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- carsonjane - 11-04-2003
I have a recipe for Osso Buco that calls for a dry white wine. It is made with veal shanks. I know nothing about pairing food and wine but would like to learn. What is the best wine to use in this recipe and also a good wine to serve with this dish? Thanks for any information you may give me.
- Kcwhippet - 11-04-2003
Since Ossobuco calls for a long braise, you'll need to use a wine with very little or no oak. That oak remains as the sauce reduces, and when you're all done it will taste like you're eating hardwood flooring. I'd suggest a Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc or Vernaccia, all from Italy. Ossobuco is a staple in Milan and you'll find it is usually accompamied with a risotto. For a wine with the meal, I'd suggest a Barolo, Chianti or an Italian merlot.
- Thomas - 11-04-2003
KC is right-on.
Osso buco is one dish with an array of potential wines that pair with it. The ones KC recommends will do well, as would a white like Trebbiano di Lugana or Garganega (Soave)--but they have to be full-bodied whites. I have even had Chardonnay (unwooded) with the dish, and it worked.
- Kcwhippet - 11-04-2003
Foodie, I was going to mention the Kim Crawford Unoaked Chardonnay from New Zealand as a possible. Thanks for reminding me.
- carsonjane - 11-04-2003
Thanks so much for the suggested wines to cook with. I noticed that you prefer to drink a Merlot with dinner. Is it a white or red Merlot? Do you have a approximate price range to look for when I am ready to purchase these wines? Will these wine keep for long or will they lose their bouquet rather quickly? Should they be chilled or at room temperature? Will decanting the Merlot cause it to spoil quicker than leaving it in its orginial container? Thanks, Carsonjane
- Thomas - 11-05-2003
carsonjane, you missed a major part of KC's Merlot suggestion--he said Italian Merlot. As far as I know, Italians have no white Merlots on our market--at least I hope not.
The Osso Buco will not pair well with a white Merlot simply because most of those wines are not really dinner wines; they are mainly for sipping or snacking, and they contain sweetness.
As for temperature and decanting: for what you are doing, red at 65 degrees; white at 55 degress; and you need not worry about decanting, unless you want to impress someone with flair! But, to answer your question directly, decanting can spoil very old wines and rarely spoils young wines, yet as soon as oxygen invades any wine, it begins to change it.
- wondersofwine - 11-05-2003
At a wine dinner on Nantucket we had Osso Buco with Steele Catfish Zinfandel and it matched quite well. Since you are from California, it would be easy for you to purchase a zinfandel but an Italian wine might be nice in keeping with the Italian dish.
- carsonjane - 11-06-2003
Sorry, you're right. Last night I kind of missed the boat when it came to the Merlot. The only reason I knew about red or white Merlot was because my mom had asked for a certain Red Merlot for Christmas last year. I did have a glass with her and liked it. But I can't remember the name of wine maker,mmmmmm not sure what they are supposed to be called. So I'm back to lesson number one. Are you willing to throw a little more education my way? Thanks, carsonjane
- Thomas - 11-06-2003
For the Osso, try one of the others that we recommended above.
Incidentally, care to post your recipe for Osso Buco? I have one in my book: Garlic, Wine and Olive Oil, but I wrote that three years ago and have since altered the recipe a little, which I do everytime I cook.
- wineguruchgo - 11-06-2003
Carsonjane,
I'm not really sure what you are looking to be educated on but I'm going to give you a brief rundown of many of the wines out there and their flavors. Hopefully this is what you are looking for. Our advice (many agree on the board) is that when you find a catagory you like start there and explore different parts of the world. Then move to another varietal (grape) and do the same thing. This is such a fun medium and one that I hope you will come to appreciate.
Chardonnay: White wine that in California and Australia will be fat, oaky and buttery while in other parts of the world will be lean and clean. In France it is called Chardonnay, Chablis and is one of two or three grapes in Champagne.
Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris: They are basically the same grape just grown in different parts of the world. This wine will be very light with a little fruit and is probably the easiest wine to drink. You will find some differences among producers but compared to other wines, they will taste similar.
