Food：

• Borscht

Wine of my choice：

• Elizabeth Spencer Proprietor Selected Special Cuvée Sauvignon Blanc Mendocino California USA 🇺🇸 2019

Borscht is one of my favorite soups at all times. Not only the color of the Borscht looks beautiful but it’s so flavorful and appetizing. The way to make Borscht varies. Every country and household have its own interpretation of Borscht. Take the Taiwanese version of Borscht as an example, the flavors and ingredients used are very different from the Borscht from Ukraine.

I found it interesting to trace back the roots and origin of the dish: how it evolves over time; what has been changed and how people perceive the dish. It offers me a different prospective of the dish and opens my mind to different possibilities.

Nowadays, the word “Borscht” is often associated with the Ukrainian beet soup, but historically, “Borscht” refers to soups made with fermented concoction of common hogweed and water. The fermentation gives the mixture tart taste. Therefore, the sourness has become one of the fundamental flavors of various types of borscht.

It remains unknown that who first use beet sour to flavor borscht, but Andrey Meyyer, a Russian ethnographer, mentioned in his book in 1781, that people in Ukraine made beet sour and added it in borscht.

When potatoes and tomatoes became widely grown and consumed in Eastern Europe in the 19th century, potatoes replaced turnips in borscht and tomatoes took over from beet sour as the source of tartness.

The Ukrainian beet borscht can be made with meat, chicken or fish, but vegetarian versions are also common. The dish can be served either hot or cold. A dollop of sour cream can be added but optional. Pampushka is often accompanied on the side, which is a savory, puffy roll glazed with oil, and sometimes with crushed garlic on top.

Today, I’m very excited to have my very good friend Victoria Chang join me and show us how to make meatless beet borscht. Victoria is my husband’s high school buddy’s wife. We have known each other for years.

When I asked if she would be interested in doing this project with me, she said yes without any hesitation. That’s her. Always being so supportive of her friends. I’m so grateful to have known her in my life.

Victoria was born in Ukraine. She emigrated to the U.S. under refugee status in the late 70’s. Victoria found her passion in cooking and went to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York after receiving a degree in Communications.

After graduation, she worked at some of the top fine dining establishments in New York City, such as the Rainbow Room, Pierre Hotel, and Aureole. She also worked at a historic medieval inn in Tuscany for a couple years. Then she ran her own catering business in Washington DC for 13 years.

While having the conversation with Victoria to discuss what dish she would like to cook for this project, she said, “Borscht is a dish that my grandma would make during holidays and family gatherings. This dish has a special place in my heart.” After hearing the story between Victoria and her grandma, we both agreed that Borscht would be a wonderful dish to present to our audience. 

＊Be sure to check out the video, “Pairing Wine with Borscht” on my YouTube channel 酒意思SIP WITH JOYCE.

Can wine go with Borscht?

So, here comes the question. Can wine go with borscht? Of course. Let’s take a look at the dish in terms of flavor profiles and the textures. The major flavor profiles of the dish are sweet and sour. Beetroot provides the major sweetness for the dish, but onion, carrots and cabbages also contribute to the sweetness level. Tomatoes and lemon juice bring tartness, and it balances out the sweetness. 

In terms of texture, the cannellini beans are soft and creamy. The potatoes are starchy and fluffy. They give borscht body and heartiness that we all enjoy. Dill adds herbal notes to the dish as sour cream gives another layer of tanginess and smooth out the flavors.

Therefore, medium to full-bodied white wines with notes of ripe citrus, stone fruits and elevated acidity are ideal. Like Alsatian Pinot Gris, dry Riesling from Pfalz, Germany and Sauvignon Blanc from California or Chile are great choices. The acidity of the wines would go hand-in-hand with the tartness of the borscht.

For red wine lovers, Merlot based wines, Blaufränkisch, and Oregon Pinot Noir would be great options. Since they are dominated by red and dark fruit notes, with bright acidity and sandy tannins, yet somewhat earthy and savory, they match perfectly with the sweet and sour flavor of beet borscht, the texture of potatoes and Cannellini beans, as well as the herbal note from dill. 

