"M" is for Mastering Meatballs

Chinese Meatball Recipe Below

Every culture has its own traditional meatball.

I have a fettish for meatballs of every kind. I love them in soups, sauces, and salads. I'll eat a giant meatball from the deli counter at my local supermarket as my lunch. I also serve them as hors d'oeuvres.

There is a mastery to making the perfect meatball.

The first secret to the perfect Italian meatball is to use a combination of pork, veal and beef. Veal adds the richness, while pork provides flavour and beef gives structure to the meatball. Add freshly grated parmesan cheese, fresh oregano and fresh parsley with this mixture. If you substitute with inferior ingrediens, you'll end up with a mediocre meatball.

The second secret is to ensure you do not overwook the mix. Warming up the mixture smears the fat throughout and make the meatballs tough.

Third...keep added ingredients cold, as well. If you're adding sauted mushrooms or carmelized onions to your meatball cool them down first.

Whenever using dried breadcrumbs, soak them in milk or heavy cream first. This keeps them moist and light. Or use fresh breadcrumbs with a little egg to make them tight.

The fifth secret is to consider how you cook the meatballs. Searing or braising them renders the fat from the balls into the sauce. This makes the dish high in fat, thus highly flavourful.

But if you're interested in eating more healthily, render the fat from the balls and sauce. Roast the balls first and then remove the fat. Or poach the meatballs for the same reason.

Lastly, be sure to cook your meatballs completely to avoid the potential of food born illnesses.

In Asian and Thai cuisine, for example, fish and seafood balls are popular. Ground crab, scallops and/or shrimp work nicely with cilantro, cumin, lemon and garlic, to name a few. These combinations also work with a white wine possessing good acidity called Sauvignon Blanc. The wine is delicious on hot, summer days. Its grassy, grapefruit, fig, green herb and bell pepper aromas and flavours complement meatballs that combine some of these ground meats and herbs and spices. The key is to experiment.

Other seafood balls, made of ground fish, such as salmon, or lobster, shrimp, chicken, pork, veal or turkey combined with chervil, fennel seed, fresh sage, garlic, curry, ginger, tarragon, and basil go nicely with a white called Chardonnay. Barrel fermented Chardonnay is known for its full-body and tropical aromas and flavours and buttery texture. This makes it an ideal sparing partner for all these ground meats.

Meatballs can also be made from the ground meat of smoked chicken, smoked duck, and smoked turkey, all of which complement rose. Most roses with a hint of sweetness work with the herbs and spices found in Mexican, Middle Eastern, Chinese, Thai, Cajun, Southwestern and Indonesian cuisines. Some of the herbs and spices in these multicultural cuisines are allspice, caraway, cayenne, cinnamon, clove, coriander, ginger and nutmeg.

Beef meatballs combined with the flavours of basil, bay leaves, clove, garlic, lavender and thyme go nicely with a light, fruity red wine called Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir often is medium bodied with aromas and flavours of black cherry, berries, cloves, violets and sometimes with smokiness. The idea is to choose a specific type of ground meat, choose a couple of spices and marry this to a specific wine. You wouldn’t want to go overboard with too many herbs and spices in one meatball. Simplicity is key.

Lamb, wild game, beef and duck meatballs are often incorporated into North American and Italian cuisines. Black pepper, garlic, lavender, mustard, rosemary, and thyme are all flavouring agents that partner well with Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Sauvignon is a big, full-bodied red wine with black currant, cassis, eucalyptus, mint, berry, chocolate, cedar and tobacco like character.

One of my favourite red wines is Zinfandel. It possesses wild blackberries, raspberries, black pepper, chocolate and sometimes violet notes in the aromas and flavours. This big red is an ideal partner for spaghetti and meatballs. The herbs and spices of basil, bay leaves, and oregano are perfect complements for this grape variety. Zinfandel also complements many Italian, Creole and Southwestern dishes, all of which highlight meatballs, as well.

So, the next time you’re in the mood for meatballs, remember that there’s a wide range of ground meats, along with combinations of herbs and spices and wine partnerships from which to choose.

Here's three meatball recipes and matching wine notes to consider:

Chinese Rice–Studded Meatballs
Serves 4

These rice-coated meatballs are known as zhen zhu or “pearls” in Chinese. Steaming the meatballs on bok choy leaves helps to keep them from sticking to the steamer. While this dish can be served as an appetizer, my husband likes it as an entrée.

