Wines that shine at the table

The great thing about being in the food and beverage industry is that eating and drinking is essential for survival. The only things certain in life are death and taxes? I’d add food and drink to that list.

The problem is that most of us, so consumed by our on-the-go lifestyles and todo lists, don’t view food and drink as something that can offer us pleasure as well as sustenance. We eat and we drink separately. It’s a problem for me as well. The way I eat and drink can be summarized as “self-destructive;” most of my work week meals are ranked by how efficiently I can consume them in my car.

I recently gave a class for the United States Bartender’s Guild – Hawaii on food and wine pairing. Surrounded by colleagues at one of my favorite places to drink (The Mezzanine at Hana Koa), we delved into the science of food and wine pairings and tasted some classics. It was a great reminder of how transcendent and memorable a pairing can be.

Here are a couple of wines that shine at the table.

Roger Neveu, “Côte Des Embouffants,” Sancerre, France, 2021

This citrus-forward, mouth-puckering wine toes the line of being vegetal (green bell pepper is a common flavor of less subtle sauvignon blanc) just before rounding out into a lengthy finish. Serve it with goat cheese to experience a centuries-old regional pairing. Goats were introduced in the Loire Valley, a now-iconic region for goat cheese, in the 730s. Sauvignon blanc gained popularity in the same region because it complements the high acidity of the cheese. You’ll often see goat cheese infused with herbs. Think of this wine as the addition of liquid herb, solidifying the link between these classically paired flavors. Usually, cheese is better suited at the end of the meal, but both this wine and goat cheese can be served early on. Drink the wine as a starter and experience another classic pairing with oysters on the half shell or take it a step further by utilizing the goat cheese as crumbles on a crunchy, bitter green salad dressed in a light vinaigrette. Price varies.

Champalou, Methode Traditionnelle Brut, Vouvray, France, NV

The Champalou family are masters of the chenin blanc grape. They work exclusively with this oft-underappreciated variety and make it in a wide range of styles, though it is their sparkling wine that offers the most versatility at the table. During the recent Taste America event by the James Beard Foundation at The Pig & The Lady, I paired this wine with local boy-turned-Bay Area-demigod chef Ravi Kapur’s crispy rice salad with coconut and dill. The bubbles complemented the rice’s crunch and starch (think Pop Rocks and soda simultaneously on your tongue) and introduced a new element of texture to the dish, while the nutty chenin danced in harmony with the coconut. That the uplifted minty-green note of the wine played wonderfully with the aromatic dill was the cherry on top. I was told by many diners, including Kapur’s lovely wife, April, that it just might be her new favorite wine (and she tastes a lot of wine). It works well with almost any dish you can think of, even if you aren’t a world-class chef. Price varies.

Chris Ramelb is an award-winning master sommelier, and director of education and restaurant sales manager of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of Hawaii. Watch him on the “Wine & …” podcast, and follow him on Instagram (@masterisksomm).