Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food

When the Understudy Shines

Winery: Halos de Jupiter
Cuvée: Vacqueyras
Appellation: Southern Rhône
Type: Red
Vintage: 2021
Grape Varieties: Grenache 85%, Mourvèdre 15%
Alcohol: 14.5%
Average Retail Price: U.S. $25-30

I bought a Vacqueyras several years ago to write about for this column; it was a young vintage that I put aside allowing it to mature. Then, one evening, friends came to dinner (and wouldn’t leave), and more wine needed to be poured. As said guests are discerning red wine drinkers (no white or rosé at all), I looked in my wine rack for something they might like. I pulled a Vacqueyras … the Vacqueyras … forgetting its PWZ purpose. Oops.

But, when I poured it that evening after the meal was said and done, I realized it was a food wine, not a sipping wine. That provided me some good intel for going forward. It made me ponder  the characteristics of Vacqueyras — fruit-forward, medium tannins — which then informed my selection for a meal to pair with this beautiful Southern Rhône wine. I went to the wine store for an “understudy” and found a reasonably priced Vacqueyras from Halos de Jupiter that fit my needs.

I ended up creating something quite simple for the pairing — a Filet Mignon with Tarragon Butter on Brioche Toast (get the recipe on Cocoa & Lavender). Steak, from my research, seemed the obvious choice for the wine. The tarragon butter, which also included chives, came from the wine description at the store, which mentioned the herbal notes in the wine.

My original thoughts about Vacqueyras rang true. It is not a wine for apéro or sipping; it needs food, and not simply olives or nuts. It has a bright nose — cherry and raspberry — and a deep crimson color. Before food it was very bright and seemed high in acid — tart, really. I tasted red currant, red cherry, and a touch of citrus. It almost tasted thin to me, like a light Pinot Noir.

However, with the steak and tarragon butter, it stepped up to the occasion. The meat brought out darker fruits like plum, blackberry, and blueberry, while the tarragon butter took care of highlighting the herbal notes in the wine: anise, thyme, and black pepper, with some floral notes, as well.

Halos de Jupiter winemakers Philippe Cambie, who died soon after this vintage was released, and Michel Gassier, are two of the most influential winemakers in the Southern Rhône region. Their passion from Grenache shows in the wines produce by Halos de Jupiter. “The blends of [the] wines are predominantly Grenache and express the unique characteristics of each appellation. In the manner of the halos around planet Jupiter, they highlight the many facets of [the] sovereign ‘Grenache’.”

I opened this particular wine a bit on the young side — I could have held it for another five years. But, it drank well even after three years. I liked it very much (with food) and feel it’s a good selection for your cellar.