- A couple of nights ago I was invited over to a friend’s house for a dinner party. All I knew was that there would also be other guests there, and I was supposed to arrive at 8. And I needed to bring a bottle of wine.
- I didn’t have a clue what the host would be serving, and, to be honest, I don’t think at the time they invited me they knew either. I also didn’t think to ask who exactly would be there, so I couldn’t rely on already knowing other people’s wine tastes either.
- This is definitely a scenario that is all too common for most of us. We get invited to a party and, because we have very little info, our primary goal is to bring a safe bottle that everyone will enjoy, something that can go with just about anything the host might serve. Usually we wind up heading to the wine store right before the party, and, after over-analysing every bottle on the shelf, choose something blindly and hope for the best.
- To avoid this scenario, I’ve started to develop a list of go-to bottles that I know will please everyone and can adapt to any occasion. This helps me avoid freaking out when I have no idea what to bring. One of these bottles is Dominique Piron Coteaux Bourguignons from Burgundy, France.
- I know what you’re thinking already, “Did he just say one of his go-to bottles is from Burgundy, the land of Pinot Noir and expensive cult collector bottles of wine?” Why, yes I did.
- But you see, while this red wine is from Burgundy, it’s not made from Pinot Noir, instead it’s made from Gamay. That’s because this wine is from the sub-region of Beaujolais, where the winemakers use the Gamay grape instead of the Pinot Noir grape to make their red wines. What you wind up with is a bright, vibrant red wine that tastes a lot like Pinot Noir, for a fraction of the price. And it will pair with almost anything.
- I’ve had this wine with everything from roast chicken to steak to a nice whole grilled fish. It has been great in the winter, served at room temp, as well as in the heat of the summer, served cold after I’ve popped it in the fridge for over an hour. This wine does not disappoint.
- Dominique Piron Coteaux Bourguignons is an easy-going red that says, “hey I’m here and delicious, drink me with whatever you feel like eating, and if you don’t feel like eating, drink me anyway.”
- This is a bottle I’ve relied on time after time, and the one I went to for this particular dinner party. When I showed up I was excited to give this wine to the host, and couldn’t wait to open it, because I knew we’d all think it was delicious.
Adam Teeter
***Grabbed from: http://vinepair.com/wine-blog/vinepair-wine-recommendation-wine-dinner-party/