19 Nov 5 Unexpected Holiday Dessert and Wine Pairings
(Posted by Paste Magazine, November 19, 2015)
Make room for dessert…wine
What’s better than dessert? The answer is simple: dessert wine. That syrupy ambrosia, that delightful nectar! How it tickles the tongue, placates the belly, and soothes the mind. The holidays are here, and it’s a wonderful time to double fist at dessert, with a spoon in one hand and a cordial glass in the other. Here are five merry pairings with desserts to make any season joyful.
Pumpkin Pie with Late-Harvest Sicilian Syrah
The Camporeale Kaid Late Harvest hits like cupid’s arrow: one touch, and the imbiber falls hopelessly in love. The Sicilian dessert wine has a very earthy, soft, sweet-but-not-too-sweet taste with notes of wild cherry , tobacco, and black pepper. An American fall holiday classic, pumpkin pie bears a similar hearty warmth. These mini-pies came from pastry chef Diana Valenzuela atélan restaurant, who makes hers with a five-spice and amaro crust, topped with lavender pecans. The pairing is a crowd pleaser, as the more savory of American desserts balances delightfully with this very sweet wine. The earthy notes of both the pumpkin and the wine came out together, giving a very grounded, comforting effect.
