Matching Masters

A very interesting tasting where four leading food personalities takes on Wine Spectator's editor Thomas Matthews for food and wine matching. The chefs make a dish, then one of the others make a wine choice to go with the recipe, as does Matthews. Emeril Lagasse said his whole team was actually in on his wine match and they tried to make the dish from the recipe to make a better choice, but food is about details and nuances at this level, so without the specific dish made from that specific chefs hand, it's difficult indeed.

José Andrés
Poached Lobster with Cucumber Yoghurt and Dill Salad
The cucumber (tzatzikiish) yogurt and dill overshadows the lobster and it feels more creamy and dilly than mineraly and sweetish lobster. The tiny cruitons helps to ground the flavours a bit, and give it a slightly earthy note. These are details yes, a lovely dish indeed.

Danny Meyer's wine:
2012 Domaine Huët Vouvray Sec Clos du Bourg:
Pale lemon yellow. Apples, fruity, almost Mosel like freshness and flinty minerality. Fresh acidity, fruity, mineraly and light, I would have been on a fairly dryish Mosel on this blind, long. 90

Thomas Matthew's wine
2011 Y de Yquem:
Pale lemon yellow. Apples, apricots, vanilla, bit deep and complex nose, minerals. Fairly fresh acidity, fruity, intense, not as intense and waxy as some vintages, fresh and long. Beautiful now while not to heavy. 93

The Huët cleans it away perfectly, and unexpectedly, and the youghurt makes another dimension with the wine, but it overdoes it ever so slightly even so. Slightly tender and subtle flavours for the dish, it's the acidity that do the job. The Y manages very well, except that it gets a bit hollow mid palate before the aftertaste comes back in. Blends better with the dish, and the oak seems to almost dissapear. Lovely. The Huët can't manage, going back to it it falls apart. The Y was actually a very good match going back to it.

Emeril Lagasse
Gulf shrimp "Boudon Noir" Root Vegetable, Apple Remoulade:
Intense, flavourful, rich meal, something a bit hot, maybe red peppers gives it a bite, apples give freshness and creamy root vegetables rounds it of a bit, but still on the warm side and slightly vinegary.

José Andrés' wine
2009 Bodegas y Vinedos Paixar Mencia Bierzo:
Ruby. Red berries and vanilla nose, smoky notes, minerals. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, a bit oaky and alcohol sweet, not fully balanced, good length. 86

Thomas Matthew's wine
2011 Chalone Chardonnay Chalone Estate:
Pale lemon yellow. Apples, minerals, flinty and almost popcorn nose. Corn flakes. Fresh acidity, smoky, heavier palate, rich, fruity but mineralic backbone, long. 90

The chilli or hot notes kill the red Bierzo, it gets dusty and you hit a wall. The hotness of the dish gets in front. The Chalone is a bit rich and overpowers a bit, but the dish does not get hot, I would even say that the minerality in the Chalone manages to play a bit with the warmth. None were perfect, but one clearly outshine the other.

Danny Meyer
Wild Mushroom and Ricotta Terrine, Rosemary Walnut Oil, aged Vinegar:
Mushrooms, crisp bread giving texture and a slightly burnt bread note giving dimension, mushroom flavoured and creamy terrine and the walnut vinegar gives an earthy and very elegant note. Nuts gives more chew than flavours, even if they add earthiness. Perfectly balanced vinegar (for once)

Jean-Georges Vongerichten's wine
2012 Destro Isolanuda Etna Blanco:
Pale lemon yellow. Apples, smoky minerals, floral and actually subdued nose for a Sicillian white. Mediterranian seafood platter minerality and sweetness. Fairly fresh acidity, fruity, narrower palate, bit easy going, good length. 86

Thomas Matthew's wine
2009 Renato Ratti Barolo Marcenasco:
Ruby. Tar, roses, cherries and red berries nose, scented. Fresh acidity, high of ripe tannins, structured and very youthful, even biting now, long. 92

The Etna bianco manages to clean the palate, but the power of the food comes back as if you never had a sip. The Barolo matches in flavours, but the rough tannic structure makes everything dry. A 1998 Gaja Sperss that was available on my table worked better, but you need something either older, or fruitier but on similar lines. Maybe a slightly aged Barbera? Some said the Bierzo from last dish, but same problem as the Barbaresco, to much tannins, and the unbalance of that wine was even exagerated further with this dish.

Jean-Georges Vongerichten
Hudson Valley Foie Gras with spiced Fig Girola:
Almost sweet foie gras, not as creamy as many French foie gras, more rounded, nuts, I think pistachios and some more earthy but not salty nuts, unsalted peanuts perhaps? Actually has aftertaste.

Emeril Lagasse's wine
Henri Giraud Brut Rosé:
Pale pink, small bubbles. Apples, touch of red berries, minerals and yeasty notes nose. Fresh even if subdued freshness for Champagne, elegant mousse, fairly elegant if a bit lean, good length. 89

Thomas Matthew's wine
2009 Weinbach Altenbourg Pinot Gris Vendanges Tardives Trie Spéciale:
Pale lemon yellow. Subdued apples, subdued minerals, almost rainy autumn morning freshness, decomposing leafs in the driveway, really fresh and nuanced nose. Freshish acidity, lovely balance, humble, subdued, retained, nuanced and absolutely lovely. 93

The Champagne gets more powerful and intense, but also a bit bitter finish. The Weinbach is superb, it blends into a new whole even if the dish takes over again far back in the aftertaste. Lovely indeed.

Four- zero to Thomas Matthews.