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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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Chianti “Montebetti Podere Gualandi

Podere Gualandi "Montebetti" Chianti

Region: Chianti Colli Fiorentini, Tuscany, Italy
Vintage Tested: 2018
Type: Red, Still
Varietal: Sangiovese, Colorino
Not terrible. Very few people will be able to find this wine. I don't think it's the best. The textures are interesting together, but this does not work as a pairing. The wine is too much.
Pairing for: Private: Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes
Profile
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Flavor

kirsch, blueberry, blackberry, blackberry vinegar

Texture

scratchy

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ABV: 13.50%
Oak: Some
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Private: Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes
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Perfect Pairing
Pol Roger, Brut, Reserve

Pol Roger Brut Reserve

Region: La Vallée de la Marne, Champagne, France
Vintage Tested: NV
Type: White, Sparkling
Varietal: Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir
What you're looking for here is a sparkling wine made with all three traditional Champagne grapes; that has a rounder, more generous style--classic Champagne house style, not grower Champagne style, that matches the pairing characteristics below but with a sweetness level that is somewhere between none and low--you want a Brut style, not Extra Brut or Zero Dosage.
Perfect Pairing for: Private: Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes
Profile
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Intensity of Flavor
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Flavor

intense, fruit-driven palate; apples; peaches

Texture

smooth

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ABV: 12.5%
Bubbles: Fine
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Private: Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes
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Pol Roger Brut Reserve

Region: Montagne de Reims, Champagne, France
Vintage Tested: 2020
Type: White,
Varietal: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier
complementary food notes, more balance, finish not too tart or acidic or sweet, just the right amount of clean, I feel like I want four more bites and the next sip
Pairing for: Private: Here’s how to make the experience of eating crab cakes even better.
Profile
None
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Med-
Med
Med+
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Acidity
Intensity of Flavor
Sweetness
Tannin
Aroma

lemon
green apple
white bread toast
limestone minerality

Flavor

ripe red apple
baked red apple
limestone

Texture

viscous
dreamy

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ABV: 12.50%
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Private: Here’s how to make the experience of eating crab cakes even better.
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Porter Creek Rosé "Old Vine"

Region: USA, California
Vintage Tested: 2019
Type: Rosé, Still
Varietal: Carignane, Zinfandel
This wine offers complementary flavors and interesting texture and body, but it adds a bit too much resistance when you go back for another bite of food.
Pairing for: Private: Thanksgiving Dinner
Profile
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Med
Med+
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Acidity
Body
Intensity of Flavor
Sweetness
Tannin
Aroma

candied peach
lemon curd
crème brûlée
marzipan

Flavor

strawberry
green melon
white peach nectar
lemongrass
macaron

Texture

sherbert

Pairings where we tested this wine...
Private: Thanksgiving Dinner
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Prager Gruner Veltliner Federspiel Hinter der Burg

Vintage Tested: 2019
Type: White, Still
Varietal: Gruner Veltliner
This is the kind of wine I thought would be ok with this dish. I expected it to do well. It's ok, but neither the dish nor the wine are getting better.
Pairing for: Chicken Vindaloo
Profile
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Flavor

bright and aromatic, bright citrus, orange, orange blossom, underripe side of orchard fruit, pear more than apple, exotic tropicals, starfruit, inorganic minerality; broken rocks, sour cream, mushroom

Texture

med
no crispiness

Pairings where we tested this wine...
Chicken Vindaloo
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Presqu'ile Winery Chardonnay

Region: Santa Barbara, USA, California
Vintage Tested: 2018
Type: White, Still
Varietal: Chardonnay
The wine wants to work but doesn't. Bitterness can work, but this is too bitter.
Pairing for: Private: Steamed Whole Fish with Ginger, Scallions, and Soy
Profile
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Flavor

citrus focused, lemon lime, ripe, dried hay, herbaceousness, fresh-cut grass

Texture

Medium

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ABV: 13.20%
Certified organic
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Private: Steamed Whole Fish with Ginger, Scallions, and Soy
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Prosecco Brut Progettidivini

Progettidivini Prosecco Brut

Region: Valdobbiadene, Veneto, Italy
Vintage Tested: NV
Type: White, Sparkling
Varietal: Glera
It has bubbles and it cleans up the palate fine, but it's quite fruity and that doesn't go with this savory dish. Plus, there's too much residual sugar in the wine.
Pairing for: Private: Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes
Profile
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Flavor

fruity palate, starfruit, a bit of bitter almond, some tannin

Texture

juicy
smooth

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Bubbles: Medium
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Private: Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes
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Raats Old Vine Chenin Blanc

