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S01E08 | Bookbinder's Philadelphia Food and Wine Pairing

Written By: ClassicWines.com Team on Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Brian Freedman:Welcome back to the Classic Wines Minute, brought to you by classicwines.com. I’m Brian Freedman, and again we are here at old original Book Binders on 1st and Walnut Street, Philadelphia. Beautiful to start place, unbelievable sea food. Definitely want to check it out.

So, for today’s food and wine pairing, we’re going to be working with the Last Sauvignon Blanc. You’ll probably recognize the label from the last tasting that we did here. This one, as we explained in that episode -- if you haven’t seen it, check it out. This one is very minerally rocky flavored Sauvignon Blanc. You’re going to get less of that fruit; you’re going to get less of that lushes and mouth feel. Because of that, it’s going to be absolutely perfect, with a seafood platter like this.

So, today we are going to see, how the wine actually changes, based upon what we are going to be tasting as well. So again, just a refresher, great acid on the nose, you really do smell that mineral quality. Again, as opposed to some of those other Sauvignon Blancs, much less tropical fruit, much less of that richness, and that’s actually going to help us when it comes to pairing it with the food, because it’s not going to overpower the shellfish.

So, first thing we are going to actually try here is one of these Kumoto Oysters. This is a classic pairing for a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, because there is going to be a certain brininess to the oysters and there’s also going to be a certain amount of sweetness to them, and what that should do is actually bring out other characteristics in this wine that we weren’t tasting before. So, let’s see how it goes. My producer was just telling me that this is an aphrodisiac. So, if I start doing funny things with my eyebrows, don’t pay attention to them.

Well, it’s a great oyster. It’s mid November. I mean, this is really we are getting into the heart of oyster season here.

Amazing, the wine has completely changed its character because of what’s going on with this oyster. That mineral quality is much more assured, and the fruit, while softened, almost seems more frivoling, probably because it’s working in juxtaposition to that brininess, and that sweetness of the oysters here.

Now, what I’ve been curious about the whole time staring at this, are these Jumbo Shrimp, because the shrimp has a very different flavor profile than these oysters will. And again, these are already dipped in a little bit of cocktail sauce. So, I’m wondering how great that pairing is going to be with it. But again, that horse radish in the cocktail sauce could be absolutely spectacular with this wine.

This is why you keep coming to a place like Book Binders. Spectacular Shrimp, you can’t make this stuff at home. Totally different wine, when you taste it with the Jumbo Shrimp. There’s almost some sort of spice that I’m finding in the wine all of a sudden, and it still works beautifully. It just tastes completely different than the way it did with those oysters. My mother would yell at me for eating with my hands but, when they’re as big as chicken wings, you do whatever you like.

I think the important lesson today, is that a wine like this, which is a little more rustier and that has a little more acid to it, and a little more of a mineral and stone type character, it will actually pair better with food, because it’s not going to overpower it, and the great thing about it is, it turns into a bit of a chameleon, and you really get two very different wine experiences, even though it’s the same bottle. So remember, always experiment with your wines, always be willing to think and drink outside the box, and always listen to the experts at the restaurant, because hopefully, like they do here, they know their wines and their food better than you do.

Until next time, I’m Brian Freedman. This has been the Classic Wines Minute. Cheers!

Total Duration: 04 Minutes.

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