Which wines to pick with vegetarian food?

As it's Word Vegetarian Day I thought I'd re-run an article from Decanter on wine and vegetarian food I wrote a few years ago but still contains some useful pointers from top wine producers and sommeliers. (Some of the people quoted are now in different jobs.)

It’s a familiar problem, these days: you invite friends over and plan to open some treasured bottles. You discover one - horrors, two of them are vegetarians. What to do? Eat what you originally planned, making separate dishes for the veggies? Or make everyone eat vegetarian food and serve less interesting wines?

The panic often stems from stereotyping vegetarian food as light and salady - ‘rabbit food’ as its detractors scornfully describe it. In fact there’s as wide a range of flavours in vegetable based dishes as meat based ones - they just need a slightly more creative approach.

The obvious difference between vegetable-based and meat-based cooking is
the absence of raw or rare protein and animal fat which both tame the tannins of full bodied young reds and oakier whites. There are two ways round that if you want to drink a fine red wine. The first is to produce palate coating alternatives in the form of sauces, pures or other ingredients such as cheese or pulses that will build a bridge to your red.

“If you are looking to match the top wines of the world in a mature state, such as the best of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Tuscany and the Napa Valley, you need a dish that is classic, harmonious and balanced, whether it’s based on meat or vegetables” says former sommelier Larry Stone, now General Manager of Rubicon Estate. ”I like grain and mushroom dishes with a mushroom stock and red wine reduction myself but you could equally well serve farfel or spaetzle with a truffle reduction (made with reduced vegetable stock, red wine, a touch of kombu for body, and truffles); kasha with porcini stock and roasted porcini or risotto with chanterelles, cippolini onions, white wine, parmesan and butter.”

Alexis Gaulthier, chef at the Pimlico-based Roussillon (now at the eponymous Gauthier Soho) which has had a vegetarian menu since it opened in 1998 thinks along similar lines. “A dish such as risotto with black truffles cooked with brown butter and a bit of parmesan is perfectly able to take a red wine as is a dish of winter vegetables and fruits with a touch of cinnamon.”

“You can work with any kind of wine. Which style you choose depends how you cook your vegetables and the time of year. In spring the register is likely to be light and mineral whereas in autumn and winter you can be dealing with ingredients that are quite strongly flavoured such as salsify and celeriac.”

Gaulthier’s menus are vegetable-based rather than vegetarian so he can also incorporate meat or fish-based elements to intensify the flavour. “We might take some Jerusalem artichokes and roast them in the caramelised juices left over from roasting a joint of beef. Or cook with a crustac (shellfish) jus”

Other ingredients that are red wine-friendly include beans and other pulses, polenta, cooked tomato sauces, aubergines (eggplant) and cheese. “Add any aged hard cow's milk cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano, Saenkanter Gouda, Mimolette or Keen's Cheddar to a vegetarian dish and you'll improve its compatibility.” says Larry Stone

The other strategy is to modify the wines you serve. “The trick with a vegetable based menu is to go with wines that are a bit more mature; ones that have more finesse and elegance and a bit less tannin” says Yannick Chaloyard, general manager and wine buyer for Morgan M in Islington which also has a ‘From the garden’ menu. “With vegetarian food the flavours are more subtle so you have to be a bit more accurate. It’s easy to overwhelm a dish.”

Fred Brugues head sommelier of Pierre Gagnaire’s London restaurant Sketch takes a slightly different approach with the vegetarian menu they serve at the Lecture Room and Library. “The key word for me with vegetarian food is freshness so I look for cooler growing areas - the Loire for example rather than Argentina or Chile. Even with a cooler wine producing country like New Zealand there are some areas I wouldn’t go - Central Otago, for instance. Matching wine to vegetarian food is an opportunity to use small vintages rather than great ones. If you’re talking about red Bordeaux, 2002 is a good vintage to pair with vegetarian food - it’s more approachable and subtle than 2003 or 2000.

