Q&A: Wine & Food Questions
Organic Colorado Lamb
what wine would you serve with this very expensive, very lovely Lamb I'll be encrusting it in oregano & Roasted Garlic
Answer From Expert Roger C. Bohmrich, MW
Lamb is complemented by any number of rich, dry red wines given its fattiness and relatively strong flavor. In this case, I suspect the meat is rather delicate, so despite the seasonings I would personally prefer a red that is not overwhelmingly powerful. In other words, a high octane Cabernet or Syrah/Shiraz from California or Australia could simply overwhelm the dish - unless you want that effect, of course. I would opt for a wine with good concentration and complexity, and just enough backbone. That would lead me to Bordeaux (a cellared St Julien or Margaux), Rioja (a fine Reserva), Tuscany (a Chianti Classico Riserva), the Northern Rhone (Cote Rotie with some age would be magic), or a better Chilean blend or (not too powerful) California equivalent.
About The Expert
Roger has enjoyed a lengthy career in the wine trade as an importer and retailer, and at present he is an educator, speaker and consultant. He set up and managed Millesima USA, a New York merchant affiliated with Europe's leader in direct sales of fine wines to consumers. Previously, he served as senior executive of Frederick Wildman & Sons, traveling regularly around the world to visit wineries and taste the new vintage from barrel. Roger became one of America's first Masters of Wine in 1993.
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