One of the quintessential Madison experiences is to shop the Dane County Farmers' Market and plan an impromptu meal from what is available. Letting the produce drive the menu is the best way to explore the season's changing rewards. When the meal is accompanied by great wine, it's an adventure.
Conventional wisdom says that the best wines for this time of year are crisp whites that pair well with fresh produce. Around the grill, reds dominate, guiding sippers to a fruity or spicy finish alongside fats, char and smoke. In between these two worlds lurks rosé.
While not altogether wrong, this is a simplification. It clouds the fact that wine pairings are fundamentally based on acidity, as well as on whether a wine complements or contrasts with the overall palate of the fixings. Wine and food with similar tastes reinforce each other to amplify flavors, while pairs that act as foils make tastes stand out in enlightening relief. Here are some Farmers' Market pairings of the moment that I have found gratifying.
A contender for this summer's favorite go-to bottle has to be the Berger Grüner Veltliner ($13). Its flavor is pure candied pear. The bottle boasts an über-convenient pop-top instead of a cork and comes in a liter instead of a 750 ml. It pairs brilliantly with a charcuterie board of Gooch Farms mild venison sticks, any of Bleu Mont Dairy's non-cheddar cheeses and mustard.
Follow this with strawberries, peas and cooling Fantome Farm chevre paired with Tariquet Rosé ($11). Being lazy has never been so delicious. If you feel compelled to make a salad of these items, use a gentle honey or balsamic dressing and be careful the vinegar does not overpower this very versatile warm-weather bottle.
If you do take the effort to make one of those kitchen-sink salads that mark the high season at the market - one that might include radishes, cucumbers, beets and even cilantro (an infamous wine killer) - a good bet is to run for a bright, floral Sauvignon Blanc. However, the Oregon Pinot Gris Firesteed ($12) is also a nice match. It has citrus, pineapple, apple and just the right amount of acidity.
Another Pinot Gris, one that pairs well with cruciferous vegetables - broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, cress, bok choy, etc. - is Acrobat from King Estate in Oregon ($10.50). If you stir-fry a wide variety of veggies from the market or make a valiant attempt to use everything in your CSA box, this wine has just enough sweetness to match a Thai- or Indian-inflected extravaganza.
Pick up smoked trout from Artesian Trout Farm and pair it with the Gamay from Swiss producer Dubaril ($12). The notes of peppercorn and black currant make it ideal for the hickory, brown sugar and brine of the fish. Dubaril is also an ideal poultry companion. Buy a chicken from Pecatonica Valley Farm, grill it with herbs and lemon, and pull the cork on this workhorse red. For vegetarians, here is a bottle that confidently improves mushrooms.
Some of the great meats available at the Dane County Farmers' Market will require an overnight thaw, but are well worth the wait when they meet their match in a great grill-wine. One of the most expressive bottles in town for this task hides behind some of the worst label art. The Earth Series Vol. II, by wünderkind Justin Basel of Basel Cellars in Walla Walla, Wash., is a heady mix of Cab, Merlot, Syrah and Malbec ($14).
If you are looking for a grill-friendly Pinot Noir - and who isn't? - a remarkable bottle for the money is the Californian Pinot from Leese-Fitch ($10). Its sweet fruit will pair well with grilled vegetables, meats and even salmon. Yet another engaging summer grill-wine with an off-putting label is René Barbier's "Mediterranean" blend of Tempranillo and Merlot - a shockingly decent drinker for just $5.
Finally, it would not be a market roundup if Hook's famous blue cheese were left out. I like it with the sugary graham version of Potter's Crackers and cherries, served as dessert. The Helix Syrah ($18) is just right in this slightly splurgy super-grouping. You can add dark chocolate to the mix as well, and sit speechlessly contemplating the Shangri-La of luscious flavors.
If, in the July heat, all this begins to sound like too much work, the paragon of lazy combinations awaits: Grab a bag of kettle corn from Ernie's at the corner of Mifflin and Pinckney and wander across the Square to West Wash to find a chilled bottle of the charming Chardonnay Mirth at Barriques ($10 plus $5 corking fee). Sit, crunch, sip and watch the passersby. Oh, the salty sweetness of the toasted popcorn. Oh, the caramel apple in the Chardonnay. Repeat until one or the other is gone - it's better, and easier even, than going to the movies.
Wines for this article came from Star Liquor, Woodman's, Jenifer Street Market, Steve's, Stalzy's Deli, Barriques and Trader Joe's. Most are available at multiple locations.
