I have to admit something, this story was selfishly written...flashback to a couple of Fridays ago when I arrived home from work and promptly decided to TGIF-out to the maximum by throwing on pajamas (at oh, six o'clock), putting in a massive made-for-a-family-of-five Seamless order from my local noodle shop and deciding to not leave my apartment for the entire night (and most likely half of Saturday), but then I had a conundrum: I needed wine (because what’s a Friday night locked inside your apartment, if not one spent polishing off a bottle). While I’m usually a serial orderer when it comes to wine (red, heavy bodied, preferably from France), I was pretty stumped on what would best pair with my super fancy (but also sweet, spicy and fried) meal of General Tso’s chicken. Which is where sommelier (turned YouTuber) Whitney Adams comes in. Flash forward to the next week at work where I promptly got in touch with Whitney and asked her to enlighten me with her wine expertise. To you know, prevent this kind of situation from happening again. Luckily, Whitney knows her shit and went and provided types of wines (and specific bottles, take notes!) to drink with everything from Chinese food to popcorn (let’s be real, wine + popcorn = the most underrated meal of all time).
Chinese / Thai Takeout
"I could easily say a Kabinett or Feinherb (off-dry) Riesling, because well, Riesling goes with just about everything in my book and is endlessly inspiring to pair with. It is also great with spicier foods because of that little cushion of residual sugar sweetness. But ultimately, I always have a rosé in the fridge and Thai or Chinese is my most ordered 'genre' of food. Therefore: rosé! I like something with some fruit and substance but a nice clean, dry finish. That way it's food-friendly but bold enough to stand up to some heat."
Drink up:2015 Ranchero Cellars Galaxie Rosé
Delivery Pizza
"I love a good Italian red, especially once autumn rolls around. And I love an Italian red with pizza. You know, 'what grows together goes together...' A bright and cheerful Sangiovese is my go-to for a red sauce and a floral and mineral-driven Sicilian Frappato is great with a white pie. And I can't leave out two chilled Italian red sparklers that couldn't be more perfect for a slice or five: Lambrusco and Gragnano. Chuggable and refreshing."
Drink up:2014 Montesecondo Rosso Toscano
Popcorn / Chips
"BUBBLES. All day every day, but also any time you are eating anything crunchy or salty. It's a texture thing. It's also a nice way to feel a little fancy while eating popcorn for dinner in our pajamas. We all do it. There's the usual Prosecco or Cava, and even foamy funky pét-nats, which can be great, but there are some amazing values to be found in the world of Cremant (de Jura, de Bourgogne, de Loire, etc). It's Champagne method sparkling wines but at half the price."