Table and Vines

What to pair with? Steak and….Cabernet Sauvignon! A classic pairing that never disappoints. Merlot and Malbec are also familiar choices and can’t be beat. For something different, try an Aglianico from the Campagnia region of Italy. This wine is one of the best red grapes of Italy and provides full body, dark fruit notes and chewy tannins. If you like Cabernet, this is a wine for you!

This dish goes with a variety of wines, especially white wines. Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc and work here but if you increase the spice, pick more full-bodied, acidic whites such as Albariño or Pinot Gris (Grigio) in order to compliment the bold flavors and heat.

This is a quick ‘grilled’ meat skewer recipe simple enough for weeknight cooking.
Suya is a dish popular in Nigeria and West Africa cooked over open flame and rubbed with a warm and spicy marinade that includes peanuts. Serve it with rice and a simple tomato and cucumber salad to make everything come together quickly.

Big, bold Italian reds pair great with this dish. Reach for a Montepulciano d’Abuzzo or Primitivo . These wines have lush ripe berry fruit, tobacco and spice notes with a medium to heavy body and rich mouthfeel that stands up to the concentrated tomato sauce and fatty sausage.

Try the Anne Pichon Viognier that we are tasting this week with this recipe. The wine exhibits complex stone fruit and lush exotic flavors with a dry mineral finish. The full body will complement the richness of the ricotta and the bright acidity partners with the lemon zest to give the recipe a fresh zing.

Choose a big, fruity red wine for this dish. A Syrah (or Shiraz) brings lots of ripe and juicy berry flavors, full body and a pleasant, dry finish to complement this recipe.

Consider the Gewurtztraminer that we are tasting this week. Hailing from Oregon, this wine shows both ripe fruits and citrus as well as aromatic florals. This dry wine is full on the palate with flavors of lycée an orange peel, having both a fruity and savory characteristic. In addition to serving with the soup, the wine would also pair great with a glazed ham.

This is a hearty meal so choose a hearty wine. Try a fruity and spicy wine such as a grenache, syrah or zinfandel. Perfect!

Consider Italian wines such as a simple, fresh, low-tannin Barbera from Piedmont, a juicy, bold Primativo from Puglia, or a powerful, elegant Aglianico from Campania.

A classic pairing with this is a Sangiovese-based wine such as Chianti Classico. Feel free to pop open that Brunello you have been saving as well!