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PairCraft-Tested Wines

Our sommeliers taste thousands of wines, making detailed notes on all of them. *Perfect Pairing* wines were chosen by our experts as a top match for a dish
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Pure Viognier Domaine de Brau

"Pure" Viognier Domaine de Brau

Region: Languedoc, Languedoc-Roussillon, France
Vintage Tested: 2019
Type: White, Still
Varietal: Viognier
There's not enough body and structure for the food, and it doesn't offer complementary flavor notes.
Pairing for: Private: Thanksgiving Dinner
Profile
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Acidity
Body
Intensity of Flavor
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Tannin
Aroma

red and green apple
baked pear
orange zest
limestone

Flavor

red apple
orange zest
baked pear
chalky limestone

Texture

crushed limestone

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ABV: 13%
Certified organic
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Private: Thanksgiving Dinner
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AA Badenhorst "Secateurs" Chenin Blanc

Region: South Africa, Swartland
Vintage Tested: 2019
Type: White, Still
Varietal: Chenin Blanc
Not as a match but as a contrast. The wine is very dry and saline even though it starts out fruit driven on the nose. The pairing result is dry and saline with a bit of tannin on the finish. It cleans up the crab richness. Can't say it's great.
Pairing for: Private: Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes
Profile
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Alcohol
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Flavor

quince paste, baking spice, very spicy, tannin and light saline on finish

Texture

smooth

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ABV: 12.50%
Oak: Some
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Private: Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes
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Achaval Ferrer Malbec

Vintage Tested: 2018
Type: Red, Still
Varietal: Malbec
Fun, I like what that does. There's a dark meat, smoky, gamey quality in the wine that the spice really brings out. A little bit of bitterness in the finish, but doesn't bother me. The wine starts to taste gamey and wild in a way that is interesting. I was worried there would be too much wood, but there's not. The wine is acid-driven without a lot of tannin, so the wine tastes bright, fresh fruity, gamey, savory, and the heat comes right back at you, but it's not out of balance because there's enough glycerine in the wine to keep the heat from over climbing. Great if you want a big wine.
Pairing for: Chicken Vindaloo
Profile
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Flavor

driven by ripeness of fruit, a lot of rich, intense typical malbec flavor

Texture

lush

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Oak: Some
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Chicken Vindaloo
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Albariño Tête de Cuvee Envidia Cochina

Albariño Tête de Cuvee Envidia Cochina

Region: Rías Baixas, Spain
Vintage Tested: 2018
Type: White, Still
Varietal: Albariño
The energy of the wine isn't enough to stand up to the food, so it disappears in my mouth.
Pairing for: Private: Thanksgiving Dinner
Profile
None
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Med+
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Acidity
Body
Intensity of Flavor
Sweetness
Tannin
Aroma

lychee
honeysuckle
candied orange peel
rubber

Flavor

cooked apple
pear
underripe honeydew
white pepper
clove
hefeweizen

Texture

flat
overripe

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ABV: 13%
Organic
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Private: Thanksgiving Dinner
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Alexakis Assyrtiko

Region: Greece
Vintage Tested: 2020
Type: White, Still
Varietal: Assyrtiko
Profile
None
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Acidity
Alcohol
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Tannin
Aroma

sulfur
orchard fruit

Flavor

anise
saline
sulfur
orchard fruit

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Alvaro Palacios "Les Terrasses" Priorat

Region: Priorat, Spain
Vintage Tested: 2018
Type: Red, Still
Varietal: Grenache, Carignan
Though this wine is a little more respectful of the lobster than others, it ends up bitter in the end.
Pairing for: Grilled Lobster with Garlic-Parsley Butter
Profile
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Alcohol
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Intensity of Flavor
Sweetness
Tannin
Aroma

roses
jasmine
lavender
cherry
blueberries
plum
red bell peppers
minerality
oak

Flavor

jammy
cherries
black grapes
orange zest
baking spice
fresh soil
roses
violets

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ABV: 14.1%
Practicing Organic
Oak: Mild
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Grilled Lobster with Garlic-Parsley Butter
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Ameztoi Getariako Txakolina

