Wining and Dining

Elegance Can Be Economical

Cochran: People don't think a lot about pairing wine with more common foods, but making more hip pairings can create a standout experience. Sparkling wine, for example, is awesome with the super fatty and salty taste of burgers and fries. Argentinian reds rock with a spicy chili, and pulled pork is terrific with zinfandel.

There are some terrific "budget versions" of wines that have similar qualities to higher-end counterparts for a lot less money.Cava is the Spanish version of Champagne and great offerings start at a budget-friendly $6 a bottle. Australia offers tons of value in sweet wine. Port-style wines in particular abound down under, often for a fraction of the cost of their Portuguese counterparts.

For whites, Chile turns out dynamite sauvignon blanc at reasonable prices; cool northwestern Spain is a hotbed for mineral-rich, food-friendly whites for a lot less than you'll pay for similar, more famous French whites; southeastern Australia makes some excellent, well-priced chardonnay, although many are over-oaked so you have to choose wisely.

Argentina continues to be a dynamite spot for complex value-priced reds; Spain is also a wonderful source of red value. Lesser-known appellations in California are great spots, too: Mendocino, Lodi, Livermore and Lake County are some of my favorites. And southern Italy (think Sicily, Puglia) is another region that's putting out fantastic wines that over-deliver for the money.

Kleiman: When I think elegant and economic, I think ricotta gnocchi. They are soft, pillow-like clouds of yum and very low in carbs. You can make them simple, just the ricotta with a touch of nutmeg laying in a pool of tomato sauce or a bit fancier, by grating some roasted beets into the ricotta mixture. The resulting fuchsia color is gorgeous, the earthy sweetness of the beet plays with the sweet milkiness of the ricotta. Beet-ricotta gnocchi are best served with a little melted butter and sage.

Also, composed rather than tossed salads add a touch of elegance to a meal without any higher expenditure. Why not try arranging the ingredients on the plate to create a beautiful and appetizing dish, drizzled with a simple, delicious dressing?

Cochran: There are a lot of complex flavors there, so I'm going esoteric: Reach for a Greco di Tufo from southern Italy when tucking into Evan's beet-ricotta gnocchi. This newly popular, full-bodied white boasts lots of food-friendly acidity alongside a rich mouth-feel that's perfectly suited to hearty gnocchi with butter sauce. A great alternative with similar style characteristics is Greek asyrtiko, another newly popular, full-bodied white with lots of complexity.

Extravagant, Luxurious, Decadent: The Sky's the Limit

Kleiman: Remember that my decadent may not be your decadent, but there is one food that is the epitome of the word. Although it's currently out of favor with the food police, few foods are as sublime, ephemeral and satisfying as beautiful foie gras served with toasted brioche. It's like eating meat butter. Soft, yielding, rich and slightly sweet foie gras has been an epicure's treat for centuries.

Cochran: I'm with Evan: I think the classic combinations still stand up. Pair that foie gras with Sauternes (sweet, Bordeaux).

Or try more budget-oriented wines from nearby Barsac or from Australia or California. Those from outside of France usually include the name "botrytis" on the label, which is the scientific name for a fungus known as "the noble rot" that shrivels the grapes used for these decadent sweet wines into super-concentrated nuggets of sugar. German Riesling of the Spatlese or Auslese categories are also terrific with foie gras.

And there are some other classic combinations: oysters, caviar and Champagne; lobster and opulent chardonnay, especially French Burgundy (Puligny Montrachet, Meursault, grand cru Chablis) and high-end California chards; truffles and Piedmontese nebbiolo (labeled Barolo & Barbaresco); and mature Bordeaux and lamb dishes.

Published Apr 1, 2008 8:00 AM