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Drinking wine is great in itself, but how does one take the experience to the next level? Musical pairings might just be the answer. We enlisted the help of Tracy Kennard, of the ever-so-charming Brunette Wine Bar, whose knack for pairing wines with the perfect song has been our latest obsession. If that weren’t enough, Kennard’s witty description for each bottle manages to capture the quintessence of each respective flavor. Read on to discover Kennard’s latest recommendations for the season’s best wine and music pairings. Spoiler alert: they’re good.
La Grange aux Belles La Chaussée Rouge (2015) / “
Little Bird” –
The Beach Boys Cabernet Franc, Grolleau / Loire Valley, FR The tiny zing on the first sip of this wine might leave the faintest electrical current running through your mind all night long. Light, earthy, a little herbal. Pair with The Beach Boys’ Little Bird, a song that taunts for days and days, long after you’ve listened to it. Weird, simple, and addictive. “If I keep singing, he’ll come back some day”
Tripoz Aligoté (2014) / “
Moving to the Left” –
Woods Aligoté, Burgundy, FR
Our friend used to rent a house in the woods, on the edge of Woodstock. In order to deter bears, he stored his trash in an old Volvo that was left on the property. This wine is like that: Hints of rotting celery, mineral egg shells, coffee grounds, and warm earth. A veritable funk on the nose that yields to a rich, energetic, and lively wine. Natural decay in the most posh of places. “All of my life, is this happenin’ again Are we floating by and by”
Brignot-Steen Freedom of Peach (2014) / “
Rusholme Ruffians” –
The Smiths Cabernet Sauvignon / Ardèche, FR
It’s the last night of the fair, and you’re kissing someone behind the cotton candy stand. This is how Brignot-Steen’s rosé, Freedom of Peach, makes you feel. It’s wild and gritty. A bit off-dry with a respectable amount of funk. Inimitable and delicious. Pair with The Smiths’ Rusholme Ruffians. Or, really, any track off of Meat Is Murder. “I might walk home alone, but my faith in love is still devout.”
Domaine de Bellevue La Galoche (2015) /
“
Hello It’s Me” –
Todd Rundgren Gamay / Burgundy, FR
There’s a scene in The Virgin Suicides when the neighborhood boys call the Lisbon girls. Gathered around their record player, they dial and place the needle on the record. When the girls answer, out pumps Todd Rundgren’s “Hello It’s Me.” We’ve heard this song a million times, but in this scene it’s charged. From the first note, your pulse races. You might wonder: Has the record been sped up? It hasn’t been, but your heart speeds, just the same. This light-bodied Gamay is Todd Rundgren, bottled. An easy-drinking, crowd-pleasing, everyday red – so innocent and expected, yet one sip in and it’s heart eyes all around.
“I’ll come around to see you once in a while or if I ever need a reason to smile”
Denis Lattard Roussanne (2014) / “Everyone’s In Love With You” –
David Byrne Roussanne / Rhône Valley, FR
This song, right? It’s a little pokey, a little petty. But the honesty is charming and wins you over in the end. It pairs perfectly with Denis Lattard’s Roussanne. One of our favorite winter whites, it’s weighty, savory, and unassuming – until you realize you’ve finished the bottle. “All the world’s discovered my big secret Everyone’s in love with you”
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