This is the kind of menu that makes a wine lover want to bolt down to the cellar.
It's classic, mercifully unencumbered by overpowering ingredients such as wasabi, and custom-designed for a few quintessential pairings.
The biggest challenge for Judith Tatar and me was in resisting the temptation to trot out a separate wine for each of the hors d'oeuvre. There was lots going on in this finger food: tangy tomato-based sauces, salty soy dip for the dumplings and pungent roasted onions in the tart.
In an ideal world, a wine snob would have chosen a distinct bottle for each.
The Globe's Beppi Crosariol chose the wines for Judith Tatar's party (Simon Hayter/The Globe and Mail)
But then, wine snobs don't exist in ideal worlds. Plus, I didn't notice any octopi on Judith's guest list, so one glass per person for the perambulatory appetizer phase of the evening was going to be enough stemware to juggle.
I'm happy Tatar settled on my suggestion of Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2005 ($15.95 in Ontario), a tangy, herbaceous white from New Zealand, which, incidentally, also serves well as an aperitif with olives.
I think vibrant New Zealand sauvignon blanc is as good a partner as you'll find for prawn cocktail and tomato-topped polenta fries. Crisp and light, it has a clean, modern, refreshing feel to it, not unlike a Yabu Pulshelberg design. (How's that for a wine pairing?) A more textbook choice for the dumplings and onion tart in particular would have been a gewurztraminer, the spicy white grape that flourishes in Alsace. Gewurztraminer has a luscious, lychee-like flavour that I find marries particularly well with piquant Asian food.
It also is the archetypal accompaniment for onion tart, a traditional Alsatian dish.
Kudos to Tatar for her choice of Keegan Chardonnay (about $40) to pair with the squash soup.
I suggested a less-expensive Clos du Val chardonnay from California, but Tatar had access to some Keegan, which is an excellent producer in the Russian River Valley, northern California's analogue to Burgundy, where chardonnay and pinot noir shine. This opulent white has the creamy texture and tropical fruitiness to match the density and subtle sweetness of the soup.
For a respectable Canadian alternative, Tatar could have turned to Henry of Pelham Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2004 ($19.95).
The main course is a dish I love. It would have paired nicely with a variety of wines, but slow-simmered flavours like those in the braised ribs really standout in the company of a hearty red, preferably one with firm acidity and spice to help cut through the fatty richness.
I think the unsung reds of the Gigondas district are one of the best insider values from France. The just-released 2003 vintage of Domaine Santa Duc Gigondas ($32.95) is exceptionally rich and plum-like, with delicious nuances of tobacco and licorice.
Another good choice would have been either a Barolo or Barbaresco, two full-bodied reds from Piedmont in northern Italy that hint at cherry liqueur and have plenty of acidity.
The recently released 2001 Barbaresco from Produttori del Barbaresco ($28.95) is a standout value.
When it comes to dessert, the golden rule is to ensure the drink is sweeter than the dish.
In the case of biscotti, that is an easy criterion to satisfy, since Italy's famously brittle, twice-baked cookies are relatively low in sugar. If you've never tried biscotti with vin santo, you're missing out on one of the world's great culinary pairings.
I'm glad Tatar embraced my suggestion of Castellare San Niccolo Vin Santo ($25 for a half-bottle). It's a real insider's choice, a complex, not-too-sweet, classically styled elixir brimming with flavours of raisin and other dried fruits.
Here's a fun tip. The best way to enjoy biscotti is to dip them straight into a glass of chilled vin santo, the way the locals do in Tuscany.
It's sort of the Euro-cool analogy to dipping Timbits in coffee. Informal yet suave.
bcrosariol@globeandmail.com
