you can find some great options from the Rhine region. If you have the desire to spend a little more, Austria has some great Riesling options, but they will be closer to $50.

So now you have dinner and dessert paired with great wine options, and before you know it, it will be thanksgiving. Enjoy the pie and cut me a big slice. Keep an eye out for my turkey day installment very soon!

As summer draws to a close, it’s time for great fall dishes. A bowl of savory stew after raking leaves or a slice of apple pie next to a crackling fire conjour up images of Americana, and make me hungry and thirsty! So let’s embrace the coming change in weather and offer up a recipe or two to ease the transition from shorts to sweaters.

If you like a good stew, and I do, I say go with the classic, boeuf bourguignon! It is not a difficult dish, but it is time consuming. My favorite is a variation on a Julia Child’s recipe. It will be an all day affair, but worth the trouble.

Start with a six ounce cube of bacon or thick cut strips if you can’t find a cube. Cut it into 1 1/2 pieces roughly 1/2 thick. Simmer the bacon for 10 minutes in 6 cups of water. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and dry on a paper towel. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in an ovenproof casserole dish that is at least 4″ deep and 10″ wide. Add the dried off bacon and cook over moderate heat for 3 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a side plate. Add 3 pounds of lean stew meat cut into 2″ cubes in small enough batches that the pieces don’t touch each other. Once the meat pieces are nicely browned add them to the bacon plate. Add 1 large onion (medium diced) and 1 large carrot (medium dice) to the casserole until they soften. This generally takes 5 minutes. Add the onion and carrots, using the slotted spoon to the side plate with the bacon and meat.

Drain the fat after you have cooked the vegetables and add everything on the plate back to the casserole. Add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper and 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour and stir well. Place the casserole in the oven that is pre heated to 450 degrees for 5 minutes, uncovered.

Remove the casserole and lower the oven to 325 degrees. Add 3 cups of good red wine, 2-3 cups of unsalted beef stock, 1 tablespoons of tomato paste, 3 mashed or pressed garlic cloves, 1 sprig of fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon if using dried and 2 bay leafs. Simmer the casserole on the stove top until you see little bubbles forming in the liquid. The meat and vegetables should be covered by the liquid. Add more stock or wine if needed.

Cover and simmer in the over for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, or until the meat is fork tender. Before we get to the pearl onions and sautéed mushrooms you need to finish the dish, let’s discuss the term “good red wine.”

If you don’t want to drink it, don’t cook with it, is my motto! The traditional dish called for a French Burgundy wine. That may be a high price point for you to cook with, as the starting point tends to be more than $50 a bottle for a good red burgundy. Here are a few choices for you. I would say if you want to splurge get a burgundy in a less desirable vintage. 2008 would be an option, but might be hard to find. A good option right at $50 is 2011 Bouchard Pere & Fils du Chateau Premiere Cru Rouge. The 2012 Villages is $35. If you are more in the $25 a bottle range, go with a Pinot noir from California or New Zealand or a red Bordeaux. Remember to buy 2 bottles as you will need one to serve with the finished dish.

Now back to our boeuf. As it cooks prepare the onions and mushrooms. The onions are pearl onions. You can find fresh ones at a good grocer and they deliver a slightly better final product, but are a lot of work to peel. If you go frozen, you will have enough to make several boeuf bourguignons. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of unsalted butter to a large non stick skillet and melt it over medium heat. If using frozen onions make sure you thawed them. Add 24 onions to the melted butter and brown nicely, but don’t let them split. This should take 8-10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of beef stock, 1 bay leaf, 1 thyme sprig and 2 parsley sprigs and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer on low heat for 40-50 minutes. They are done when the onions are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated. You will need to taste one. When they are done remove the onions and discard the broth and left over herbs.

To make the mushrooms heat 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to a skillet large enough to hold 1 pound of quartered button mushrooms over high heat. Once the butter is melted and the pan stops foaming, add the mushrooms in one batch. The mushrooms should be browned lightly in about five minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the heat and set aside.

