Fall weather triggers a change in the colors of the landscape, diet and wine that compliments our meals—for me, it means mushrooms and the wines that enhance everything from the meaty, apricot and nut flavors of Chanterelles to the delicate lobster mushroom and everything that falls in between.

It also signals harvest and crush for wineries, new wine releases and the opportunity to forage for mushrooms that enhance our fall meals, from Asian foods to steaks and seafood. My aunt used to say that the velvet earthiness of mushrooms paired with a great wine was “like the anticipation of a culinary kiss. ”

This is the time of year when restaurants feature entrees with a prominent mushroom theme. If you don’t see it on restaurant specials, ask for it. There are plenty of mushroom pickers in the region who cater to local restaurants—the more of us who ask, the higher the chances of getting a tasty meal featuring regional fungi.

Early signs indicate that this will be a bountiful year for Northwest mushrooms. With the summer’s heaviest heat behind us, and the recent rains, mushrooms are popping up all over the place. However, don’t eat them unless you know them—trust your local grocery store or restaurant.

Even if you purchase Portobello, dried morels, fresh or dried porcinis or white and brown mushrooms from the grocery store, this is the time, for me, to experiment with mushrooms and wine. Like summer and salads and crisp white wines, fall signals the call for a slightly heavier wine, soups and stews and grilled foods featuring mushrooms and fall vegetables.

There is something heavenly about combining the simple flavors of Chanterelles, Porcini and Portobello mushrooms with terroir-driven red wines such as Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon, and the oyster and metallic flavors of shaggy mane or oyster mushrooms with a Sauvignon Blanc. Matsutake mushrooms have a spicy, clean taste that work well with an Alsacean white wine because it can handle the exotic, spicy (not peppery) flavors of that mushroom, and local mushroom hunters say the Matsutake should be more plentiful this year (although much more expensive than your regular mushrooms—but a little goes a long way).

Lobster Mushroom Spinach Salad This originally came from “Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America,” by Alan Bessette, but I have changed it over the years to suit my tastes. Ingredients: • Fresh spinach, (enough for four) washed and wiped dry • 1 cup, more or less on taste, slivered lobster mushrooms (raw, although I prefer slightly cooked in a small amount of olive oil and butter—just enough to be semi-soft, or steam them). • Orange Ginger Dressing: 1 cup of orange juice, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, ¼ cup of olive oil, 1.5 tablespoon soy sauce, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon dry mustard, 1 teaspoon grated ginger root, 2 cloves crushed garlic and 1 tablespoon of honey. Marinade: • 2.5 tablespoons lemon juice • 2 cloves garlic • 3 tablespoons of white wine, vermouth or Champagne (whatever is on hand) • ¼ teaspoon salt • ½ teaspoon of dried dill Steam or slightly cook mushrooms—a couple of minutes if cooking and five minutes if steaming. Mix together marinade ingredients. Add mushrooms and coat. Mix the orange ginger dressing ingredients. Remove mushrooms from marinade mix and distribute on spinach in a colorful salad bowl. Toss the spinach mixture with the orange ginger dressing. Serve with Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon or Viognier wine.

Rule of Thumb

The key to pairing mushrooms with wine is how the fungi are cooked and what spices and sauces are used. French cooking schools advocate less is better, so if cooking a recipe that features regional mushrooms, keep it simple so you can taste the mushroom flavors. Hearty stews and soups, red meats and lots of spices generally suggest a heavier red wine. Light cream sauces, simple sautés and just a whiff or splash of seasons will work well with white wines. Sautéing mushrooms in a little butter and olive oil, with light seasonings and served over pasta is the best way to enjoy the flavors of seasonal mushrooms.

With more the more delicate varieties, such as lobster, enokis, and oyster, stick to wines that do not overpower—white wines, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Riesling or a lighter Chardonnay. Light, fruity reds, such as Beaujolais would also work.

Patty Green Cellars has a lovely ’03 Sauvignon Blanc that compliments the more delicate mushrooms. L’Ecole Winery in Walla Walla has three beautiful Semillon wines with vibrant acidity that brings out the flavors of delicate mushrooms. Columbia Crest and Columbia also make good, and easy-on-the-wallet Semillon. I recently tasted a new release of Chateau Ste. Michelle’s Sauvignon Blanc and it worked very well with the lobster mushroom salad (see recipe)—just a beautiful compliment to the light seasoning of the orange/ginger dressing. (Lobster mushrooms pictured at left.)

The heavier textured mushrooms—Portobello, porcini, morels and Chanterelles can stand up to a heavier red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and the more interesting varietals, including Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc and clarets (a blend of Bordeaux varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Syrah).

The 2001 Miscela from Note Bene, a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend is exceptionally good with grilled Portobello mushrooms—a rich, medium bodied wine with lush berry and plum that harmonized with the meaty Portobello. Fidelitas’ ’02 Syrah compliments lightly sautéed Chanterelles with garlic, a tiny bit of onion, butter and olive oil. Put those wonderful ‘shrooms on top of a rare steak or lamb chops and you will experience culinary heaven. Or, try any Chahalem Pinot Noir with morel mushrooms—since the fresh ones are out of season, purchase dried morels (again, a little goes a long way) and create a wonderful sauce with lamb chops. (see recipe).

Kelly Chadwick is an avid mushroom hunter and has a business that sells Northwest mushrooms to restaurants. In a recent interview, Chadwick said some people are reluctant to try unusual species of mushrooms for fear of getting sick.

“When forging for mushrooms, you have to know them,” Chadwick said. “If you want to know more, now is the time to learn. If you like the mushrooms you buy in grocery stores, there is a great chance that you will like many of the fresh mushrooms available in the fall.”

The window for opportunity on fresh regional mushrooms will not linger into November, so now is the time to hunt, ask, purchase and cook or have served these delectable morsels. To make the experience even better, go for the culinary kiss and pair with an Oregon or Washington wine. That culinary kiss should make you want more!