Chef Dustin Valette, of Valette restaurant in Healdsburg, Calif., shares his recipe for seared lamb loin with a sauce of fresh currants and red wine, caramelized onions and lamb's lettuce. Wine Spectator suggests pairing with a Pinot Noir from Sonoma or Oregon.
This one-pan, spatchcocked roast chicken with Middle Eastern spices and roasted vegetables is perfect for a cozy night in. Wine Spectator recommends a fruit-forward Pinot Noir with some savory touches for the wine pairing.
This recipe for spiced pork chops is elevated by nutrient-packed beets and greens and decadent bacon. Wine Spectator recommends a medium-bodied red with bright fruit as an ideal match.
Swati Bose and Kabir Amir, wife-and-husband co-owners of Flight Wine Bar in Washington, D.C., share their recipe for a ricotta, beet, carrot and fennel salad with Wine Spectator. Try it with a a juicy white, a fresh rosé or a light red.
Try Wine Spectator's recipe for a custardy egg, ham, kale and mushroom quiche; pair it with a crisp Chardonnay or bright Pinot Noir.
For a meal that's fast and light, try this Wine Spectator fish recipe on the grill. Try it with a substantial white wine like Grüner Veltliner, or a light red, such as Pinot Noir.
A lush Pinot Noir is a great match for this red-wine friendly fish recipe.
A fruit-forward Pinot Noir is a great match for the earthy flavors in this red-wine friendly recipe.
Pair this fish recipe with a Pinot Noir-based red wine, such as a red Burgundy.
Make the most of holiday leftovers with this easy-to-adapt dish that feels like a fresh new meal. Pair it with a refreshing white wine like a Chardonnay.
In Milwaukee, Wis., chef Thomas Hauck of Wine Spectator Award of Excellence-winning restaurant c.1880 presents a recipe for delicate pheasant—easily substituted with heritage-breed chicken or guinea hen—with creamy orzo, charred Brussels sprouts and pomegranate vinaigrette.
The classic gameday snack gets an upgrade with duck wings and blue cheese.
This recipe for a Common Market Grilled Pimento Cheese Sandwich with Bacon is adapted by chef Bridget Warner from the original recipe she uses at Charlotte, N.C.'s Common Market.
Wine Spectator brings a you a low-stress recipe for risotto, which can feed a group and mostly be prepared in advance. The rice picks up a dramatic pink color, while the simple chicken is easily portioned. This dish is versatile with a range of wines from Chilean Carmenere to rosé to Italian Pinot Noir.
Sarah Schafer of Irving Street Kitchen shares a delicious, innovative seafood recipe with Wine Spectator, sure to impress your next dinner guests. This complex dish calls for a wine that takes a backseat to the food; try a red with fresh acidity, such as a Beaujolais or other Gamay-based wine.
For casual outdoor entertaining, vintner and chef Christopher Bates, of Element Winery and FLX Wienery on Seneca Lake in New York's Finger Lakes wine region, shares this recipe for a burger piled with diverse toppings that pack it with even more umami appeal. He pairs it with a Pinot Noir full of dark fruit and spice but with a refreshing finish.
Warm up with this winning recipe for Swiss-style cheese fondue from the Swiss Chalet restaurant in Vail, Colo.
In an Argentine take on classic steak and potatoes, Anasazi Restaurant chef Juan Bochenski shares with Wine Spectator his recipe for spice-rubbed steak with thinly sliced, thyme- and shallot-infused potatoes. For a red wine pairing, try a Malbec from Mendoza.
Chef Brandon McGlamery shares his version of ribollita, the traditional Tuscan vegetable soup, with Wine Spectator. This substantial soup, perfect for cool weather, pairs well with Italian reds, such as Sangiovese, cru Beaujolais or Pinot Noir.
In his latest book, America Farm to Table, chef Mario Batali applies his exuberant Italian culinary sensibility to ingredients produced by outstanding American farmers from across the country. Batali has shared a vegetable side dish from the book that would be right at home on the holiday table, with wines full of fruit and spice.