Region: Guetaria, Spain
Vintage Tested: 2021
Type: White, Still
Varietal: Hondarribi Zurri
This wine makes the dish very bright, but it seems too big and overpowers the dish. It's a good direction it's just too big.
Pairing for: Private: Steamed Whole Fish with Ginger, Scallions, and Soy
Profile
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Intensity of Flavor
Sweetness
Tannin
Aroma

pear skin
ripe lemon-lime citrus
limeade
confectionary candy
pineapple
lots of tropical fruit
a touch of gas

Flavor

pear skin, ripe lemon-lime citrus, limeade, candy, pineapple, lots of tropical fruit, a touch of gas, zippy, crisp

Texture

Lean

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ABV: 11.00%
Bubbles: Slight
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Private: Steamed Whole Fish with Ginger, Scallions, and Soy
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Ameztoi Rubentis Getariako Txakolina Rosé

Region: Bizkaia, Spain
Vintage Tested: 2020
Type: Rosé, Sparkling
Varietal: Hondarribi Belta, Hondarribi Zurri
The pairing result is too floral and bitter.
Pairing for: Private: Steamed Whole Fish with Ginger, Scallions, and Soy
Profile
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Flavor

red roses, tart cherries, very floral

Texture

Round

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ABV: 11.00%
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Private: Steamed Whole Fish with Ginger, Scallions, and Soy
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Anthill Farms Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

Region: Sonoma, USA, California
Vintage Tested: 2019
Type: Red, Still
Varietal: Pinot Noir
The wine is too big. It's killing everything on the palate. The lobster doesn't have a single chance.
Pairing for: Grilled Lobster with Garlic-Parsley Butter
Profile
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Acidity
Alcohol
Body
Intensity of Flavor
Sweetness
Tannin
Aroma

blueberries
raspberries
dark red cherries
roasted meat
leather
mushrooms
forest floor
baking spice
oak

Flavor

cinnamon
baking spice
jam
compote
currants
red cherries
blackberries

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ABV: 13.50%
Oak: Some
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Grilled Lobster with Garlic-Parsley Butter
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Ar Pe. Pe. Rosso di Valtellina

Region: Valtellina, Lombardy, Italy
Vintage Tested: 2018
Type: Still
Varietal: Nebbiolo
The wine disappears a little bit when you try it with the steak. It needs more intensity.
Pairing for: Private: Florentine Steak with Watercress–Pistachio Salad
Profile
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Alcohol
Body
Sweetness
Tannin
Aroma

strawberry
cherry
pomegranate
earth

Flavor

mushroom
red cherry
marzipan
rose petal

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ABV: 13.5%
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Private: Florentine Steak with Watercress–Pistachio Salad
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Aslina, Cabernet Sauvignon

Vintage Tested: 2019
Type: Red, Still
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
The wine is boring without the food and it's boring with the food. The heat becomes stronger in the finish.
Pairing for: Chicken Vindaloo
Profile
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Intensity of Flavor
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Flavor

flat black cherry soda, a tiny bit of oak, black raspberries and cherries, baking spice, spicy minerality, red clay savory spice mineral, dry clay, the fruit is sweet

Texture

round

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Oak: Mild
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Chicken Vindaloo
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Baia's Wine Tsitska-Tsolikouri

Region: Georgia
Vintage Tested: 2019
Type: Still
Varietal: Tsolikouri
Profile
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Acidity
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Intensity of Flavor
Aroma

savory
cooked peaches
honey
herbal
funky

Flavor

shrublike
savory
cooked peaches
honey
herbs
funky

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Barbera d'Alba Superiore Oddero

Region: Piemonte, Italy
Vintage Tested: 2018
Type: Still
Varietal: Barbera
The wine is a bit one-note with the dish. It falls flat
Pairing for: Private: Florentine Steak with Watercress–Pistachio Salad
Profile
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Med+
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Acidity
Alcohol
Body
Sweetness
Tannin
Aroma

perfume
coconut
floral
kirsch
raspberry

Flavor

red fruit
red licorice
earth
savory
baking spice

Texture

maybe but subtle

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ABV: 14.0%
Oak: Mild
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Private: Florentine Steak with Watercress–Pistachio Salad
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Perfect Pairing

