Barbeque Wine Tasting
In the Cloverleaf Newsletter for 11 May 2007 I wrote about a hazy, perfect Alsatian Riesling made by Marc Tempé. I challenged local restaurateurs to carry it ("Alert me if you see a restaurant carrying this amazing wine and I will dedicate an entire newsletter to them.") Well the new wine list for Slows Bar-B-Q was made effective this week and there it is, $40 a bottle.
Slow's doesn't exactly need any more publicity (did you see the recent article in Wall St. Journal that singled out the Slows burger?). The "slow" cooker can't keep up with demand as it is. It's common to wait longer than an hour for a table. But a deal is a deal, so here's the newsletter.
Does wine even go with barbeque? I thought it was a settled fact that dry rubbed, slowly smoked meats are ideally paired with lemonade, iced tea, or if you're not in a dry county, cold lager beer.
It's not that "wine" goes with barbeque -- Miles' Cheval Blanc in Sideways would be overwhelmed by the spices and sauces of a place like Slows. But as I've learned this past week, the properly selected natural, lively, pure fermented grape juice goes better with barbeque than anything else one might imagine.
To prove this, Slows will host a wine tasting on Sunday, June 24 at 3pm. The cost is $35, plus tip. Seating is limited to 25 people. I have been authorized to take reservations and payment, so call me as soon as possible.
I believe this is one of the best wine lists you will ever see. I would love to take credit for writing it, but all I did was eat there frequently and nag management with the goal of seeing them offer one or two of my favorites.
Here are some of my tasting notes from this past week:
2004 Côtes du Rhône, Domaine de Montagnette (from the Estezargues co-op.)
… with brisket enchiladas. Warmth, sharp acidity and blunt tannins dig into the smoky meat filling. The effect simultaneously sweetens and lightens the wine in a way that multiplies drinkability. Six ounces of wine disappeared before I got to the second enchilada, so I ordered another glass.
2006 Côtes du Rhône Rosé, Domaine du Vieux Chene “Capucines”
… with fried catfish and house remoulade. The key here is the remoulade. I think there might be some anchovy in it; it’s pickle-y and sharp tasting. This quality cancels out the slightly abrasive and chalky structure of the wine making for a flavor rush of preserved fruit juice essence. Hedonistic. Again, more than one glass is required to finish the appetizer.
2005 Cheverny Rouge, Thierry Puzelat
2005 Macon Charnay, Pierre Manciat
… with pulled pork, St. Louis ribs, baked beans and macaroni and cheese. On a previous occasion I discovered an affinity between this Cheverny Rouge and Slows jambalaya. This time it was the baked beans. I believe the common thread is celery seed; Slows uses plenty of it in both dishes. Cheverny must go well with celery seed. With the meats the Cheverny was pared down to a shadowy whisper of fruit, like blackberry juice and water, but it lived and breathed, with no loss of its distinguishing features. I plan on repeating frequently.
The Macon was a nice drink for sitting at the bar, but I believe its charms are too subtle and clean to add much to the volumes of flavor found on this table of food. Next time maybe we’ll try it with blackened catfish (which also comes with remoulade).
2005 Gavi, Cascina degli Ulivi
There’s some kind of raw cinnamon, lemon, sandalwood, and green apple kick to this wine. As a straight drink it is large, unsubtle, and perfect. However, with a Charles Bronson salad and smoked wings it gains focus, transforming into a pointed articulation of profoundly delicious white wine. I believe its true calling is as a pairing with jambalaya and gumbo, but they were out of those items the night we ordered this wine.
Charles Bronson Salad
NV Rosé Giroflées (2005 Domaine de Bellivière)
We had this one last night, and I haven't uploaded any pictures yet. We enjoyed it with blackened catfish, jambalaya and brisket. It is naturally 14% alcohol, with the slightest amount of residual sugar, scarce tannins and spicy, funky Pineau d’Aunis varietal character. Ever since one memorable meal last November I have been referring to it as "Thanksgiving wine." I believe this is the pairing dilemma equivalent of a "nuclear option." It goes brilliantly with everything on the menu, even mac and cheese.
On two separate occasions we started with half-bottles of Champagne, both top-notch Bruts grown and bottled by their producers. The A. Margaine was the more soft-textured of the two, clean and minerally, with a bloom of Maraschino liqueur aroma. The Gaston Chiquet was more zesty and dynamic, with a lemon and herbal tea perfume to complement a sappy rye fruitiness at its core.
On every occasion I concluded my meal with an opaque purple glass of unfiltered porto from Quinta do Infantado.
If you want a glass of Pinot Noir you'll have to order a bottle. Fortunately, now you can carry out whatever you don't finish.
Wine manager Jeff E.
Nothing is more refreshing than a dryish 2006 Joseph Leitz Dragonstone Riesling, available by the glass.