To finish the boeuf, remove the casserole from the oven, and empty all the contents into a strainer set over a sauce pan. Wipe out the casserole and return the contents of the strainer to the casserole. Any herbs or vegetables that are not easily put back in the pan, leave in the strainer. Spread the pearl onions and browned mushrooms over the casserole.

In the sauce pan is the sauce that makes this more than just a stew. To finish the sauce, simmer the saucepan and spoon off any fat. After about 2 minutes you should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce and it should coat the back of a spoon. If it is too thick add a few drops of stock. If it’s too thin, keep simmering. Taste it and add salt and pepper to taste, if necessary.

Once the sauce is done, pour it over the contents of the casserole and heat on the stove for 3 minutes on medium low heat to warm everything to a consistent temperature.

Boeuf bourguignons are traditionally served over egg noodles or boiled parsley potatoes. Either work great. If you want to make this in advance or have leftovers (for shame!) allow the casserole to cool completely and cover it and place it in the refrigerator. 20 minutes before you want to serve it, reheat it over low to medium low heat, “basting” the meat and vegetables every few minutes.

Grab a baguette and that second bottle of “good red wine” and enjoy!

What’s for dessert you ask? Apple pie and a great dessert wine pairing in my next installment. Send me questions, comments or pictures of your boeuf bourguignons. Bon appetite!

So the unofficial end of summer is just a few weeks away. If you live in a climate where winter is a full six months long, you can dread the beginning of cool nights. It is my goal, regardless of your location, to help you host a great Labor Day barbecue and wow the crowd with food and wine pairings.

How can you do this and not make it a day of labor? It takes a little advanced planning and a few good recipes. So I am give you an appetizer, main dish and side that are easy and will have your guests or family thinking you did hard labor to get this done.

The starter will be a great make ahead dish that is unique and delicious. Eggplant is a great summer vegetable and this dish has a great spice range. Buy a eggplant for every 3-4 guests. If you buy the smaller ones, double the quantity. Roast them on the grill until the skin is black and blistered or about 10-12 minutes total. You can also do this on a gas cooktop, but it makes a mess. Once the are cool enough to handle peel off the skin and reserve the pulp. Add 2 crushed garlic cloves, zest of half a lemon, 2 tbs of lemon juice and 4-5 tbs of good olive oil. Mix well, add salt to taste and let sit at room temperature for up to a day. Before you serve it, add a tsp of fresh chopped parsley and a handful of pomegranate seeds (available at most finer grocery stores). Serve it with pita chips and a high acid wine. A few examples are Kim Crawford Savignon Blanc ($15/bottle) or a white Bordeaux, generally under $20/bottle. Serve the wine chilled.

For your main, go redneck! I mean, what’s better and easier than beer can chicken. I love mine with a zesty rub, but use a good barbecue rub that you like. Here’s the recipe. Buy a 3-4 pound roasting chicken at least a day in advance. Make the rub. I use 2 tbs of paprika, 2 tbs of dark brown sugar, 1 tbs of kosher salt, 1 tbs za’atar, 1 tsp of ground cumin, 1 tsp of fresh cracked black pepper and 1 tsp of ground cayenne pepper. The rub will be enough for 2 chickens, stores for a month in a sealed container and works on pork equally as well.

Rub the chicken thoroughly with the rub using your hands. Put it on a baking sheet and store uncovered in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Remove 1 hr before you cook and let stand at room temperature. Get a 12 ounce can of beer, drink about half the can and use a can opener to punch a few extra holes in the top of the can. Light a fire on charcoal or gas grill to use indirect cooking. Place the chicken on the can, pulling the legs forward so the chicken will stand up. Place it on the grill but not directly over either flame. You want 350-400 degree cooking tempature and the chicken will roast in 50-70 minutes depending on the heat of ypur grill. Use a meat thermometer and make sure the bird is cooked. CAREFULLY remove from the grill and cover in foil for 10 minutes, the remove from the can, carve and serve. If you use my spice rub, an Oregon Pinot Noir is a great choice. There are great bottles under $40. You can also go with a French Chablis or California Chardonnay if you like.

