Pretense so often accompanies the wine industry.   It is inevitable and there will always be a certain segment of the population that likes a certain amount of pretense in their wine.   But is it necessary?   Not really.   As you have followed my articles over the last year, you have realized that much about wine is generally graspable, comprehensible and moreover, consumable.   So what happens when you are confronted with a wine that has a French name, not readily translatable, and for that matter, you are not even sure what grape is in it?   Well, if you are fortunate enough to visit the winery in question, you simply pepper the hospitality staff with direct questions.   If you do not have the wine industry readily at your whim to answer your every grape-related question, the answer is simple:   you rely on your own palate.    At the end of the day, fancy name, fancy label, unpronounceable name, whatever the case may be, it only matters if you like the wine.  

To experiment with this, this week I am featuring a wine from Elyse Winery (“Elyse”) called “Le Corbeau”.   Typically, I launch into a fact-driven dissertation about what the grape actually is, where it hails from, its history, its suitability to grow well in Napa Valley, and so on and so forth.   But instead, this time, I am going to just open the bottle and follow my senses:  see what I find and determine based on sense, what will go with this wine.

The vintage of Elyse’s Le Corbeau that I have selected is from 2004.    This means that the wine has aged and been in the bottle for approximately six years.   Opening the bottle, the nose is greeted by an aromatic twist of smoke and red rose petals, followed by scents of raspberries and red fruit.  Its nose lilts past, almost like the gentle caress of a mid-summer Carneros breeze.  Its coloring is noted as rich, ruby and jewel-toned.  As it swirls in the glass amid evening late sunlight, it dazzles and enchants.  On the palate, the 2004 Le Corbeau is lush (which is from the benefit of aging) with a smooth, slightly velvety texture and subtly seduces the palate with flavors of plum, black raspberry, a hint of anise, smoky bacon and a dash of pepper.   Its finish is hauntingly coaxing and ends with a mysterious wink to encourage another decadent sip.

While Elyse presently offers a more recent release of Le Corbeau for tasting and sale, hanging onto a bottle for six years is a delightful treat.    The result with the 2004 Le Corbeau was a truly gorgeous wine which was well worth waiting for.

With such a stunning wine as the 2004 Le Corbeau, one might find himself or herself taken aback, unsure what to pair with it.    There are not the sturdy tannins (as found in many red wines) and acidity is negligible.   The wine itself is not bold, but it is distinctly solid in its presentation and its aromas and tastes keep unfolding and revealing themselves as the glass of wine is sipped.   Taking into account the nature of the wine, my food pairing is going to be straight-forward and intended to compliment:

·         Smoked Turkey, Bacon, Avocado Sandwich With Shallot-Cranberry Mayonnaise   

A sandwich?   Just a sandwich for this wine?  Yes.   Is this a guilty pleasure?   No.    Is it the quiet private appreciation for a truly remarkable unique wine that merits its own uncluttered stage on your palate?   Absolutely.    Would this ruffle the feathers of those who demand a dose of pretense with their wine?   Perhaps… or maybe you might find them enjoying something just as straight-forward in the quiet everyday of their own kitchens.    Welcome to the “speakeasy” world of food and wine pairing.

Choosing to use smoked turkey and bacon are quick and easy ways to accentuate the smoke nuances in the wine.   Depending on the palate, there is a slight bacon taste in Le Corbeau and using bacon (as obvious as it may seem) does help accentuate this characteristic in the wine.  Given the lack of tannins or acidity, a soft mild cheese such as provolone also pairs well.   A multigrain bread is not only healthy, but it also does not contain as much sugar which in turn means that it will not compete with the wine.   The wine is aged and has a soft, lush, smooth and almost velvety feel in the mouth; avocado and fresh butter lettuce from my vegetable garden will mimic these textures for the sandwich.   However, not to insult the wine, in fairness, I will add something to the sandwich to give it a little zip and a gourmet nod:   a shallot-cranberry mayonnaise.   Adding this livens the meal, compliments the fruit in the wine and brings out a bit of the spice and pepper in the wine.

This is clearly no ordinary sandwich.   The quiet underlying benefit of this sandwich is that it is packed with protein and with the carbohydrates of the bread, it holds up well to the 14.8% alcohol content of the 2004 Le Corbeau.

So what does “Le Corbeau” mean?   In French, it means the Raven.   For Edgar Allen Poe fans, it could poetically symbolize a haunting remembrance.  While it is easy to sit back and lose oneself pondering all that is sensually experienced in Elyse’s 2004 Le Corbeau, it is the combination of two grapes that make this gorgeous wine:  90% Grenache and 10% Syrah.   Grenache is typically higher in sugar content and loaded with berry flavors and lacks acidity or tannins.  Syrah adds a slightly darker dimension, a dash of backbone, smoke flavoring and coloring.  For those of you who cannot help yourselves and want the culinary glamour to accessorize your wine, think of lamb, duck, wild mushroom risotto, among others.   But for those of you, who know a good wine when you taste it, keep its culinary companion simple and let this wine stand forward in all of its own complex glory and savor its individuality.    Because when a wine is good, it is great.   And sometimes, that in and of itself is more than enough.