By Andrea Pollock
I absolutely love cooking pork; whether it be a roast, chops, bacon or some grilled tenderloin.
I can probably be found cooking up a pork meal a couple times a week. I love that there are so many different flavour profiles that can come from pork. You have the salt, the savoury and also the sweet. There are some very specific grape varietals that can pair very nicely, helping to enhance your overall meal.
Riesling in particular is a fabulous match for pork cuts. The tanginess and sweetness of Rieslings has the ability to compliment the saltiness of pork and the acidity to cut through the fat to cleanse the palate. I can handle a fresh Riesling with almost any style of cooked pork but they are particularly nice with an herb crusted roast. You can make a nice herb crust by mixing a bit of olive oil with rosemary and black pepper and spreading it over your pork roast or chop before it hits the oven. Gewurztraminer is another refreshing and slightly sweet grape that can pair nicely with a savoury pork dish done in this style. The Gewurztraminer grape has a natural spicy element that can be a nice treat with pork served alongside a sweet sauce.
If you are looking for a red wine to pair with your pork you might want to try a light Gamay Noir or a rich Cabernet Franc from Canada. Both of these grapes have the ability to show nice berry elements while still allowing the rich pork flavour. Red wines in other varietals that show bright candy flavours can also pair nicely with pork dishes. The candy elements help to balance the saltiness of pork cuts.
This week I chose a couple of wines that you can pick up for your next pork based meal.
Wines of the week
Deinhard Riesling 2009 [Germany]
There is some green apple and fresh cut grass in the front of this nose with a background of body sweat that really pronounces itself at the end. Taste wise, there is a great balance of sugar and acidity – a nice tang that cuts nicely through food to cleanse the palate. Perfect for pork dishes or a nice scallop ceviche. 83/100 (February 5th, 2011)
Reserve Pampas Del Sur Cabernet Sauvignon [Argentina]
A nice spicy nose of plums and black pepper – there is also a hint of cigarette smoke. Flavours are fruity with some red berries, watermelon candy and some dry beach wood. A very nice value wine that would do well with cellaring. 88/100