Picpoul de Pinet and Steak Tartare Redemption #Winophiles
Picpoul de Pinet – aka “Lip Stinger” from the Languedoc region in the south of France
Winophiles Sample the “Lip-Stinger” of the Languedoc
Picpoul is a white wine grape best known for crisp, refreshing high acidity white wine. Picpoul de Pinet is the best known region for producing the wine, and it’s located very close to the Mediterranean sea in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in Southwest France. Perfect for sipping by the seaside on a hot summer day!
Find Picpoul de Pinet close to the Mediterranean Sea at #7 on the map. Map courtesy of: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vignobles_midi-fr.svg
The Picpoul-de-Pinet wine producers have a very nice website. full of good information on the grape, the area, and the growers. Perfect for the region, the wine pairs very well with seafood of all types, and excels as an oyster wine.
Having learned my lesson, steak tartare #2 was a success
Getting Back up on the Steak Tartare Horse
On our previous French Winophiles get-together, I had a humbling first experience with my do-it-yourself steak tartare. With some research, I found I wasn’t alone. Here’s an article on some other DIY failures, good for a laugh! Determined to soldier on, I found some good advice and reflected on my own first misadventure. Here are a couple of hints I applied to this go around:
- Use high quality meat from a butcher you trust. It’s expensive, but you don’t need a lot, I used tenderloin.
- Don’t use the food processor. Cut the meat by hand. It’s easy and surprisingly quick. There’s a link below in the recipe section.
- The additions flavor the dish, but exercise care. Not too much, and not too many. Again, high quality ingredients are key.
- You can mix in the egg yolk, but it looks so classy and dangerous on top…..
Domaine Condamine L’Eveque “La Dent” Picpoul de Pinet
Domaine Condamine L’Eveque “La Dent” Picpoul de Pinet AOP 2015 ($13 at France 44)
I found this nice description of the winery on the K&L Wines website:
“It’s rare to find estate-bottled wines in Picpoul de Pinet, so we are fortunate to have this direct relationship with one of the greats in the region. Made by Guilhem Bascou, whose father, Guy (and founder of the estate) was the president of the Picpoul de Pinet appellation. Both father and son work side by side, while mother Marie-Claude manages the office. The family’s 15 acres of Picpoul are planted just west of the Thun Lagoon near the Mediterranean, and the coastal influence is palpable in this licksmackingly refreshing wine. It’s a natural companion to seafood, but does equally well with rich cheese and charcuterie.”
Eye: Clear, pale lemon
Nose: Clean, medium- intensity, aromatic white flowers, lemons
Mouth: Dry, medium intensity flavor with high acidity buffered by a nice texture to soften the tart edge. Refreshing lemons, white flowers, and a reminder of sitting by the sea. Not salty, just a hint of that salt air.
Crisp, clean white wine is perfect for steak tartare
Wine Pairing with Steak Tartare
Surprisingly, steak tartare pairs with a crisp white wine (rosé too) even better than a red. The richness comes from the meat, but the flavors are more from the additions. Classic accompaniments are frites, salad and cornichons. My conclusion is that the “steak” flavor from steak is a product of the meat itself plus the cooking technique. Searing, roasting, braising all bring out different aspects of the meat. Raw? Think white and rosé!
Picpoul wines almost always sport an embossed bottle. I love ’em!
Winophiles Dream of Summer Days in the Languedoc
There’s no shortage of great Picpoul ideas this month, check them out. If you see this in time, please join us on Saturday morning, April 21 at 10am CDT for a chat on twitter at the hashtag #winophiles
- Michelle of Rockin Red Blog says, “Picpoul…Take Me Away.”
- Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm encourages us to Pick a Picpoul to Enjoy al Fresco This Summer.
- Susannah of Avvinare features Picpoul de Pinet – A Refreshing White from the Languedoc.
- Jill of L’Occasion shares Mediterranean Bliss: Picpoul de Pinet.
