Marinated Steak and Wine Pairing

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Mencia: Descendientes de J. Palacios Corullon 2018 – Pairing Rating: 9.5 out of 10.0

Six months have passed since our last post. Why the gap? Call it a lack of inspiration. Said another way, we simply could not find new recipes nor unexplored winepairings worthy of your time. But gaps, by definition, end. In our case, inspiration was found in San Francisco and the northwestern corner of Spain.

While the pantheon of California culinary artists includes the well-known (Alice Waters, Jeremiah Towers and Thomas Keller), it also includes talent that has eluded national fame. These are people who have gained recognition for their tireless exploration, creation, and execution of cuisine, without the personal drama often sought by the food and restaurant press.

One such talent is Joyce Goldstein. Working as Executive Chef at The Café at Chez Panisse and later as owner/chef at SQUARE ONE restaurant in San Francisco, Joyce honed her skills focusing on Mediterranean and Jewish cuisines. She is a two-time winner of the prestigious James Beard Foundation Award. Although SQUARE ONE closed in 1996 after a 12-year run, Joyce continues to influence through her cookbooks, consulting, and lectures. We scooped up two of her cookbooks, Back to Square One and The Mediterranean Cookbook, in our search for inspiration.

The first recipe to hook us was her Mustard, Soy and Brown Sugar Marinade for Flank Steaks, from Back to Square One. She describes the marinade as “. . . a cross between the Orient and California, where the balance of sweet, hot and tangy makes for a good foil for the beef.” An adapted recipe follows.

Note the way the sugar in the marinade charred the steak. This marinade is ideal for a variety of beef cuts:  Sirloin, Flank, Skirt or Flatiron. We chose a Wagyu Flatiron for its marbled texture and bold, beefy flavor.

For a wine pairing, one could easily pair this beauty with Cabernet Franc, Nebbiolo, or Carignan from France’s Cote de Roussillon. Joyce wrote that a lighter-styled Cabernet Sauvignon from Long Island, NY would pair well. But our recent fascination with Spanish wine inspired us to sample the red wines of Northwest Spain. Our research led us to the wines of the young vignerons of the Bierzo region.

Bierzo, in the western corner of Castilla y León, cultivates a variety of red varietals, but remains a showcase for the grape Mencia (Men-THEE-yah). Historically, Mencia was considered a grape to make Rosado (Rosé) and unoaked reds similar to Beaujolais. But a few vignerons saw the potential for Mencia to deliver the elegance and freshness one can find in Loire Cab Franc or Pinot Noir from Burgundy. Enter Ricardo Pérez Palacios and his better-known uncle, Álvaro Palacios. Ricardo traversed the mountains surrounding the village Corullón in Bierzo, in search of high altitude, old vines.

The higher altitude vineyards, slate/iron/quartz soils, and judicious use of oak in vinification all contribute to the floral fragrance, bright acidity, and mineral-red berry balance. Ricardo’s efforts resulted in a line-up of Mencia wines, from the entry-level Pétalos del Bierzo ($21) to the costly single vineyard bottlings:  Moncerbal, Las Lamas and La Faraona We chose the mid-priced Corullon ($55), as it represents a blend of the Mencia grapes from a number of those high altitude, old vine vineyards.

The inviting dark color was followed by a nose of balsamic spice mixed with red and blue fruit scents. On the palate, the wine delivered tart red berry, bright freshness and focused minerality for a long and elegant finish. Think of a blend of the spice notes of Cab Franc with the red fruit and acidity of Pinot Noir. Regarding the pairing, it was the soy sauce in the marinade that served as a bridge to the Corullon’s aromas and flavors.

We intend to write more of the wines and foods of Spain and the Mediterranean in the hope that you can move out of your wine and food comfort zone, inspired by the work of artisans like Joyce Goldstein and Ricardo Pérez Palacios. ¡Salud!