I’m a foodie who loves wine. When hosting a tasting at my venue, which I do once a month, the most frequent question I’m asked is... “What comes first, the wine or the food?" Am I pairing the food to wine or wine to food? My usual answer is, it’s the food, but not just any food, extraordinary food!
I go “shopping” in my own wine armoire sometimes while musing about delicious dishes I enjoyed recently. This helps me create those perfect pairings.
Remembering the “Salmon Everything Toast” I had enjoyed sampling in Charleston recently at Purlieu, visions of rosés danced in my head. I devoured each bite with a glass of bubbly while dining at that wonderful restaurant. I flashed on a Prosecco here in my wine cabinet, its bouquet is so fruity and conjuring green apples with meadow flowers, perfect with the salmon.
A minute passed and I began salivating while remembering the “Rosemary Chicken Salad” I stuffed into ripe apricots and served at brunch last month, honey drizzled. For me Summer + Apricots + Wine = Rosé.
Moonlight & Rosés from France! We all have our favorites, and French rosés are usually my preference; dry to the taste, full of fruit, easy to drink. It’s the sister wine to Brad and Angelina’s Miraval rosé. I had sampled that wine and loved it. The taste, the essences, all have heavenly notes of apricot and lychee with florals. It’s delicious! Another perfect match made.
On to something red...
As I thought about the garnet bottles that line my shelves. I realized I had really only been seduced by one, a lovely pinot noir from Bennett Valley Cellars, Sonoma. Rich with a wonderful mouthfeel. A match! I knew the blackberry and plum flavors would be beautifully paired with “Grilled Lamb Lollipops” napped with a reduction of the same BVC, infused with my homemade “Plum Jam.” Smiling and tasting in my mind’s palate, I knew the BVC would be gorgeous with a dark “Chocolate Ganache.”