Food & Wine Pairing

Dow has a long history with Port wines, but over the last few decades they have been making great strides with still red and white wines. They have consistently produced quality still wines that I have reviewed for several vintages. Their “everyday” red and white wines from Vale do Bomfim - line priced at a mere $15 - are terrific quality for the price. This red, a blend of traditional Port grapes not made into a sweet wine, includes Touriga Nacional (40%), Tina Roriz (30%) and smaller amounts of Tinta Franca and Tinta Barroca.

This is the first Chardonnay-centric sparkler MacRostie has ever made and, as an inaugural effort, they nailed it, creating a lovely wine that is complex and just plain enjoyable to drink. This is a soft, velvety sparkler that drinks incredibly smoothly. The carbonation is fairly mild, a plus in that we get more of the aromas and flavors of the wine than it being obstructed by bubbles. Soft baked bread, light lemon-lime, whispers of resin, grapefruit, white peach and Asian pear fill the palate.

Emeritus has long had a love affair with Pinot Noir, always seeking new ways to let grapes and ground express what’s in the bottle. This 2020 offers bright fruits of wild cherry, raspberry, pomegranate, plum with back notes of light green tea leaf, very light cola, and light earthiness and minerality - notes that Sonoma coast fruit is known for. There is a nice velvety viscosity to this as well as mild tannins that support the fruit and mellow out the overall feel of the wine.

The Paraduxx portfolio has been solely focused on blended wines, something they do admirably. The 2019 is comprised mainly of Cabernet Sauvignon with lighter amounts of five other grape including Zinfandel and Petite Sirah. The medley offers dusty black, cherry, blueberry, blackberry, red raspberry light cedar, and sandalwood notes with a very light green tea element and vanilla. The tannins are fairly taught, even after four years, supporting the structure of the wine, and the acidity comes into play making this an ideal companion for food.

C.L. Butaud started making wine in 2014 in Texas, another wine to join the impressive ranks of Texas wines being produced in the fourth largest wine producing state in the U.S. A truly Texas Tempranillo, this offers black cherry notes, tobacco leaf, plum and pomegranate, dried tomato leaf, a slight rhubarb quality and a light earthiness. The tannins and smooth but noticeable and the light acidity helps create a wine that, on the first sip, makes you want food with it. The oak influence is just a wee bit heavy, however the fruit still shines and the balance created in impressive. 250 cases.

One sip and you realize this is a different kind of Pinot Noir than the norm. If you know Sonoma Coast Pinot’s, they all have a rustic quality to them; a brambly component that sets them apart from the overt fruity Pinot, and this is a good thing. This certainly offers red raspberry and wild cherry, touches of huckleberry and gooseberry, but it is that resin/bramble/wild berry note that makes this a unique and fun wine. Certainly this wine is not for everyone, the acidity is higher than most Pinot’s, but it immediately begs for food.

Grown high in the mountains of Uco, this Chardonnay is a blend of 10 different vineyard sites. This wine offers a lot of minerality and acidity, a step away from overblown butter rich chardonnays. And that’s why it’s the ideal food companion. Lemon lime, quince, peach, light guava and a hint of wild sweet grass permeate. There is a slight oak influence (eight months on the lees) but it is minimal and allows the fruit, acidity and freshness to come through. ORIGIN: Mendoza, Argentina. ALCOHOL: 13.5%.

The Alma de Cattleya wines represent quality wines without sticker shock. To prove that point the 2022 Sonoma County Pinot offers soft elements of strawberry, pomegranate, guava, rose water, red raspberry, and light citrus. This is a delicate wine, but with enough acidity and tannic structure. Aged just 11 months in French oak allows for the fruit to be more expressive and the quality in the bottle exceeds the price. ORIGIN: Sonoma County. ALCOHOL: 14%

It should be no surprise that this wine is a stunner. Chappellet has long delivered quality wines that exceed the status quo; nearly 60 years in fact. The fruit for this wine comes from Pritchard Hill, a well-know parcel that produces exceptional grapes. A classic old-school Cabernet, this offers blackberry, blueberry, huckleberry, boysenberry and black cherry notes with back notes of vanilla, sage, tight tannins, good acidity and the one thing that makes a wine sing – balance. Comprised of mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, there are small amounts of Petite Verdot, Malbec and Merlot added in.

From Mendocino County, Saracina’s Rosé of Grenache is grown on sustainably farmed vineyards that are home to 140-year-old olive trees, vegetable gardens, beehives, and local birds and wildlife. This offers black cherry, strawberry, blood orange and rhubarb notes, with both red and green apple in the mix. Interestingly there is a light sweetness that is counterbalanced by a light tartness. The bright acidity allows this to work well with a variety of different foods. ORIGIN: Mendocino County. ALCOHOL: 12.5%