Pairings

From head to tail
«Restoranny bisnes» №3 April 2005

Recommendations for sweetbread, brains, tripe, liver and kidneys as part of an article on offal.

Sweetbread
Not many restaurants dare include sweetbread on the menu. Yet in France this is a delicacy that is accordingly served with premium wines. They are, for example, generous white wines of Burgundy and Alsace — making gentle dishes more complex and exciting. We also recommend Austrian Gruners Veltliners, like FX Pichler Gruner Veltliner Smaragd Kellerberg 2002.

Tripe
Tripe is usually cooked with tomato sauce. Juicy, light Chianti, Beaujolais Cru, young wines from Merlot and Tempranillo — first candidates to accompany tripe. A good example is bright, fruity Presidial Thunevin 2003 Bordeaux AOC with Merlot dominance.

Brains
Calf’s and lamb’s brains are surprisingly gentle and creamy in taste. Fine oaked Chardonnay with creamy flavour and smooth texture, be it from Burgundy or New Zealand, is a harmonious partner. Kumeu River Chardonnay 2002 from New Zealand is worth recommending.

Liver and kidneys
Wine pairing for liver depends on the origin of the latter. In general, the choice lies with red wines. Calf’s liver is the most delicate product. Even so, it has some ‘earthiness’ in taste. The best partner is aged, but not too heavy Pinot Noir, like Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir 2001 from Oregon. Lamb’s and pig’s liver have stronger, more rustic taste. The accent in wines should be going towards Southern Rhone, Provence, south of Italy and hot areas of Spain. Kidneys, especially stewed or with sauce, are also dishes for southern reds, like Domaine St Georges 2003 from Minervois.