Region: Stellenbosch, South Africa
Vintage Tested: 2019
Type: White, Still
Varietal: Chenin Blanc
Profile
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Intensity of Flavor
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Tannin
Aroma

bitter almonds
lemon
herbaceous
red apples
sea spray

Flavor

neutral
bitter almonds
lemon
herbaceous
red apples
sea spray

Texture

earthy
grassy

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ABV: 13.50%
Practicing Organic
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Ramsay, Pinot Noir

Ramsay, Pinot Noir

Region: North Coast, USA, California
Vintage Tested: 2019
Type: Red, Still
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Everything I liked in this wine when I tried it on its own disappeared when I tasted with food, and everything I didn't like about it got turned up to 10. It's all vanilla, malolactic acid, and oak. It clashes with the food.
Pairing for: Private: Thanksgiving Dinner
Profile
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Intensity of Flavor
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Tannin
Aroma

red and black cherry
red raspberry
dried leaves

Flavor

raspberry
cherry leaves
vanilla Cherry Coke

Texture

oak
brûlée

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ABV: 13.50%
Oak: Extensive
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Private: Thanksgiving Dinner
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Raventós i Blanc Cava Rosé de Nit

Raventós i Blanc Cava Rosé de Nit

Region: Penedès, Spain
Vintage Tested: 2018
Type: Rosé, Sparkling
Varietal: Macabeo , Parellada, Xarel-lo, Monastrell
Works nicely. There's a reserved character of the wine. The two are equal partners, they mesh together. Bubbles and pithy dryness and tart acidity are very harmonious with the more unctuous parts of the crab cake. Acid heads will love it.
Pairing for: Private: Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes
Profile
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Flavor

sweet strawberry, touch of cherry, sweet lady apples, quite ripe, finishes dry, tiny bit of tannic texture, little bit of herbaceous sweet parsley, touch of rolls and yeastiness, not from autolysis, it’s not brioche

Texture

delicate

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Biodynamic
Bubbles: Slight
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Private: Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes
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Rheingau Riesling Trocken, Weinhaus Ress

Vintage Tested: 2019
Type: White, Still
Varietal: Riesling
I like the pairing, but it's not my favorite. The wine becomes more lemon juicy and more floral, it comes out a bit lemonade. Perfectly doable but we tasted better pairings in this session.
Pairing for: Chicken Vindaloo
Profile
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Acidity
Alcohol
Body
Intensity of Flavor
Sweetness
Tannin
Flavor

classic reisling, orchard fruit, citrus underripe peaches, stone fruit, green apple, tart apple, granny smith

Texture

round

Pairings where we tested this wine...
Chicken Vindaloo
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Riesling Barrel X, Peter Lauer

Riesling "Barrel X" Peter Lauer

Region: Saar, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany
Vintage Tested: 2020
Type: White, Still
Varietal: Riesling
The acid/sugar combination in this wine is very refreshing, but it is a bit too light.
Pairing for: Private: Thanksgiving Dinner
Profile
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Acidity
Body
Intensity of Flavor
Sweetness
Tannin
Aroma

peach
apricot
canteloupe
orange blossom
slate
wet stones

Flavor

white peach
apricot
canteloupe

Texture

white stone minerality

More
ABV: 10%
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Private: Thanksgiving Dinner
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Perfect Pairing

Riesling Feinherb, Spater-Velt (Mosel)

Vintage Tested: 2019
Type: White, Still
Varietal: Riesling
What you're looking for here is a ripe and fruity riesling that is on the dry side but not totally dry. In addition, it needs to match the pairing characteristics below. The slight oxidation is not necessary, in fact avoid it if possible. Ripeness and fruitiness are more important than structure and minerality. No need to stick to Germany. Wines from Niagara, Finger Lakes, or Washington should work but rieslings from Australia might be too dry and austere.
Perfect Pairing for: Chicken Vindaloo
Profile
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Alcohol
Body
Intensity of Flavor
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Flavor

ripe stone fruit; ripe, sweet green apples, lots of minerality–roofing slate, broken rock, dissolved CO2, tiny bit of RS

