Review of Dalton Pinot Gris 2014 and a look at the “Bloody Mary.”
By Joshua E. London and Lou Marmon
Washington Jewish Week August 13, 2015
All tomatoes, this rich diversity of varieties notwithstanding, have an underlying acidity. This feature, along with their sweetness, must be taken into account when selecting a wine to pair with a dish that features fresh summer tomatoes. Wines with noticeable tannins, oakiness, and tons of spice are not really appropriate to the task. The ideal match, rather, is a balancing act that complements the flavors and yet is able to stand up next to the tomatoes’ inherent acidity.
For something like a Caprese salad—tomatoes, basil, mozzarella seasoned with salad and the best olive oil you can find—consider a dry Italian white wine made from one of the country’s indigenous varietals like Verdicchio, Falanghina or the more widely available Pinot Grigio. A dry, bright rosé would also work, as would a lighter style of Sauvignon Blanc.
The tomatoes natural acidity is tempered by cooking. So cooking summer tomatoes also expands the wine pairing options. Consider lighter reds with good fruit and acidity, like Sangiovese and Barbera. If you seek simple preparation and fresh flavors, perhaps served simply sliced and salted, consider a sparkling rosé or a dry Riesling.
Or consider this solid kosher all-rounder: the Israeli Dalton Pinot Gris 2014 ($20), whose zippy acidity makes it ideal to match with summer’s bounty of tomatoes. Medium bodied with aromas of hay, peaches and grapefruit and flavors of green apple, stone fruits, and loads of citrus, it has a lengthy finish that is accented with minerals and a bit of herbaciousness. Open a bottle after you slice up some Romas, Caspian Pinks and Cherokee Purples.
Spirits-wise, all this tomato on the brain calls to mind, what else, a classic Bloody Mary. A seemingly simple concoction of iced tomato juice, vodka, Worcestershire, and usually also lemon juice and then something spicy like horseradish or Tabasco, a well made Bloody Mary is refreshingly tangy, rich, and earthy. While a badly made Bloody Mary is, well… deeply inadequate.
Try to get too fancy with additional vegetables, and you wind up with gazpacho—not a terrible outcome, perhaps, but not a Bloody Mary! Too much Tabasco or Horseradish, throws it out of whack, resulting in an unpleasant fiery, spiciness. Too much tomato juice or too much ice, and you wind up with a thin, limp and watery mess. Too much Worcestershire or lemon juice will likewise ruin it.
As a famous hair-of-the-dog cure, a great many Bloody Marys are made badly if for no other reason than that so many are made at home by one who is too hung-over to concentrate and get the right balance. Though there are plenty of bartenders who are simply lazy too, figuring their hungover clientele will be in too bad a shape to make a fuss. The single biggest travesty, of course, is to use cheap canned tomato juice.
In any event, the key is to achieve balance with whatever ingredients you opt for. If, for whatever reason, you have to use canned tomato juice, obtain something quality like “Sacramento Tomato Juice” or some other reliable kosher certified brand—just taste before using, so that you can adjust accordingly to strike the right balance.
Here is our go-to recipe (well, ok, only when time permits…but still):
Into a mixing glass combine 2 ounces of vodka, 4 ounces of tomato juice (purée in a blender and then strain over a cheesecloth lined sieve; or, if you must, use quality canned juice), ½ an ounce of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 3 dashes of Tabasco and 2 dashes of Worcestershire, and a pinch of both salt and freshly ground pepper (careful with the salt if using canned juice). Add ice and stir to mix. Strain into an iced goblet or highball glass. Oh and, if you like, garnish with a stick of celery. For a “Virgin Mary,” leave out the vodka – it’ll taste the same, but loses its “curative” powers. L’Chaim!
