Three wines that go well with mushrooms.

While many whites would certainly suffice as serving mates for mushrooms, those who fancy cooking with fungi — wild foraged or otherwise — might appreciate a variety that is anything but ordinary. Found almost exclusively in the warm-growing Thermenregion of Austria, rotgipfler is showing up more and more in high-quality, varietal wines.

This wine nearly warms the glass with its golden hue. Aromas of almond puff pastries and vanilla are first to arrive on the nose, followed by Asian pears. The combination on the palate of a creamy texture and lush tropical fruits like pineapple and Lisbon lemons is evocative of the most refreshing island smoothie. Luscious and crisp, this will make white wine drinkers out of those who eschew them, and rotgipfler fans out of those who enjoy them. Stunning.

Pair it with: chanterelle, leek and comté tart, lion’s mane “faux” crab cakes, and oyster mushrooms in white sauce with dampfnudel.

Lamoreaux Landing T23 Cabernet Franc Unoaked, 2020

Crafted in the cool climate of the Finger Lakes using 100 percent carbonic maceration, this single-varietal cabernet franc is aged in stainless steel for six months. A “parent” of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc has some similar qualities but exhibits them in a lighter, more elegant fashion. Its herbaceousness makes it a dreamy partner for mushrooms. 

This wine displays a deep, black-cherry hue, dotted with magenta and purple highlights. Black currants and black plums dominate the fruit-forward nose, with slightly subdued aromas of dried herbs emerging soon after. The herbaceous notes carry through to the palate, where one finds sage, green peppers and the merest suggestion of wet gravel. This wine is a delightful lesson in moderation, with just the right balance of acid, tannin and alcohol.

Pair it with: morels stuffed with sausage and sage, hen-of-the-woods (maitake) mushroom paté, and New England chicken of the woods chowder.

La Kiuva Arnad-Montjovet Supérieur, 2018

Although nebbiolo is associated with the wines of Piedmont, this alpine wine cooperative produces a version that has the trademark characteristics of nebbiolo (known in Valle d’Aosta as picotendro) but with a more delicate and aromatic nature. This picotendro-dominant blend is the perfect partner for bold, earthy mushrooms.

The wine pours a pleasing garnet in the glass. The nose, a maelstrom of spice swirling around a red-berry core, summons sweet tobacco enrobing cherry syrup. Cranberries are present on the palate, enriched by an enticing earthiness redolent of leather saddles and freshly foraged wood ear mushrooms. The seductively silky finish showcases cherries before leaving behind hints of Trieste fennel, balsamic vinegar, and a touch of black tea. Racy acidity and tempered tannins make this robust wine quite quaffable. 

Pair it with: black trumpet and prosciutto pizza, pheasant with hedgehog mushroom stuffing, and king bolete (porcini) lasagna.

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