I have a few bottles of 2002 malbec and want to match them up with a nice meal. While I feel grilled beef may be the best chaoice, I was wondering if any of you had some reccomendations.
Specifically, I have the Bodegas Terrazas de los Andes 2002 and the Bodega Norton 2002. I was planning a Mediterranian style chicken dish with olive oil, mushrooms, and tomatoes.

I also have some 2002 Gerorges Duboeuf Fleurie Flower Label - would this be a better match with the previously mentioned chicken dish?

Thanks for your insight!

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Good wine, good food, good friends - what else do you need?

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Originally posted by Scotty:
I have a few bottles of 2002 malbec and want to match them up with a nice meal. While I feel grilled beef may be the best chaoice, I was wondering if any of you had some reccomendations.
Specifically, I have the Bodegas Terrazas de los Andes 2002 and the Bodega Norton 2002. I was planning a Mediterranian style chicken dish with olive oil, mushrooms, and tomatoes.

I also have some 2002 Gerorges Duboeuf Fleurie Flower Label - would this be a better match with the previously mentioned chicken dish?

Thanks for your insight!

quote:

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Good wine, good food, good friends - what else do you need?

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With regards to the Malbecs, I have not had these two in particular, however have had the Don Miguel Gascon with is a lively and full bodied Malbec and it paired well with rich and heavily seasoned food and could stand up to it which I believe that most malbec can. So your seasoned chicken dish would, IMHO, be a good match.

I have had the Fleurie as a stand alone at a wine tasting, not with food, but if memory is clear about the Fleurie it was a bit delicate for a dish containing olive oil and tomatoes that would be high in acid. The dish you are discussing might overpower this otherwise nice wine which might be better suited to pork or a mild white fish like talapia.

ks

Slow cooked roast beef, roast lamb, stews, typical winter meals (well, winter here at least, perhaps not S.C.)

snow sucks, cold is worse.......

The foods that pair well with Malbec are the same as you'd pair with Cabernet Sauvignon, IMHO.

Last night we had '99 Valdivieso Malbec Single Vineyard Reserve (strangely, there wasn't a "single vineyard" named on the label) with grilled tenderloin w/shallot and red wine reduction, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted golden beets, steamed carrots. I went down to get a Cab or Shiraz, saw this forgotten Malbec, and it worked fine with our meal.

Nice wine, too. Lots of blueberry, smoke, and vanilla flavors, mild tannins, medium to long finish.

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Cheers.

Thanks for the insight. I don't often see Malbec listed in the more common wine / food pairing charts, so I was courious.

In this case, I decided to try the Fleurie, mainly because I had never had one before. It worked out fairly well, most like since my dish was moderated with a sherry / creme base under the tomato sauce.

Interesting wine. I had not had a gamay before and liked the floral overtones. Nice nose, light body with cherry tones over a touch of spicy earth. My wife really enjoyed it.

Based upon your recomendations, the Malbec will be paired with something from the grill, perhaps a steak or chops.

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Good wine, good food, good friends - what else do you need?

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lamb chops are always nice with malbec

bman and Seaquam are right on target, try it with beef. I like to have Malbec at an Argentinean or Nicaraguan restaurant and they have mainly grilled beef. The lamb chops that mattech recommends sounds interesting and I'll have to give that a try.

Just about any type of charred animal flesh will work well.

Particularly, I like to heavily season some skinless chicken breasts w/Zatarain's Creole seasoning and grill them. The heavy seasoning creates a savory caramelized crust, w/a nice touch of smoky heat, that pairs well w/Malbec. I've not had either of your choices, but I am a Malbec fan through and through.

"This wine should be eaten, it is too good to be drunk."
Jonathan Swift

Emilio, what are your favourite Nica dishes? If I remember correctly there is one called ropa sucia made with super-tender shredded pork. Or is that Panamanian?

snow sucks, cold is worse.......

bman,

I think that's Panamanian but I wouldn't swear to it. My absolute favorite Nicaraguan dish is Carne Asada. If you're not familar with it, it is a thinly sliced grilled flank steak with lime and served with chimichurri. If not cooked right it can be a tough piece of meat, if done well it is extremely flavorfull and tasty and perfect with a nice Malbec!

My best meals with Argentina Malbecs have been with roasted rack of pork and roasted whole chickens. It's true you can drink it with beef dishes, but Cabernet is still king in my book.

Passion turns intentions into habits.

I was lucky enough to live almost 4 years in Centro-America, and to travel extensively throughout the region. My motto on dining was: "When in doubt, order carne asada!" (served just as you describe)

snow sucks, cold is worse.......