In case you didn’t read part 1, here’s the quick recap: I went to the CIA BevPro Summit in March and they had a music and wine pairing workshop. It was brilliant and the flavors of the wine really did change perceptions on the taste. I did some research and wanted to try some of my own music and wine pairings.

This playlist is for the 50’s lovers – Ella Fitzgerald, James Darren, The Hilltoppers and others. Many different styles of wine are listed. Try them out and let me know what you think!

Blue Skies – Ella Fitzgerald /  Talbott Vineyards Sleepy Hollow Block 48 West Pinot Noir / Sleepy Hollow Pinot Noir

This is a cheeky song and deserves to be paired with a cheeky wine. The whole time Ella sings this song it seems that she has a secret she’s sharing with you. Talbott did a wonderful job with this Pinot Noir. Block 48 has 100% new oak and you’d never know unless you were told (or a master sommelier). Apparently I had this wine as a special release, so if you can’t get your hands on it the classic Sleepy Hollow Pinot Noir will do very nicely as well. It’s a little more fruit forward than spice forward, but that goes nicely with the playful elements in this song. This integration is impeccably done, the balance of all the flavors yields a wine that is ethereal, easy to drink and exciting. It’ll be all Blue Skies with this pairing.  

I love My Girl – The Hilltoppers / Iron Horse 2015 Ocean Reserve Blanc De Blancs

This song is so fun, the melody is upbeat, easy to sing with, and makes you want to bop back and forth as soon as it starts. This wine, is one of my favorites because it supports sustainable fishing practices and raises awareness about Ocean health, and it’s just plain delicious. It’s bubbles will make you scrunch your nose and smile the first sip you take. Drink with all those you adore. 

Pennies From Heaven – Louis Prima, San Butera & The Witnesses / Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Brand, Grand Cru Alsace

There’s a lot going on in this classic song. The upbeat tempo, the pantheon of instruments, the fast-paced singing and “do-wop-do-do”s all create the urge to go dancing in the rain. Zind-Humbrecht Riesling is in my top 3 favorite wines of all time. When I drink this wine, it seems that raindrops could indeed be pennies from heaven. It’s full of vivacious flavors of green apple, lemons, honeyed peaches, and a minerality that grounds the wine to prevent it from being fruity or sweet. Definitely add this wine to your wine bucket-list. If you don’t want to spend quite so much, the classic, non-grand cru wine is only $28 here.

Let’s Fall In Love – James Darren / Marie Thibault Premier Nez

This wine will make you want to fall in love. This is Marie Thibault’s “First Nose” or from the vineyard where she first plated grapes. This is 100% Chenin Blanc grapes, from the Loire Valley in Tourraine. There are notes of riper fruits drizzled with honey. The wine has a body to it that gives longevity on the palette. It won’t fade too quickly like other Chenin Blanc styles can. I would also pair, You Make Me Feel So Young by Frank Sinatra with this wine.

I’m Old Fashioned (Remastered 2003 / Rudy Van Gelder Edition) – John Coltrane /  Broc Cellars Nero d’Avola

This is a beautiful smokey, full bodied, chewy wine. It’s a wine you want to muse on. This winery’s building used to be an old abandoned warehouse in Berkeley, which makes it fit all that much more with the music. The jazzy notes in this song, the muted brass instruments and background snare drums all contribute to the feeling of a big chair, a full glass of this red wine and a fireplace. This wine also has some lighter fruit notes that correlate with the lighter and upbeat piano instrumentals as well. Drink together while with your favorite person in your favorite room. 

All of these songs can be found on Spotify in the All Out 50’s Playlist. Curious about having your own pairing session? You can give me a list/genre of music and I can send you some suggestions for the wines, or vice versa. Contact me for more information.