May 29, 2012

Smell: Giving life its savor

How much are you using your nose?  Sure you’re breathing, but what about smelling.  How often do you notice the aromas you encounter on a daily basis?  In the book Aroma: the cultural history of smell the authors make a compelling case that in the west we have lost an appreciation for aromas.  We’ve become a “de-odorized” culture.  Is there a case to be made that we should reverse this trend?  I think so, and I think wine can help. 

You might wonder “for what purpose?”  Why should I desire for people have a greater appreciation for even the more pungent and foul aromas like gasoline (which many people secretly like), sewage, or body odor?  As a winemaker who appreciates aromas on a daily basis I wish I could make a passionate moral case that you will be a better person if you awaken your olfactory sense.  But let’s face it, there is no such case.  However, there may be reasons motivating enough. 

You see paying attention to aromas can be akin to paying attention to life and this is a worthy reason to enjoy the fair and foul smells of our existence.  For example, there is a common taint in wine that is a result of a compound leeched from cork closures.  It is called trichloroanisole (or TCA) and offers a musty, moldy aroma that robs wine of expressing any of its true nature.  As a wine professional, I recognize the “fault” of this aroma, as I am quite endeared to the smell.  TCA reminds me of Grandmere and Grandpere’s dilapidated shed in Williamsburg, VA.  They had this old shed where Grandpere kept an even older refrigerator full of beer, plus all his gardening tools.  Parenthetically, he was fond of growing potatoes and often had sacks of unwashed potatoes in the shed alongside the dirt encrusted tools with which he dug them out of the ground.  We’ve recently learned that some species of Streptomyces bacteria, found principally in dirt, are capable of producing the taint compound TCA.  I digress.

So while I recognize the impact of the compound on the wines I make, I’m often fond of it when I encounter the smell because it conjures up so many memories of Grandpere, his not-so-secret smoking out by the shed, his cheap beer, the beautiful forest that filled their backyard, and his potatoes.  I relive pleasant memories because of smell.

In the aforementioned book Aroma, a man who lost his sense of smell is said to have noted that “…it was like being struck blind.  Life lost a deal of its savor – one doesn’t realize how much ‘savor’ is smell.  You smell people, you smell books, you smell the city, you smell the Spring, maybe not consciously but as a rich unconscious background to everything else.  My whole world was suddenly radically poorer.”  

Wine can help you pull aromas from the unconscious background to the fore by employing your mind to awakening your olfactory sense and actively think about the odd aroma wafting from a wine glass.  In fact you can use wine to train your mind into a greater appreciation for the aromas of the world and vice versa.  You do not need to have a great sense of smell; you need to have a great desire to learn about a smell.  Don’t fret about pulling out specific characters.  Begin by thinking of the big picture of wine: it’s perceived complexity, does it have seemingly endless layers of flavor, and how does it feel in your mouth, how long lasting and pleasurable is the finish?  As you become more engaged you’ll find a wine you love and you’ll want to describe it to your friends.  In grasping for ways to describe it you’ll find yourself making associations between the wine and the aromas you already appreciate in everyday life.  You don’t have to be able to pick out apple or cherry or cedar and be correct about it.  No, wine isn’t about being correct.  It’s about making associations. 

For example you could say this wine reminds me of the smell of grandmere’s kitchen when she made her roast lamb with plum reduction, warmed croissants, and sautéed beans with lardoons.  So what’s the wine equivalent?  Meaty, sweet with dark fruits, and roasted gamey flavors.  Our only hope?  That it doesn’t smell like Grandpere’s shed!

Tyler Thomas is the winemaker at Donelan Family Wines.  Prior to Donelan, he was the assistant winemaker at Hyde de Villaine Wines of Napa, California for four years.  Prior to that, Tyler gained experience at both domestic and international wineries, including stops in Germany and New Zealand. Tyler has a B.S. and M.S. in Botany from Colorado State University and a M.S. in Viticulture and Enology from the University of California Davis.

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May 25, 2012

How to Drink Whisky

By Kevin McComber

Jumping into the world of whisky can be intimidating.  First, you have to figure out what you like.  Then you have to figure out where you can find it.  Finally, you need to decide how to drink it – with water, with ice, neat, with soda, straight from the bottle, or any of a variety of other ways.  When it comes down to it, it is all personal preference; however each preparation showcases whisky in a completely different light.

The following are the top four ways to consume whisky: neat, with water, with ice, and as part of a mixed drink.

