When I was rekindling my love for reading this past winter, Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty was top of the list. I hadn’t yet seen the show, but it was one I wanted to watch and reading the book first is my style. A few hours into reading on vacation I was hooked, a few more hours deep and I was done.
As for the show, the soundtrack is incredible, the aesthetics are surreal and there’s a glass of wine in practically every scene. With season two in full swing, I’d be remiss to pass up the opportunity of pairing the Monterey Five with five Monterey general wineries/wines to try.
“For the ancient Romans, ira or wrath, was a tool of a god, an unstoppable anger driven by forces greater than man. One can argue that we see such fury in both the might of nature and the passion of art. Wrath appears in the edgy power of Robert Plant’s voice and the raw wail of Eric Clapton’s guitar. It is frozen into Jackson Pollock’s violent splatters of paint. Wrath is in the wall of maritime fog that rolls into the Salinas Valley and the relentless afternoon winds that scream through our grape trellises. Wrath wines represent a nexus of nature and an unbridled passion for winemaking.”
If this doesn’t scream Big Little Lies, I don’t know what does. I’m partial to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which is great because they encompass most of their lineup.
A stunning rosé, ripe with rich red fruit and citrus, featuring an electrifyingly acidic finish. Wente may be based out of Livermore, CA but the appellation for this Pinot Noir Rosé is Arroyo Seco Monterey. I wrote about drinking this wine at a Tom Petty tribute band concert. I’ll be sipping this one straight through the summer season and with the show every Sunday.
Cheap and accessible will always have a place in my heart and Hahn is just that, without sacrificing your taste buds to bad wine. They have a solid assortment of wines that, thanks to them being a medium-large producer, are available at grocery stores all over at less than $15 a bottle. I’ve not had a bad one from them, but would like to call specific pairing attention in this case to their Merlot. In my opinion, Merlot is the best varietal pairing for this show.
Another Livermore located, but central coast grown option is Darcie Kent, a producer I recent fell in love with after trying their Grüner in an airport wine bar. From fertile valley floors to foggy mornings, there’s some incredible wines in their lineup that highlight the terroir of both Monterey and Livermore. The Grüner Veltliner is an absolute favorite of mine and speaks wonders to the Monterey appellation.
Alright so this one may be a little bit of a cheat, but it’s also self explanatory AND has a special story personal to me. My first positive experience with wine was here: I bought a cheap Groupon for a wine and cheese pairing here and fell in love. If you’re looking to taste Monterey: it’s all in the name here and this place does not disappoint when it comes to view, cheese, or wine. Make it a must if you’re in the area.
Note: I’ve linked the Groupon as it’s still available at the time of this posting! I received no compensation if you purchase through the link. If you sign up and purchase you first Groupon through this link, I receive a credit.
What’s your favorite Monterey wine? Which one would you pair with Big Little Lies?
Vinyls & Vinos 