What wine do you offer to someone who ordinarily drinks spirits? It isn’t an easy task; most spirits are quite different from one another, and high alcohol makes identifying their subtleties more challenging.
A good starting point? The use of oak as an aging vessel is common in both wine and spirits. That's why some single malt scotch distilleries even purchase used barrels that have held other spirits or wines like port or madeira. With that in mind, here are wine recommendations for spirited drinkers.
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What wine do you offer to someone who ordinarily drinks spirits? It isn’t an easy task; most spirits are quite different from one another, and high alcohol makes identifying their subtleties more challenging.
A good starting point? The use of oak as an aging vessel is common in both wine and spirits. That's why some single malt scotch distilleries even purchase used barrels that have held other spirits or wines like port or madeira. With that in mind, here are wine recommendations for spirited drinkers.
Single Malt Drinker?
Single malt scotches rely heavily on regional distinctions, especially the water source, so matching wine to whisky can be tricky, so I’ll offer some broad strokes:
The Highlands is by far the most diverse region and home to the sub-region of Speyside where some of the most popular malts come from (Glenlivet, Macallan.) If you prefer these smooth, sweet and mellow Scotches, try substituting a Pinot Noir from Oregon for much of the same effect.
Lowland whisky’s softer, grassy profile is echoed in a moderately oaked Pouilly Fume.
Islay is probably best known for powerfully peaty scotches, a flavor that I often associate as a combination of iodine and smoke. A Sforszato (a type of wine made from dried grapes) from the Valtellina makes a great alternative.
- Single malts from the Campbeltown region tend to be lightly peaty and salty. Try substituting Chablis or a dry Austrian Gruner-Veltliner.
Tequila Sipper?
Tequila and mezcal are categorized by the time they spend aging in oak barrels: Añejo spends 1-3 years, Reposado goes 2-12 months and Blanco up to 2 months. If you enjoy tequila and mezcal’s smokey, salty and citrus tinged flavor profiles, try an old world Syrah, particularly from the Northern Rhone. These are packed with smoky, briny, spicy flavors that will appeal to most tequila and mezcal drinkers.
A gin guzzler?
Gin’s distinctive juniper aroma and flavors is best expressed in the classic London Dry style. London Dry Gin drinkers prefer wines without noticeable sweetness, making Italian whites a great choice, especially Erbaluce and Falanghina. A grassy French Sauvignon Blanc or a dry Alsatian Gewurztraminer could also fit the mold quite nicely.
Cognac sipper?
Cognac and Armagnac are grape distillates that undergo long maturation periods in specific types of oak cask. The French regions of Cognac and Armagnac sit north and south of Bordeaux respectively, so it may not be a far stretch for someone who likes a good Cognac to also enjoy red Bordeaux. However, I think an Amarone makes a better alternative. Amarone, with its deep flavors of dark chocolate, dried fruit and oak, along with its higher alcohol and slightly bitter finish, offers a level of complexity that the brandy lover can appreciate.
Vodka drinker?
Most vodka is distinguished by its mouth feel: smoother potato-based vodka has a higher viscosity than grain-based counterparts. Loire Valley Muscadet is generally crisp and clean, with a bit more body than your average easy drinking white.
Drink American Whiskey?
American Whiskey is a broad category that includes Bourbon, Rye, Malt, Wheat and Corn Whiskies. With the exception of Corn Whiskey, all of these spirits are all aged in new oak, which helps contribute to their sweet charred, vanilla flavors.
Bourbon lovers will enjoy Washington State Merlot, which can be bold and powerful with a heavy dose of new oak aging.
- Rye, currently enjoying a resurgence in popularity, has a spicier, more aggressive flavor profile evocative of a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
Like port-barrel aged whiskies?
If you happen to enjoy Glenmorangie Port Wood, QR, or Balveine Port Wood try a dry Touriga Nacional from Portugal’s Douro region. Touriga Nacional is the main grape in port and some of the nuances found in the aforementioned scotches will also be found in these wines, it also makes for an interesting story.