The way most whisky aficionados drink their whisky, at least to start, is neat (i.e. without anything added).  This ensures that you have an experience consistent with that of anyone else trying the whisky neat, so you can compare notes.  It also means that the aromas and flavors you’re getting are from the whisky, so you can be sure what you taste is just the whisky itself.

Adding water to whisky is sometimes seen by novices as potentially screwing up an otherwise pristine drink, but the truth is that most professional tasters actually add water when they want to really understand a whisky.  A small amount of water in whisky reduces the alcohol concentration without diluting the flavors – this allows the whisky’s various flavor elements to shine through, without potentially being masked by the alcohol.  Be sure to use a method that allows you to precisely control the amount of water you add, though.  (Holding your glass under the office’s Poland Springs dispenser is not preferred.)

Solid water has a much worse rap than liquid water, however; ice is commonly seen as something that should not be added to whisky, unless you really like ice and don’t like whisky as much.  Ice has three detrimental qualities: first, it cools the whisky, which numbs your palate and causes your taste buds to be incapable of picking out the intricacies of the whisky.  (Ever seen those beer commercials that say you want to have their beer when it’s ice cold?  Guess why?  They don’t really want you to taste it.)  The second reason not to add ice is that ice can be “dirty” – it can contain other flavor elements, depending on the cleanliness of the way in which it was made, and this can taint your whisky.  And, finally, as ice melts it dilutes your whisky, so you’re having a different drink with every sip.

The fourth typical way to drink whisky is as part of a mixed drink.  Whisky can make a great mixer in a number of cocktails, ranging from simple (whisky and soda) to complex (old fashioned), though putting it in a cocktail usually means you’re not going to experience all aspects of the spirit.  Adding a $100 shot of whisky to a $1 glass of soda pretty much just gives you a $101 glass of soda.

In the end, please drink whisky as you want to.  Whisky appreciation is a personal experience and everyone has a right to consume whisky as they see fit.  As long as you enjoy it, you’re drinking it the right way.

Kevin McComber recently completed a PhD in Materials Science & Engineering at MIT and like any great mind, his true passion could be found in a glass. Back in 2006, Kevin began dabbling in whisky, but became much more engrossed in it in 2009 after meeting a few “whisky mentors” whose collections, knowledge, and generosity allowed him to see much more of the whisky world. Kevin began leading whisky tasting events around Boston in 2010, primarily for students and alumni of MIT and other universities, as well as posting his musings about whisky experiences on his blog MyWhiskipedia.

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May 22, 2012

Fume Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc?

It’s one of the oldest stories in the book: the underdog gets a makeover, popularity ensues, and in the end, all is right with the world. Clichéd as it may seem, this scenario is as common in real life as it is in formulaic teen movies, and the protagonist of one such real-life instance is called ‘little wild one’, but you may know her as Sauvignon Blanc. Long revered in France, the Sauvignon Blanc grape thrives in the renowned regions of the Loire Valley in central France, and Bordeaux in the southwest. This white grape of the species vitis vinifera has naturally high levels of acid, and contains a compound called pyrazine, which contributes vegetal, ‘green’ aromas to the wines. Some find these aromas extremely off-putting, and when the grapes are under ripe, they can indeed be reminiscent of canned peas, asparagus, green bell pepper, and even cat urine or ‘litter box’. At its best, however, Sauvignon Blanc wines can offer a spectrum of fruit aromas, both tart and ripe: lemongrass, gooseberry, melon, grapefruit, lime, nettle, acacia, and hawthorn are some of most commonly recognized characteristics, and while there is often a grassy quality, it can be integrated into the wine in a harmonious way. No matter where it’s made, Sauvignon Blanc is almost always meant to be drunk young, ideally within two to five years of the vintage.

Perhaps better known for its reds, the Bordeaux region produces a high volume of white wines as well. The primary white grape of the region is Sauvignon Blanc, but the majority of wines are blends in which Semillon, and to a lesser degree, Muscadelle are used to soften and fatten the lean, racy grape. Most of these blends hail from the sub-regions of Graves and Entre-deux-Mers, where the gravel soils, and the limestone plateau of the latter, lend minerality, and generations of experience with the Sauvignon Blanc grape mean that careful viticultural practices are the norm.

