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Event Report: Mardi Gras-Ask André

Best of the Cockle Bur compiled & edited by Harry B. Otis, 3rd President 1973-1974

In the long run, the pessimist may be proved right, but the optimist has a better time on the trip.

Event Report: Mardi Gras – Ask André

On the actual day of Fat Tuesday, we had a joint couple’s event between the Omaha and Omaha Metro Branches. I liked the theme: our hosts would use the new IWFS Americas Artificial Intelligence app Ask André (AA) to select the wines. I was asked at the event who André is. André, of course, is André Simon who founded the IWFS in 1933. If you haven’t been on the IWFS.org web site for a while, sign in and it takes you to the Resource Directory, where you will find the red Ask André button right at the top of the page. Click, and once inside the app asks you to click on help with pairing wine with food or food with wine. Sometimes you can get four pairings or more to choose from, the reason why the match was recommended. In our case, we were pairing wine to Chef Jared Clark’s New Orleans inspired menu. Rhonda Wilke took charge of this portion of creating the carte des vins, and we had the results on our menu card. Mike Wilke admitted he was a Cab guy and was completely “Out of my wheelhouse” for the wine selection for this New Orleans styled dinner. There were two wines from each club’s cellar, and the rest was purchased to match the Cajun styled dishes.

Instead of a blow-by-blow account of the meal and wines, let’s examine how AA did. I don’t fault Mike for feeling he is out of his wheelhouse on the foods we had to pair with wine, most of which are using spices we don’t use often in Nebraska. With the Charbroiled Oysters & Crab Boudin with Bourbon Cajun Butter Remoulade we had three AA wines to choose from. Just because AA chose Chablis doesn’t mean the bottle before you is up to the task. The Chablis, Albariño, and Sparkling choices are a good example. The weakest wine was the Chablis. André’s reasoning? “I recommend wines that balance the smoky, buttery, and spicy elements while refreshing the palate.” It was a weak sister.

Story by Tom Murnan Photos by Ron Policky & Tom Murnan

Our 2nd Course was Crawfish Mud-pie Louisiana Crawfish, Tasso Ham (a bit spicy) Dark Roux Mushroom Cream all in a covered pastry shell with Hot Honey Butter and a Pickled Okra spear on top. This was quite delicious. Chef Jared told us he learned this dish at age 20. Now we are getting more complicated in our spicing. AA chose 4 wines: Viognier, Chenin Blanc, Grenache-based Red or GSM blend, or Sparkling Rosé. We had a Grenache and a Chenin Blanc, hitting both recommendations. “What a rich and complex dish—spicy Tasso ham, earthy mushroom cream, buttery pastry, and that bright, tangy pickled okra! You’ll want a wine that can handle spice and richness, while refreshing the palate and complementing the savory, slightly sweet, and acidic elements.” So here you see André’s sommelier-esque reasoning. AA chose a Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley because it offered bright acidity, stone fruit, and a touch of creaminess that complements the roux and crawfish, and the red was earthy with balanced acidity that would harmonize with the smoky ham and mushrooms.

For the 3rd Course, Duck Gumbo pot-au-feu, Duck Confit Andouille, root vegetables, Forbidden Black Rice and Parsley Gremolata, AA offered a Barolo, Zinfandel, GSM blend, and a Pinot Noir, or if you preferred a white, an oaked Chardonnay. We had a Zinfandel and a Châteauneuf-du-Pape (CduP). Zin was selected because of its “ripe fruit, moderate tannins, and spicy notes echo the andouille’s spice and the gumbo’s richness, and its boldness stands up to the smoky, hearty flavors.” The CduP was selected because of the “earthiness and spice

harmonize with the dish’s layers. “

For the 4th course, a Cajun Duo: Pepper Jelly Glazed Wagyu Short Rib and Cajun Wagyu Denver Steak, AA said of the food “What a decadent and bold dish! Pepper jelly glazed Wagyu short rib and Cajun Wagyu Denver steak bring rich, tender beef with sweet-spicy glaze and smoky heat, paired with creamy Gruyèreinfused collard greens.” One recommended wine, a Barolo worked because “the pepper jelly’s sweet heat and the Cajun spice need wines with ripe fruit, spice, and balanced tannins to match the Wagyu’s intense marbling and flavor. Gruyère’s creamy, nutty character pairs well with wines that have good acidity and structure to refresh the palate.” Mike, the cab man, as host, must have inserted the Burgess Estate Napa Casbernet 2013 as I did not see Cabernet Sauvignon on the app, but it worked quite well, better than the Barolo in my notes.

So, you get the picture of what the app does. As a sommelier would do, it analyses the flavors in the dish, then recommends what the wines can contribute, and tells you why they were selected. I thought it did very well with none of the pairings being bad. But you need to know your wines. Just because AA did not select Cabernet Sauvignon with the Wagyu, Mike knew it would work well. Should you not know your wines, it’s AI to the rescue, drawing on a vast database of knowledge. I just hope that in the future it does not cause us to rely on a wine app so much that we don’t learn our wines the way we no longer learn phone numbers anymore, so dependent on our apps we have become.