Speckled Pear Wine Guide

Read once, about 30 minutes · Fall / Winter menu · Updated Nov 3

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The goal

After this guide, you can help any table choose a wine in 30 seconds. We start with the menu, because that is what guests ask about. Then you learn 6 wine styles and 5 simple rules.

Part 2

Six wine styles

Now you know the pairings. These are the six styles behind them.

Words to know

  • Crisp whiteSauvignon Blanc, Albariño, Pinot Grigio
  • Rich whiteChardonnay, Marsanne
  • Light redPinot Noir, Gamay
  • Full redCabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux-style blends, Syrah, Grenache, Tempranillo, Nebbiolo, Malbec

1. Sparkling

Feels like: fresh, bubbly, clean

Look for: Champagne, Prosecco, Crémant

We have: Modì Prosecco, Crémant du Jura, Pierre Legras (glass). Piollot and Drappier Champagne (bottle).

2. Crisp white

Feels like: light, zesty, fresh

Look for: Sauvignon Blanc (Sancerre is Sauvignon Blanc), Albariño, Pinot Grigio

We have: Sancerre and Pinot Grigio (glass). Albariño Paidos (bottle).

3. Rich white

Feels like: medium, smooth, a little creamy

Look for: Chardonnay. Chablis, Rully, and Notton are all Chardonnay from Burgundy, in France. Marsanne is another rich white. It comes from the Rhône, in France.

We have: Chablis (glass). Rully, Notton Chablis 1er Cru, Land of Saints Chardonnay, and Saint-Joseph blanc (Marsanne) (bottle).

4. Rosé

Feels like: fresh, juicy, easy

Look for: dry rosé. Ours is made from Grenache and Syrah.

We have: La Solitude rosé (glass).

5. Light red

Feels like: smooth, juicy, not heavy

Look for: Pinot Noir or Gamay. Morgon is Gamay, and Bourgogne rouge is Pinot Noir.

We have: Momo Pinot Noir (glass). Birichino, Vespidae, Truchard Pinot Noir, and Drouhin Morgon (bottle).

6. Full red

Feels like: rich, structured, strong

Look for: Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux-style blends, Syrah, Grenache, Tempranillo, Nebbiolo (Barolo, Ghemme), Malbec

We have (glass): Libertà Super Tuscan (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot). Escudo Rojo (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Carmenère, Syrah). Malbec.

We have (bottle): Saint-Julien, Lake Sonoma Cabernet, Gigondas, Díaz Bayo, Barolo.

In between: Chianti (Sangiovese) and Ghemme (Nebbiolo) are bottles. They are medium reds, between light and full.

Sweet wines for dessert: Moscato d’Asti, Sauternes, and Taylor Fladgate Tawny Port.

Part 3

Five simple rules

Read these twice. They solve most tables.

  1. Match the sauce, not the meat.Chicken in a cream sauce acts like a white wine dish.
  2. Match the weight.Light dish, light wine. Rich dish, fuller wine.
  3. Fresh wines clean your mouth.Bubbles and crisp whites are great with salty, creamy, or rich food.
  4. When you are not sure, start with sparkling.It is friendly with almost everything.
  5. Offer, do not push.Give two choices at most. Let the guest decide.

Part 4

What to say

Short and warm. Say it in your own words.

Starting the wine talk“Are you in the mood for something fresh, or something rich?”
Guest is not sure“Let me start you with a glass of sparkling. It goes with almost everything on the menu.”
Suggesting a bottle“Since you are sharing the starters, I would suggest a bottle for the table. This one is fresh and goes with all of them.”
Guest asks for a grape“Great choice. With that dish, I would try this one. It is the same grape.”
A wine is out“We are out of that one, but this wine is very close. Would you like to try it?”
Pinot Noir with the dish“It is light and smooth, so it will not cover the flavor of your food.”
Dessert“Tawny Port with the chocolate. It tastes nutty and sweet, like caramel.”

Part 5

Tables with different dishes

The hardest moment. Use these steps.

  1. Start with sparkling for everyone.
  2. Then one Chardonnay and one Pinot Noir for the table.Crémant du Jura, Chablis, and Momo Pinot Noir are the friendly ones.
  3. One guest with a big red dish (wagyu or lamb)?Offer a glass of Libertà or Escudo Rojo for that guest only.
Say this“You are all having different things, so I would start with a sparkling for the table. Then a light Pinot Noir that goes with all of it.”

Guest wants one wine for the whole night

Ask what they will eat the most of. Mostly fish or starters, offer sparkling or Chablis. Mostly meat, offer a red.

Say this“If you want one wine for the whole night, sparkling is the friendliest. If you are having mostly meat, a red is the safest.”

Common problem tables

Scallops + wagyuPinot Noir, or a rich Chardonnay
Lamb + black codA glass each
Tartare + duckSparkling first, then Pinot Noir

Part 6

Self-check

Answer in your head first. Then tap to see the answer.

1. A table of four orders different dishes. What do you offer first?

Sparkling for the whole table. Then one Chardonnay and one Pinot Noir.

2. Chicken comes in a cream sauce. What do you pair?

The sauce. A Chardonnay like Chablis, or a light Pinot Noir.

3. Which grape goes with the baked mussels?

Albariño. It is a crisp white from the sea in Spain. Sauvignon Blanc also works.

4. A guest orders the duck. What do you suggest?

Pinot Noir. Momo is the glass. Vespidae or Truchard is the bottle.

5. A guest orders the wagyu and wants a glass. What do you offer?

A full red: Escudo Rojo, Libertà Super Tuscan, or Malbec.

6. One guest has lamb and another has black cod. What now?

One glass each. Libertà or Escudo Rojo for the lamb, rosé or Chablis for the cod.

7. A guest wants one bottle for the night and will eat mostly fish. What do you suggest?

Sparkling, or a Chardonnay like Notton Chablis 1er Cru.

8. What goes with the chocolate hazelnut torte?

Taylor Fladgate Tawny Port.

9. A guest asks for a wine we do not have. What do you do?

Offer a wine with the same grape, and ask if they would like to try it. Then tell Ale the wine is out.

10. Name the three friendly wines for a mixed table.

Crémant du Jura, Chablis, and Momo Pinot Noir.

Before service

  • I know the grape, the glass, and the bottle for each dish.
  • I know the 6 wine styles.
  • I know the 3 friendly wines for a mixed table.
  • I saved the pairing page on my phone.
  • I know to tell Ale when a wine is out.
Quick helperOpen the pairing pageitsdelvino.com/tsppairings