Pairing Wine With Artichokes

We will leave it up to wine expert Mark Oldman to guide you on how to pair Artichokes and wine. Oldman is one of the country’s leading wine personalities. He is a wine columnist for the Food Network, is a regular on Martha Stewart Radio’s “Living Today” program, writes for “Food & Wine,” “Departures” and “Travel & Leisure,” and regularly speaks to audiences throughout the country at food and wine festivals.

Watch Oldman give his pairing tips directly from an Ocean Mist Farm Artichoke ranch in Castroville, Calif. The video above is appropriately titled “Artichokes and Wine (Yes We Can!).”

For more wine tips from Oldman, visit: www.markoldman.com and be sure to check out his latest book: “Oldman’s Brave New World of Wine.”

Oldman suggests pairing your Artichokes with the following wines:

• Bastianach Friulano Colli Orientali del Friuli “Adriatico“ 2009
  (Italy, $18)
• Columbia Crest Pinot Gris 2010
  (Washington State, $12)
• Crossroads Sauvignon Blanc 2010
  (New Zealand, $15)
• Hirsch Grüner Veltliner #1 2009
  (Austria, $18)
• Morgan Pinot Gris R & D Franscioni Vineyard 2009
  (California, $16)
• Quattro Mani Toh-kai 2009
  (Italy, $11)
• Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc Private Bin 2010
  (New Zealand, $15)

Wine selection can be determined by how the Artichoke is cooked. Grilling creates a tasty bitterness that is nicely complemented by red wines such as Merlot or Zinfandel. Just as important, you should also consider the sauce in which the vegetables will be cooked or served. This is where those old food-wine match rules can come back into play. A hearty tomato sauce could be complemented with a fruity Italian red wine or a dry rose. A cream-based or other white sauce could call for a Sauvignon Blanc or a Chardonnay.