– By #Powder House Lodge
When it comes to pairing food and wine, some may feel intimidated by the task. But food and wine pairings can be simple and fun! After all, everyone enjoys a good meal! The Powder House Lodge offers an extensive wine menu, and even features selections from some of our local wineries. Our wines are hand selected to compliment our diverse menu. While there are some guidelines to food and wine pairing, we think the best wine you can drink with a meal is a wine you actually enjoy drinking. We’re sure you’ll find something on our extensive list that will suit your palette and compliment one of our many delicious dishes.
Pairing Guideline #1
Dry Rosé Pairs Well with Most Hors D’oeuvres
The Powder House features the Roosevelt Rosé from The Firehouse Winery in Rapid City. This refreshing wine features the crisp acidity and light body of a white wine, while highlighting fruity characteristics of a red. This combo of features makes rosé a go-to wine for a light start to your meal and refreshing compliment to any appetizer. Try a glass with our Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp or Bruschetta.
Pairing Guideline #2
Unoaked White Wines Compliment Foods with Citrus Flavors
If you are going to squeeze a lemon or a lime on your main dish, a nice unoaked white wine will pair well with your meal. Our Monkey’s Bay Sauvignon blanc is the perfect partner for any of our seafood dishes, including our Parmesan Halibut, Salmon Salad or Walleye. Sauvignon blancs feature a bright citrusy acidity that acts like a little zip of lemon or lime, which highlights the fresh, light flavors of your fish.
Pairing Guideline #3
Pair Spicy Food with a Low-Alcohol Wine
Unless you are a glutton for heat, we suggest pairing your spicy dish with a sweeter wine that consists of a lower alcohol level. Alcohol intensifies the feeling of heat that comes from the oils that makes spicy food hot. When eating a spicy dish like our Cajun Pasta, we suggest our Chateau St. Michelle Riesling. This wine is light and not too sweet, but just enough to cut the heat a bit so that you can taste the flavors of your dish, instead of only feeling the burn.
Pairing Guideline #4
Bold Tannic Reds Pair Well with Rich Meat
Tannins are the astringent compounds in red wines that provide that bold, structured and full body flavor. This is an ideal compliment for rich meats such as our Powder House Steak, 12 oz. Rib-eye or Wild Game Sampler. We suggest a glass of our Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon, or our 7 Deadly Zins.
Pairing Guideline#5
Earthy Food with Earthy Wine
It’s a great thing when your wine perfectly echoes the tones of your food. Earthiness is often found in wines such as Pinot Noir and other burgundies. Our Meiomi Pinot Noir is a perfect complement to our all natural, grass-fed Buffalo Filet or our Stuffed Portobello.
Pairing Guideline #6
With Lighter Meats Let the Sauce Dictate the Wine
It’s common knowledge that whites pair well with fish and reds pair well with steaks, but what about lighter cuts of meat such as pork, chicken, or turkey? We say, let the sauce guide you in your wine pairing. Often, in most protein based dishes, which feature turkey or duck for example, the meat is not the main flavor, but the sauce is. Base your wine pairing based on the sauce your protein is being served with. With our Powder House Chicken, which features béarnaise sauce and artichoke hearts, we suggest a glass of our full bodied Butternut Chardonnay. Whereas, our stuffed quail, which is served with a blackberry sauce, a glass of our Bibbiani Poggio Vignoso Chianti will compliment the delicate meat.
Pairing Guideline #7
Choose a Light Wine for Dessert
Many dessert wines feature a fruity flavor. It’s easy to associate a “dessert wine,” as being sweet, but some dessert wines offer a bold berry or fruit inspired flavor with a more subtle earthy undertone. One of our favorites comes from Prairie Berry, which is a local winery in Hill City. Their Lawrence Elk Black Currant wine is nice way to top off any meal. This semi-sweet wine features red fruit flavors including cherry, black currant and a hint of pine for a clean finish.
No matter what you choose for dinner, the friendly staff at the Powder House is happy to guide you through our extensive wine menu. The Powder House, which features breakfast, lunch and dinner is conveniently located less than 5 miles from Mount Rushmore, in Keystone. A meal with us is the perfect way to start or end your day while touring the Black Hills. Call us at 1-800-321-0692 or (605) 666-4646 to make dinner reservations for a meal you’ll never forget!
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