For the wines I mentioned above, they can all go with Borscht. But there is one white wine that stands out from the crowd. My top pick wine for this pairing is the Sauvignon Blanc from California. Surprised, right? I will explain why this Sauvignon Blanc beats other candidates and won me over in the next chapter. Let’s get to know what exactly Sauvignon Blanc is.

The Grape: Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc, a green-skinned grape varieties, is considered an international grape variety. It has been grown widely all over the world and loved by many wine lovers.  The origin of Sauvignon Blanc is thought to be Bordeaux, France, but it most likely came from the Val de Loire, where it was first mentioned under the old synonym Fires in 1534, in chapter 25 of Fançois Rabelais’s Gargantua. Its true origin stays unknown.

We now certainly know that Sauvignon Blanc is a cross between Tranminer and unconfirmed grape variety. It is also the parent of one of most famed red grape varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon. Sauvignon Blanc is a highly aromatic white grape varieties with high acidity. Due to its early ripening, Sauvignon Blanc is well suited to cool climates.

Aromas of unripe citrus, stone fruit, grass, asparagus, green bell pepper, and gooseberry often appear in Sauvignon Blancs grown in cool climates. Sancerre, Pouilly-Fume in Loire Valley, France and Marlborough in New Zealand are the regions known for their cool climate Sauvignon Blancs.

Sauvignon Blanc grown in moderate and warmer climate usually displays expressive fruit aromas, such as ripe citrus, pineapple, passion fruit and kiwi. Some may have jalapeño and green bell pepper vegetal notes. The body of the wine is fuller; the mouthfeel of the wine is rounder.

Sauvignon Blanc is commonly made as a single varietal wine. Furthermore, due to its characteristics, Sauvignon Blanc is usually fermented and aged in stainless steel and neutral casks to retain and enhance its primary fruit aromas. Best to be enjoyed within 1-3 years and it’s not suitable for aging. But there is always exception to the rules. In some areas like Bordeaux in France, and Margaret River in Western Australia, Sauvignon Blanc is frequently blended with Semillon, a non-aromatic variety, to give body and richness of the wine. The style of wine is rounder with spicy toasty notes because it often spends some time in oak.

The Producer: Elizabeth Spencer

Elizabeth Spencer is established by husband and wife team, Elizabeth Pressler and Spencer Graham in Napa Valley in 1998. They both have worked in the wine industry long before they got involved in making wine. Their enthusiasm in wine has bonded them together in life and in business. That’s how Elizabeth Spencer got started.

Unlike other wineries who own vineyards and winemaking facilities, Elizabeth Spencer works with prestigious vineyard growers they trust and make their wine at a custom crush winery just north of the city of Napa Valley.  The 1998 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was their debut. It is a wine they would make every year since 1998.

The belief of Elizabeth Spencer is to make wine that tastes delicious and represents the appellation of origin. They want to make wines to be enjoyed by their friends, family, and customers.

Elizabeth Spencer started out producing wine from Napa Valley. Now they have extended their interests into the excellent neighboring regions, like Sonoma and Mendocino. The Sauvignon Blanc I chose for this particular pairing is from Mendocino, California.

For those who wanted to pay the winery a visit, Elizabeth Spencer has a tasting room open in the historic, 1872 brick post office building in Rutherford, Napa Valley since 2006. Stop by when you are in the area.

What Does the Wine Taste Like?

The special cuvée is made with 100% Sauvignon Blanc from three organic vineyards in Mendocino. Grapes coming from the three vineyards are fermented in stainless steel tanks separately, to preserve the distinctiveness of each parcel. Blending process takes place right before bottling to showcase the best terroir of Mendocino.

Intense aromas of passion fruit, grapefruit, lemon curd, jalapeño, and melon jump right out of the glass. Light gold color shines through the glassware.

After a sip, the bright and racy acidity with flavors of ripe, juicy yellow peach, honeysuckle, and canned pineapple reveal themselves without hesitance. Loud yet with right volume. Round mouthfeel and medium bodied, this special cuvée is filled with surprise and offers great value.

Why does Sauvignon Blanc go with Borscht?   

I followed Victoria’s Borscht recipe and made this vegetable Borscht. The outcome was superb. This is probably the best Borscht I have ever made and tasted. Even though the Borscht was only made by vegetables, I do not miss the flavor of meat at all. The soup was full of depth and layers. It’s a recipe you want to keep forever, seriously.

