ADVERTISEMENT

Official Wine Thread

CaneBandit

SuperCane
Gold Member
Nov 23, 2020
6,006
6,481
113
Carrollton
OK, so what types of wines are best paired with:

Linguini and clams w/white sauce and garlic
Ziti/Lasagna w/meat
Ribeye/powerhouse
Beef Wellington
 
OK, so what types of wines are best paired with:

Linguini and clams w/white sauce and garlic
Ziti/Lasagna w/meat
Ribeye/powerhouse
Beef Wellington

GREAT SUBJECT! Personally I am not one to be stringent about pairing. Sometimes, whatever you are in the mood for works. But in general a good Cabernet with Steak. But a Bordeaux or good Blend does just fine. Opus is great with pretzels, LOL. For the white sauce, a Pinot Grigio works. Love a Chianti with Italian food, both red and white sauces. Not really a connoisseur of Beef Wellington so I would go with a Bordeaux for geographic proximity.
 
Last edited:
GREAT SUBJECT! Personally I am not one to be stringent about pairing. Sometimes, whatever you are in the mood for works. But in general a good Cabernet with Steak. But a Bordeaux or good Blend does just fine. Opus is great with pretzels, LOL. For the white sauce, a Pinot Grigio works. Love a Chianti with Italian food, both red and white sauces. Not really a connoisseur of Beef Wellington so I go with a Bordeaux for geographic proximity.

I was always told white with white sauce and red with red sauce.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ellu
I was always told white with white sauce and red with red sauce.

Mix it up, try different things and enjoy what you like. Would also suggest venturing into Spanish wines. A lot of variety at some pretty decent price points. If you like the meal and like the wine - sepately they will always be OK together. But yes, some food and wines do blend extra nicely.
 
Mix it up, try different things and enjoy what you like. Would also suggest venturing into Spanish wines. A lot of variety at some pretty decent price points. If you like the meal and like the wine - sepately they will always be OK together. But yes, some food and wines do blend extra nicely.
That’s what I’m trying to figure out
 
OK, so what types of wines are best paired with:

Linguini and clams w/white sauce and garlic
Ziti/Lasagna w/meat
Ribeye/powerhouse
Beef Wellington
1) this is a tough one because you don’t want to compound the dish with more of what’s already in it, acid and wine flavor profile. What’s the heaviest flavor in the dish that sticks out the most? Probably the sauce even more than the clams. What flavor are you getting from the clams that sticks around for a while? If you could add a food ingredient to the dish to compliment it what would it be? We’ll say a parmesan for example. Now what wine has something in common with parmesan/cheese? What’s a creamy wine with enough structure to not only hold up to but compliment a white wine sauce? What’s going to compliment the funkiness of clams? I’m going with a new world, New american oak chard like ramey or rombeaur. You want a simple wine because the dish is complex enough as it is. Anything too complex is just going to be too much going on imo.
2) brunelo has the acid to cut through the richness and the structure to hold up to the meat sauce and cheese. Is mellow enough to not steal the show though to where these big flavors in the dish can still shine.
3) plain grilled steak with no spices- any napa cab sauv rated 94+ by parker and you’re good. The fruit just compliments the char of the steak so well and the flavour can hold up to the flavour of a juicy steak and they both have big enough bodies to where they can compliment each other.
4) beef wellington- 1855 classified 1-5 growth left bank bordeaux of vintage 2009, 10 (older than that gets really expensive) or 12 still green and not as good as 09,10 or 15 or 16 but still good, not nearly as expensive and starting to be approachable from a drinking standpoint. Definitely want to decant though. When it comes to beaf w, you have to keep in mind that the most profound flavors are coming from the mushroom sauce inside and the buttery flakey crust on the outside so you don’t want to over shadow those components with a big meaty strait cab or you’ll loose out on some of the dish. You don’t want the filet to overwhelm the wine either. So this is why I recommend a cab sauv driven Bordeaux. The acid will compliment the sauce, the fruit will compliment the crust and the weight will hold up to the filet and add further complexity. This is one of my all time favorite pairings if done right. Very easy to screw up though.
 
