Sip it up a notch: Master food and wine pairings with these summery recipes

Wine is great for sipping around the pool or while catching up with friends. But wine is best when it’s paired with food. It’s a science. Considering things like the acid, fruit, tannins and spices found in wine, and how they complement the salt, fat, sugar and spices in foods is part of the fun.

Many times, you’ll see tasting notes on wine, the likes of "serve with grilled meats and game," or "best with seafood," etc. While these notes steer you in the right direction, there are still many things that can lead you down a side road to disaster.

Take for instance that sauvignon blanc you were advised to serve with shellfish. The duo would be a flop if that shellfish is cooked in a thick, tomato-based broth.

To better understand food and wine pairings, we’ve turned to culinary experts who work for and with wineries, to not just offer pairing ideas, but also recipes that are easy to replicate for the Fourth of July weekend or any summer occasion.

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Davis Estates sauvignon blanc with Thai romaine salad

Davis Estates in Napa is known for well crafted, highly sought wines, and also for its outstanding culinary program. Davis's world class hospitality center hosts a variety of tasting experiences with dishes created by Executive Chef Mark Caldwell specifically to complement the wine.

Sauvignon blanc is a near perfect wine for summer cuisine. The 2020 Davis Estates sauvignon blanc ($40) has a floral, tropical-fruit nose. It’s crisp and acidic with citrus and stone fruit flavors that make it a solo sipper but even better with this flavorful salad that is highlighted with mild heat from chili peppers.

Recipe: Thai romaine salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 (packed) cup cooked bay shrimp

2 heads romaine hearts, sliced

½ cup dry shredded unsweetened coconut, reserving a tablespoon for garnish

½ cup dry roasted peanuts, finely chopped, reserving a tablespoon for garnish

2 green onions, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons grated ginger

1 fresh red Fresno chile, minced

½ teaspoon chili powder

1½ teaspoons sugar

1 tablespoon fish sauce

½ cup coconut milk

½ of fresh lime, juiced, slice other half into wedges for garnish

⅓ cup cilantro roughly chopped, reserving some for garnish

Directions

Place shredded coconut in a frying pan set over medium-high heat. ‘Dry-fry’ it by stirring continually until it turns light golden brown and is fragrant. Immediately transfer your toasted coconut to a bowl and set aside to cool.

Gently squeeze excess moisture from bay shrimp by wrapping in a towel and pressing. Place shrimp in a mixing bowl. Add peanuts, green onions, garlic, ginger, chili pepper, chili powder, sugar, fish sauce, coconut milk, lime juice, cilantro and cooled shredded coconut. Stir, mixing well.

To assemble place sliced romaine in individual salad bowls. Scoop ¼ cup of the shrimp mixture into each bowl. Top each one with reserved peanuts, toasted coconut and cilantro. Place lime wedge next to each bowl.

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2021 Cakebread Cellars Vin de Porche with grilled herb-rubbed lamb chops

Cakebread Cellars is another Napa Valley winery with a reputation for having an elevated culinary program. The winery even hosts cooking classes where wines are paired with the featured food. These lamb chops are on the menu for the July 8th and 9th classes. We’ve got a sneak preview.

When it comes to lamb, pinot noir is a go-to red wine. However, Cakebread serves its with a rose of pinot noir. The Vin de Porche Rose also has a touch of syrah, which adds some herbs and spice. It’s a beautiful wine, big enough to stand up to meat.

Recipe: Grilled herb-rubbed lamb chops

Ingredients

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 teaspoon ground black pepper

¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon paprika

2 tablespoon. Mexican oregano

2 tablespoon. dried rosemary

1 tablespoon dried basil

½ tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 rack, Colorado lamb

Directions

Combine dry ingredients to create rub. Set aside.

Heat oven to 425. Using chef knife, remove outer layer of fat from rack of lamb, and slice rack into chops. Lightly coat each chop with olive oil and place on baking sheet. Lightly sprinkle rub over chops. Bake to warm for 15 min. Finish by searing on hot grill over medium flame, about 4 minutes on each side for medium rare

Qupe Y Block chardonnay with grilled chicken salad                  

This recipe comes from award-winning cookbook author and PBS cooking show host Joanne Weir.

