The return of “The Bear” (which no one can get enough of) comes with a level of scrutiny to the fictional restaurant. While some thought attention to the wine served in the restaurant was generally missing from the last two seasons, the show revisits wine in its fourth season. The Bear’s sommelier, Gary “Sweeps” Woods, played by Corey Hendrix, continues to learn about wines and pairing them with dishes. But in the eighth episode of this new season, simply titled “Green,” Sweeps and Sydney Adamu (Ayo Edebiri) review the wine list with the menu, revealing what’s on offer. Ultimately, the show’s wine list includes one white wine, one rosé, and two robust reds. Let’s take a closer look at the wines and why they’re perfect for pairing.
Starting with the lightest wines on the menu, Sweeps mentions two, the white and rosé, by the Napa, California-based winery, Hourglass. These include their sauvignon blanc, a blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon, and their rosé, which is not currently available as it’s a limited release. Next up is a cerrati barolo, also called cerrati nebbiolo, by Tenuta Cucco, a winery in the Piedmont region of Italy. Both Sydney and Sweeps call this a “heavy” wine, while the resident sommelier explains that it’s a “beautiful” wine as well. Last mentioned is the Pastourelle de Clerc Milon bottle, a Pauillac Bordeaux that blends cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot, and carmenère.
These wines are so perfect because of their range
So, why is this wine list so perfect? Well, much like Sweeps’ experience learning about how to taste and pair wines for The Bear restaurant, you can do the same at home. In the show, Sweeps visits an actual sommelier in the real world, Alpana Singh, who teaches him easy tricks for identifying wine characteristics for pairings. In his prep rundown with Sydney, he names the white and rosé wines with the caviar component, topped with lilacs, that the chef mentions. These wines are light enough to work well with lighter dishes like fish, Sydney’s popular scallop dish, and the delicate caviar and lilac ingredients. Meanwhile, the red wines are heavier options that can stand up to dishes like steak and lamb (consult our definitive pairing guide for more).
You can recreate these pairings at home and use these wines for other recurring dishes by following the same principles that Sweeps learns in the second episode of Season 4. You don’t need an extensive collection of wine to enjoy a great glass with good food at home. Remember to choose wines with a lot of acidity when eating fatty dishes and light wines with salty foods. Additionally, don’t forget to consider the weight of your wine when pairing, but if you get stuck, you can always stick to these classic food and wine pairings.
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