food-and-wine-pairing-a-sensory-experience-robert-harrington

242
Chapter 11 Menu Planning: Horizontal and Vertical Pairing Decisions
served as a main course or as one of several smaller courses as part of a multicourse menu,
as was done here. I like to serve it with a garnish of a little basil oil and a brush of carrot
and green pea purees for a splash of color.
The cooking method (roasting), the marinade, the type of bird, and the marrying of
a red wine in the sauce reduction allow this dish to be served with a red wine as long as it
is not too big and tannic. The selection of a lighter red wine was made for several reasons:
to not overpower the pheasant, to allow the wine to match reasonably well with the next
course, and to create a progression of intensity with the red wine served with the main
course. A couple of choices from the Northwest come to mind. The menu recommends a
less common wine known as Lemberger (or Limburger). The name comes from the same
town in Germany as the famous (and odorous) cheese. The wine is a light- to mediumbodied,
fruity, and lightly tannic red wine. The grape it is made from is known as Blaufränkisch
in Austria and Kekfrankos in Hungary. The best producers in the United States
are in Washington State, primarily in the Yakima Valley. Kiona Lemberger was selected to
be served with this course. While Lemberger vines have been grown in Washington since
1964, Kiona was the first commercial winery to plant the grape in 1976 and is considered
by many to be the gold standard for Washington Lemberger. Lemberger is a modestly priced
wine with a surprising amount of character. This Kiona Lemberger is grown in the Red
Mountain appellation and has a deep ruby color, lots of fruit, relatively low tannin, and a
slightly spicy character. The intensity of this wine allows it to hold up to this dish without
overpowering it. Its spicy and fruity character plays well with the molasses, mustard, and
black pepper in the sauce.
You can also substitute an Oregon Pinot Noir or Chardonnay, which would provide
a nice combination due to an approximate body match with the dish.