slhl DELISH DISH + CHEERS
FRENCH WINES
& FRENCH TOAST
Who knew the two could be such
a winning combination.
By Lorraine Raguseo Photography courtesy of Quintessential Wines
T
he unique French toast offerings that are the hallmark of breakfasts at the historic Inns at St. Albans pose a very interesting challenge to wine-lovers. Most of the time, the simple egg-dipped bread fried in butter is the bastion of breakfast or brunch, meals where the drink of choice is more often a cocktail like a bloody mary or mimosa, or maybe a café au lait. Certainly the traditional French toast, or pain perdu as it is known in France and England, does not call to mind many wine partnerships. But, when it’s stuffed with caramelized leeks and topped with beef short ribs in a red-wine reduction, it breaks the barrier and enters the realm of wine-pairing nirvana. Going all French for these dishes, the aforementioned first recipe would work with a plethora of light- to medium-bodied red wines from grapes such as Pinot Noir. However, in honor of this unusual food-wine pairing, we are traveling to France’s Cotes du Rhone, where the predominant grape is Grenache, with Syrah also growing there. It is situated in the country’s southeast, with the southernmost part right next to Provence. There are quite a few Cotes du Rhone wines available in the United
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States, but the best match would be the value-priced Cachette Cotes du Rhone. It is a blend of Grenache and Syrah, with some Cinsault and Carignan adding a spicy fruitiness that plays off the richness of the short ribs and the mild onion-like fl vor of the leeks. When French toast laced with chives is served with buttermilk-battered, pan-fried catfish, we’re pouring a white wine with body in our glass. The Maconnais region of Burgundy, lying just between Northern (the Cote d’Or) and Southern Burgundy (also known as Beaujolais) is a hotbed of Chardonnay vines. Almost all of the grapes grown here are Chardonnay. French Chardonnay wines are usually produced without oak, so the wines have a fresh bouquet and fl vor and show this white grape in its purest state. One of the most famous names in the region is Georges Duboeuf, who was born in the Maconnais, though he became a worldwide celebrity with his Beaujolais Nouveau. Les Vins Georges Duboeuf make some of the region’s finest wines…the Macon-Villages in his signature fl wer label, with its acacia fl wer, citrus and lemon peel fl vors, are a natural with fried fish and will pick up the chives in the French toast in such a way that the hint of anise on the finish becomes a bit more
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