A long-time mainstay for Portland’s sailing set, the floor-to-ceiling windows at Salty’s on the Columbia offer a stunning backdrop to chef Josh Gibler’s take on fresh Northwestern fare. This April, we were invited to take part in a tasting dinner thrown by Salty’s and Inter Beaujolais—a dream pairing of Salty’s seafood and the delicious, distinctive wines of the Beaujolais region.
Gibler’s courses showed remarkable attention to detail, in the quality of the ingredients and the presentation. As befitted the beautiful setting, each course was classically glamorous without being ostentatious. A light avocado flan was the perfect accompaniment to an assortment of chilled seafood; a later course featured a slab of ahi tuna, its crisped, bronzed crust set off by a dash of yuzu cream and a wasabi cookie.
Beaujolais has acquired a somewhat déclassé reputation in the United States, largely because it is usually promoted as a holiday wine—the official release date of the year’s new wines falls on the Thursday before Thanksgiving. However, that reputation is something of a blessing in disguise. Today, Beaujolais’ price point is exceptionally accessible, given the quality of the wine itself.
Nor does Beaujolais consist of only the young, unsophisticated nouveau reds that flood the market every fall. You can also find rosés and whites from the region, although the vast majority of Beaujolais is a red wine, made from 100 percent Gamay grapes. Standouts at our dinner included a sweet Beaujolais Villages blanc by Lucien Lardy that had a heady floral aroma when first poured. With a course of local salmon, spring peas and morels, we sipped a smoky, fruity Côte de Brouilly by Nicole Chanrion, a seventh-generation winemaker who works all of her 6.5 hectares by herself.
The evening closed with an assortment of cheese and a spicy, silky Chénas that was reputedly the favorite wine of Louis the XIII himself—and retails for a mere $19 a bottle—followed by coffee and chocolate. It was the fitting end to a meal of discovery, both of Salty’s cuisine, their gorgeous views of the Columbia River, and the many delightful variations on Beaujolais wine.
