Wine Food Pairing - I'll have some "pine" wine with my Tsatsiki!

I have traveled all over the world and enjoyed Wine Food Pairing in some delightful spots. This adventure took me to Linz, Austria, where we visited a Greek restaurant just outside the city, perched atop a small cliff with a terrific view of the Danube, or Donau, as it is called in Austria.


AIONYSOS was highly recommended by several of our friends in the area and by the time we arrived it was peak dinner hour. The place was more than packed…always a sign that the food is great. We came in and were greeted by a host who took our name and handed us a shot of ouzo while we waited….you have to love that Greek hospitality! We only had a brief wait, maybe 10 minutes and we were escorted over to a table with a wonderful view of the river.


Nikos, our server, took the order from my husband. We ordered Tsatsiki to start, Moussaka for our main course and a bottle of Retsina to drink. I had never had Retsina, a famous Greek wine, before and was quite surprised by the special taste. It is a white wine with a distinct resin taste. This taste is due to the way the Greeks produce this wine. They put the grapes in a new cask which still has the pine wood resin on it, giving it this remarkable flavor….hence the term "pine" wine!


Nikos gave us a few moments to savor the wine and then brought out a bowl of Tsatsiki and triangles of pita bread in a basket served on the side. Tsatsiki is made with yogurt, shredded cucumber and garlic….what a refreshing appetizer! The garlic was just enough, not overpowering at all, and along with the wine made a wonderful treat. I was surprised how quickly it disappeared.


We were just watching the barges traveling up and down the Danube when the Moussaka was placed on the table. Moussaka is a savory Greek layered casserole with eggplant slices at the bottom, ground lamb with onion, garlic, potatoes, herbs (oregano, bay leaf and thyme)and spices (cinnamon and allspice) in the middle and it is topped with a cheesey béchamel sauce. It is baked until the top is a crusty golden brown. Totally delish! This labor intensive dish is considered by some to be the "national" dish of Greece. The flavors simply delight the taste buds and it pairs beautifully with the Retsina wine.


Wine Food Pairing is an adventure. I always love when I can follow local advice and be rewarded with terrific food and wine…..so go out in the world, experiment and enjoy! CHEERS!

Denise Clarke has been passionate about Wine Food Pairing for many years....to follow her blog go to:
http://www.winefoodpairing.blogspot.com
or go to her website at:
http://www.wine-food-pairing.com