- Jeff of FoodWineClick! pairs Picpoul de Pinet and Steak Tartare Redemption.
- Nicole of Somm’s Table writes Cooking to the Wines: Font-Mars Picpoul de Pinet with Crab Cakes and Fennel-Apple Salad.
- Payal of Keep the Peas posts A Lip-Smacking Lip-Stinger: Picpoul de Pinet.
- David of Cooking Chat makes a case for Picpoul Wine with Pesto and Other Pairings.
- Lauren of The Swirling Dervish says Picpoul de Pinet: Your Go-To Wine for Spring.
- Lynn of Savor the Harvest asserts The Single Variety Wine For Summer- Picpoul de Pinet.
- Gwendolyn of Wine Predator has Picpoul Goes Southern Style with Shrimp and Grits.
- Jane of Always Ravenous pairs Halibut with Spring Vegetables and Picpoul Wine.
- Robin of Crushed Grape Chronicles shares Picpouls from Pinet and California and a Seaside Pairing.
- At Culinary Adventures with Camilla, she’s Pairing Bourride à la Sétoise with Picpouls From France to California’s Central Coast.
- Rupal of Syrah Queen will be posting The Rise of Picpoul de Pinet soon.
Steak Tartare is one of those deceptively simple dishes. It relies on fresh, high quality ingredients. I prepped our tenderloin by placing it in the freezer until it was very firm but not quite frozen. Once it’s firm, cut it like fine dicing a carrot. Here’s a video to see some of the techniques for preparation. The recipe below can be multiplied for the number of people you are serving. Leftovers are a no-no for steak tartare! Ingredients Serve with: InstructionsSteak Tartare Redemption
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[…] after researching Languedoc Wines, a region we have virtually visited a number of times( 2019, 2018, 2015). This time, however, we will focus on wineries who are working to leave a smaller chemical […]
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I’m so going to make this for my hubby when we get back to the US. It’s one of his favorites! I like how you paired the dish with the wine.. I bet the combo was delicious! Cheers
It was a good learning experience. Raw meat flavor is more about the added flavorings (capers, etc…), so a white wine was perfect. I’d love to hear how yours turns out!
I thought 3rd time was the charm…nailed it second time around! Way to go Jeff. It looks great and sounds like a good pairing. Cheers.
Thanks, Michelle! I don’t know if I could handle another failure, luckily I didn’t need to.
That’s a wine pairing I would never have thought of! Tempted to give it a try, though.
Thanks for visiting! It’s definitely worth a try.
Gorgeous photo – the “dangerous” egg yolk on top is the best! I also like that you chose to pair the dish with a white wine; I bet it was delicious.
Thanks Lauren. If the meat is raw, the flavor is mostly savory and rich but lacks the usual flavors from searing, etc… I definitely think white is a better choice (rosé, too).
I am inspired! I love steak tartare and have it all to rarely. I do agree with the Swirling Dervish the “dangerous” egg is the best!
Thanks, Robin and welcome to our group!
LOVE the photo of summery wine in the snowy setting! +1 for the steak tartare redemption vote! Looking forward to next month in the Bordeaux.
Thanks, Payal! We get lots of “snowy setting” opportunities in Minnesota.
I’m so glad it worked out better this time around! I still need to give it a try!
How interesting that steak tartare should be paired with a white wine. I never would have guessed that. Great redemption post!!
Ahhh, spring in Minnesota. A crisp white Picpoul with snow in the background and fresh steak tartare looks good, minus the snow. I never thought about raw beef pairing well with white wine, makes sense.
Since the weather is finally getting warmer, the Picpoul sounds like it’s next on my shopping list! Thanks, Jeff!
one of these days I’m going to give this a try… PS I would ever have guessed a white like this but now I know!
Looks like you have learned well from your troubles last time! Interesting about steak tartare pairing well with a white like Picpoul, wouldn’t have guessed that!