The Borscht is sweet and sour. The flavors and textures of each ingredient are distinguishable but compatible. I can’t stop but keep slurping. Pairing Borscht with the special cuvée Sauvignon Blanc is unbelievably good. It seems that they were made for each other.

The vivid, austere acidity of the wine matches the sourness of the tomatoes and lemon. The chemistry between the flavor of the grassy notes in the wine and vegetal notes in Borscht work toegther wonderfully. The wine brings out the sweetness of the vegetables in Borscht. The pairing brings out the souls of the wine and the dish.

Pairing wine with soup is challenging. The difficulty of pairing liquid together, and sometimes with temperature variation like pairing slightly chilled wine with hot soup is even more tricky, but this pairing subverted the idea entirely. I’m so happy and can’t wait to share the result with all of you. Please give this pairing a try. I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

Lastly, I can’t thank Victoria enough to be able to work on this project with me and show us how to make Borscht. Don’t forget to check out my YouTube Channel 酒意思SIP WITH JOYCE and watch the video “Pairing Wine with Borscht”. You can also find the recipe here.

Where to buy Elizabeth Spencer Special Cuvée Sauvignon Blanc?

Follow my Instagram account: @joyce_foodnwine

for more food and wine pairing ideas! 

Don’t forget to like, comment and save my post if you enjoy my content.

Thank you!  XOXO

【烏克蘭羅宋湯與白蘇維濃之間的電光火石】

餐點：

• 烏克蘭羅宋湯

餐酒：

• Elizabeth Spencer Proprietor Selected Special Cuvée Sauvignon Blanc Mendocino California, USA 🇺🇸 2019

我對羅宋湯有莫名的喜愛，不僅顏色看上去美麗，喝起來是酸甜有味，令人難以抗拒。羅宋湯的做法千百種，每家的做法也不盡相同。

為台灣人所熟知的羅宋湯與源自於烏克蘭的羅宋湯，做法與材料的使用上可是大不同，但這也是料理有趣的地方。經過不同的國家，時代的變遷，各地食材取得的難易，及飲食文化的演變，名為羅宋湯的湯品，真要擺出來一比較，哪可要叫人嚇一大跳呢！

烏克蘭羅宋湯的由來及演變

話說在今日，“Borscht” 這個字通常與烏克蘭羅宋湯連在一塊，但是在歷史上，“Borscht”指的是加入了由豕草與水發酵而成的液體而煮成的湯。這個發酵的混合液是酸味的主要來源，也因此，酸味便成了各式羅宋湯，像是白羅宋湯、綠羅宋湯、甜根菜羅宋湯等最基本風味之一了！

然而，在歷史上，是誰最先使用酸甜根菜來煮羅宋湯，至今仍然是個謎，但是俄國人種誌學家Andrey Meyyer 在他的書中（1781）記載了烏克蘭人使用酸甜根菜並把它加到羅宋湯裡燉煮。

在19世紀當馬鈴薯與番茄大量的在東歐種植及食用時，馬鈴薯取代了宋湯裡的蘿蔔，而番茄則替代了酸甜根菜，成為這道菜最著要的酸度來源。

烏克蘭甜根菜羅宋湯可以加入肉類，像是雞肉或魚來烹煮，但是全部使用蔬菜來烹調的版本也相當普遍。這道菜可以熱熱的吃，也可以當冷湯來喝。還可以加入一匙酸奶醬來吃，但憑個人喜好。喝烏克蘭甜根菜羅宋湯時，通常會配著 Pampushka 一起吃。它是一種表面油油亮亮、吃起來帶點鹹香的小圓麵包，有時候也會撒上蒜泥增香。

讓土生土長的烏克蘭人教你做最地道的烏克蘭羅宋湯

這次很高興能邀請到我非常要好的朋友 Victoria Chang 來跟我一起合作，為我們示範蔬菜版的烏克蘭羅宋湯。

我和 Victoria 會認識是由於我先生的關係。Victoria 是我先生高中好同學的太太。Victoria 為人風趣、幽默，又爽快，為人相當體貼，相處時總是替朋友著想。當我邀請她來參與這個單元時，她也是二話不說，一口就答應。直說，只要是需要她幫忙的地方，她肯定義不容辭。