Even bearing in mind these caveats it’s easy to misjudge the power of a quality red. Brugues served a 2002 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir from Martinborough, now a full five years old with a richly flavoured dish of braised chicory with a spinach veloute and although the sweetness of the fruit was a good counterpoint to the bitterness of the chicory and spinach it still overpowered the dish. His alternative pairing of a crisp minerally 2004 Gruner Veltliner Kaferberg from Loimer was far better.

It is in fact these lighter, crisper, more elegant white wines that really come into their own with vegetarian food, especially at this time of year. I remember Michel Bras serving his famous ‘gargouillou’ of vegetables with a simple local white wine that cost 15 euros on his list and it struck exactly the right note. (How many 3 star restaurants would dare to do that!) Chaloyard at Morgan M had a similar pairing - a fresh crisp Vin du Gers with a creamy white bean soup flavoured with lemon confit. Sometimes, with very delicate preparations, the wine needs to play second fiddle.

What seems quite clear is that vegetable-based menus are very much here to stay - and that it’s not just vegetarians who are opting for them. Your cellar may well have to accommodate a vegetarian sooner rather than later if it hasn’t already had to do so.

Clever tricks with veggie food

To match rich whites add:

* Rich unctuous purees enriched with cream and/or butter
* Vegetable gratins with crispy toppings
* Nuts (especially almonds and hazelnuts). They pick up on the flavour of oak, especially oaked whites.
* roasted pinenuts or pumpkin seeds
* Top quality pulses such as lentils and coco beans
* Add a little cream to vinaigrettes
* Incorporate sweet, rich vegetables such as sweet potato, butternut squash and roast red peppers

To match full bodied reds add:

* Warm spices such as cinnamon, ginger and five spice (though use the latter in moderation
* Enhance flavour by roasting grilling and barbecuing, Rich caramelised flavours add a richness that helps to tame tannins.
* Use miso, soy sauce (and even Marmite) in sauces and stews to replicate meaty flavours
* Drizzle aged balsamic vinegar over your food
* Add shaved cheeses such as parmesan and asagio
* Use mushrooms, especially porcini
* and chestnuts

This article appeared in the June 2007 issue of Decanter

You may also find this article on pairing wine with vegan food useful.

Image © Franck Boston - Fotolia.com

12 wines you probably wouldn’t expect to find in Marks & Spencer

If you’re an adventurous drinker who likes to try new wines it’s well worth heading for your local branch of Marks & Spencer especially right now (August 2015) when they have 25% off if you buy six bottles.

Just as they’re pushing the boundaries when it comes to their food range they stock some really unusual wines - at a very good price. Here are 12 that took my fancy - but take note, some are only available in a limited number of branches and some seem to be out of stock (hopefully temporarily) online. You also need to buy two 6 bottle cases to get the 25% discount online

Lambrusco Secco Reggiano 11% 235 stores £9.00 down to £6.75
Forget the sweet, pissy lambrusco you drank as a student: this is dark, red and frothy, the real deal. There’s also a less common still version, the 2014 Reggiano Rosso (12% in 437 stores £6 down to £4.50) I recommend in the Guardian today. Both would be great with Italian salumi and cheeses.

Penedes Xarel.lo 2014 12.5% 145 stores £10 down to £7.50
Basically this is a still Cava - a light fresh summery Spanish white that would make great summer party drinking. (OK Cava is cheaper but it’s worth trying something new! You should also try the Fresquito dry Pedro Ximenez I made my wine of the week the other day)

Tikves Smederevka Rkaciteli, Macedonia 14/15 12% 173 stores £7 down to £5.25
One of the advantages of buying wines in a supermarket is that you can just pull them off the shelves rather than have ask for them. I certainly have no idea how to pronounce this but it's a lovely light fragrant white that would be great with mezze.

