Duck Paired With Wine

Duck breast is juicy, gamey and flavorful, and needs a wine companion that is lighter bodied, lightly fruity, with good acidity and some earthiness to it. A Pinot Noir is the natural pairing, but one with a little mushroomy flavor, which Pinot Noir can get with maturity, or earthy “sous bois” characteristics, can echo the gamey, earthy flavors of the meat. An older red Burgundy or California Pinot would do the trick beautifully, but that might not be very practical if you don’t happen to have any sitting in your cellar. Fortunately, a lot of new release domestic Pinot Noirs can fill the bill as well. One gets a lot of earthiness from Pinots grown in cool climate regions like the Santa Rita Hills and Santa Cruz Mountains in California, and the Amity Hills in Oregon. Particular recommendations with the requisite earthiness would be: (1) from Sta. Rita Hills, Rusack’s Reserve Pinot or the Clos Pepe Estate; (2) from Santa Cruz Mountains, Mount Eden’s or Thomas Fogarty’s Estate Pinots, and (3) from Oregon’s Amity Hills, Evening Land’s La Source Seven Springs Vineyard or St. Innocent’s Zenith.

If you need a wine to pair with roast duck, you could try a Rioja to go with it.

Rioja

(ree-OH-hah): A jammy red wine with forest fruits & spice.

Other suggested wines:

• Prejean Proprietors Red
• Bordeaux
• Shiraz
• red wine
• Riesling

“I think duck is making a resurgence because more and more people are realizing just how delicious it can be,” says Executive Chef Paul Carmichael, who serves duck on both the lunch and dinner menus at Manhattan’s Momofuku Má Pêche.
“People are recognizing how flavorful it is as well as its versatility. Also, who can resist crispy duck skin?”
For the duck with orange, pistachio and rutabaga dish, which Carmichael calls “a neat twist on a classic duck a l’orange,” Wine Director Jordan Salcito recommends the Domaine Marquis d’Angerville 2007 Taillepieds Premier Cru Volnay from Burgundy.
“The Taillepieds brings notes of tart cherry, hints of blood orange, profound minerality and slight herbal tones that form a gorgeous partnership with Paul’s luscious duck,” says Salcito. “The flavors are in perfect harmony, and the natural brightness of the wine adds a lovely foil for the duck.”

from www.winemag.com/June-2013/Game-On on 8.6.14 2203