Deb Van Pelt, a certified wine sommelier at Belle Meade Winery in Nashville, TN, joined me for a wine tasting excursion in Leiper’s Fork, TN. We tasted four wines paired with three dishes from 1892 Restaurant and one from Historic Puckett’s restaurant and music venue. “Delicious” and “yum” are the first two words that come to mind.

Southern Americana host Paul Stanley with wine sommelier, Deb Van Pelt outside of 1892 Restaurant in Leiper’s Fork, TN

Most everyone loves wine, especially me. And because there are so many varieties and types of vino, even the most experienced wine drinker can feel intimidated when staring down a restaurant wine list or visiting your local wine store.

Lucky for me, a few months ago, I was introduced to Deb. Not only does this longtime Louisville, Ky resident, and sommelier know her wine, but she’s quite the bourbon expert too. But that’s a story for another time. For a couple of months, we talked about recording a podcast episode, and the obvious choice for pairing wine with outstanding food was 1892 Restaurant and Puckett’s.

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Three of our four dishes were prepared by Chef Dylan Morrison of 1892, and one by my good friend, musician, and the owner of Puckett’s Robb Robinson. Here are the wines we tasted along with the food pairings:

  • Emile Beyer Dry Reisling with a Grill Romaine Salad
  • E. Guigal Cotes Du Rhone (French White) with Pan Seared Scallops
  • Fratelli Ponte Barbera D’Asti with Spicy Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini Squash
  • Dry Creek Zinfandel with Puckett’s Pulled Pork Barbecue

Wine Do’s & Don’t’s

I’ve been attending wine tasting and events since 1992. Through all my experiences, I am constantly trying to learn about wine. To say the least, wine is an adventurous and exhaustive subject. Here are some basic “wine rules” Deb stressed are important:

Never, ever, ever use a stemless wine glass, even when drinking red wine. I always observed the rule to use a stemmed glass with white wine to avoid increasing its temperature. The same rule also applies to reds. The ideal serving temperature for red wine is between 58-68 degrees Fahrenheit. Red wine begins to “cook” at 80 degrees, so placing your hand on a glass of room temperature red will only hurt the wine’s taste.

Deb Van Pelt, head sommelier at Belle Meade Winery leads a wine tasting class

Both corks and screw caps are fine. Years ago, I either read or hear that when a sommelier or server opens a wine at your table, smelling and feeling the cork indicates that the wine is okay. Not true!

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What does a well-preserved cork smell like? “Cork,” says Deb. Then what you should do with the cork? Deb suggested spinning it around in front of the sommelier to see if you can make the cork land vertically. “It’s a game all sommelier’s play.”

Deb also stressed the importance of learning the five “S’s” of wine tasting; sight, swirl, smell, sip and savor.

I’ve always made a mistake when tasting wine with food is sipping the wine with food in my mouth. Food definitely changes the taste of wine. To fully savor a wine, Deb suggests employing the five S’s. 

Guidelines for Enjoying Wine & Food Pairings

After pouring the wine (in a stemless glass), observe the wine’s color. Deb suggests swirling the wine often to enhance the flavor. First, smell the wine by tipping the glass at a 45-degree angle. Then, sip the wine, swirling it around your mouth before swallowing. After you’ve tasted your wine, take a bite of your food, chew, then swallow. Then enjoy another sip of wine. The taste will be uniquely different. 

There’s so much to unpack in this episode. Grab a bottle of your favorite wine and hear Deb explain the finer points of enjoying wine. However, Deb’s most important advice for enjoying wine is not to be intimidated by all the rules. “If you enjoy a certain wine, then drink it.”

To learn more about Deb and her wine tasting adventures, follow her on Instagram @deb.vanpelt and on Facebook at Deborah Van Pelt. 

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