Atlantis Santorini 2013 13% 217 stores £10.50 down to £7.88
The Greek island of Santorini produces some show-stopping white wines from the local assyrtiko grape. This is a great example - perfect for grilled fish

Tbilvino Qvevris 2012 11.5% 191 stores £9 down to £6.75
If you’ve heard people talk about ‘orange’ wines here’s a chance to try one at an affordable price. They’re made like red wines so they’re quite strong-tasting and tannic - despite the low alcohol. Drink with middle eastern or Moroccan food such as a tagine or with alpine-style cheeses like Comté

Savoie Blanc ‘Coeur Terroir’ 2014 11% 216 stores £9 down to £6.75
Another unusual wine, this time from the Savoie region of France. Really light, really crisp, deliciously fragrant. M & S suggests cheese and herb tarts as a food match which would be a great pairing. Otherwise think shellfish and salads.

Dominio del Plata by Susana Balbo Terroir Series Torrontes 2014 14% 189 stores £9.50 down to £7.13
Torrontes is Argentina’s main white wine variety - a highly aromatic white that you’l love if you’re a gewurztraminer fan. Susana Balbo is one of the best producers and Salta the best region. Delicious with ceviche and other bright citrus-spiked salads.

Mesta Organic Old Vine Tempranillo 2014 14% 252 stores £8 down to £6
A bright modern juicy Spanish red I recommended for barbecues in the Guardian last weekend. Delicious.

Red on Black 2013, Nemea, Greece 13.5% 206 stores £9 down to £6.75 N/A online.
An exciting dark, spicy red from the local agiorgitiko grape. Perfect for grilled lamb and exotic middle-eastern stews.

Recanati Carignan Petite Sirah 2013, Israel 13.5% 158 stories £10 down to £7.50
In a similar vein to the above but a touch riper and juicier so it might appeal more if you’re more of a new world wine fan. Again perfect for grilled meats and bright Ottolenghi-ish salads.

Pisano Cisplatino Tannat 2014 13% 200 stores £9 down to £6.75
If you’re a Malbec aficionado you should definitely try this lush full-bodied red from Uruguay. Looks - and tastes - far more expensive than it is, especially at this price.

Hush Heath Manor Pinot Noir 2014 12% 20 stores and online £18 down to £13.50
I hesitated whether to include this as it’s more expensive and only available in 20 branches but it’s thrilling to find that England can produce such a fine, silky elegant pinot. A must-try if you can get hold of a bottle (it is fortunately also available online) Make your friends taste it blind and guess where it comes from!

What are the best wine glasses to buy?

Much play has been made over the last few years of having different shaped glasses for different wines but for those of us with limited storage space (and a limited budget) that’s simply not practical. So what are the best type of glasses to buy and what should you expect to pay for them?

The conventional wisdom is that glasses should be clear (so you can appreciate the colour of the wine), tapered towards the rim (so you can swirl it safely) and with a long stem so you can hold the glass easily without your hand warming up the contents. They should also have a fine rim so you’re not conscious of the edge of the glass as you drink (which can be the case with cheaper wine glasses).

The problem is that many glass manufacturers have taken this to extremes creating beautiful glasses but ones that are difficult to fit in a dishwasher and tragically easy to break if you wash them by hand or knock them over.

So so far as type of glasses is concerned I would go for practicality over style. A modestly priced glass that is easy to replace. This Vino wine glass from John Lewis at £20 a set of 4 would be a good all-rounder or Ben de Lisi's wine glasses at Debenhams at £8 for four are really good value. (Remember sales are a good time to buy glasses or stemware as it’s called in the US).

How many? It depends how keen you are on wine and what type you enjoy most. If you’re starting from scratch setting up home or planning a wedding list I’d probably go for two - a slightly smaller glass for crisp dry wines like Sauvignon Blanc, aromatic white wines such as Riesling and rosés and a larger glass for oak-aged chardonnays and red wines. (The point about having a smaller glass is that you have less wine in your glass and that retains the temperature of cold wines better. Remember glasses should only be poured half full not filled to the brim)

If you’re a lover of sweet or fortified wines like sherry you might want a set of smaller glasses too - the classic sherry ‘copita’ would probably be the most flexible choice.

