For dinner last night, I felt like having breakfast. I have this recipe where I combine 10 eggs with one package of tater tots and a half of a chopped onion. Sometimes, I add bacon or sausage, or I substitute leeks for the onion. Then, it’s topped with whatever cheese I have on hand. Combine that with a dark green salad and an orange dressing and you have a pretty good meal, with not too much effort. I decided that I wanted wine and went to pull a bottle. As I was looking through my latest purchases, I realized that I had purchased only red wines. There was not a white one in the bunch.
With eggs, I would normally drink a dry sparkling or an unoaked Chardonnay but I didn’t have either. Then, I spotted the Sterling Vintner’s Collection Pinot Noir. It could work. It’s light and the oak is not very prominent. Since I like drinking Sangiovese with potato and egg frittatas, the combination had promise.
The Pairing
This wine worked very nicely. It has the flavors of cherry and cranberry, with a little hint of strawberry in the aftertaste. It also has a hint of rose and cinnamon. The mineral quality reminds me of the smell of water evaporating off of wet cement and balances out the fruity character of the wine. The tannins and alcohol are low, making this a very easy drinking wine. The more sulfur component of the eggs brought out more of the mineral character of the wine and the wine did not dominate the more mild flavors of the egg and potato. Is it a perfect pairing? No. It would be better paired with roasted duck or other poultry and I will probably be serving this for Thanksgiving. However, this wine is delicious on it’s own and is perfect for an evening nightcap.
Wine Enthusiast
While I don’t really pay attention to wine scores, this wine was ranked number 24 in Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Best Buys 2020, with a score of 90. This is a wine I recommend keeping on hand for any occasion. It it is versatile enough for game nights or dinner parties and will please everyone.