Jamaican Jerk and Wine

Just a quick word on an unexpectedly wonderful food and wine pairing. Last night, Wine Chateau hosted a Jamaican jerk wing and meat patty wine tasting in the Piscataway store. Now, this is the sort of food that, if you've never enjoyed it alongside wine before, you might assume would be far better with a beer. And while a beer would absolutely work with it, we explored an entirely new world of flavor and texture last night, and came up with some truly remarkable combinations.

The jerk wings sang alongside the Voga sparkling pinot grigio, whose gently sweet ripe peach flavors highlighted the more floral aspects of the jerk spices. The beef patties were otherworldly with the Vignali Roccamora "Carlo Alfano" nero d'avola - merlot blend from Sicily. And the vegetable patties, already fantastic on their own, flat-out danced when enjoyed with the Ca' de Rocchie merlot, which itself took on an unexpectedly exotic character in the context of the food.

The moral? This weekend, no matter what you're eating, try a new, unusual combination of food and wine. You never know when you'll find your next favorite one.