Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Tough Pairing - Wine and Fresh Tomatoes!

It's been a brutal summer here in St. Louis. Day after day of 100+ temps wears on even the biggest fans of summertime.
Only one thing is keeping me going.
Tomatoes.
Fresh, succulent, juicy, ripe home grown tomatoes. I love them - and really miss them when the season is over.
But pairing wine with fresh tomatoes can be a challenge. Here are some rules I follow:
No red wine
Even the lightest reds overpower the tomato's delicate flavors, and big tannic reds like Cabernet Sauvignon clash terribly with the tomato's acidity.
No oaky, buttery Chardonnays
Once again, the tomato's acid clashes with the oak.
No overly acidic whites
A little acid is okay, but, choose a highly acidic wine and you're left with one big "acid fest". This probably rules out most Chablis, Champagne and Italian whites.
I've had great success sticking to fruity, lightly acidic whites and rose' wines - both still and sparkling.
The rose's in particular go well with your classic caprese' salad.
Here are some wines I've enjoyed with my tomatoes - all available at The Market:
Still Wine
2011 Guardian Angel Sauvignon Blanc - $20
2011 Elk Cove Pinot Gris - $20
2011 Puech Haut Prestige Rose'
Sparkling Wine
Mumm Napa Brut - $20
Schramsberg Mirabelle Rose'

Tom








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