CORKSCREW CHRONICLES: Thought processes of pairing food and wine

A recent wine dinner at Harvest at Hillcrest offers the opportunity to illustrate my thoughts on selecting the most appropriate wines: Aperitif Wine: Abbazia di Novicella Pinot Grigio, Trentino, Italy ($25) — A more flavorful, concentrated example for this delicate white varietal, a complex wine with elegance, pretty floral overtones and a long, lingering finish. Abbazia is an Abbey with over 850 years of winemaking tradition. Its winemaker was named Winemaker of the Year by Italy's respected publication Gambero Rosso. I was looking for a crisp, complex wine to cleanse the palate and get everyone ready for the meal to follow. This Pinot Grigio with its richness and focused acidity was ideal. Appetizer Corn chowder, butter poached lobster, bacon, corn salsa, thyme cream Wine: Falmet Brut, "Les Parcelles" Champagne, France ($49) — A blend of 70 percent Pinot Noir, 20 percent Pinot Meunier and 10 percent Chardonnay. From a tiny estate that produces exceptionally fine and complex wines aged 42 months on the yeast. With 90 percent red grapes in the blend, it was rich and textured with hints of red fruit. My goal was to show Champagne as the stunningly fine wine it is, and to pair it with a course evidencing its ability to be served in a meal setting. Salad Heirloom tomato, baby beets, snap pea, radish, goat cheese, herb vinaigrette, micro arugula Wine: Serge Dagueneau Pouilly Fume, Loire, France ($30) — I love Poully Fume's richness and texture, so divergent from the floral delicacy of Sancerre's wines made ten miles away, directly across the Loire River. Fruit is sourced from a 16-hectare estate on the region's chalk, clay and flint soil slope, giving the wine increased body. Made from 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc, it showed exotic passion fruit, lychee, and citrus overtones. With goat cheese I immediately gravitate to Sauvignon Blanc. With the wine's texture, weight and crispness, this was a perfect pairing. White main course Seared halibut, grilled summer vegetable ratatouille, tomato cream, basil oil Wine: Cristom "Mt. Jefferson" Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon ($45) — Fruit is sourced from 22 different sites in the Eola-Amity Hills, employing seven grape clones for this elegant red with hints of tart, dark strawberry, a touch of oak and mouthwatering finish. Extremely versatile in food pairings with a wide palate appeal, Pinot Noir from a superb producer is always an appropriate choice. The grilled preparation and the tomato cream and basil oil richens the flavor of the elegant halibut, and it was time to move to red wines. Pinot Noir is flavorful but delicate and has ample acidity to pair with such a dish. Red main course Beef tenderloin, grilled sweet potato and black bean hash, chimichurri sauce Wine: Mendel Unis, Mendoza, Argentina ($50) — Blended from the best estate fruit from vineyards that date to 1928, Unis is a small-batch blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Roberto de la Mota is a fine, French-trained winemaker, moving Argentina into world-class status. Unis is rich and powerful with dark plum and roasted cocoa notes, firm structure and long finish. A rich red possessing mellow tannins with richness and full-body was needed. Argentina was the choice due to the chimichurri sauce. A lovely pairing. Dessert Berry Napoleon with ginger, mint and raspberry sauce Wine: Perrone Bigaro Rose, Piedmont, Italy ($17) — A blend of the white Moscato and red Brachetto that has 5 percent alcohol and frothy, red fruit overtones with a hint of sweetness. Very stylish and elegant. The lightness of the dessert calls for a delicate dessert wine that echoes the berry flavors and does not overpower the Napoleon's ethereal quality. Gary Twining is a certified wine educator who worked 34 years in the wholesale fine wine industry. E-mail him at winingwithtwining@hotmail.com.