In my days of working in "white tablecloth" fine-dining restaurants such as the Maile, La Mer and Bagwell’s 2424, with their classic French-oriented menus, chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon had their golden moments, especially when paired with cream- and butter-infused sauces.
Today the culinary world is greatly changed, especially at fine-dining establishments. There is a whirlwind of takes on foods that incorporate a fusion of various ethnic cooking ingredients, techniques and cultures.
Paralleling this change in food trends is the evolution of the art of wine pairing.
One of the growing white-wine categories to consider is what I refer to as the "aromatic grape varieties." In the old days the most well known of this group were the gewurztraminer and riesling varieties.
Today, in addition to that duo, there are other grapes growing in availability and demand, such as albarino, chenin blanc, malvasia and grenache blanc.
How do aromatic wines affect a dish? Here’s a simple example: Imagine cutting into a fresh, chilled, locally grown tomato and adding some salt, pepper and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Sounds tasty, right?
Add to that some torn sweet basil or shiso and you’ve created another taste experience. But the herby, somewhat mentholating qualities of the basil and shiso add dimension without detracting from the tomato itself.
Pairing wines at the recent "Made in America" event at the Four Seasons Hualalai made this concept much clearer to me.
A simple fish ceviche, cured with lime, spice and fresh Chinese parsley, for example, can be quite the challenge to pair. At this event, we found the Birichino Malvasia Bianca (about $15 a bottle), which works well with such preparations. This wine smells like lychee and rose petals with a crisp, limelike edge that created a dynamic combination with the dish.
Another interesting wine, though more low-key in its aromatics, is the Oroya (about $11), a dry, light, crisp and lemony offering from Spain by Japanese-born winemaker Yoko Sato. (This wine also pairs well with thinly sliced fish served with ponzu — soy and citrus — sauce.)
Another dish that was challenging to pair was the "Fresh Hawaiian Shrimp with Jacob’s andouille and organic white grits," a creation of chef John Besh of August Restaurant in New Orleans.
We selected the Cypher Grenache Blanc (about $25), a masculine, minerally white wine from the limestone hillsides of Paso Robles, Calif. This wine had enough lushness to handle the grits as well as the andouille’s fattiness, while its aromatic perfume and uplifting minerality greatly heightened each mouthful.
One of the most interesting and formidable pairings of the event, however, involved chef David Kinch’s (Manresa Restaurant, California) Strawberry Gazpacho.
Half of the strawberries had been simmered for two hours over a double boiler, while the rest were blended with onions, bell peppers, cucumbers, garlic, tarragon and extra-virgin olive oil. The result was a cold, refreshing soup.
For this unusual dish, we selected the Malvira Birbet (about $24), a fruity, slightly sweet, enticingly fragrant, lightly fizzy red wine from Italy’s Piemonte region.
The wine functioned as a sorbet would, refreshing the palate between bites in a cool, uplifting manner.
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Chuck Furuya is a master sommelier and a partner in the DK Restaurants group. Follow his blog at chuckfuruya.com.
