Wine and Food Pairings

Even before you taste this wine, or open the bottle for that matter, you will be intrigued by the nostalgic label reminiscent of an illustration from a boy’s adventure novel from the 1930’s. The label and even the name, hints at a mysterious cellar, possibly in a desert region. But make no mistake; there is nothing old or dusty about this wine. It is vibrant and complex with a satisfying finish.

“Spring is here …. Why doesn’t my heart go dancing? “Why? I’ll tell you why! It’s too freakin’ cold, that’s why! Be that as it may, I still encourage you to get a taste of Spring with a wine that smells like the long awaited season.

 
From the first sniff to your last sip, the Cline 2012 Viognier will definitely put you in the mood for Spring. When you first open the bottle, you will be pleasantly assaulted by melon, pineapple, citrus and floral scents. You can almost feel a warm breeze gently blowing nearby. The color is deep and rich, somewhere between honey and apple juice. This wine is surprisingly heavy on the tongue. It is also low on acidity but has a very lively flavor. Lemon, apricot, pineapple and a hint of smoke make this a delightful treat as an appertif with mild cheeses or a fruity pairing for Asian dishes (I recommend Thai food or a Shrimp Curry Boullaibase).

 
Currently, this wine runs $10.99

If you’re looking for a wine to make your dry red drinkers happy over this holiday weekend, I suggest you try the Clerget Cotes Du Rhone for the astounding price of $6.99. This is a lighter bodied CDR but it is not too thin. The blend is the classic Grenache-Syrah combination. This wine has a good amount of sour cherry and plum notes with a bit of pepper and spice in a smooth, long finish.
This may not be your first choice for Easter dinner if Ham is the main course, but it can work if you have guests who are dyed in the wool dry red drinkers. It will certainly work with roast leg of lamb, pork loin or Prime Rib. It will even go well with smoked kielbasa with horseradish. In other words this wine is quite versatile, and if you eat chocolate bunnies, peeps and jelly beans with the Clerget, more power to you!

This wine has an ominous name because frankly, when I think of the name “Pennywise” I think of that really creepy clown in Stephen King’s IT. You know the one – (“They ALL float down here!”). Yep, THAT one. But this wine is far from being scary or clownish for that matter.
The Pennywise 2011 Petit Sirah is a pleasant wine that is a bit softer than most Petit Sirahs. One of the first things you notice when you pour a glass is the intense, inky color. But don’t be mislead by the dark purple hue. This is not an over powering fruit bomb, nor a bite you back tannic monster. There is a small amount of Merlot in the blend to calm things down a bit. The tannins are soft, yet the fruit is bold with blackberry, plum and sweet cherry notes. There is a whiff of powdered chocolate and a hint of cinnamon.
This wine will pair with well with a good number of dishes from Lamb to Lasagna. I had it with Liverwurst on rye bread, but it Is also very good

First off, I always sweat a bit about St. Patrick’s Day wine pairings. Generally, I tend to think beer, particularly Guinness (I personally prefer Scotch Ale) lends itself more to the traditional foods of the day. But I LOVE wine and it is my duty to find a good match for the quintessential St. Patrick’s Day feast: Corned Beef and Cabbage.

I considered many choices from Syrahs and Zinfandels because of the peppery notes but I sense conflict. I thought Gewurztraminer because it would work well with cabbage and cut through the fat of the Corned Beef. Still, I felt I was missing something. Finally, I remembered tasting a Rose recently and thinking this is very delicious, balanced and bold enough to work with complex flavors. Why not with Corned Beef and Cabbage?

The 2012 Vitiano Rosato is a blend of Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Aleatico. It has a gorgeous Pink Grapefruit hue. The notes are of fresh berries, particularly wild strawberries with a

You’re in a hurry. You’ve had meetings all day and the kids had to be in 8 million places at once. You have to make a quick dinner that doesn’t involve pizza or the Colonel so you opt for Sloppy Joes. Now you just have to make a quick stop at Premier to pick up a good but inexpensive red that will go well with dinner and carry you through the rest of the night.
The Los Nevados 2010 Malbec is a perfect answer to your dilemma. This Malbec has a beautiful, deep red hue and will capture your attention with the first sniff and sip of Raspberries, black pepper, nutmeg with a bit of earthy beets and plenty of licorice. There is so much more going on with this wine than the price would let you believe.
The Los Nevados 2010 Malbec is a very versatile wine that will compliment a variety of dishes from Beefy Nachos, spicy pork chops to barbeque chicken pizza. And of course, it will be absolutely wonderful with sweet and spicy Sloppy Joe’s. But most importantly,

Sometimes it’s tricky pairing wines with certain dishes, even the comfort variety. Case in point: my wife made an old family recipe that her mom and grandfather had made for years with the inevitable variations that intrude upon, yet often improve the original recipe. She made a Broccoli chicken and curry casserole that incorporated cream and cheddar cheese. Normally I would have an oaky, buttery type of Chardonnay with a creamy dish, but the curry and broccoli change things a bit.

I chose the Domaine Lafage 2011 Novellum Chardonnay because it isn’t a California style Chard. It’s from France and is aged in mostly stainless steel tanks with some exposure to Burgundy barrels along with continued aging in Viognier lees.

Whoa! It seems complicated but this wine is actually quite simple. It has a lovely nose of honeysuckle and peach and tastes of faint apple and pear with a pinch of sea salt. This is a medium bodied crisp Chardonnay with a smidgen of creaminess.