Ask the Matchmaker

The Matchmaker answers your questions about food and wine pairings. To submit a question to the Matchmaker, please send it to matchmaker@wineskinny.com. (We try to respond individually to each and every question, usually within a couple of weeks!)

Matchmaker: Hi there! Some friends of mine who have a small vineyard are having a release party next month & want to pair several of their wines with appetizers for the party. We are trying to figure out what will pair well with a Petite Sirah, a white that is a blend of Colombard, Chenin Blanc, Muscat & Semillon (named Shasta Glacier) and the new red that is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Petit Verdot (named Shasta Ensemble). We are also serving a Chardonnay with fruit and a Zinfandel with mushroom canapés so we don't want to have a lot of the same appetizers. Any suggestions? Your pairings that I have tried in the past have turned out wonderfully, thank you. Char

Char: Thank you for your email and for reading the Wine Skinny! Sounds like an interesting lineup of wines! Okay...

Petite Sirah -- Anything that's good with Syrah is good with Petite Sirah. So think roasted meats. For April, I'd really think about some kind of seasonal lamb. That could take the form of baby lamb chops, simply grilled and seasoned. If that's too much of a price splurge, than maybe track down some lamb-based sausages (lots of upscale groceries seem to have them these days), grilled and cut into pieces. Or maybe even roast a piece of lamb and then make "tea-sized" open-faced sandwiches using baguette slices and maybe topped with some caramelized onions or onion marmalade.

For the Colombard-etc. blend -- I'd be inclined to go seafood of some kind. Simply boiled shrimp with some kind of dipping sauce (not cocktail sauce, but maybe Remolaude or something else creamy). Or shrimp or crab salad in endive spears. Or even a seared scallop starter, if you're so inclined.

For the red blend -- that's probably pretty versatile. You might consider making this your cheese wine And since that's a Bordeaux blend, it might be fun to see how it works with French cheese... Roquefort, Mimolette, maybe a Basque sheep's milk selection. Or, it's always great to go with local cheeses -- so pick something made near the wines! Hope this helps! Matchmaker

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Matchmaker: I am having a wine tasting and we will be tasting Red Zins. I will be serving a meat lasagna for the main dish. What dessert would you suggest, as we will be tasting to the very end? Thanks, Glo

Glo: Thank you for your email and for reading the Wine Skinny!

Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate!

And Zin often has a very pronounced ripe strawberry flavor, so you might consider going with some chocolate-dipped strawberries or other combination. In fact, you could do a chocolate fondue, with strawberries, pieces of pound cake or angelfood cake, cookies, etc. for dunking.

It might also be fun to do a pie tasting, along with your Zins. Maybe a chocolate silk and some kind of berry pie? Or you could go simpler and do a chocolate tasting. Pick one of the high end chocolate bars on the market these days, and choose different "levels" of cacao percentage -- from milk chocolate to 70+% dark. See what you think matches best with the wines. (Personally, I think Zin fits in best with a chocolate in the 60% range). Cheers! Matchmaker

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Matchmaker: I am having a wine tasting party. We are tasting Chardonnays. For appetizers I will be doing crabcakes, a cheese platter and…? What suggestion do you have for my 3rd appetizer? Thanks, Glo

Glo: Thank you for your email and for reading the Wine Skinny! Here are a couple of ideas for the third Chardonnay-friendly appetizer:

1. Bruschetta or toasts topped with finely chopped mushrooms that have been sauteed in olive oil and flavored with minced garlic, salt, pepper, and chopped Italian parsley.

2. Corn Prosciutto Biscuits

3. Leek & Olive Tart

4. Onion & Bacon Tarts

Cheers! Matchmaker

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Matchmaker: I am having a dinner party and am serving an Indian cuisine meal including tandori chicken. What wine would you suggest pairing it with? Thank you. Kevin

Kevin: I have always enjoyed light French reds with Indian food -- Beaujolais or Beaujolais Villages (not Nouveau!), or a simple Burgundy (nothing fancy or pricey). There's something about the good acidity and light berry flavors that just works for me with all kinds of Indian food.

But I also reach for Viognier fairly often, especially when I'm in the mood for a sexy, aromatic white wine. The flavors here are quite similar to many of the mango and other fruity chutnies that show up in some Indian dishes.

Finally, Riesling is always a safe bet when trying to pair any kind of spicy food with wine. You can go dry or off-dry, so find a Kabinett or Spatlese that fits your budget -- ask someone in a local wine store for a recommendation. Hope this helps! Matchmaker