More
Oxidation: Mild
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Chicken Vindaloo
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Riesling Trocken Karthäuserhof

Riesling Trocken Karthäuserhof

Region: Ruwer, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany
Vintage Tested: 2020
Type: White, Still
Varietal: Riesling
I like the weight and intensity, but I'm not a fan of the flavors. The wine's petrol flavor paired with turkey makes me think somebody put lighter fluid on grill and didn't let it burn off before cooking the meat.
Pairing for: Private: Thanksgiving Dinner
Profile
None
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Med-
Med
Med+
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Acidity
Body
Intensity of Flavor
Sweetness
Tannin
Aroma

white peach
cantelope
granite
petrol

Flavor

white peach
cantalope
apricot
petrol
slate

Texture

plush
fleshy

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ABV: 12.50%
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Private: Thanksgiving Dinner
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Riesling, Villa Franz

Vintage Tested: 2018
Type: White, Still
Varietal: Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains, Clairette
Like the other wines that were more at this sweetness level, here the sweetness is welcome. Because the sugar is dialed back, it doesn't screw with the heat too much. Not my favorite pairing, but it's not bad. Something slightly off-balance at the end. I think I would pick something drier than that, but this is not bad.
Pairing for: Chicken Vindaloo
Profile
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Acidity
Alcohol
Body
Intensity of Flavor
Sweetness
Tannin
Flavor

sweet apple, apple and pear, not super floral, sweet white grape, sweet apple, everything quite ripe, botritus texture, a little bit of smokiness, wood smoke, definitely textural, not grape skin but maybe stone fruit skin quality

Texture

stone fruit skin texture

More
Oak: Extensive
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Chicken Vindaloo
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Roagna Dolcetto d'alba

Roagna Dolcetto d'Alba

Region: Alba, Piemonte, Italy
Vintage Tested: 2019
Type: Red, Still
Varietal: Dolcetto
Profile
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Acidity
Alcohol
Body
Intensity of Flavor
Sweetness
Tannin
Aroma

violet
bramble
blackberry
raspberry
baking spice
earth

Flavor

violet
bramble
blackberry
raspberry
baking spice
earth
barnyard

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Oak: Mild
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Roederer Estate Brut

Region: USA, California
Type: White,
Varietal: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
don't like as much as 1, chalky, fear statement of champagne, a little drying, (Wanda: stark contrast, startling)
Pairing for: Private: Here’s how to make the experience of eating crab cakes even better.
Profile
None
Low
Med-
Med
Med+
High
Acidity
Intensity of Flavor
Sweetness
Tannin
Aroma

orange zest
red apple
baked pear
marzipan
almond skin
burnt sugar

Flavor

Caramel
créme brûlée
baked red apple
candied orange peel

Texture

creamy
bready

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ABV: 12.50%
Oak: Some
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Private: Here’s how to make the experience of eating crab cakes even better.
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Romagnoli I Marche Il Bianco di Casa IGT

Region: Marches, Italy
Vintage Tested: 2018
Type: White, Still
Varietal: Blend
Profile
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Acidity
Alcohol
Body
Intensity of Flavor
Sweetness
Tannin
Aroma

nutty
oxidative
bruised Macintosh apple
mushroom
honey
yellow apple

Flavor

nutty
oxidative
bruised McIntosh apple
mushroom
honey

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Oxidation: Mild
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Romagnoli Il Bianco di Casa IGT

Region: Marches, Italy
Vintage Tested: 2018
Type: White, Still
Varietal: Verdicchio, Malvasia, Trebbiano
I like the texture. It's not perfect. The texture holds up to soy, scallions, fish.
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

bitter, yellow flowers, bitter melon, bruised apples, seaweed, umami

Texture

Round

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ABV: 13.00%
Oxidation: Mild
Pairings where we tested this wine...
Private: Steamed Whole Fish with Ginger, Scallions, and Soy
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Romano Clelia Colli di Lapio Fiano di Avellino

Region: Fiano di Avellino, Campania, Italy
Vintage Tested: 2018
Type: White, Still
Varietal: Fiano
Profile
None
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Med
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Acidity
Alcohol
Body
Intensity of Flavor
Sweetness
Tannin
Aroma

peach
butter
canned fruit cocktail

Flavor

canned pineapple juice
peaches
butter
canned fruit cocktail

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