One of the delights of fall is spending time in the kitchen, cooking a roast and enjoying the root vegetables that accompany the main dish: mashed potatoes, Brussel sprouts, roasted carrots and baked parsnips. Don’t forget lashings of real gravy made from the drippings and browned bits, plus a dash or two of the wine being served. The delicious aromas that permeate the kitchen will transform your house into a cozy home!
Last Sunday we had a roast pork shoulder, which has a bone in it to add extra flavor, and plenty of fat to produce a juicy roast with plenty of crackling to crunch on. I selected three wines to serve with meal. The first was the 2017 Selbach Riesling ($19.99) from the Mosel in Germany. It’s easily found on the shelves because of its colourful Fish label, painted by Steveston artist Johanna Waldorf from Waldorf Wine Group.
The Riesling has a light straw colour and a gorgeous apple bouquet, with flint and kerosene notes. On the palate enjoy the rich apple fruit with a hint of earthy and nutty flavours, as well as the vibrant acidity for which Rieslings are famous. The acid allows Rieslings to age better than most whites and it allows the off-dry finish to be so well balanced. Plus acidity is the hallmark of wines that pair well with food. In my instance, I served the wine with rich roast pork with crackling, gravy, and applesauce. Available at all three Richmond BCLS.
Another Mosel to enjoy with roast pork is the elegant 2018 Selbach-Oster Kabinett Habtrocken ($36.99). Wine Spectator rates it 92 points. Zeiltinger Himmelreich is one of several vineyards owned by Johannes Selbach and his wife Barbara whose family has been producing wine since the 17th century! These vineyards on weathered slate are on a steep slope facing south-south west and represent some of the most prestigious sites in all of the Middle Mosel.
Kabinett, which means cabinet, is the German designation for a reserve wine that’s produced from fully ripened grapes from the main harvest. It was considered special enough to be stored in a locked cabinet. Habtrocken is off-dry, which means that there is slightly more sugar in the juice than dry. The extra bit of sweetness balances the high acidity for which Rieslings are famous.
“This shows a classic Mosel profile, with floral and orchard fruit notes, but also the character of the warm vintage, showing a bit more weight and concentration. Very well-balanced and open now, offering charming hints of yellow apple, quince and elderflower. Zesty and long. Drink now through 2030,” writes Wine Spectator. I would add that one can smell and taste slate terroir as well as a whiff of diesel, all adding a depth of complexity. Available at Richmond Brighouse.
A third wine to open with the pork is the red Les Epinats 2018 Saumur ($20.99) from France’s Loire region. It’s a Cabernet Franc and is well suited to cool, inland climates such as the middle Loire near the town of Saumur. A parent of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc ripens earlier and is less susceptible to poor weather.
As a wine, Les Epinats Saumur is lighter in colour, tannins and body, and it matures earlier. Its nose displays rich deep dark fruits with a whiff of cedar, but its light body floats in your mouth. There’s plenty of black cherry with touches of cocoa and leather to add interest with a smooth savoury finish. A very refreshing red that is best chilled for 20 minutes in the fridge.
I enjoyed Les Epinats with my roast pork, but roast chicken would be another good choice. The medium light fruit will match the white meat and poultry and the refreshing acidity will help cleanse the palate of the rich meat and gravy. Available at Richmond’s Brighouse and Ironwood BCLS.
