A Sideways Moment

Like every good wine lover, I have seen the infamous 2004 movie, Sideways, numerous times – am even working on the book series by Rex Pickett – and am constantly enthralled by the hamburger scene at the end. Miles, played by Paul Giamatti, sits in a fast-food restaurant eating a hamburger and drinking a bottle of 1961 Cheval Blanc out of any basic cup you find in these establishments. For many in the wine community, this would be the upmost blasphemy. Trust me, you should have seen the snobbery I would get when I worked at a winery and would tell people that the wine I was pouring went well with barbecue, or even a Crunchwrap Supreme from Taco Bell. The horror! Anyways, I adore this scene because it is so real. Not everything in life is an exquisite bottle of wine and a fancy meal. In fact, I think pairing the extraordinary with the basic creates the most magical moments of all.

               I am the farthest thing from a foodie there is. Honestly, I think this whole foodie movement is just a way for people to try and show each other up on whatever crap social media outlet is in at the time by doing something everyone does, eat. For me, good food is not trying to combine a bunch of weird ingredients into a classic dish, it is a classic dish done well. This can come from a five-star restaurant, a fast-food joint, or the frozen pizza you know you have stuffed in your freezer. Good food is whatever makes you smile and your tastebuds dance.

Since my foray into wine, I wanted to have my own “Sideways Moment.” I wanted to take a famous quaff and pair it with something pretentious wine folks would freak out about. This dream came true when my husband got me a bottle of Château Margaux Premier Grand Cru Classé 2016 for our anniversary. An indescribable, delectable wine, I had it with my favorite Carl’s Jr. meal, a Famous Star with Cheese and waffle fries. Sitting in comfy sweats, having an enjoyable conversation with my husband, while savoring every bite of burger and sip of that most amazing of wines was such a wonderful and unforgettable moment in my life.

Knowing about my love of food and wine pairing, and my love of Sideways Moments, my husband found me the coolest gift one Christmas. It was a book called Big Macs and Burgundy: Wine Pairings for the Real World by Vanessa Price and Adam Laukhuf. This book was awesome! It gave pairings for everyday foods people have in their kitchens, pairings for restaurants generally overlooked by wine enthusiasts, and twists on classic wine and food pairings. I devoured every page and marked pairing after pairing that I just had to try. One of the most thrilling of these pairings was from the title, a Big Mac paired with a Burgundy.

A number one fan of Pinot Noir, I try and snatch up decently priced and rated Burgundies whenever I get a chance. When I picked up a bottle of Aurelien Verdet Pinot Noir Morey-Saint-Denis Grand Vin de Bourgogne 2016, I knew just what had to be done. This wine had to be paired with that McDonald’s classic. The opportunity to complete this mission presented itself when my husband went on a guy’s trip. After a day of getting some much needed projects completed, I decided to reward myself with a writing extravaganza on my patio while partaking in a Micky D’s and Burgundy feast. I was not disappointed by this event.

               Ruby in color, the wine greeted me with aromas of red fruit, violets, forest floor and meat cooked over a campfire. On the palate, my taste buds were tantalized with notes of minerality along with raspberry, blood orange, violet and green olive. I was hooked, and it was now time to try this delicious Pinot Noir with my messy burger. The result? I now had a wine where the raspberry notes just sang, giving me a magical summer evening, Sideways Moment.

               I have many more pairings to try from this book, and I look forward to each and every one, knowing they will be just as memorable as my Big Mac and Burgundy fun. The next time you have a really nice bottle of wine, I hope you take the opportunity to pair it with your favorite junk food. The next time you make a five-star meal, I hope you enjoy it with a simple, no fuss canned wine. Why? Because sometimes it is best to not take things so seriously and enjoy what the moment has to offer. Everyone needs a Sideways Moment every now and again.