A Different Sort of Wine Pairing

We are inundated with advices, articles, and even classes on how to pair wine with food. You know the drill.

White wine goes with white meat, and red wine goes with red meat. 


And if you want to get more specific.

Sauvignon Blanc goes with fresh oysters with tart mignonette sauce. Chardonnay pairs with poached salmon and beurre blanc. Cabernet Sauvignon can't get better than with the juiciest cut of steak, seared to perfection. And Champagne goes with everything!

Champagne goes with everything

Consider this. What if we pair wine with people rather than food? Would you be able to pick the right wine? Unlike the different rules in food and wine pairing, there is only one rule in picking the right wine for someone, but that doesn't make it easy. That rule is to know the person.

Riesling Rendezvous

Several years ago, I had a late dinner with a colleague after a long day at work. We ordered some hot wings to share. My friend, Ray, was about to order a glass of Merlot, when I asked him if he had tried Riesling. He sheepishly told me that he always ordered Merlot because he really didn't know much about wine and thought that was a safe bet. But he really would like to try something different.

That night Ray had wings with Riesling for the first time and absolutely loved it! The crisp citrus acidity cut through the fatty goodness of the wings while the tinge of sweetness balanced out the spiciness. A few days later, Ron texted me to tell me that he had Riesling again, this time with some Indian food. The man had inadvertently become quite the Riesling fiend.

What Zin?

When our nephew brought his then wife-to-be out to dinner with us, she ordered a glass of white Zin. I frowned and complained to my husband, "No self-respecting Leistner would drink white Zin!"

Sweet or dry rosé?

Of course I just set myself up for years of friendly trolling on social media with photos of white Zin. I had numerous failed attempts to seduce her with dryer Provençal rosés, culminating to a wedding gift bottle of Bandol Rosé from Domaine Tempier. It became clear to me that this Mrs. Leistner would be devoted to her white Zin. And I love her for who she is.

The Ultimate Pairing

In his book, Secrets of the Sommeliers, Rajat Parr wrote that a "sommelier needs to keep his or her enthusiasm and ego in check." If the table orders Château Latour to pair with the fresh oysters, you happily serve that. The goal is the happiness of the person who drinks the wine.

I can't say I am perfect at this, but whenever I pull something a bottle from my cellar as a gift to someone or to bring to dinner, I often pause and think what my friend or company would love. Nancy loves an oaked Chardonnay. Jeff adores a big red Cab. And Barolo makes Andy's heart sing.

After all, the ultimate pairing is that of the wine and he or she who enjoys it.

Williams Selyem, from the other RN74

I first learned about Williams Selyem by following the celebrated sommelier, Rajat Parr, on Delectable. Raj, an expert on Burgundies this side of the Atlantic, is the mastermind behind Michael Mina's RN74 wine program. (RN74 stands for Route Nationale 74, the old name of the highway that runs alongside many of Burgundy Grand Cru wineries.)

Vineyard along RN74

So when Raj pays attention to a new world Pinot Noir, I do too. And this one hails from the Russian River Valley in California.

From RN74 to SR116


Williams Selyem was founded by its namesake winemakers, Burt Williams and Ed Selyem. Thanks to some excess grapes gifted by a grower in 1979, Burt started making wine from his home in Forestville, a small town on California State Route (SR) 116. Over time and with a few vintages of hobby winemaking under their belts, Burt and Ed went commercial in 1983. As fans of Burgundies themselves, Burt and Ed focused on making Pinot Noir.

In 1987, Williams Selyem turned into a cult winery overnight when their Rochioli Vineyard Pinot Noir beat over 2,000 wines to win the California Fair Sweepstake for the top red wine. With a limited production, the surest way to get Williams Selyem wines was to join the cult winery membership list if you could tolerate a two to three-year wait.

Today, with increased production (although still limited), Williams Selyem wines are a lot more accessible. While I do see the random bottles on retail shelves, they do come at a price premium. 95% of the wines are still sold directly to members. The waiting list has dropped to less than a year with a reasonably low threshold to maintain membership. (You only need to buy at least a bottle in three years.) However, your buying history will impact your future allocation. That allows the more serious collectors to get first dibs on special allocations.

Tasting outstanding New and Old World Pinot Noirs

Russian River vs. Morey-Saint-Denis

Several months ago, we did a side-by-side 2013 vintage tasting of Williams Selyem Bucher Vineyard vs. Domaine Lignier-Michelot Morey-Saint-Denis "En la Rue de Vergy." Same varietal but so different in expressions. The new world Pinot Noir was fruit-forward, perfume-y, and all-around a pretty wine. The old world Pinot Noir was earthy, spicy, and nuanced. Both were simply delicious.

To be fair, Pinot Noir from Morey-Saint-Denis tends to be more powerful and masculine even by Burgundy standards. A more interesting comparison to Williams Selyem Pinot Noir may be Volnay, which tends to be more feminine, delicate, and floral among the red Burgundies. Incidentally, Williams Selyem Pinot Noir often reminds me of a Volnay.

2014 Eastside Road Neighbor

2014 Williams Selyem Eastside Road Neighbor 


Last weekend, as I was dreaming about Thanksgiving, I was inspired to open up another bottle of Williams Seylem. This time, the 2014 Eastside Road Neighbor. (By the way, Pinot Noir is the go-to red for Thanksgiving.)

As usual, the wine was delicately aromatic, full of berries, cherries, and rose petals. The fruit forwardness and floral aromas extend to the palate, accented with some spice and coffee notes. It is medium to full-bodied for a Pinot Noir, with ample acidity and polished tannins. The finish was long and satisfying. As expected, the 2014 Eastside Road Neighbor was a well-made wine that is feminine, elegant, and pretty.

My Verdict: Pinot Noir is an extremely finicky varietal and highly selective in where it will grow well. So oftentimes, a great Pinot Noir tends to be terroir-driven, and the best of them come from Burgundy. However, this stateside version of RN74 is not too shabby either. I would recommend a bottle, if you can find it, for your upcoming turkey feast.