The Cheers National Wine Panel recommends
a lineup of top food-friendly wines.
Increasingly, operators are being asked to pair wine with dishes they serve. To aide them in their search for the perfect match, we’ve asked our national wine panel to pick their favorite food friendly wines, and give us a sense of which dishes pair well with them. You’ll find the full range of wines here, from sparklers and minerally whites to full-bodied reds and sweet finishers. As always, these selections include brief tasting notes, a numerical rating and the wine’s suggested retail price (which varies market to market).
FIVE STARS ***** (97) Bollinger Special Cuvee Pinot Noir/Chardonnay NV (France). Seamless aromas of oatmeal and bread dough complemented by flavors of white chocolate and raw mushrooms; great length on the mid-palate with crisp racy acidity; pairs well with creamy wild mushroom risotto. ($56)
*****(97) Domdechant Werner Hochheim Domdechaney Riesling 2003 (Germany). “Erstes Gewachs” is the “grand cru” of Germany; the Werner estate has been family-owned since 1780; boldly aromatic with floral and tropical fruit notes, it totally coats the palate with fruit and creaminess; stunning; pair with grilled Northwest king salmon. ($45)
***** (96) Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma 2001 (California). Smooth and elegant yet possessing enough soft tannins to make it approachable now and possible to cellar for 10 more years, as well; clean cherry flavors and a note of vanilla and toasty oak rounded out by cedar wood and tobacco; superb with rack of lamb, venison or rib-eye steaks. ($58)
*****(94) Niebaum-Coppola Cask Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 (California).Opaque-ruby red color, aromas of black cherries and violets, flavors of sweet black cherry, dark chocolate and rum raisin; great with prime NY strip sirloin & roasted prime rib. ($45)
*****(96) La Selvaccia Brunello 1999 (Italy). A dazzling display of truffles, mocha, anise, black currants and tar all swirled together in this exceptional Tuscan masterpiece; product of its incredible vintage and masterful winemaking, it’s drinkable now and for the next decade. ($40)
*****(95) Poggio Le Coste Barolo 2000 (Italy). Exquisitely crafted and exceptionally complex, this beauty begs for a porterhouse or leg of lamb; wild berry flavors combine with sweet spices, lavender and rose petal to culminate in a full-sensory explosion on the palate; delicious now and sure to improve with a few years of bottle age. ($40)
*****(95) Domaine El Bordj Coteaux de Mascara A.O.G. 2000 (Algeria). What a delicious, food-friendly wine at an incredible price! A.O.G. (Appellation d’Origine Garantie) is the equivalent of France’s A.O.C.; predominantly grenache and carignan; cinsault, syrah, mourvedre, cabernet sauvignon, alicante bouschet and local varieties are present; great with roasted leg of lamb and couscous. ($9)
***** (95) Ottella Lugana D.O.C. 2004 (Italy). Lugana is in Lombardy at the southern end of Lake Garda; made from trebbiano di Lugana; fragrant with floral and fresh pear notes; creamy on the palate with hints of melon and pineapple, crisp and dry on the finish; elegant; serve with crab vermicelli. ($18)
*****(95) Domaine Leflaive Puligny Montrachet Les Pucelles 1995 (France). A youthful wine, full bodied with citrus, honey and a pretty spicy component; rich and powerful yet perfectly balanced with an impeccable lengthy finish. ($75)
*****(93) 2 Up Shiraz 2004 (Australia). From the Kangarilla Road winery comes this delightful, less expensive shiraz named for a popular game of chance played in pubs throughout Australia; the wine is dense, dark and delicious. ($15)
*****(93) Rombauer Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 (California). Rich, ripe and juicy flavors of berry, currant, plum, and blackberry; hints of pepper, and spice; super-smooth; serve with roasted duck or beef. ($44)
*****(93) David Bruce Sonoma Pinot Noir 2003 (California). Fantastic effort from David Bruce; elegant, fruit-forward, friendly, just plain yummy to drink by itself or with roast chicken, grilled veggies or with simple salmon and tuna. ($28)
*****(93) Fabula Rosso Monteregio 2003 (Italy). Aromas of cherry, black olives and forest; pronounced flavors of dark cherry and black olive abound in a crisp, medium-bodied package that shows abundant but beautifully integrated tannins; grilled lamb with rosemary and black olives are a seamless match. ($15)
*****(92) Murphy-Goode Snake Eyes Ellis Ranch Zinfandel 2002 (California). This is a huge zin with gobs of fruit, pepper and spice; will need a couple of hours airing out; long finish; have with a thick Tuscan steak or T-bone. ($39)
*****(92) Schramsberg Brut Rosé 2002 (California). This flavorful, complex, and dry sparkler is well balanced with strawberry/raspberry flavors and subtle notes of creamy vanilla and spiced orange; grilled salmon with a selection of summer vegetables off the grill, or seared Ahi tuna with micro greens, and aged (2 to 3 years) Vermont Shelburne Farms cheddar are all excellent pairings. ($32)
*****(92) Giacomo Conterno, Barbera d’Alba 2001 (Piedmont, Italy). A guardian of traditional wine making, Conterno represents textbook barbera; lush and rich black cherry flavors abound, balanced with good acidity; good with pan roasted duck breast with an espresso fig sauce, chestnut purée. ($22)
*****(92) Domaine des Baumard “Trie Special” Savennieres 2001 (Loire, France). Made from 100% chenin blanc, this wine could stylistically be mistaken for white Burgundy; round and succulent fruit with a soft opulent finish; pair with scallops. ($25)
*****(92) Dashe Dry Creek Zinfandel 2002 (California). Features ripe raspberries and baking spice flavors tailored for finger-licking good barbeque. ($23)
