Carrot Cake Calls for Fall

Carrot Cake + 2008 Shoo Fly Viognier: 2/5

I really wanted to be a fan of this pairing. Unfortunately the pairing’s a bust. After a visit to Wine Styles, I thought that my Beef Bourguignon pairing party was going to be perfect with this 2008 Viognier. As described by Sara, the sommelier who would rather have wine AS dessert instead of with it, this wine should have brought out the spiciness of the carrot cake, and complimented the cream cheese frosting.

Upon first taste, I was a bit reluctant. I mean, I had just swarmed my palate with a sea of succulent flavors: beef, red wine, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper. My palate was probably in flavor shock. To me the Viognier did not stand up to the dense and spicy carrot cake, and tasted more like water than wine. So I chalked it up to a buzz and taste-bud overload.

The next night I tried it again, this time with the assistance of another set of bud’s, my friend Lisa’s. Sitting across the table from me, the entire meal sailing along splendidly, we approached dessert. With the Carrot cake, still moist, perfectly sliced on the porcelain plates, and a floral and fruity smell wafting from our wine glasses, we took to tasting. She agreed with my first conclusion, the wine fell flat. While the richness of the cake provided a sweet warmth, to accompany a gloomy fall day, the wine sang songs of summer: crisp, oaky, and floral.

But again, I blamed the beef. So one last time I gave the pairing a chance, this time without a main course. I served myself a slice, large enough to taste but small enough not to destroy dinner, and poured myself a sample, again smelling the rich floral and apricot flavors. My palate was clean, no coffee, no Beef Bourguinon. I took a small fork full of the cake, each crumb falling to the plate like leaves from a changing tree. The wine shone a light brownish yellow, and when the two were married—nothing.

Although a disappointment, alone both the cake and the wine were charming. Because I was making a recipe that required hours in the kitchen, the cake was from a box. But according to Michael, the Duncan Hines carrot cake mix, which includes dehydrated carrots and raisins, is the best. To make it semi-homemade, I did whip up the cream cheese frosting. http://www.recipezaar.com/Fluffy-Cream-Cheese-Frosting-202566 Until recently I had no idea how easy it was to make frostings, and I half wonder if it was better when I didn’t know.

As far as the wine goes, I would recommend paring this Viognier with a salad with grilled salmon, or a light shrimp pasta. Talking with Lisa, she said that the carrot cake would probably pair better with a fruity Pinot Noir, which would have the structure required for such a dense dessert.

While still delicious, the pairing wasn’t exactly perfect. This is the quest though, it is a learning experience for us all.