Do you need a separate glass for champagne? Ah, that’s the big question. Until recently the answer has been a firm yes - a tall flute being held to preserve the fizz better than the shallow coupe that was popular at the beginning of the last century. But now many experts reckon that a more generous bowl expresses the flavour of champagne better. So you could use your regular white wine glasses.

A new type of glass you might want to consider are ones like SON.hyx and Sparkx that claim to be dishwasher proof. You’d have to use them over a period of time to verify that but they might be worth a try if you don't want to wash your glasses by hand (as, let's be honest, most of us don't)

If you’re keen on a particular style of wine - say Burgundy - or buying a gift for someone who is. it might be worth buying a couple of glasses for when you’re enjoying a bottle on your own or with a partner or friend. Riedel, Schott Zweisel, Spiegelau and Zalto are well-known names to look out for though there are lower cost options around.

What type of wine works best with a barbecue?

This week is National Barbecue Week in the UK and if you're planning a barbecue this weekend you might well be wondering what to drink. Here's an article I wrote for Decanter a few years ago which still holds good today, I think.

It’s a sign of the times that the latest recommended food matches for Bordeaux are with barbecued food. On the face of it it’s not the most obvious pairing but of course Bordeaux is not just top growths, or simply red for that matter, any more than barbecue necessarily involves large hunks of meat slathered with barbeque sauce.

The mere fact of cooking over coals doesn’ t create problems for wines. It simply gives the ingredient - fish or meat - a charred edge which possibly calls for a wine with more intensity but no different in essence from one you’d chose if you’d pan-fried the meat or cooked it under an indoor grill.

It’s only once you start marinating your base ingredient, adding a rub or serving it with a sauce or when you serve several different barbecued foods together with a selection of strongly flavoured salads, as is so typical of many British barbecues, that you can run into difficulties.

The main issue is which way to go - to match power with power or go for a more refreshing option - the vinous equivalent of a beer. There are supporters of both points of view, depending on the style of barbecue. US 'master griller', Steven Raichlen, author of the best-selling ‘Barbecue Bible’ cookbook series says that with classic American barbecue recipes such as Texas style brisket or North Carolina-style pork shoulder that acquire a smoky flavour from being cooked over an indirect heat you need a ‘bulldozer of a wine’ such as a Zinfandel or a Shiraz. “You could drink a really beautiful St Emilion with a chargrilled steak but not with smoked brisket”. Pieter Ferreira of Graham Beck wines agrees. “Personally, I feel the bigger and bolder the wine is the better. With meaty barbecues a bold Pinotage will work wonders.”

On the other hand fellow South African, Oscar Foulkes, the winemaker at Cloof reckons that “something cold and flavourful such as Sauvignon Blanc or rosé covers a multitude of sins. Apart from the refreshment the freshness of the wine brings some levity to the palate” while Jerry Comfort of Beringer, an expert on food and wine pairing, opines that the “classic sweet/sour/spicy style (of barbecue) is best with fruity off-dry or dry whites like Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc, white zin or a high acid, aromatic Pinot.”

Obviously it partly depends on your base ingredient. If you’re grilling seafood, for example, a fruity white might well be welcome. “At the beginning of a barbecue I often hand round hand round a glass of Mosel riesling or if I’m grilling a few clams with garlic and parsley butter I might offer a Sauvignon Blanc” says Raichlen. But it was surprising how many people I spoke to spontaneously mentioned other whites such as Viognier or Chardonnay which can deal with both the charring and the sweetness of many barbecued foods as good all-round pairings. It bore out a recent thread on NY Times wine writer Eric Asimov’s blog The Pour in which many winelovers confessed their growing preference for white wine.

