Mollie Battenhouse Talks Wines with Ancient Lineage
Wednesday, February 10 10:07 am
Mollie Battenhouse, the sommelier and wine director of New York City wine shop Maslow 6, will be one of the speakers at Adventures in the Global Kitchen: Wines with Ancient Lineage on February 17 at the Museum. She recently answered some questions about the upcoming talk and shared tips for budding oenophiles.
How did you become interested in wines?
It was through my love of food that I found wine. Tasting wines at the various restaurants I worked in, and later in cooking school, fueled the fire. Then I went to work for Joshua Wesson at [wine store] Best Cellars, and I was hooked on the business.
How has viticulture evolved since the time of the Silk Road?
The interesting thing about this part of the world and other ancient wine regions is the mixture of viticultural methods. There are still some old and very traditional ways [wine makers] work with the vines, such as burying them under the ground for the winter and propping them back up on supports when the weather warms up. You can also find very modern trellising techniques.
What are the key elements to consider when pairing wine and food?
Think of food in terms of sweet, sour, bitter, salty, spicy or savory, then choose a wine. Each of these components relates to the components of wine: sugar, acid, alcohol, and tannin. A few short rules: avoid tannic or alcoholic wines with salt and spice, sugar needs sugar, and acid needs acid. Salt also needs acid. Balancing complexity and intensity of flavor comes next.
What are some of your favorite food and wine pairings?
Pork belly and Riesling—well, pork anything and Riesling would be fine! Both Rieslings and Chenin Blanc pair well with most foods and are really beautiful with cheeses.
What’s the best way to learn more about wine?
Drink more wine! Try something new the next time you go wine shopping. Ask for a recommendation from the store staff. If you’re really interested in learning, buy a book like Idiot’s Guide to Wine by Tara Thomas or Wine For Dummies by Mary Ewing-Mulligan and Ed McCarthy.
What can guests expect to take away from your discussion at the upcoming program Adventures in the Global Kitchen: Wines with Ancient Lineage?
Hopefully, they’ll realize that China makes wine and is actually one of the largest grape-growing and wine-producing countries. It also has a very long history of grape growing and winemaking. In the not-so-far future, we may be able to do this lecture again and serve all Chinese wines!