Victoria是烏克蘭人。她在1970年代晚期以難民的身份跟隨家人移民到美國。在拿到傳播學系的文憑後，Victoria 對做菜產生了極大的興趣，於是她到了位於紐約州海德公園區的 Culinary Institute of America 廚藝學校攻讀廚藝。畢業之後，Victoria 相繼在紐約市的幾個高級餐廳工作過，像是：Rainbow Room, Pierre Hotel, 及 Aureole。另外，她也在義大利托斯卡尼的一個頗具歷史的中世紀旅館工作過好幾年的時間。之後，她在華盛頓 DC 開創了自己的外燴公司，共經營了13個年頭。 

在和 Victoria 商量要做什麼菜時，她提到：「烏克蘭羅宋湯是一道我的奶奶會在過節或家人團聚時做的菜。這道菜對我來說具有特別的意義。」聽完Victoria 娓娓地回憶起她與奶奶的相處時光，讓我覺得更應該把這道菜的做法記錄下來並呈現給我們的讀者。再加上湯品搭配葡萄酒是具有一定的挑戰性的，我也希望能透過這次的餐酒搭配，看看能擦出什麼樣的火花。

＊千萬別錯過我們精心製作的【烏克蘭羅宋湯與葡萄酒的餐酒搭配】影片，歡迎到我的YouTube 頻道 酒意思Sip with Joyce 觀看喔！

烏克蘭羅宋湯與葡萄酒做餐搭，到底行不行？

那麼，問題來了，葡萄酒能搭配烏克蘭羅宋湯嗎？當然可以。首先，讓我們來仔細的分析這道湯品的口感及風味。這道湯品以兩大主要風味貫穿：酸味與甜味。甜味的主要來源是甜根菜，然而洋蔥、紅蘿蔔及高麗菜也為這道湯品增添了甜度的層次。而酸味則是來自番茄與檸檬。這兩樣食材裡的酸，平衡了湯的甜味。

在口感上來說，白腰豆吃起來是綿密還帶點像奶油狀的質感。馬鈴薯則是鬆香軟糯，入口即化。這兩樣食材增添了湯的厚度及飽足感。蒔蘿帶來草本氣息，再加上酸奶微酸與順滑的口感，柔化中和了湯裡的酸與甜，這兩種食材賦予了這道湯品更上乘的風味饗宴。

烏克蘭羅宋湯餐酒搭配推薦

在葡萄酒的選擇上，中等至豐厚酒體，帶有成熟多汁的柑橘與蜜桃類水果果香，再加上活潑爽脆的酸度的白酒是非常理想的選擇。像是法國阿爾薩斯（Alsace）的灰皮諾（Pinot Gris）、德國法爾茲產區（Pfalz）的干型麗斯玲 (Riesling）、及美國加州或智利產的白蘇維濃（Sauvignon Blanc）都是很棒的選擇。這些酒所擁有的明亮酸度與烏克蘭羅宋湯裡的酸度相互較勁的話，誰也會不輸給誰，進而起到了互相制衡的作用。

對於喜歡紅酒的朋友們，以梅洛（Merlot）為基底的紅酒，布勞弗蘭基旭（Blaufränkisch）及奧勒岡州產的黑皮諾是不錯的選擇。這些紅酒主要以紅色與黑色水果的果香為主，綴以明亮的酸度及如細沙般的單寧、再配上隱隱木質調性及微微的鹹香，與充滿蔬菜的鮮甜、鬆軟綿密的馬鈴薯及白腰豆，還有蒔蘿香氣的烏克蘭羅宋湯搭在一起，超級合拍。

以上推薦的紅白葡萄酒款皆能與烏克蘭羅宋湯搭配。有趣的是，在試酒搭配的過程中，白酒的表現要比紅酒來得亮眼，也更加合適。原因無他，我所挑選出來的白酒，其酸度都很高，和羅宋湯的酸度搭配起來，融合度是好的沒話說。其中一款來自於美國加州的白蘇維翁拔得頭籌，獲得大家的親睞，一舉打敗了所有的候選人，成為與烏克蘭羅宋湯最為匹配的葡萄酒。