The same is true in the Loire Valley, where Sauvignon Blanc grapes are more often featured in unblended iterations. The regions of Pouilly Fumé and Sancerre provide two example of what can be achieved when this grape is coaxed into greatness but not overly manipulated. The beauty of these wines has to do with the grape’s fresh, tart profile, its tight, lean fruit aromas with underlying greenness, and the incredible mineral qualities contributed by the chalky Kimmeridgian marl and Portlandian limestone on which the grapes are cultivated. Ideally, the winemaker’s impact is minimal. Fermenting in oak is not an unheard of practice in Pouilly Fumé, and some malolactic fermentation may be allowed to take place, but masking the wine’s inherent qualities with wood is never the goal, and fermenting in stainless steel is the way of the majority. Another noted trait of Loire Valley Sauvignon Blancs is the smoky, flinty aroma that can pervade them. This is most likely due to the particularities of the soil on which they are grown, and to residues of iron present in them, but it’s this smokiness that is the root of the very name Pouilly Fumé (fumé means smoke in French), and it was also the inspiration behind the marketing scheme of one particular California vintner.

Despite an illustrious past in France, it wasn’t until the 1880s that someone decided the Sauvignon Blanc grape might be due for a transplant. In the movie scenario, this would be the part where the parents thoughtlessly uproot their teenage children from the home town they know and love, dragging them to a whole new place where they just don’t fit in. Playing the part of the clueless but well-meaning parent was Charles Wetmore of Cresta Blanca Winery, and while the endeavor was well thought out on the front end (some of the cuttings he brought were from the highly esteemed Château d’Yquem in Sauternes), the émigrés simply didn’t take well to their new surroundings. California winemakers had no experience with Sauvignon Blanc, and with no one to clue them in to the eccentricities of the grape and the vine, in most cases it was grossly mistreated. Despite marginal success in areas such as the Livermore Valley, American examples of Sauvignon Blanc from the nineteenth and early twentieth century were off-dry at best, and, more commonly, sappy sweet. ‘California Sauterne’ was slapped on some of the labels, and it seemed doubtful that this French deportee would ever be embraced by American wine drinkers- at least ones with discerning taste.

After prohibition had taken its toll, Sauvignon Blanc underwent a resurgence of sorts in the 70s and 80s. Unfortunately, California growers still hadn’t wised up to the needs of this fickle vine. In addition to being fairly susceptible to black rot and powdery mildew, Sauvignon Blanc vines are quite vigorous, and the leaf canopy must be trimmed back in order to direct energy to ripening the fruit. Vines allowed to grow unchecked will produce neutral wines, and fruit that is not fully ripe will display aggressively vegetal aromas, even erring towards the previously mentioned litter box phenomenon. When winemaker Robert Mondavi was offered a particularly good crop of Sauvignon Blanc by a grower, he decided to take a stab at reversing the fate of the unfortunate misfit, and with a brilliant marketing scheme, and plenty of oak barrels, he did just that.

This is the turnaround point in the story; the part where the previously misunderstood and underappreciated protagonist takes off her glasses, lets down her hair, and throws on a low cut shirt. In the Mondavi story, however, there was less stripping down and more covering up. Oak treatment of white wines in the US, while not as prevalent as it is today, was a fairly common practice. Usually reserved for the more neutral, full-bodied backdrop of a Chardonnay, the ability of oak to take over the profile of a wine was not lost on Mondavi. If a strong, vegetal character was the hurdle, then the solution would have to be something even more powerful: wood. By barrel ageing the otherwise unexceptional wine, Mondavi not only covered up its less palatable attributes, but gave it a character all its own. This sensory turnaround was only part of the makeover, however. Everyone knows that a good product is only worth something if you know how to sell it- popularity has as much to do with reputation as with anything- and attaching an intriguing name to his new creation seemed as good a tactic as any. Alluding to the French Pouilly Fumé, as well as to the smoky, toasty character the wood imparted to the wine, Fumé Blanc was born.

Debuted in 1968, this new style of Sauvignon Blanc with its chic moniker was divorced from all previous American Sauvignon Blancs in the minds, and on the palates, of its new fans. There were potential suitors lining up at the door of this hot little number, so to speak, and fellow California vintners were quick to follow Mondavi’s lead. Since there was no copyright on the term, Fumé Blanc began to adorn the labels of a bevy of wines. Many were oaked, but some saw no wood at all; most were dry, but sweet versions could be found under the same alias. For all the good that Fumé Blanc did in terms of resurrecting a flailing grape varietal, there was really no improvement to the overall consistency and quality control of Sauvignon Blanc wines. With no legal designation attached to it, the vaguely French sounding name was no more than a façade, akin to a smear of lipstick, a dye job, and new wardrobe- but it was brilliant nonetheless.

