NETFLIX & CHILL VALENTINES DAY
5 UNEXPECTED WINE & TAKEOUT PAIRINGS FOR A LOWKEY VALENTINE’S DAY IN 2022
Maybe I’m unromantic or maybe I’ve worked in hospitality too long - but I never go out on Valentine’s Day. For those who have never worked in the restaurant industry or in an industry adjacent field, here’s a little secret:
Valentine’s Day is the worst night of the year to go out to eat.
First of all - February the 14th is the first holiday right after the historically slowest time in the world of restaurants — the dreaded month of January. Nobody goes out in January. Nobody drinks in January, because a lot of people are drying out. So OF COURSE restaurants would want to have a super expensive Valentine’s Day themed tasting menu, with very overpriced wine to boot. They need help with cashflow and honestly? You can’t blame them for that.
Not only that but servers are burnt out. Can you imagine the amount of pressure placed on restaurants and their teams to turn and burn as many tables as possible? Chances are, your server probably isn’t going to want to be there and would rather be at home with their loved-ones as well. Again… Can you blame them?
This is why if you’re not interested in cooking something for your beloved, takeout is a good next best option. So, if your plan is to Netflix & Chill this V-Day, check out this latest blogpost and some of the top pairings I’d recommend for February the 14th.
OPTION 1: THAI FOOD & OFF-DRY VOUVRAY
Traditionally styled Vouvray has just the lightest bit of sweetness. This expression of Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley has aromas of honeysuckle, ginger, and beeswax with delicate aromas of Bartlett pear. Vouvray can be still or sparkling, so if you want a little extra pizzaz, go for the sparkling option.
If you’re looking for Vouvray out in the wild, be sure to pay attention to the labels. Still Vouvray comes in a range of styles from sec (dry), to tendre (off-dry), to demi-sec (fruity and sweet) all the way to moelleux (dessert wine.) Sparkling Vouvray simply ranges from brut (dry) to demi-sec (on the sweeter side.)
The honeyed qualities paired with zingy ginger and just that touch of sweetness really complement the spicier umami flavors of Thai food. And the best part? Typically Vouvray doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. You can find some between the $10 and $15.00 price-point.
OPTION 2: FRIED CHICKEN & CREMANT DE BORGOGNE
We are going to talk about the wonders of bubbly wines and fried food in a couple of weeks, but don’t wait until then to try this pairing. The crisp, palate-cleansing quality of any sparkling wine cuts beautifully through the golden, flaky fried goodness of the chicken.
There’s a richness to fried chicken that demands a Cremant’s acidity to cut through it. A Cremant de Bourgogne is basically a bargain hunter’s Champagne. It is made in the exact same style as Champagne, it’s just not made within the region of Champagne and is therefore much easier on your wallet. Cremant de Bourgogne typically features Chardonnay or Pinot Noir, but sometimes other red grapes like Gamay are added and/or Aligote for other white grapes as well. A Cremant de Bourgogne can come in a rosé style as well.
A Cremant de Bourgogne is a bargain-conscious Champagne-lover’s dream, and if you’re a fan of the high class, bubbly stuff — definitely start adding Cremant de Bourgogne to your repertoire. It is an indisputable fact that Champagne pairs great with fried chicken - so why not pick a bubbly wine that is easier on your wallet and choose a Cremant?
OPTION 3: RAMEN & BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU
So many rich, umami-like flavors comprise Ramen. The complexity in this dish is astounding and because of that, it almost demands a simple wine that won’t compete. I’d never even consider pairing Ramen with an Etna Rosso. Ramen almost demands a light to medium-bodied, fruity wine that is low in tannin.
Enter Beaujolais - the perfect LBD wine. I say Beaujolais is an LBD (little black dress) wine because it literally goes with everything. Ripe red fruit, aromas of violets, just a kiss of earth but more importantly an etherial lightness is what epitomizes this wine. Beaujolais - though it can be complex - is meant to be easy on the palate, and is a wine that can play really well with others in terms of food pairings.
