Wine pairing with cauliflower

So I'm cooking dinner for a mixed group of omnivores and vegans. Steak and a Ridge merlot or cab for the omnivores, and cauliflower steak for the vegans. The cauliflower will be basted with olive oil, lemon, garlic, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper, and then roasted till it browns up a little.

What wine goes with this cauliflower prep? BTW, I can't stand the stuff, so I can't anticipate what might match. My initial thought is white Conundrum. Any suggestions?

I haven't had Conundrum in ages so I can't vet your guess. But I'll say this much: you have a lot of strong flavors going on there so I think a white with substantial palate presence is called for... something rich, glyceral, and earthy, rather than bright, twangy, and aromatic. So, more like chardonnay and less like riesling, more like Vouvray and less like Muscadet, more like Gavi and less like Arneis, more like roussane and less like pinot grigio.

[Robin Garr]

What a great response! I've got nothing to add. Thanks, Jeff!

[Jenise]

I just got home and didn't see this before, but....

Vegans like red wine, too!!! I have vegan friends who are also wine fanatics and they would tell you:
forget the vehicle (the cauliflower, which is an adaptable chameleon), the garlic, lemon, butter and red pepper flakes should be your target and those will pair well with just about any red wine. Serve everyone the same wine, or at least offer options. Avoid something sweet like Conundrum unless you know the guest(s) has/have that preference.

I'd be looking at a lightish Pinot Noir too.

I could certainly see Beaujolais or a lighter PN there, cauliflower is pretty versatile. But to me lemon and pepper flakes would likely lead me to go for a fuller white,like Jeff,

The cauliflower will be basted with olive oil,....... and then roasted till it browns up a little.

Not a little - make it a lot!

Since you don't like cauliflower, Jim, you've most likely not tried roasted cauliflower steaks but the roasting changes the taste completely, it becomes nutty. We have roasted cauliflower steaks regalarly after first having them as the vegetarian option on a Viking River Cruise.

I cut the steaks as thick as I can, going out at an angle and roast them for an hour, turning once, till the edges are almost black.

And as red wine lovers, we have red. Last 6 times we had it we had a Minervois GSM blend, a Chilean Carignan, a French Moonseng, a Uruguayan Tannat - so usually I pick a wine I don't reserve for other dishes, but one time I was pushed and picked a Medoc claret. It's a dish that goes well with red wine.

I really cannot see why your vegan guests can't enjoy the Ridge Merlot or Cab. If I was dining with you I'd feel very much second class seeing the others having these great wines while being fobbed off with Conundrum.