My Food. Your Wine Skillz.

I need a wine pairing, what do rocks..baby.

The Spread:

Chipotle-rubbed steaks with Gorgonzola toasts and grilled asparagus

This plate will be crammed with loud flava.  The steak is rubbed with a spice mixture containing bay leaf, sweet paprika, crushed chipotle pepper and cumin.  Flavor elements here include the succulence of marbled meat, smokey-sweet-spicy punch of paprika and chipotle, and subtle piquant characters of bay and cumin.  Moving across the plate, we discover Gorgonzola toasts - a completely different, if not competing, set of flavors, containing cream, salt and grandmaster funk.  But wait, the food-plot thickens.  That primeval/primordial quasi-veggie, we call asparagus, will also be added.  And just so we don't forget it's there, the asparagus flavor volume will be set to '11' by the addition of a fresh lemon juice squirt.

I'm going to need one helluva wine to deal with this episode of flavors gone wild.

So whatcha got up your proverbial sommelier-sleeve?  Hit me with your best wine shot.

[update]
Oh you crafty wine-cats and -kitties.  You all make me proud.  Martinis, Prosecco, Jurancon, Austrian Riesling!  Get outta here.  Now that's what I call experimentation.  Ms. Ali gets points for emphasizing the need for high octane vino - as does Sir Rick.  However, I must confess, I've never understood the whole martini with dinner thing.  But then, I'm willing to give it a whirl with a dish like this.  And my li'l WG - you had me at, "Spanish descent."  Mithrandir wins the 'most ballsy wine recommendation award' for suggesting Prosecco.  I have no idea what this combination would be like.  I fear this ultra acidic bubbly might awaken the chipotle's heat and asparagus's weedyness.  But then, I've never tried Prosecco in a situation like this - I could be completely wrong. 

The next two recommendations illustrate two very different, very valid approaches to solving this funky food conundrum:  Wineguy recommends heavy duty red in order to brow beat all the crazy flavors into submission, while Jameson suggests subduing the dish with kindness a la rich Chenin Blanc or white Bordeaux.  I love it.

My British friend, Andrew (who, by the way, should know potentially bad food when he spots it.  After all he is from the UK! *zing*) appears to be in shock that I've got Gorgonzola and Asparagus on the same plate.  Aside from the understandable recommendation of Shiraz, he gets all cutting edge with a suggestion of Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc or off-dry Jurancon.  I dunno - I'd try the Jurancon, but my fear is the NZ SB's gooseberryness would tear a hole in the space-time-flavor continuum.

The Winedetective joins the white wine crowd with an Austrian Riesling recommendation.  I agree; it could work with the asparagus and steak.  However, I'm a bit frightened to try it with Gorgonzola...could be scary.  Finally, we get a two-word suggestion from Erwin Drink: "Alicante Bouschet."  To which I say, "Why not?"

Let's allow this post to dangle for the rest of the day and see what other wine recommendations we receive.  I'll then provide you with photographic evidence that I A) actually prepared this dish, B) selected one wine to go with it, and C) enjoyed every single bite!

Comments

[Alison]

Whatever wine you choose, it'll need to have a high alcohol content, I'm thinkin'.

[WineGoddess]

I see something of Spanish descent. One that's rich, but with some spunk. Maybe a Ribera del Duero?

[Rick Dobbs]

Martini's are the only thing that would justify this meal.

[Mithrandir]

Prosecco?

My thinking goes like this: with all these strong flavors, a complex and subtle red will get beaten down. I'm not a huge fan of over-ripe dark fruit with food. A high-acid red might work, except I don't think berries and asparagus would pair well.

So a nice, acidic white. With bubbles, because... why not?

[wineguy]

Maybe Foxen's Foothills Reserve, or a big meaty Syrah like Andre Murray's Roasted Slope? Of course, it's all a matter of what you have in the cellar, too...

[Jameson]

I agree with a white wine: I bet a rich Loire Chenin or White Bordeaux would kill with this dish.

[Andrew]

Bloody 'ell chap what a mix. Gorgonzola AND asparagus! I dont think you will find a wine to match all at the same time.

I would go for an Australian full-bodied Shiraz for the steak and spices. This is the dominant item in the medly. The cheese might clash. Asparagus is never easy to match and will taste metalic with the shiraz.

Have you just mad eup the dish picking the two worst items you could imagine?

[Andrew]

soz forgot to mention that a full punchy Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand would be ok with the spice edge of the meat and the asparagus. Not sure about that cheese though.

If you are going for something equally wacky and odd how about a sweeter Jurancon? Should eb ok with the cheese, it can be a little herby with the asparagus and should be weighty enough for the meat. On the other hand it might be horrid!

[winedetective]

Austrian Riesling. Screw the meat and red wine match - go for the spice and asparagus. Heres my thinking; try your best to satisfy the most difficult, read 'potential to mess everything else up', ingredient which I think in this case is the spizzas and asparagus. I like the lemonyness of Austrian riesling, they usually have good weight and also lack an overt minerality which I dont like with spice. Otherwise I woud drink a good wheat beer. Good question. Have fun.
Matt

[Erwin Dink]

Alicante Bouchet

[Andrew]

tsk - Can see you havent eaten in the UK! Or read a UK food blog? If our food upsets the French PM then it has to be good as he is just jealous!

[William]

Two wines immediately jump out at me. The first is an Austrian Gruner. Get one that is fuller-bodied with some good pepper on the finish and you'll take care of the meat portion of the dish. The acidity that usually accompanies gruners will help to take care of the asparagus.

The second one I'm thinking of is a Gewürztraminer. One from Alsace could be the ticket. With it's inherent spiciness and touch of sweetness, you could take care of the spiciness of the steak. I'm not really sure how it would handle the asparagus or the gorgonzola toast.

Just some thoughts, good luck! Cheers.

[Emily]

I'm going to have to second William and say go for the Gruner Veltliner. It should be from the Wachau, so that we can be sure it has touched no oak, and it should be Smaragd level. I would recommend one from a vineyard that is lower down towards the Danube, instead of up on the terraces, so that it's got a bit more fat to it. Maybe the Donabaum Loibner Garder? Or maybe even his Reserve bottling, which has just a smidgen more residual sugar?