Pairing Wine With “The Other White Meat”

By Nikki Berglund
Staff Writer

This summer I have found myself on a new food and wine pairing adventure that comes from my newfound love of…pork! On my journey away from being a long-time vegetarian (except for fish), pork had been the last frontier for me.

My trip back to the carnivorous world started a few years ago when I had the incredible fortune to go to Italy for a ten-day food and wine pairing extravaganza. Basically our ”job” on this trip was to experience Italian food and wine as a whole, which meant we were at the mercy of our winery hosts. Although I came back with about five extra pounds on me, it was well worth a little extra time at the gym.

My husband Paul’s amazing abilities with a grill solidified my love of meat. As I have emphasized in many an article, a nice medium rare beef tenderloin is my favorite. Just recently, however, Paul suggested I go out on a limb and try some good old pork. To be honest, pork never really appealed to me. With the exception of bacon (duh!) I could do without it. But I was willing to try it. And now, after experiencing pork chops, pork tenderloin, and (best of all) barbequed pork ribs, I am so happy I did!

So now the dilemma is what wines to drink with these new dinner options? I quickly found that my usual go-to wines for red meat (Australian Shiraz, Cabernet) just didn’t work well with this lighter meat.

So, I began the search for the perfect wines to go with pork.

Pork chops can be an easy, healthy, and delicious summer grilling option. Throw a little seasoning on them and you’ve got yourself a lean protein to go with a nice salad and a side of veggies. Although I am not a huge Chardonnay fan, a nice creamy California Chardonnay compliments the herbs in pork chops so very well.

Kendall Jackson is a perfect match. This is a really buttery (lots of oak) wine, a characteristic of good Chardonnay. The citrusy notes of the KJ Chardonnay, along with its hints of apples and oak make this a perfect pairing. The KJ Chardonnay retails for around $14.99 a bottle, but can often be found on sale at more like $11.99.

If Chardonnay just isn’t your thing, another white wine option is Sauvignon Blanc. Sterling Sauvignon Blanc out of Napa is a nice choice and costs around $14.99. This is such a versatile wine that really you can pair it with just about any light dish. And it tastes a lot more expensive than it really is. If you insist on drinking a red wine, a lighter style Merlot can work. The H3 Merlot from Columbia Crest out of Washington is a nice choice and generally costs no more than $11-$12 a bottle.

Although pork tenderloin will never replace my beloved steak tenderloin, it makes a suitable alternative. Considered one of the leanest meats, pork tenderloin is said to be nearly as low in saturated fat as a chicken breast. Often with lighter meats, it is a better idea to pair the wine with the sauce rather than the protein. Such is the case with pork tenderloin, which often is prepared with richer sauces, making red wines a nice pairing.
One great pairing is Pinot Noir. A lighter red, the Pinot is one of the few red wines that goes equally well with white or red meat. Since pork tenderloin just feels decadent, a nicer Pinot Noir might be in order.

La Crema makes an excellent Pinot Noir, with a price tag of around $22.99. Although this may seem expensive, a good, quality Pinot Noir will not be a whole lot cheaper than this, at least one from the West Coast.

Another choice, depending on the preparation of your tenderloin is Red Zinfandel. Since there is just something a little naughty to me about indulging in pork, I thought an appropriate suggestion would be 7 Deadly Zins, a California Zinfandel from the Lodi region. With its smooth tannins, which are key when serving a red wine with white meat, this wine brings out anyone’s gluttonous nature. Plus, it can be found at the not-so-sinful price of about $15.99 a bottle.

Of all of the new pork experiences I have had in the last year or so of my life, nothing compares to BBQ pork ribs. And I must brag - my husband is a master at preparing ribs! Ribs alone have transformed me from a skeptical pork eater to a full-on fan of the pig! Since BBQ ribs are usually a little bolder in flavor, there are quite a few more wine options.

I found that my favorite summer style of wine, a nice dry Rose (preferably French) is an amazing choice. If you are uncertain whether this is wine you might like, start with something simple like the Red Bicycle French Rose at a very doable $10 a bottle.

If pink wines are not your forte, a white off-dry Riesling also works well. Chateau Ste Michelle out of Washington excels in every price range of Riesling. Try their Dry Riesling which doesn’t really mean “dry”, but rather a little less sweet than their other Riesling offerings (in other words, “off dry”)

A Malbec from Argentina is also a great one to experiment with. A couple of my favorites include the Alamos Malbec at a reasonable $11 a bottle or for a bit more of a splurge, I am absolutely in love with the Colome Malbec, a Top 100 List 92 pointer from Wine Spectator at around $30.

Since I have started eating meat again, I have really added a lot to my food and wine pairing repertoire. Although I always found a way to enjoy wine with a tofu stir fry or veggie burger, some things just can’t be replicated. For me, this would be eating some finger-licking good ribs cooked with love by my husband Paul with a glass of Malbec in my hand on a gorgeous summer evening in our back yard.

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