food-and-wine-pairing-a-sensory-experience-robert-harrington
food-and-wine-pairing-a-sensory-experience-robert-harrington
food-and-wine-pairing-a-sensory-experience-robert-harrington
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130<br />
Chapter 6 Salt, Bitterness, <strong>and</strong> Bubbles<br />
INTRODUCTION<br />
The Peller Estates sparkling <strong>wine</strong>s <strong>and</strong> <strong>food</strong> recommendations<br />
provide a good introduction to this chapter, which features<br />
a discussion of the impact of <strong>wine</strong> effervescence in <strong>food</strong><br />
<strong>pairing</strong> decisions. The following sections introduce the impact<br />
Aperitif Peller Estates Winery<br />
of <strong>food</strong> saltiness <strong>and</strong> bitterness on the <strong>pairing</strong> process along<br />
with an overview of sparkling <strong>wine</strong> characteristics, levels of<br />
effervescence, <strong>and</strong> the relationship between effervescence<br />
<strong>and</strong> palate cleansing.<br />
Peller Estates Winery, which produces some of North America’s premium sparkling <strong>wine</strong>s, is located on<br />
a forty-acre vineyard that is walking distance from the Old Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake in Ontario,<br />
Canada. This family <strong>wine</strong>ry spans three generations<br />
<strong>and</strong> has captured the attention of knowledgeable<br />
consumers <strong>and</strong> critics alike. More than forty<br />
The entrance to Peller Estates<br />
years ago, Andrew Peller, a Hungarian immigrant,<br />
opened a modest <strong>wine</strong>ry in British Columbia’s<br />
Okanagan Valley. This humble beginning planted<br />
the roots of a dream that would be passed along to<br />
his son John <strong>and</strong> later to his gr<strong>and</strong>son Joe.<br />
The mission of Peller Estates is simply to<br />
produce high-quality premium <strong>wine</strong>s combining<br />
the best vineyards <strong>and</strong> skilled <strong>wine</strong>making with patience<br />
<strong>and</strong> dedication. The Niagara <strong>wine</strong>ry features<br />
a 5,000-square-foot underground barrel aging cellar<br />
(350 barrels) <strong>and</strong> a 5,000-square-foot press<br />
house (1,000 barrels) that is home to Peller’s nextgeneration<br />
<strong>wine</strong>s.<br />
Peller Estates’ renowned Ice Cuvee VQA is a traditional méthode champenoise sparkling<br />
Winery in the Niagara Region <strong>wine</strong> made with Chardonnay <strong>and</strong> Pinot Noir grapes, naturally fermented <strong>and</strong> aged in the<br />
of Ontario, Canada<br />
bottle. When the lees are disgorged, a dosage of Vidal ice <strong>wine</strong> is added. The intensity of<br />
(courtesy of Peller Estates<br />
Winery).<br />
the ice <strong>wine</strong> creates a sparkling <strong>wine</strong> of unique style <strong>and</strong> finesse. The finished product has<br />
very fine bubbles with a brilliant yellow straw color. A bouquet of apricot, yeast, <strong>and</strong> ripe<br />
apple with hints of honey is followed by tropical fruits on the palate <strong>and</strong> a refreshing sweet<br />
grapefruit finish.<br />
This medium-dry sparkling <strong>wine</strong> (approximately 2.8 percent residual sugar) is noticeably sweet <strong>and</strong><br />
is best enjoyed before a meal as an aperitif or after a meal with fresh fruit <strong>and</strong> cheese. Suggested <strong>food</strong>s to<br />
accompany this <strong>wine</strong> include oven-roasted plum tomatoes on toasted baguettes with goat cheese; phyllo<br />
spring rolls with plum sauce; fresh fruit such as mangoes, golden pineapple, Bartlett pears <strong>and</strong> strawberries;<br />
cream fruit cheeses with country bread; goat cheese terrine with a dried-fruit salad; harvest butternut squash<br />
soup with maple drizzle; <strong>and</strong>, of course, salty appetizers.<br />
A more traditional approach to sparkling <strong>wine</strong> is found in the <strong>wine</strong>ry’s Trius Brut VQA. The grapes<br />
for this méthode classique sparkling <strong>wine</strong> are h<strong>and</strong>-harvested <strong>and</strong> whole-bunch pressed with the special Champagne<br />
press cycle. A cuvée of 70 percent Chardonnay <strong>and</strong> 30 percent Pinot Noir receives a second fermentation<br />
in the bottle using Epernay yeast, up to two <strong>and</strong> a half years of aging sur lie, <strong>and</strong> time-honored<br />
riddling <strong>and</strong> disgorging for removal of spent yeast cells. This process produces a sparkling <strong>wine</strong> of great<br />
finesse <strong>and</strong> style. It has exceptional fizz <strong>and</strong> an appealing toasty/yeasty character, <strong>and</strong> it can hold its own<br />
against many well-made Champagnes.<br />
This is a non-vintage brut sparkling <strong>wine</strong> with 0.8 percent residual sugar <strong>and</strong> is an excellent partner<br />
with a wide variety of <strong>food</strong>s, including pan-fried fresh perch or pickerel, chicken in a light lemon cream