至於到底是怎麼個匹配法，我會在下面的章節做詳細的說明。現在先帶大家來了解一下白蘇維翁這個國際白葡萄品種。

葡萄品種：白蘇維濃（Sauvignon Blanc）

白蘇維濃是國際九大釀酒葡萄品種之一。對葡萄酒有興趣的朋友們，這是您一定要知道的白葡萄品種之一。白蘇維濃是一種綠皮葡萄品種，相傳其發源地是源自於法國的波爾多產區，但它更有可能來自於同樣位於法國的羅亞河河谷（在François Rabelais 在1534年出版的 Gargantua 一書中的第25章節中提到白蘇維濃同義名Fiers）。但其真正的出處現在仍是未知數。目前可以確定的是，他是由Traminer 及一尚未確認的葡萄品種結合而生出的葡萄品種。同時，它也是創造出世界上最有名的葡萄品種卡本內蘇維翁的推手之一。

白蘇維濃是屬於香氣濃郁奔放、芳香型的白葡萄品種。其酸度也是數一數二的高。與麗斯玲相似，都屬於芳香型高酸度的白葡萄品種。白蘇維濃是屬於早熟型的葡萄品種，非常適合種植在寒溫帶氣候。在寒冷氣候下種植出來的白蘇維濃多帶有青黃未熟的水果香氣及青草、蘆筍、青椒、醋栗等等的草本蔬果氣息，其礦物的風味也較為明顯。代表性產區：法國羅亞河河谷的桑賽爾、普伊-芙美（Sancerre, Pouilly Fume）等產區，紐西蘭瑪爾堡（Marlborough）產區。

在氣候條件相對溫暖的情況下所生長的白蘇維濃，其水果風味就要來的馥郁豐沛許多，除了甜美的柑橘類芬芳之外，也富含熱帶水果（鳳梨、百香果及奇異果）的香氣。草本氣息上則以蔬菜類的香氣取勝，像是墨西哥辣椒或青椒。酒體上來說也比較豐腴，口感上也更為圓潤。代表性產區：南非的開普半島（Cape Peninsula），智利的卡薩布蘭卡河谷（Casablanca Valley）及聖安東尼奧河谷（San Antonio Valley）。

白蘇維濃通常都拿來釀造單一品種葡萄酒，由於其葡萄的特性，大多在鋼槽或中性的酒槽裡釀造並陳放。釀造出來的酒其適飲期為1-3年，不適合陳年。但是在法國的波爾多及澳洲的瑪格麗特河谷等地，卻會和賽美蓉（Semillon）這種白葡萄一起做混調。這樣的調和酒不僅會放在木桶內增添其香氣，也會使酒體及酒的風味變得更加醇厚。這點非常有趣，值得關注。

酒莊：Elizabeth Spencer

Elizabeth Spencer 酒莊是由熱愛葡萄酒的夫妻檔 Elizabeth Pressler 及 Spencer Graham 在1998年在納帕河谷建立的。兩夫妻在全心投入釀酒事業之前，各自在葡萄酒相關的產業裡已工作了很長一段時間。他們倆對葡萄酒的熱愛將他們連結在一起，也促使他們開創自己的酒莊。

不像許多擁有葡萄園及釀酒設備的酒莊，Elizabeth Spencer 酒莊選擇與信譽良好的果農做長期的合作，並在合作的釀酒廠裡釀製他們的酒。他們酒莊的代表處女作是在1998年釀造的納帕河谷卡本內蘇維濃。

Elizabeth Spencer 酒莊所釀的酒，至今仍稟持的信念是，葡萄酒一定要好喝而且要能表現出當地的風土條件才可以。他們希望釀出好喝的葡萄酒，讓他們的朋友、家人及顧客打從心底喜歡並享受的葡萄酒。

Elizabeth Spencer 酒莊目前除了釀造來自納帕河谷的酒以外，他們也將觸角延伸至附近的產區，釀造來自 Sonoma 及 Mendocino 產區的葡萄酒。這次餐酒搭配取勝的葡萄酒白蘇維濃便是來自Mendocino 產區。

