Rhône wines are all the rage in the wine world. The versatility with these wines when it comes to cuisine and pairings is tremendous.What is so beautiful is that these wines are not new, they are not becoming a “trend”, but they are old world and ready to strut their stuff!
Lavau is a wonderful Rhône Winery in which I was fortunate to dine with their winemaker a little bit ago at Gato, NYC. Frederic Lavau is a wonderful man who really opened up my palate to some beautiful wines at unbelievable prices! We tasted through a Rosé from Tavel, which happen to be some of my favorite. This well-balanced and striking wine went beautifully with the Soft Shell Crab Crostini. The fruit forwardness and acidity in the wine cut right through the spice in this dish and paired beautifully.
For dinner, Rabbit with Fregula Sarfa, Chanterelles, Peas, and Carrot Hot Sauce was the perfect dish for these wines. When it comes to Rhône, the grapes predominantly used are Grenache and Syrah, making their bigger reds spicy and complex. The Gigondas happened to be one of my favorite wines to pair with the evening. This wine is beautiful with the rabbit dish, and would also pair very nicely with the Charred Beef, as well as the Mushroom and Kale Paella, also featured on Gato’s menu.
If you have room for dessert, which I hope you do, save some space in your stomach for the Plum Tarte Tatin. This warm and delicious dessert is one of my favorites, and goes beautifully with some Sherry or Lavau Syrah. Be sure to check out these wonderful wines, as we get a little more in depth in the wine 101 section!
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