Rich and tart flavors of beef stroganoff present wine pairing challenge

Chicago Tribune (MCT) - Beef stroganoff is a classic dish that can become a modern choice for hosts harried by the holiday season. This dish of sliced beef and mushrooms in sour cream sauce can be prepared fast, at the table even, and tastes sumptuous. It's an elegant, warming, meal perfect for winter entertaining.

Yet finding a wine that works with beef stroganoff may not be as simple as it sounds.

You've got to deal with that sour cream sauce. Some recipes, like the one here, include pickles. The wine has to be assertive enough to match the beef, fruity enough to counter any sourness, and still be nuanced enough not to overwhelm the sauce.

A good match can prove quite memorable, as noted by Sterling Pratt of Schaefer's in Skokie, Ill.

"One of my earliest memories of a fantasy wine and food pairing was a batch of beef stroganoff I whipped up and paired with a 1961 Chateauneuf-du-Pape," he recalled. "The softness of the grenache matched the sweetness of the onions and the fatness of the cream, while the alcohol gave it enough lift to handle the weight of the dish."

Today, though, Pratt wants a wine with power that still comes across as smooth and easy-drinking. An old-vine garnacha from Spain works for him.

Finding that balance was the focus of other Chicago-area wine merchants, who proposed bottles red, white and even pink.

Alixe Lischett of Cabernet & Company in Glen Ellyn wants a "big" pinot noir, like the 2005 Marimar Estate Don Miguel Vineyard from California's Russian River region. "There's really rich pinot fruit to complement the beef and mushrooms, and a good acid backbone to work through the cream," she said.

"An Aussie fruit bomb," said Keith Janosik, wine buyer for Whole Food's Midwest region. "I love stroganoff," he added. "It needs to have a good deal of fruit, I think, with all that's going on."

Yet, Janosik also recommends an Australian Turkey Flat rose, calling it "the singularly most 'red' pink of this season. Works beautifully with this mix."

Some pros also recommended white wines.

Doug Jeffirs, director of wine sales at Binny's Beverage Depot, wants a touch of residual sugar in the wine. An Alsatian riesling or gewurztraminer would "make a nice foil," he said.

Tom Benezra at Sal's Beverage World stores points to a white Burgundy, saying the oak aging will give "added weight and power" to stand up to the beef while the "naturally buttery character" of the chardonnay grapes will match the sour cream sauce.

Given all these suggestions, it's tempting to just walk away from picking a wine at all. But who says you have to choose? Beef stroganoff can be cause for a party. Serve an assortment of wines and let your guests decide which goes best.

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BEEF STROGANOFF

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 10 minutes

Makes: 4 servings

This beef stroganoff recipe comes from Pierre Franey's cookbook, "The New York Times 60-Minute Gourmet." Franey suggests serving this dish with pommes Lyonnaise, potatoes sauteed with onions. Rice or noodles will do too. Cornichons are small sour pickles; most supermarkets sell them.

1 pound beef tenderloin or sirloin, julienned

1 tablespoon sweet or hot paprika

Ľ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons butter

1 onion, chopped

˝ cup dry white wine

1 cup sour cream

˝ cup cornichons, cut into thin strips

1. Sprinkle the meat with paprika, salt and pepper; blend well. Heat the butter in a skillet over high heat; add the meat. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 or 3 minutes; remove meat with slotted spoon.

2. Add onion to skillet; cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Pour in wine, reduce by half, 5 minutes.

3. Lower the heat; stir in sour cream. Warm the sauce but do not let the sauce boil. Return the meat to the skillet; stir to blend. Stir in cornichons.

Nutrition information per serving: 341 calories, 64% of calories from fat, 24 g fat, 14 g saturated fat, 94 mg cholesterol, 10 g carbohydrates, 20 g protein, 319 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

We paired three whites and three reds with a classic beef stroganoff recipe from the late Pierre Franey. Our panelists' verdict: The whites did not score as well as the reds with the beef. The heavier and richer the wine's profile, the better. The score reflects how well the wines worked with the dish.

_Peter Lehmann Shiraz Barossa: Top scorer on its own, this Aussie red was a real winner with the stroganoff. The salty, sour sauce highlighted the berry sweetness of this wine. The fruity, peppery shiraz gave zip to the beef. 3 corkscrews, $15

_2006 Castello di Farnetella Chianti Colli Senesi: Velvety, smooth, with a tart, plummy flavor, this Italian red supports the stroganoff without taking over. Good spark. 3 corkscrews, $12

_2006 Maysara Pinot Noir Jamsheed: Named for an ancient Persian king, this red from Oregon's McMinnville region had a warm berry flavor accented with notes of tobacco, smoke and earth. The sour cream in the stroganoff gives the wine a stronger spice note. 3 corkscrews, $24

_2006 Domaine des Chazelles Vire-Clesse: This white from France's Macon region is a big, bold, almost buttery chardonnay. Brilliantly golden in color, bracing in the mouth, complex and rich and wonderful. But with the stroganoff? Good, based on the wine's very nature, but not a great pairing. No sparks. 3 corkscrews, $22

_2007 A to Z Pinot Gris: A subtle yet aromatic white from Oregon, this wine gets a slight lift from the stroganoff's sour cream sauce. 2 corkscrews, $12

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_2007 Zilliken Butterfly Riesling: This German white from Mosel has a crisp, citrusy profile and a honeyed fruit aroma. The stroganoff comes close to overwhelming it. 2 corkscrews, $22

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