1 cup jasmine rice (or rice of choice) 250 mL
2 to 4 outer bok choy leaves 2 to 4
4 scallions 4
1 egg 1
1/2 cup diced water chestnuts 125 mL
1 Tbsp each cornstarch, rice vinegar and sesame oil 15 mL
1 tsp sugar 5 mL
1/2 tsp chili paste 2 mL (or as desired)
1 lb ground chicken 500 g
Salt and pepper to taste
Bok choy leaves (for garnish)
Dipping Sauce: (Chinese Plum Sauce with added fresh lime
juice and splash of hotsauce)

Place rice in a bowl. Cover with hot water and soak until needed. Set a skillet filled with water on the stove and place a bamboo or metal steamer on the skillet. Line the steamer with bok choy leaves.

In a food processor or blender, add scallions, egg, water chestnuts, cornstarch, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and chili paste. Puree, then transfer mixture to a bowl. Add ground chicken and season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Roll mixture into balls. Drain rice and transfer to a shallow dish. Coat meatballs with damp rice.

Bring the water in the skillet to a boil. Place batches of meatballs in steamer and steam until chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Insert a toothpick in each meatball and place on a platter lined with bok choy leaves. Serve with dipping sauce.

Wine Suggestion: Sparkling Wine with Hint of Sweetness
The predominant building block is hot and spiciness from the dipping sauce, so the recipe requires a demi-sec sparkling wine with sweetness to offset the heat and spice.

Blue Cheese Meatballs
Serves Four

1 ½ lbs ground lean beef
1 ½ tsp salt
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 large egg
¼ lb blue cheese, cubed
Flour (for drudging)
4 tbsp butter
1 cup Cabernet Franc

Put meat in mixing bowl and mix thoroughly with salt crushed with minced garlic; blend in egg. Shape pieces of meat around each cube of cheese, and then roll each meatball lightly in flour. Heat butter in skillet and sauté meatballs, turning frequently until well browned. Add wine and simmer, covered, about 10 minutes.

Wine Suggestion: Cabernet Franc
This recipe calls for a big red with plenty of flavour to stand up to blue cheese and texture of meat.

Spicy Shrimp Balls
Serves 4

1 lb shrimp
4 shallots
4 cloves garlic
1 stalk lemon grass, bruised and chopped*
4 coriander roots*
10 pepper corns (1/4 tsp cracked black pepper)
1 small piece krachai root (about 1 tbsp chopped)*
½ tsp grated wild lime (makrood) peel (lime peel may be substituted)*
5-10 dried chillies or to taste
1 tbsp shrimp paste
1 tbsp fish sauce or to taste
8 oz green beans, thinly sliced in rounds
1 egg beaten
2-3 cups vegetable oil for deep-frying

*lemon grass, coriander roots, krachai and makrood are available in asian supermarkets

Peel and devein shrimp; puree or grind. In a mortar, pound together shallots, garlic, lemon grass, coriander roots, peppercorns, krachai, wild lime peel and chillies. Gradually blend in shrimp paste and fish sauce as the ingredients start to break down. When consistency of a fairly smooth paste, mix in shrimp puree, green beans and egg. Roll into small balls. Heat oil in heavy pot or deep-fry balls over medium heat about 4 minutes or until golden.

Wine Suggestion: Semi Dry Vidal
When entertaining, begin with an easy drinking wine to pair with the appetizers. Let the quality of the wines served increase in weight, structure and flavour as the evening progresses. Semi Dry Vidal offers enough sweetness to counteract the Thai spiciness in this appetizer. It is also light body and so doesn’t overpower the delicate nature of shrimp.

"L" is for Little Penguin Chardonnay

With the state of our economy, I’m in search of tasty and inexpensive wines. It’s rare to find big, fat chardonnays at a reasonable price. They tend to range from $17 to $30, as most are barrel fermented and/or aged and this adds to their final cost.

Warm climate whites can fall into the big, fat category if they possess high alcohol (13 to 14.5 per cent). Alcohol is one of a few elements in wine that can add viscosity. In layman terms, viscosity is thickness. The higher the alcohol, the heavier the weight of the wine.

As an experiment, place the same crisp, dry white wine with low alcohol (12 per cent) into 2 wine glasses. In one of the glasses add an ounce of vodka. Taste both wines. You’ll notice that the wine with the vodka has more viscosity than the one without it. It will be heavier and thicker in texture due to the increase of alcohol.

