Pairing(s) Mean Caring.

A holiday wine map + other random banter

I get DM'd on Instagram consistently about food and wine pairings from friends and while I love a good wine pairing, this is a tough question to answer as wine is so subjective. 

We get too caught up on what others tell us to drink vs. what we actually like. If you don’t like that expensive bottle of Napa Cab then don’t drink it just because everyone else is drinking it. But if you do…please carry on. I stopped listening to this wine noise years ago.

Pairings are merely suggestions and while I do like reading about certain wines and foods that work well together—like sushi and Champagne or pizza and Gamay—I prefer to let my palate dictate what a good pairing is. 

Planning wines for a party or dinner can be challenging but there are several crowd-pleasing wines in my arsenal that never disappoint. If you’re hosting a crew and not sure where to start here’s a holiday wine map that will save your ass….and all wines will work well if you detour from the respective notes below.

Aperitivo hour is my favorite sport. And while not in Europe right now, this tradition can be practiced anywhere, especially during holiday festivities. Open a bottle of Vermouth alongside a snack setup of charcuterie, cheeses, olives, and deviled eggs, of course, if you’re in the South. I like to sip it on the rocks with a little sparkling water (a nice, refreshing spritz)—but a Negroni is never a bad way to start. I’ll also set out Txakoli, a crushable (usually) white wine from Spanish Basque Country….so you know it pairs well with tapas and pintxos and everything delicious. Craig currently has Ameztoi and Artomaña (including the fun party cans) at Wine Authorities.

For the main attraction, Gamay all the way. I tend to like lighter-bodied reds when marathon eating (we’re talking roasted duck, prime rib, or ham if you’re at my house). If Pinot Noir is usually your go-to, I think you’ll be pleased. It’s like an even more drinkable cousin and really tasty in summer, slightly chilled. Maison Angelot Bugey Gamay at Wine Authorities is always in my cart.

I always like to have red and white available, as often more times than not, people have opinions on what they should or should not be drinking with certain foods. Giving an option of each is a gateway into both trying new wines out and appeasing the crowd. For a white, I am smitten with Alsatian Riesling. People are quick to say they don’t like Riesling as it’s “too sweet” but I'm here to shout if this is your opinion….you most likely haven’t had a proper Riesling. It’s like white wine for red wine lovers and is a love match to poultry, IMO. It will drink beautifully against casseroles and any savory sides and a hearty onion soup.

I snagged a bottle of Julien Schaal’s grand cru Riesling from Rocks + Acid that we’re having with fondue tomorrow night!)

If you want to impress your friends, Alsatian Riesling is where it’s at.

For dessert, I’m either spending all of my money on a bottle of Sauternes (hoping to work a harvest in Sauternes next fall!), but that’s not for everyone. So bubbles. But rosé bubbles from the oh-so-affordable Philippe Fontaine Champagne Brut Rosé de Saignée or a Crémant de Bourgogne. Pink bubbles are a delight with my favorite chocolate chess pie, a recipe I am obsessed with from my bbq pal Matt Register’s book, Southern Smoke. But really, bubbles will go with most dishes….and don’t have to be saved for celebratory occasions.

I also encourage you to taste all of the wines you pick with different dishes and courses. All of the above will mix and match with my entire menu. But at the end of the day, it’s truly up to your palate to discover what pairings are most delicious for your own palate.

What I’m BITCHEN about this week:

*LOCAL WINE SHOPS: How great our Triangle wine shop community is. Craig Heffley at Wine Authorities, Rita Tyrrell at Glasshalfull, Paula de Pano at the newly opened Rocks + Acid, and Seth Hoffman at Raleigh Wine Shop. FYI: Chris Powers at State of Beer has a sweet lil wine selection as well, including my chicest French friend Marianne’s label, Souleil, from the South of France.

*A SALAD: Stacey shot a Feast of the Seven Fishes dinner at Raleigh Wine Shop last weekend and we can’t stop raving about the chicory salad Locals Seafood concocted with bottarga bagna cauda spread (more on this soon!) spread underneath the most stunning pink radicchio from Vera Luce Farms—with radishes, shallot, and a dreamy honey vinaigrette. (Thanks for the leftover chicory, chef Eric). The wine pairing was incredible: Ferlat 'PG Rosa, an orange Italian wine you should throw in your cart asap.

CHEESE: Stevie and Michelle of The Cheese Shop are popping up at Glasshalfull in Carrboro (and opening a cut-to-order cheese cove inside the spot soon!). And they’ve currently got L'Amuse Brabander, a dreamy goat Gouda from the Netherlands. It’s also one of my favorite cheeses on the planet and happens to be produced by the queen of cheese herself, Betty Koster, of L’Amuse in Amsterdam. (ICYMI, here’s my cheese trek thru the Netherlands for Departures).

GRATITUDE: I’ve got so many more things to say but right now I am burnt out and need to recharge. Not to worry, I’ll get to Europe content and guides and meals and some recipes and some essays and lots of random sh*t I’ve always wanted to write. If you like BITCHEN, please spread the love and tag me as you drink any of the above this holiday season—you all are the reason I keep writing!

A PERSON: I will always shout out loud that Michael Kennedy—one of the most incredible humans, somms, and winemakers out there—is the sole reason that I started enjoying wine. SOM (State of Wine), is one of the coolest wine projects, and can’t wait to share more on this soon.

Photo: Stacey Sprenz | Locals Seafood and Raleigh Wine Shop | Feast of the Seven Fishes dinner

Feliz Navidad!

-Jenn