Smoke, Sweet, and Southern Italy

Pretty in Primativo!

This week’s pour: Cantine Due Palma Primitivo Sedotto 8 2024. We paired this with homemade Hawaiian pizza… and what a discovery we made in the process.😉💜 We gave this young Primitivo a quick decant (about 25 minutes) before dinner and it absolutely paid off. The wine opened beautifully… softening the edges and allowing more of the ripe fruit and spice notes to come forward. The pairing surprised us in the best way. The smokey ham, bubbling mozzarella (Deb‘s favorite part), sweet pineapple (Brooke’s favorite part), and a slightly charred crust worked incredibly well with the rich, jammy personality of the Primitivo. The wine‘s dark berry fruit leaned into the sweetness of the pineapple while the acidity helped cut through the cheese and salty ham… wow! Something for everybody with this wonderful pairing! This pairing felt fun, relaxed, and a little rebellious in the best possible way. Hawaiian pizza can divide a room… or a family, a country… geez! But with this wine? It all comes together quite harmoniously.😁💜 We are fully committed to team pineapple.🍍Tasting Notes: • Ripe black cherry • Plum preserves • Blackberry jam • Light baking spice • Hint of cocoa • Soft vanilla finish Why the Pairing Worked: • Sweet pineapple matched wine‘s ripe fruit profile • Ham brought salt and smokiness • Tomato sauce balanced the richness • Decanting softened the youthful intensity of the wine Quick Wine Talk: Primitivo is a Southern Italian grape most associated with Puglia. It’s known for producing bold, fruit-forward wines with generous alcohol and plush texture. Interestingly, Primitivo is genetically related to California Zinfandel - which explains why fans of big California reds often love this style. Cheers, B & D 🍷💜

Smoke, Sweet, and Southern Italy

This week‘s wine and food was a bold and surprisingly cozy pairing: a 2022 Salice Salentino Rosso alongside a BBQ Chicken grilled cheese served on sliced ciabatta. The sandwich brought together shredded BBQ chicken, melted cheddar cheese, jalapeños, and red onions pressed into crispy grilled ciabatta - smoky, sweet, spicy, and rich in all the right ways! Mmm… mmm… mmm.😋 The Salice Salentino Rosso delivered dark berry notes, soft spice, and enough earthiness to balance the sweetness of the barbecue sauce while standing up beautifully to the sharp cheddar and heat from the peppers. What really worked was the contrast: • smoky + fruity • sweet + savory • creamy cheese + structured red wine • spice + dark fruit The cheddar especially helped bridge the wine and food together, making the pairing feel fuller and smoother with every bite. This pairing felt relaxed, comforting, and perfect for a casual night that still felt a little elevated. Cheers, B & D 🍷💜

La Isla Bonavita (Tinto)!

Casa Santos Lima 'Bonavita' Tinto is a popular, budget-friendly Portuguese red wine from the Lisboa region, known for its fruity profile with notes of cherry, plum, and berries, often with hints of spice or oak from aging. It's a blend of grapes like Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Castelao, and Syrah, making it a smooth, easy-drinking wine that pairs well with grilled meats, pasta, and barbecue.  Key characteristics     •    Origin: Vinho Regional Lisboa, Portugal      •    Grapes: A blend, commonly including Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Castelao, and Syrah      •    Flavor profile: Ripe red and dark fruits (cherry, plum, fig, blackcurrant), with some vintages showing chocolate, liquorice, or spice notes from oak aging      •    Style: Full-bodied, smooth, and fruity, with good acidity      •    Aging: Often aged for a short period (e.g., 6 months) in American oak barrels      •    Food pairings: Excellent with roasted red meats, barbecue, pizza, pasta, and cheese      •    Value: Considered a great value for its price point  We paired this wine with classic steak and eggs Portuguese style (meaning with rice and potatoes-French fries for us) and it was an excellent plan.😁 This wine was less than 6 CHF/bottle… was better when decanted… and checked off all our boxes for what we look for in a wine and food pairing. Great material to chat about.🍷 Cheers, B & D🍷💜

A Berry Fruity Wine!

This week’s pour: Be Dream Red Berry This week we opened a „sweet little bottle“ - literally… 50cL and just 7.1% ABV. This Swiss red blend came in sweet, fruity, and somewhat easy to drink. But this episode turned into something more interesting than expected… We explored the relationship between sweetness and alcohol in wine, breaking down how fermentation works: Yeast converts sugar into alcohol When fermentation is stopped early, leftover sugar creates sweetness That often results in lower alcohol content + sweeter wine. Sounds simple, but the pairing told a different story. We paired this wine with braised pork chop and blueberry sauce with mashed potatoes on the side. We expected a complementary balance of fruit and richness… instead the wine‘s sweetness overpowered the dish, turning the experience into what we called: „Dessert fighting dinner.“ This led to one of our favorite takeaways of the episode… not every wine is meant to be paired with food. Some wines (like this one) are better enjoyed on their own, slightly chilled, or alongside an actual dessert. Final verdict: A fun, fruit-forward, low alcohol „vibe wine“ that’s easy to sip - but better solo than at the dinner table.😉 Cheers, B & D 🍷💜

Chenin Blanc? Chenin Not!

🍷Wine: Balance Chenin Blanc Colombar 2025 🍲 Pairing: Cape Malay Chicken Curry This week’s pot leans bright, youthful, and unapologetically easy to enjoy. The Balance Chenin Blanc Colombar 2025 is a young, white blend, and that youth works in its favor. Unlike many young red wines - which can feel tight, tannic, and a little aggressive - young white wines tend to show off their best qualities right away: freshness, fruit, and approachability. This wine delivered exactly that! Expect: Ripe orchard fruit (think pear, apple) A touch of tropical sweetness Light, refreshing acidity A noticeable sweetness that lingers And yes - this wine is decidedly on the sweeter side, which turned out to be a key part of the pairing. Cheers, B & D 🍷💜