Ketchup or Glaze?

Over the weekend, we invited some friends over for dinner. As I am always the "Teacher" I asked our guest to bring the wine, I advised them that I was cooking "Italian Style Roast Beef". Leaving the wine selection to my guest. I returned back to preparing dinner,I seasoned the roast with garlic powder and salt and pepper. Place in a slow cooker,added mushrooms and onion,combine seasoning mix and tomato sauce,poured it over all. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours. To thicken the gravy, I made a paste of melted butter and flour,added tomato paste, then stirred in some meat drippings from the bottom of Crock Pot. Covered and cook on high until thickened.

Waiting with anticipation to see which wine my guest was pairing my dinner with, finally came 10 min. later when they arrived on time.
Handing me the wine bag,I dug my hand in and wrapped it around the bottle. What I pulled out was a 2000 Joseph Phelps Insignia.

Now, in my friends defense I have to say he does know that this is one of my favorite wines, But What I asked he to bring was a wine for dinner.

So, to teach my guest a life long lesson, I went down into my cellar and pulled out a 2001 OBERTO BARBERA D'ALBA GIADA with it's classic cherry pie, hint of cedar, black currant & vanilla nose and it's very silky, covers & coats entire palate, nice blackberry, cedar box, massive flavor.
I set the table and included 2 wine glasses, on the right I poured the Joseph Phelps and on the left I poured the Oberto. Not telling my guest which was which we sat down to dinner and I let the good times roll.

The conversation of today's politic and economics carried to the table. As I cut the roast and served everyone a slice. We started eating and making small talk,then something happened,someone said out loud how great the dinner tasted and how good the wine on the left complements it. I let this stir for a min. or two, everyone was tasting the meal with the wine on the right and the wine on the left. By a margin of 6 to 0 the Oberto Barbera won.

I confessed to my guest that I have chosen a second wine. I wanted them to taste and understand that even though Joseph Phelps is a great wine it is NOT a dinner wine. The same can be made with most California wines, while they are good to drink on their own, the 90+ points they receive is not relative when matching with food.Too big of a wine and you just poured Ketchup over your dinner.

The right wine is the one that compliments the time and love put into the meal. The meal is the physical love that the wife put out for the guest to eat, the wine is the love the man set out to show is participation in the love, Together they show how each one goes together hand in hand.