What Wine With Corned Beef And Cabbage?
Considering that I grew up in California, one might think I’d know at least something about wine. One would be wrong, however. I’ve always been intimidated by the various flavors, vineyards, vintages and that whole swirl-it-in-your-mouth-and-say-something-smart thing.
But we’re having friends over for St. Patrick’s Day dinner tomorrow, and I don’t want to embarrass myself by pairing the wrong beverage with the corned beef, cabbage, potatoes and Irish soda bread I’ll be serving. (Oh, yes, VH will ensure there’s plenty of Guinness Extra Stout available, but even he agrees that we need to offer something else with dinner.)
So I’ve been spending the day watching Gary Vaynerchuk’s wine-related podcasts designed to help everyone from wine newbies, like me, to true connoisseurs. Frankly, I was expecting some hoity toity sales pitch encouraging me to that it’s worth taking out a second mortgage to buy top dollar wine — not that our untrained palates could tell it apart from Cold Duck.
Turns out, Gary’s down-to-earth in his wine recommendations and advice on how to train one’s palate. Now, I’m not sure I’d ever munch on grass or lick wet rocks like Conan O’Brien did just so I could recognize their flavor notes in a particular vintage, but I definitely find his teaching style more approachable than most stuffy wine “experts”.
Unfortunately, Gary hasn’t done an episode for St. Patrick’s Day dinner yet but his forum participants have made some excellent suggestions for pairing wine with corned beef. The best part? Quite a few of them recommended serving a Riesling which I already have and already know VH likes.
Which means Gary and his readers just saved us from having to endure some $8/hour employee at our local liquor barn trying to sound like a wineophile when all he really wanted to do was push a top-dollar, low-quality wine on us. That’s something worth raising a glass to. Thanks, Gary!
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May I recommend… the next time you go out to buy Riesling, I have lately run across Firestone Riesling which is EXCELLENT. Lots of flavor. Unfortunately I think I’ve bought out the stock in the local store (although I’m sure others helped because we buy wine about 4 bottles at a time). If you can find it, try some. Even here in MA it’s less than $10 a bottle. (I didn’t like their Sauvignon Blanc much - but that’s just because I prefer Riesling I think. *grin*)
I’ve never heard of Firestone before, but next time VH goes out to buy wine I’ll pass that along!
Pinot Grigio would work, or a Zinfandel. Any one of the Napa vineyards would probably do well for you.
I do like Pinot Grigio but, alas, I won’t be drinking.
Err, there’s no wine that goes with corned beef and cabbage. Grapes don’t grow in Ireland. You serve whiskey before dinner, beer during dinner, and whiskey after dinner.
nk’s last blog post..Yeah, I’m An Idiot
Oh, man. Brown liquor and I don’t mix well.
I like what the late Justin Wilson always said ,the correct wine is the one you like
A Riesling is definitely a good choice. Couple of pointers…
1. Go for one labeled Kabinett, and preferably Trocken. That way you’re getting one that is a bit drier and should go well with the acidity of the cabbage.
2. Get German. California and Washington (or Canada or New York) Rieslings are good, but there’s nothing like a great German one.
3. Rieslings can age well. Don’t be afraid of something a few years old, as you’ll probably get a lot of bang for your buck.
4. Most decent Rieslings go for about $12-18. Don’t bother spending much more than that, even if it has a 98 point rating from Parker. It’s rare to find one sold in a liquor store, or even a specialty boutique wine store, that is worth more than that.
Another wine to try, if people prefer reds, is Sant’ Andrea’s Tinaio (Italy). Great wine, lots of flavour, should stand up to the corned beef well without overwhelming the bite of the cabbage. A bit gamey, but that’s a good thing here.
Kat’s last blog post..In honour of EATAPETA
I’m no wine expert. A previous poster is right about there being no accepted wine for corned beef and cabbage. The fact is, you can get a better red than a white for the same price. I have always liked Estrella Merlot or Cabernet. It is excellent and dirt cheap. 1.5 liter bottles run $6-9, and yes, they have a cork.
There’s always 2 buck chuck from Trader Joes. Except now it’s 3 bucks. I buy it for cooking because I don’t really like reds to drink but I love to use them in sauces.
kimsch’s last blog post..Happy St. Patrick’s Day!