IntoWine Staff

Best Wine to Pair with Raw or Steamed Oysters

IntoWine asked a panel of wine experts to recommend the best wine to pair with raw or steamed oysters: News Flash: Champagne goes great with oysters. Oh, wait. You mean that isn’t breaking news? Okay, so everybody knows that one of the most classic food and wine pairings of all times is champagne and oysters. Whether you eat them raw on the half-shell, steamed, grilled, or baked to perfection with bread crumbs and mixed herbs Rockefeller-style, nothing compliments the subtle nuanced flavors of oysters like champagne. One explanation for this lies in the soil in which champagne grapes are grown. The Champagne region of France is famous for its chalk soils, which impart an elegance and finesse unmatched by any other sparkling wine producing region. These soils are actually the geological result of an historic sea basin that left behind numerous minerals and sea fossil deposits when the waters receded. It’s only natural that a sparkling wine that has its roots in the sea goes well with the fruit of the sea. The Champagne region is full of big house names that used to be the benchmark of quality. But recently more and more small growers are bottling their own champagnes rather than just selling their grapes to the big houses. While the quality of these champagnes can be varied, Find Moncuit's Brut Blanc de Blanc Nichole and Yves Moncuit of Champagne Pierre Moncuit have consistently made champagnes worthy of top accolades. They have vineyard holdings in the same site as some of the most famous names in Champagne, such as Krug and Salon, but their champagnes cost a fraction of the price. Moncuit’s NV Brut Blanc de Blanc is a study in elegance with its racy minerality, and layered flavors of citrus, brioche, and cream. No oak is used, and it’s purity shines through when accompanied by a plateful of oysters. - Kareasa Wilkins , Wine Consultant for Weimax Wines & Spirits in Burlingame, CA and an IntoWine Featured Writer

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Best Wine to Pair with Filet Mignon

IntoWine asked a panel of wine experts to recommend the best wine to pair with filet mignon: What I particularly enjoy about filet mignon is its rich, buttery texture. I enjoy this cut of meat most when it is wrapped with bacon, to give it an extra shot of savoriness and juiciness. Sautéed mushrooms also complement the meat’s creamy texture and add savory, earthy notes to the meat. When it comes to a wine for this dish, I avoid anything very ripe and fruity, as I feel those kinds of wines dominate the pairing and overwhelm the meat’s more subtle flavors. My favorite pairing with this cut of beef is a mature Rioja Reserva or Gran Reserva. The resolved tannins and resulting creamy texture of this wine, along with its tertiary flavors of tobacco, mushroom and leather make it very compatible with the filet mignon, adding interesting notes without overwhelming the subtleties of the meat. Traditional style Rioja Reservas and Gran Reservas that are widely available here include those from Bodegas Hermanos Peciña, La Rioja Alta, López de Heredia, Marqués de Cáceres, Marqués de Murrieta and Muga. Another enjoyable pairing with this dish is one of the more traditional California Cabs, one with balance, good acidity and lower alcohol. This is the style of Cabernet that California made so well back in the 1950s to 1970s, but that went out of style by the mid-1980s. A few producers, however, continued to make Cabs in this style, and they’ve been joined in recent years by a few others who are also aiming for a more balanced style. My go to Cali Cabs in this style that are also good values include Culler Casaeda, Dry Creek Vineyard, Goodland Wines Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara Red, Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains Estate, and Rubus Old Vine. Richard Jennings, IntoWine.com Featured Contributor and the Founder RJonWine.com.

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Best Wine to Pair with Pork Tenderloin

IntoWine asked a panel of wine experts to recommend the best wine to pair with pork tenderloin: I like to go one of two different ways with pork tenderloin . This tends to be the most delicate, least “porky” portion of the pig, so I want a wine that’s not going to drown out the more subtle flavors of this cut of meat. I’m also looking for wine with a little juiciness, as pork tenderloin can often end up on the dry side. A rich Chardonnay with good acidity works well for me, as does a lighter bodied, juicy red—a Zinfandel or Grenache, preferably one with little or no oak. For juicy, medium bodied Chardonnays with great acidity, it’s hard to beat those that are currently coming out of Santa Barbara County’s Santa Maria Valley or Sta. Rita Hills appellations. Bien Nacido, Brewer Clifton, Chanin, Clos Pepe, Deovlet, Liquid Farm, Longoria, Melville, Paul Lato, Presqu’ile, Sandhi and Sanford all make wonderful, rich, balanced Chards with great acidity from these appellations. I’d be very happy with any of them as a partner to a perfectly tender pork tenderloin. Going the lighter red route, I’d be delighted with a flavorful, juicy, old vine Zin from the likes of Bucklin, Nalle or Vino Noceto. For a Grenache, I’d recommend a Côtes du Rhone (typically a Grenache blend) or one of California’s best Grenaches, the Tuck Beckstoffer Melee. - Richard Jennings, IntoWine.com Featured Contributor and the Founder RJonWine.com

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Best Wine to Pair With Duck Breast