Sauvignon Blanc: White wine that is grown in France, California and New Zealand. You will find it in other countries, but those are the big three. This will will have very little oak and will taste like fresh mangos and tropical fruit. It is one of the few white grapes allowed to be grown in Bordeaux France and it is also the main grape in Sancerre.
Semillion: This is a flowery white wine that is usually blended with other whites (chardonnay). It is the other predominate grape in Bordeaux and is planted in Australia.
Pinot Noir: Historically from France but is grown all over the world. This is a fickle little grape and that accounts for the pricetag attached to it. You will get really bright fresh cherry taste from it and it generally has what we refer to as relaxed tannins (the stuff that makes your mouth dry).
Merlot: This wine is probably the favorite red wine among Americans because 1) they can pronounce it and 2) it has a slightly bigger body then the Pinot Noir, has more of a chocolate taste and it too has mild tannins.
Syrah/Shiraz: The grapes are basically one in the same it just depends on which part of the world they are grown in as to what it is called. Our colonial criminals from down under decided to call it Shiraz instead of the historically correct name of Syrah. This will also have deep, dark berry fruit flavors, yet will have a little bit of spicyness to it.
Zinfandel: This wine is often called the American grape and we are proud to claim it. The red version anyway. The red will have a very jammy flavor with a little more spicyness than the Syrah and will be a little more tannic.
Cabernet: This wine is traditionally from France and is now planted all over the world. You will get deep, rich fruit flavors with some leather, smoke or tobacco attached to it. The tannins are going to be more pronounced than in the others so if you are a new to wines, I wouldn't suggest you start your search of red wines here.
Bordeaux Blend/Meritage: There are 5 predominate grapes in Bordeaux that can be planted. Cabernet, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petite Verdot. When combined they are spectacular and the price of these bad boys usually reflects it. You will get a really big wine that is very complex. It will have the fruit, the leather, the smoke, the mint, the tobacco, the tannin. There is a lot going on in one glass of wine.
As my new friends on this board can attest to this lesson can go on for days, but unfortunately, I don't have that much time or energy. I just wanted to give you a jumping off point on the basics of wine 101.
Others will probably have much to add to this post and I hope they won't bash me too much!
I hope this helps you.
- quijote - 11-06-2003
A good thumbnail sketch of different grape varieties and wines, Winegrou--I mean, Wineguru.
One thing in particular, though, leads me to a question: Isn't Sauvignon Blanc from California typically oaked, and the SB from NZ and France typically unoaked (or maybe just slightly oaked, in some instances)?
[This message has been edited by quijote (edited 11-06-2003).]
- carsonjane - 11-07-2003
Hi, Once again you have given me much information to think about. I've decided to go with the Pinot Grigio to cook with and since I live in California I may try one of the wineries located here. To drink with the meal I can only pick the Merlot since I have much to learn about this wine and it can only be the Italian Merlot.
Wineguruchgo, is your book still in print? I would be interested in reading it.
The recipe for the Osso Buco that I want to fix follows:
OSSO BUCO
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 dry bay leaf
2 whole cloves
Cheesecloth
Kitchen twine, for bouquet garni and tying the veal shanks
3 whole veal shanks (about 1 pound per shank)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
All purpose flour, for dredging
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 small onion, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
1 small carrot, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
1 stalk celery, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon zest
Place the rosemary, thyme, bay leaf and cloves into cheesecloth and secure with twine. This will be your bouquet garni. For the veal shanks, pat dry. Secure the meat to the bone with the kitchen twine. Season each shank with salt and freshly ground pepper. Dredge the shanks in flour, shaking off excess.
- carsonjane - 11-07-2003
In a large Dutch oven pot, heat vegetable oil until smoking. Add veal shanks to the hot pan and brown all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Romove browned shanks and reserve.
In the same pot, andd the onion, carrot and celery. Season with salt at this point to help draw out the moisture from the vegetables. Saute until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the tomato paste and mix well. Return browned shanks to the pan and add the white wine and reduce liquid by half, about 5 minutes. Add the bouquet garni and 2 cups of the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pan and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is falling off the bone. Check every 15 minutes, turning shanks and adding more chicken stock as necessary. The level of cooking liquid should always be about 3/4 the way up the shank.
