Pairings with Foie from Chicago

Patrick Bottex "La Cueille" Bugey-Cerdon Rosé, Méthode Ancéstrale, Savoie, France, N.V.

Roasted Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Charred Green Garlic, Black Garlic, Preserved Plum, and Shrimp Salt

Taking a luxe staple like foie gras and serving it with black garlic and pickled plums is anything but typical. But Chef David Posey pulls it off. The black garlic adds a deep base note to the foie gras, but no obvious pairing comes to mind with garlic in play (garlic can be tricky when it comes to pairings). Patrick Bottex "La Cueille" Bugey-Cerdon Rosé has a little bit of sweetness, and a healthy dose of acidity. But more importantly, this low alcohol red wine is slightly sparkling. “I think that Sauternes with foie gras can be a little much. The acidity and bubbles [of the Bugey-Cerdon Rosé] cut through the foie gras, but Sauternes can wipe it out,” says Seitan. Seitan’s choice has a good minerality and a little brininess that winks at the shrimp salt topping, and it balances the sweetness of the foie gras. From Eastern France, the blend of Gamay with Poulsard makes for a fruity, strawberry nose and a burst of berries on the palate to balance the tangy acidity. The wine reminds Seitan of his childhood in Romania, when he used to pick sweet, fragrant, and delicate wild strawberries. But in reality, it only has just enough residual sugar to make it the perfect pairing for the acid-sweet balance of Posey’s foie gras dish.

Domaine Ostertag Sylvaner, Vieilles Vignes, Alsace, France, 2008

Eel and Foie Gras Terrine, Shiso Gelée, Gastrique Powder, Sweet and Sour Lettuce, and Chicken Skin Cracker

Chef Dirk Flanigan blends the flavors of eel and foie gras and uses a touch of saline soy in the eel sauce, as well as a sprinkling of Murray River salt, to bring together the two sweeter elements on the plate. Chicken skin “crackers” give us a break from the standard cracker, and sweet and sour lettuce battle the fat of the terrine. Sommelier Shebnem Ince always loves the slight amount of residual sugar in foie gras and picks a wine with a little residual sugar, too. This Sylvaner has a nice acidity but isn’t overwhelmingly tart. Her pairing was partly poetic though: “Sylvaner always reminds me of the cleanest, most beautiful, perfect, clear river you could ever swim in, and I imagined the eels swimming in the river.” Apt, given the contents of the terrine. The wine’s honeyed, floral nose has some exotic spices that work well with the eel sauce, and the dryness and yeasty finish helps to balance some of the fatty mouthfeel of foie gras.

Fabienne Cottagnoud, "Amigne de Vétroz Grand Cru, Réserve" Valais, Switzerland 2007

Foie Gras with Poppy Seed and Quince

Wine Director Dan Pilkey has a knack for searching out rare regional varietals. And this semi-sweet Swiss Amigne is no exception; it’s unique to the Valais region and was probably first brought there by the Romans. Its apricot and citrus nose and vanilla palate bring to mind peaches and cream. When it comes to a successful foie gras dish, Pilkey knows a sweet-savory balance helps. But texture goes that extra mile, and Foie Gras with Poppy Seed and Quince from former RIA chef, Jason McLeod, has it in spades. Gorgeous ribbons of light, pink foie gras play against the slight grit of poppy seeds on poppy seed phyllo pastry, the crunch and lively green of the salad, and fresh wedges of quince. The wine and dish work in sensual concert, as the wine melts the thin layers of foie gras over the tongue, and the wine’s tannic finish helps cut some of the residual fat. We loved the poppy seeds with this one.

Domaine des Baumard, Clos de Ste. Catherine, Coteaux du Layon, Loire Valley, France, 2006

Linear Foie Gras, Caramelized Popcorn Tuile, and Popcorn Shoots

For a fine dining temple like Tru, a Pinot that retails for under $20 is a bold move. Foie gras was just about legal when Chef Anthony Martin started playing with this dish for his first interview tasting at Tru. A crunchy caramelized popcorn tuile and tart figs marinated in ice wine vinegar pop against the smooth, light texture of the foie gras. Sommelier Chad Ellegood picks the Domaine des Baumard to pair with the dish, as its strawberry and sweet-tart cherry flavors complement the natural sweetness of the foie gras and corn. At the same time, it has an “amazing minerality and strength,” marvels Ellegood. It’s a medium-bodied pick with a heavier nose, a far cry from the fruit-forward Pinots of the United States. Make no mistake, it has its fair share of stone fruit, vanilla, and tropical fruit on the nose (a nice counterpoint to the mildly astringent aroma of the figs), but its minerality and boldness as it coats the palate ensure it’s not a fruit jam explosion. A brilliant find at a fraction of the price of Sauternes.