Red Wine matches & Cajun Food?

I cross posted this on the Food Board, but wanted to post it here also. We've been invited to a Mardi Gras party. The menu follows:

Fresh Gulf Shrimp with Remoulade Sauce
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
Crayfish Etoufee
Turducken
Red Beans and Rice
French Baguette Garlic Bread
King Cake
Original Aunt Sally’s Pralines
Bananas Foster

The way this usually runs, is someone hosts and feeds everyone and the attendees bring the wine. I would normally pair Cajun (or Creole) foods with white wines or champagne given the spiciness and seafood origins.

But Dina and I are just about the only folks in this group that enjoy whites. Very "red" centric" crowd. I've always had problems pairing red wines with cajun foods. It seems like the typical spice mixes tend to make reds taste coppery and metallic.

I may take a couple of whites anyway and throw in a Tawny or Ruby Port for the desserts. But I wanted to check and see if anyone had any suggestions for Reds w/ a menu like this.

Richard

Before my stomach went bust thanks to an amoeba I picked up while travelling in the Sahara and the strong meds I needed to hound it out, I used to eat lots of spicy food. This did pose challenges with wines - especially reds. A few rules I came up with that won't ever make a perfect match, but will be the best of what will inevitably bad matches:

- avoid oak
- avoid tannins
- avoid high alcohol (12,5% max, and even that is pushing it)
- a touch of sweetness is good: it doesn't matter whether it's from RS or from ripe fruit
- acidity is always good

There aren't many reds that fit this formula, but some Beaujolais as long as it isn't too alcoholic, and some Cab Franc from the Loire have been the best matches I've found.

I've been told that a ripe Chilean Merlot can work w/ spicy food (have not tried it myself, though)

There aren't many reds that fit this formula, but some Beaujolais as long as it isn't too alcoholic, and some Cab Franc from the Loire have been the best matches I've found.

I love the Beaujolais and Loire Cab Franc (try too Sancerre Rouge and Rose) suggestions. How about Hungarian Kekfrankos or Mosel Pinot Noir (MSR reds have gotta be good for something! ). Why not Dornfelder?


Prost!
Bill

I must disagree with Otto's recipe. Tannic wines are out, but light, subtle wines absolutely succumb when pitted against a powerful gumbo. The chef/owner of Europe's only serious Cajun/Creole restaurant, Matthew Scott of Madrid's Gumbo (an obvious name if ever there was one...) favors relatively young Priorat reds. These can be, IME, a bit too tannic anyhow because of the cariñena/carignan contents. I think full, ripe, intensely fruity/floral grenache wines from Spain, France or Sardinia really work best New Orleans staples. Some names: Nekeas El Chaparral, Jean-Baptiste Sénat La Nine, Argiolas Costera Cannonau, Éric Texier Séguret Vieilles Vignes, Capçanes Cabrida, Borsao Tres Picos.

Thanks Everyone...

I had not even considered rose's. And its probably the best all around match. For wine anyway. I have some Cru Fleurie...but I don't think its got the stuffing to hold up to this menu.

Beer would be better, but only a few of us would drink it. I may take some good Rose' and haul a small cooler of cold lager anyway.

Richard

I must disagree with Otto's recipe. Tannic wines are out, but light, subtle wines absolutely succumb when pitted against a powerful gumbo.

A fair enough criticism, but I didn't really consider Beaujolais and Cab Franc particularily light wines: both have such lovely juicy fruit that I think they stand up well the heat. De gustibus etc....

How about deeply colored Rose' instead? Here are some suggestions:

Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rose' (South Africa, $13)
L'Uvaggio di Giacomo il Gufo Rosato Barbera Rose' (California, $10)
Renardat-Fache Bugey Cerdon Sparkling Rose' (France, $17)

Enjoy -- Clark

I didn't really consider Beaujolais and Cab Franc particularily light wines

Are you familiar with filé gumbo, Otto? Surest way to destroy a Breton cab franc, and that would really be a waste of a nice bottle.