What to pair with aged Riojas?

Putting together amenu to partner 70s and 80s Riojas. Would be interested in your thoughts. I was thinking along the lines of courses of pigeon, Guinea Fowl, quail, duck and perhaps rabbit with an array of accompaniments. I really have a hankering to do something with a bitter chocolate sauce.
What are your experiences?

Forgo the bitter chocolate. I can’t imagine how that would work.

All of the other things will go well. Any kind of roast meat or fowl and roast vegetables. Things with mushrooms. Rabbit could work too, although I wouldn’t do it in a mustard and cream sauce. Pork, particularly roast pork would be good. The cooking in Rioja isn’t traditionally all that avant and those are sort of classic matches, particularly lamb. I guess the key is not to overwhelm the wine, so simple roasts or grilled dishes are my first choice.

I’m with Greg (who really is the expert) down the line.

I never understood the attraction of trying to pair a wine with chocolate. In my experience it is always more of a war than a pairing.

+1…lamb.

Perfect timing. I’m also planning an aged Rioja dinner, and will be meeting with the chef next week to work out the pairings.

What kind of pairings would be suggested for older whites?

Dry-aged steaks aged Rioja.

Aged Spanish flamenco guitarists with a couple of dancers?

Grilled lamb chops and aged Rioja for me, please.

Thanks guys. A chocolate sauce is actually quite savoury…just thought it would be an interesting combo.
Noel, I was looking forward to your reply. Pleased to say that we are sourcing some lovely spring milk fed Suffolk lamb that is delicious.

I am also in the lamb camp, but a 5 hour braised shoulder. Also confit of duck. Same principle, mellowness of long cooked meat with the collagen broken down, with the bright, slightly acid profile of great Rioja.

Pork loin…

Excellent! Hope you post some photos from this surely wonderful meal!

Best,

N

Lots of pepper…

Oddly enough, last weekend I picked up a cheesemonger book that wrote a story about Cabot Clothbound cheddar cheese (from Vermont). It suggested a pairing with a “cigar-boxy” Rioja, so I pulled out a 2001 Sierra Cantabria Rioja Cuvee Especial and gave it a whirl.

It was, to my mild surprise, a very good pairing, as the wine’s dusty earth notes, cherry and cigar smoke profile showed well against the cave aged English cheddar style notes of the Cabot. WHO’d a thunk that? Not me before last Saturday.

That lamb sounds great! I’ve got to start looking for a supplier here.

I’m on the side of grilled lamb or braised lamb or pork… and if you can work in a little pimentón into the braise it will be even better.

30+ yr Rioja, Barbaresco, & Barolo are excellent with grilled seafood that is kept simple, and most seafood risotto and pasta offerings that stay away from heavy black pepper or chili pepper. Recent felicitous examples: Cosecha Especial 1.966 Bodegas Palacio “Glorioso” & grilled sea bream; 1985 Pio Cesare Barolo and grilled octopus; 1979 Cerreto Barbaresco Asili (bb:before barrique) and Koshihikari rice w/ pecorino cream, clam chowder, and uni.

For me the perfect match:

Jamón Ibérico de Bellota (Gran Reserva) With a little Artisan Bread!

Exactly what I was thinking

All of the other things will go well.

Exactly what I was thinking

Any kind of roast meat or fowl and roast vegetables. Things with mushrooms. Rabbit could work too, although I wouldn’t do it in a mustard and cream sauce. Pork, particularly roast pork would be good. The cooking in Rioja isn’t traditionally all that avant and those are sort of classic matches, particularly lamb. I guess the key is not to overwhelm the wine, so simple roasts or grilled dishes are my first choice.

Exactly what I should have been thinking.

+23 lamb…

???

Whatever that means, something tells me that you don’t want your friendly neighborhood PETA/Earth First/Animal Rights hooligans stumbling upon this thread.

Those people are scary.