Last Sunday, I had the pleasure of hosting about ten boys (and three girls) for the ultimate wrestling event of the year: Wrestlemania 25. Yes, I know what some of you are thinking… are you serious?! Wrestling?! Indeed I am, and on top of that it is actually a tradition for my boyfriend and I to host such an annual gathering of machismo and testosterone laced with tiny hints of estrogen. Are all these people hardcore WWE fans? Not so much. But while Wrestlemania might be the excuse we use to gather our friends for a day, the thing that truly brings us all together (and our city dwelling friends out to the “country”) is the food and drink we serve.

You see, my boyfriend is a chef at Tarry Lodge. He’s been a chef all his professional life, and gets immense pleasure out of cooking delicious food for friends and family. He’s especially keen on barbecuing and smoking, both of which were done on Sunday.

Me, I love to open people up to new libations, beer or wine, and the pairing possibilities that they have to offer. We had a smorgasbord of different brews to choose from, ranging from Otter Creek Copper Ale to Samuel Adams Imperial Stout. I also made my wine collection available to those who wanted some vino, and who had enough wine knowledge to make an informed selection from my sizeable inventory.

Being that the weather was beautiful that afternoon, I wanted to start with a full bodied white wine, which I must confess I don’t drink much of during the colder winter months. So, to pair with appetizers of assorted cheeses and crackers, I opened up a Sylvain et Nathalie Langoureau 2003 1er Cru La Garenne Puligny-Montrachet. A beautiful minerality dominated the nose, followed by a lush and round mouthfeel loaded with ripe apple and citrus flavors. Hints of almond and subtle spice laced the crisp and clean finish. While the 2003 vintage was a warm one in Burgundy, and this wine exhibited rather ripe characteristics, it was by no means overripe and still showed ample structure and acidity. A perfect match with the Manchego.

As we moved on to the ridiculously spicy hot wings, I decided a brew would be a better choice. I opted for the Deschutes Cinder Cone Red, a spring seasonal beer from Deschutes Brewery in Bend, OR. The brew is a lovely American Amber with a rich brick color and citrusy hop-infused aromas. The palate is big and hearty, with plenty of tangerine citrus backed by notes of roasted caramel malt. The strong but not overly dominating hop characteristics followed by malty sweetness made the beer a perfect choice for the hot wings, as the resiny oils seemed to tame the heat and then lead into a welcome finish of toasty sweetness.

Finally, with the “main course” of hickory smoked St. Louis style spareribs and pulled pork shoulder slathered in a homemade Paulaner Oktoberfest barbecue sauce, I decided to go back to wine with a Podere Brizio 2000 Brunello di Montalcino (actually, a friend made the selection). What a choice! The wine was perfect with the smoked meat, as the aromas and flavors of dried berries, cocoa and plum backed by delicate, dusty tannins perfectly complemented the sweet smokiness of the meat. The dry, lingering finish loaded with cherry and chocolate cut right through any lingering stickiness from the sauce and the strong wood and smoke characteristics of the meat. Needless to say, I was definitely very satisfied by the end of the evening.

So, still feel like laughing at my Wrestlemania party? Oh, what’s that? You want to come next year? I don’t blame you. Just tell me… what pairing suggestions will you bring to the table?

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