Wine to go with balsamic short ribs?

WINE TALK
21

Sorry, My mistake. I got too excited and read spare ribs which would be better with Riesling. I like the Musar rec. though. The VA and the balsamic would be good together. Also Maybe Northern Italian -Val D’Aosta or a Südtirol Lagrein.

Cheers,
Bill

22

Thanks! I’d try a Musar, but we’d have to drive it to Baltimore and it wouldn’t have time to settle down.

Would Minervois do it? (just thinking out loud here)

23

Pink Champagne is the best for vinegar-based BBQ.

The 1996 William Deutz Rose was perfect for this sort of thing.

If you want it be All-American, then look for the Laetitia Brut Rose.

At the very high end of still wine, you can open a Rene Engel Grands Echezeaux, but they aren’t easy to come by.

24

In order of (personal) preference:

Lambrusco di Sorbara
Bardolino
Valpolicella Classico Superiore

My first choice, with some effervescence, would be my 3-1 favorite over the others.

25

that’s a good idea!

26

In my opinion, any good red wine will show well with braised short ribs. I think probably the best pairing I’ve found is a large-scaled Pinot like Bevan Cellars or Wren Hop, if you have anything like that. Next choice would be a young, juicy Napa Cabernet.

27

Ridge Geyserville or Pibarnon. I would be concerned that a Chinon would be too austere for the dish and that a Beaujolais would not have enough weight. Geyserville or Pibarnon will have enough richness but also with some acidity. I don’t think you want too subtle a wine so I would go with Pibarnon over Pradeaux or Tempier for this purpose.

28

…or perhaps a top quality Aussie Syrah about 6 years of age, such as 2010 Two Hands Bella’s Garden. I love beef short ribs and this wine is a fine companion.

I like Howard’s suggestion of Mourvèdre, too, so long as the wine has sufficient age to reduce the impact of the tannins that are characteristic in youth.

Hank [cheers.gif]

29

BANDOL Tempier 2000 or older …

30

Peter…you’re in Maine. Go get a bottle of the Bartlett’s Oak Dry Blueberry. It should be about $24 at one of the closest Hannaford’s to you. Look at the label…you don’t want dry or semi-dry. Get the Oak dry.

31

Thanks, all! (and Kirk, I’m only in Maine in spirit at this time of year–in NJ in winter, ME in summer, but thanks for the rec, I’ll try that next summer).

Anyway, to report back: the short ribs were indeed beef (as I suspected). They were stewed (is that the right term? in oven, covered, cooked slowly for several hours) to the point of falling off the bone. Really delicious, but lots of fat. The Dirty & Rowdy Familiar Mouvèdre played off them very well, nice and bright but deep and interesting at the same time. It was a big hit (I may have added some new customers here, sorry to increase competition, I know their production is limited). One of the other guests brought a La Giaretta Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2013, deep dark and very smooth, with raisiny notes. This also complimented the dish very well.

Incidentally we started with a (I should say two, it went fast!) Montbourgeau Cremant du Jura Brut, which is really delicious (nice fruity notes, great balance of flavors, good bubbles) and excellent QPR.

32

Braised! The best way, with Korean BBQ style a close second.

33

Yes, thanks, I think that’s it.