想要造訪 Elizabeth Spencer 酒莊的朋友們有福了，至2006 年起，他們在納帕河谷裡的 Rutherford 區裡的一棟磚頭建造的建築裡（1872 年建造，以前做為郵局來使用），開設了品酒中心，有興趣的朋友不妨前往參觀品飲。

Elizabeth Spencer Proprietor Selected Special Cuvée Sauvignon Blanc 的口感與風味

這瓶白蘇維濃所使用的葡萄是選自於與酒莊長期契作，位於Mendocino的三個有機葡萄園。來自這三個葡萄園的葡萄各自在鋼桶中完成發酵，盡量保存每個葡萄園各自的特色與風格。裝瓶前才將來自這三個葡萄園的酒進行調和，以最完美的比例調出最能展現Mendocino 風土條件的白蘇維濃。

這瓶白蘇維濃閃爍著淡雅的鵝黃色澤。一開瓶便洋溢著濃郁的百香果、葡萄柚、檸檬果醬、墨西哥辣椒、香瓜等等的香氣。一入口，清麗爽脆的酸度搭著多汁的黃桃、金銀花及罐頭鳳梨的香甜，味道是層層遞進，有如潮水般，一而再、再而三的襲來。爽滑的口感再佐以中等的酒體，表現著實令人驚艷。

烏克蘭羅宋湯與白蘇維濃的絕妙好滋味

我們照著 Victoria 所提供食譜做了這道全蔬食的烏克蘭羅宋湯。做出來的成品可是無敵好吃。真的一點都不誇張。可別小看這道只有用蔬菜做出來的羅宋湯，其風味之醇厚，可是完全不輸使用牛肉做出來的羅宋湯呢！

這羅宋湯喝來是酸甜有味，每個食材的風味及口感是樣樣分明卻又無比的相容。叫人一嚐再嚐，完全停不下來。烏克蘭羅宋湯搭配這瓶 Elizabeth Spencer 酒莊的白蘇維濃一起享用是出人意料般的合拍。

白蘇維濃激爽亮眼的酸度對上了蕃茄及檸檬的酸度，彼此的強度力道都夠，是巾幗不讓鬚眉。而酒中的青青草味與墨西哥辣椒的蔬菜香與湯裡的蔬菜起了神奇的化學作用，將湯裡蔬菜的鮮甜，有如畫龍點睛般的提了出來，整個餐搭頓時活了起來，有了靈魂一般。

葡萄酒搭配湯品的餐酒搭配，挑戰度極高。湯湯水水的料理再加上熱湯配凉涼的葡萄酒，要克服這口感上的衝突確實有如一道高牆般的難以跨越。但是這個餐搭顛覆了這樣的藩籬，被一般人甚至是專家都認為很難搭配的料理，卻在我棄而不捨，多方嘗試之後，找到了無比合適的搭配組合。

最開心的，莫過於跟大家分享，也完成對自己的期許與挑戰。希望大家都來試試這個餐酒搭配，期待聽到你們的反饋！

最後，要再次感謝我的好朋友 Victoria 義不容辭的力挺，跟我一起合作這個單元，並且為我們示範怎麼做這道料理。想看料理製作過程的朋友可以到 酒意思SIP WITH JOYCE 的YouTube 頻道觀看我們精心錄製的【烏克蘭羅宋湯與葡萄酒的餐酒搭配】喔！

詳細的食譜已經整理好，可以到這裡看完整的食譜＋推薦酒單喔！

哪裏可以買得到 Elizabeth Spencer 酒莊的精釀白蘇維濃：

歡迎追蹤我的IG ＠joyce_foodnwine

在我的IG裡精選了各式各樣的餐酒搭配，有葡萄酒餐搭，清酒、威士忌及雞尾酒餐搭任你挑選。

無論是搭配地道的台灣小吃、泰國菜、日本料理、韓國料理、甚至印度料理，

還有大家所熟知的歐美料理，通通都可以在我的IG裡找到喔！

另外，我還會不定期分享葡萄酒品飲心得，葡萄酒品飲課程、葡萄酒優惠，及業界最新最夯的葡萄酒新知

不想錯過任何消息的朋友們一定要追蹤起來！！！