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Wines to Pair with Reality TV Shows
October 16, 2004
Karen MacNeil, host of the PBS series "Wine, Food, and Friends" and author of The Wine Bible, says that comparing wines to the "personalities" of reality TV shows is a fun way to learn about different types of wines. Here's what she suggests for The Donald and more.
- The Apprentice: Petite Sirah. It could trump Trump at his own game. Tough as nails, thick skinned, and with a structure (read ego) that's monolithic, Petite Sirah isn't petite at all. The name's a cunning ploy…extra points for boardroom subterfuge.
- The Bachelor: Pinot Noir. The very idea of "The Bachelor" has Pinot Noir written all over it. There's the endless-search-for-perfection part (Pinot Noir lovers are relentless in their pursuit). Then there's the sexy subtext of the search (Pinot's texture is as sensual as…never mind).
- Survivor: Vanuatu: Cote-Rotie. The vinous equivalent of the primal scream. Made from syrah grapes in France's northern Rhone Valley, Cote-Rotie seems like a nice red wine - at first sip. But with a little time, all its primitive wild flavors come unleashed.
- Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica: Asti Spumante. Just a little ditzy (I mean: fizzy) and naughty (in a fresh, lively sort of way). Of course, they're exuberant and charming, though a little naïve - the bubbles, that is.
- Growing Up Gotti: Sauvignon Blanc. Flaunting its appeal as the "bad girl" of white grapes, Sauvignon is sassy, wild, dangerous (in a feminine sort of way) and above all, could walk onto the set of "The Sopranos" and give those Chiantis a run for their money.
- Average Joe IV: Shiraz. It may not be flashy or drive fast cars, but there isn't a more loveable red wine around.
- Queer Eye for the Straight Guy: Insider's tip from the Fab 5: drink the style of Sherry called Fino: it's hauntingly dry and powerful.
- The Real Gilligan's Island: Boxed Chardonnay. Not only is it packaged in a seaworthy, unbreakable container but Chardonnay is a perfectly fresh, light wine that's tasty and not too complex to figure out. Save the intellectual complexities for figuring out how to get off the island.
- The Amazing Race: Cabernet Sauvignon. You can travel the world in a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon (it grows in just about every corner of the globe, from Texas to the Golan Heights).
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