The comforting thing about the stereotypical teen movie is that we can rely on it for a happy ending. After the shine of popularity has worn off, the budding protagonist learns that it’s what’s inside that counts, and that that’s where her value truly lies. The sexy dress is cast aside, and she’s finally accepted for who she really is. But can Sauvignon Blanc hope for a similarly serendipitous fate? Things are looking good. In the 1990s, there was a growing interest in seeing Sauvignon Blanc ‘unmasked’. Largely thanks to the fresh, clean, varietally-driven examples that began to come out of New Zealand, American wine makers and drinkers alike started to see the merits of well made, minimally manipulated Sauvignon Blanc. With a new understanding of proper pruning and viticultural practices, favorable soil and climactic factors, and an eager and adventurous new generation of wine drinkers, it was an auspicious time for the grape, and- just as in the cinematic parallel- people really did start to appreciate her true self.

Sauvignon Blanc is the leading white wine of New Zealand today, but there are also unoaked styles coming from South Africa, Spain (particularly Rueda), Italy, Chile, and, of course, the US. Fumé Blanc is still around, but now it is simply a synonym for wine made with the Sauvignon Blanc grape, and there are both oaked and unoaked versions out there. Whether the label says Sauvignon Blanc or Fumé Blanc, there has been a trend away from the overly wooded style that once dominated. Even the benchmark wine from Mondavi is veering towards a European approach, and while he still uses barrel ageing, the wine is fermented in a majority of French oak, with stainless steel making up the balance, and there is Semillon blended in as well. Despite the happy ending, this story may not be quite worthy of the big screen, but for those of us with a vested interest in the world of wine, both past and future, it’s certainly an uplifting tale.

After receiving her degree in Art History from the University of Vermont, Rebeccah Marsters decided to go to culinary school where she completed an associate’s degree in Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales in North Carolina.  After, she began an internship at America’s Test Kitchen (ATK) in Brookline, MA and was later hired full-time at ATK and now work as Assistant Test Cook for Cook’s Country magazine where I develop and test recipes and produce the food for the magazine’s photo shoots.

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May 18, 2012

Understanding Gin

By Kate Webber

Gin has its friends and enemies.  There are those who swear by it, who enjoy the pine and juniper aromas, floral, pepper, all of that.  And then there are those – a surprising amount, it seems, rivaled only by those who claim the same about tequila – that “can’t” drink gin, or more specifically just won’t.  This is quite understandable, as gin isn’t necessarily that easy to understand.  It isn’t clean and pure like vodka.  It isn’t malty and smoky like whiskey.  Gin is a secret combination of spices, fruits, and nuts. Individual distillers don’t even want us to know what’s in their gin—they keep their recipes a deathbed secret–so it can be hard to prepare ourselves in the first place.  “Gin makes me mad” is what so many people claim, or even better: “Gin makes me mean.” I even used to say it myself. And although I would have you believe that gin got me into my fair share of bar fights, what I probably meant was that I didn’t understand it, and was in fact being confused by my cocktail.  Well that’s enough to make anyone angry.

But if we look at how gin is made and what we can do with it, we can feel a little more comfortable with what might be in our glass.  Gin is made by distilling grains to a high proof (eventually 180-190), and then distilling it a final time with a selection of botanicals added to the still.  It is this final distillation that gives each gin its character and flavor.  Here the distillers add different herbs, spices, barks, seeds, flowers, and citrus peel to create a unique flavor profile.  The botanicals are placed on a perforated tray towards the top of the still—this allows the rising vapors of the evaporated alcohol to pick up the aromas and flavors of the botanicals as the vapor passes through the perforated shelf.  When the vapor condenses back into liquid, it has been infused with these flavors.

So what botanicals do distillers choose, and why?  To start, the predominant botanical of all gins must be the juniper berry (indeed, this is where gin gets its name: the Dutch word for “juniper” is “Genever,” shortened by the British to our “Gin”).  Juniper has a distinct pine aroma to it.  The next time you pick up a gin—any gin—smell it and see if you can identify the pine.  After that, it’s any man’s—or botanical’s—game.  Common botanicals used include coriander, angelica root, citrus peel, aniseed, fennel, clove, almond, geranium, cinnamon, and caraway.  After smelling and tasting several gins across categories, some common flavors will become more recognizable, and gin itself a lot less intimidating.
   
