Top Pairs Vol. 14: Food and Wine Pairings from DC

Domaine Georges Vernay Viognier, Cuvée le Pied de Samson, Rhone Valley, France, 2008

Summer Vegetable Cookpot: Tagliacci Olives, Tomato, Zucchini, Zucchini Blossoms, and Eggplants

Ramon Narvaez pairs this rich, full-bodied and complex Viognier with Chef Julien Jouhannaud's seasonal vegetable cookpot, successfully balancing the wine and the dish's two notorious wine "enemies:" tomatoes and artichokes. Tomatoes and artichokes usually pose a problem when selecting a wine pairing, but the acidity of this Rhone Valley white acts as a compliment to the acid of both vegetables, and its spices and exotic fruit are complex enough to take this pairing beyond the straightforward. This bottle also boasts a long finish and more weight than the average Viognier. Conventional sommeliers might choose a lighter-bodied white for this dish, but the vibrant and lively acidity of this recent release balances its heavier density and mouthfeel to create a balanced partner for the delicate elements of the dish, like the zucchini blossoms, and the more robust elements like the brinier olives and smoky eggplant.

Verdelho Blandy's Madeira, IVM, Portugal, 1968

Pan-Roasted Veal Sweetbreads, Celery Root, Watercress, Smoked Bacon, and Black Pepper-Caramel Jus

Sommelier Sebastian Zutant is completely off-beat in every way—from his wine list structured by the glass to his attire—so it should come as no surprise that he selected a Madeira to pair with Chef Haidar Karoum's luscious sweetbreads. This stunning and seductive amber elixir incorporates intense aromas of vanillin and toasted nuts (or as Zutant puts it "crème brûlée and almond") that underscore the sweetness of the bacon fat-enriched black pepper-caramel jus. But as a Madeira it naturally has a significant bite that cuts the richness of the dish and stands up to the mild spice of the black pepper in the jus. The viscous texture of the Madeira with the silky sauce of the dish and the puddingy interior of the sweetbreads works well against the contrasting caramelized exterior of the seared sweetbreads. Against such a strong flavor profile, the celery root is more of a back note, but cuts the syrupy medium nappe of the sauce with a hint of earthiness.

Zilliken Riesling Sarrburger Rausch, Spatlese, Saar, Mosel, Germany, 2004

Vol-Au-Vent of Caramelized Sweetbreads, Seasonal Baby Vegetables, Bittersweet Apples, and Madras Curry Infusion

Sommelier Michael Scaffidi selected a late harvest Riesling from Mosel in Germany, which is very low in alcohol and has a delicacy that compliments Chef Damon Gordon's sweetbreads. Both petrol and fruit are apparent on the nose, with the typical apricots of a Riesling immediately apparent. But unexpected passion fruit and crisper fruits like fresh green apple and pear offer a balance to the marked sweetness of the late harvest wine. The seemingly endless dry, crackery finish makes for a balanced wine that plays up the spices of the Madras curry vol-au-vent sauce. The raisiny sweetness of the dried apples and heat of the curry sauce benefit from this sweet-dry contrast and the dish is allowed to sing as a result; Scaffidi generously emphasizes the food in this pairing, rather than trying to top it with an overwhelming wine pairing.

Falesco Roscetto "Ferentano", Lazio, Italy, 2006

Brown Butter-Poached Lobster, Vanilla, Spiced Rum, and Braised Endive

Young Sommelier Brent Kroll pairs Chef Conte's buttery lobster dish with an atypical pick, steering clear of a commonly made California Chardonnay and lobster pairing. Lazio, near Rome, isn't acknowledged as a great wine area, but this varietal takes on the weight of a Chardonnay, so it mimics the complimentary weights of this traditional pairing for lobster. However, the apricot and orange peel character of a Condrieu, in Kroll's choice add complexity to the sweeter characteristics of the dish, like the vanilla and spiced rum. A slight note of truffle in the wine helps play up the mild bitterness of the endive. No malolactic fermentation comes into play as it would in a Chardonnay, so the weighty though delicate lobster is nicely balanced with the minerality and earthiness of the wine. And as it is bottle-aged, it gains more secondary notes with time.

Hamilton Russell Chardonnay, South Africa, 2008

Pan-Roasted Loch Duart Salmon, Globe Artichoke "Stew," Pearl Onions, Fava Beans, Spring Garlic, and Baby Carrots

Beverage Director Caterina Abbruzzetti selected a South African Chardonnay from the most southern part of the country to pair with Chef Morton's salmon from Loch Duart. The family-owned vineyard's coastal location lends great terroir of stone soil similar to Burgundian slate to this wine. The pear and apple aromas make the plump and fatty salmon really sing, and the wine's crisp acidity emphasizes the spring fava beans, carrots, and other vegetables of this dish. Pungent garlic is often a challenge for sommeliers, but the slow-cooked garlic in this dish acquires sweetness over time and as the artichokes in the stew are cooked with oil rather than acid, they don't present the same foil for wine that tangy lemon would. Aged in French oak, this small production wine shows how rewarding finds from this often over-looked region can be.