In partnership with Serendipity, the following wines are available in the Texas market.
Even though it’s our job year-round to match wine with food, there’s something different about November that brings out the foodie in us. Gathering, building traditions, recipes practiced and perfected until they seamlessly become a part of our favorite memories— it’s easy to get excited about the season when food and wine are your love language. To celebrate, we asked a handful of our most pairing-savvy teammates to compete and send us their top wine picks for popular fall dishes. Today we’re pitting market against market in this challenge that honors one of our favorite parts of the biz. Let us know your favorite wine pairing by voting at the end of this post…
Round 1: Beatrice VS Rev
What would you pair with Carbonara Pasta?
Beatrice, San Antonio Sales
Beatrice’s Pick: Island Wine!
“Three words to describe carbonara are: creamy, salty, and RICH! When choosing a wine to pair with it, I am looking for something with enough acidity to cut through the fat elements of the dish. I also want something with enough weight on the palate to withstand the richness of the dish. Cottanera Etna Bianco is a fabulous pairing with Carbonara. It’s medium to full-bodied so won’t feel flimsy when you’re drinking it and the volcanic soils that the grapes are grown on give the wine a compelling and unique structure. Plus it’s super juicy with a lot of citrus notes that balance out the creamy dish. I also think Etna Bianco would be a brilliant choice when selecting your Thanksgiving wine!“
Rev, Houston Sales
Rev’s Pick: Piedmont’s Secret Weapon
“I would pair a classic carbonara with San Silvestro Fossili Gavi del Comune di Gavi DOCG 2022. When I’m going for something more classic and not a daring pairing, I lean to the old adage “What Grows Together, Goes Together.” Gavi is a rounder white wine made from the Cortese grape and, when made by San Silvestro on their fossil soil beds, the wine picks up a unique minerality not unlike Sancerre. The soft and bright notes of peach and orange blossom, alongside this sharp minerality, help to cut through what can often be a very heavy dish, but it’s rounder texture also holds up with the fat of the guanciale in traditional Carbonara.“
Round 2: Sam VS Leslie
What would you pair with Mussels and Fries?
Sam, Chains Manager
Sam’s Pick: El Dorado Gold
“My wine would be Skinner Picpoul Blanc! It’s bright, crisp and smooth floral notes that pairs perfectly with light seafood dishes and lean protein. Skinner Picpoul Blanc captures the richness of the whole plate and at the same time brings out the freshness of the herbs and quality of the mussels. This wine would also sing alongside fried calamari, raw oysters or even sushi.“
Leslie, Marketing Director
Leslie’s Pick: A Seafarer’s Dream
“If we’re talking about Mussels, there is no better place to go than Neptune’s Garden itself – Pays Nantais on the Atlantic Coast of France. The Classic Muscadet from Domaine de l’Ecu is my go-to. Like a citrus and pear scented seabreeze, this wine elevates and enhances the simple Mussels & Frites whisking you away to a seaside locale. Muscadet can often be a little simple and flat. That is not the case with Domaine de l’Ecu. Wild yeast fermentation and extended lees aging bring an exciting complexity and depth to the juice. And their low-intervention, biodynamic practices allow the grape and the land to shine in full glory. Bring on the crusty bread for soppin’ and open another bottle!“
Round 3: Bryce VS Polo
What would you pair with Mole Negro?
Bryce, Whole Foods Account Manager
Bryce’s Pick: A Rare Italian Red
“My preferred pairing for delicious mole negro is Cantine Barbera Ciatu (from the Alicante grape). Great wine and food pairings often either complement or contrast with the flavors. Ciatu, meaning “breath,” in the Sicilian dialect, does both. It is both lush, with deep, spicy flavors, and also subtly dry, with lean acidity and bright aromas. Mole negro gets its name from the dark, charred and almost burnt flavors of darkly-fried chiles and well-toasted herbs and spices. Yet, it is enhanced and made more complex by the addition of toasted sesame and almonds; cooked pineapple, apple, raisins and banana; and, of course, dark, bitter chocolate. The dried fruit and baking spices present in the Ciatu beautifully complement the cloves and allspice berries in the mole, while the ripe red fruit of the Alicante wine contrasts intimately with the earthy char of peppers and nuts. Finally, the lush texture and bitter-sweetness of the mole, almost a meal in itself, is balanced by the firm acidity of the wine.“
Polo, DFW Sales
Polo’s Pick: Mexican Bubbly
“Mole Negro is a favorite dish of mine that I grew up with! I never thought about pairing something with it so I was excited to sit and think about what would go great with this dish… After thinking about the layers of flavors and mouthfeel that mole consists of I landed on an unexpected wine– something also Mexican, Vinaltura Espuma BajÃo Rose. The thick dark rich flavor of the mole will be delightfully cut by the sparkling acidity of the wine.  This wine doesn’t present a bold body that will conflict with the thicker mole sauce but rather has fruit forward notes and a brioche taste that will complement it. I’m extremely excited to see Mexican wine paired with such an iconic Mexican dish!”
Round 4: Sierra VS Matt
What would you pair with Holiday Stuffing?
Sierra, Regional Director of Sales – Austin
Sierra’s Pick: Riesling That’ll Have You Giving Thanks
“Jurtschitsch Riesling Zobinger Heiligenstein! Riesling’s natural acidity helps balance out the richness of stuffing. The wine’s fruity and floral notes harmonize with the various ingredients in stuffing (such as sage and thyme). It also essentially cleanses your palate between bites. As a bonus, Riesling pairs with almost anything during Thanksgiving. Green bean casserole would be another stellar pairing.”
Matt, VP of Sales – Texas
Matt’s Pick: Taste the Tradition…
“For this Thanksgiving I have a family member from the Boston area who will be attending and they always bring an Oyster Stuffing to accompany the standard Texas cornbread stuffing that we have at our house. For this dish, my go to has been for a number of years the Il Monticello ‘Groppolo’ Vermentino. Love the herbal characteristics and high acid that it provides that cuts into the stuffing, and it works well with mashed potatoes and gravy and the Turkey, too (although let’s face it, Thanksgiving is ALL ABOUT THE CARBS!!! I might have just 1 slice of Turkey).“