Tilapia fillet with lemon butter

While my week-day job is in high-tech, on week-ends I come to my favorite wine shop, pour wines for customers, get their feedback, and then occasionally take a few bottles home for deeper reflection and study. I believe that wine is made to be enjoyed in the company of friends. Nevertheless, I find that giving a worthy wine my undivided attention "mano-a-mano", with a plate of food on one side and a wine reference and laptop on the other, is the best way for me to truly relish and understand it.

Two days ago, I had an opportunity to taste red Burgundies by Alex Gambal - an American ex-real-estate operator who moved to France in the 1990's and has now made a name for himself in Burgundy, and white Burgundies by the top domaine from Pouilly-Fuissé appelation in Mâconnais - J.A. Ferret - whose wines are distinguished by richness, creaminess, depth of flavor, and age-worthiness seen only in the very best white Burgundies. I picked three of the wines I really enjoyed at the tasting for a quiet food-and-wine pairing at home. In the process I learned something new, and by playing along, you will too.

Food-and-wine pairing challenge.
Which of the three wines displayed on this photo was the best match for the Bobby Flay's pan-fried tilapia fillet, topped with lemon-butter and green olive tapenade, with a side of roasted butternut squash with vinaigrette dressing?



1. Vosne-Romanée "Vieilles Vignes", Alex Gambal 2007 ($60.00).
2. Pouilly-Fuisse "Les Ménéstrières", Domaine J.A. Ferret 2005 ($50.00).
3. Pouilly-Fuisse "Les Vernays", Domaine J.A. Ferret 2005 ($27.00).


The answer in the next blog post...