1) this is a tough one because you don’t want to compound the dish with more of what’s already in it, acid and wine flavor profile. What’s the heaviest flavor in the dish that sticks out the most? Probably the sauce even more than the clams. What flavor are you getting from the clams that sticks around for a while? If you could add a food ingredient to the dish to compliment it what would it be? We’ll say a parmesan for example. Now what wine has something in common with parmesan/cheese? What’s a creamy wine with enough structure to not only hold up to but compliment a white wine sauce? What’s going to compliment the funkiness of clams? I’m going with a new world, New american oak chard like ramey or rombeaur. You want a simple wine because the dish is complex enough as it is. Anything too complex is just going to be too much going on imo.
2) brunelo has the acid to cut through the richness and the structure to hold up to the meat sauce and cheese. Is mellow enough to not steal the show though to where these big flavors in the dish can still shine.
3) plain grilled steak with no spices- any napa cab sauv rated 94+ by parker and you’re good. The fruit just compliments the char of the steak so well and the flavour can hold up to the flavour of a juicy steak and they both have big enough bodies to where they can compliment each other.
4) beef wellington- 1855 classified 1-5 growth left bank bordeaux of vintage 2009, 10 (older than that gets really expensive) or 12 still green and not as good as 09,10 or 15 or 16 but still good, not nearly as expensive and starting to be approachable from a drinking standpoint. Definitely want to decant though. When it comes to beaf w, you have to keep in mind that the most profound flavors are coming from the mushroom sauce inside and the buttery flakey crust on the outside so you don’t want to over shadow those components with a big meaty strait cab or you’ll loose out on some of the dish. You don’t want the filet to overwhelm the wine either. So this is why I recommend a cab sauv driven Bordeaux. The acid will compliment the sauce, the fruit will compliment the crust and the weight will hold up to the filet and add further complexity. This is one of my all time favorite pairings if done right. Very easy to screw up though.

great response! Thank you. I’ve never heard of a cab sauv driven Bordeaux.
 
great response! Thank you. I’ve never heard of a cab sauv driven Bordeaux.
Pretty much all left bank bordeaux is cab sauv driven. Right bank mostly merlot driven. Certain parts like st em (right bank) have their own classification. Funny side note, if you ever saw the movie side ways. The entire movie what’s his name knocks merlot and at the end of the movie he breaks out his most sot after wine, a vintage merlot (cheval blanc) a st emilion grand cru classe “A” (only four of them). This movie single handedly sank domestic merlot for at least ten years. Well that and there was a lot of really shitty merlot over shadowing the good ones that didn’t help too during that time frame. If you’re not sure of what cab driven bordeaux to go with just ask for left bank 1855 classified Bordeaux 09,10, or 12. Like i said, anything newer is too green and anything older is just really expensive and probably not on the menu or at the store any way. If you stick with these notes you’ll be strait lol.
 
Last edited:
Pretty much all left bank bordeaux is cab sauv driven. Right bank mostly merlot driven. Certain parts like st em (right bank) have their own classification. Funny side note, if you ever saw the movie side ways. The entire movie what’s his name knocks merlot and at the end of the movie he breaks out his most sot after wine, a vintage merlot (cheval blanc) a st emilion grand cru classe “A” (only four of them). This movie single handedly sank domestic merlot for at least ten years. Well that and there was a lot of really shitty merlot over shadowing the good ones that didn’t help too during that time frame. If you’re not sure of what cab driven bordeaux to go with just ask for left bank 1855 classified Bordeaux 09,10, or 12. Like i said, anything newer is too green and anything older is just really expensive and probably not on the menu or at the store any way. If you stick with these notes you’ll be strait lol.
I’ll need to hunt for these on total wine, but they appear to have too green wines, as you call it
 