You’ll generally find big fat whites of quality in the Vintage section of LCBO stores. These are the only whites that have enough body and fattiness to match cheese, cream and butter based dishes.

It would not occur to me to hunt for such a fatty wine through the general list area of the LCBO. However, a client recently recommended I try Little Penguin chardonnay, Australia, (CSPC # 598904), $10.95. At this price I had little hope of the wine meeting the balance, weight and creaminess I demand in a big, fat white wine. But I tried it anyway.

This Aussie gem pleasantly surprised me. The wine has full body, creamy texture and flavours on the nose and palate of fresh tropical fruit like pineapple and melon. Well balanced. It’s truly a delightful, fatty chardonnay.

Little Penguin chardonnay reveals characteristics that can be partnered to an array of inexpensive dishes so you can entertain on a budget.

Party dips work well with this big white. Cream cheese is fatty and creamy and is often the base ingredient in dips. Crab, artichoke and parmesan, smoked salmon, spinach, and blue cheese dips all harmonize with the same fatty taste sensation in this white wine.

Due to its weight, Little Penguin chardonnay also complements fatty fish like salmon, tuna and swordfish. Try grilled salmon with a citrus butter sauce, salmon cannelloni with a lemon butter sauce or grilled swordfish with lime butter.

This is an acceptable partner for sushi highlighting salmon and tuna, as well.

Little Penguin chardonnay complements pasta dishes coated in fatty sauces, too. Mac and cheese has the weight, creaminess and fattiness to work with this white. If you want to add depth of flavour to this inexpensive comfort food, add a dash of white wine to the cheese sauce and drizzle the dish with truffle oil just before serving.

Casseroles are inexpensive and easy to make and taste great when served with a warmed loaf of crusty bread and a chilled glass of Little Penguin chardonnay. How about potato and bacon casserole served with toasted garlic bread and a bottle of this white?

Polenta is made from corn meal, which is inexpensive. Yet, when made right, polenta has gourmet appeal. A favourite in my house is creamed chicken with corn and bacon over polenta. Gorgonzola with polenta and fresh porcini mushrooms would also work well with Little Penguin chardonnay.

"K" is for Kidney Beans

Kidney Burger Recipe and Wine Pairing Below

If I had only one food and one beverage from which to choose, it would be a T-bone steak and a glass of red wine. In an effort to reduce my calorie, fat and frequent consumption of meat, make a few changes for the New Year, I’ve been studying the many benefits of beans, specifically kidneys. When combined with brown rice, this common bean provides an excellent source of protein – without the high calories and fat content of red meat! In fact, one cup of kidney beans provides 15.3 grams of protein, 30% of one’s daily requirement.

Like most beans, kidneys are also an excellent source of cholesterol lowering fiber. Hypoglycemic and diabetic friendly, these beans help to stabilize blood sugar levels after meals.

One of the best benefits of kidneys, I believe, is that they are high in ‘molybdenum.’ Molybdenum is a trace mineral and an important part of the enzyme sulfite oxidase, which is responsible for detoxifying sulfites in the body.

One cup of cooked kidney beans supplies about 177.0% of our molybdenum daily requirement. I checked my multivitamin. It contains 8 mcg of this trace mineral. For the human being, 75 mcg of molybdenum is a daily requirement. So, kidney beans are now a part of my weekly repertoire.

Molybdenum is believed to help to protect the stomach and esophagus against cancers, aids in the absorption of iron and so helps to prevent anemia, as well as tooth decay. Molybdenum also aids in the metabolizing of fats and carbohydrates. (Other than kidney beans, other foods high in molybdenum are meats, whole brains, buckwheat, barley, wheat germ, lima beans, sunflower seeds and dark green leafy vegetables.)

Most importantly, kidney beans are high in soluable and insoluable fibre. Soluable fibre produces a gel-like substance that increases stool bulk and therefore helps to prevent constipation.

When buying kidney beans at bulk food stores, look closely to ensure they are not cracked, thus indicating too much moisture content.

To prepare dried kidneys quickly and for culinary greatness, rinse the beans under cool water. Place them in a pot on a burner with just enough water to cover. Bring the water to a boil and then let the beans simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Let the beans stand in their liquid for two hours. Remove the beans from this liquid. Discard the liquid. Rinse the beans again under cool water again. Put them into a clean pot. Add 3 cups of water to every 1 cup of beans. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer. Let the kidneys cook for another 1.5 to 2 hours until soft and done.

