“What should I have with my tacos?” is not an uncommon question around here, which I answer with another query: “Are they spicy tacos?” Differing affinities and sensitivities make wine and food pairing a dicey game, but some guidelines are warranted. First off, drink what you like; there’s no point in forcing down a bottle that’s not your style just because it’s meant to go with a meal. Secondly, let the origins of the dish inform your choice; spaghetti with meatballs was made to drink with Italian reds. No need to think too hard about it.
Highly tannic wines, like Bordeaux or Nebbiolo, work better with fatty foods, their astringency cuts richness refreshingly, but they don’t marry well with piquancy; peppery spice and tannin come together with an unpleasant wrestling of the tongue. Wine pairing adds new smells, flavors and textures to the meal, and wines are traditionally selected for characteristics that are either similar or complementary to those of the food. Lobster with an opulent white Burgundy matches the richness of the meat with a similarly soft and buttery wine, while the opposing characteristics of a lean, acidic Muscadet will complement the shellfish as does a slice of lemon.
“What goes with Thanksgiving?” Pretty much everything; so here’s an opportunity to drink what you like. The traditional thanksgiving meal is a feast of savory flavors and none too spicy for some tannins. A very light white wine may get lost here, or seem watery and ineffectual, but fuller whites, like Chardonnay or Viognier, and fruity or spicy whites, like Gewurztraminer, will play well with Turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing and gravy, as will the orchard-fruited, skin fermented ‘orange’ wines, and reds of all sizes and hues, from lighter Pinot Noirs and Jura reds, to Rhones, Riojas and Cabernets.
Here at Oakland Yard, we’ve posted tiny turkey signs next to many of the wines in the shop to indicate selections we’d like to drink with the upcoming holiday meal. We’ll also be featuring wines in our weekly tastings this month and next with feasting in mind. Come taste with us, and let the turkeys be your guide.
TONIGHT: Thursday Night Flights! ALL FRENCH reds or whites. Flights $12 from 5-9 and wines by the glass until 9pm.
SATURDAY 11/16: Trail Marker Wine Co. tasting with winemaker Drew Huffine pouring flights of California rosé, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Zweigelt. Flights $15 from 2-6pm and wines by the glass until 9pm.
SUNDAY 11/17: Skin Fermented white wines: Tasting flights of ‘orange’ wines from Italy and California. Flights $15 from 2-6 and wines by the glass until 8pm.
Cheers,
Max