Now for an easy and impressive side. By a bunch of thin asparagus, 2 bell peppers (any color but green) and some pea pods (not snow) and trim and clean the vegetables. Asparagus you need to cut or snap off the “woody” part. Cut the peppers into 1/2 inch strips and remove all the seeds. Cut the tip and end off the pea pods. Take a sheet of heavy duty foil large enough to hold the veggies in a double stack and place the veggies in the foil. Toss with olive oil and kosher salt and seal to form a packet. Place this over the hot part of the grill while the chick rests. When you can hear the oil cooking, the veggies are done. Generally this is about 10 minutes. Open the packet, CAREFULLY and serve. It is a healthy and delicious wine friendly meal, without too much labor.

Cheers and happy Labor Day everyone!

It is a funny thing about wine; like beauty, “it’s in the eye of the beholder.” As is the goal of this blog and my Facebook page, I am here to help offer food and wine pairings. But I am sure you can ask, “what’s so special about my pallet?” Or “do my tastes match yours?”

A recent experience made me ponder that thought. After spending 15 minutes with my cousin Randy looking at 30+ bottles he had and was not sure where he got them and were there any hidden gems in the group, I helped him pick three bottles for our meal. It was a very eye opening experience for me. It was a large group of dinners and varying pallets of wine were offered for the meal. I stated, “I am saving the best of the three for last.” It wasn’t to make some point about tastebud fatigue or challenge the dinners, it was my opinion.

After we had consumed all three wines, a group of us had a discussion about which one they liked best. The consensus was there was no consensus (other than my cider brined pork chops and apples rocked! Recipe to follow.)

It made me think what the wine trade had become a quagmire of what did Spectator or Parker rate this wine? Or who the hell is Jonathan Newman? I always say when people ask me do you like a certain varietal or wine region, “drink what you like!” It is never more clear that my function as a sommelier is to offer options and insights, but I am not your wine conscience or tastebuds. For that matter, Robert Parker is none of those things either!

So what is the point? Three truths here; first drink what you love, or at least like. Second, a sommelier or wine critic is not the reason you should purchase or like a wine, the reason is your pallet and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Lastly, if you looking for opinions or advice, understand the persons point of view. By that I mean, is the sommelier trying to upsell you some wine, or do you like bold and big tannins in your wine? Robert Parker does.

Social media is great in that it allows for a free exchange of ideas and thoughts, but just because you read it, does not mean it is the right answer. So my suggestion here, ask for advice, read wine reviews, and in the end, drink what you like!

Now for that recipe and wine pairing I promised. You can use chicken or pork chops here.

Heat 2 cups of good cider vinegar to warm, but do not boil. Add the vinegar once heated in a large bowl or container to 1 cup of dark brown sugar, 3/4 cup of kosher salt (do not use table salt) 1 tbl spoon of dried mustard (do not use prepared mustard) and 1 table spoon of peppercorns. Let it sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes. Add 3 1/2 cups of ice then add your protein (chicken or pork) and 3 large apples cut into 16 pieces with the core removed. If you’re using smaller apples make 8-10 cuts. Cover and refrigerate for 60-120 minutes but no longer or it will be very salty. (60 is ideal). Remove the protein and apples and grill them both. The apples should take about 3 minutes per side, and do not let them get black, but grill marks are desired.

If you choose chicken, go with a French rosè or American Chardonnay. If you choose pork, the field would be French rosè, red Bordeaux or any good Pinot noir. I can give you some specific wine names here (that I like) if you leave me a comment. So as we hit the home stretch of summer, fire up those grills and enjoy some wine. Not because I (or spectator) says so, but because you love it!