The Best Wines For Game Season
By Forbes October 2020
"Pheasant—I don’t find much farm-raised pheasant worth the money, but a freshly caught bird, even if it doesn’t have much fat on it, makes for wonderful eating. The mild gaminess and the texture of the flesh make this ideal for a lighter red wine. You will probably want to bard a wild bird with bacon, which provides the fat and keeps the flesh from drying out. You don’t want a big Cabernet, which will overpower the bird’s flavor. Here a pinot noir is my prime choice, like Bryn Mawr Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir 2016 from Oregon’s Willamette Valley. The label says “High Hill. High Risk. High Rewards” (Bryn Mawr means “high hill” in Welsh), with rocky soil and lower temperatures than lower elevations’. The grapes have to struggle, and winemaker Rachel Rose knows just how to bring out the best in them."