What do we do with gin?  Certainly with all these possible flavors, we’re not dealing with a blank slate like vodka.  Gin is known, of course, for the martini.  This is probably the purest gin cocktail as sometimes, with extra dry martinis, the only additional flavor is perhaps a vermouth-rinsed ice cube. Other popular gin cocktails include the Negroni (gin with Campari and Sweet Vermouth), the Aviation (with lemon juice, cherry brandy and Crème de Violette), French 75 (with lemon juice, sugar and Champagne) and the increasingly popular Corpse Reviver #2 (with Cointreau, Lillet Blanc, lemon juice, and Absinthe).  A common factor in all of these cocktails is a lower perception of sweetness—they do not include grenadine or sour mix, and they use simple syrup and sugar very judiciously.  The second factor is a lighter, less dominant secondary ingredient—no root beer, cream liqueurs, or fruit purees. The complex flavors of gin can easily be overpowered by excessively sweet or loud flavors.  Look to the Classic Cocktails of Pre-Prohibition (1880-1920) when gin was celebrating its heyday.  The recent re-emergence of the Classic Cocktail has been the best thing to happen to gin in the last 100 years.

So when you approach Gin, remember that you’re about to face an incredibly wide range of flavors, carefully chosen to create a specific flavor that distillers hope to be unrepeatable.  But the more you practice and experience different gins, the more you will recognize, and the likely you will, in fact, find a gin you like.  Just keep looking—they’re all different.  Just stay away from the sour mix.

Kate’s Favorite Gin Cocktail: Satan’s Whiskers

Kate made this cocktail and gave it to a colleague who swore that she “did not drink Gin” because it “made her angry.” Somehow Kate’s colleague loved this drink. At no point in the evening was her disposition anything other than pleasant.  

½ oz. Gin (preferably Beafeater)
½ oz. Dry Vermouth
½ oz. Sweet Vermouth
½ oz. Orange Juice
2 tsp. Orange Curaçao
1 tsp. Orange Bitters

Shake in an iced cocktail shaker, and strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with an orange twist.

Kate Webber is the co-owner of the Gibbet Hill Grill and the Barn at Gibbet Hill in Groton, Massachusetts. Also, she work as the sommelier for the Scarlet Oak Tavern and Fireside Catering for Webber Restaurant Development. Kate’s passion for wine and spirits led me to becoming a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Masters Sommeliers and the International Sommelier Guild, a Certified Specialist of Wine and Certified Specialist of Spirits through the Society of Wine Educators, and an Associate Member of the Institute of Wine and Spirits through the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET).

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May 15, 2012

Riesling: It’s time to start paying attention

By Michael Meagher

It was somewhere between Blue Nun and Black Tower, when Riesling lost its identity.  One of the noblest grapes in the world was being considered for nothing better than plonk-quality wines. The labels from Germany certainly didn’t help either as they seemed to require a secret decoder ring.  The alcohol percentage is noticeably lower than other wines, with most examples between 9-11% and rarely topping 13%.  Besides, why would you want to spend money on something that was so, well, sweet?

Riesling’s image problem began in Germany, not because it was perceived to be a low-quality grape, but because of the German decision to keep all their best wines in country.   Like many other European wine-producing countries, the Germans decided that rather than export a share of all their wines, they would ship off all bulk and lower quality wines.  Much of this lower-quality wine was directed to the United States. With our emerging wine culture, we began to seek out wines from around the world to whet our palate.  Unfortunately for Germany, all we could find for Riesling was the surplus juice that they didn’t want to drink. We saw cheap Riesling and Liebfraumilch (a blend that often incorporated Riesling, but never was meant to impress), and we came to expect that Riesling, and German wines, were not worthy of our attention or dollars, thus effectively turning many wine lovers off.

