Each month, members of the Court of Master Sommeliers, an international association of wine experts, suggest wine pairings for popular menu items. Here, they offer up both premium and bargain wines that complement a variety of hearty dishes. The sommeliers do not represent or have a financial interest in any of their recommendations.
ERIC HEMER, MS, educational director,
Southern Wine and Spirits of Florida, Miami
Premium wine: 2006 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Calif.
Grape varieties: 97 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 3 percent Cabernet Franc
Taste profile: This intense, flavorful, and fleshy wine is made from eight premier Napa Valley vineyards featured in the Private Reserve since the 1970s. Rich cassis, black cherry, and black olive flavors are overlaid by mocha, spice and oak notes.
Pairings: Try with grilled or smoked meats such as beef, bison, lamb, game or sausages. It also goes well with wild mushroom risotto, well-aged hard cheeses or grilled lamb brushed with rosemary/pepper olive oil. The simple presentation highlights the wine’s complexity while complimenting the lamb’s rich flavor.
Average wholesale case price: $564 per 6-bottle case
Bargain wine: [yellow tail] Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, South Eastern Australia
Grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon
Taste profile: Sourced primarily from Coonawarra, ripe aromas of black cherry and blackberry are accented by oak spice and mint leaf. It is dry and full with berry flavors, firm yet plush tannins, with a lingering finish.
Pairings: This wine pairs best with flavorful meats like grilled beef, lamb, or venison, which go well with the fruit flavors and prominent tannin in this wine. I like it with a sirloin with grilled tomatoes and mustard cream that highlights the lush berry fruit, while the tannin balances the rich texture and flavors.
Average wholesale case price: $120
GEOFF KRUTH, MS. Wine director
Farmhouse Inn and Restaurant, Forestville, Calif.
Premium wine: Hirsch “San Andreas” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast 2007
Grape varieties: Pinot Noir
Taste profile: Vibrant red cherry and cranberry with a touch of black fruit along with violets, baking spices and a hint of vanilla.
Pairings: Duck or game birds are a guaranteed homerun with this wine. Try it with a squab breast, served rare with caramelized seasonal vegetables.
Average wholesale case price: $540
Bargain Wine: Chateau Massiac “Cuvée Sentinelle,” Minervois - 2009
Grape varieties: 50 percent Carignan, 50 percent Syrah
Taste profile: Concentrated purple color, with blackberry, blueberry, spice and dried herbs. This estate-bottled, organically farmed Southern French red is an incredible value from a family-owned winery.
Pairings: Try it with rustic braised meat dishes or pulled pork sandwiches. My favorite is an oxtail stew with olives and Mediterranean herbs.
Average wholesale case price: Approximately $108
SCOTT CARNEY, MS, beverage director,
Junoon Restaurant, New York
Premium Wine: 2007 Carparzo Rosso de Montalcino
Grape variety: Sangiovese
Taste profile: Warm, spicy Sangiovese and notes of integrated oak are the hallmarks of this medium-full bodied Tuscan Rosso. Aromas of violet and raspberry adorn the nose, and the feel is one of smoothness, balance and disciplined power.
Pairings: Beef especially, but also lamb or pork. It’s a wine for dishes like Bistecca alla Fiorentina.
Average wholesale case price: $168
Bargain Wine: 2009 Montebuena Red Rioja
Grape variety: Tempranillo
Taste profile: Fresh, youthful, spiced fruit done entirely in stainless steel. The wine is light-to-medium bodied, and will benefit from a quick stay in the fridge to counter the flames from the fireplace. With balance and the gentlest touch of earth, the wine satisfies in the most fundamental of ways: It’s red and refreshing.
Pairings: Tapas such as jamon Iberico, Manchego cheese, marcona almonds. My favorite is roast pork chops with red peppers and onions in a tomato-red wine sauce, served with rustic fried potatoes.
Average wholesale case price: $120
Learn more: Meet the Master Sommeliers. Check out bios and photos.