Beaujolais-Village, Lapalu

Vintage Tested: 2019
Type: Red, Still
Varietal: Gamay
What you’re looking for here is a Beaujolais that on the palate has ripe red fruits, is leafy but not green (the leafiness is varietal and from whole cluster fermentation), and is slightly spicy while on the nose, it is lifted, fruity, and fresh. A bit of carbonic maceration is fine (you don’t want bubble gum, you want more of a pinot noir like style). You don’t want a wine with new oak aromas or textures. In addition, you want a wine that matches the pairing characteristics below–acidity and alcohol levels are very important.
Perfect Pairing for: Chicken Vindaloo
Profile
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Acidity
Alcohol
Body
Intensity of Flavor
Sweetness
Tannin
Flavor

ripe red fruit, sweetness to the fruit on the middle, not green but has leafiness, slightly spicy

Texture

very velvety

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Oak: Some
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Chicken Vindaloo
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Bedell Cellars Chardonnay

Vintage Tested: 2019
Type: White, Still
Varietal: Chardonnay
A touch too bitter. Bitter, bitter, bitter. The wine had enough fruit underneath, but the finish ends up bitter, makes dish bitter, quinine like.
Pairing for: Chicken Vindaloo
Profile
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Alcohol
Body
Intensity of Flavor
Sweetness
Tannin
Flavor

pure sweet apples, Golden Delicious, pear, the fruit is very sweet, not a lot of minerality, kiss of sour cream, fruit-focused, sweetness but not from sugar, from ripe fruit

Texture

med
not textural

Pairings where we tested this wine...
Chicken Vindaloo
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Bedrock Ode to Lulu

Region: USA, California
Vintage Tested: 2020
Type: Rosé, Still
Varietal: Mourvedre, Grenache
This wine is savory, playful, and turned down just enough to work with the lobster. It's a good match. The lobster shines, the garlic shines. It's like a married couple that's been together forever.
Pairing for: Grilled Lobster with Garlic-Parsley Butter
Profile
None
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Acidity
Alcohol
Body
Intensity of Flavor
Sweetness
Tannin
Aroma

lemon-lime
overripe peaches
strawberries
orange zest
flowers
grass
chamomile
thyme

Flavor

ashy
sea spray
underripe strawberries
underripe lemon-lime
fresh
clean

Pairings where we tested this wine...
Grilled Lobster with Garlic-Parsley Butter
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Benanti Etna Rosso

Benanti Etna Rosso

Region: Etna, Sicily, Italy
Vintage Tested: 2017
Type: Red, Still
Varietal: Blend
Profile
None
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Acidity
Alcohol
Body
Intensity of Flavor
Sweetness
Tannin
Aroma

pomegranate
strawberry
herbal
baking spice
cinnamon

Flavor

pomegranate
strawberry
herbal
baking spice
cinnamon
tart cherry

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Oak: Mild
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Best's "Great Western" Riesling

Region: Victoria, Australia
Vintage Tested: 2020
Type: White, Still
Varietal: Riesling
I want to say yes, but no.
Pairing for: Private: Steamed Whole Fish with Ginger, Scallions, and Soy
Profile
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Acidity
Alcohol
Body
Intensity of Flavor
Sweetness
Tannin
Flavor

lemon lime, Granny Smith, green bell pepper, trapped CO2

Texture

Lean

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ABV: 12.00%
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Private: Steamed Whole Fish with Ginger, Scallions, and Soy
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Best's "Great Western" Riesling (Australia)

Vintage Tested: 2019
Type: White, Still
Varietal: Riesling
It works pretty well--not too much sugar, great acid, great freshness, tastes appley all the way through. But a bit too floral and bitter.
Pairing for: Chicken Vindaloo
Profile
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Alcohol
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Intensity of Flavor
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Flavor

quite floral, citrus, starfruit, sweet orange juice, and dragonfruit

Texture

super fine sandpaper

More
Oak: Mild
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Chicken Vindaloo
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Blick's Lane Sauvignon Blanc

Region: Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand
Vintage Tested: 2020
Type: White, Still
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
It's bitter.
Pairing for: Private: Steamed Whole Fish with Ginger, Scallions, and Soy
Profile
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Acidity
Alcohol
Body
Intensity of Flavor
Sweetness
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Flavor

lemon lime citrus, fresh-cut grass, lees, river rock, citrus grassiness, bell pepper, synthetic cotton candy

Texture

Lean

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ABV: 13.00%
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Private: Steamed Whole Fish with Ginger, Scallions, and Soy
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