The heaviest part of the cooking season is over -– Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s have passed. But there’s the day-to-day cooking chores still left for all of us. And if you cook a lot of Southern food, you may not think of wine as being a good match with fare from down South. But it is. Here are a few suggestions of wine and Southern food matches.
Fried chicken: This is a staple of all Southern kitchens.
Zinfandel, robust in its own right, to stand up to the peppery taste in the batter. Try 2002 Rancho Zabaco's dancing bull, about $11.
Sparkling: NV Korbel Rouge, a pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon blend, $12.
Sauvignon blanc: Go back to Rancho Zabaco, again about $11.
Pork spareribs: Which state makes the best 'cue? Tennessee? Texas? North Carolina? South Carolina? It all depends on what you like. Try this:
Rose: It will complement the sweetness of the sauce. I like Rabbit Ridge's 2003 Paso Robles Rabbir Rose, about $12.
Fried catfish: This is a downhome favorite.
Sauvignon blanc: Try a $9 one, from Veramonte, 2003, a great value wine from Chile.
Sparkling: Keep it simple and low-cost -- a sparkling wine from Spain -- a cava -- NV Freixenet Carta Nevada semi-dry, $9.
Gumbo: This may not fit the stereotype of Southern food, but it's a cajun dish with deep roots in the South.
Chardonnay: 2004 Clos du Bois, from Sonoma, $12.
White zinfandel: 2004 Delicato Family, $8.
Oysters: Yes, yes. It's a Southern delight. Go to Tallahassee or other cities along the Florida Gulf Coast and you'll see good ol' boys slurping down these babies. Beer is generally the beverage of choice, but it doesn't have to be. When I was an undergraduate at Florida State, I spent many nights with a raw oyster in one hand and a wine glass in the other.
Sparkling: Gloria Ferrer Vineyards 1994 Brut Royal cuvee, $22.
Chenin blanc: 2002 Snoqualmie Vineyards, $6. (This may be hard to find; email info@snoqualmie.com to see if there's a vendor near you. (I get my Snoqualmie from a shop in Miami.)
Pork chops: OK, maybe they're not truly Southern. But I see a lot of pork chops served in the South. I'm partial to frying them in a light batter and making a sandwich out of them -- adding mayo, white bread, lettuce and sliced tomato.
Merlot: You'll love the label on the Marilyn Merlot wines, about $25.
Chardonnay: 2004 Francis Coppola Diamond series, $14.
Ham: Country ham is tasty, but salty. A good, new beaujolais ought to match well.
Beaujolais nouveau: Buy a case or two when it's issued in November and enjoy it with your ham for about three months. After that, you can switch to this:
Chardonnay: 2002 Georges Duboeuf reserve chardonnay, $8.
Fried chicken: This is a staple of all Southern kitchens.
Zinfandel, robust in its own right, to stand up to the peppery taste in the batter. Try 2002 Rancho Zabaco's dancing bull, about $11.
Sparkling: NV Korbel Rouge, a pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon blend, $12.
Sauvignon blanc: Go back to Rancho Zabaco, again about $11.
Pork spareribs: Which state makes the best 'cue? Tennessee? Texas? North Carolina? South Carolina? It all depends on what you like. Try this:
Rose: It will complement the sweetness of the sauce. I like Rabbit Ridge's 2003 Paso Robles Rabbir Rose, about $12.
Fried catfish: This is a downhome favorite.
Sauvignon blanc: Try a $9 one, from Veramonte, 2003, a great value wine from Chile.
Sparkling: Keep it simple and low-cost -- a sparkling wine from Spain -- a cava -- NV Freixenet Carta Nevada semi-dry, $9.
Gumbo: This may not fit the stereotype of Southern food, but it's a cajun dish with deep roots in the South.
Chardonnay: 2004 Clos du Bois, from Sonoma, $12.
White zinfandel: 2004 Delicato Family, $8.
Oysters: Yes, yes. It's a Southern delight. Go to Tallahassee or other cities along the Florida Gulf Coast and you'll see good ol' boys slurping down these babies. Beer is generally the beverage of choice, but it doesn't have to be. When I was an undergraduate at Florida State, I spent many nights with a raw oyster in one hand and a wine glass in the other.
Sparkling: Gloria Ferrer Vineyards 1994 Brut Royal cuvee, $22.
Chenin blanc: 2002 Snoqualmie Vineyards, $6. (This may be hard to find; email info@snoqualmie.com to see if there's a vendor near you. (I get my Snoqualmie from a shop in Miami.)
Pork chops: OK, maybe they're not truly Southern. But I see a lot of pork chops served in the South. I'm partial to frying them in a light batter and making a sandwich out of them -- adding mayo, white bread, lettuce and sliced tomato.
Merlot: You'll love the label on the Marilyn Merlot wines, about $25.
Chardonnay: 2004 Francis Coppola Diamond series, $14.
Ham: Country ham is tasty, but salty. A good, new beaujolais ought to match well.
Beaujolais nouveau: Buy a case or two when it's issued in November and enjoy it with your ham for about three months. After that, you can switch to this:
Chardonnay: 2002 Georges Duboeuf reserve chardonnay, $8.
posted by McQueen | 5:05 PM
1 Comments:
Luke:
I'm new to blogging. Finally figured out how to respond to you. German wine group? That shouldn't be too tough. Lots of folks like German wine. How about going to the most popular wine or liquor shop in your area and asking them if they will post a sign for you, soliciting members. I'd also recommend you get in touch with John Brecher and Dottie Gaiter, the two wine critics for The Wall Street Journal. Former colleagues of mine, they know everything. From memory, this is what I think John's email is: jbrecher@wsj.com. It also could be jbrecher@dowjones.com.
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