Wine Time.
By Nikki Myers
From cheese and chocolate to exotic cuisines and pricey steaks, wine is ready to elevate any gastronomic experience. Food pairings are a science and an art, rightfully adored by wine makers, experts, and enthusiasts alike. But why stop there? It may be the artist in me, but I think we’ve stopped short of all that pairings could be. Let’s pair wine with our surroundings, the weather, whatever show we’re bingeing that weekend, or the book in our lap. If you’re not sure how to even begin thinking of pairings so abstractly, let me give you a head start. Here are my favorite wine pairings for all of the coziest loungewear moments. Snuggle up in your favorites and sip on something just as cozy!
The super-soft tee shirt you should have thrown out 10 years ago: No matter how many times your house-mates tell you to get rid of this one, you refuse. Maybe you’ve even dug it out of the trash a time or two. The reality is they just don’t GET it! You, however, see it for the piece of vintage nostalgia that it is. Similarly, you see the beauty in a wine that has also fallen out of favor with the masses – Merlot. Sure, it got a bad rap in Sideways and many winemakers destroy it with overripe fruit and extensive oak aging, but you know where to find the good ones. Broadside Merlot, $19.99
Your favorite pair of flannel pajamas: A classic wintertime staple. You reluctantly got talked into buying matching sets for the whole family (dog included) for a kitschy Christmas card photo a few years ago, but you’re secretly in love with them now. Warm, adorable, and festive, what’s not to love? Equally warm and festive is a bottle of Beaujolais. Not the Nouveau style that takes over shelves every November, but a true blue, high quality Beaujolais. Unpretentious and easy-going, just like you….no matter what that Christmas card made people think. Vavril Gamay Noir, $16.49.
Your biggest and baggiest sweatpants: Maybe you bought them this way, maybe you “forgot” to give them back to your ex who was twice your size. Regardless, they’re ideal for chilly weekday nights spent on the couch with something mind-numbing to help you unwind for sleep before tackling another day at the grind. Remote in one hand, and an equally simple and satisfying wine in the other. Montinore Borealis, $13.99.
Your birthday suit: When simply nothing else will do. Your partner has the heat cranked because their toes are always cold, but you’re sweltering – – so off it comes! Hey, no shame. Its your house, your rules, right? Besides, some things are just better kept simple and unadorned….like Chardonnay. Leave the rich, buttery oak behind behind with a classic Chard from France. You and the wine are both perfect as you are! Collovray Terrier St. Veran, $26.49.
Nikki serves as Event Leader and Educator at Passion Vines Wine & Spirit Company, which has provided her countless resources on her wine journey. She estimates that she knows approximately .001% of all there is to know about wine (most notably, the fact that there is an infinite amount of things to know about wine). Most nights, she can be found sipping quirky dry reds from obscure regions.
