Whether a grand celebration or an intimate feast, holiday meals are essential to the season. For the inaugural meal in a four-week holiday pairings series, we present you with something for Christmas to New Years and back again: roast beef. We’ve consulted a few experts, who share which beverages they’re diggin’ (and diggin’ into) with a good ol’ platter of roast beef. Red wine lovers, it appears this is your time to shine.
Erez Klein || Libations Procurement || Whole Foods Market
Depending on how you prefer your roast beef prepared, Klein suggests opening a bottle of your favorite red wine. He says an olive oil-based roast works wonderfully with a Syrah, like Lobo Hills 2012 Syrah-Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Columbia Valley, which is rich in aromas of fig, dates and milk chocolate among others. Aged in oak barrels, this one will add a bit of smokiness to your succulent main course. Klein says for a butter-based roast, opt for a red more focused on the Cabernet end of the spectrum.
Ian Harris || General Manager & Wine Director || Seven Beef || Seattle
It seems Syrah is key with Harris’ preference, Division Wine Making Company’s 2014 Gamine Syrah from the Applegate Valley AVA in Southern Oregon, which he finds “dry, structured and unpretentious.” Strong hints of blueberry and mulberry strike the senses, while a surprising note of juniper “pairs beautifully with a spicy horseradish” for those who like their roast on the fiery side, complete with a “smokey underbelly.”
JP Peterson || Bar Manager || Little Bird Bistro || Portland
Also a fan of Syrah, Peterson suggests McMinnville, Oregon’s Matello Wines Fool’s Journey Syrah-Viognier blend from Deux Vert Vineyard in the Willamette Valley. The wine “has bright fruit and good acidity, with enough fruit to stand up to the roast, but enough acidity to cleanse as you go,” he says. This French-style Syrah keeps things exciting, but has cool climate roots and a low ABV so your roast remains center stage.
Adam Chumas || Beverage Director || Tom Douglas Restaurants || Seattle
Brock Johnson || Chef || Dahlia Lounge || Seattle
If you’re looking for a Syrah break, Chumas and Johnson recommend 2011 Dowsett Family Winery Mourvedre, which, according to the duo, hails from a warmer climate thus making it an ideal partner for a savory holiday roast. The wine is full-bodied and rich in notes of dark fruit, sliding into grilled meat and fresh herb territory with a graceful, velvety texture.
