This month, over 30 brave blogging souls put down their coffee, tea, and mimosa and sallied forth into the world of wine for breakfast! Nearly everyone put aside their bubblies and sweets and found some more or less successful pairings with dry white and red wines.
I have to confess that I have never gone back and read every entry in any past WBW, but as host for this WBW that of course was a job requirement. I have to say that, based on the quality of every single entry here, that I am going to have to revise that policy and make a point of reading all future WBW posts. There is some really great writing out there on wine blogs today!
And now a word from our sponsors! There are two things I want to mention before diving into the wrapup. First, starting next week is the 2009 Take Your Rubber Chicken To Work Week! In a nutshell we ask everyone to take their rubber chicken to work (didn't I just say that?) and send us pictures of their day. Please check back here at El Bloggo Torcido tomorrow for all of the details.
Second, as of this writing the next Wine Blogging Wednesday host has not been confirmed. Check winebloggingwednesday.org for the host, theme and date.
Without further ado, here are the Wine For Breakfast blog posts, for your enjoyment and in no particular order, along with a small amount of pithy commentary. Bon App!
(My WBW post can be viewed here, if you didn't already stumble upon it...)
Several of the posts, focused on classic and "proper breakfasts"....
Rob at Wine Post had a Proper American Breakfast of bacon, eggs, French toast and syrup... and a chocolate pop-tart! - which was paired with a 2007 S.A. Prüm Mosel Riesling. I wasn't expecting pop-tarts!
Ben at the 67Wine blog had a classic bacon and eggs breakfast with a Lard' Des Choix rouge. He also suggested that wild boar bacon would even be better with this wine. Ben, when you get a source for that bacon (and the hedgehog, for that matter) please do let me know!
On-time Tim at Winecast picked at white and a red to pair with his bacon and eggs: a White Rocket Wine Company, “French Maid”, Sauvignon Blanc, Vin de Pays d’Oc 2007; and a Bodegas Borsao, “Red Wine”, Campo De Borja 2007. While both wines looked delicious, I personally can't pass up a French maid...
Alex at Eating Leeds waxed theoretical (he's still drying out from the holidays) about the combination of Chianti with a Proper English Breakfast of bacon, sausages, black pudding, eggs, and bread - all fried! - and home made baked beans. (To this day I cannot think about baked beans without thinking of Ann Margret.)
Jim at Music & Wine put a 2005 Cabernet Franc from Casa Rondeña up against a proper Cleveland breakfast of biscuits, scrambled eggs, home hash, and Thompson seedless grapes, "all covered in truly outstanding sausage gravy." Grapes covered with gravy is not a regional cuisine I have encountered before, but when in Rome...
Andrew at Spittoon suggested a Domaine Dupré Haute Ronze Régnié , 2007, Beaujolais with a Proper Bacon Sandwich. I have never been clear on whether a "rasher" is one slice or several slices of bacon - in this case I hope the latter!
Christianne at Christianne Uncorked,
as part of a classic Southern breakfast whipped up some really delicious sounding cheese grits (though my
lactose intolerance is acting up just at the thought of it!) and paired
it with 2006 Viridian Pinot Noir. Sounds killer, in more ways than one!
And speaking of cheese grits, Ribbie at Ribbie's Weblog also whipped up a batch, along with bacon and biscuits and gravy (all of our arteries are now hardening at the thought.) Ribbie eschewed Pinot Noir in favor of the 2003 Alvear Crianza, made from 100% Tempranillo grapes. The verdict: Grits? Si! Bacon? Si! Biscuits and gravy? No!
It was good to hear from John at Brim to the Dregs. John chose a "freakin' good" 2007 Torbreck Woodcutter's Semillon to drink with his homemade crab cakes (be sure to check out the recipe) and roasted potatoes with red pepper sauce. Perhaps not a classic breakfast, but it sounded good enough to become one in my book! (I want to hear more about those CLDs though!)
Jill at domaine547 stayed mostly kosher with classic scrambled eggs and Lox, paired up with a possibly kosher 2007 Michel-Schlumberger Pinot Blanc “La Bise.” This sounds especially yummy since, as I type this, I am enjoying smoked salmon with horseradish on sourdough, paired with 2006 River of Skulls and the NFC championship game.
And from Spain, where a glass of wine with breakfast is an everyday thing, Ryan and Gabriella at Catavino presented a grand tour of Iberian breakfast and wine traditions, including a Proper Spanish English Breakfast, and "Fat Water".
Others kept it simple and/or theoretical....
Julian at Bobble Brothers drank what was unfinished from the night before with his toast and jam. From the pictures it looks like a Primitivo and a Mosel (However, I shudder to think what a "Klusserather Bruderschaft" could possibly be!)
Remy at Winecase suggested several twists on potential wine/breakfast pairings, not the least of which includes a Slovenian Chardonnay!
David at McDuff's Food & Wine Trail jumped back into the WBW Pool suggesting Chinon, Domaine des Rouet 2005 with a simple breakfast of crusty bread and goat cheese, even though he might prefer a Moscato d’Asti, which he calls "the perfect breakfast wine" - hey, that's what I say about Petite Sirah!
Professor of Wine Blogging Dr. Debs at Good Wine Under $20 chose the 2006 Sean Minor Wines Four Bears Sauvignon Blanc as the perfect pairing for anything cheesy or eggy in the morning. Note that no bunnies were harmed in the writing of her post.
And for their favorite breakfast wine, Joe and Plumboo (The Purple Monkey) at 1WineDude take us on a tour of Crus Beaulolais. Money quote: "...it's like wearing some kind of tasty satin underoos for your tongue."
A few went for pancakes and their ilk...
