The Great Vietnamese Food & Wine Pairing Challenge

I tried to pick a title for this post that makes it sound super serious and important in an attempt to rationalize how much time I invested, but in all actuality, it was just a fun dinner party event with a group of my favorite people in Atlanta. Let's stick with the title, though, because it makes it sound like an episode of Chopped or something.

A week ago, my friend asked if I would be able to pair wines for a dinner party she was hosting and, of course, I obliged (aka happily cleared my schedule). She then texted me the menu: A 3-course Vietnamese feast all made from scratch using fresh, authentic ingredients. My first thought was, "Wow! Yum!" and then my second thought was, "but I wouldn't normally pair wine with these flavors!" and my third thought was, "this might be harder than I thought?" followed by, "I better do my research....starting now." 

A scholar at heart, my way of approaching a challenging situation is learning everything I can about the components involved so I can make informed decisions moving forward. And because I take my wine almost as seriously as I take my day job, I dove right into reading all about Vietnamese cuisine and the interplay of traditinal flavors, spices, acids, and herbs. This left me with a general idea of wine characteristics which I could further investigate at a local wine shop and discuss with fellow wine enthusiasts. Contenders were things like Austrian Gruner Veltliner (herbal, green pepper), German Reisling (floral, dry), Sauvignon Blanc or Alsace Pinot Blanc (citrus, grassy), Vouvray or White Rhone (mineral, floral), Northern Rhone Syrah (soft, spicy), or bubbly (because it would go with everything). 

With the newly gained knowledge and the complete, detailed menu in hand, I set off on a mission to the wine shop. I decided, however, to use this as an excuse to also check out a new place in town that offers weekly complimentary tastings so I could sip and shop at the same time. I had recently heard good things about Highland Fine Wines in the Virginia Highlands neighborhood of Atlanta, but because it's not on my typical commute between work and home, this was the first time I had a reason to make a deliberate detour on a Friday evening. Walking in, I felt like I was suddenly starring in one of those scenes from movies where a white light shines down and angels sing glory hallelujah...it was a  beautiful, clean, modern space with floor-to-ceiling racks of wines and a small table at the front with open bottles set up for tastings.

I was welcomed into a crowd that was clearly a group of "regulars" enjoying their tasting flight with the staff while other customers were purchasing cases of wine to load into their cars. I introduced myself, confessed to being a total wine nerd, and requested assistance with my wine pairing mission. The staff seemed excited and challenged similarly to how I had felt upon receiving the menu, and they were happy to highlight sections of the shop that could potentially lead me in the right direction. An hour and a half later.........(#sorrynotsorry)........I left with a selection of 3 wines picked purposefully and strategically for each course of the meal that were given a sommelier's stamp of approval. It's always worth taking a shot at asking for assistance in these types of situations - especially at a small, local shop - because you'll likely find the staff willing, able, and excited to help you find the perfect wine from their limited, hand-selected shelf space. In fact, one of the wines open for the tasting that night ultimately ended up in the final lineup after enjoying it so much in the shop. 

After initially thinking I would need to stick to a flight of whites or rosés, it was the knowledgable staff who led me to the revelation that a Syrah might actually be a perfect curveball to toss into the mix (which, omg, it was - but more on that later). If it would've been socially acceptable, I would've skipped out of that store that night because I was seriously just that happy and excited about everything. 

The day of the feast arrived, and I decided to crack a local beer while my culinary-inclined friend started preparing the first course. It was fascinating to see an entire kitchen counter covered with ingredients that I didn't even know were available for purchase...let alone even existed. So many unique shapes, colors, and smells filled the apartment as friends gathered and sipped the variety of pre-meal adult beverages.

When it was time for the first course, I felt like I was about to drop my kid off for the first day of school hoping that all the other kids would like him. The wines I selected don't usually get paired with these flavors, and sometimes even the most thorough research can result in failed attempts to match spices, acidity, and oils. Overall, however, I was incredibly pleased with all three pairings (sigh of relief) and how the delicate layers of the foods either matched harmoniously or contrasted beautifully with the distinctive characterics of the wines. This was a true, enlightening example of how wine can elevate the flavors in a dish and how food can elevate the layers in a wine.

