3.14159265359…
For those of us who have been out of math class for a while, as a refresher, π (pi – pronounced “pie”) is the mathematical constant that defines the ratio of of a circle’s circumference to its diameter.
Wait…
What does this have to do with wine?
Well, since our buddy Larry Shaw threw the first major-scale celebration for the mathematical constant at the Exploratorium in San Francisco (same city we are based in) in 1988, and decided to celebrate with offering a number of fruit pies to devour in copious amounts – which has become, say, a culinary constant to celebrate the day – we decided to celebrate this year by offering our favorite pies and our favorite wine pairings for them.
While fruit pies were the way to celebrate initially, the pie game has expanded quite a bit from the early days of the celebration to now; sweet pies, savory pies, and even pizza pies!
Without further ado, our favorite pie and wine pairings:
Pepperoni Pizza Pie & Sangiovese
Claaaaaaaaaasic! The Sangiovese cuts beautifully amongst all the cheesy goodness and strong flavors that pepperoni offers. Domestic offerings are good, but the real treat is in the imports, like Chianti Classico!
Chicken Pot Pie & Chardonnay
Not just any Chardonnay, but a smooth, creamy chard without too much oak influence (but some nonetheless). Best choices would be either a Chablis or Macon from France, or a domestic iteration of that style. Currently, our Lot 880 Arroyo Seco Chardonnay would be a strong contender.
Apple Pie & Moscato d’Asti
When it comes to dessert pairings, the wine needs to always be at least as sweet as the dessert otherwise you run the risk of the wine being too astringent and ruining the end of the meal. As apple pie generally isn’t the sweetest pie, it opens a lot of opportunities for the pairing program. Our favorite is the slightly fizzy Moscato d’Asti from the Piemonte region of north Italy. Albeit biased, we love our Lot 836 Moscato d’Asti we currently are offering to cap off the perfect meal in this perfect pairing!
So there you have it! Happy π (pie) Day everyone!