The prolific Sonadora at Wannabe Wino found that a young 2005 Twisted Oak Tanner Vineyard Syrah paired great with pancakes and bacon - until she put syrup on the pancakes. Then, not so much. Sonadora thinks next time she'll make a wine syrup like BrixChick Liza did (see below).
Michelle at My Wine Education made baked apple pancakes (with recipe!), and paired them with a 2005 Guntrum Riesling and 2007 Bartenura Moscato. Note that they hedged by having a sweet wine available just in case (I don't see this as cheating, though I may have to call off the WBW Police!)
And Debbie at Wine Goddess lost her WBW virginity with an Adair Vineyards 2008 Nouveau, which matched impressively with Creme Brulee French Toast with Drunken Strawberries. Very honored to be your first!
Many went with various egg assemblies...
Molly at Lass in the Vineyard "...chose a Côtes du Rhône Villages 2006 from Domaine de Maran to pair with eggs and sauteed spinach and mushrooms." She finished the eggs under the broiler, but a broiler can be a tricky thing (I've burned plenty of garlic toast in my day) and the eggs were overdone. I hate it when that happens!
Shana Ray at shana; not out on VHS yet has shamelessly teased us with part one of a two-post WBW entry, pairing 2005 Bella Vineyard Zinfandel with a potato, green onion, and tofu bacon frittata. I dunno about tofu bacon (turkey bacon is definitely a non-starter for me) but we'll see in part two I hope! UPDATE: Part two is posted!
Frank at Drink What You Like had a 2005 Volver Tempranillo with a delicious looking baked chorizo, potato, and egg dish. "Wifey" cooked it so there was no recipe (*%#&@!). Guess I'll have to fake it!
Sharon at Bloviatrix was the only one who used Natalie McLean's Wine & Food Matcher to choose the Cantine San Marco Frascati Superiore Secco “CRIO 10″ 2007 to pair with her omelet. (Or she was the only one to admit it!) Resources like that are a great way to get new ideas about putting wine with food.
Kori at Wine Peeps tried a couple of Gewurztraminers with a breakfast casserole, and sour cream biscuits with butter and jalapeño jelly - an interesting combination of spicy and eggy. I've never thought to have biscuits with spicy jelly before, but now it's on my list!
Tim at CheapWineRatings.com made an Italian Strata with Arugula Walnut Pesto, and paired it with the 2007 Santi Sortesele Pinot Grigio. Looks really delicious (though I had understood there wouldn't be a test...)
Last but not least, we have Lenn at LENNDEVOURS who picked a McGregor Vineyard 2007 Dry Riesling to go with Gruyere-Canadian bacon frittata, with lots of caramelized onion. I've always said you can't get enough caramelized onions! Really! I have!
Then there were the big appetites!
Jules at The Wine Wanker despaired of finding the right combination until he went to breakfast at Duke Carvels in Wellington, and found that a 2007 Pra Soave Classico matched very well with "scrambled eggs with chili and a rich tomato sauce, hash cakes (the non illegal kind), a tomato and chickpea casserole, rosemary roasted musshies and some amazing spicy sausage." A light repast that should just about get you to lunch!
Liza at BrixChicks went all out - how many times have you had an amuse bouche for breakfast? A six course tour de force that I can't even begin to summarize, you'll just have to go read about it (whilst I angle on getting an invite to Liza's next dinner breakfast party!) Thea at LusciousLushes was also there and adds her unique perspective.
And finally, those who perhaps did not get the memo...
From the Netherlands, Mariëlla at Wijnkronieken can perhaps be forgiven for selecting a cava, having discovered it in Barcelona only two weeks ago! So, the WBW Police will not be called out for pairing a semi-seco cava with fresh fruit and raisin bread.
However, Taster B at Smells Like Grape opined that a "buttery Montagny 1er Cru or a nice bright Alsace Pinot Gris" would go great with her delicious-looking frittata, but having neither of those available she defected to a Hefeweizen. Having "Hefe" in the name was a nice touch, but it may not be enough to prevent a visit from the WBW Police...!
And as a bonus and true to her oeurve, Ashley at The Beer Wench featured a post entitled "The Perfect Beer for Pancakes." And no, she doesn't mean in the batter!
I'd like to thank again all of the bloggers and readers who participated! (And thank you for reading this far...;) If I missed anyone please let me know and I will add you to the wrapup. And I hope to see everyone in the next WBW!
Thanks for the great round up!
Posted by: Sonadora | January 19, 2009 at 04:51 PM
I think about 10 blogs have quoted my "underoos" comment, and I don't ever recall writing it!
Thinking it should go on my tombstone (along with "Was one of the Rockaway Seven"... ;-)
Posted by: 1WineDude | January 19, 2009 at 05:31 PM
"...and he died with his underoos clean!"
Seriously, Dude, I didn't pull that quote out of *my* underoos! It's right there. (Actually might be fun to see the Ch. Petrogasm version of that quote ;)
Posted by: el jefe | January 19, 2009 at 05:47 PM
I LOVE my new title! Thanks for the theme, the great write up, and keeping this blogging lark fun.
Posted by: Dr. Debs | January 19, 2009 at 05:51 PM
This is as close as I could find to the Ch. Petrogasm version :-)
http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_430xN.10690215.jpg
Posted by: 1WineDude | January 19, 2009 at 06:41 PM
Great write up, and look at all those blogs!!
Posted by: Rob | January 20, 2009 at 08:16 AM
No WBW Police yet...I think I'm in the clear! Thanks for the great wrap-up!
Posted by: Taster B | January 24, 2009 at 11:01 AM
A rasher is one slice - my bacon sarnie has three.
Great roundup and great, thought provoking theme.
Posted by: Andrew | January 25, 2009 at 08:41 AM