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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