Coming from an Irish family, St. Patrick’s Day is one of my favorite holidays. Everyone seems to think this is the beer and whiskey type of holiday day for obvious reasons. However, Irish meals- especially this one- pair perfectly with wine! In fact, I enjoyed my first glass of wine while living abroad in Ireland, although, I was certainly more into Bulmers (Magners) hard cider!
Corned Beef and Cabbage
This meal is
really more of an Irish-American tradition. Trust me I know, I’ve been eating
it every year of my life! Although, cabbage is an Irish staple, it is paired
more often with pork. When Irish-Americans were unable to get pork due to its
unavailability, they substituted the salty beef that we know as corned beef.
Now onto the important stuff… the wine
pairing. Even though this meal seems hearty with beef, potatoes, and
carrots it is generally boiled changing how powerful the flavors are, making
them lighter. This is why we suggest pairing
with Biggio Hamina Pinot Noir from Eola-Amity Hills AVA,
Oregon. This wine is hearty enough to stand up next to the salty boiled meat
and earthy enough to not overwhelm the boiled cabbage, potatoes, and carrots.
Fish ‘n Chips
For those
that don’t know Fish ‘n Chips is basically deep fried fish (generally
haddock or cod) with French fries (the thick steak kind).
This dish is one that pairs well with some beers - if that is your drink
of choice. However, we are here to talk about wine. The Fox Run Semi-Dry
Riesling from right here in the Finger Lakes would be an ideal wine
pairing. The citrus notes pair well with the lemon that is suggested that your
squeeze over your fish, while the acidity is high enough to cut through the fat
of the fried breading. The slight sweetness to the wine will also match that of
the malt vinegar you are dipping your chips into!
Dessert
To
compliment this Irish feast I would recommend trying your hand at baking with
some Guinness cupcakes, topped with Baileys butter cream frosting and a glass
of Jameson on the side!
All wines
and spirits are available for purchase at Pittsford Wine and Spirits.