COURSE 1: Papaya salad with shrimp and pork belly served on crispy shrimp crackers paired with a South Aftican Chenin Blanc. 

Similar to the more familiar Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris varietals, this zesty dry wine had notes of mango, lemon, ginger, and honeycomb that complimented the citrusy lime-based dressing and fresh cilantro with an equally high acidity to offer a synergistic balance that allowed for highlighting the fruit flavors in both the wine and food rather than washing them both out.

COURSE 2: Grilled pork collar with baby mustard greens and a cilantro root/garlic/fish sauce marinade paired with South African Syrah.

This was the most surprisingly awesome pairing of the night...by far. Nobody expected me to whip out a red wine for this course, but it all made sense after the first sip and bite were served. The wine was meaty, earthy, dirty, and full-bodied expressing lots of crushed black pepper alongside dark fruit and violet tones. The structured palate and smooth tannins were perfect compliments to the savory fats of the pork belly and the bitterness of the mustard greens. WIN.

COURSE 3: Banh Xeo, crispy rice crepe stuffed with pork belly, shrimp, and lightly cooked mung bean sprouts eaten in a lettuce wrap with herbs and pickled daikon and carrots with nuoc cham dipping sauce paired with an Argentine Saivignon Blanc. 

I almost went with a sweeter wine here to compliment the slight sweetness of the crepe batter, but it actually worked out well to use the lush, tropical tones of the Zolo to highlight the fresh vegetables and herbs stuffed inside. The sweet and sour sipping sauce needed this wine's crisp acidity and slightly heavier mouthfeel. This was the crowd-favorite of the pairings simply because it brought out such fruity, fresh, and "herbalicious" characteristics in both the wine and the dish.

And yes, while each pairing seemed to take both the wine and the food to the next level, I still allowed myself to pick favorites. My favorite individual wine of the evening was the Boekenhoutskloof Porcupine Ridge Syrah from Franschhoek Valley, South Africa for it's earthy, dirty, spiciness and nose that bursted with mushrooms and musty, forest floor. My favorite individual dish of the evening had nothing to do with flavor and instead had everything to do with the preparation and presentation: The way the crispy, shrimp cakes from Course 1 puffed up when dropped into a pot of booking oil reminded me of the little pill-shaped capsules that I used to toss in the bathtub as a child that would magically puff up into sponges shaped like farm animals or dinosaurs. It was this sentimental value that edged Course 1 into 1st place, but also that I had never enjoyed papaya until it was prepared in this style and with that particular sauce. 

I look forward to hosting many more dinner parties with friends, colleagues, and retailers who share an appreciation for culinary and viticultural arts. I'm also incredibly thankful to be surrounded by so many cool people in my daily life on this wine blog journey who also find joy in these types of wine and food indulgences. 

Bon Appétit & Salud.

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Putting a Pinky Up for Port

Prior to working in the wine industry, I thought of Port as a mysterious substance only suitable for fancy, sophisticated people. Thankfully, I've been educated enough since then to forfeit this naive misconception in pursuit of appreciating this special sector of craft adult beverages for it's unique set of characteristics and purpose. I still have a lot to learn (understatement) but I do know it can be just as approachable - and potentially as enjoyable in certain settings and circumstances - as wine. 

My friend here in Atlanta recently coined the term "Equal Opportunity Enjoyer"(EOE) to describe someone like myself who is open to learning about a variety of speciality libations...for enjoyment, of course. This concept couldn't be more accurate. While my first love will always be vino, my knowledge of that industry has harbored an interest in and an appreciation for the specialized processes associated with producing anything from coffee to bourbon. Therefore, I often find myself drawn to opportunities in which I can dive into a new realm of the beverage industry simply to compare and contrast to the world of wine. A few weeks ago, Savor Wine Boutique in the Kirkwood Station neighborhood of Atlanta served as the aforementioned catalyst for sparking my curiosity in a new specialty beverage. They extended a complimentary admission as a partner in the industry to attend their special Port tasting event...this EOE happily accepted because, hey, why not?

Savor has a great tasting event space and always seems to draw a nicely-sized crowd, so I was excited to mingle with fellow beverage enthusiasts for the special event. It's interesting, though, because I felt a little out of my element. When I walk into a wine tasting, I know what to expect, I know what vocabulary to use, and I know how to take tasting notes. In this case, however, I only knew that I'd probably be the one asking a lot of questions. 

