Port & Pecan Pie

Up there with the most difficult foods to pair with wine is pecan pie.  If anyone can successfully recommend a table wine for this uber-rich creation, we’re all ears.  We asked a couple of sommeliers in Tulsa for their take on the the southern pecan pie pairing.  Tim Baker of  Sonoma Bistro & Wine Bar recommended cappuccino or coffee with liqueur, such as Amaretto or Bailey’s.  He said if wine is a must, an earthy Tokaji might would couple well.  Joe Breaux, sommelier at Fleming’s in Tulsa, said pecan pie must be paired with a wine that is sweeter than the pie.  ”The sugar in the pie will make any table wine taste dull or bitter.  A good older vintage tawny Port works because the nuttiness in the wine is enhanced by the nuttiness of the pie; the 1986 Delaforce Colheita Port is a very good match.”

This was one pairing we gladly put to the test, and we wanted to do it right (Karo corn syrup need not apply!).  We asked  Sandy Farris to send us one of her famous pecan pies, which are available nationally via mail order (abundant packaging and 2nd day air ensures your pie arrives fresh and in perfect shape).  The tawny Port proved to be a tasty partner to the flaky crust and infinite layers of pecans in the Farris’t of Them All pie.  For the sake of comparison we also poured an Evan Williams single-barrel bourbon that was on hand.   The nuances of the pie that were greatly enhanced by the Port’s pale spice and toasted flavors but were masked my the whiskey’s smokiness.

If you are looking for a Valentine’s day gift for your hubby, Farris’t Pecan Pie and a bottle of tawny Port are a tasty way to say “I love you!”