Kidney Bean Burgers
Serves two
1 (15- to 16-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed, drained

1 cup cooked brown rice.
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup bottled chunky salsa
1 tsp cumin
sea salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil (as needed)
2 whole-wheat hamburger buns
slices of cucumber as needed
sprouts of choice

Place beans and brown rice in a food processor. Puree until chunky. Transfer to a bowl. Fold in the onion, breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons of the salsa, and cumin. Add more salsa if mixture is too dry. Season with salt and pepper. Using moistened hands, shape bean mixture into two (3- to 4-inch-diameter) patties. Prepare the electric grill. Spray the grill with non stick cooking spray. Grill burgers until heated through, about 3 minutes per side. Grill cut sides of buns until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Transfer burgers to bottom halves of buns. Spoon remaining salsa over each burger. Add slices of cucumber and favourite sprouts. Cover with tops of buns.

Wine Suggestion: The tangy salsa demands a crisp, dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc, dry Riesling, pinot gris or VinhoVerde.

If you choose to add a lot of cayenne heat to the burger, choose an off dry white wine with a hint of sweetness. The sweetness in the wine will offset the heat and spice.

"J" is for Jenson Cheese for New Year's Eve

If you're interested in hosting a unique New Year's Eve, consider an elegant, but simple wine and cheese tasting. I'm talking about your hosting an event that is not 'cliche' or predicatable, like pairing red wine and Ermite blue cheese.

Consider pairing one style of cheese, such as Cheddar and its various strengths with different wines. Keep it simple.

When you pair one cheese with several wines you experience a deeper personal connection with your own senses -- your sense of smell, taste and feel. Said another way, you begin to notice more about our own sense of taste than focusing on the cheese and wine.

Pairing one style of cheese of different strengths with several wines also allows you to experience how different strengths of the same cheese create wonderful taste and flavour reactions in and around various parts of your mouth.

I hosted this kind of event a while back. I choose Jensen Cheese because this company specializes in different strengths of Cheddar and Cheddar related cheeses. It's trendy to celebrate the local angle, too.

Jensen produces fabulous Cheddars. The company has a long history of cheese making in Ontario, opening in Simcoe in 1925 by master Denmark cheesemaker, Arne Jensen. Since its inception, Jensen has won many awards for their products.

The goal of our tasting was to determine if any specific guidelines exist that can be applied to wine and cheese.

The first discovered guideline is this: You can successfully pair wines and cheeses of the same weight, even if their strengths differ. My guests and I found that different strengths of Cheddar -- mild, medium or extra strong -- can all harmonzie with high alcohol reds. They just harmonize in a variety of ways.

What do I mean by equal weight? (Fattiness is mouth feel, also known as texture. Cheddar is high in fat. Austere reds, such as Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec are generally high in alcohol (14% to 15%). High alcohol gives wine more viscosity (thickness). This thickness is experience on the palate as 'fatty.' So the fattiness in all Cheddars (despite mild, medium, strong and extra strong) match the weight and fattiness of high alcohol reds.

The second guideline is that strong Cheddars can soften the bitterness (tannin) in austere red wines.

We sampled ten cheeses and seven austere red wines. Of this group, two pairings stood out. The Pari Estate Pangkarra Grenache 2005 (CSPC 127335), $18.95, from Australia is a delicious red with classic ripe blackberry fruit and licorice flavours, full body and a long, enjoyable finish. When paired with Jensen’s old Cheddar, the combination was pleasant with the cheese’s flavour softening some of the wine’s bitterness (tannin.) If this wine is not available at your local LCBO, choose any Australian Grenache with forward fruit character.

The third guideline reveals that a strong red wine partnered with mild Cheddar (but of equal weight) allows the wine to shine.

When we paired an Australian Grenache with Jensen’s Marble cheese the combination reacted differently. In this partnership, the cheese allowed the wine's full character to dominate.

This specific guideline is important if you're planning on wowing your New Year's Eve guests with a fabulous vintage you've been cellaring for a while. Choose a Cheddar with equal weight, but of softer flavour.

We also enjoyed a Duval-Leroy La Fleur Leroy 2004 (CSPC 17228), $19.15, from France. It offers lots of earthy, barnyard flavours on the nose with a palate that is medium bodied, earthy and spicy.

This red with an extra old cheddar created perfect harmony on the palate.

