summer

Pair hot dogs and mustard with a mildly sweet version of Riesling or Gewürtztraminer for a sweet-and-spicy contrast.

The first thing I’d like to get off of my chest is that, no, not all Rieslings are cloyingly sweet, and no, “Gewürtztraminer” is not what we say when someone sneezes. Close, but not quite.

Having said that, there is a phenomenon in which sweet wines tend to calm down spicy foods (this works great with Asian cuisine hot with chili flakes, paired with a well-chilled Riesling). In fact, it is fun to test out this tried-and-true principle in our own backyards, pairing spicy brats, Italian sausages, or hot dogs (the milder cousin, but flavorfully salty) along with some off-dry (and yes, some moderately sweet versions of) Riesling and Gewürtztraminer.

I recently paired these not in a grassy suburban backyard, but in a television studio during my appearance on the morning TV segment of “The Pat McMahon Show” (AZTV). One way to build an even stronger contrast of the hot versus sweet is to up the ante on both ends: if you start with regular hot dogs, add some heat to them with different types of spicy mustards. If you are like me, you relate to the foodie’s dream pantry of having 23 different types of mustards (“No two are the same!” we’d argue, as we pondered over a jar of whole-seed or garlic-herb Dijon). The spicier the mustard, the sweeter you can go (to a point—but try and try again. This is not such terrible work).

The Riesling can come from Old World sources (i.e., European), especially Germany, in which the sweetness levels are officially classified, and acidity is known to balance sweetness and help avert a syrupy fate; or New World sources, like Australia and California, in which you will find drier versions much more commonly.  Older Rieslings are known to have a slight yet distinct petrol aroma (not kidding) but this will likely not come into play if you purchase New World brands geared towards the more ready-to-drink market.

Gewürtztraminer, which is (not surprisingly) thought to hail from the town of Traminer (in Northern Italy, near Alto Adige), is often associated with Riesling if only for their common propensity for sweetness and heady aromas. However, Gewürtztraminer does not typically reach the acidity levels of Riesling and is well-known for its signature notes of lychee fruit.

The Asian cuisine and Riesling phenomenon is a fun one to try, but today, let’s break out the buns, dogs, and mustard, and have an Oktoberfest in our mouths with our guests of honor: Riesling and Gewürtztraminer.

This post is part of a series on summer wine pairings. To see the starting post, click here.

Good examples: Chateau St. Michelle Columbia Valley Riesling 2008 (Washington, approx. $9); Fetzer Gewürtztraminer Valley Oaks 2007 (California, $7); Mirassou Monterey Riesling 2007 (California, $9).

Even sweeter picks: The spicier the food, the sweeter the wine to complement it. For traditionally sweet Rieslings, try one of these age-worthy gems from the German “doctors”: Dr. Loosen “Dr. L” Riesling 2008 (Germany, $10); Dr. Pauly Noble House Riesling 2005 (Germany, $11); Dr. Thanisch Bernkasteler Lay Auslese 2005 (Germany, $37).

© Gilat Ben-Dor.

Get out of auto-pilot mode and reach for a non-Cabernet with your burger.

There is something primal and so satisfying about the classic, hearty combination of “reds with reds.” And for summer, this hot match can still sizzle: imagine a meaty, iron-rich burger in one hand, with juices dripping down your wrist, and in the other hand, perfectly poised, a glass of robust red wine to match. Just when you thought things could not get better—oh yes, they can.

When beef comes to mind, the first red wine that is often on our lips (oh no, more puns!) is a hearty Cabernet Sauvignon. Nothing wrong with that. However, with summer here, I suspect that even those who love wool suits in the winter don a different outfit when the mercury rises into sweaty territory. Well, our palates are no less seasonal. How about lightening things up in the red wine department, and getting out of auto-pilot selections, for a change?

Those juicy burgers on the grill would sure love to have a summer fling with some Southern Rhône wines, such as those from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, made from up to 13 different types of grapes (though usually a primary blend of Grenache, Mourvedre, and sometimes Syrah). Northern Rhone rules the roost when it comes to Syrah, such as wines from the well-regarded Cotes-Rotie (“Roasted Coast”) and Hermitage; these are Syrah wines made in the elegant “Old World” style. However, bold, drippy burgers are often most at home with equally spunky wines, and in this case, I would recommend a high-energy Shiraz from Australia. (That is NOT to say that all Australian Shirazes are the same, either, though that is for another day’s discussion…). Of course, Cotes-du-Rhône spans a bit of the region and you can find some great values from there (see examples below).

Speaking of toppings for burgers, what’s a great cheeseburger wine? A great red sipper – big enough to stand up to a bulky cheeseburger, but smooth enough to sip solo while waiting for the food to be ready – is a jammy Malbec; serious plum and blackberry but without as much tannic gravel going on as the biggest of reds. Envision the curvy silhouette of a lima-bean shaped pool instead of a hard-edged Olympic-sized square – the former is more rounded, but a real pool nonetheless.

