Grüner Veltliner, Nelson, New Zealand, New Zealand Wines, New Zealand wines, Seifried, white wines, Wine and Dine, Wine and Food
White asparagus with sauce gribiche
May
The Final Weeks of White Gold – and a New Zealand Wine No One Expected
Wine from New Zealand and white asparagus—at first glance, that sounds like an unusual pairing. But anyone who has ever sipped the Seifried Estate Grüner Veltliner from Nelson alongside freshly peeled asparagus will immediately understand why this combination works. There are still a few weeks left of asparagus season. Not many. And the sauce gribiche that accompanies this recipe is a good reason to skip the classic hollandaise at least once: lighter, fresher, with hard-boiled egg, capers, cornichons, and tarragon—a sauce that doesn’t drown the asparagus, but complements it. The Grüner Veltliner does the same.
Ideal wine pairing: Seifried Estate Grüner Veltliner (Nelson, New Zealand)
The fact that a Grüner Veltliner comes from New Zealand comes as a bit of a surprise even to wine connoisseurs. After a lengthy quarantine process, Hermann Seifried brought the grape variety to his adopted home of Nelson in 2008—a labor of love that has since become one of the most fascinating chapters in New Zealand’s wine history. The grapes for the 2022 vintage grow at Edens Road Vineyard, an extremely stony terroir with low water and nutrient content, located 15 km from the coast and sheltered from the southerly winds by the Richmond Mountains. The soils store the sun’s heat, yields remain low, and the aromas are concentrated.
In the glass, it displays a clear, pale yellow color. The nose is precise and varietal: delicate flowers, green apple, almonds, and that hint of white pepper so characteristic of Grüner Veltliner. On the palate, it continues exactly in this vein—fresh, lively, with a piquant, delicate acidity that remains perfectly integrated. No residual sugar, 13% alcohol, long finish. 93 points from Wine Orbit, Silver at the New Zealand International Wine Show 2023. It’s obvious why this wine pairs so perfectly with white asparagus: the acidity cuts through the richness of the gribiche, the pepper plays off the tarragon, and the apple note brings the freshness this dish deserves.
The recipe:
White asparagus with sauce gribiche
Equipment
- 1 Großer Topf oder Spargelkochtopf
- 1 Mittlerer Topf zum Hartkochen der Eier
- 1 Schneidebrett und scharfes Messer
- 1 Schüssel für die Sauce
- 1 Sparschäler
Ingredients
FOR THE ASPARAGUS:
- 800 g white asparagus
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 tablespoons of sugar
- 1 tbsp butter
FOR THE GRIBICHE SAUCE:
- 3 Eggs hard-boiled, 10 minutes
- 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoon of white wine vinegar
- 6 tablespoon of neutral oil e.g., sunflower oil or mild olive oil
- 2 tablespoon of capers drained, coarsely chopped
- 4 Cornichons finely diced
- 2 tbsp fresh tarragon finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon of fresh flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh chervil chopped (optional)
- Salt white pepper
Instructions
PREPARATION:
- Hard-boil the eggs in boiling water for 10 minutes, then plunge them into ice water and peel them. Separate the yolks from the whites. Mash the yolks finely with a fork. Finely dice the whites.
- Carefully peel the asparagus and snap off the woody ends.
- Wash the herbs and chop them finely.
- Finely chop the capers and cornichons.
FOR THE GRIBICHE SAUCE:
- In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with Dijon mustard and white wine vinegar until smooth.
- Stir in the oil, first drop by drop, then in a thin stream, until a thick, creamy emulsion forms—similar to mayonnaise.
- Stir in the diced egg whites, capers, cornichons, and all the herbs.
- Season with salt and white pepper. The sauce should have a tangy, herb-infused flavor—not overpowering. Refrigerate until the asparagus is ready.
FOR THE ASPARAGUS:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil with salt, sugar, and butter. Add the asparagus and cook over low heat for 12–16 minutes, depending on thickness, until tender but still firm to the bite. Test with a toothpick.
- Drain the asparagus and serve immediately.
SERVE:
- Arrange the asparagus on preheated plates. Spoon a generous amount of sauce gribiche alongside the asparagus or pour it over the bottom two-thirds of the asparagus.
- Garnish with a sprig of chervil or tarragon.
- Serve the Grüner Veltliner at 10–11 °C—straight from the refrigerator, just before pouring.
SIDE DISHES:
- New potatoes with butter and chives
- Fresh baguette
- Thinly sliced Black Forest ham as a side dish (in which case it is no longer a vegan dish)
Nutrition
