Pinot?

[JeremyEG]

Hi Folks,
My wife and I have been craving pasta with lobster and roasted tomato. We're also going to shave some bottarga on top at the end along with very light pinch of chili flakes. It doesn't sound like a great dish to pair with red wine but here's the thing: We have 2 nice-ish bottles of Oregon pinot that we've been thinking about for some time and I'm not convinced that it won't work. The other part is that we're taking a much needed vacation and will be assembling this meal in our hotel which will have a full kitchen. Should be fun but I won't be bringing more than the 1 bottle of wine so if you think the pairing won't work, I'll bring something else. To clarify, this won't be a marinara or anything like that. Just a small amount of dark, cooked tomato with the lobster and bottarga tossed in.
Thanks in advance for your help.
JeremyEG
HomeCookLocavore.com

[seiun]

One of the great things about Pinot Noirs is that, with their lower tannins and higher acidity, they tend to sit "under" the food, rather than "pairing" with it. They're an excellent complement to just about everything ^except* beef and pork (which require higher tannins to cut the fat of a good cut of red meat). My advice is, when in doubt, pick a Pinot or a good bottle of bubbly, like Verve Cliquot. They'll rarely fail you.

[goldangl95]

In my personal experience, I've found Pinots actually to be fairly sensitive to pairings if the goal is to focus on and enjoy the wine. A lot of the "layering"/dimensions to a Pinot can get easily blown out (in the case of more earthy Pinots) or dramatically clash with (in the case of more fruit/floral Pinots) by a whole varietal of foods outside French cuisine. Strong garlic, spicy, or sweet flavors all can be problematic.

[JeremyEG]

Ok guys. So I'm certain the combination would have made for a lovely meal and thank you all for your intelligent input. We've decided to grab a bottle of very good NV Champagne and sip it throughout the evening with some cured meats, a salad and then the lobster dish. I imagine the pairing will be lovely.

I did just buy some AMAZING duck thighs at the greenmarket and I will serve those next week with the pinot. Maybe along with some broiled mushrooms.

Thanks again for all your help.
JeremyEG
HomeCookLocavore.com

[ChefJune]

sounds like each will be wonderful on its own, but together, not so much. I'd prefer a vermentino with the combination you described.

[Asomaniac]

I'd probably go for Viognier or Chenin Blanc, but the PN might be sort of OK. (Just OK though - but certainly not terrible.)

[Chinon00]

Pinot works well with fatty seafood like salmon or tuna. There just isn't enough fat in this dish as I see it for Pinot to work well. I'd choose a white wine like a Viognier with a little body and fruit to deal with the heat.

[Bill Hunt]

With the chili, I might think of a CA Santa Rita PN, but, OTOH, have served some OR PN's with wife's gumbo, and it can be very spicy, with some fair "heat."

Go for it, and let us know how well the PN worked.

Now, I almost always have at least one red (most often a PN), with my white fish, unless in a creme sauce.

Enjoy,

Hunt

[goldangl95]

The pairing won't be horrible. Pinots tend to be fairly high in acid and so can handle a bit of spice and tomato. Depending on the flavor profile of your Pinot, assuming its not too tannic/spicy and has a kind of light cherry, bright acidic feel should work OK.

[Al Toon]

I never get too hung up about matching food and wine. I've had many a bottle of PN with fish and even once had cod with a mature claret. I've always found PN and cru Beaujolais to be very versatile wines when it comes to coping with different foods.