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The Sipping Scene: The oenophile's quandary: what to pair with pigs in blanket?

By TOM VALEO
Published May 18, 2005

ST. PETERSBURG - Wearing faded jeans with crisp white shirt and tie may seem a little incongruous, but sometimes casual and classy work well together. The tie looks more casual with jeans; the jeans look dressier with business attire.

So what kind of wine would go well with pigs in a blanket? That may seem very incongruous, but not to the owners of St. Petersburg's Uncorked Fine Wine and Accessories, who recently hosted a tasting that paired wine with junk food. Wine can dress up snacks, they say, and snacks can make wine seem less formal and fancy.

Okay, so which wine goes well with miniature hot dogs wrapped in white bread?

A 2000 gamay noir from Signal Hill winery in South Africa, which sells for an unassuming $9.99, would work just fine, according to Doug O'Dowd, one of the owners of Uncorked. The bold and earthy red wine compliments a juicy sirloin steak, he says, "but try it with pigs in a blanket - that'll really pull out the earthiness of the wine, and soften it."

Chips and dip? O'Dowd suggests a pinot blanc ($9.99) from Casa Valdugain Brazil, as long as the dip isn't too spicy. If you're looking for a wine to accompany lots of spice, O'Dowd suggests a Muller-Thurgan ($9.99) from the Kramer Vineyards in Oregon. This floral white wine works well with hot salsa, according to O'Dowd, or spicy Thai takeout. So does Bacchus Kabinett ($9.99), a German wine.

A French zinfandel, Z de l'Arjolle ($13.99), is so dry it might make your mouth pucker a little if you drink it alone, said Annette Donovan, another owner. "You need a nice fatty steak to offset the high acidity," she said.

The same is true of Azagador ($8.50), a red wine from the La Mancha region of Spain. "It's made out of tempranillo grapes," Donovan said."They're used in Spanish rioja wines."

Z de l'Arjolle and Azagador could accompany a burger or a hot dog nicely, Donovan said. Or, as her eyes brightened, a "grilled steak, with grilled asparagus, with garlic mashed potatoes."

Yes, junk food has its place, but some wines simply cry out for classier company.

- Uncorked is at 2706 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg; (727) 892-9463. Weekly wine tastings are 6:30 p.m. Fridays. Tickets are $10 and proceeds are donated to local charities. May's tastings will benefit A Blooming Place for Kids. For more tastings, see Food File inside the section.

Tom Valeo is a freelance writer based in St. Petersburg.

[Last modified May 17, 2005, 09:41:05]