Steak and Red Wine Pairing
Written By: Dylan York on Wed, Nov 21st 2007
With less than 45 days left before I depart for the island I took a trip back to Greenville, Mississippi to say my goodbyes to my family. The trip would not be complete until I make a stop at the one gem that still remains in town, Does Eat Place circa 1941. Famous for their homemade hot tamales and steaks, this restaurant is a national landmark for steak lovers and so it is with every great steak there must be a great red wine to accompany it. The best part is that they do not serve wine, so you can bring whatever you want to drink without even paying a corkage fee.
Since I didn't have time to pack a bottle from home, I was at the mercy of the wine selection that Greenville had to offer. I walked into the only wine shop that I knew and before me were stacks of every animal known to man on a wine bottle. I was definitely worried. After navigating through the stacks I was pleasantly surprised and found a 2004 Caymus Special Select Cabernet Sauvignon for $120, a great deal, and a bottle of 2001 Penfolds RWT Shiraz, which was also a good buy at $70. Both wines were meant for the evening ahead.
When we arrived at our table the waitress brought us a corkscrew (the one with wings) and glassware. While the wine breathed we placed our order. Salad with house dressing, hot tamales, garlic bread, a 2 lb T-Bone and the 2 1/2 lb Porterhouse both served with hand-cut fries. When the tamales arrived I went for the RWT. RWT means Red Winemaking Trial and was first released in 1997 as a complement to Penfolds Grange. The 2001 vintage in Barossa was great, and by this time the RWT had developed into a great wine. The oak had integrated itself nicely with notes of black raspberry, blueberry and a peppery spice, a perfect pairing with the cumin and red pepper-laced tamales. The wine is showing perfectly now and should maintain its character for the next year or so. After this it will take on more earthy tones and the vibrant fruit will dissipate reminding me how important it is to age your wine according to how you like to enjoy it.
Once the steaks arrived the Caymus had had adequate time to breathe and was ready to drink. The wine was rich with black licorice, cassis and creamy hints of vanilla and toasty oak. The 2005 vintage was just released, but I recommend the 2004 to drink now. For those who are not familiar with Caymus, they make two Cabernet Sauvignons, Caymus and Caymus Special Select. The "SS" is aged a little longer in oak and can age longer and more gracefully. The two wines are worlds apart and I always prefer the "SS", and it was perfect with the steak. If you are ever in the Delta, take in your best steak wine and pair it with a legendary steak from Does.