The fourth guideline then? Strong reds obviously work with extra old Cheddars.

Yet, when paired with Monterey Jack, the wine provided up front flavours; the cheese providing intensity of flavour on the back palate.

If this wine is unavailable, choose a 2007 Ontario Cabernet Sauvignon to partner to an old Cheddar and Monterey Jack.

If you decide to undertake this wine and cheese tasting at home this New Year's Eve, contact Jensen Cheese at 1-866-625-0615 or go to http://www.jensencheese.ca/, to find out where the products are available in your neighbourhood. An LCBO wine consultant can help you choose a variety of fruit forward and austere red wines.

"I" is for Incredible Stuffing

Also referred to as the ‘dressing,’ stuffing is a mixture of ingredients used to stuff poultry, fish, meat, some vegetables and casseroles. It can be cooked separately from the main ingredient, such as vegetarian stuffing cooked separately from the Thanksgiving turkey, or the stuffing can be stuffed into the main ingredient, as done with turkey and chicken. While the stuffing list is endless, they all have two elements in common – all stuffings are usually well seasoned and based on breadcrumbs or cubes. However, cornbread, rice, potatoes and other ingredients can be used as the base, as well.

An old European wine rule states that red wine is best served with red meat, and white wine works with white meat. The person who came up with this rule was obviously more wino than stuffing gourmand. Stuffing – if its made to do its job – will add plenty of big flavours to most dishes and must certainly be considered as the primary ingredient when choosing a wine partner. So, the new pairing guideline, if there is one, might be: pair white wine with the biggest flavours in the dish, and pair red wine with the biggest flavours in the dish.
Here’s a few stuffing and wine partner choices:

Fruit and Nut-Based Stuffings:
Fruit and nut-based stuffings, such as those including half a cup each of dried plums, chopped apple and cranberries as well as almonds are best to be matched to a white wine with a hint of sweetness, such as an off-dry Riesling. The wine’s sweetness will marry well to the fruit’s sweetness in the stuffing.

Italian Style Stuffing:
An Italian style stuffing can consist of one jar (14-3/4 ounces) marinated artichoke hearts, (undrained), one package frozen chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed dry), one teaspoon of finely chopped fresh oregano and basil, half a cup of grated Parmesan, and one cup of white wine. Artichokes, spinach, fresh oregano and fresh basil all possess a wonderful ‘bitterness’ that works well with the bitterness in tannin found in heavier red wines like Zinfandel or Cabernet Sauvignon.

East-Indian Stuffing:
An East Indian stuffing can include one cup of pineapple juice, one cup of pineapple chunks, one cup of shredded coconut, one cup of raisins, one cup of almonds and one tablespoon of curry powder. The pineapple and coconut in the stuffing is best matched to a wine with a hint of sweetness. Off-dry Gewurztraminer offers enough sweetness, as well as a hint of spiciness to match the curry.

Mexican-Style Stuffing:
Adding one cup of oil, one cup of spicy tomato juice, half a cup of green salsa, one cup of olives (chopped), and one cup of celery (chopped), can make a wonderful Mexican-style stuffing. For this recipe you will want a white wine with good acidity to decrease the heat associated with the spicy tomato juice and green salsa. A full-bodied Chardonnay would do the trick, also able to hold its own against the big flavours of salsa and olives.

"H" is for Holiday Appetizer

When it comes to entertaining family and friends over the holiday season, it’s sometimes difficult to choose between the idea of creating extravagant appetizers that are sure to WOW the crowd or appetizers that are fast, simple and inexpensive. Obviously, it depends on one’s budget and time.

Being a food and wine lover, I have often gone for exotic and extravagant with the intention of impressing my guests. But, on a few occasions the results did not meet my expectations, especially when I attempted a new recipe for the first time. There’s always that chance of failing to create the masterpiece that is celebrated in the cookbook.
Also, I’ve learned that, beyond my wine and food companions, many family members and friends do not like exotic tasting foods.

An old adage claims that, “If you listen to your mother, you’ll never go wrong.” This is certainly true for me in almost all areas of my life, but especially when it comes to cooking. Some of my mom’s most incredible tasting dishes are brilliantly simple and come from the darndest places – like the sides of butter containers and cereal boxes.

She tries out a recipe herself, and if it’s good, she’ll then serve it to the family. If family members enjoy the recipe, it is dubbed “worthy” and then is placed into her crafted, homemade cookbook. My mom will then serve the dish to friends and at family gatherings for years to come, knowing well that the results are predictable and that the majority of guests will love it.

