test kitchen: the wines
MEGALOMANIAC 2007 NARCISSIST RIESLING NIAGARA VQA $ 19.99
Gary: With the meal, the rich stone fruits like peach really come out in the wine. It blends well with the vegetables. This wine is like a fireworks display that stands apart from the chicken. It is fun to have all those flavours together on the palate.
Rick: This wine is better with the food— it softens the acidity and pairs nicely with the vegetables. It is nice to have the Riesling to constantly refresh the palate.
Joel: The nose on this is vibrant, citrusy, and zesty. Honey notes really explode in the wine. This wine goes well with the pea shoots and green asparagus, which are more difficult to pair. There is no astringency.
TAWSE 2007 PINOT NOIR NIAGARA VQA $ 38.99
Gary: This is a great statement for a very drinkable wine from Niagara. The pairing brings out a new complexity to both the dish and the wine. Just a little bit of the morel mushroom suddenly brings out a new dimension to the Pinot.
Rick: After 15 minutes in the glass, this Pinot has opened up so much. The vegetable and wine together evoke a forest floor flavour, great ripeness and complexity. I would put this up against any $ 60 Burgundy.
Joel: This is a young Pinot, so I find that the earthiness of the morels and the fruit of the wine aren’ t hindering each other, but they are distinct flavours in my mouth. The wine is not deconstructed by the food. The fruit tastes great with the herbaciousness and vegetables.
STRATUS 2002 WHITE NIAGARA VQA $ 49.99
Gary: This has great complexity. This wine has classic, intense aromas; it is a testament to the quality of winemaking going on in Niagara. It works well with every flavour of the dish, but tastes a little different with each ingredient. This wine is subtle and complex and melds with food in a beautiful fashion.
Rick: This reminds me of Conundrum on steroids: it is more interesting and complex. The colour is unbelievable: it looks like a golden olive oil. I would also like to see it paired with an oily fish or rich duck.
Joel: The flavours of the wine and the mushrooms— the whole dish— blend and taste better together. The warm vinaigrette with the wine has some sweetness and a little bit of the buckwheat bitterness that gives it a sweet and sour effect.
Also try: Cave Spring 2006 Chardonnay, Niagara VQA – $ 18.99; Malivoire 2005 Ladybug Rosé, Niagara VQA – $ 19.99; Wildass 2006 White, Niagara VQA – $ 23.99; Tawse 2007 Sketches Merlot / Cabernet Sauvignon Niagara VQA – $ 24.99; Lailey Vineyard 2003 Cabernet Franc, Niagara – $ 35.99; Cave Spring 2005 CSV Riesling, Niagara VQA – $ 43.99; Le Clos Jordanne 2006 Le Grand Clos Pinot Noir, Niagara VQA – $ 72.00
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Warm Honey Beer Vinaigrette 45g / 3 tbsp buckwheat honey 1 / 2 bottle Halfpints Stir Stick Stout( the other half is for the cook!) 15g / 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 15g / 1 tbsp grainy mustard 30g / 2 tbsp canola oil 30g / 2 tbsp hemp seed oil Salt and pepper
In a small, heavy-bottom pot, reduce honey and beer by half.
Add vinegar and reduce by half again. Stir in mustard and oils. Adjust seasoning and keep warm.
Tip: Do not stir the vinaigrette too vigorously, this will allow it to split and give a nice contrast when plated.
Join Chef Joel Lamoureux at Banville & Jones on August 26 to sample this fresh local recipe and our wine experts’ wine pairings( see page 34 for details). www. banvilleandjones. com 57