Rave Wine and Food Pairing of the Month - Octopus and Vermentino!

Who does not love a good deal especially in the world of fine dining?  The Brixchicks certainly do (especially when one of them is unemployed!)  So when BrixChick Liza found a $45 prix fixe menu featuring Sardinian cuisine at San Francisco's Jardiniere we jumped on it.  Three courses including wine for $45 on a Monday night at a well-known SF resto.  SCORE! 

 

Being a lover of seafood there was one course that really stood out to me which was the Octopus Salad paired with a Vermentino from Sardinia.  Here are the details:

 

The Wine - 2008 Canayli Vermentino di  Gallura Superiore DOCG Sardinia

Vermentino is the most widely-grown white grape on the Italian island of Sardinia.  This wine is a medium straw color.  There are aromas of orange blossom, herbs, coconut and green pepper.  The thing about this dry white wine is that it is acidic yet it has a smooth texture on the palate.  It totally gratified my discerning palate that is not usually so gratified by dry white wines!

 

 

The Food - Salad of Octopus with potatoes, tomatoes, and herbs on a pool of aioli

If you have never eaten octopus because you are afraid it may be chewy and tough, perish the thought!  Octopus is tender and mild and delicious.  In this particular salad the glistening chunks of octopus swim in a pool of garlic aioli with acidic tomatoes and supple pieces of potatoes all sprinkled with oregano and thyme. 

 

 Together the wine and octopus become a symphony of smooth and acidic flavors complementing one another.  It was heavenly.

 

And yes, the rest of the prix fixe was fantastic which included roasted pork, pork belly terrine and fennel salad which was expertly paired with a Sicilian Nero D'Avola.  Dessert was Semolina Cake with bruleed figs accompanied by a Late harvest Moscato from Napa.  If you are are in search of a new yet inexpensive dining adventure on a Monday night go to www.jardiniere.com to make a reservation.