Florence Fabricant of the New York Times today published an adaptation of our Barbecue Beef Tongue recipe and suggested a Rioja crianza pairing, as part of the Dining & Wine section’s Rioja-themed coverage. Crianza refers to an aging style, specifically one year in oak and one year in the bottle.
In case you all were curious (I was!) as to what Sommelier Eric Larkee would recommend to go with the recipe, I asked him to share his top three picks from our edited, yet diverse wine list. Here’s what he came up with:
Miro de Ribera, Crianza, Ribera del Duero, 2003 (Tempranillo): Closest stylistically to the Rioja crianza, perhaps even a better match.
Domaine Jean-Louis, Saint-Joseph, Rhone Valley, 2004 (Syrah): Lighter in style than the Miro de Ribera, but with wonderful gaminess to match the meat — and acidity to stand up to the barbecue.
Domaine de Nerleux, Samur-Champigny, 2005 (Cabernet Franc): A rustic country wine, with more fruit and the most versatile of the bunch.
What would you like to drink with this dish and why?
