Pair Up with La Sommelierre - November 2011
Holiday Tapas
Spanish tapas are perfect for holiday entertaining because they are small plates of foods that can often be consumed without the use of forks. Here are a few of my favorite recipes and wine pairings that will make them sing.
Look to Spain for wines to pair with tapas. An intense white grape known as garnacha blanca in Spain and grenache blanc in the south of France is truly worth seeking out. To me it tastes like a cross between chardonnay and sauvignon blanc. It has rich notes of apple and pear like chardonnay although it is usually made without oak barrel influence. On the palate it carries a hint of citrus and the same fresh acidity found in sauvignon blanc. Enjoy Red Potatoes with Smoked Salmon, with a garnacha blanca or even a sauvignon blanc. Delicate smoked salmon with a creamy garlic mayonnaise, known as aioli in France and alioli in Spain, and will bring out the fruity flavors in the wine.
For the red wine pairing, chose a Rioja, the quintessential Spanish wine. Rioja is made from the tempranillo grape and has three levels of quality, crianza, reserva and gran reserva. The reserva and gran reserva levels are aged for at least three to five years respectively. I recommend the crianza level for crispy Jamon & Manchego Pinwheels. Rioja crianza is fruitier and less oaky than its older siblings so it tends to be a less serious wine.
For something sweet, try a Pedro Jimenez, a sherry-style wine that comes from the southern portion of Spain. Its dried fig, coffee and nut flavors will be delicious with the fig-based dessert found on my website. The rich mascarpone cheese gives the dish a creaminess that will balance the alcohol in the wine. And the cinnamon, cardamom and allspice give the honey drizzle an exotic kick that will echo the spice notes that come from the barrel aging.
So, go on. Pair Up!
Find recipes online at www.lasommelierre.com
