The expected wine pairing for seafood is usually white wine. However, it is not always the traditional or ideal pairing. For centuries, Europeans have flocked to the coasts of the Mediterranean to indulge in the sunshine and cooler weather. Cities in continental Europe become hot and humid.
Red grapes grow easily in the south and have always been the bounty of the harvest. This explains why a fisherman in Puglia may enjoy his fresh caught Branzino with a slightly chilled glass of Negroamaro versus a difficult to find glass of Moscato.
Most of the world’s wine regions are within 100 miles from a beach, and many are on Islands. Hot summer weather doesn’t mean you have to give up red wines, so picking the right ones is the key.
Five reds that pair perfect with seafood.
Cottanera, Etna Rosso Contrada Diciassettesalme (2017)
The island of Sicily has one of the longest coastlines in Italy. 90% of the wine regions are along the coasts and produce fresh, bright red grapes. Natural acidity in the wines help balance the sweetness in crustaceans and grilled fish.Etna itself flows in the lymph of the Cottanera vineyards. With its pioneer viticulture, Cottanera is one of the most extraordinary companies in Italian and international enology today. The vineyards grow over lava stone, 700 mts above the sea, on the northern slope of the volcano, rising and twisting with air of the volcano, becoming the mirror of a unique, precious territory, a fascinating, suggestive land.
The first to believe in the value of these black lands was Guglielmo Cambria who, together with his brother Enzo, decided at the beginning of the 1990s to convert what was a hazel grove into a great vineyard, starting with international grapes, then moving on to autochthonous grapes, to the traditional grapes grown on Mt. Etna, such as Nerello mascalese, Nerello cappuccio and Carricante. "In looking to the future we can't but consider all that we have received. Land, as I was taught by my father, is invaluable, as it is the beginning of all and is, what we will become".
Herdade Do Rocim Touriga Nacional
Varietals : Touriga Nacional.
Agricultural Method : Organic.
Vinification : Manual Harvest, triaged on a vibrating sorting table, Cold maceration before fermentation in French oak barrels. Barrel-aged for nine months in French oak. Bottle aged for 3 months.
Located in the Lower Alentejo region in the southern half of Portugal, between Vidigueira and Cuba, lies the estate of Herdade do Rocim on 100 hectares, 60 of which are under vine. Alentejo is sparsely populated and, in contrast to the rest of Portugal, has many large estates. The climate is continental, with hot summers and cold winters. Having fairly reliable weather combined with the large plots of available land equates to quality at an affordable price. Wheat is the most important crop grown here, but olive trees, cork trees and vineyards are all important agriculture here as well. Wines from Alentejo are becoming popular as consumers realize the great opportunities available here, and quality is improving exponentially. It is thought to be the new world inside the old world, with highly professional wineries using a scientific approach while respecting the terroir.
The Rocim estate was purchased by the late Jose Vieira, founder of the Movicortes group, which is a Portuguese company that specializes in agricultural machinery, but has its roots in farming and vineyards. His daughter, Catarina Vieira, is in charge of the development of the estate and has her degree in Agronomical Engineering and a post-graduate course in Enology. Joining her as General Manager of the estate is Pedro Ribiero, who has studied Enology at the UTAD (University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro), and worked with the Hardy’s Wine Company in Australia. He has also worked on such projects as Herdade dos Grous and Quinta do Valbom. He contributes to the winemaking decisions, as well as running the sales and business affairs of the estate. With the birth of their son, Jose, Catarina and Pedro look forward to carrying on the family business into the next generation.
Located between Vidigueira and Cuba, in the Lower Alentejo region of Portugal, Rocim sits on the Vidigueira fault, a natural landmark which marks the border between the Upper and Lower Alentejo. The East-West facing escarpment of around 50 kilometers in length defines the climate of Vidigueira, and, despite its deep-lying southern location, makes it one of the most temperate sub-regions in the Alentejo. This facilitates the domaine's goal of showcasing the region’s terroir while producing fresh, elegant, and mineral driven wines.
J.K. Carriere Antoinette Pinot Noir2015
Pinot noir may be a year-round favorite pairing with reds, as it’s a grape with natural high acid and low tannins. A classic pairing of Oregon Pinot Noir is Salmon. Another great pairing are shellfish.
