A few favorite pairings!

About a month ago, I was invited to an event in the city, put on by ALDI at Corkbuzz (one of my favorite little wine bars here) for an evening of wine tasting + delicious pairings! Their low prices and selection (especially when it comes to my three favorite food groups: wine, cheese, and meats) were amazing! All of the wines we tasted were delicious – and in most cases, under $10 a bottle. I sampled a ton and learned a few tips to up my hostess-ing game (for example: at my next party, I am 1,000% starting off with bite sized fried chicken + a champagne toast. It might just be the most delicious pairing of all!

But today we are here to talk about ALDI’s gorgeous artist collaboration, with the amazingly talented Timothy Goodman. These bottles (which are so affordable) are stunning and available in-store starting today (for the perfect hostess gift – they’ll look so beautiful on any bar cart). There are three varietals: a red wine blend, a chardonnay, and a cabernet sauvignon. I’ve always been a big red wine drinker so that was my preference, but honestly all three are so good. And the best part is the bottles are only $9.99 each – such a fantastic value!

Here are a few pairing ideas for each wine!

Cabernet Sauvignon – This pairs best with beef skirt steak, grilled eggplant and zucchini, and braised greens. It would be really delicious with homemade beef fajitas, though it would work just as well with steak or a big juicy burger.

Red Wine Blend – This is an approachable, easy red, which goes best with braised meats (think beef, pot roast, ribs, and pork belly).

Chardonnay – Tropical and citrusy, this goes best with soft white fishes, goat cheese, mint, and comfort food. It would be perfect with pasta in cream sauce… or shrimp scampi.

To accompany my wines, ALDI sent over a mixture of delicious cheeses + meats. I was a big fan of the Specially Selected Prosciutto Panino (it paired so nicely with the cabernet!) and I couldn’t stop snacking on the Appleton Farms Bite Size Dry Salami (this paired particularly well with the red wine blend!). I also love that ALDI carries a wide range of gluten-free products – while I’m not gluten free I always like to have that option as so many of my friends are. The liveGfree Brown Rice Crisps are so yummy!

Created in partnership with ALDI. Photography by Trent Bailey.