For this week’s winesday, I am highlighting one of Robert’s wine picks: Kiona 2003 Lemberger. I always love it when Robert chooses the wine or has a suggestion for what to make for dinner. It makes my job so much easier. I was particularly excited about Robert’s selection this week because Lemberger is a new grape for me. As an added bonus, this wine comes from my home state of Washington! I like to do my part to support the local wineries whenever I can.
Not to be confused with the stinky cheese of a similar name, Lemberger (also called Blaufränkisch or Blauer Limberger) is a wine grape of Austrian origin. In the Old World, it is grown mainly throughout Eastern Europe, particularly in Germany and Austria. Lemberger’s main presence in the New World is in Washington State where it happens to grow really well. Kiona Vineyards, located in the relatively tiny Red Mountain AVA on the eastern edge of the Yakima Valley, was actually the first winery in North America to plant Lemberger grapes. Their Lemberger always wins lots of awards and has even been referred to as the “gold standard” for Washington Lemberger.
Stylistically, Lemberger wines tend to be very fruit-forward with mild tannins and a light to medium body. Berries and plums are among the typical flavors found in these wines. They are most often compared to Beaujolais, a wine commonly described as “juicy.” Because of their light and fruity character, Lemberger wines are able to be paired with a wide range of foods. Meat, cheese and pasta dishes are all fine, of course, but I’ve heard of people pairing Lemberger with cold cuts, BBQ and even Mexican food. Hey, why not? A wine this juicy is halfway on its way to being a sangria!
This kind of food compatibility is perfect for me; since I don’t eat meat, I always have a harder time finding foods to pair with red wine. I decided to serve the Lemberger with a simple fall meal. I had some beautiful Delicata and Sweet Dumpling squash in my CSA box so I combined them to make a squash soup. Squash can be tricky with wine because it is so sweet. To counter this, I opted for a creamy, buttery style of soup. I stayed away from ingredients that would add further sweetness, such as apples or cinnamon, and instead flavored the soup with rosemary and plenty of cream. I served the soup with melted gruyere croutons and a salad of arugula, roasted beets, apples and hazelnuts.
The Kiona Lemberger was, not surprisingly, very fruity. It had flavors of blackberry and blueberry (think blueberry syrup, not fresh blueberries.) As the evening progressed, it began to taste a bit like an Ocean Spray Cran-Something Cocktail which sounds bad but wasn’t. This was a very tasty wine. Like Beaujolais, this would make an excellent wine choice for the winter holidays. Good job, Robert!