Local Flavors Toast to the bounty of the season! Taking time to find the perfect beverage to accompany your meal will ensure your feast is unforgettable. Ah, autumn and winter. It's time to pull out those velvety reds and flowery white wines. So many drinks can make irresistible flavor companions to coldweather favorites. From tossing a fall vegetablefilled salad with some toasted pecans to dusting a hearty pasta dish with just the right amount of grated parmesan cheese, there's a local beverage that's just right. Looking for something to complement an oyster or seafood dish, or a red meat? Luckily, Kate at Feast has pairing ideas for us.
CABERNET FRANC 2014 feast!
STEAK, LAMB AND ROASTED VEGETABLES Virginia is a most hospitable climate for growing Cabernet Franc grapes, and our local winemakers have a talent for coaxing its juice into a world class bottle of wine. One of the finest at this art is Charlottesville resident, Riaan Rossouw. Raised in South Africa by French and German parents and with a winemaking lineage he traces to his great-grandfather, Rossouw fell in love with a Virginia girl, found a winemaker position at Lovingston Winery, and developed a cult following for his “r” label wine. A smooth and velvety Cab Franc that’s not too tannic or heavy, it’s a tasty choice every time you want a medium-bodied red, but it pairs especially well with steak or lamb and shiitake mushrooms, roasted kale and fingerling potatoes. At Feast, they sold so many bottles of it for the last two years that this year they are buying the whole vintage and making it their first private label “feast! wine.”
WORDS BY KATE COLLIER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY R. L. JOHNSON 48