What wine for venison?

A friend gave us a nice blackstrap that I am going to make (seared on both sides then finished in the oven) with a port/currant reduction sauce. We don't eat a lot of venison and coupled with the sweetness of the sauce, I am unsure as to what to match with it. I am thinking a lower tannin, higher acid red which pushes me towards Italy and am thinking an Etna but not sure. Any ideas?

[David M. Bueker]

Based on the sauce I would want something quite fruit forward as well, but without too much acid, as venison is lean and you won't need the acid to cut the fat as might happen with beef.

California Pinot?

I think David's idea is a good one. Careful selection is key; too big and alcoholic may overwhelm.
As an alternative (and in keeping with your Italian inclination), il Frappato; lower tannins, forward fruit but still well structured.
Lots of possibilities, though.
Best, Jim

[David M. Bueker]

Nice call Jim. Frappato would do the trick nicely. Zweigelt would work as well.

Well I have waited for a reason to open my Occhipinti so maybe this is it. Unfortunately its an orphan and drank my last COS earlier this week, so no more after this bottle.

Frappato--I like that.

Cerasuolo di Vittoria, maybe.

I normally would do a big Rhone (Syrah from the North or younger CdP from the South) with venison but with the sauce you’re using maybe not. It sounds like you really need to match the sauce. I might still try something like a St Joseph or Cornas.
Cheers, Gary

Amarone is something I've paired with venison with modest success a number of times, not because I'm persuaded that's the best possible way to go with venison but because I have some old Amarones in the cellar and get mediocre results matching them with most other things, other than a few cheeses. But I especially like your Etna idea -- not Nerello Mascalese or Frapato, as they don't seem to me big enough to do justice to venison, but Cerasuolo or Nero d'Avola seem like excellent matches. (If anyone disagrees with me strongly about the Mascalese match, please do me a favor and chime in, as I love the grape.)

Maybe a burg because of the sauce. A Nuits, Pommard, etc nothing on the femine side of the spectrum.

I ended up opening three bottles.
Drouhin Chorey-les-Beaune 2009 was too light and did not stand up to the sauce.
Patz and Hall Sonoma Coast 2009 was too big and had a bitter cherry cola element that also did not work with the sauce but did work very well with the Kale chips we made.
Occhipinti Il Frappato 2010 worked perfectly.

Coming late to the party, venison and Syrah (especially from the N Rhone) is my standard pairing. The sweetness of the sauce is a concern, but I'd still try a more powerful Syrah.

Mark Lipton

It's hard to argue with a big Syrah, but I was suprised to hear that the Frappato worked so well.

I wouldn't do a sweet sauce like that - I'd temper it with some vinegar. And I'd look to Piemonte (and damn the acidity) or for something different, Veneto - maybe not a full blown Amarone, but a junior appassimento version, either Masi Grandarella or Campofiorin.

Having said that, I'd agree that the Frappato and Syrah suggestions are also worthy.

Our various ways of spelling Frappato are a reminder that some of us, certainly me, maight have limited or only recent experience with it. (See my one-p Frapato above.) I'll apparently have to suspend judgement about Frappato until I've tasted more, but in the meantime I'd appreciate advice about good sources. A couple of local wine merchants have emailed pre-sale offers of ARIANNA OCCHIPINTI wines, including a couple of Frappatos, and I know Occhipinti has a good reputation. One them is a 2011 OCCCHIPINTI FRAPPATO IGT that the two stores are offering in the low and mid thirties, and it gets fair to good Cellar Tracker TNs. The other is her 2012 TAMI FRAPPATO IGT for about fifteen and seventeen dollars, which gets fair Cellar Tracker reviews. Any thoughts on these and other Frappatos?

By the way, what I do know and appreciate about Frappato is that it can work wonders in providing elegance for Nero d'Avola, in the Sicilian wine blend called Cerasuolo.

Our various ways of spelling Frappato are a reminder that some of us, certainly me, maight have limited or only recent experience with it. (See my one-p Frapato above.) I'll apparently have to suspend judgement about Frappato until I've tasted more, but in the meantime I'd appreciate advice about good sources. A couple of local wine merchants have emailed pre-sale offers of ARIANNA OCCHIPINTI wines, including a couple of Frappatos, and I know Occhipinti has a good reputation. One them is a 2011 OCCCHIPINTI FRAPPATO IGT that the two stores are offering in the low and mid thirties, and it gets fair to good Cellar Tracker TNs. The other is her 2012 TAMI FRAPPATO IGT for about fifteen and seventeen dollars, which gets fair Cellar Tracker reviews. Any thoughts on these and other Frappatos?

By the way, what I do know and appreciate about Frappato is that it can work wonders in providing elegance for Nero d'Avola, in the Sicilian wine blend called Cerasuolo.

You also have to be careful about use of the word Cerasuolo. It is a descriptive word for the cherry red color, but it is also a DOCG, Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo (more like a rosato) and in Sicily, Cerasuolo di Vittoria (which is not like a rosato).

You can look for Cantine COS Cerasuolo di Vittoria. I believe an Occhipinti was one of its founders.

The reason we don't drink much Frappato in BC is the horrible QPR ratio. The 2012 Cos, for instance, sells for $35 here as opposed to around $25 eslewhere and the wine can be frankly equalled in quality by any number of other wines for lesser prices.

We also have the 2011 Valle dell 'acate from Vittoria, which underwhelmed me at last tasting and costs $25 here vs. $18 down there.

You can look for Cantine COS Cerasuolo di Vittoria. I believe an Occhipinti was one of its founders.

Yes, he's Arianna's uncle.

Mark Lipton

This is one arena that I have experience with. And a great chance to open either a Barbaresco or Barolo. I find these wines to be perfect with game, particularly with venison. We will often serve the loin (if that is what you have) as an aperitif, make sure to cook medium rare and serve with a horseradish sauce. Can be a main course or appetizer. The wine will not disappoint. Of course these wines need a little age to show their best, maybe something from '04-'09, and with a couple hour decant.