Here’s a deliciously simple and inexpensive appetizer from my mother’s cookbook. (Note: she did not CREATE this recipe herself. In fact, if you recognize the dish, no doubt you also noticed it on the side of some container.)

Cold, Veggie Pizza
Two packs of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
One cup of mayonnaise
One envelope of original ranch dressing (dry)
One package of cream cheese
Three stalks of fresh broccoli, chop into small pieces
One head of cauliflower, chop into small pieces
Four carrots, chop into small pieces
One small box fresh mushrooms, chop into small pieces
Cheddar cheese (to taste)

Spread crescent rolls over jelly role pan. Press together seams to seal into one whole crust. Bake at 350 F for ten minutes. Let cool. Mix together mayonnaise, dry ranch seasoning, cream cheese and chopped vegetables. Spread mixture over crust. Sprinkle with desired amount of cheddar cheese. To serve, cut pizza into desired size squares.

This simple and tasty appetizer is a crowd pleaser. It requires a brut (bone dry) bubbly or crisp, dry white wine that complements the tanginess of cream cheese without overpowering the delicate taste of fresh vegetables. Sauvignon Blanc, with its inherent refreshing citrus and grassy character is ideal. Dry Riesling or Pinot Blanc will also do the trick.

"G" is for Garlic

Garlic is a staple in my kitchen. The way in which one cooks with garlic will determine the best wine accompaniment for the resulting dish. While many varieties exist, soft-necked white skinned garlic is the most popular, readily available in supermarkets.

The kind of taster you are obviously determines the amount of garlic you enjoy in any given dish. Supertasters (with many taste buds) can survive with a clove or two in an entree or sauce, whereas a non taster (with fewer taste buds) demands the entire bulb.

I'm a non taster and so use heavy garlic when cooking for myself. So, I must take the dominant taste of garlic and its cooking method into consideration when choosing an appropriate accompanying wine for the finished dish.

The way in which you cook garlic will determine its most suitable wine partner.

Chopped and sliced garlic do not dissolve in hot oil. As a result the chunks or slices leave a mild bitter sensation in the aftertaste of the dish. The best wine matches are ones with well-balanced flavours. You don’t want any one taste sensation predominating in the wine, such as sourness, sweetness or bitterness. White wines such as pinot blanc and unoaked chardonnay and reds like merlot are good partners. Wines produced from these grape varieties generally have no overbearing sensations and therefore support without overpowering the subtle flavour of garlic.

Pressed and crushed garlic dissolves in heat during the cooking process and adds slightly more aromatics and bitterness. This level of garlic calls for a wine with more bitterness to match. White and red wines that undergo oak aging have soft, pleasant bitterness and so are great partners. Look for oak aged chardonnay and merlot from both cold and warm climates, such as Ontario, Oregon, California, Chile, Australia and South Africa.

Browned garlic adds nutty notes to a dish. Orvieto is a lesser-known Italian white grape variety grown in Umbria, central Italy. Its wines are clean and crisp with nutty tones that complement garlic prepared in this fashion.

Garlic grilled over hot coals adds more earthy, toasty and smoky tones. Many countries around the world, such as Australia, Chile and France produce barrel fermented and barrel aged chardonnay with earthy, toasty and smoky tones that harmonize with dishes celebrating grilled garlic. Australia’s semillon can also show toasty, smoky and nutty flavours, along with its deep, rich pineapple and honey notes. This earthy character can also be found in some aged reds. Rioja reserva is a Spanish red wine renowned for undergoing aging in cask and bottle before release. Rioja is known for its spicy, earthy character.

Raw garlic offers the strongest flavour, adding forward bitterness and a zesty bite to dishes. Dishes highlighting raw garlic demand whites and reds with similar bitterness. White wines, such as sauvignon blanc can offer a pleasant bitterness on the finish, complementing the flavour of raw garlic. Cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon are reds with lots of astringency and tannin that also bring bitterness and dryness to the palate. These characteristics work nicely with raw garlic, as well.

Slow roasted garlic becomes caramelized and sweet. This sweetness requires a white or red wine with a hint of sweetness to match. An off dry riesling, off dry gewürztraminer or off dry rose works well with an oil based pasta highlighting caramelized, slow roasted garlic.

So consider how you are preparing the garlic in your dish before choosing the appropriate wine partner.