Luckily, time heals all wounds and we are in the midst of a Riesling renaissance.   American wine drinkers are moving past the ingrained prejudices of Riesling and come to embrace it for its versatility, purity and accessibility.   It is incredibly refreshing on its own, and it is unparalleled as a pairing with a vast array of cuisines.  And in addition to Germany, more regions are beginning to plant Riesling and have success marketing it on the global marketplace.  Alsace, which is nearly as synonymous with Riesling as Germany, has a long a storied history with the grape and tends to produce richer, rounder, and drier expressions, with a touch more ripeness to show for it.  Austria, another country that didn’t export much of its wines until the late 1990s, has had tremendous luck with the grape alongside its flagship, Grüner Veltliner.  Australia has been the recent darling of the Riesling world with the Clare Valley producing some world-class wines with acidity and terroir usually reserved for its European brethren. 

So what is it that makes Riesling so unique?  For starters, it’s a very “transparent” grape, and by that I don’t mean that it is one-dimensional.   Riesling does not take to oak aging very well.  You’ll never see a “barrique-aged” Riesling, or you should be very wary if you do.   Riesling is one of the most aromatic grape varieties in the world, and to mask the perfume with the obvious influences of oak is to ruin a year’s worth of cultivation, effort and energy.  Riesling’s “transparency” is best attributed to its ability to reveal the elements of the soil upon which it is grown.  Certainly Cabernet Sauvignon from Bordeaux is very different than anywhere else in the world, and Chardonnay from Burgundy is tremendously unique, but no other grape will reflect the exact location of its birth like Riesling.  In the German region of the Mosel, you can almost taste the stoney, sharp minerality; Alsatian Riesling will give you a broader, redder minerality reflecting the gres de Vosges, a pink sandstone found throughout the region.  Clare Valley Riesling is sharp and tangy, due in large part to the limestone found in the higher elevations in this South Australian enclave. 

With all these characteristics of aromatics and earthiness, there is one piece that makes Riesling one of the most exciting and versatile wines you can buy: acidity.  Acidity is that missing link between good and extraordinary when it comes to food and wine pairing.  Think of a simple, fresh, piece of fish, perfectly seasoned with salt and pepper.   It will taste good, but add a squeeze of lemon and that piece of fish will become even better than on its own.  That’s acidity at work.  It ties flavors together, brings out subtleties that were barely noticeable, and acts as a wake-up call for our taste buds.   It’s kind of like liquid energy for your food.  But Riesling does not require simple foods to excel as a pairing.  If you like spicy foods, then an off-dry Riesling will be perfect.  The residual sugar in the wine will soften the spices in the food while bringing out the background flavors.  If you were to try to pair a spicy dish with a wine that is high in alcohol and tannins, you would be adding fuel to a fire since spice, alcohol and tannins are all irritants and will compound the effects of one another in your mouth, which is not a pleasurable experience. 

Although the labeling in Germany hasn’t improved much over the years, and you will likely need a lesson in the German to decipher everything on the label (there is an incredible amount of detail about the wine on a German label), don’t let this discourage you.  Whether you select a Riesling from Mosel, Alsace or Clare Valley, you will realize that Riesling offers a unique wine experience, unlike any other grape.  Be brave, be bold, walk in to your wine shop and demand better.  Pass by the eight-dollar bottles and opt for what the Germans refer to as “Qualitätswein”; pour yourself a glass and discover the wonder and depth that you never expected would come from a glass of white wine. 

Michael is a Master Sommelier Candidate is in the process of completing his Diploma of Wine Studies from the WSET.  Being a former collegiate athlete, he is now focusing that competitive spirit on the wine world.  He won the 2010 Chaine de Rotisseurs Best Young Sommelier competition, finished third at TOP|SOMM The US Sommelier Championships.  He also serves as Chairman of the Boston Sommelier Society and owner of the beverage consulting company, Sommelier On-Demand.

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May 11, 2012

Food Pairing: It’s not just for wine anymore

By Rebeccah Marsters

Whether James Bond’s martini, Carrie Bradshaw’s cosmo, a mint julep at the Kentucky Derby, or a snifter of brandy by the fire, spirits in our culture have come to signify far more than the sum of their parts, and it was only a matter of time before they started moving into the culinary arena. In the past, spirits – both mixed and straight-up – have traditionally filled the niche of pre-dinner libations; whether at home or out on the town, spirits effectively enable us to pass the time until your table or meal is ready. Wine and beer often accompany the food itself, but the stronger stuff is generally relegated to the roles of apéritif or digestif. Luckily, trends are changing the perception of spirits’ ability to pair effectively with food.

Up until now, perhaps the only situation in which we are accustomed to mixing liquor and food is the cocktail party, where drinks are accompanied by hors d’oeuvres and other small bites. The higher alcohol content of mixed drinks is the perfect foil to the typically rich and salty foods passed around at these soirees and this may well have been the seed for the concept of food and spirits pairing that is growing steadily today.

