The Cellar: Food + Wine Pairings
Friday, March 02, 2012
2009 Esporao Reserva Alentejo, Portugal
Portuguese white wines are becoming increasingly popular with American wine consumers. The producer of this week’s first wine, the famed Herdade Do Esporão Estate, has had a significant role in this development, as it has a long track record of bringing inexpensive and delicious wines to our shores – often introducing us to new and interesting varietals in the process.
The 2009 Esporao Reserva is an white blend from the Herdade Do Esporão Estate made from the indigenous varietals Antão Vaz, Arinto and Roupeiro. The deep, full-bodied and flavorful wine has undergone new oak aging, which has imparted significant toasty flavors complimenting the green fruit and noteworthy acidity. In terms of pairing it with food it is a very flexible white. Similar to a Californian Chardonnay, this wine goes great with various types fish and even lighter prepared meats. I had it with homemade Talapia Tacos with red onions, avocados, cilantro, jalapeños and fresh lime – delish!
2009 Toscana Rosso di Altesino, Montalcino, Italy
This week’s next pairing is more traditional – an Italian duo if you will, but with an international flair. The wine is the 2009 Rosso Di Altesino made by the Altesino winery, an iconic producer of Sangiovese based
The grapes in the 2009 Rosso Di Altesino is 80% Sangiovese, blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, all of which are sourced from Altesino’s own 100 acre vineyard located in the town of Montalcino. This is a great food wine filled with bright, ripe fruit, delicious savory aromas and flavors, soft tannins and nice acidity on the finish. I had this with a bowl of Pasta Bolognese with garlic bread – once again, delish!
Enjoy!!
Steffen Rasch CSW is ready to answer any wine-related questions, comments or concerns you may have. Feel free to email him at [email protected]
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