Karel's definitive wine pairing guide for my teriyaki beef peppers dish is finally here after rigorous testing in the field. Read it and salivate. Better still, get ordering.
Karel says...
"A number of things to bear in mind. To start with, there is considerable sweetness pleasingly combined with the saltiness and umami of the soy and beef. The bell pepper adds a vegetal accent that is as assertive as it is unmistakable.
"Moreover, the rich sesame and ginger seasoning frames its own rules. First conclusion: whether one seeks accord or contrast in the beverage of choice, power and, indeed, abundance are very welcome. In wine, tannin would seem a good idea with the bell pepper, in particular when taste and scent follow that vein. However, such tannin should be ripe and "melted". Too much of it or too green will inevitably close the whole mouth up. Comparably, very forceful, piercing acidity will not compensate for sweetness (remember the salt and umami), it will disassemble instead.
"As to mineral and spicy nuances, go for salty rather than flinty (sorry, hard to grasp, I know) and be very careful with Provençal herbs and garrigue, which are not forbidden (as Hochar and Bandol mentioned below will show). But it should never be overwhelming.
"As always, cloying, sugary sweetness is completely out of the question. Finally, wines are better drunk fairly young on the merit of their primary aromas with this dish. The ones I tried were mostly not older than three years.
"Based thereon, my first choice in wine would be primitivo / zinfandel from a really good producer. The bit about a good producer applies to every wine, of course, but is worth emphasising here. Sadly, too much cheap plonk is available on supermarket shelves, typically of exactly the sugary caricature you want to avoid. Truly excellent producers include Felline, Polvanera and the Cantine San Marzano or, for that special treat, the great Gianfranco Fino. For Californian zin, try Turley or something in the same style: rich, yet so precisely structured.
"In fact, I’ve cooked the dish a few times exactly following Ken’s recipe and found Felline
Sinfarosa Zinfandel (not a typo, that’s the actual name of a Puglian primitivo) to be a superb match.
"For red wine, then, one can think of a range of other grape varieties either single or as a cuvée such as grenache, mourvèdre, cinsault, baga, petite sirah … Some of those will work brilliantly but not necessarily all, just do keep in mind the general characteristics mentioned before. Here are a few wines that I found to fit the bill on the occasion of my own cooking spree (by no means an exhaustive list).
Chakalaka, a six varieties blend from Swartland (South Africa) by The Spice Route Winery. A more elegant alternative to the primitivo. Just make sure not to overwhelm its fruity abundance with too much teriyaki sugariness.
Son of a Butcher, a Napa blend of mainly tannat made by Yannick Rousseau a French— you guessed it —son of a butcher from Gascoigne
Dinamica , a 100% baga from Bairrada (Portugal) by Filipa Pato & William Wouters. This is a fantastic value-for-money gem offering a fresher, less alcoholic style of wine to accompany the dish.
Hochar, an old-vines single-vineyard blend from the Bekaa Valley (Lebanon) of mainly cinsault and grenache made by Gaston Hochar and certainly no lesser wine from Château Musar.
Bandol Vieilles Vignes, very forceful 100% mourvèdre by Tardieu Laurent. Michel Tardieu completely destems all grapes, which makes the otherwise overwhelming tannins such a beautiful backbone here.
Ocrement Dit, a drop-dead gorgeous 100% malbec from Cahors by Valérie Courrèges. 2019 is the first vintage of this inky-black yet very approachable wine. Be one of the first to discover it
"What about varieties that leap to one’s mind in connection with the bell pepper: cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc? Actually, I immediately thought of a Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon which I had judged too sweet and heady for my taste only a fortnight before:
The Figure by Hobel With this dish, however, I would drink this wine with great pleasure and recommend it without second thoughts. Admittedly, price-wise it's quite another story. Then again, I do believe that classical Bordelaisian or Tuscan subtlety, elegance and coolness will most likely snub …
"Now, if all this seems too specific or difficult to implement, turn to that wonderful and widely available wines that fit a plethora of different dishes: Côtes du Rhône from a first-rate producer such as Tardieu Laurent, La Janasse or the inevitable Guigal, for example. It may not be the perfect match but it's sure to please.
"In that context, also look at a white Côte du Rhône cuvée labelled "Guy Louis“ by Tardieu Laurent where the simple AOC looks like a baffling understatement.
"For whatever reason, I often tend to combine Asian-influenced cuisine with rosé. That appeared rather more challenging here. Yet, here are a couple of recommendations that worked; the guiding principles are comparable: avoid overly flowery or garrigue aromas and steer away from "sunny summer terrace“ wines, you need some real substance.
Rosie, a carignan / mourvedre / shiraz blend by Paserene; Franschhoek, South Africa
Tavel Vieilles Vignes, a grenache / cinsault / syrah blend by Tardieu Laurent (yet again, let's be clear: I have no financial interest …)
3B Rosé Extra Bruto, a baga / bical blend from Bairrada by Filipa Pato & William Wouters and a double score since it fits the rosé bill as well as being a very individual bubbly!
" Beer anyone? Ken already mentioned Duvel that I can, indeed, must wholeheartedly endorse! In another vein, I’d surely also recommend Chimay Red Label Trappist."
Comments