Cigar Social Network
Pepper in wines vs. pepper in cigars
As a cigar smoker, I have been used to tasting cigars that are peppery, but I had not really developed a strong sense of what it is like in wine.
But then recently, I was in a wine store in New York City (Bachus, woohoo!) with my girlfriend Therese, and we were picking out a bunch of reds and whites to pair with some meals to come in the near future.
I went for a Malbec just because it looked decent, and lo-and-behold, when Therese read the blurb posted next to it, they said that it paired well with strip steak, which was what we were having for dinner that night! And it also mentioned being a good pairing with cigars too!
So we opened the bottle before dinner, I poured a glass, gave it a swirl or two, and took an exploratory sip. Wow, that thing burned my soft palate. But there were hints of some nice bold flavors that would come to the front, I thought, once the wine had stood for a while and had a chance to mellow, and lose some of its bite.
Well, I waited, and the bite remained. I mentioned this to Therese, and she concurred and said that was what she liked about the wine - its spiciness. Aha. It hit me then - this was the same kind of spiciness I've been used to in cigars.
After that, I grew to appreciate this wine. We didn't write down the brand, but next time we are in Bacchus, you can bet we will look for it!
But then recently, I was in a wine store in New York City (Bachus, woohoo!) with my girlfriend Therese, and we were picking out a bunch of reds and whites to pair with some meals to come in the near future.
I went for a Malbec just because it looked decent, and lo-and-behold, when Therese read the blurb posted next to it, they said that it paired well with strip steak, which was what we were having for dinner that night! And it also mentioned being a good pairing with cigars too!
So we opened the bottle before dinner, I poured a glass, gave it a swirl or two, and took an exploratory sip. Wow, that thing burned my soft palate. But there were hints of some nice bold flavors that would come to the front, I thought, once the wine had stood for a while and had a chance to mellow, and lose some of its bite.
Well, I waited, and the bite remained. I mentioned this to Therese, and she concurred and said that was what she liked about the wine - its spiciness. Aha. It hit me then - this was the same kind of spiciness I've been used to in cigars.
After that, I grew to appreciate this wine. We didn't write down the brand, but next time we are in Bacchus, you can bet we will look for it!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Brian D. on
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Oh, if only Jimbob typed the word 'pepper' the same way he pronounces it, 'peppah', the second sentence of his post above would be so much more enjoyable.
The old formula (pre-corporatized and screwed up) Henry Clay cigars were the king of pepper-y goodness back in the day.
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Permalink Reply by Charming Karl, Cookie King on -
I know I'm pasting "East Coast lazy liberal, responsible for everything that's wrong with this country" all over my forehead by announcing my interest in wine, but there are many parallels between wine and cigars. And in fact, much of the connoisseurship in cigars is based on that of wines. It's no coincidence that Marvin Shanken of CA also publishes Wine Spectator.
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Permalink Reply by Charming Karl, Cookie King on
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I'm more of a taramosalata and duck pate kind of guy.
Malbec is my current favorite for pairing with cigars. I also like port, and am looking forward to getting into sherry!
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Permalink Reply by JohnLongIsland on -
will trade your cookie recipe for my taramosalata recipe....
the best example of that pepper taste is found in wines from the rhone region...
look for anything from the 2007 vintage, especially $10 cotes du rhone types...
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Permalink Reply by Charming Karl, Cookie King on
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Well, Ecuadorian grown Connecticut seed and the like we hear for cigar wrappers all the time. Is that what you mean? That gives you the mixture of genetics/type and climate...
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Permalink Reply by Jerry Kontur on -
Besides Malbec, I've also found that for my taste the bit of peppery spice in a Red Zinfandel also pairs very well with a bolder cigar. Just don't try it with anything less than a full medium bodied smoke.
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Permalink Reply by Ciro "The Jersey F%$K"™ on -
As strange as this may sound I'll place a dried jalapeno pepper in my red wine, it really adds to the flavor.
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