Owner and winemaker Jim Prosser grew up east of the Cascade Mountain Range in Oregon in a sleepy little skiing and timber town called Bend where you’ll find plenty of sunshine and sagebrush. Instilled with a strong work ethic, compliments of the family hardware store, Jim got a degree from Oregon State before entrenching himself in the corporate world of Xerox and commercial real estate. He spent time in Europe, lived in Lithuania as a business advisor for the Peace Corps, climbed in Pakistan, traveled five continents, wound down a family business, sold Christmas trees, and cycled the United States before being seduced … by the elusiveness of Pinot Noir.
Jim has come to understand Pinot noir from the messy grape cellar end of things and learned the trade by working for eight great producers in four countries including: Erath, Domaine Drouhin, Brick House and Chehalem in Oregon; Villa Maria in New Zealand; Tarra Warra and T'Gallant in Australia; and Domaine Georges Roumier in Burgundy. These are his friends and they have provided his foundation.
Antoinette Carriere was my maternal grandmother. French-Canadian and a farmer’s wife, she knew her way around both a team of horses and the fire of a stove. And when the horses ran too fast or the fire got too hot, she knew how to rein it in or pull it back, so that neither horse nor meal got too cooked. It was good for her grandson to heed that memory during this very warm growing year.
Cases Produced: 123
The Building of: Small-lot wild yeast fermentations, 100% barrel aged for 19 months in French oak barrels (two new, one once-filled, two twice-filled). Bottled, unfined and unfiltered.
Domaine Abbatucci Faustine, Vieilles Vignes Red, Corsica(2017)
The Faustine Rouge is 70% Sciaccarellu, 30% Niellucciu from biodynamically farmed vineyards . The wine is naturally fermented in a combination of stainless and cement and see no oak aging.
In the colorful, picturesque city of Ajaccio, capital of Corsica, you can’t get very far without seeing the name Abbatucci. There are streets, monuments and plazas that carry the name, which is normal given that General Jean-Charles Abbatucci from Ajaccio was a hero of the French Revolution and comrade in arms of another local hero, Napoléon Bonaparte. Step into a wine bar or a restaurant there, chances are these days they’ll pour you a glass of Domaine Abbatucci. The domaine is run by Jean-Charles Abbatucci, a direct descendant of the General, who has now become a local hero of another kind—for providing the local populace with its most sought-after libation.
Corsicans are proud defenders of their traditions and environment, and with Abbatucci they indulge guilt-free. His wines are certified biodynamic, and he believes in following even the most far-out biodynamic practices to the letter. On his large estate south of Ajaccio he keeps a pristine poly-culture ecosystem in place, complete with herds of sheep foraging through his vines, groves of olive trees on ancient terraces, and large swaths of untouched forests. His vines come from cuttings of indigenous grapes, sourced decades ago high up in the isolated and mountainous interior of the island from elderly peasant farmers, effectively saving several native varieties from extinction. To keep his vines happy, he’s known to drive his tractor out to his vineyards and play traditional Corsican polyphonic songs over loudspeakers for their benefit. After the harvest he’ll treat his cellar to the same music as his grapes ferment and come of age. All part of the terroir, he says. Does all this have an actual effect on the wine? Have a taste for yourself. The proof just might be in the pudding.
One of the most amazing food and wine experiences I had was in Bandol. Two local fishermen were also the chefs that made a huge pot of Bouillabaisse for our group. 5 or 6 different local types of fish, mussels, clams, shrimp, mixed with saffron and potatoes were accentuated with this blend of 85% Mourvèdre, 10% Grenache, 5% Cinsault.
Bandol reds are usually thought of as rich, bold wines, but they actually are very pretty and can age for many decades.
Before acquiring vineyards, Georges Delille trained as a sommelier in Paris. In 1963, he bought what would become Domaine de Terrebrune, a property in Ollioules, just east of Bandol, framed by the Mediterranean and the mountain called Gros-Cerveau (Big Brain), dotted with olive groves and scenic views—an idyllic spot. During the years following the declaration of A.O.C. Bandol (1941), mass overhauling and reconstruction of vineyards were commonplace, and vignerons were eager to revive the noble Mourvèdre grape. Georges spent ten years just renovating the property; he terraced hillsides, refashioned the masonry, replanted vineyards following the advice of Lucien Peyraud, designated soils to lie dormant and regenerate, and built a new cellar. In 1980, his son Reynald joined him after finishing winemaking school, and together they launched their first bottled vintage of Domaine de Terrebrune, which Reynald named in honor of the rich, brown soils they farm. Reynald’s credo of “Philosophy, Rigor, and Respect” is not a catch-phrase. He believes that the hard work and extra attention to the vines is worth it, and, as they say, the proof’s in the pudding—a glass of Terrebrune!