When I worked in Virginia, many wineries were producing Port-style fortified wines using Touriga Nacional grapes because it tends to grow very well in that climate. We sold one called "Tavern" - named for an old tavern that used to occupy the land on which the winery was built. We promoted it as an after-dinner nightcap perfect for fireside chats and an occasional cigar (according to my husband) because it was rich, full-bodied, peppery, and spicy with deep flavors of slightly-candied plums and prunes. It was definitely a crowd favorite during the winter holiday season, but I still could only count on two hands the total number of times I'd ever sipped a Port-style wine...and they were all born-and-raised in Virginia. I never fully committed to truly appreciating it's full potential.

So, case in point, I walked into Savor that evening for the Port event as a novice (well, more like clueless) but ready and willing to learn. They had a lineup of 6 Ports all under the Dow's label available for us to taste. Founded in 1798, Dow's is a Port-producing dynasty run by a family with over 100 years of experience, and I suppose that's exactly what you'd like to hear when you're wanting to gain a baseline education about the craft. What sets Port apart from other wines is the terroir on which the grapes are grown (such as the Douro) but also the addition of spirits halfway through the grape fermentation process which preserves a proportion of the grapes' natural sugars (and boosts the alcohol content). I like to imagine it as if Port wine is the wine that went out to the bar, took a few shots, and then stayed out to party longer than everyone else.

The distributors leading the tasting that evening were incredibly friendly and welcoming. They were just as eager to share their knowledge with the crowd as the crowd was eager to learn about the Ports which facilitated an awesome amount of nerdy discussion while sipping. 

We kicked things off with the Fine White Porto. It smelled like sweet candied flowers and had a golden glow of color in the glass. "Fine" in the world of Ports translates to any producer's "basic, general, standard" offering and usually encompasses the bottom 90% of grapes produced. The top 10%, conversely, is used to make the higher-end "Vintage" Ports in a portfolio. I enjoyed the nutty complexity and fresh, fruity finish on the White Porto, and I enjoyed it even more when they offered to mix it with a little splash of tonic water for a refreshing champagne-like cocktail.

Moving to the red Ports, I buckled up and focused on taking notes to keep them all organized...but at 19-20% alcohol in each sip, it got increasingly more difficult as we moved down the list. I actually giggled at my piece if paper when I took it out to write this blog post, so to save myself the time in deciphering each entry to type summaries of each tasting, but also to give readers an equal opportunity to giggle...I thought I'd just take a photo of the notes instead:

I asked a lot of questions and I consequently learned a lot. Most importantly, I learned what I like and what I don't like which is always my objective when guiding tastings for fellow wine enthusiasts. My favorite of the flight was Dow's Fine Tawny Porto - it tasted like apples and walnuts with layers of bright citrus, caramel, and almond flavors. The runner-up for the evening was Dow's 10-Year Old Tawny Porto, the last tasting on the list, which smelled less sweet than all of the others but had a nose bursting with toffee, ripe fruits, and walnuts with a longer, richer, balanced finish on the palate. It reminded me, in fact, of bourbon...yet another example of how appreciations for craft beverages can overlap.

Have I sparked anyone's curiosity to try some Port? It's fun, and it makes you feel fancy. For my pay-it-forward moment, here's the one piece of knowledge I think anyone should know going into a Port tasting: Ruby vs. Tawny. These are two "styles" of Port aside from the Fine and Vintage classifications addressed earlier in the tasting notes. Essentially, these terms simply refer to the color of the liquid. Ruby Port is a Port that has not yet aged in a barrel long enough to oxidize, so it maintains a purple, reddish color. After 6-7 years of aging in a barrel, the Port will oxidize and change color. Tawny thus describes these Ports that are more brown and orange in color which concurrently indicates an aging timeframe of 7+ years. I can confidently say that I am a fan of the Tawny camp because I love the caramel and toffee notes being expressed on velvety, nutty flavors from the oxidation process in the oak casks. 

So, go out there and try some Port. There's nothing to lose, and wine will understand with no hard feelings. Besides, Port pairs well with cold, winter nights and the forthcoming holiday season. Fun fact? Tawny is also a color of Crayola Crayon #TheMoreYouKnow