Master Sommelier Virginia Philip
After the holidays, many pledge the popular New Year’s resolution to lose weight. Chef Eklund’s menu combines terrific flavors utilizing fruits and vegetables. I can’t think of a better way to kick off a new year of healthy eating.
For the citrus crab verrine starter, the Morgenhof Estate sauvignon blanc from Stellenbosch, South Africa, 2014, is a versatile wine that can act as an aperitif as well as a pairing. With notes of candied lime, green apple Jolly Rancher and gooseberry, the palate is structured, carrying over the same fruity notes, but with hints of mineral to match the crab in the dish.
The corn and golden beet soup is perfect in tandem with the Michel Paquet Domaine des Velanges Mâcon-Prissé Les Clos, Burgundy, France, 2013. This chardonnay comes from 25-year-old, estate-grown vines aged in stainless steel for seven months. It has intense aromas of anjou pear, green apple and green melon with a hint of creaminess that works beautifully with the corn. On the palate it is medium-bodied and very dry with crisp, refreshing notes of citrus and under-ripe stone fruits. On the finish are notes of almond and mineral.
The salmon fillet pairs nicely with the Domaine de Durban Gigondas, Southern Rhône Valley, France, 2013. This elegant rustic red is made from 70 percent grenache and 30 percent syrah. The aromas of dried red berry fruits with pomegranate, cranberry and black cherry will hold up to the structure and oily notes of the fish. The wine is medium-bodied with flavors of black plum, black raspberry and dried cherry, with overtones of black truffle and forest mushroom.
With the blueberry lemon cheesecake, the Florio Targa Marsala Superiore, Sicily, Italy, 2002, is a great pairing. This decadent marsala is made from 100 percent grillo grapes—indigenous to the region. The wine is fortified with brandy grape spirit, which halts the fermentation, leaving a rich pleasure of dates, fig, cooked plum and apricot with unforgettable notes of almond and hazelnut on the long finish.