slhl DELISH DISH + CHEERS
HOLIDAY WINE & DINE
By Lorraine Raguseo Photography courtesy of Quintessential Wines
UNIQUE GRAPES TAKE CENTER STAGE FOR HOLIDAY DINING t's no accident that the foods signaling a traditional Thanksgiving are such late autumn staples as pumpkin, apples, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, turnips and cranberries. Root vegetables and all kinds of squash – from acorn to butternut – are found on the menus of diverse restaurants around the country but are especially prominent in those restaurants where the produce is locally sourced and follows each season’s bounty. They can be tricky to pair with wine…many of them have either a sweetness or bitterness that often works against wine, especially those wines light in fl vor, with pronounced citrus characters or with big fruit. So, where to turn for the right libation? On the white-wine side, the answer is Chenin Blanc. It is a lesser-known grape that, at its best, shows both tropical fruits and white fl wers, like acacia. It should have enough fresh acidity to stand up to foods that might defeat other white wines – and
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many reds. When you add seafood to the mix of whatever dish is being served, such as a rich chowder with smoked clams as well as ham and enough pumpkin to give it an orange hue, as is served by Chef Carl McConnell at Stone Soup Cottage, then you’re truly in Chenin’s fl vor wheelhouse. While Chenin Blanc is a French grape that is usually grown in cooler climates, some of the best Chenin comes today from South Africa, where it is considered the country’s signature white wine. A textbook version of this wine, with all the aforementioned attributes, is Simonsig Chenin Blanc. It is made by one of the pioneering wine families in the famed Stellenbosch region just outside Cape Town and has been rightly praised for over-delivering on great taste at a modest price. Another grape that works especially well with November and December holiday fare is Cabernet Franc. In France, this grape is included in red blends, particularly from the Bordeaux
NOV/DEC 2017 STLOUISHOMESMAG.COM
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10/11/17 3:17 PM