Wine with Game

Hey friends,

In my previous post I talked about wine with meats, this is kind of a continuation of that but I want to go into it a little more with more of our intense flavor game meat. If you're a new foodie you might not be familiar with a few of these or may never have tasted them but let me tell you, you're truly missing out on some great eats. I hope this will inspire you to step out of your normal comfort zone and try something new.

Pigeon ( Squab) - You'll need a quite powerful mature red to stand up to the rich and high fat content of roasted pigeon.Cote de Nuits - A full bodied burgundy with maturity and a powerful flavor.Tuscan Sauiovese - This is robust enough to deal with the distinctive flavor of pigeon and works well with plain vegetable side dishes.

Pheasant - Whether the pheasant is from the wild, or has been farm raised, it is best served with a fine, mature red Bordeaux.Pomerol -The richness of this Bordeaux will complement the richness and texture of the meat.St. Emilion -Go for a fine-quality aged bottle that will really do justice to your meal. Add a splash of St Emilion to the cooking juices for a delicious sauce.

Quail - Not as rich as most other game birds, quail are delicious grilled or barbequed. Choose a light red to accompany quail.Young Burgundy =Choose one that is young and fresh enough not to drown the soft and delicate flavors of quail.Rioja -The flavors of a mature Rioja will complement quail beautifully.

Rabbit - For stew , the rabbit is usually marinaded in a rich red wine for several hours before cooking, so it'll required a well matched red wine to pair with. GO for BIG flavors with this wine.Bordeaux -Choose one of the more youthful red Bordeaux.Cote' de Frontonnais - This is a more savory red, ideal for a rabbit served roasted.Chinon - This medium-bodied red with god fruit and acidity will also go very well with a fruity sauce.

Hare -The flavor of hare is stronger than rabbi, the meat is darker in color and the overwhelming flavor is "gamier". It should be served with a full-bodied red.Nuits-St.-Georges - The sturdiness of this wine will withstand the strong game flavor.Barbareso -Very powerful, full-flavored, and aromatic.

Venison - Lean cuts of venison can dry out quickly during cooking, so its best serve medium-rare with a sauce made from the cooking juices. Forequarter cuts should be marinaded in wine before cooking to tenderize the meat. Syrah - This is rich and gamy enough to take on the distinctive flavor of venison.Chianti - A 3-4 year old Chianti will have a similar mouth feel to a softly cooked tender filet.

I know a lot of people are like whoa, I never thought of eating that, but these are some of the tastiest meats when prepared properly. I have some great recipes if you want them.I hope you'll try some of these great pairings; let me know what you think!

Food of Love

Chef Tre' Donte'

*Wine Essential used as reference