Pre-spring break diets and New Year’s fitness resolutions are being tested this month as the season of Girl Scout cookies is upon us. For those who have found a way to sneak a cookie (or six) into their diet, or for those who have already made peace with their demise, allow me to further tempt you with wine pairings.
Full disclosure here: I am not a wine expert, nor connoisseur, but more an educated hobbyist. I might not be able to tell the difference between a $10 or $30-d bottle, but I know when the occasion calls for Prosecco versus a port.
Caramel-deLites/Samoas and white wine: These caramel and toasted coconut treats are perfect to pair with an equally sweet and creamy white wine. Toasted Head chardonnay from Dunnigan Hills of Yolo County, California, is a perfect choice with its aromas of spice, pear, nectarine and vanilla. With a creamy texture, this wine has a long soft finish and a hint of toasted butterscotch oak. (Toasted Head Chardonnay, 750ml, Liquors 44, $9.99)
Peanut Butter Patties/Tagalongs and red wine: These peanut butter and chocolaty bits of heaven are ideally accompanied by a medium-to-sweet red wine like a petite Syrah or pinot noir. Try a McManis petite Syrah if you’re big on dark-berry fruit flavors, as this wine is soft and round with hints of milk chocolate. If you stay away from red wine because of the dry aftertaste, try Redtree pinot noir with its strawberry and cherry flavors and light tannin finish. If you have a serious sweet tooth or just feeling adventurous, then try a chocolate dessert wine like Désirée which is a tawny port (meaning it is a blend of port wine that’s been aged in wood barrels for at least two years) with chocolate, coconut and vanilla aromas. (McManis pettie syrah, 750ml, Liquors 44, $11.99; Redtree pinot noir, 750ml, Liquors 44, $7.99; Désirée chocolate dessert wine, 375ml, Liquors 44, $22)
Thin Mints: Again, full disclosure on this one: I do not like mint so I did not taste test them. But wine columnist Scott Greenberg in his own article, “How to Pair Wine with Girl Scout Cookies,” suggested a 2010 John Duval Entity Shiraz from Australia or the 2009 Arns Syrah “Melanson Vineyard” from Napa Valley, California. And in a Huffington Post article, wine expert Kris Margerum said a deep, rich port like Noval Vintage Ruby Reserve was the way to go.
Short Bread/Trefoils and sparkling wine: Short bread has a nice rich buttery-ness which is perfect for a sparkling wine like Prosecco. Ruffino Prosecco has fruity notes of apples pears and citrus; a clean and delicate taste. (Ruffino Prosecco, 750ml, Liquors 44, $9.99).
Do-si-dos/Peanut Butter Patties and strawberry or raspberry zinfandel: These oatmeal and peanut butter sandwich cookies can easily be paired with a strawberry or raspberry zinfandel like Ravenswood Vintners which has sweet notes of ripe raspberry, blackberry and vanilla flavors. (Ravenswood Vintners Zinfandel, 750ml, Liquors 44, $7.99)
Lemonades or Savannah Smiles and white wine: Lemonades are delightfully tangy lemon frosted shortbread cookies and Savannah Smiles are zesty lemon cookies with powdered sugar. Both are ideally matched with a refreshing white wine like Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc. One of the premier producers of Napa Valley wine, Duckhorn is a lovely choice for wine drinkers who don’t mind paying a bit more. The 2013 sauvignon blanc is nicely balanced with aromas of grapefruit, melon, lemongrass and lime. A refreshing wine from start to finish, it has a mid-palate complexity. (2013 Duckhorn Savignon Blanc, 750ml, $29)
Emma Sandler can be reached at [email protected].
