Pair Up with La Sommelierre - February 2012
Warming Syrah
Syrah is one of those dense red wines that make you feel warm just by looking at it. A robust wine, Syrah has black fruit flavors of berry and dried plum as well as notes of tobacco and dark soil. Also, Syrah is most often aged in toasted oak barrels, which impart the flavor of bacon. Here is a meal that pairs each course with a different version of Syrah wine.
New World Syrah from California, Oregon and Washington tends to be more fruit forward and lower in acid than French Syrah. Potato Leek Soup with Sausage Lardon is a great starter on a cold winter night. This soup is rich and creamy and accented with pork flavors; it is perfect for Syrah. The fat balances the high alcohol and pork flavors are echoed in the wine.
In the Old World (read: Europe), Syrah is celebrated in southern France. The most elegant Syrah wines come from the Northern Rhone and have fine-grained tannins. Slightly more rustic versions are found in the Southern Rhone and the vast Languedoc-Roussillon. I have chosen Alton Brown’s Pot Roast recipe to pair with a French Syrah as the main course. I like Alton’s recipe because it uses balsamic vinegar (to balance the higher acid found in French wines), cocktail olives (which have a briny, earthy characteristic) and raisins (to echo the dark fruit in the wine). Add your favorite starch to catch the juices and something green to make your mother happy and you have a complete plate.
To end the meal with a touch of sweetness, head back to the states where Syrah is often made into a delicious port-style wine. The deep flavors of the Syrah grape intensify as the grapes hang on the vine and the high alcohol is perfectly balanced by the extra sugar. The classic pairing with port-style wines is Stilton, however, if you prefer less stinky cheese, try Gruyere. The tiny, crunchy crystals in Gruyere are a nice contrast to the silky texture of the wine. And, the fruit in the wine is intensified by the sharp, nutty flavors in Gruyere.
So, go on. Pair Up!
Find recipes online at www.lasommelierre.com