Carefully remove the cooked shanks from the pot and place on serving platter. Cut off the twine and discard. Remove and discard bouquet garni from the pot. Pour all the juices and sauce from the pot over the shanks. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon zest.
Serves 6
Cooking time: 2 Hours
Thanks again for all the information. I will let you know how the dinner goes. Can't wait to try the wines. Carsonjane
- wineguruchgo - 11-07-2003
Hello quijote
I was just trying to give cj a brief synopsis of what flavors would be in the wines.
Sure you will get oaked SB in California just as you will find some Pinot Grigios with oak from Italy.
There is just too much info to go into all of it here in a short amount of time.
Please feel free to add to it!
- wineguruchgo - 11-07-2003
cj
Thanks for the compliment but I haven't written a book (not yet anyway!).
What you might have picked up from my post to Yabloka was that I'm studying for my Master of Wine and I have many books that I'm reading.
Please feel free post more questions or your thoughts on the wines you are trying.
One thing I would like to mention about the Italian Merlot that you are going to buy. Generally Old World Wines (wines from Italy, France, Germany, etc....) will taste more earthy than those from your home state. The first time I had Chianti the sommelier asked me what I thought about it and I said it tasted like dirt. He loved it! He was amazed that my palate had picked it up. Yes, it will have an earthy, dirt kind of flavor to it. It's supposed to. Try the wine before you eat and see if you can pick out some of the flavors. Then see if the wine changes when it's paired with food. These wines are made to drink while eating, unlike the fruitbomb wines from California and Australia.
The French and Italians drink wine to compliment the meal which is why they are made in that style.
Please let us know what you think.
- wondersofwine - 11-07-2003
Do you realize that your brief outline of grape varieties completely ignored Riesling?
I can see maybe overlooking Viognier or Gewurztraminer--but, c'mon--you've got to included Riesling. Talk about getting no respect!
My take anyway:
Riesling: white wine grapegrown in many parts of the world
Old World: Germany, Austria, Alsace (France)
New World: California, Washington, Michigan, New York (Finger Lakes), Australia, New Zealand
Produces wine from bone dry (often the style in Alsace and Austria and becoming more common in Germany) to mildly sweet to extremely sweet. Usually low in alcohol (8-11 % by volume). Ranges in style from rather austere, steely, yet aromatic wines from the Saar and Ruwer tributaries of the Mosel River (district refered to as Mosel-
Saar-Ruwer or M-S-R) which may have some green apple or pear elements, to flowery (orange blossom, jasmine, etc.) fragrances or peach/apricot/nectarine elements (some wines from Rheingau and Rheinpfalz regions of Germany). Easy to match with food--chicken and other fowl, fish, pork, veal dishes with a light sauce, mild cheeses. Sweeter versions make a delightful dessert wine with dishes like fruit tarts or pies.
- ShortWiner - 11-07-2003
Good addition, there, WOW [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]
- wineguruchgo - 11-07-2003
I'm ashamed! Not quite sure how I could have done that! I guess I'll blame it on the 1/2 bottle of Newton Chardonnay I was drinking at the time!
In truth, I almost pushed the submit button when I realized that I had forgotten the Pinot Gris & Grigio!
I wish this board allowed you to review your post as it appears on the screen before you submit!
Thanks for the lovely addition.
- Thomas - 11-08-2003
carsonjane, you might have been referring to my book: Garlic, Wine and Olive Oil. You can find it on Amazon.com; just type in the title--author is Pellechia.
As for your osso recipe, it is slightly different than mine, but not too much so. I omit celery (don't like the petroleum taste of that vegetable--I sometimes replace with anise) and I use veal or vegetable stock instead of chicken. I also use tomato chunks rather than paste. Other than that, you'll get just about the same results as mine.
The only thing I caution against is checking the shanks every 15 minutes while braising. No need to do that, so long as the liquid level begins where it should and the flame is lowered properly. Every time you lift the cover you interrupt the braising process, changing the temperature and steam for that second or two, and that really can add up to "harden" the meat that should end up tender. Lower the flame, cover tightly, and don't check it until about an hour and 45 minutes have passed--then, slip a fork in to see how the tnerderness is.
[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 11-08-2003).]