Few occasions carry as much symbolism as the exit of an old year and the dawning of the new one. It’s a time for reflection of what was and for welcoming all that will come with customs to draw good luck and prosperity. Those traditions, of course, include food.
Here, master sommelier Chuck Furuya ups the ante on the enjoyment of those special dishes, pairing three iconic New Year dishes with the perfect wine: sashimi, a local must-have at party buffets; ozoni, a Japanese mochi soup; and Hoppin’ John, a Southern dish of black-eyed peas, rice and pork.
OZONI
» Ozoni brings memories of my time at the (now-closed) Maile Restaurant at the Kahala. Every New Year’s Eve, one of the servers would come by with her family to make their version of ozoni for the staff. The soup was not only a way to say goodbye to the old and hello to the new, but it was ideal for relaxing after a long, grueling night of service.
The ideal match for this iconic dish is the 2012 My Essential Rosé (about $15), an ethereal and delicious pink wine from Provence, France. This one is rich enough for the savory soup yet also crisp and refreshing enough to keep the palate fresh between bites.
SASHIMI
» A good fit, if you can find a bottle, is the Oroya (about $11 a bottle), a dry, effortlessly light white wine comprising three indigenous grape varieties of Spain. The wine was crafted by Japanese-born Yoko Sato, who flew to Spain each year just to make the wine. Though Sato no longer produces Oroya, it is still available in the isles at specialty wine stores.
» If you can’t get your hands on a bottle of Oroya, I highly recommend the Birichino Malvasia Bianca (about $15). This is an exotically perfumed white produced from the malvasia grape, grown in Monterey, Calif., and crafted by former Bonny Doon winemaker John Locke under his own Birichino label. The fragrance of the wine heightens the freshness of the fish, and its innate crispness complements the fish as would a squeeze of lemon or yuzu. This pairing is surely out of the box, but one you will enjoy if you like wine with your food.
HOPPIN’ JOHN
» For this tasty, savory and smokin’-good dish, I suggest another dry rosé, specifically the Birichino Vin Gris (about $15). The core of this dry, pale pink wine is cinsault grapes from a 126-year-old vine, with grenache from a 100-year-old vine blended in, and a dash of vermentino for completeness. This lively rosé works well with a wide array of foods, including a challenging dish such as this one. Typical of winemaker Locke’s wines, this one is wonderfully food-friendly.
———
Chuck Furuya is a master sommelier and a partner in the DK Restaurants group. Follow his blog at chuckfuruya.com.
