Another Recipe: Chili! (And Wine Pairings!)

Yes, wine can go with Chili!

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As a certified wine nerd I am always thinking of the best wine for the meal – even when the meal is a dish that might seem more appropriate for another beverage. Take for example chili...sure this is a tangy, sometimes spicy dish that works great with beer. And it is often served at occasions that are very beer-centric (sporting events, outdoor festivals, etc.) But as a wine lover I can’t help but crave wine to go with my chili! And of course, as we all know, the Super Bowl is two weeks away. And even though I have only cared about one Super Bowl ever (when the Saints won in 2010!) I still feel the need to make something semi-festive, which is usually chili! (But note if you are more of a plant-based cook/eater that these same wines (and the Super Bowl!) would pair well with black beans! That recipe is coming soon!)

When pairing with a full flavored dish like chili, I most definitely want to stick with the light and fruitier spectrum of wines. And for a tomato based chili I feel like red wine is a must (as whites and even rosés would be drowned out by all that flavor). Now if you are going non-traditional and making a white chili then white wine would be perfect, but that’s another story for another day!

I mentioned lighter reds wines for our chili pairing, and by light I mean lower in tannin and alcohol. (Tannin is the component in wine that dries your mouth out and makes your teeth feel like they are wearing sweaters!) Spice can accentuate both tannin and alcohol to an unpleasant degree!

So when I think of reds that tend to have silky tannins and moderate alcohol, two grapes jump to mind: Pinot Noir and Gamay. (Probably no big surprise to all you wine nerds but a great lesson if you are new to this pairing game!) But you might be surprised that some Nebbiolo can also fit this category. If you know this Italian grape at all you probably know it from the famed regions of Barolo and Barbaresco, which produce more structured, age worthy wines made from this grape. But there’s terrific and more affordable Nebbiolo to be found in the broader, overarching region of Langhe. Under the Langhe region you can find more “drink-now” Nebbiolo that would in fact go great with chili!

So without further adieu, for this year’s chili cook-off/wine-off I am looking to a few old favorites (pictured above) – a Nebbiolo from the Langhe region of Italy, an Oregon Pinot Noir, and Gamay from the Beaujolais region of France. All boast bright red fruit flavors with an earthy backbone, and all are extremely drinkable. By extremely drinkable I mean that these are wines that don’t even really need a meal. They could just as easily be enjoyed on the porch with a good friend! But with chili these wines should sing! Serve them with just the slightest chill, and they wash down every savory bite of chili with their pleasant fruitiness. Watch out...both chili and wine will disappear quickly.

If you live in Charleston, here’s where I found these terrific wines from small producers. But if you live elsewhere, ask your local wine shop. Chili recipe is below this list!

Castello di Verduno Langhe Nebbiolo ($35 at Wine & Company in Charleston)

Grape: Nebbiolo 

Region: Piedmont, Italy 

Story: You might be familiar with the very famous Piedmont regions of Barolo and Barbaresco? Well, the Langhe is the larger, overarching region, where more value can be found, and it’s under this name that many noted producers will release their wines made from younger vines like this beauty from Gabriella Burlotto to Franco Bianco. All of their vines are farmed organically, and there is minimal manipulation in the cellar.

Kelley Fox Mirabai Pinot Noir ($48 at Ted’s Butcherblock in Charleston)

Grape: Pinot Noir

Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon (2 vineyards in Dundee Hills)

Story: Kelley Fox is a noted, natural Oregon winemaker who believes: “The wines are made to reflect the land, the vines, the fruit of the vines, the year, and everything else unknown and unseen that comes with those things.”

Domaine Saint-Cyr Beaujolais “Bellevue” ($30 at Graft in Charleston)

Grape: Gamay

Region: Beaujolais, France (single vineyard in Anse, southern Beaujolais) 

Story: Raphael Saint-Cyr is the fourth generation vigneron at the Domaine Saint-Cyr, which was created by his great-grandfather, Pierre Saint-Cyr. Upon taking over he converted all their holdings to organic farming, and today they are one of the largest organic domaines in the Beaujolais. This is from a single vineyard of very old vines.

My Fabulous Chili

There are SO many iterations of chili. I choose to borrow from a few cultures and make my own version that is well seasoned but not too spicy. I prefer to use ground pork rather than beef as I feel it gives more depth of flavor. (But ground beef can be easily substituted.) 

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds ground pork

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

8 cloves of garlic, sliced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 dark beers, such as stout or porter (12 ounce cans)

2 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes, crushed

2 cups chicken stock 

2 teaspoons dark brown sugar 

1 ounce unsweetened (baking) chocolate

1 bundle of fresh thyme (about 20 pieces tied together with kitchen twine)

2 bay leaves

2 15-ounce cans pinto or red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Chopped green onions, for garnish, optional

Chopped cilantro, for garnish, optional

Sour Cream, for garnish, optional

Grated cheddar cheese, for garnish, optional 

Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the pork and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until well browned, about 10 minutes. Add the onion, red bell pepper, and garlic and stir to incorporate. Add tomato paste, chili powder, oregano, cumin, cayenne, cinnamon, and red pepper flake and stir to combine. Add the beer, stir, and cook until foam subsides, about one minute. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, sugar, and chocolate; stir to combine. Add the bundle of thyme and bay leaves. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Cook until slightly thickened, about one hour, stirring occasionally to prevent the chili from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Add the beans, stir to combine, and simmer until beans are warmed through. Serve with the green onions, cilantro, sour cream, and grated cheese alongside for garnish. Cornbread makes a nice accompaniment as well.

Yield: about 2 quarts; about 6 generous servings

P.S. You can add water to thin out the chili if it cooks down too much, but after an hour it seems to reach the perfect consistency for me every time! 

P.P.S. Of course, if you want to cook up some fresh beans from Rancho Gordo to go in your chili, I would not be mad :) 

P.P.P.S For a musical pairing, let’s remember when the Saints won the Super Bowl and get into the Mardi Gras spirit with some New Orleans brass bands. There are some great playlists on Spotify! (Or just put it on the Rebirth Brass Band station!)