The National Wine
UnClub
Newsletter
WINE AND THE SPICE
OF LIFE
In the rugged, dark age of medieval Europe, following the fall of the Roman Empire and prior to the flowering of the Renaissance, life held few refined pleasures for the common peasant. Certainly his master could boast an ample supply of roast game, pork, or beef at his table, accompanied perhaps by a tankard or warm ale or even a roughly-made local wine.But how many rustic meals of this simple sort could one stomach before boredom and outright disgust set in? No wonder these people busied themselves with jousts, duels, and general warfare; anything would be preferable to the agonizing monotony of a lonely repast in one's own hut or castle!
Thankfully, around this time, there came the exploits in the Far East of the intrepid explorer Marco Polo. In the Orient Marco Polo found the answer to domesticated man's culinary ills: spices. Gold and gemstones were indeed desired by medieval explorers, as were silk fabrics and gunpowder, but none of these precious items outranked spice as numero uno to the flavor-starved peoples of Europe. The Age of Exploration had begun, principally due to the concerted commercial efforts of many European states to discover a shortcut to the spice-rich East Indies.
Variety is truly the spice of life and a powerful motivator to expand one's horizons, both geographically and gastronomically, as this historical review makes vividly apparent. Eventually of course the New World was discovered, and, among other finds, explorers were introduced to a great variety of native American foods that were soon to become staples in the European diet.
What does this quaint story have to do with the world of wine? Well, just as there now is a particular spice, or group of spices, associated with particular types of cuisine, the world's amazingly diverse wines are being matched with specific dishes for a heightened experience of tableside pleasure.
A beautiful and poignant illustration of this emerging phenomenon is depicted in the foreign film entitled Babette's Feast. In the film, Babette, a female master-chef exiled from France during the French Revolution, offers an experience of this elevated gustatory nirvana to a decidedly dour Scandinavian religious sect who have taken her into their fold for her own safety. In the end, due to Babette's exquisite touch in the kitchen, this austere bunch has a dawning realization that there is more to life (and spirit) than boiled codfish and endless biblical scripture-reading. (This film is a must-see for any wine enthusiast!)
While most folks today know the efficacy of applying dill and mint to roast lamb, or basil and oregano in tomato sauces, or saffron with rice, or black pepper on steak, choosing from the immense variety of wines available to accompany these and other elegant dishes is still somewhat of a mystery. The safe choice, say a familiar Chardonnay or Merlot, is usually the habitual course of action.
I'm not saying that this is necessarily a bad practise; you really should drink what you like often with whatever dish you're having. The point here is that there are an infinite number of intriguing wine and food combinations, that, when experimented with liberally, can significantly broaden the taste horizons of any interested and open individual. The experience parallels the discovery of how exotic spices can enliven food; in fact, the addition of a novel wine to an ordinary dish can bring the whole meal to an entirely new level of dining pleasure not immediately obvious to the individual in his/her present state of culinary doldrums.
Before this discussion begins to seem too esoteric to the general reader, let's stop to remember the situation as it was in medieval Europe before East Indian spices made their appearance on the scene. People could and did fill their bellies with regularity, but, and this is the salient point, they were enjoying their meals less and less. It is my observation that the same thing is occuring to some degree with Western society today.
Could a greater appreciation of the fascinating plethora of wine types and styles made around the planet and available to us in almost every local grocery store and wine shop be an answer to this growing dilemma? I believe this to be true- basically because of my own growing awareness of how to pair different cuisines with interesting (and sometimes exotic) wine varietals and blends that are now being produced by the thousands of quality-minded vignerons around the globe today.
Bon appetit! ~ Donald W. White
P.S. Check out the many wines discussed in The Home Wine Course for ideas about new wines to try with your favorite dishes. Our UnClub Wine of the Week could serve in this regard as well!