You’re going to want a wine that isn’t too tannic and dries your mouth out when you have a dish like Ramen, and Beaujolais is the perfect wine that makes you want to grab glass after glass of the stuff. There are some salty, mineral components to Ramen as well, and a good Beauj has a mineral quality that emphasize these qualities. Look for Beaujolais from Julienás, Fleurie, or Chenas. If you really want to go over the top with the whole “love theme” of Valentine’s Day, pick up a bottle of Beaujolais from Saint-Amour.
OPTION 4: CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA & VIOGNIER
Viognier is just a damn sexy wine if you want to know the truth. If opulent, exotic florals like lillies and aromas of tonka bean are your thing — Viognier is going to be the white wine for you. Picture opulent aromas like rose petal and perfume. If this sounds like a lot and you’re wondering if Viognier competes with the spicy and complex flavors of Indian cuisine. Fear not - Viognier is actually super smooth and mellow on the palate.
Viognier has an oily and almost fatty texture, and it tastes like apricots and peaches. Maybe there will be the occasional aroma of Gingerbread if you wanna get real crazy. With all that in mind, the wine is incredibly smooth and has a long and lingering finish - without any crazy acidity.
There’s something about Indian food that makes Viognier really shine. The aromas of the spices complement the heavy floral aromatics this wine possesses. But on the palate, its smoothness doesn’t compete with all the vibrant flavors of Indian food.
OPTION 5: PIZZA & LANGHE NEBBIOLO
I love me a good Nebbiolo just like the next guy, but sometimes it can be pretty darn expensive. Cough cough Barolo Cough cough. If spending the equivalent of a decent dinner somewhere on a bottle of wine isn’t in the stars for you - look for Langhe Nebbiolo. The word, “Langhe” should be on the label of the wine bottle. You can also tell it’s from the Langhe because generally speaking, those Nebbiolos will be cheaper and within the Thurstqueen price range.
Langhe Nebbiolo is made a stone’s throw away from where Barolo and Barbaresco are made, but as a wine, the characteristics of Langhe Nebbiolo are generally softer and way more chill. If you know anything about a Barolo, those wines are so tannic and severe they have to be aged for a few years before you can even drink them. Langhe Nebbiolo - not so much. Langhe Nebbiolo is inexpensive, lower in tannin and pretty much ready to drink when you purchase it.
You can get a great bottle of the stuff in the $20-$30.00 range, and this supple red wine is incredible with pizza. There’s a pairing rule in the wine world and it’s a rule I - pretty much - always use when considering pairings:
“What goes together grows together.”
- Anonymous Genius Wine Person
For Langhe Nebbiolo, the aromas of cherries and dried roses, coupled with licorice play beautifully with pizza - especially pepperoni or any kind of sausage pizza.
PICK OF THE WEEK: Karim Vionnet Beaujolais Villages 2019 $21.00 @ Stanley’s Wet Goods
If you’re looking for a wine that’s pretty much going to make everybody happy and pair well with your next bowl of Ramen, the Karim Vionnet Beaujolais Villages is the wine for you. Karim was born in Lyon to Arabic parents and was taken in by a family in Morgon. He started as a baker and fell in love with wine. Karim worked for some of the Beaujolais greats like Guy Breton and Marcel Lapierre.
This wine is an awesome value and has everything you would want in a bottle of Beauj. It’s crisp, clean, fruity and has loads of black cherries and cola aromas. This wine is beautifully light, yet has a nice intensity going on as well. I get oodles of red fruit here, but it’s never overbearing. The minerality in this wine is on point, and it is definitely an LBD - little black dress - in a sense that it pairs with pretty much anything you could possibly think of.
So if you’re trying to figure out what to drink this Valentine’s Day, be sure to take this handsome devil home with you. You won’t be disappointed.
