The SOMM Journal

February/March 2015

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76 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 We put six rosés to the test with the help of Philip Fuentes, Beverage Manager at The Dutch, Andrew Carmellini's Miami outpost in South Beach district. Fuentes paired the wines with five courses from Chef Conor Hanlon, juxtaposing them with a variety of tastes and textures to show their versatility with sea- food, cheeses, roasted chicken and grilled meats and rich desserts. Led by Fuentes, the group of nine local wine buyers and som- meliers received a lesson in the magic that happens when rosé breaks the boundaries of a typical pairing. "People underestimate rosé too often, but the variances are fantastic and when you show customers something new, you really leave an impression on them that no one else will," said Fuentes, who is known around South Beach equally for both his impeccable appearance and wine acumen. "I like to challenge the status quo on pairing—recommend rosé Champagne with your steak—and they will remember that, which is what being a som- melier is all about." In describing what it took to pair Loire Valley rosé wines with the selected menu, perhaps Epicure Sunny Isles buyer Mary O'Connor said it best. "He was very brave to match rosé with meat courses and with all of the dishes," she declared. "The wines with these food pairings really had nothing to do with each other and I really liked that." Four appetizers tested the wines' abilities to pair with sweet, creamy, spicy and earthy. Dressed with a creamy truffle dressing and topped with a quail egg, the steak tartare seemed tailor-made for the Marquis de Goulaine 2013 Rosé d'Anjou. The Barre La Primaudière 2012 Rosé de Loire was favored with both the sweet notes in the inventive yellowtail crudo, which included spicy watermelon, avocado mousse and jalapeño, and the spice and the earthy tones of two kinds of roasted beets garnished with horseradish, rye and smoked maple syrup. Sommelier Daniel Toral said the tasting was eye-opening across the board. "I'm surprised how much I liked the slightly sweet wines, but it is a good surprise because traditionally people don't consider rosé as a fine wine, but the Loire Valley wines are so bal- anced," he said, calling out the pairing of the "peel n' eat" shrimp with the Château Soucherie for its sweetness and brine. The sea component was of interest to at least one buyer. Sommelier Margaret Shugart of Eten Wine tasted on behalf of her many clients who own yachts and seek wines suitable to that lifestyle. "Rosé is a very important component because most of the time my clients are anchored in the Mediterranean for a season, and we are always interested in exploring new regions," she said. Buyers with landlubbing clients predicted a strong future for rosé in the local market. Harley Demyers, Training Director at 50 Eggs, a hospitality group with a couple of Asian-inflected restaurants, said that though buyers may be more familiar with Provence, "we are definitely enthusiastic about Loire. This is per- fect for Southern cuisine, Vietnamese prawn dishes with Chinese five spice and other Asian food." O'Connor said that as Miami's food scene grows in interest and importance, she sees a place for Loire pinks and would be happy to see more variety in the sea of rosés. "We need more Loire rosés to combat the pervasive Provençal rosés. Not that there's anything wrong with them—but there are great rosés everywhere." The lunch, O'Connor said, "Reminds me of how versatile rosé is and that people don't match a rosé with an entire meal—but they should!" Miami Magic LOIRE ROSÉ CHARMS SOUTH BEACH by Kelly Merritt and Lana Bortolot / photos by Vanessa Rogers Philip Fuentes of The Dutch, checks on the chilling rosés. Eric Larkee, Wine Director at Genuine Hospitality Group.

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