What to Drink With ... Wine of the Week

by Gretchen Roberts, Posted Sep 8th 2009 @ 3:00PM

What wine goes with the KFC Double Down? Photo: KFC

Gretchen Roberts writes the wine blog Vinobite, has passed the introductory course at the Court of Master Sommeliers and is studying for her sommelier certification this fall.

Being a wine geek, I read through Slashfood posts thinking, "Hmmm, what wine would I pair with that?" Not everyone is as wine-centric as I am, but surely you've whipped up one or more of our delicious recipes (or read about a crazy new food trend with mouth agape) and wondered how best to wash it down.

This month I'm trying a fun little feature, "What to Drink With...," in which I comb through the Slashfood archives and find, er, interesting foods to pair up with wines. I'll start this one off with something easy, Sarah LeTrent's Roasted Broccoli with Shrimp. What do you say to a light, mineral-y Albarino or a California Sauvignon Blanc?

Here's a challenge: Cool and Creamy Broccoli Soup from Brent Ridge. Soup and wine are a tough match -- how do you pair liquid with liquid? Considering the fact that this soup is also a) cold and b) vegetarian, and we've got a real stumper. I'm going to go with Pinot Grigio or possibly a Grüner Veltliner.

More pairings, including Deep Fried Butter, after the jump.

Now we're smokin': Gena Knox's Smoked Cheese on the Grill is a sweet surprise: a smoked Brie with honeyed cranberries, apricots and pistachios tumbled over. For dessert, I'd serve this with Sauternes or another sweet white dessert wine; for an appetizer I'd try an off-dry Viognier or Chenin Blanc.

Plenty of Slashfoodies weighed in on KFC's new Double Down Chicken Sandwich (the chicken IS the bun, reports Sara Bonisteel). Some of you love the idea and others think it's just one step closer to a heart attack. Well, wine is good for the heart, so balance that baby out with a glass of refreshing and palate-cleansing Chablis or Sancerre.

Last but certainly not least, the practically impossible pairing: Deep Fried Butter, reported by Hanna Raskin to be the next prize-winner at the Texas State Fair. Now please understand, this is no ordinary deep-fried butter. This deep-fried butter comes in four flavors: original, garlic, cherry and grape (just don't ask for the combo flavors). What could you possibly drink to smooth out the richness of Deep Fried Butter? I'd go with either the "like with like" principle, in which case a big, buttery Chardonnay, or "opposites attract" -- the driest sparkling wine you can find, so the acid can wash the grease from your mouth and eat right through the butter rock in your stomach.

Got a better wine match for one of these dishes? Let us know in the comments!

Filed Under: Wine of the Week, Drink Recipes, Drinks
Tags: champagne, deep fried butter, DeepFriedButter, texas state fair, TexasStateFair, wine, wine of the week, wine pairing

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

9-08-2009 @7:48PM Mel Kozek said... I would suggest two possibilities for the Broccoli soup. First would be a savignon blanc from the Liore Valley, or a Picpul de Pinet from Southern France.

Picpul is usually a great choice when nothing else seems to work.
Reply