The nuanced, layered flavors of an elegant wine or a strong, sippable bourbon pair so well with a lot of the same foods. Cured meats, chocolate, aged cheese, spiced nuts, and more can burst with totally new flavors depending on the bourbon or wine you quaff along with them. So why shouldn’t we explore pairing the wine directly with the bourbon? Chowhound spoke exclusively with The Drinking Coach herself, Tiffanie Barriere, for some expert advice on how to get the most from your drink mixing. Barriere is an award-winning mixologist and cocktail educator and knows exactly how to balance these potent potables.
When a home bartender wants to start experimenting with a wine and whiskey duo, Barriere says, “Focus on balance and intention. Wine has acidity and tannin, bourbon has sweetness and spice. Pair bold with bold, sweet with structure. Taste both together before mixing; if they fight on your tongue, they’ll fight in the glass. The pairing is more of a modifier vs. split base.” Think about how you might use a fortified wine vermouth to sweeten up straight bourbon into a Manhattan. A little port or Madeira wine could modify your bourbon experience in a similar way. But that’s not all. A full-bodied red wine is a great bourbon pairing, too. ” … Syrah, Zinfandel, or even a dry Lambrusco plays well with bourbon’s vanilla and oak,” Barriere says.
Best bet bourbon and wine cocktails
When it comes to bourbon and wine cocktails, you’ve got many choices. If you’ve already cracked how to make the perfect sangria, try swapping in bourbon over the traditional brandy the next time you’re putting the wine punch together. Besides giving red wine sangria a little backbone, bourbon’s warm vanilla spice infuses the fresh-cut fruit with an all-new complexity.
If you’re already a fan of a Manhattan, Tiffanie Barriere suggests a Boulevardier, which incorporates the bittersweet citrus aperitif Campari to round out the sweetness of the red wine vermouth. And for the more adventurous, Barriere recommends a port old fashioned, which replaces simple syrup with a more sophisticated port reduction. To really impress your cocktail party guests, try crafting a New York Sour, a visually stunning concoction that delicately floats a layer of red wine beneath the foamy head of a bourbon sour.
Not feeling the reds? “A solid classic is the Champagne Cocktail,” Barriere says. “Served with cognac in France, but also played well with bourbon in the U.S.”
If you find yourself enjoying the way sparkling wine can lengthen and lighten a stiffer concoction, try adding some to a refreshing Mint Julep. That’s just one of the many ways to blend wine into your cocktails. And there’s no need to worry about spending too much money on wines for mixing, as there are many excellent red blends under $30; you’ll be happily sipping in no time.
