Beyond "Asado" and Malbec
As we wrote before, it is in April when we celebrate Malbec around the world (you can read here why) and it seems a good excuse to explore the best food pairing to enjoy our large intake of Malbec during these sunny days we are spending at home.
I bet that when you think of Malbec, immediately after you relate it with a large amount of red meat - or the other way around also applies. This perfect match has its foundation in the generous nature of Argentina, the amount and the quality of its nature that brings those together. There is an organic fit that we have enjoyed through generations of barbecues (“asados”) and large families gathered around the table, with meat, Malbec and yes, more meat.
But is there life beyond “asado” & Malbec? Is there anything else that matches well with Malbec?
I believe that the most important rule about food and wine pairing is that there are no rules. It is all about you, your taste, your mood and preferences as you can actually drink any wine with any food you fancy.
However, there are a few tricks to bear in mind when choosing the wine, or when choosing the food that fits best the wine. Typically I would recommend that you try to match the body of the wine with the strongest ingredient of your dish.
Malbec, as most wines, will differ depending of the terroir and the winemaking techniques (aging, oak, altitude, etc.) which will define its own characteristics. In general, it is a medium body wine with less strong tannins than Cabernet Sauvignon, so you cannot go wrong with:
Grilled lean red meat, ribs, pork and lamb
Cheeses: blue cheese, parmesan, hard / smoked cheeses, goat cheese, provolone, mozzarella and in general melted cheese
Tomato sauces and creamy mushroom sauces
Vegetables: potatoes and peppers (perfect match) and all grilled veggies. Avoid broccoli or bitter greens (artichoke and asparagus)
For vegans: porcini mushroom powder, sage, pepper, cumin and rosemary (mock-meat seasoning); cashew creams and peanuts (cheese making)
Deserts: pure chocolate (50%—55%), cheesecake with red fruits, stuffed chocolate
Last tip: don’t forget the importance of the wine temperature when serving it. This can also affect significantly your experience. For Malbec we recommend serving it at 16 to 18 °C.
Enjoy safe @ home!
Cheers!