IntoWine recently asked its panel of wine experts to recommend one wine to pair with breast of duck: Duck breast is juicy , gamey and flavorful, and needs a wine companion that is lighter bodied, lightly fruity, with good acidity and some earthiness to it. A Pinot Noir is the natural pairing, but one with a little mushroomy flavor, which Pinot Noir can get with maturity, or earthy “sous bois” characteristics, can echo the gamey, earthy flavors of the meat. An older red Burgundy or California Pinot would do the trick beautifully, but that might not be very practical if you don’t happen to have any sitting in your cellar. Fortunately, a lot of new release domestic Pinot Noirs can fill the bill as well. One gets a lot of earthiness from Pinots grown in cool climate regions like the Santa Rita Hills and Santa Cruz Mountains in California, and the Amity Hills in Oregon. Particular recommendations with the requisite earthiness would be: (1) from Sta. Rita Hills, Rusack’s Reserve Pinot or the Clos Pepe Estate; (2) from Santa Cruz Mountains, Mount Eden’s or Thomas Fogarty’s Estate Pinots, and (3) from Oregon’s Amity Hills, Evening Land’s La Source Seven Springs Vineyard or St. Innocent’s Zenith. Another fun and delicious direction to go with duck is a Pinot Noir-based sparkling wine. I’ve had memorable results matching duck with both Ferrari’s vintage Rosé Perlé and their less pricey Ferrari Rosé Brut . Ferrari is probably the top Italian sparkling wine producer making wines in a champenoise style, and the NV Brut is widely available for only about $30. Other sparkling rosés should go well too, but Ferrari, for my money, has the requisite balance of fruitiness, minerality and acidity that really sparks with a dish like duck. - Richard Jennings, IntoWine.com Featured Contributor and the Founder RJonWine.com

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Best Oregon Pinot Noir: What Is One Oregon Pinot Noir Worth Seeking Out?

IntoWine recently asked its panel of wine experts to recommend one Oregon pinot noir worth seeking out: Oregon’s Willamette Valley sits at roughly the same latitude as Pinot Noir’s ancestral home—France’s Burgundy region. While there are significant differences between the two regions in terms of soils and topography, the fact is that both are essentially cool climate, slow ripening regions that are ideal for producing flavorful and balanced Pinot Noir. Pinots from Oregon tend to have some of the delicacy and minerality that red Burgundy is known for as well as some of the ripe red fruit most typically found in California Pinot. Their alcohol levels are generally much closer to those of France (13% or so) rather than California (typically 14-15%). Many of them also exhibit a savory aroma reminiscent of forest floor or underbrush, what the French call “sous bois.” For me the most impressive Oregon Pinot Noirs in recent tastings, with wines I rated 92 points or higher, have come from Archery Summit, Belle Pente, Domaine Drouhin, Evening Land, Rex Hill, Roco, Scott Paul and Shea Wine Cellars. The best values among these wonderful examples are the 2009 Belle Pente ($35), the 2010 Evening Land Seven Springs Vineyard ($40), Scott Paul’s delicious 2010 La Paulée ($32) and Shea Wine Cellars’ 2010 Estate ($40). At an even more affordable price level, look for Coeur de Terre’s $20 2010 Pinot (89 points) and Patton Valley’s $20 2009 “Declassified” (89 points). Richard Jennings, IntoWine.com Featured Contributor and the Founder RJonWine.com.

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Canadian Wine: An Overview

Canadian Wines have been on the increase since the 1970s. Although increasing in popularity, these wines are still not on the radar of the large scale North American or world market. If you count fruit wines, one can find wine from every province in Canada. There are 2 major areas of production: British Columbia’s Okanogan Valley and Ontario’s Niagara Penninsula. There are countless others, but the areas with the largest output are the 2 mentioned above.

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Best Wine to Pair with Grilled Salmon

IntoWine.com asked our panel of wine experts to suggest a great wine to pair with grilled salmon. While pinot noir seemed to rule the roost as a common favorite, chardonnay proved that wine pairing is beholden to the variances of the human palate as we had strong recommendations both for and against chardonnay.

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Hiking Portugal's Douro Valley: A Pictorial Tour

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Porto, the Port Houses, & the Douro River: A Pictorial Tour of Portugal's Port Hub

Click on each image below to view a pictorial tour of Porto. Includes pictures of Porto from both sides of the Douro as well as many of the major port houses and attractions. Included you will find multiple images of La Maison des Porto, a must see port only wine bar/retail store a block off the...

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Chilean Wine Recommendations: What Is One Chilean Wine Worth Seeking Out?

IntoWine.com asked our panel of wine experts their recommendation for one Chilean wine worth seeking out (but which won't break the bank): Occasionally, a wine region reveals a level of promise that speaks to every kind of wine consumer. Today, that wine region is Chile. Forged from several mountainous valleys along the southwest coast of South America, Chile has seen a renaissance in its agricultural heritage with wine. Several producers are harnessing the unique climate and dramatic terroir (mountains, valleys, proximity to the ocean) to make world class wines. One of the most impressive varieties to date has been Syrah. A noted survivor in extreme conditions, Syrah has found a home, if not a palace, in Chile. Find Montes Alpha Series Syrahs One wine in particular worth trying is the 2006 Montes Alpha Series Syrah . Harvested from a low yield vineyard on the Apalta Valley slopes, this Syrah comes with added punch. A 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Viognier addition in the final blend establishes this wine’s firm tannins with elegance, supported by waves of blueberries, cassis, flowers, and leather. Made for drinking young, this wine could also age well over the next few years. (About $20) – Ben Spencer is a diploma student with the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and an IntoWine Featured Writer.

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IntoWine Staff

Articles

Best Wine to Pair with Raw or Steamed Oysters

Best Wine to Pair with Filet Mignon

Best Wine to Pair with Pork Tenderloin

Best Wine to Pair With Duck Breast

Best Oregon Pinot Noir: What Is One Oregon Pinot Noir Worth Seeking Out?

Canadian Wine: An Overview

Best Wine to Pair with Grilled Salmon

Hiking Portugal's Douro Valley: A Pictorial Tour

Porto, the Port Houses, & the Douro River: A Pictorial Tour of Portugal's Port Hub

Chilean Wine Recommendations: What Is One Chilean Wine Worth Seeking Out?

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