iDeal companions — the love of duck and wine
Print Edition
ISACS is the founder and CEO of EnjoyGourmet, a leading gourmet digital (www.enjoygourmet.com.cn) and print media company in China. He has authored over a dozen wine and food books including the awarded ISACS Guides and other gourmet books and is a wine consultant to governments, wine regions and organizations. He also hosts wine events for leading organizations and companies throughout China. Contact John via jcolumn@enjoygourmet.com.
When duck meets wine one of the holy grails of food and wine paring is achieved. Duck is a water fowl with a deep layer of fat insulation. When cooked correctly much of the fat is rendered away leaving lusciously rich, savory and aromatic meat and skin. These qualities beg for a wine that mirrors the richness of the duck while cleansing the palate and facilitating digestion of the grease. In recognition of this uniquely symbiotic relationship, let’s have some fun and pick the three most delicious duck dishes in the world and their ideal wine partners.
The champion
Beijing duck is the pantheon of duck gastronomy. One of the shinning glories of Chinese cuisine, this dish attracts universal acclaim and passion from both Chinese gourmets and Western connoisseurs. Even in the United States, Beijing duck is the number one duck dish. The combination of quality ingredients, expert preparation and presentation and delicious flavors and texture combinations makes this one of the world’s greatest dishes.
The first written accounts of this dish dates back to the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) when it was mentioned as one of the imperial dishes. In the 14th and 15th centuries, the dish was prepared in a charcoal oven and stuffed with sheep innards and scallions. Over the ensuing centuries, the dish was prepared in different styles until the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) when the dish evolved into its modern form. In common with other classic dishes this process has been refined over a very long period of time until it nears perfection. The only thing missing is wine. Many wine styles match nicely but two stand out.
One superb choice is a predominantly Pinot Noir Champagne or Franciacorta sparkling wine. The greasy nature of the duck skin and the sweet flavor of the plum sauce match perfectly with sophisticated yellow and red fruit flavors of the sophisticated sparkling wines, while the fine bubbles and acidity cleanse the mouth. Another great partner is a Margaret River red of white wine that combines concentration, grace and balance.
Silver medal
The art of making duck and goose liver was considered high culinary art in ancient Egypt. Not much has changed since then. The Phoenicians and Greeks learned from the Egyptians and in turn taught the Romans who passed this gourmet art on to subsequent European cultures. The Sun King Louis XIV (1638-1715) of France was so enamored with foie gras that he served it at practically every state dinner.
Goose liver may get most the attention but 95 percent of the production of foie gras as the French call it is actually duck, not goose. This is one of the world’s most opulent foods with elegant and rich flavors and a soft creamy smooth texture. Whether served fresh, semi-cooked or cooked, duck liver should always be accompanied by a glass of wine. Traditionally, sweet wines were the preferred partners as the sweetness of the wine beautifully complements the richness of the liver and the smooth textures of both the liver and sweet wine work in harmonious unison. In France this usually meant Sauternes, a wine offering wonderfully concentrated sweet fruit and honey flavors balanced by fresh acidity. If sweet wine doesn’t tickle your fancy, then choose fruity and fresh dry whites or medium to full body red wines with good fruit, freshness and soft tannins like New Zealand and Oregon Pinot Noirs.
Bronze medal
Picking Beijing duck and duck liver as the world’s two best duck dishes is easy. Choosing number three is more challenging as there exist so many yummy contenders. Upon reflection, I must choose duck confit not only because it’s delicious but also because it’s a perfect wine dish. Dry marinated in salt, garlic and herbs for 24 hours then slow cooked for hours in its own oil, duck confit is a meat lover’s dream. Any part of the duck may be cooked this way including the innards but the most prized confit cuts are the legs. The fat and intense meatiness of duck leg confit work perfectly with red wine with moderate to strong tannins. The rich savory nature of the duck helps soften the tannins in the wine while the combination of alcohol and tannins in the red wine makes the meat more digestible. In short, duck confit and red wine were made for each other. Substantial whites also pair nicely.
Go west
Wine has been made in Western Australia since 1829, but traditionally it was pretty awful stuff. Then in the 1970s a handful of producers started to invest the time and money to make premium wines. The most promising came from the Margaret River region that’s surrounded on three sides by the sea. The maritime climate and gravelly soils are somewhat similar to Bordeaux. Recognizing this early producers focused on the Bordeaux varieties Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot for reds and Sauvignon Blanc for whites, but in the 1980s producers started successfully experimenting with Shiraz, Chardonnay and Riesling wines.
Where to buy in Shanghai
Varieties: Save for Riesling, the popular varieties of the Margaret River reads like a who’s who of French grapes including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Pinot Noir reds and Chardonnay, Semillion and Sauvignon Blanc for whites.
Key term: Maritime climate in wine talk means a climate influenced by the sea that tends to moderate temperatures.
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