Sitting here right now with some leftover duck, risotto, and beets. Having a 2016 Peake Ranch Pinot with it, and – quite frankly – I do not think this Pinot is a good match for the beets. Are beets one of those impossible-to-pair-with-wine foods, or are there good possibilities out there?
FWIW, the beets were initially roasted, then sliced and sauteed in butter, and finished with a bit of fresh dill, salt, and pepper.
They are sweet, so maybe something a bit off-dry, like a gewurtz, as Rich suggested, or a low-level German riesling. I’d avoid high-acid or tannic wines. I could imagine a fruity zin or another not-too-tannic red might work, provided it wasn’t too tart. Grenache?
I don’t know Peake Ranch, so I don’t have any sense of why it was a bad match.
Assuming the beets are roasted ( and not pickled say)… I’d say a nice Cote de Beaune or even some Ontario Pinots. Don’t know enough about New World Pinots to comment on that.
Added: just saw that they were roasted - good - but finished with dull - hmmm. I tend to use thyme myself, also a very few drops of balsamic. And then the burgundy sings.
Update: I have an already-open bottle of Hidalgo’s “La Gitana” Manzanilla sherry going right now. Poured a smidgeon to see how it does. Waaaay better than the Pinot, and I’d even go so far as to say this is a good pairing. Keep the suggestions coming because I have 3 beets leftover and they’re going to be part of dinner tomorrow and/or Friday!
Beets have an earthy flavor to them. I would suggest an earthy pinot. I actually had this pairing at the Mayo Family Reserve room one time and it worked perfectly.
As someone who absolutely hates the taste of beets, I’m not much help here. But, it reminds me of a funny story. I was on a Valckenberg trip once and we ate lunch at the Prum estate with Katharina. I’m sitting at her dining table, excited to be at one of my favorite estates in the world. There aren’t many winemakers that I’m in awe of, but she was one. We sit down, and the staff brings the first course…a plate of big purple beets with goat cheese. I hate beets with a passion, and I would normally push them aside, but I’m sitting at the table with Katharina Prum! So, I thought I would try it to see if I liked German beets better than those in the US. One quick bite told me that the answer was no. I don’t want to look like a cad (which I should be used to anyway), but I just could not eat them. I happened to be sitting next to the Valckenberg rep, Debbie, who apparently loved the beets and had already finished her plate. I gave her a sideways glance and asked her if she wanted mine. She couldn’t believe I didn’t like them and gladly swapped plates with me. So when Katharina asked if everyone had liked the first course, I just nodded politely and passed my empty plate. I believe they served it with a Kabinett, and everyone said it was a great match. I just liked the wine.
LOL! That’s awesome. Good thing I wasn’t with you: goat cheese, in any quantity, is immediate gag reflex for me — I just can’t do it — so I wouldn’t have eaten that dish, either.
Try a high acid sauvignon blanc - best one that has minerals tones. (I am, off course, drawing a blanc here.)
Spottswoode is not overtly minerally, but has great acid structure, and can be easily purchased!
The Mondavi Tokalon and I-Block sauvignon blancs might work well.
Merry Edwards sauvignon blanc is nice with beets, as well. This makes me wonder if a higher ‘sauvignon Musqué’ content bodes well for beets. Chalk Hill makes one, as well. I am not sure of the standing of Sauvignon Musqué, but both wineries mention that. Clone? Strain? (I do not claim expertise on the exact nature of the term.)
I’ve paired all of these with beets and been happy.