Smoke ‘Em If Ya Got ‘Em

Posted by Karen Ralph on Jan 7, 2012 in Featured, K2 Wine Reviews | 0 comments

What To Drink When the World Is Your Oyster, smoke ‘em if ya got ‘em

This has been the week of all things smoked courtesy of the Big Chief smoker Xmas present. I’ve learned about the difference between hot smoking; items are placed in the smoke box and cold smoking; items are placed on top of the smoker, so smoke, not heat, does the work. Smoking teaches patience, it can take up to 24 hours for brining to be complete, 1 to 24 hours for the smoking. It is very labour intensive, but the satisfaction of eating and sharing food that you have made yourself can’t be measured in hours or dollars.

In the spirit of DIY I recommend making your own bread and have a video showing you how to do it. Here is the link:

This bread also makes excellent toast.
Homemade bread, pickles and smoked fruits de mer are perfect for picnics, lunches, parties and late night grazing. Of course, they are even more perfect with wine. Having personally researched the following, I present:

Winter Whites (and pinks and one red)

Bruno Paillard Rose, NV Reims France
This bottle is empty because it is my favourite Champagne and I drank it. A blend of 85% Pinot Noir 15% Chardonnay, Bruno Paillard is a feminine, delicate copper pink champagne with a bouquet of red currants and strawberries. Creamy Meyers lemon, and hints of strawberry and cranberry on the palate round out gentle, balanced acidity. It was perfect with smoked seafood and is stunning on it’s own. Love it!!

Bellavista Franciacorte, Italy
Living up to it’s name, the view is nicer after a few glasses of Bellavista cuvee Franciacorte. 90% chardonnay and 10% Pinot Bianco, full, rich and toasty, Bellavista is elegant, pale gold with greenish tints and hints of vanilla under layers of lemony, citrusy fruit. You can be confident that Bellavista will show perfectly on it’s own and is a fantastic partner for all manner of seafood, antipasti, softer cheeses, soufflés, and grilled pork and poultry. So good!!

Rose De Los Vientos, Patagonia, Argentina
100% Pinot Noir, a beautiful pale pink sparkling wine with generous bubbles and dry, snarky, sparkling character. This wine is bristling and assertive, reveling in New World sauciness with hints of cranberry and tart red currant. Fresh oysters softened its kick-ass attitude and the salty, crunchy briney oysters tangoed with the acids and citrus notes of Rose De Los Vientos. A very sexy and assertive wine.

Pascal Jolivet, Pouilly-Fume 2010 Loire Valley, France
Right across the Loire from Sancerre, Pouilly Fume is a great wine region known for it’s excellent Sauvignon Blanc. Vibrant yellow, it has a dry, concentrated nose of citrus and minerals. Medium bodies, after drinking this, lesser Sauvignons will taste like lemon water. Clean, fresh edgy acidity make Pouilly Fume the perfect accompaniment to seafood, especially the salmon, trout and oysters I smoked myself. Go forth and drink this wine. You will thank me.

Haywire Pinot Gris-Clone 52, Switchback Vineyard 2010, Okanagan BC VQA
The bottle states that Haywire is a single vineyard, single variety, single clone. Refreshing, lemony and smooth, gentle, well integrated acidity lent itself beautifully to our seafood extravaganza. Well made and confident, Haywire is a great example of BC terroir and I would drink this again in an instant. Support Canadian wine, starting with Haywire!
 
 
Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rose, 2009, South Africa
Another empty bottle… it was orangish pink in colour, dry and tart on the nose with hints of minerals, rhubarb and mouth puckering berries on the palate. Big and bold for a rose, there was none of the expected rose strawberry notes, it could easily take on grilled red meat and mushrooms and the smokiest, oiliest salmon was perfectly paired, as was Manchego cheese.
 
 
X Winery, 2009, North Coast, California
Fresh, juicy, balanced, a blend of 49% Sauvignon Blance, 25% Albarino, 20% Muscat and 6% Chardonnay, I loved this wine. Mouth watering fruit and acidity make it a food favourite and I’ve drank it twice on it’s own now. Peaches, tart apples, a hint of flint and trace of minerals all contained in a great looking bottle will put a smile on your face. Soft cheese, chicken, seafood and of course, smoked and fresh oysters made it a hit. Casual and unpretentious, love it!

Pouilly-Vinzelles, La Soufrandier, 2006, Bret Brothers.
Mineral laden, full bodied with a complex and sophisticated balance of fruit and acidity, the perfect finish for a perfect evening. It demands that you pay attention to what’s in your glass, it’s reflective, not quite melancholy, but evocative of deeper emotions and greater feelings, of love and loss and poignancy.
 
 
Tarapaca Gran Reserva Carmenere, Chili, 2008.
Yes, another empty bottle…The Tarapaca was big, reserved and smooth, ruby red with notes of black cherry, star anise and faint cinnamon. This was a crowd pleaser and the simple smoked trout allowed the flavours to shine without overwhelming.
The only red of the evening, it was deep and delicious after all of the whites. Grilled meat would really make it shine.