Wine Sommelier Debbie Van Pelt Explains Wine & Food Pairings

Deb Van Pelt, a certified wine sommelier at Belle Meade Winery in
Nashville, TN, joined me for a wine tasting excursion in Leiper's
Fork, TN. We tasted four wines paired with three dishes from 1892
Restaurant and one from Historic Puckett's restaurant and music
venue. "Delicious" and "yum" are the first two words that come to
mind.


Most everyone loves wine, especially me. And because there are so
many varieties and types of vino, even the most experienced wine
drinker can feel intimidated when staring down a restaurant wine
list or visiting your local wine store.


Lucky for me, a few months ago, I was introduced to Deb. Not only
does this longtime Louisville, Ky resident know her wine, but
she's quite the bourbon expert too. But that's a story for
another time.


For a couple of months, we talked about recording a podcast
episode, and the obvious choice for pairing wine with outstanding
food was 1892 Restaurant and Puckett's.


Three of our four dishes were prepared by Chef Dylan Morrison of
1892, and one by my good friend, musician, and the owner of
Puckett's Robb Robinson. Here are the wines we tasted along
with the food pairings:


Emile Beyer Dry Reisling with a Grill Romaine Salad

E. Guigal Cotes Du Rhone (French White) with Pan Seared
Scallops

Fratelli Ponte Barbera D'Asti with Spicy Ricotta Stuffed
Zucchini Squash

Dry Creek Zinfandel with Puckett's Pulled Pork Barbecue



I've been attending wine tasting and events since 1992. Through
all my experiences, I am constantly trying to learn about wine.
To say the least, wine is an adventurous and exhaustive subject.
Here are some basic "wine rules" Deb stressed are important:


Never, ever, ever use a stemless wine glass, even when drinking
red wine. I always observed the rule to use a stemmed glass with
white wine to avoid increasing the wine's temperature. The same
rule also applies to reds.


The ideal serving temperature for red wine is between 58-68
degrees Fahrenheit. Red wine begins to "cook" at 80 degrees, so
placing your hand on a glass of room temperature red will only
hurt the wine's taste. 


Both corks and screw caps are fine. Years ago, I either read or
hear that when a sommelier or server opens a wine at your table,
smelling and feeling the cork indicates that the wine is okay.
Not true!


What does a well-preserved cork smell like? "Cork," says Deb.
Then what you should do with the cork? Deb suggested spinning it
around to see if you can make the cork land vertically. "It's a
game all sommelier's play."


Deb also stressed the importance of learning the five "S's" of
wine tasting; sight, swirl, smell, sip and savor.


I've always made a mistake when tasting wine with food is sipping
the wine with food in my mouth. Food definitely changes the taste
of wine. To fully savor a wine, Deb suggests employing the five
S's. 


After pouring the wine (in a stemless glass), observe the wine's
color. Deb suggests swirling the wine often to enhance the
flavor. First, smell the wine by tipping the glass at a 45-degree
angle. Then, sip the wine, swirling it around your mouth before
swallowing.


After you've tasted your wine, take a bite of your food, chew,
then swallow. Then enjoy another sip of wine. The taste will be
uniquely different. 


There's so much to unpack in this episode. Grab a bottle of your
favorite wine and hear Deb explain the finer points of enjoying
wine.


However, Deb's most important advice for enjoying wine is not to
be intimidated by all the rules. "If you enjoy a certain wine,
then drink it."


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