800 Grapes and Kraft Dinner - Pairing Food & Wine

Written by Peter Rockwell | 08 September 2010
Posted in Bon Vivant

Have you tried a shot of Islay single malt whisky before tucking into your bowl of manufactured macaroni and cheese? That might help kill the taste of all that processed goodness. Of course, I kid because I, too, love. Back in my freewheeling single days I balanced my booze budget by eating more than my fair share of KD so I kind of know where you're coming from (well, kind of). You didn’t specify which of the cheesy wonders is your package of preference. Do you mean "The Original" Kraft Dinner with its packet of powdered cheese flakes that turn the noodles DayGlo orange, or one of the fancy pants Deluxe versions that up the cheesiness by, like, a thousand? I suppose it doesn't really matter once it's in the bowl. In the end you’re still looking to match a wine with what will ultimately be an overpowering, palate-coating mouthful of plain, cheese-soaked (and with heartfelt apologies to Italy) pasta.

Keeping things red and fruit-forward is the liquid antidote for KD. Something like a mid-priced Aussie Shiraz or California Zinfandel. Their mix of ripe berry flavours and underlying spiciness has enough muscle to flex its way through the assault au fromage without losing too much in the transition from glass to throat. One of those new millennium Pinotages — the kind that taste like a cross between a Mars bar and a Starbucks double espresso — make a fun alternative, as would a fruity Chilean Merlot.

I struggle with the white side. Too much acid may clash with the subtle nuances of the dish … wait, what am I saying? If you‘re keen on vino blanco pick a bottle with a little weight like a lightly oaked Chardonnay or my all-purpose fallback position — an off dry Riesling. They should help the mediocrity go down.

chardonnay | grapes | riesling | sauvignon blanc | scotch | wine pairing