1) this is a tough one because you don’t want to compound the dish with more of what’s already in it, acid and wine flavor profile. What’s the heaviest flavor in the dish that sticks out the most? Probably the sauce even more than the clams. What flavor are you getting from the clams that sticks around for a while? If you could add a food ingredient to the dish to compliment it what would it be? We’ll say a parmesan for example. Now what wine has something in common with parmesan/cheese? What’s a creamy wine with enough structure to not only hold up to but compliment a white wine sauce? What’s going to compliment the funkiness of clams? I’m going with a new world, New american oak chard like ramey or rombeaur. You want a simple wine because the dish is complex enough as it is. Anything too complex is just going to be too much going on imo.
2) brunelo has the acid to cut through the richness and the structure to hold up to the meat sauce and cheese. Is mellow enough to not steal the show though to where these big flavors in the dish can still shine.
3) plain grilled steak with no spices- any napa cab sauv rated 94+ by parker and you’re good. The fruit just compliments the char of the steak so well and the flavour can hold up to the flavour of a juicy steak and they both have big enough bodies to where they can compliment each other.
4) beef wellington- 1855 classified 1-5 growth left bank bordeaux of vintage 2009, 10 (older than that gets really expensive) or 12 still green and not as good as 09,10 or 15 or 16 but still good, not nearly as expensive and starting to be approachable from a drinking standpoint. Definitely want to decant though. When it comes to beaf w, you have to keep in mind that the most profound flavors are coming from the mushroom sauce inside and the buttery flakey crust on the outside so you don’t want to over shadow those components with a big meaty strait cab or you’ll loose out on some of the dish. You don’t want the filet to overwhelm the wine either. So this is why I recommend a cab sauv driven Bordeaux. The acid will compliment the sauce, the fruit will compliment the crust and the weight will hold up to the filet and add further complexity. This is one of my all time favorite pairings if done right. Very easy to screw up though.
total wine doesn’t distinguish left vs. right. Is there another tell?
 
It’ll say one of the following sub regions

Pauillac
St estephe
St Julian
Margeaux
Honestly, any wines from these regions with in those vintages are going to be good even if they’re not 1855 cru classified. Chateau gloria is an example of a good wine that isn’t classified under 1855 cru nor is it THAT expensive or hard to find but it is legit st julien and like i said it is good. Hope this helps.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CaneBandit
It’ll say one of the following sub regions

Pauillac
St estephe
St Julian
Margeaux
Honestly, any wines from these regions with in those vintages are going to be good even if they’re not 1855 cru classified. Chateau gloria is an example of a good wine that isn’t classified under 1855 cru nor is it THAT expensive or hard to find but it is legit st julien and like i said it is good. Hope this helps.
Found a few in the $55-$90 range. Thanks
 
Might need to let some of these age 2 years to be less green. Lol
If you got 15’s and 16’s those are great vintages and will taste great now, they’ll just be a little tight and be way better in 2025+. A good wine is a good wine. For me anything under $75 I’m pretty much drinking now. I’m also kinda strapped for climate controlled storage though so i have to be selective as to what I’m sitting on. What wines did you get?
 
If you got 15’s and 16’s those are great vintages and will taste great now, they’ll just be a little tight and be way better in 2025+. A good wine is a good wine. For me anything under $75 I’m pretty much drinking now. I’m also kinda strapped for climate controlled storage though so i have to be selective as to what I’m sitting on. What wines did you get?
Haven’t ordered yet, but:

Chateau Fombrage St. Emilion 2018(need to age this 2-3 years)
Castiglion del Brosco Brunello Montalcino 2015
Altesino Brunello Montalcino 2015
 
Haven’t ordered yet, but:

Chateau Fombrage St. Emilion 2018(need to age this 2-3 years)
Castiglion del Brosco Brunello Montalcino 2015
Altesino Brunello Montalcino 2015
That Fombrage (right bank, mostly merlot) is really good we use to sell it. We actually still carry the altesino and ppl love it.
 
Haven’t ordered yet, but:

Chateau Fombrage St. Emilion 2018(need to age this 2-3 years)
Castiglion del Brosco Brunello Montalcino 2015
Altesino Brunello Montalcino 2015

Banfi is also an excellecent Brunello Montalcino
 
Banfi is also an excellecent Brunello Montalcino
We carry the banfi summus which is their super tuscan and we also do their grappa. They have a bunch of different products and several levels of quality and even their entry level stuff isn’t bad but their top end stuff is pretty damn good.

