One of the first things I learned how to make when growing up was French Onion Soup. My mom had a fairly easy recipe and it was a great place to start on cooking. Cook some onions, add some broth, melt some cheese and you're good to go! Needless to say, I'm still cooking French Onion Soup, but in a more complicated way these days. Recently, I've been clinging to an Emeril Lagasse recipe that uses Bourbon and takes about two hours to slowly cook the onions. And I've been lightening it up by melting the Swiss on a toasted bread rather than imprisoning the soup under a fortress of cheese.
So, when I have some gut instincts but am curious about what to pair with certain dishes, I always go to my reference guide: "What to Drink With What You Eat". Their recommendations for French Onion Soup were as I expected. Beaujolais, Cote du Rhone Rouge, and Alsace Pinot Blanc. Also, Manzanilla Sherry, which I would've loved to have but didn't have any in the house. I wasn't completely excited about any of these pairings, so I veered off on to the scenic route:
David Arthur, Chardonnay, Napa 2006 VS. Morlet Family, 'Coteaux Nobles', Pinot Noir, 2006 Sonoma Coast
I love a good side-by-side! Especially white vs. red!! Everything about this dish says red wine, right? Caramelized onions, beef stock, bread, hearty amounts of cheese. But I was taking the underdog's side and putting my bet on a white wine. Of course, the white has sentimental value since Kara and I ate the Chardonnay grapes off the vine from David Arthur in 2006 about thirty minutes before I proposed to her in Napa...
The Chardonnay was fairly typical: Grilled pineapple, vanillin and baking spice from oak, baked apple and pear, plus a nutty oxidative note that makes me suspect I'd better drink my last bottle of this sooner rather than my usual annual re-visit. With the soup, the fruits toned down to a cleaner and crisper (more youthful...?) tone. The oak characteristics were minimalized by the bread. I only had Blanton's Bourbon in the house (and didn't want to waste it in cooking) so I used a cheap Brandy instead. I found the oak character of the Chardonnay filled in the void of the American oak that I was missing having used Brandy instead of Bourbon. All in all, I must say this was a much better wine with the soup and I found myself wanting to return to this glass throughout the meal. But when the soup was gone, I left the Chardonnay gladly.
The Morlet Pinot was pretty awesome! Having tasted this wine a couple of times already (once with Luc Morlet himself), I still like to check in with Cellar Tracker sometimes to see what Joe Wino thinks the wine is doing these days. All the reviews seemed to lean toward a more Burgundian style and a highly reserved wine. I found quite the opposite: this is just well-crafted California and Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir in the way that it should be made! Very perfumed and floral, with controlled ripe fruits: ripe cranberry, ripe black cherry, pomegranate, touches of baking spice and cocoa from oak. This is far from Burgundy, but it's interesting to think that the American palate finds this Burgundian in light of all the Pinots they have become used to. With the food, this wine showed very well and consistent flavors with or without the food, but it felt a little heavy-handed in comparison to the Chardonnay.
My vote: David Arthur Chardonnay. Perhaps it was the cool temperature that made it so refreshing to come back to? Maybe I just had myself convinced I was going to like it already? Not sure, but when you WANT to drink a wine with the food you're eating, but run away from it as soon as you're done with the dish, that speaks to me of a great pairing. At least, as far as the wine is concerned. Both wines were completely acceptable and showed their best.
You should definitely seek out Luc Morlet's wines. They're really quite amazing, but also very pricey. You may know Luc from his work at Peter Michael where he was the winemaker for a number of years. These are terrific examples of what California can do with Pinot Noir and are well worth seeking out. He also produces some great Chardonnay, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and a terrific White Bordeax-styled blend called 'La Proprtion Doree'.
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