SWEET TALK
7 WINE & COOKIE PAIRINGS TO SPREAD SOME HOLIDAY CHEER & SHIT
The Holiday Season is upon us once more.
If you’re me - that means it’s time to indulge. And that usually means absurdly hedonistic pairings with wine and cookies.
When I worked in the wine biz, one of the perks was taking our clients out to lavish dinners on the company tab. We used to call this, “getting decadent.” And what’s more decadent than pairing cookies and wine?
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO… LET’S GET DECADENT
PAIRING 1: CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES & PINOT NOIR
There’s a surprising amount of complexity within a chocolate chip cookie. Chocolate chips - usually semisweet - paired with that rich, buttery brown sugar flavor of the cookie dough demands a wine that’s not too sweet and also has a similar level of complexity. The acidity of the Pinot Noir is going to cut through the sweetness of the dough, and the subtle flavor of cherry will go beautifully with those chocolate chips.
PAIRING 2: BUTTERY SHORTBREAD & CHARDONNAY
Buttery Shortbread and Chardonnay is a pairing for all the butter lovers out there. If there’s one rule in the pairing world, it’s like goes with like. This is why I feel like a buttery shortbread would go amazingly well with a buttery, creamy chardonnay. This pairing is proof that you can never really have too much of a good thing.
PAIRING 3: MINT CHOCOLATE COOKIES & SYRAH
With those rich notes of blackberries, smoke, espresso and just a little bit of menthol… Syrah and Mint Chocolate are a match made in heaven. When I used to sell wine, Somms were always pairing their chocolate desserts with Syrah. The reason for this is because Syrah often has chocolate notes and the tart, black fruit flavors contrast beautifully with the richness of any chocolate dish. Mint cookies are particularly popular around December, and this is one wine pairing that’s a true match made in heaven.
PAIRING 4: OREOS & CHAMPAGNE
If you think about it, this pairing works on both a conceptual and practical level. Oreo Cookies are iconic - and can there be any more of an iconic beverage to pair them with than Champagne? On a practical level, there’s a crispness and a saltiness to the chocolate parts of an Oreo cookie that the bubbles in Champagne really showcase. The crispness of the champagne also cuts through creaminess of the center. This is a great pairing to take NYE to a whole new level.
PAIRING 5: SUGAR COOKIES & PROSECCO
Sugar cookies and Prosecco are a match made in heaven. This pairing makes perfect sense with crisp, fresh bubbles cutting beautifully through the buttery, sugary goodness of your traditional sugar cookie. The Prosecco adds a freshness to the richly decadent, sugary sweetness of these cookies. A perfect tried and true pairing when you’re looking for a simple, uncomplicated way to spread holiday cheer.
PAIRING 6: WHITE CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA COOKIES & NEW ZEALAND SAUVIGNON BLANC
Yearning to get away from the cold? One bite and sip of this match made in paradise will immediately take you away to a tropical island. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is known for tropical aromas such as mango and pineapple. The creamier texture of this wine is excellent with chunks of white chocolate and the toasty, nutty flavors those macadamia nuts provide.
PAIRING 7: PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES & OLOROSO SHERRY
… throw a little chocolate kiss in there and this pairing is off the CHAIN!
The richly nutty, salty and funky oxidative flavor of oloroso sherry pairs beautifully with chocolate and peanut butter. There’s also a slight raisin-y flavor that conjures up memories of good ole’ PB&J, if you happen to be fortunate enough to give this pairing a shot. I remember during my distributor days, I would pair any left over oloroso sherry samples with chocolate peanut butter pretzels and it was a match made in heaven.
Oloroso and chocolate peanut butter is a pairing I swear by, and will swear by until the end of my days. A lot of people in the states don’t really take the time to explore the different types of Sherry, and it’s a CRIME I tell you, a CRIME. If you do decide to explore the vast array of sherries that are out there - Fino, Oloroso, Amontillado, Cream, and Pedro Ximenez - you will agree wholeheartedly with me.
Sherry is a surprisingly versatile after dinner wine, and pairs beautifully with more savory things like nuts and cheese or desserts. Be sure to look for Oloroso and pair it with chocolate peanut butter anything - you’ll thank me later.
PICK OF THE WEEK: Bodegas Yuste Aurora Oloroso Sherry @ Wine.com
I used to sell this wine in one of my old portfolios and honestly? It was a crowd favorite. The Bodegas Yuste Aurora Oloroso Sherry is simply a beautiful fortified wine. It’s nutty, raisn-y, and has this nutty caramel thing going on, making it super attractive.
The story behind Bodegas Yuste is also fascinating. Apparently, the sherry Bodega was abandoned and some of the wine was encased in the plaster prior to being used in the newer vintages.
The wines were all named Aurora, after the widow Aurora Ambrosse Laclave - a widow who was a pioneer in the sherry business. The Yuste Oloroso Sherry is amazing with chocolate peanut butter pretzels and Reeces cups. Absolutely beautiful and silky with just the right amount of saltiness.
If you can find a bottle - snag one and try it with one of the holiday pairings!