Bacchus
Like (I think) everyone at Budget Bacchus, I’m not worried too, too much about properly pairing wine with food. It would make something that’s perfectly enjoyable a total chore, if every glass of wine had to be put on hold until a piece of ocean fish or a hunk of prime rib was procured. Having said that! It is fun to find a wine/food pairing that works unexpectedly well.
Two bottles: a 2007 Montpellier syrah and a 2006 Wandering Wallaby reserve merlot. We paired them with an herby pizza from Tomato Pie, thinking the merlot would work better, of the two. It’s earthy and deep…and the label says it goes goes well with spicy food.
But, surprisingly, it’s the syrah that makes a better match for flavorful pizza. Way, way too sweet upon first opening the bottle, it mellowed out just enough to provide a bright counterpoint to the garlic, oregano, basil, bacon and Parmesan. Such an unexpected mouth party, one that really elevated a meal that came out of a cardboard box.
