When I asked Chef Paul Kulik to list some of the ingredients he expects to procure this spring, I saw an expression of relief, then a smile, and finally a long list of wonderful things. “Ramps, green garlic, English peas, sunflower shoots, asparagus . . .” said Kulik, but his look of relief told the rest of the story: here in Nebraska, we love spring because spring means that brown turns to green, rain washes away the salt, and flavorful local produce begins to replace the pale looking stuff from far away.
Jesse and Heinrich Breuer in the Breuer cellars in November.
Our friends at Honey Creek Farms near Hancock, Iowa visited us recently and confirmed that delicate Japanese greens would soon be on their way. Greens and ramps remind me of vinaigrettes, and vinaigrettes and warm weather make me think of Riesling. We’re pouring Georg Breuer Riesling Charm 2007 by-the-glassthis spring. Breuer was key in reviving the dry style in the Rheingau and is famous for taking a stand on quality. The Charm Riesling represents what we love most about German Riesling: it is fresh and has a gentle kiss of sweetness with the acid punch necessary for spring cooking. Riesling is also our go-to wine for the Atlantic soft shell crab that we expect in the next few weeks—not that the Stadt Krems Grüner Veltliner 2007 would be a bad choice for soft shells, either. We’ve been having a lot of fun with this wine and I know that many of you have tried it already. Grüner Veltliner is the indispensible white grape of Austria, and is no longer seen solely as the casual wine of the heurigen (wine-cafés) near Vienna. Grüner is big time, and its dry, citrusy character is often accented by an unusual peppery-ness, making it an excellent accompaniment to vegetables. Even asparagus, a notoriously difficult food to pair with wine, is tamed by Grüner.
Our red wines by-the-glass reflect the need for brightness and acidity, as grilled meat replaces braised dishes, and as locally raised Berkshire pork from TD Niche Farms near Elk Creek, Nebraska becomes prominent on the menu. If you love Pinot Noir, and you’ve already sampled the excellent 2006 François LamarcheBourgogne Rouge, then I encourage you to try the Paul Achs Blaufränkisch 2005 from the Burgenland region of Austria. This will be a new grape variety for many of you, but it is an earthy wine, and when local Morel mushrooms arrive later this month, you’ll know why I chose it. Also, there’s a new Italian Wine Distributor in Lincoln, Nebraska. It’s a one-man operation and he’s bringing us lots of cool new stuff like the Ca’ La Bionda Campo Casal Vegri Valpolicella 2006. This is a single-vineyard Valpolicella and it shows the Corvina grape at its best: bright and fresh but also complex. And the Mauro Molino Barbera d’Alba 2006 is a perfect wine for spring. Barbera is made in many styles in Piemonte, but this one was aged entirely in stainless steel, giving us a wine of purity and freshness. Finally, April means that spring lamb is on its way and there is nothing more classic than lamb and Bordeaux. The Château Couronneau Bordeaux Supèrior 2006 will undoubtedly be a perfect pairing for this perfect spring dish.