In his latest book, America Farm to Table, chef Mario Batali applies his exuberant Italian culinary sensibility to ingredients produced by outstanding American farmers from across the country. Batali has shared a vegetable side dish from the book that would be right at home on the holiday table, with wines full of fruit and spice.
San Francisco chef Jason Fox, of Commonwealth restaurant, shares with Wine Spectator a recipe that's an homage to New York's Lower East Side that also evokes Eastern Europe with its cabbage and pumpernickel. The dish's earthy elements call for similarly earthy notes in the wine match; sommelier Francesca Maniace opts for Pinot Noir.
Matt Lambert, executive chef and co-owner of The Musket Room in New York, shared a make-at-home, honey-glazed, cured salmon recipe with Wine Spectator that is as scrumptious as it is healthy, thanks to the kale and seaweed. Pair with a red wine such as New Zealand Pinot Noir.
"It's a classic combination of foie gras, truffles and fowl," says Adam Sobel of his roasted poularde with creamy foie gras and truffle sauce that he shared with Wine Spectator. Though this chicken dish is unabashedly rich, he insists that the technique is much simpler than the name might suggest. An Oregon Pinot Noir has the weight and fresh acidity to balance the body and rich texture of the foie gras.
Brainstorming for a macaroni-and-cheese night? Wine Spectator has some tips. If you want a red wine instead of white, try adding sautéed mushrooms, which add depth and a nice earthy touch to this cozy comfort food. Pair this recipe with a low-tannin red such as Pinot Noir.
Chef Alan Wong serves a simple steak with a bold side of roasted mushrooms, in a recipe that's a riff on panzanella using local Hawaiian ingredients. A California Pinot Noir balances the earthy mushrooms and rich steak.
The culinary philosophy of Victor Scargle, chef at Lucy Restaurant and Bar at Bardessono Hotel in Napa Valley, is based on seasonal, field-to-fork cuisine. The lamb used in his Don Watson Lamb Trio—a recipe he shared with Wine Spectator—is sourced with care and the dish is designed to introduce diners to a variety of cuts--loin, shoulder and sweetbreads. For a pairing, the chef picks Pinot Noir, which doesn't overpower this dish the way a fuller-bodied, more tannic red wine might.
As contemporary classic wine pairings go, you can’t get much more textbook than Pinot Noir and grilled salmon, one of the tried-and-true red-with-fish combos. But Pinot comes in a range of styles; if you're pouring a more delicate, tangy bottling, this recipe finds the perfect match with a lemon-butter sauce. For a side dish, charring vegetables on the grill to make them more red wine–friendly.
This recipe comes from Jerusalem: A Cookbook, from Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, whose restaurant and takeout shops bring a burst of Mediterranean–Middle Eastern flavor to the four London neighborhoods they call home. "Cooking meat with rice and water in one pot is a good way of introducing a meaty flavor to the rice while keeping things relatively simple—no stock is needed and only one pot is used," they write. The red fruit, herb and spice notes of Pinot Noir make a good wine match.
San Francisco has an obsession with Dungeness crab and a dish that originated in the city in the 19th century, cioppino, a Mediterranean-style, fish-and-crab stew made with white wine. One of the best bowls of cioppino in San Francisco can be found at Rose Pistola, a Ligurian-influenced restaurant in the Italian neighborhood of North Beach. Executive chef Mark Gordon shared his recipe with Wine Spectator.
As befits a resident of the "city of the big shoulders," Chicago chef Rick Tramonto is a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy. Here, he shares one of his favorite recipes with Wine Spectator for steak—for two, from his new joint venture with John Folse in New Orleans, R'evolution.
Chef Ariane Daguin, the owner of D’Artagnan, prepared a crisp duck breast with savory blueberry sauce, shared the recipe with Wine Spectator and made an lip-smacking video to prove it. A Madiran, a red wine made from Tannat, pairs well with this dish from southwest France.
