Weekly Wine Notes From Brian Kemmerle
Bentley’s Wine Steward, Brian Kemmerle regularly offers his insight and experience to help select the perfect wine to accompany Chef Derek Ridgway’s dishes. Here is Brian’s recommended food and wine pairing for this week!
This week’s featured food and wine pairing involves locally raised Oregon lamb. The tenderloin is marinated in harissa, a North African chili paste, grilled and served with Israeli couscous, the larger wheat-based variety, ratatouille and a mint pesto.
This is a tough dish to pair due to the harissa. Red chili flavored dishes need something to cool and refresh the palate, which is why many people drink a sweet, milky-like mixture with this style of dish or wash it down with a malty beer. However, I like a challenge, so I’ve selected the 2007 Dusted Valley Vintners“Boomtown” Syrah for the pairing.
The wine has enough ripe black fruits, soft tannins and a lingering sweet oak-y finish to compliment the flavors of the dish. This is not a wimpy wine! Warning, the heat will continue to build on the palate, but you probably enjoy that kind of thing. Cheers!
