Experts Share Their Weirdest and Most Satisfying Wine Pairings

“The world of food and wine. What a romantic concept,” sommelier Alexander Riola of Fish Nor Fowl said to us when we introduced the idea of a piece about wine pairings. There is something deeply satisfying about finding the right food to bring out the best qualities in wine, and it can be a beautiful metaphor for how in our relationships, different qualities can balance each other out. We asked two sommeliers and once cheesemaker for their favorite wine pairings for all occasions including both classics and unconventional. If you’re new to wine pairing, check out our Ultimate Guide to see the science behind where these pairings come from.

Experts Share Their Weirdest and Most Satisfying Wine Pairings

Classic Pairings

NY Strip Steak & Brunello di Montalcino 

“This is similar to a strip steak & Cabernet Sauvignon. The Brunello’s tannin structure will soften the protein, enhancing the flavor of both food & wine,” Riola explained. “Brunellos are not as strong & powerful as a Cabernet Sauvignon. They have a finessed quality, so the wine uplifts the dish & never overpowers it.”

Oysters & Muscadet

“I love oysters. When I’m at an establishment that has oysters… I need them. Not too many have the proper wine pairing for them though, unfortunately,” Riola said. But Muscadet is the “unsung hero of the Loire valley in France.” It has bright acidity, a touch of salinity, and a healthy minerality, all of which plays with the oysters’ fresh, salty taste.

Chablis & Goat Cheese

Anais Saint-Andre Loughran, a cheesemaker who owns Chantal’s Cheese Shop, shared this pairing. “For a white wine, I like the French Chablis—not an oaky California Chardonnay—with a soft ripened goat cheese such as Shabby Shoe from farmstead goat’s milk farm Blakesville Creamery in Wisconsin.” This particular cheese comes from a woman owned business from cheesemaker Veronica Pedraza. Both French Chablis and Chardonnay are made from the same grape, but French vintners do not over-oak the wine, so the final product is crisper and cleaner. The goat cheese’s mild acidity will pair well with the acidity of a French Chablis.

Steak & South African Syrah

Sommelier Adam Knoerzer, whose expertise centers on South African wines, recommended another way to do a steak pairing if you’re looking beyond Italian or French terroir. “It’s really tough to beat a nice rare steak and some Syrah, especially Porseleinberg from South Africa or Graillot’s bottlings from Cornas in France’s Rhône Valley. The very bloody, smoky aromas and flavors of the Syrah are a perfect match for the meat,” he said. 

Cabernet Sauvignon & Blue Cheese

“Big, bold reds can handle a lot of flavors, so that’s why this pairing works,” Saint-Andre Loughran explained. “Pair Cabernet Sauvignon with a delicious blue cheese such as Black Ledge Blue from Cato Corner.” This raw cow’s milk blue is made by a small family farmstead that is proud of their humanely-raised Jersey cows.

Weird or Unconventional Pairings

Champagne & Fried Chicken

Riola called this “a way to feel fancy & messy all at the same time.” The nuances and acidity of champagne cut through the oiliness of fried chicken. “It’s just so much fun to order a bucket of a chicken and pair it with some Dom Perignon,” Riola said. Though, for a bargain, he recommends a Crémant, which is the same winemaking method as champagne but from other regions of France.

Grillo & Pierogies

“This Christmas Eve whilst celebrating with my Polish family, I brought a lovely Sicilian Grillo, full of stone fruits, chamomile, ocean salinity & finessed acidity. I had a weird hunch this would pair with our pierogies & fish, but I was not expecting it to be the perfect complement,” Riola said. He is 50% Polish, 25% Italian, and, he clarified, 25% Sicilian (it makes a difference). “It was a great way to amplify the pierogies while not overpowering them in any way.”

Champagne & Popcorn

Adam Knoerzer shared this champagne pairing that follows a similar strategy to the fried chicken pairing. A bottle of bubbly can elevate a home movie night, and the acidity of the wine will balance out the saltiness of the popcorn. The slight notes of butter in some champagne will also pair well if you choose to top your popcorn with butter.

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Chenin Blanc & Harbison

For a cheese pairing beyond the obvious brie or camemberts, Saint-Andre Loughran recommended to look to Harbison. Harbison is a funky-looking cheese, wrapped in spruce to infuse it wit woodsy flavors. Saint-Andre Loughran said “On the palate, fresh stone fruit and apple flavors with some minerality and acidity come through on a Chenin Blanc, and then the cheese is a bit woodsy to balance this full-bodied wine.”

Shiraz & Ferrero Rocher

Shiraz is the Australian version of the French grape Syrah, and it’s known for being one of the fullest-bodied wines. Riola said “I discovered this fun duo by accident during my sommelier training when I had a good amount of Shiraz left over from a class. Shiraz is not usually my favorite. But I decided to see how it was with Ferrero Rocher…and WOW. The big fruit from the Shiraz helped bring out all the nuttiness & chocolate of the candy. It was similar to a chocolate PB&J sandwich but in wine & chocolate form. An unreal combo.”

Story by Emma Riva
Photo by Aleksandra Dementeva

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