Wine Pairing At Its Best
This meal was from over a week ago, but I’m just now getting around to posting about it. That says nothing about its merit; however, it’s actually the best thing I’ve made in a while, and the pairing was perfect. I know I sound quite pleased with myself and maybe it’s because I am. Three things to go with two wines. One was my beef and broccoli. The other two came from the cellar rat’s fresh catch from Bodega Bay. I prepared the salmon two ways, one to go with Riesling and one to go with Gewurztraminer. The first was glazed with a marinade of honey, soy sauce, and garlic. For the second I made a paste of lychees and mascarpone, thinned out with some of the lychee juice.
The first wine was the 2001 Guntrum Spatlese, fondly called Yellow Fantasy. This was one of the bottles that traveled across the country with me, and I’ve been reluctant to drink it cause I haven’t seen it around these parts. From the Rheinhessen region of Germany, it is actually a blend of Riesling, Silvaner, and Kerner. It tasted of Granny Smiths and apple blossoms and went very nicely with the first salmon, matching its sweetness. The second wine was my last chance to bring home the 2005 Thomas Fogarty Gewurztraminer. While it paired well with the heat of the beef and broccoli, as usual, it was really the other salmon preparation that rocked my boat. I had a feeling it would work out since I mirrored the lychee, which for me is the most prominent flavor in the wine, and luckily, I wasn’t wrong. They were made for each other.
I was worried BK wasn’t enjoying his meal, as I had forgotten he doesn’t really like cooked salmon, but he claimed to enjoy it and ate every bite. A testament to the pairing, perhaps.
Farley Walker
2001 Guntrum Spatlese, Yellow Fantasy, 2005 Thomas Fogarty Gewurztraminer
June 21st, 2007 at 7:45 pm
Wow, Farley. Just WOW. And a German blend! I’m all slobbery here at Winehiker Central.
I owe you some photos. They’re coming!