The Expert: Dino Renaerts, executive chef and sommelier at West Vancouver’s Fraîche
The Dish: Wagyu beef carpaccio with truffle aioli, arugula and shaved pecorino, $15
The Pairing: Joie Rosé, 2009, $55 list
As a chef and sommelier, I am always looking for value, so selecting a budget-conscious wine for this pairing was important. I am also a firm believer in promoting local product, so I wanted to include a B.C. wine. Finally, I was looking for something summery but robust enough to match the richness of the Wagyu (Australia’s version of a Kobe-style beef) and truffle aioli.
A rosé absolutely speaks summer to me, and Joie does a very nice one at an affordable price. It imparts a little bit more strength than a white wine, but it’s not as overpowering as a red.
You get a lovely hint of strawberry in this rosé from the Pinot Noir and a note of candy floss from the Gamay, while the carpaccio dish has a touch of mustard from the arugula and a saltiness from the cheese. These are very contrasting flavours, but they work to bring out the best in each other. The richness of this dish makes the fruitiness of the wine pop.
Make sure to chill the rosé until it’s cool, rather than icy, or you won’t be able to appreciate the full flavours of the wine.
After a couple of name changes, the jewel of Stanley Park is back to being called the Teahouse – and back to some of the inventive cuisine that made it famous. Executive chef François Gagnon’s Queen Charlotte Islands halibut, served with a tomato and fennel salad in a sea of white gazpacho, is a standout example from the summer menu. To create your own gazpacho, toss ¼ baguette in some olive oil and toast until golden brown; combine 1 peeled English cucumber, 1 sprig of thyme, 100 grams of blanched sliced almonds, 30 ml (2 tbsp) of sherry vinegar, 750 ml (3 cups) of homogenized milk and half a bulb of sliced fennel with salt, pepper and chili flakes to taste. Soak overnight and then blend in a blender until smooth. $26, vancouverdine.com
Wine to go. It has a nice ring to it. And with Restoration Hardware Inc.’s hand-woven wicker-and-rope wine caddy, it’s easy to tote your favourite varietal to a summer party or beach barbecue (parks board rules be damned). The Kooboo rattan caddy with seagrass trim and handles is part of the sleek home store’s four-piece outdoor entertaining lineup – so while you’re there, check out the serving trays and food dome too. $49, restorationhardware.com