Perfect wines to pair with goose
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Growing up in New England during the late Baby Boomer era, the word goose permeated our idiomatic expressions and popular phrases. Your goose is cooked, loose as a goose, wild goose chase, goose bumps, goose that lays the golden eggs and even the highly inappropriate act of goosing someone were all part of our vernacular. In fact, we used the word goose far more often than we actually experience this gourmet treat. What a pity, as goose is one of the world鈥檚 most uniquely delicious and texturally rich meats.
Goose is unquestionably yummy but also happens to be one of the healthiest meats, with an abundance of monounsaturated fats that can lower cholesterol. It contains fat-soluble vitamins and beneficial oleic acid. Goose fat has the lowest melting point in the animal kingdom, making it highly digestible and less heavy than other animal fat.
Since Antediluvian times, people hunted wild geese and roasted them over open fires. However, the actual domestication of geese for eggs and food was relatively late compared to other animals.
Food historians postulate that geese were first domesticated around 3,000 BC in the Near East, some 12,000 years after dogs were first tamed by mankind. We have written accounts that roasted and boiled geese were preferred offerings on the tables of ancient elites in China, Egypt and Greece. These cultures were well-versed in the unique pleasures of geese鈥檚 various anatomical parts, especially their highly prized liver.
The Romans expanded the number of recipes for goose and spread them throughout Europe.
Today, while still less popular than other fowl like chicken and duck, goose remains a favored meat of true gourmands. China is a goose paradise where meat-lovers can experience the delights of Cantonese roasted goose, stewed goose webs and necks, Chaozhou Lushui goose, goose gizzard, liver, and neck, and the expensive lion head goose head.
I adore them all, especially with a glass of wine. One style of wine beautifully complements the rich, savory and slightly fatty qualities of many goose preparations 鈥 Grenache 鈥 a versatile and food-friendly red variety that has a mysterious past.
The Spanish call the grape Garnacha and claim it as their own. A plurality of Spanish ampelographers believe the grape originated in or around the region of Aragon in the northeast of Spain. Others are not so sure. The Mediterranean island of Sardinia also claims to be the Grenache grape鈥檚 land of origin, where it is locally referred to as Cannonau.
By the 19th century, the Grenache variety was well established in southern France and was beginning to spread to New World regions in Australia and California. Regardless of its origin, the grape has become a resounding success, and today is one of the most planted varieties in the world.
While many Garnacha and Grenache wines pair nicely with goose dishes, one of the most synergistic expressions comes from the hills and banks of a great river in the south of France.
Gigondas AOC
Nestled in the Dentelles de Montmirail Mountains in the Southern Rhone Valley, Gigondas is both a village and wine appellation. The name is derived from the Latin word 鈥渏ocunditas,鈥 which means 鈥済reat pleasure,鈥 and the region was a popular refuge and vacation spot for Roman soldiers. Wines obviously added to the attractiveness of Gigondas, and production continued through the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance.
In the 1800s and the first half of the 20th century, the reputation of Gigondas waned as the heady wines of the region were frequently used to bulk up less ripe wines from French regions with cooler climates. After World War II, however, its quality slowly but surely improved, as Gigondas became an official Cotes du Rhone Villages AOC wine and gained the specific Gigondas AOC status in 1971.
According to AOC stipulations, Gigondas may comprise up to 80 percent Grenache with a minimum of 15 percent Syrah and Mourvedre. No more than 10 percent of other Southern Rhone grapes like Rousanne, Marsanne, Clairette and Cinsault is allowed, and the only popular regional grape not permitted is Carignan.
The best vineyards are situated on the elevated Montmirail slopes, with limestone soils in some parts and sandier, more free-draining soils in others. The growing season has sunshine, but there鈥檚 a slightly cooler climate than the highly regarded nearby Chateauneuf-du-Pape regions.
Because of similar blends and proximity, some drinkers refer to Gigondas wines as A Poor Man鈥檚 Chateauneuf. I consider this a misnomer, because Gigondas wines have their own style and for the past three or four decades have not by any means been a poor man鈥檚 wine.
Typical Gigondas wines are big, bold and fruity with relatively high alcohol content 鈥 all qualities that match them well with goose dishes. Recommended Gigondas producers with wines available in Shanghai include Guigal, Chapoutier and Gabriel Meffre.
If red wines don鈥檛 tickle your fancy, don鈥檛 despair 鈥 there鈥檚 another delicious goose-friendly solution. The Southern Rhone Valley is also a hotbed of Grenache-based rose wines, and arguably the most distinguished is Tavel, a favorite of legendary imbibers including French King Louis XIV and writer Ernest Hemmingway.
Located a scenic hike from Gigondas and across the Rhone River from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, the Tavel AOC appellation exclusively makes rose wines. These wines tend to be quite dry, sophisticated and structured. Excellent Tavel roses are made by Guigal, Domaine de la Mordoree and Chateau d鈥橝queria. All Tavel rose wines should be served well chilled (or about 8 degrees Celsius).
Whether it鈥檚 a Gigondas red or Tavel rose, pairing Grenache wines with Chinese and European goose dishes is one of life鈥檚 most pleasurable gastronomic experiences.
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