While both spirits and food have been parts of our daily lives for ages, there exist no real examples of thoughtful, intentional pairings of the two. Whatever the reason for this, the trends arising in restaurants and bars today have created a favorable environment for this concept to take off. Blame it on the ADHD generation, but the direction of food has been away from the idea of one big plate containing the triumvirate of meat-veg-starch for dinner. Rather, it has transitioned towards a dining experience where guests can taste many things; whether tapas, mezze, sliders, or amuse bouche, food is getting smaller and more varied. This more informal ‘small plates’ style of eating is comparable to the aforementioned hors d’oeuvres and thus similarly conducive to less-traditional beverage pairing.

In the beverage arena, the overwhelming trend is looking to the past. There has been a renaissance of classic cocktails, from “the Sidecar” to “the Aviation”, and terms like pre-prohibition and artisan liquor are being thrown around like yesterday’s cosmopolitan and appletini. American palates are becoming more sophisticated and adventurous, with less demand for the fruity, sweet, pastel sippers that were sucked down so voraciously in the past. Not only are cocktails growing less sweet, but some are even savory, and there has been an influx of food-related ingredients being used. From muddling fresh herbs and garnishing with cheese-stuffed olives, to the more-adventurous use of bacon and hot peppers, almost nothing is off limits. These savory drinks are a natural match for food, evidenced by the fact that several actually have food in them. Some restaurants have jumped at this opportunity, hiring what’s known as ‘bar chefs’, and even constructing their own tasting menus with cocktail pairings. Whatever the impetus was, recognition of this novel concept is setting in, as ‘culinary cocktails’ are amongst the hottest restaurant menu trends.

Despite this promising forecast, there are inherent challenges in pairing food and spirits. In discussing these, it is helpful to use wine pairing as a comparison, as most of us are somewhat familiar with the principles behind it. Super-sweet wines are rarely paired with food because there is disconnect with the predominantly savory flavors found in most meals. Sugary cocktails present the same problem, and although we are seeing bartenders dial down the sweetness, this must be kept carefully in check to make a good food pairing. Another potential issue is the high alcohol content of spirits. Too much alcohol can burn the taste buds, rendering the palate numb to the food that follows. Thoughtful blending of spirits with other ingredients is the key to ensuring a cocktail is balanced. A third issue concerns the temperature at which different beverages are served. Most cocktails are meant to be drunk ice cold, whether frozen, on the rocks, or shaken over ice, and not only does this extreme temperature further debilitate the taste buds, but there’s little chance of the beverage staying at the intended temperature throughout the meal. Wine can be swirled, sipped, kept at room temperature, or kept in an ice bucket and poured little by little, but a cocktail will either be slowly watered down by melting ice, or  flaccid on the palate due to warming up.

Given the possibility of disaster, why would one bother with such pairings when wine is a less risky crowd-pleaser? Despite the challenges, there are certain qualities that can make pairing food with spirits quite propitious. The elevated alcohol content of spirits, while potentially dangerous for the palate, actually works symbiotically with food. Whereas wine can coat the mouth, spirits seem to absorb the fat in food, effectively washing the palate. In return, the richness in the food softens the taste of the alcohol. This give and take keeps us coming back for more. Another undeniable advantage is that with wine, ideal food pairings may be found, but with cocktails, they can be made. Wine pairing is something of a gamble because if it turns out that a match is not harmonious, only the food can be altered – wine is a constant factor. It may not have enough acid to stand up to a dish, or too much tannin for another, but little can be done to remedy this. A cocktail, on the other hand, is a recipe which, if unharmonious, can be altered. Not enough acid? Add a squeeze more citrus. Too dry? Up the vermouth ratio. In this way, the beverage is fully customizable to the food’s requirements.

While food pairing should be fun, a few guidelines are helpful when attempting it. Perhaps the most indispensable principle is to consider what wine would pair well with the food, and go from there. Think about the acid level, mouth feel, predominant fruit flavors, body, and sweetness of an appropriate wine, and extrapolate those qualities to a cocktail. As with wine, the two main routes you can follow when thinking about food and drink are to match flavors or to contrast them. Sometimes rich, salty foods need something sweet and fruity to temper them, but often an intense, tannic or bitter option can be equally successful.