Merlot, particularly when blended (with Malbec, even), can offer background structure but enough softness to highlight interesting toppings on the burgers without competing for primary flavor status; finally, it is always fun to open up a bottle of Beaujolais, such as Beaujolais-Villages (not to be confused with the annual Beaujolais Nouveau, which comes out in November, and would be quite the anachronism here). While designed not to be a big, over-the-top wine, Beaujolais wines are made of the Gamay grape and are often crafted in a manner that guides and slides the wine into our glass and into our throats without too much fuss. And that, my friends, is what summer is all about, is it not?

This post is part of a series of “Picnic Pairings” for summer food and wine.  Check out the first series post here.

Good examples: Jaboulet Cotes-du-Rhône Parallelle 45 2007 (Rhône, France, $12); Layer Cake Shiraz 2008 (Barossa Valley, Australia, $17); Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages 2007 (Beaujolais (multi-village), France, $14).

Extreme value pick: Panilonco Merlot-Malbec (Colchagua, Chile, $4).

© Gilat Ben-Dor.

Branch out into colorful rosé territory with a match of salmon and grilled veggies.

The belief that fish can only pair with white wines is not always the case. The main factor to consider is how tannic (or how heavy and mouth-drying) your red wine is, as well as the weight and texture of the fish. There are many fish in the sea, and thus, all fish were not created equal. Lucky for us, salmon is a hearty fish, both in flavor and texture, and can withstand some heftier wines within the “light” category. A classic pairing of salmon is, in fact, Pinot Noir – the finicky, lighter-bodied red wine made famous in the movie Sideways. Somewhere in between sippy-sip white wine land and big-bad-Barolo land lies rosé wine. Yes, it’s the pink wine – though to be fair, rosés can range in hue from the faintest blush to a deep, peach-like salmon color (pun intended).

Rosés can be made from various grape varietals and the winemaking style contributes much to the final sweetness level of the wine. Unlike the well-known “sweet pink wine” that is white zinfandel (nothing wrong with it, but it spawned a widespread misconception that all pink wines are sweet), only a fraction of  rosé wines are actually downright sweet. Go ahead and give the drier varieties, especially from Bandol, Provence and Rhône, a try with your next meal of grilled salmon. The fruitiness in the rosé will not be cloying, but will provide a lift to each substantial morsel of salmon. This will work nicely with herbs grilled with the salmon, as well.

Rosés are versatile enough to also accompany that beautiful platter of grilled or roasted vegetables you’ve laid out on a pretty platter. Pairing rosé with colorful foods results in quite a feast for the eyes as well as the palate, and is yet another fun way to branch out over the summer.

This post is part of a series about summer food and wine. See the first post in this series.

Good examples: Try French Rosés from Bandol, Tavel, Gigondas or Cotes de Provence (i.e., Chateau du Rouet, Cotes de Provence; $15), or Francis Coppola, Sofia Rosé 2008 (California, $18). Value pick: La Ferme Julien Cotes du Ventoux Rosé 2007 (France, $5).

© Gilat Ben-Dor.

This corn is not anemic – it is white corn, so fresh and sweet, you may forego dessert!

Happy 4th of July! For your next backyard picnic, let’s put together a classic complementary pairing: Chardonnay and, yes, corn on the cob (don’t forget the butter). It’s not that the corn and the Chardonnay themselves are a classic pair, specifically, but the idea that a moderately or highly oaked Chardonnay is paired with a buttery dish makes for a harmonious match in the mouth. The sweetness and butter of the corn targets the toasty, buttery, sometimes vanilla-like that oak aging often lends to Chardonnay – the wine “chameleon” – so that similar elements in the food and wine are keenly matched, like a frilly bedroom set. Try this with buttered popcorn, too, and you’ll see this principle once more.

This post is part of a “Picnic Pairings” series, which starts here.

Good examples: Matchbook Chardonnay 2007 (California, $18); A to Z Chardonnay (Oregon, $17); Value pick: Jacob’s Creek Chardonnay 2007 (Australia, $9).

© Gilat Ben-Dor.

The full “Picnic Pairings” set-up from my 6/29/09 live taping of “The Pat McMahon Show” (AZTV7).

To commemorate the 4^th of July, I was recently called in to re-appear on the Arizona-based morning show, “The Pat McMahon Show” (AZTV). For this segment, I prepared a bountiful spread of classic cook-out fare, along with a line-up of my recommended wine pairings. As I set up a plate of fried chicken here, a slab of grilled salmon there, and some extra-creamy potato salad, it occurred to me that on the actual 4^th of July, back in 1776, the last thing on peoples’ minds would have been grilling techniques or chilling some Pinot Grigio before company arrives. Still, things have somehow morphed into this great grilling tradition now, celebrating good times, great friends, and fantastic wine pairings that go nicely with the full line-up of barbecue bites. I have laid out five great food and wine matches, in the form of a series, which can be enjoyed well into the summer. Follow along in the days ahead!