If you're hosting a houseful, shake things up a bit with a platter of crisp, hearty and juicy Cuban sandwiches, in which cured and roasted pork belly stands in for pork shoulder. Bunk Sandwiches of Portland, Ore., whose co-owner Tommy Habetz is an alum of Mario Batali's and Bobby Flay's kitchens, shared this recipe with Wine Spectator. For a wine match, Habetz suggests Oregon Pinot Noir
Wine Spectator assembles a winter holiday menu featuring classic, festive recipes from the American South. Ham is a popular holiday dish throughout the country, but roasting a fresh ham, or the uncured pork hind leg, is up there with beef rib roasts as the finest of meals to serve family and friends. Chef Frank Stitt of Birmingham, Ala., dresses his up with a truffle Madeira sauce. A Pinot Noir has the depth to handle the light gaminess of the pork and enough acidity to cut through the fat.
For Thanksgiving, Wine Spectator shares a recipe for a brined, stuffed and roasted turkey that's both classic and delicious. Far from a passing trend, brining a tried-and-true method for a moist, juicy and flavorful turkey. For a wine pairing, California Pinot Noirs offer a balance of fruit, spice and herb to complement the holiday's traditional flavors.
Leftovers are an inevitable part of Thanksgiving. Turkey sandwiches on toasted white bread with mayo, lettuce and tomato can be nice, but if you're in the mood for something a bit spicier, try a barbecue pulled-turkey sandwich. You can use any barbecue sauce you prefer, be it bottled or homemade. We like the following Wine Spectator recipe for its smoky, meaty taste, courtesy of a bit of bacon. Zinfandel is a classic match with barbecue, though full-bodied Pinot Noirs will also work.
Chefs George Bumbaris and Sarah Stegner's food at Prairie Grass Café is serious, wine-friendly and comfort-based, as reflected in this wonderful recipe shared with Wine Spectator. The dish layers a lightly sweet duck over beets roasted with citrus. The wine needs to be fairly complex, but to have enough weight and acid to deal with the fatty meat, so a Pinot Noir, such as one from Burgundy, makes a great match.
Chefs Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier of Arrows Restaurant in Ogunquit, Maine, shared a recipe with Wine Spectator that originates in the apple orchard and the ocean, but with a few embellishments. A full-bodied Pinot Noir works well as a wine match with the robust salmon.
Like many sandwiches, the key to the classic B.L.T. lies in bringing together the best ingredients, mixing contrasting flavors and textures. Find a good tomato, some well-made bacon and a solid loaf of bread and you’re basically rounding third and heading for home. For extra panache, however, consider the little luxury of homemade mayo. Try this Wine Spectator recipe, paired with a New World Pinot Noir or a sparkling rosé wine.
Wine Spectator asked chefs Clark Frasier and Mark Gaier of Arrows restaurant in Ogunquit, Maine, for a foolproof-yet-impressive idea for spring holiday entertaining. They obliged with a roasted duck recipe, served with a pear chutney, from their book, Maine Classics.
For Passover, Jessica Applestone, co-author of The Butcher's Guide to Well-Raised Meat, shares a recipe for sweet-and-sour brisket, accompanied by sweet potatoes and plantains. Serve with matzo, a bitter greens salad, some parve coconut cookies and a kosher wine recently rated by Wine Spectator.
Chef Gary Danko, whose Restaurant Gary Danko in San Francisco holds our Wine Spectator Grand Award, has a personal mandate to show food and wine as integrated halves of fine dining. But that does not necessarily mean complicated. Danko's duck with orange recipe is simple, and he pairs it with a wine of equal weight or richness: a medium- or full-bodied California Pinot Noir.
Chef Thierry Rautureau of Rover's in Seattle chose a recipe for Wine Spectator that showcases two principles of food-and-wine pairing: drink the same type of wine used in cooking and create pairings that share a sense of place, in this case wild Pacific salmon and Oregon Pinot Noir.
The hardworking chefs at Wine Spectator Grand Award-winning Pappas Bros. Steakhouse in Houston shared their grilling tips and secrets for getting the best flavor out of a grilled steak. They've shared their Perfect Rib Eye recipe below, served along with a simple, delicious tomato salad.
Chef Alain Ducasse currently holds more Michelin stars (20) than any other chef. For Wine Spectator, he crafted a recipe of chicken fricassee, brightened with citrus fruits, that pairs well with red Burgundy.
