With New Year’s Eve fast approaching, menus filled with delicacies are being prepared everywhere.  New Year’s Eve is the one time of year when extravagance comes almost as an expectation, a salute to the year’s events and accomplishments.  With delicacies like truffles, foie gras, oysters, caviar and lobster, a superb wine pairing is only suiting.

Truffles have long since been enjoyed as extravagant additions to a meal; the two most popular varieties of this fungi are the black truffles from the Périgord region in France and white truffles from the Piedmont region in Italy.  Truffles have a pungent earthiness that allow for very specific wine pairings.  In this situation, an old Burgundy for black truffles and an old Barolo for the white truffles will be the perfect match because of the earthy, dried fruit and mushroom notes these wines develop with age.

Foie gras is usually a delicacy that diners opt to have in a restaurant because it needs to be cooked with care and skill and the perfect wine match is not something that most people have in their homes.  Foie gras refers to the livers of geese and ducks that are specifically fattened for the purposes of a rich, succulent liver product.  Sauternes has long been considered to be the ultimate pairing for seared foie gras, with its honeyed notes and natural, gentle sweetness. 

Sauternes is a region in Bordeaux, France that is famous for allowing their Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc grapes to take advantage of a natural mold late in the season to make the grapes shrivel on the vine.  This mold (botrytis cinerea) causes this shriveling that is known as “noble rot”.  This “noble rot” causes dehydration of the grapes and concentrates the natural sugars.  When these grapes are used in wine making, the product is a white wine with a dark straw yellow color full of acidity, sweetness and notes of flowers. 

Chateau d’Yquem is the most famous of the Sauternes houses in Bordeaux and a bottle of an excellent vintage can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars (which is why most people opt for a glass at a restaurant!).  It pairs with the foie gras perfectly because of the tart and sweet acidity of the Sauternes cuts through the richness and complements it at the same time.  A Canadian ice wine or Austrian Kracher are good alternatives.

Oysters have two classic pairings: a Sancerre or a Champagne.  Sancerre is a region in the Loire Valley of France that produces a wine from Sauvignon Blanc grapes called Sancerre.  Sancerre wines are bone dry, crisp, have high acidity and notes of gooseberries and peaches.  This crisp wine pairs with the salinity of oysters with sheer perfection. 

Briny oysters call for a lighter bodied champagne (most Non-vintage also labeled as NV are lighter than vintage year champagnes) and more creamy oysters can stand up to the fuller bodied vintage year champagnes or other sparkling wines (see my article on Champagne and Sparkling wines).  Toasty, bubbly citrus notes of any champagne are a great pairing with the freshness of oysters.

Caviar is a delicacy that has been under scrutiny for unethical practices of taking the eggs at the expense of the fish.  Currently there are more ethical and practical ways of farming the fish and using the entire fish while still generating a supply of caviar for the palates of many. 

There are two classic pairings for caviar: Champagne or vodka.  The argued “masters of caviar” are the Russians, and it is a strict rule that caviar is paired with vodka.  The ice cold vodka is said to underline the smooth taste of the roe.  Cold, dry champagne also highlights the salinity and smoothness of the roe.  This indulgence is a great way to ring in the new year!

Lobster is a crustacean that is enjoyed by many as a celebratory or decadent treat.  Lobster usually refers to the clawed lobster, whereas the Caribbean spiny lobster is often referred to as crawfish.  Lobster or spiny lobster almost always go with butter, and the natural pairing for that is a Chardonnay.  Any oak ageing or nuances will help cut the richness of the butter and the acidity will bring out the natural sweetness of the lobster.  Lobster salad or another preparation with mayonnaise, a nice light Albarino or Pinot Grigio is a great match. If your lobster finds its way into a tomato sauce, a Spanish Rioja is what to pour.

If you are celebrating the new year or any other occasion and are planning on enjoying some culinary delicacies, do yourself a favor and go all the way with a perfect wine pairing, you’ll enjoy the food more and find some magical combinations you might not have imagined!  But, even with this classic pairing advice, you can go ahead and break the rules and find your own classic combination!  The goal is to enjoy your company, increase your flavor memories and find great wine and food combinations.

As always if you have any other wine or food questions drop by our website at www.ninetynineone.com and drop us a line in the Q&A section of the site.  We’re always happy to answer any questions you have.

Cheers & happy quaffing.
Rebecca Tibbitts

9/1 Food Service Management in Freeport is owned and run by Tim & Rebecca Tibbitts. 99/1 is a full service catering business serving scrumptious offerings with top quality ingredients. 99/1 also specializes in cooking classes, guided wine tastings and tutorials, drop off dinners and in home catering.   www.ninetynineone.com 553-2426