***** (92) Culley Sauvignon Blanc 2005 (New Zealand). Big, rounded, well-balanced, refreshing gooseberry; great with salad and green vegetable courses; good with lighter fish meals done with a lemon sauce or caper/tomato component. ($12)
*****(92) Bourassa Odyssey Zinfandel 2003 (California). Big and attractive with floral notes; spicy pepper, red cherry and raspberry fruit aroma with notes of pepper and mint with an added layer of vanilla; barbequed beef ribs slow roasted over an open flame, or gourmet hamburgers and pizza, of course. ($32)
*****(92) Sonoma Coast Vineyard “Sonoma Coast” Chardonnay 2002 (California). Beautifully balanced with a finish that lingers on the palate; dry and elegant; match with lobster and light chicken dishes. ($44)
*****(92) Tyrus Evan Claret 2003 (Washington). Dark garnet/purple, with a full, lush bouquet of bright red fruit aromas (cherry and raspberry) beautifully framed by oak; some sweet licorice and cassis notes peek out as well; medium-bodied and dry on the palate, it shows off a good punch of fruit flavor, with raspberry, Bing cherry and oak spice, all accented by almost citrusy acidity; good tannin and a long finish; pairs with hearty meat dishes. ($30)
*****(92) B.R. Cohn Silver Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 (California). A rich and intense cabernet with the perfect balance of acidity and tannin; open an hour before serving and pair up with your favorite cut of beef or bison. ($20)
FOUR STARS **** (91) Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2001 (Tuscany, Italy). From one of the finest producers in Tuscany comes this Sangiovese-grape based wine; bright cherry fruit flavors with earthy notes of cedar and light spice; pappardelle pasta with a ragout of oxtail. ($15)
****(91) Ichanka Torrontes 2004 (Spain). Produced from the indigenous torrontes grape, aromas of pear and honeysuckle burst from the glass; the wine is medium-bodied and fresh, combining some of the best qualities of riesling, viognier and chenin blanc. ($8)
**** (91) Gaja “Promis” 2002 (Tuscany, Italy). A blend of merlot, syrah and sangiovese; freshly-shaved cedar tossed with a medley of sweet raspberries, black cherries & alpine strawberries; medium-bodied and smooth, with focused cherry jam, kirsch and a micro-sprinkle of lavender; generous acidity leads to small dose of sweet velvety tannins; try this food-friendly wine with a center-cut rib eye. ($45.55)
****(91) Kurt Angerer Kies Gruner Veltliner 2003 (Germany). The newest and hippest food-friendly grape around; smooth, lush and crisp; serve it with salads, pasta dishes, chicken, fish with lemony sauces and cream sauces, too; seafood loves this wine, especially lobsters. ($13)
****(91) Trimbach Pinot Gris Reserve 2002 (Alsace, France). No oak, no residual sugar to give complete dryness; flavors of peaches and pear, high acidity; pair with crab cakes, clams casino, tuna tartare and steamed clams with white wine and garlic. ($23)
****(91) Santa Rita Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2003 (Chile). A bright and energetic sauvignon blanc with a wonderful, refreshing finish; melon and grapefruit flavors make this a perfect wine for fish or pair with leaf lettuce salad, pine nuts, blue cheese and vinaigrette. ($14)
****(91) Courtney Benham Sauvignon Blanc 2004 (California). Crisp flavors of green apple softened by a mellow touch of peach and pear are evidence of the wine’s complexity and changing flavors that lead to a satisfying finish; a great choice with seafood stews and broiled salmon with buerre blanc. ($12)
****(91) Domaine des Aubuisiers Vouvray 2004 (France). Probably the most food-friendly French wine; enough base to drink with red meats but perfect with everything from Asian food to Thai to barbecue chicken. ($17)
****(90) E. Guigal Hermitage 2001 (France). Medium/dark purple, with a garnet/ruby edge; full-bodied and round on the entry, with firm acidity arriving quickly; red and black cherries dominate the palate, with herbal accents and firm tannins drifting in the background; goes with simple grilled or roasted meats, and once it sheds a bit more tannin, will make a good match for game birds. ($55)
****(90) Scott Harvey Amador County Mountain Selection Barbera 2002 (California). A gorgeous example of what California can do with a great Italian variety; a bouquet of violets and blackberry leads to rich ripe flavors of cherry, mocha and sweet, toasty oak; supple tannins balance out this gem; serve with your favorite pasta dish. ($20)
****(90) Hill of Content Pinot Noir 2003 (Australia). Dry cherry fruit balanced by just the right touches of oak; match with grilled salmon steaks. ($19.50)
**** (90) The Gatekeeper Shiraz 2002 (Australia). Very flavorful for the price; great varietal flavor without being overly fruity; try with hamburgers or grilled pork tenderloin. ($15)
****(90) Donnafugatta, “Tancredi” Nero d’Avola 2001 (Sicily, Italy). Hints of mint and licorice with structured fruit flavors of cherry and bilberry; serve with veal chop, bone-in filet mignon and veal marsala. ($30)
****(90) Tassinaia Castello del Terriccio 2001 (Italy). Mouthfilling flavors of blackberry and plum; cabernet, merlot, sangiovese blend; velvety finish make it very adaptable for food. ($38)
****(90) Joseph Phelps “Innisfree” Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 (California). This entry-level cabernet has a lot going for it; excellent nose of currants and dark red fruits gives way to a long, lingering finish; goes great with your favorite steak. ($25)
****(90) Chappellet Mountain Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 (California). Cherry, blackberry and cedar mingle with bay leaf and white pepper to provide a nice accompaniment to rib-eye steak and mushrooms. ($25)
****(90) Riefle Classique Gew