The "Impossible" Food & Wine Pairing

Learning to pair wine with food is like solving a puzzle — once the pieces fit, everything clicks. But even the most seasoned wine enthusiasts encounter challenges, like notorious “unpairable” foods. At the top of that list? Brussels sprouts. This culinary conundrum set the stage for an adventurous pairing experiment, diving into the complexities of wine and one of the trickiest vegetables to match.

What’s In This Video?

Brussels sprouts are often a polarizing vegetable, but when prepared correctly, they can transform into an irresistible side dish - yet are still notoriously tricky to pair with wine. Thankfully, a trip to Sebastopol’s Blue Ridge Kitchen and The Punchdown wine bar gave the perfect chance to experiment and uncover the secrets to pairing this veggie with wine.

At Blue Ridge Kitchen, Chef Matt, a fellow Brussels sprout enthusiast, prepares these little gems to perfection: caramelized in the fryer, seasoned with salt, brightened with lemon juice, and drizzled with a surprising pomegranate sauce. The combination of sweet, salty, and tangy flavors sparks the realization that these elements (acidity, umami, and sweetness) could guide the search for the ideal wine pairing.

At The Punchdown, a natural wine bar known for its unconventional selections, the challenge comes to a head with an exploration of the “unsanctioned” world of natural wines. With guidance from DC, one of the bar's knowledgeable wine experts, three contenders were chosen to pair with the Brussels sprouts:

1. Savagnin – A lemony white with zesty, green notes.

2. Orange Wine – Made from white grapes left on their skins, offering bold aromas and funky complexity.

3. “Tutti Fruity” – A slightly off-dry red with wild, fruity flavors.

The tasting revealed some surprises. The orange wine, while aromatic, turned bitter against the sprouts’ sulfuric notes. The “Tutti Fruity” red, with its hint of sweetness, worked surprisingly well but needed more residual sugar to truly shine. The standout was the Savagnin. Its bright citrus notes complemented the sprouts’ lemon juice and umami richness, creating a harmonious pairing.

The experiment highlighted an exciting takeaway: a whole world of unconventional food and wine pairings is waiting to be explored.

Credits & Shoutouts:

Special thanks to Chef Matt at Blue Ridge Kitchen for sharing his Brussels sprout recipe and DC at The Punchdown for guiding us through their selection of natural wines.

No wineries paid for placement in this video. If they did, then we’d be sure to let you know!