On a side note, I just got an email about a presale for this wine out of napa, 06 treasury ghost horse for $7,700 a btl. The prices some of these vineyards are asking for now is out right shameful. They planted their vines in the ninety’s and i never even heard of these guys. Where the hell do they get off? I hope some rapper buys a btl and makes sangria with it right in front of the proprietor. Pisses me off because it gives a bad name to the trade in general. Even vineyards in sonoma are popping up out of no where and asking for literally 100’s of dollars a btl for their stuff. If any of these guys tried this stunt fifteen years ago they’d be laughed out of California but now they get a free pass while the 97+ point wineries look to this as an excuse to bump their wines up 50% over night.
 
  • Like
Reactions: central17
OK, so what types of wines are best paired with:

Linguini and clams w/white sauce and garlic
Ziti/Lasagna w/meat
Ribeye/powerhouse
Beef Wellington
The old rule is white for seafood or chicken and red for beef. But those old rules are falling by the wayside every day. You don't have to take wine tasting classes to know how to pair decently well. Every Publix has a guide above the wine shelf. And you would be shocked how far it deviates from the old rules.
 
The old rule is white for seafood or chicken and red for beef. But those old rules are falling by the wayside every day. You don't have to take wine tasting classes to know how to pair decently well. Every Publix has a guide above the wine shelf. And you would be shocked how far it deviates from the old rules.

Those are easy answers, and thank you, but I was asking those with better pallets than mine to be more specific with the kind of reds that go best with different types of beef and pasta dishes. 6882 provided a great response because even with red sauces and gravies, meat or meatless matters.
 
Those are easy answers, and thank you, but I was asking those with better pallets than mine to be more specific with the kind of reds that go best with different types of beef and pasta dishes. 6882 provided a great response because even with red sauces and gravies, meat or meatless matters.

You will be happiest if you listen to other ideas, but follow your own pallet.
If you want to get adventurous, try some South African wines. IMO, very good Cabernet's and Savignon Blanc's.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ellu
1) this is a tough one because you don’t want to compound the dish with more of what’s already in it, acid and wine flavor profile. What’s the heaviest flavor in the dish that sticks out the most? Probably the sauce even more than the clams. What flavor are you getting from the clams that sticks around for a while? If you could add a food ingredient to the dish to compliment it what would it be? We’ll say a parmesan for example. Now what wine has something in common with parmesan/cheese? What’s a creamy wine with enough structure to not only hold up to but compliment a white wine sauce? What’s going to compliment the funkiness of clams? I’m going with a new world, New american oak chard like ramey or rombeaur. You want a simple wine because the dish is complex enough as it is. Anything too complex is just going to be too much going on imo.
2) brunelo has the acid to cut through the richness and the structure to hold up to the meat sauce and cheese. Is mellow enough to not steal the show though to where these big flavors in the dish can still shine.
3) plain grilled steak with no spices- any napa cab sauv rated 94+ by parker and you’re good. The fruit just compliments the char of the steak so well and the flavour can hold up to the flavour of a juicy steak and they both have big enough bodies to where they can compliment each other.
4) beef wellington- 1855 classified 1-5 growth left bank bordeaux of vintage 2009, 10 (older than that gets really expensive) or 12 still green and not as good as 09,10 or 15 or 16 but still good, not nearly as expensive and starting to be approachable from a drinking standpoint. Definitely want to decant though. When it comes to beaf w, you have to keep in mind that the most profound flavors are coming from the mushroom sauce inside and the buttery flakey crust on the outside so you don’t want to over shadow those components with a big meaty strait cab or you’ll loose out on some of the dish. You don’t want the filet to overwhelm the wine either. So this is why I recommend a cab sauv driven Bordeaux. The acid will compliment the sauce, the fruit will compliment the crust and the weight will hold up to the filet and add further complexity. This is one of my all time favorite pairings if done right. Very easy to screw up though.
Close this thread. THATS THE ANSWER.

@6882 is our go to on wine from now on.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CaneBandit
ADVERTISEMENT