Of the Food & Wine (Restaurant) pairings, this is one of the last “common” entrees you might find. There are a few other unusual ones left worth covering, which I will do in the next several months, as I continue to wrap things up. In this case, I’m talking about your classic pork chop. At many high end restaurants, it tends to be bone-in, but not always. However it comes prepared, I would suggest pairing it with a Pinot Noir, preferably one from the Willamette Valley in Oregon, like La Crema. The restaurant may also have a reasonably affordable French “village” level Burgundy, from one of the lesser regions, which would work just as well. I will talk about the difference between the two below.
The restaurant may have a Pinot by the glass from Sonoma Coast, which would work very well. Their better, by the bottle, Pinot Noirs will most likely come from Oregon or France. So, what’s the difference between the two countries, as far as their Pinots goes? The French Pinot Noirs tend to be mellower & smoother, but also much more expensive. The best Burgundy in the world is a Romanee Conti, which sells for $5,000 to $10,000 a bottle. The American Pinots tend to have stronger flavors (more aggressive) and are usually a bit more acidic (tart). They, however, are much less expensive, usually selling for $50-100.00 a bottle. Personally, I would take a Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley over a Burgundy anytime, you get a much better price point (good wine for less money).
So, why the Pinot Noir with pork? As meat goes, pork is a fatty, somewhat gamey meat, that is frequently dressed with sweet or tangy sauces/ foods. In order to counter that, you need a high acid, low tannin wine like Pinot Noir. It also goes well with smoked pork, because it can have a somewhat “smoky” quality. Likewise, barbequed pork will still pair well with a Pinot, especially an American one. The one red wine I would avoid pairing with pork would be a Cab. Sauv. It would be way to “strong” and over power the meat. As with most other “mellow” red meats, pork pairs best with a good Pinot Noir or a similar varietal at that end of the wine spectrum.
That should take care of this one. Next time, I will go back to Education, with some more info for you. Until then, Cheers!