What wines would you serve with this menu?

WINE TALK
1

Having some friends over on Sat. There will be cheeses and snacks to start with whites or champagne to start. Then my current thinking is to then serve these two courses - what would you serve for wines to accompany?:

• Marinated octopus salad done sous vide to tender and then crisped just enough in a pan, then served with just a few (cool/warm) small potatoes with herbs and garlic on top of a bit of arugula - lemon and olive oil. There will be a measure of vinegar in the marinade.

• Rabbit lion wrapped in bison bacon and then sous vide through, dried and then browned in a medium-high pan, and served with
• cabbage (leaves steamed soft) lasagna with crumbled merguez sausage, mozzarella, pecorino, garlic, and a tomato puree that I made from fresh orange tomatoes that I made at the end of August (skins removed and a touch of butter).

[cheers.gif]

2

I suppose it depends upon your nationalist leanings. I think you can do an Italian, French, Spanish, or Portuguese pairing with a crisp, aromatic white for the octopus salad and a red for the rabbit. My first reaction was to go with a Tuscan set…maybe something like a Verdicchio and Chianti/Rosso/Brunello. Maybe the Aeris Etna Bianco if you have that and want to have a try (I haven’t tried, so not sure if it is a great foil, but expect it will work).

If you can’t decide and want to make it a showdown, do a pair with each course and have the guests vote on favorites. Make the pairs themed along country of origin, perhaps?

Cheers,
fred

3

Just in case it applies, there actually is something called a lionhead rabbit…

4

First course, saké. If not saké, then a well structured sauvignon blanc. Do you have Becklyn, Merry Edwards, Myriad, Quivet, Spottswoode, Mondavi…?

Second course: A younger Italian red, I agree with other posters.

Third course: An older red wine, 20 year old Cali cab, perhaps an equally old Bordeaux.

Please let us know what you end up doing! [cheers.gif]

5

Move the cheese to after the rabbit. Never before your first course.

6

Like Fred, with octopus I suggest a Verdicchio or an Etna white like Biondi Outis Nessuno. The right vintage of Musar Blanc could also work.

Rabbit: 2004 VS Cosecha Cinco Ano, or a medium to full bodied red with plenty of flavor but not overly tannic.

Cabbage: a Barolo from 1970 or 1971.

7

I would go Loire white with the octopus, burg or the right Rhône with the rabbit, and Tuscan red with the lasagna.

8

Mature Rioja. With everything.

9

Nearly my exact thoughts. Specifically would choose demi-sec Huet Chenin for the Octopus course, for several reasons. First, the acidity would balance the sweetness of the Octopus. Secondly, the richness of aged Chenin would balance the bitterness of the arugula and garlic.

Sangiovese based Tuscan for the lasagna (not super tuscan). Rabbit with bison bacon: Rustic Northern Rhone eg Cornas or St. Joseph

10

totally agree Maureen- serve cheese after the meal not before. it’s an appetite killer. but drink champagne with that if you must
I think rose champagne or a mineral white with the octopus salad.
with the rabbit loin- I would go aged red burgundy

11

A pecorino, Etna white, trebbiano, savignin, assyrtiko, etc… for a white

12

That same thought did cross my mind but I fear the octopus a bit.

Alphonse Mellot Sancerre Edmond
Benjamin Leroux Clos St. Denis
Brovia Barolo Rocche

Generic alternatives:

Vermentino/Albarino
Oregon Pinot/Cool climate Cali syrah
Old Bordeaux, mature rioja, oldest top flight chianti you can find.