Another approach is to think about food and alcohol pairings that are already familiar. We’ve all eaten food with spirits before, even of we don’t realize it – maybe it started with the olive in a martini, a stick of celery in a bloody Mary, or the cherry in a Manhattan, but it goes beyond mere garnishes as well. In cooking, spirits have been used to complement the flavors of food for decades, and components that play well together on the plate also play well when one is in a glass. Take penne alla vodka, and think about how a clean, fresh, vodka-based cocktail would pair with a creamy, tomato-based pasta dish. Or consider steak au poivre with cognac sauce, and instead pair that steak with a smoky, heady, brandy-based drink. Some other combinations that come to mind are pork chops with calvados, tequila shrimp, rum-raisin ice cream, or venison with juniper – a central component of gin.

Finally, another effective method of pairing is to think regional, matching the origin of the spirit with that of the cuisine. Tequila makes a natural partner for Mexican foods like chorizo and ceviche. Campari plays well with Italian- think prosciutto and melon- and vodka could have no better mate than blini and caviar. There is a reason these pairings are somewhat stereotypical: they work!

Despite this basic information, there are truly no rules to pairing spirits. It’s not hindered in tradition, thus many things haven’t been tried, and what seems like an unlikely success may work beautifully. One bar chef claims that scotches from Islay and sushi are a match made in heaven, as the peatiness goes beautifully with the oils in the fish.  Heck, if this can work, just imagine what else might? Spirits pairing is still flying under the radar for the most part, but it may be time for cocktails to bridge the gap into the dinner hour. The wine bottle will always have a place at the table, but given the current trends in both the food and liquor industries, it may have to share elbowroom with martini glasses pretty soon.

After receiving her degree in Art History from the University of Vermont, Rebeccah Marsters decided to go to culinary school where she completed an associate’s degree in Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales in North Carolina.  After, she began an internship at America’s Test Kitchen (ATK) in Brookline, MA and was later hired full-time at ATK and now work as Assistant Test Cook for Cook’s Country magazine where I develop and test recipes and produce the food for the magazine’s photo shoots.

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May 8, 2012

Verde Sole: It’s all about passion

The wine industry is one of risks and passion. If you decide to pursue a wine-related profession, one can safely assume that it will be a life of little monetary wealth, but a whole lot of doing what you love. Most people who get into wine have some sort of massive family or personal wealth supporting them while they get their footing. After all, the most famous quote in the wine industry is “How do you make a small fortune in wine? Start with a big one!”

Christian Vitone is a man with a passion. Having first been exposed to wine by his grandfather and then working for a time at Francis Ford Coppola Winery, he has caught the wine bug on a couple different occasions (and it’s the damnded thing to shake). I personally don’t run his financial affairs; however I’m not going to assume that he has a Mondavi-esque treasure trove supporting him. Rather, he has a life of hard work, an appreciation for what wine brings to an occasion and the love and understanding of a wife that has seen him do his absolute best to support their family and now wants him to pursue his passion, even after understanding the risks. Sometimes, this is the type of support that’s most important when trying to impart your passion into something that will be experienced by thousands of wine drinkers. In fact, it the Vitone Family’s passion that I tasted when I tried his wine, Verde Sole.

I’m going to be blunt with my appraisal, as I think it speaks to the quality of this wine. The first time I experienced the ’09 Verde Sole Zinfandel was at Napa East in Nashua, NH. My full tasting notes that I typed into my phone were as follows:

A very unique Zin that has nice, bright fruit, minimal oak presence, with a backbone of black pepper and hints of Asian spice. Not a typical Zin, a little thin throughout. – 86 pts

I’ve since had the chance to purchase a bottle and give it another shot. Instead of approaching it right away, I poured a glass and allowed it to breath for a half hour while I went out and grilled. Prior to eating, I took a few moments to take these notes: 

Medium-full bodied with supple blue and black fruit, nice acid, minimal oak presence, with an invigorating backbone of black pepper, laced with Asian spice. Not weighty and a nice, even finish. – 89 pts

It was as if I tasted a different wine.  In fairness, the temperature of the first glass was a bit cold and having it come from a wine preservation machine at a restaurant should have given me pause to slow down and let it warm up just a spell. Oh well, lesson learned!

Christian’s passion for wine, and his wife’s passion for him, comes out in this wine and it is genuinely transferred to us, the consumer. This is one to seek out and I look forward to hearing about your experiences.

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