Tutto Mare Italian Ristorante

Vino Meets Its Match

The world of wine is becoming more and more popular these days. One of the best ways to learn about wine is to visit a local vineyard, take a tour, and wine taste. By comparison and contrast you will become familiar with what fits your palate best. When it comes to pairing wine and food, it’s not an exact science. The rule of thumb is to pair light-bodied wines with lighter food and fuller-bodied wines with heartier, more savory, and richer dishes. However, you may have a favorite food and wine that go great together, defying all the rules, and that’s perfectly okay. I invite you to visit four local restaurants for some of my own food and wine recommendations. Relax, enjoy, and form your own opinion.

Forget volume and go for bite-size flavor that’s big-time fun with a tantalizing crab cake appetizer that will keep everybody talking. At Tutto Mare Italian Ristorante (tutto mare literally means "all from the sea"), the Tortino Di Granchio consists of three Dungeness crab cakes fried to a crispy golden brown. A luscious and creamy lemon lobster-saffron sauce surrounds the delicate cakes that flake apart when pushed open
with a fork.

Pair with Ferrari-Carano Fumé Blanc 2003 from Sonoma County for a vibrant taste that enhances the pungent flavors of the crab cakes for a rich mouth feel. This light-bodied white wine, with its strong subtle oak character, tastes of tropical fruit, apricot, and lemon with a light floral quality and a hint of grass.
(858/597-1188, www.tuttomare.com)

Poseidon in Del Mar is the perfect place to savor a tantalizing Thai Chicken Salad. Delve into the marinated and grilled chicken breast with cucumbers, carrots, red and yellow bell peppers, and wonton noodles tossed in a spicy Thai dressing.

Pair with Brancott Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough 2005, from the region of South Island, New Zealand. Similarities in the flavor of the salad and wine, which boasts grassy, green pepper, and honey aromas, along with a smooth and seductive note of ripe stone fruit essence, make this the ideal choice. Plump and pleasing to the palate, the subtle hint of pink grapefruit is refreshing. The tangy bite of the dressing, together with the crisp acidity in the wine, allows for a peppery and longer finish. (858/755-9345, www.poseidonrestaurant.com)

Every now and again, a good steak really hits the spot. Head over to Donovan’s Steak & Chop House in La Jolla for the star attraction — a tender and juicy Prime Filet Mignon.

Pair with Arnaldo Caprai, Sangrantino Blend 2003. This wine symbolizes the renaissance of Montefalco as a wine region in Umbria, Italy. The Sagrantino grape, a unique variety grown only in the hillsides of Montefalco, makes for a slick red wine that is the perfect condiment for a juicy steak. The acidic tannins and sugars in the wine complement the steak the way a spice does, allowing for a robust and dramatic taste that doesn’t overpower the meat, boasting an unsurpassed power and elegance. (858/450-6666, www.donovanssteakhouse.com)

Last, but never least, Addison at The Grand Del Mar serves the crème de la crème in a passionate dessert. A roasted Forelle pear is served on a pine nut cake with toasted sabayon and rosemary syrup.

Pair with La Roncaia, Ramandolo 2002, for a faultless balance of sweetness. The synergy and harmony between tannin and acidity make Ramandolo a nice match for the toasted pear. Sensations of aromatic essences blend with the nuttiness of the meringue cake that is immersed in a crème brulée-like burnt cream sauce. The hints of caramel, dried apricots, and chestnut honey provide body, texture, and intensity to an already luscious dessert. Every sip, together with every bite, makes this my main course choice.
(858/314-1900, www.thegranddelmar.com) — Maria Desiderata Montana, photography by Vincent Knakal