The adventure: For a high-end experience, go with a demi-sec
Champagne. They're the "driest version of a dessert Champagne, but
aren't so sweet as to ever taste cloying," he says. And you won't
even need a spoon to clear the top of your palate of lingering
peanut butter - the Champagne's scrubbing bubbles will take care of
that for you.
Easy: Buehler Vineyards Napa Valley White
Zinfandel 2005 ($10)
Adventure: Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Demi-Sec Champagne NV
($48)
Canned chicken noodle soup
Liquid on liquid
is, forgive the pun, a "slippery slope," says Wesson.
The easy choice: Portuguese Vinho Verdes provide a refreshing break
from the salt in canned soup. The lightly bubbly beverage is also
just plain fun to drink.
The adventure: For an "esoteric combination," Wesson suggests a
Fino Sherry. The fortified wine, which is a swell match for salty
foods, will feel heavier than the soup, upending the texture
contrast provided by the lighthearted Vinho Verde.
Easy: Famega Vinho Verde 2006 ($6)
Adventure: Domecq Dry Fino La Ina Sherry
NV ($17)
Barbecued ribs with a slightly sweet vinegar-based wet
rub
It's all about wildly fruity reds for this sweet, tangy dish.
The easy choice: A Beaujolais Villages will have you sipping pretty
with your
napkin-busting meal. But don't go for a fancy Beaujolais Cru - you
want a young "grapy and shamelessly gulpable" Beaujolais, Wesson
says.
The adventure: It's time for the bubbly soda of wines - a dry
Lambrusco. Though they're treated with great respect in their home
region of Emilia Romagna,
Italy, they got a bad rap in the United
States during the 1970s when cheap versions were widely
distributed. Since then, they "have really come into their own,"
says Wesson. "They're complex wines with real substance to them."