Wine Around The World

Wines Around the World

Wine & Food Pairing

By Karilea Rilling Jungel

A pre-holiday Wine CLASS was recently held at Martinelli’s Restaurant. Chad Bowman, a certified wine sommelier, hosted a pairing of wines with a family styled Italian dinner. Under Chad’s tutelage, those who attended were introduced to a number of ways to detect the proper scents and bodies of various wines, with an explanation as to why and how wines will enhance the foods one eats 

Wine chart tracking various offerings - photo by Karilea Rilling Jungel

photo by Karilea Rilling Jungel

At this event, Chad brought with him several magnums of various champagnes and wines. A magnum holds 1.5L versus the traditional 750ml bottles. He explained that the larger magnums are slower to age as less glass touches the wine, are usually harder to find, and eventually become collector items. He states that a good sommelier “when opening a sparkling wine or Champagne, never allows any sound or spillage to exit from the bottle.” So without further ado, let’s whet your palette with what was served!

Bruschetta was the first dish…but what secret wine to go with it? Nothing other than a vintage 2012 “Tradition” Brut NV made by Gaston Chiquet, City of Dizy, Champagne, France. Described as “youthful” and having a clear clarity, this light yellow, somewhat off dry and crisp champagne is a perfect match to serve with appetizers.  As we are experiencing the tickling sensation of the sparkling wine mixing with the fine Bruschetta topped with tomatoes, capers, herbs and cheese, Chad lets us know that the magnum bottles glass can sometimes weigh up to 15 pounds. He instructs us how to address the cage, and that the cage only takes six full turns to uncap easily. Chad states that “you should always start a meal with a sparkling wine.” Chad then provides a quote by Gaston Chiquet, “Champagne is the best food wine on earth – Drink more Champagne!” The evening’s patrons readily agreed!

As the salads were served, all eyes were on Chad as he uncorked another sparkling wine which was described as “banging good!” A Brut Rosé NV from the Brundlmayer producers in Northeast Austria fit the palate just fine, enhancing the crisp bitterness of the fine greens and light oils of the salad. Chad explains that “very few large bottles – maybe 15 a year – are rare, as they are hand disgorged, hand riddled, using very old school methods in order to create the proper bubbles with a bit of extra yeast. It becomes a very time consuming method, turning each bottle a quarter turn at a time over a three year period.” We all had to agree that the Brut Rosé was definitely “banging good!”

As we continue with our salads, Chad explains that “Kansas has access to some of the best wines in the world.” A question is asked and Chad responds, “all red grapes will have white grape juice in them; to change color the vintner adds broken skins to leach out color compounds.” Chad acknowledges that “not every wine fits every palate,” but adds that “without bite or acidity, it wouldn’t cleanse the palette to prepare for the next taste of your food, as acid makes one salivate naturally.”

Group giving cheer for more wine - photo by Karilea Rilling Jungel

Chad then adds another Austrian wine to accompany the salad course, explaining that the white peppery match of a 2010 ‘Privat’ Gruner Veltliner, made by Martin Nigl, from the Krimstal region of Austria. It is very light greenish color, moderate aroma and youthful development matches up well with a salty Caesar salad. Although it has a sweet smell, the taste is dry, and rare, so it also makes it a good accompaniment to a meat, like Wiener schnitzel. He explained that the terminology for this wine is “oily, dense and rich” was to liken it to the feeling on your tongue of a good raw salmon. The balance of this wine is fair, and, well, slightly wonderful with its 14.5% alcohol content.  Chad continued that “during the 1980’s there was a larger production of Austrian wines, until someone added antifreeze, which literally crushed the Austrian wine market. At that time they had to reinvent themselves,” and from the vintage poured, they are once again doing a very nice job. Chad reminded us that in Austria, “wine is their water.” 

Cliff Lede wine bottle photo - by Karilea Rilling Jungel

Chad finishes his lecture (which was more like a walk around the world, indeed) with a last offering of a 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon made by Cliff Lede, from the SE one-third of the Napa Valley. Even this former Californian was surprised to learn that the Napa Valley is only seven miles wide, and 30 miles long, like a little mountainous island of magical ground, air, and water. This deep purple vintage with its powerful aroma is, states Chad, “super masculine in a bull in a china-shop sort of way with its intensity, and meant strictly for thick, marbled steaks. It offers a dark chocolate taste, uber dry but full-bodied, with a very smooth acidity.”

 

The evening eventually wore down as the plates of succulent foods were cleared, and what wines were left over was shared between all. Talking continued with many memories of wine imbued moments were shared among the many happy patrons.

A good link to wine and food pairings can be found here: http://www.foodandwinepairing.org/

Future wine and food pairing Classes will be available at the Salina Library or online will be available with reservations beginning on January 20, 2015. Ah. Just in time for Valentine’s Day plans.

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