Rosé too has a useful part to play at barbecues, especially the new stronger, bolder styles that have become increasingly popular over the last couple of years - wines such as Charlie Melton’s Rose of Virginia or even Bordeaux rosés such as Chateau de Sours. Their advantage being that they have both the full-bodied fruit and sweetness to cope with the smokiness and spiciness of many marinades as well as the crisp, refreshing acidity of a white wine. They also, unlike many reds, work well with Asian flavours. And, of course, they’re normally served chilled.

Modern fruit-driven reds can do a similar job. Jerry Comfort suggests a “big but soft shiraz or Zin” , Peter Ferreira of Graham Beck, a Pinotage. What you really don’t want though on a steaming hot day is some 15% tannic red served at the ambient temperature which could well be 25-30 degrees Centigrade. Bringing the temperature of bigger reds down to 18 degrees certainly helps them to retain their freshness. “I have been known to drink chilled red or - don’t tell a soul - red wine with a few cubes of ice which you can do because our reds are so concentrated” says Oscar Foulkes of Cloof.

A cool serving temperature is one reason why beer works so well with barbecue but palate-cleansing carbonation also plays a part which should lead you to consider sparkling wine as another option. Many, admittedly, are too light and dry but, again, the new generation of fruity sparkling rosés and sparkling reds like sparkling Shiraz can also be a good all-round match as, of course, can sparkling wine-based cocktails like bellinis.

Steven Raichlen also prompted me not to overlook grilled desserts, an opportunity to enjoy a fine dessert wine at the end of the meal. “In the US we cook a lot of desserts on the grill - grilled pineapple and peaches or a gooey confection of flame-toasted marshmallow, chocolate and graham crackers called s’mores (so good you have to have some more of them). With these a Moscato d’Asti can be great.” (The Bordelais will be delighted to hear that Raichlen considers sweet Bordeaux a good match for some savoury barbecue preparations too which figures when you think about the level of sweetness in many dishes.)

My own view is that the best approach to wine and barbecue is to structure or theme your event in some way rather than serve the hotpotch of different meats and salads at least one of which is bound to clash with the wine you’re serving. A selection of grilled seafood followed by steak or a butterflied leg of lamb would enable you to follow the conventional pattern of option of white followed by red.

There’s a lot to be said too for the ‘terroir’ approach: serve the same wine as the locals would with a similar dish. Look at the great barbecuing nations and think what they drink. Zinfandel with ribs. Malbec with an Argentinian-style steak with chimichurri salsa. Pinotage with a South-African style braii. Sake, with Japanese-style or even Korean barbecue. Just don’t mix it up if you’re serving serious wine.

What to match with different marinades and rubs

Better with white or rosé
Marinades based on oil, lemon juice and fresh herbs (crisp dry whites, e.g. Sauvignon Blanc)
Asian flavours such as lime, coriander and chilli (aromatic whites such as Pinot Gris, Riesling and rosé)
Middle Eastern spicing such as cumin, coriander and mint (sharp, lemony whites, dry rosé)

Better with red
Smokey or chilli-based marinades or rubs (Shiraz, Pinotage, Zinfandel)
Red wine marinades (Cabernet, Merlot or blends of the two)
Tomato-based sauces (Sangiovese, Zinfandel)
Cape Malay style spicing (sweet and spicy) (a jammy Pinotage or Shiraz)

Wine and BBQ tips

“The spicier the rub, the sweeter or more acidic you want your wine to be” James Lehman, chef Ironstone Vineyards

"Marinades based on mustard, vinegar or reduced wine will make all foods more wine-friendly” Jerry Comfort - Beringer

"If you have a basting sauce that contains sugar treat it like a glaze rather than a marinade and add it at the end of the cooking period so that the sugar doesn’t burn” Steven Raichlen

This article was published in the August 07 edition of Decanter