A tasting with some fun pairings

I recently did a tasting for  tasting for a group of medical professionals. Jeff, the host, contacted me and we worked together to set up an event to celebrate with his team. As we worked on details Jeff mentioned he went to a tasting and the presenter spent some time going over food pairings that can have a negative effect on the way a wine is perceived. So we incorporated some pairings that demonstrated good and bad examples of wine and food matchups.

Photo credit Big Macs and Burgundy

As we got close to the date of the tasting I mentioned some pairings from the book Big Macs and Burgundy by Vanessa Price with Adam Laukhuf. The book matches up many of the everyday foods we eat with a specific type of wine. While some of the reviews of the book I have seen concentrate on the junk food pairings there are quite a few of the classic pairings as well. What I was glad to see is the author makes a point of giving background on the wine suggested and what it is about the pairing that makes it work. When you read about the white-cheddar popcorn pairing with white Burgundy you get a concise but very clear lesson about Burgundy. You also get some suggested wines at various price points with icons that let you know more about the wine mentioned. Besides the pairings there is information on the components of wine, how to taste, the science behind pairings and much more. This is a book I recommend for beginners and experienced wine folks alike.

August 21, 2021
 
Carpene Malvolti 1868 Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Italy
 
Thomas Labaille Sancerre L’Authentique 2020 France
 
Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc 2020 South Africa
 
Baron De Ley Rioja Reserva 2015 Spain
 
Substance Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 Washington
 
Castelnau de Suduiraut Sauternes 2016 France
 
 

The Sancerre's acidity joined with and washed away the salty cheesy goodness.

After we settled on the wines I suggested two of the book’s pairings, Cheetos with the Sancerre and Twinkies with the Sauternes. Jeff was interested right away.  We also had conventional pairings for each wine and Jeff provided a variety of bites that reinforced the idea that what you taste now depends on what you just tasted. A sweet bite can make a dry wine taste extra dry.  Some spicy foods can make a  big tannic red taste off. But if you try an Asian dish with some heat with an off dry Riesling, the wine complements the food and can put out some of the fire. These are some examples of what we hoped to show during the tasting.
 
 

The Castlenau is a second label from Suduiraut, one of my favorite Sauternes. It was a beautiful wine, rich with botrytis influenced flavors, sweet and a kick of acid to balance it.  It was a prefect match for the airy cake and creamy filling.

Our hosts put out a wonderful spread of dishes all through the tasting. We  had a great time and got to experience some unexpected pairings. Check out the book, it is well worth a read and will liven up your next wine and food experience. Cheers!