Wherein I raise my glass to a versatile summer wine that’s like Reese Witherspoon in a glass.
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Here’s my latest video for Food52 on what to drink with chocolate. And the answers may surprise you. (Hint: it’s not champagne.)
Drinking wine is easy. Tasting it is hard. That’s why I’m introducing The Tastemaker, an occasional series on STBNY about the challenges, joys and mysteries of wine tasting.
Wherein I raise my glass to a versatile summer wine that’s like Reese Witherspoon in a glass.
Happy anniversary to me and Paul! We celebrated with a fantastic dinner at Blue Hill Stone Barns, where we ate and drank well — and did a little inter-species mingling.
Sam Argetsinger was one of the highlights of the TasteCamp experience. Argetsinger is a grower who oversees his eponymous family vineyard on the east side of Seneca Lake. I’m not sure if he would approve of me calling it “his” vineyard, however.
There is no better match for chocolate than a great Banyuls, although I suggest giving Maury a try as well. Maury is another grenache-based vin doux naturel (and as with Banyuls, I think the best are 100% grenache) that goes well with chocolate. Young Maurys and Banyuls are often quite alike, but the older Maurys tend to be the product of a different maturation regimen (in some cases a cross between sherry solera and a hot madeira attic) resulting in a wine with some rancio sharpness.
Have never had the opportunity to try an older Maury — would absolutely love to. That rancio sharpness would be a really interesting counterbalance to many chocolate desserts, I think.