April 06--Perfect topic for the taxing time that comes each mid-April: liquidity. The main stumbling block for wine pairings with soups is that one liquid sipped with another just isn't interesting to the palate. What your tongue wants is play: solid against liquid, sweet against acidic, fat against tannin, or some such back-and-forth. That this soup is chunky with vegetables, beans and ham somewhat assists the pairing, but the wines that work the best with any soup, either brothy or stewlike, themselves have texture and weight. That means higher alcohol or bubbles or some stout tannin. That's what's recommended.
THE FOOD
White bean and tomato soup
Cook 2 slices bacon in a skillet until just crisp, about 4 minutes. Remove bacon; crumble. Set aside. Add 1 onion, diced, and 1 rib celery, chopped, to skillet; season with salt. Cook until softened, 5 minutes. Stir in 3 cloves garlic, minced; cook, 1 minute. Stir in 10 ounces baby spinach; 3 cups chicken broth; 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) crushed tomatoes; 1 can (28 ounces) white beans, drained; 3/4 cup cubed cooked ham; and 1 teaspoon chopped parsley. Season with 1/2 teaspoon each allspice and red pepper flakes. Cook, about 20 minutes. Serve, garnished with bacon. Makes: 6 servings
--Recipe by Donna Pierce
THE WINES
2013 Melville Estate Syrah, Verna's, Santa Barbara County, California: Some leathery tannins grip at the finish of this richly textured, dark-fruited rendition of cool-climate syrah; it wants a go at food. $27
Bodegas Hidalgo Manzanilla Sherry, La Gitana, Jerez, Spain: Salt spray, sunlight, the scent of a hay loft -- all in a glass of incisive, very dry sherry; serve cool, not overly chilled, and let it cut through fat and salt. $25
2012 Bellenda Prosecco Brut, Conegliano Valdobbiadene, Veneto, Italy: Spry, fresh, lively, all white fruit (apple, pear, citrus) and bubbles, with fine cleansing acidity at the finish. $20