The wine is a good example of a balanced chardonnay from the Central Coast of California. It has just a touch of that vanilla and oak that so many chardonnay lovers adore, but it’s not overbearing. There is a good amount of citrus to freshen the wine up, even some stone fruits.

Recipe: Grilled chicken salad with peppers and tomatoes

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 skinned and boned chicken breasts, 6 ounces each

1 red bell peppers, very thinly sliced

1 yellow pepper, very thinly sliced

½ jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

½ small red onion, thinly sliced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar

6 ounces assorted colored cherry tomatoes, red, yellow, orange, pear-shaped, grape shaped, halved

½ cup cured black olive, preferably Nicoise or Kalamata

40 basil leaves, thin strips

Directions

Heat a charcoal grill.   Brush the chicken breasts with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.  Place the chicken on the grill 4 inches from the heat source and grill until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.  Turn the chicken and continue to grill until done, 4 to 5 more minutes.  Cool 20 minutes and cut across the grain into very thin strips.  Place in a bowl with the bell peppers, pasilla peppers and onions.  Season with salt and pepper and reserve in the refrigerator.

In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar and the remaining 5 tablespoons olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the vinaigrette to the chicken, peppers and onions and place in the refrigerator 15 minutes.

To serve, toss the cherry tomatoes, olives and basil with the salad.  Place in a serving bowl and serve immediately.

Wander + Ivy Spanish red blend with grilled bruschetta chicken

The creators of Wander + Ivy have changed the single-serve wine game with this brand. Wanting quality but not always quantity when it comes to bottles of wine, Wander + Ivy wines are made from certified organic grapes from around the world. Each of the sleek bottles is 6.3 ounces for those who just want one glass of a particular wine rather than opening an entire bottle.

The red blend is made with merlot and bobal, a grape indigenous to Spain. The combination creates a balanced wine with smooth red fruits and pleasing spice. Give it a slight chill and enjoy.

Recipe: Grilled bruschetta chicken

Ingredients

¼ cup red onion, chopped

2 small cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

3 ripe tomatoes, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

3 ounces part skim mozzarella, diced

8 sliced chicken cutlets, about 1¼ pounds

2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped

Directions

Combine onion, garlic, olive oil, and balsamic. Set aside. Place tomatoes in a large bowl. Add onion, oil and balsamic mix, with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Set aside and let sit at least 10 minutes, or as long as overnight. Add mozzarella when ready to serve.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Preheat grill to medium-high. Grill chicken 2 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Set on a platter and top with bruschetta and fresh basil.

Pesto Pasta with 2020 Trivento Reserve Malbec

Malbec with grilled meats is a slam dunk when it comes to food and wine pairing. But there is more to this grape than meets the eye. Its juicy fruit and herbal characteristics offer lots of versatility when it comes to food.

Trivento is a well known, easy to find brand that is also easy on the wallet at $11. Malbec is always good to have on hand during grilling season. This summer pasta dish was created by Argentinian nutrition specialist Dr. Lucia Morotti to complement the range of flavors found in this malbec.

Recipe: Pesto pasta

Ingredients

For the pasta and vegetables:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

250 grams of mushrooms, cut into slices

1 medium zucchini, cut into 1 centimeter cubes

250 grams broccoli

400 grams dry noodles

For the pesto:

⅓-½ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 cup chopped cilantro

1 cup chopped parsley

2 garlic cloves

6 to 7 teaspoons lemon juice

Salt and pepper

½ cup pumpkin seeds

Directions

Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli, a generous pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Mix and saute for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. If necessary, add a couple of tablespoons of water so it does not stick. Cook the vegetables until they are tender.

When the water boils, cook the noodles al dente, following the instructions on the package. Strain and rinse with cold water to slow down cooking. Put the noodles back in the pot.

While they are cooking, prepare the pesto. Chop the cilantro, garlic clove and parsley. Add pumpkin seeds, salt, olive oil and lemon juice to taste. Grind all the ingredients into a paste, using a mortar or food processor. Add the cooked vegetables and pesto to the pot of noodles. Mix well, taste and add additional lemon juice as needed. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary.

Gina Birch writes about food, wine and spirits for The News-Press and at thebirchbeat.blogspot.com. Follow her as @ginabirch on Twitter and find her on Facebook. 

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Sip it up a notch: Master food and wine pairings with summery recipes